A/N – A very long part this time, but there's a character who needed to be introduced – and, I hope, a few surprises!
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Spring 1997 (sixth year)
As winter gave way to spring, life was looking up for Severus Snape. He was cautiously optimistic about his relationship with Emmeline. Obviously he couldn't get away from the school very often, but she now seemed pleased to see him when he did arrive at Grimmauld Place. He managed to get over his distaste for the Marian Melody novels she preferred when he saw how pleased she was to receive them. Furthermore, she no longer asked after Lucius immediately, apparently accepting that Severus was not going to be persuaded to deliver any messages to him on her behalf. Granted, these were very small measures of progress, but he had already waited for Emmeline a very long time. He could wait a little longer.
The Potter boy was doing well enough in Occlumency to allow Severus to reduce the frequency of their training sessions so he didn't have to see him as often. The wolf was still away on a mission and wasn't due back until the end of the term. Draco was still holding his own among the Slytherins (and the rest of his classmates) and doing some really exemplary work in Advanced Potions. All in all, Snape mused as he stared out the window in the hall outside the staff room, life was pretty good.
Then he squinted into the distance.
A figure was approaching, flying in by broomstick over the Forbidden Forrest. Severus frowned. Most legitimate visitors to the school came from Hogsmead, avoiding that route. His fingers moved automatically to the coded talisman hidden beneath his robes. Hesitating, he finally decided on a low-level alert and started making his way to the Entrance Hall.
He was waiting on the steps outside before she landed, so he had time to arrange his expression after he recognized her. She was wearing light blue-gray robes under a matching cloak, the fabric of the hood pooling loosely around her shoulders as she strode forward, her face exposed to the world.
"Good afternoon. Could you tell me how to get to the Headmaster's Office?" she asked briskly, and then Dumbledore was coming down the steps behind him.
"If you're looking for the Headmaster, I'm afraid he isn't in his office," Albus told her, his light eyes twinkling over the half-moon glasses he habitually wore. "I'm Albus Dumbledore. Welcome to Hogwarts."
The woman Severus had known as 'Cassandra Celarevos' responded with a quick flash of a smile. "Catherine Clare," she said, extending her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Catherine Clare," the Headmaster repeated slowly, retaining her hand for a long moment as he searched her face. "Of course," he said with an air of discovery as he released her, "Miranda and Richard's daughter."
"Please call me Catherine," she suggested, with barely detectible irony in her voice.
"Fair enough," Dumbledore chuckled. "This is Severus Snape, our Potions Master."
"Miss Clare," Severus intoned formally, with a brief and businesslike nod.
"Professor," she replied simply, but he could tell from the expression in her eyes that she was amused rather than intimidated.
"What brings you to Hogwarts, Catherine?" Dumbledore asked.
"I was hoping someone here might be able to help me locate an alumnus," she said immediately. "He would have been a student here in the seventies, by the name of Remus Lupin?"
"Oh, yes, I remember Remus," the Headmaster told her easily. "I didn't know the two of you were acquainted."
"Actually, we're not," Catherine said frankly, "but I do need to get in touch with him, and I've had some difficulty trying to reach him. Do you have a current address for him?"
"I think I may be able to help you," Dumbledore said casually. "Why don't we step up to my office and continue this conversation there?" He steered her smoothly away, nodding a good-bye to Severus and leaving the younger man standing on the steps wondering what to make of this.
Severus was left to wonder the rest of the day and all through dinner. He was finally able to manage a private word with the Headmaster late that evening, when the students and most of the faculty had retired for the night.
"Well?" he demanded impatiently.
"What are you expecting me to tell you?"
Severus frowned at him. "Well, it was her, wasn't it?"
"Yes, of course," Dumbledore agreed patiently. "But then, you already knew that," he reminded Severus gently.
"Did you warn her?"
"No."
Severus said something extremely unfit for polite company.
"Really, Severus."
"She's going to die." Dammit, he had enough lives on his conscience without adding another one unnecessarily. He knew they blamed him for the death of Sirius Black, even if no one ever said so. If he had been able to keep the Potter boy from being lured away from Hogwarts, Black would never have been able to use him as an excuse to leave Grimmauld Place and get himself killed. But they could still fix this one even if there was nothing he could do about any of the others.
"We don't know that," Dumbledore told him.
"But –"
"And even if we did, I don't think it's something that can be fixed with a simple warning. We're meddling with time, Severus, and whatever happened has already happened. There are limits to what we can do to alter it."
"I hardly think –"
"What if she decided not to come back?"
Severus fell silent.
"I'm sure I didn't agree to send her back lightly, Severus. I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think she understood the risks. And please remember that she made a choice – whatever happened was not your fault."
The younger man ran a slightly shaky hand through his hair. It was one thing to live with the knowledge of the consequences of your mistakes, but it was quite another to have a woman you had gotten killed walk up and introduce herself to you.
"I could coach her," he said at last. "So at least she would have a decent chance –"
"No, Severus."
"Tell her it's a requirement to join the Order!"
"I can't do that." Dumbledore was looking at him with something dangerously close to pity in his eyes. "She would discover the truth very quickly from someone else, and wonder why she was singled out."
"We could just –"
"Severus, it is vitally important that you do nothing that would interfere with the timeline. She doesn't know anything about Emmeline or her own involvement in that mission. I still have no idea how it came about, but it needs to be left to happen naturally."
Severus turned the problem over in his mind. "We could start a general program of combat training for everyone," he proposed.
"Just in time for Catherine to benefit from it? No, Severus." Dumbledore studied the younger man's face, and sighed. "You can propose a general program of training when something happens to justify it – but not before."
And with that, Severus had to be content.
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Summer 1997 (after sixth year)
Adrienne was already waiting in the lobby when Catherine appeared in one of the arrival fireplaces. Catherine was wearing one of the neutral gray robes she wore for court appearances as an Auror and looked coolly composed. Adrienne rose and waved to attract her attention. Catherine smiled when she saw her, and crossed the intervening space with quick, light footsteps.
"Adrienne, how are you doing?" Catherine asked with genuine concern. Adrienne returned her hug before replying.
"Fairly well, actually, all things considered," she said, wondering if it would ever be finished. Catherine shot her a quick glance of sympathetic understanding as she took hold of her arm to lead her through security. Adrienne gave the official routine only a small part of her attention.
Catherine's wand always passed very quickly, the longest part of the process being the recitation of her identity for the record kept at the public entrance, "Catherine Miranda Clare, Office of the Prosecutor General, active, Auror reserve, retired from active duty." Adrienne knew that Catherine could have bypassed the security checks at the public entrance, but her friend always accompanied her, for which Adrienne was deeply grateful. In the beginning, Catherine had picked her up at the house instead, but that had been right after it happened -
"Ten inches, rosewood with a core of Veela hair," the official intoned. "Full name?"
"Adrienne Sophie Richaud Kearney." The duty wizard glanced at the writing magically appearing on both the parchment log and her claim check.
"You've been here before?"
"Yes."
"Same case, same status?"
"Yes."
"Courtroom 103," he told her, handing her the claim check.
"Thank you."
They started down the hall to the courtroom.
"How are the kids doing?" Catherine asked. Adrienne appreciated the distraction.
"Tristan's doing well in school. Garrett is still a bit of a handful."
"Grace will be ready for primary school soon, won't she?" Catherine asked, an odd note in her voice that Adrienne immediately understood.
"Only one more year," Adrienne admitted. Had it really been that long?
Inside the courtroom, Catherine nodded to her colleague, a businesslike blond witch busily reviewing her notes, before she and Adrienne took seats on the first bench on the prosecution side. In a few moments, they brought in the defendant, magically bound, and his attendant nodded to the bailiff.
"All rise." Adrienne stood automatically, no longer needing the support of Catherine's hand on her arm as she had when this started.
"Be seated," the senior of the three judges intoned automatically. "Court is now in session." He opened the file waiting on the surface in front of him and adjusted his reading glasses slightly. "People versus Kevin George Wilcox, final sentencing hearing. We've reviewed the pre-sentencing report and the submissions of both parties. Are both sides ready to proceed at this time?" There was an obligatory double echo in response.
"Kevin Wilcox, you stand convicted of the felony murder of Robert Allan Kearney, it having been found that you did cause the death of Robert Allan Kearney pursuant to the commission of the felony crime of flight to escape lawful arrest. Does the prosecution wish to address the court on the issue of sentencing?"
The prosecutor was on her feet, but Adrienne let most of what she was saying wash over her. Fragments impinged on her consciousness - "Duty" - "aggravating factor" - "Aurors Kearney and Clare" - "heinous" and then "widow with three children."
That was her label here - "widow with three children" - but how was that supposed to encapsulate everything she was any more than "Auror" told everything there was to be known about her wonderful Bobby? She felt Catherine reach over to clasp her hand as the defendant's counsel took his turn. "Troubled childhood" - "in mitigation" - "deeply regret" - "tragic misunderstanding" - and at last, he too fell silent.
"As you know, Mrs. Kearney, pursuant to the victims' rights statute, you have a right to address the court at this time. Do you wish to do so?" She had to drop Catherine's hand to rise and face the court.
She had meant to tell them how wonderful Bobby had been, her jovial bear of a husband who had brought such joy to her life. She had rehearsed it all in her mind, but her throat tightened now and the practiced eloquence was out of her reach. "Robert was a good husband and a good father," she said at last, "the father of three children, although he never got to know the third. Grace is almost four now, and he never got to see her." He hadn't even known he was going to be a father again, but then she'd put that in the written statement already, an official-looking document that she had agonized over with "Victim Impact Statement" across the top.
"I don't know how to reduce everything he was into something I can add to the record," she said at last, trying not to choke on the words. Then the stiffening went out of her knees and she sat down abruptly.
After a quick glance to confirm that she was finished, and a few more rote phrases that meant nothing to her, the Silencing Charm went up and there was a brief conference among the judges. When they deactivated the charm, there were more meaningless phrases before they finally got to the part everyone was waiting for - "a term of forty years to life in prison" - and Adrienne was thankful she was still sitting down.
For the first time that day, she looked over at the defendant, pale-faced and barely listening to his attorney's low-voiced counsel as the jurists completed the formality of reviewing and signing the sentencing documents. He seemed oddly smaller than she remembered.
"Has the court had an opportunity to consider the people's motion regarding designation of victim status?" the prosecutor was asking. One of the junior judges, a thin-faced witch with small, round eyes frowned.
"The court is concerned about the precedent that would be established in designating an Auror as a victim of a crime. The statute clearly sets up a separate category for Aurors, which does not entitle them to the same status as civilian victims."
"Your honors, the people's motion is clearly limited to request designation only for the purpose of subsection (4)(d), which would prohibit the defendant from initiating direct communication with Auror Clare, and enable the Prison Authority to enforce this prohibition. Auror Clare has made herself available to the defendant for interview pursuant to the exception noted in subsection (2)(c), and has accepted and fulfilled the duties of an Auror throughout this proceeding. The people see no reason why the defendant should have the right to initiate direct contact with Auror Clare while he is in prison, particularly in light of the availability of contact through the prosecutors' office should such ever be appropriate."
"Mr. Mallory?" The senior judge addressed the defendant's attorney.
"Other than the precedential issue already noted by the court," he murmured with an almost-bow in the direction of the junior judge who had spoken, "and matters contained in our brief, the defense has no other comment." Before the senior judge could activate the Silencing Charm, the other junior judge spoke up.
"The statute clearly designates certain persons eligible for this protection, to include a decedent's family members," the dark-haired witch said thoughtfully. "While there is some room for discretion in the language regarding 'Other persons whose relationship to the decedent merits such consideration', the court would not wish to appear to denigrate the special status given to those family members specified in the statute by extending it to professional colleagues. Has the prosecutors' office consulted Auror Kearney's family regarding this motion?"
Adrienne rose to her feet again then. "Your honors, Catherine was not merely a professional colleague - a designation that could apply to anyone else in the office - she was my husband's partner for several years. Bobby and I both considered her a member of our family while he was alive, and I still do today," she told them firmly. "She has done everything a member of the family would do, from making the funeral arrangements, to providing comfort and support as we try to adjust to the loss - without regard for the fact that Catherine suffered a loss too. I would like the court the recognize that."
When she sat down again, this time Adrienne reached for Catherine's hand. It quivered for a moment in her own, and Adrienne saw her blinking back tears before her professional mask descended again.
The Silenced discussion actually seemed longer this time, but eventually the court granted the motion and called the next case.
"Cafeteria?" Adrienne suggested when they reached the hall.
Catherine nodded. "I didn't know Brenda had filed that. Adrienne, did you?"
"Yes. I asked her not to tell you," Adrienne admitted. "She wasn't at all sure they would grant it, and you're already protected enough that you probably wouldn't get anything he sent anyway, but, well - Bobby would have wanted me to ask."
"Thank you, Adrienne," Catherine said quietly, blinking hard again. "I appreciate the gesture."
"Did they really take longer to discuss the motion than the sentence?" she asked curiously after they entered the cafeteria. She selected a slice of cheesecake and a cup of coffee. Eating because of nerves would be bad for her figure, but today she would indulge herself anyway.
"Well, yes," Catherine admitted. "Not because of their relative importance," she added quickly. "I'm sure it was only because of the novelty of the motion."
"You don't have to protect my feelings, Catherine," Adrienne reassured her, smiling slightly. "Brenda already told me that they would probably have just about made up their minds about the sentence before they came in. I'm not upset about it." Actually, it made her feel better about not being able to make the statement she planned. "How do you like living in the U.K.?"
"Interesting."
"Meaning you can't tell me much about it," Adrienne translated easily. "Any good shopping?"
"Adrienne!"
"A witch can dream, can't she? Three kids under ten don't leave a lot of time for worrying about the state of my robes." Catherine laughed in response.
"I'll make a point of getting to Hogsmead so I can fill you in on all the latest styles," she promised, her blue-gray eyes dancing with amusement.
As they stood in line to pay for their snacks, Catherine scanned the cafeteria with dissatisfaction. It was still fairly full with people lingering over late lunches.
"Are any of the small conference rooms open?" Catherine asked the cashier. "Prosecutor's office."
The witch glanced at a parchment on the counter. "Three, eight, or nine."
"We'll take nine," Catherine decided, waiting politely for Adrienne to finish her transaction before leading her into a small private room on one side of the cafeteria. As soon as she shut the door the cafeteria noise ceased, and Adrienne realized that these rooms must have permanent charms on them. It was very small, holding only a square table and four chairs, but the quiet was really a blessing.
"This almost makes me glad you switched to prosecution," Adrienne said lightly as she seated herself. "You'd think they'd give Aurors a room as well."
Catherine shook her head with a rueful smile. "Every once in a while they talk about it, but they always conclude they'd rather not have all of us congregated in one place," she explained. Adrienne slid her fork into the tip of the cheesecake to create the first bite; she knew from experience that it would be surprisingly good for a government institution.
"Adrienne," Catherine began, "I wanted you to know that I'm going to resign. I have a meeting with Devon a little later this afternoon." Adrienne set her fork down.
"Why?" she asked simply and directly.
"You've read about Voldemort. I think I can do more where I am."
"You're already on leave," Adrienne pointed out. "Nobody's stopping you from doing whatever it is you're doing." She could see the tension in Catherine's face, but then Catherine pulled out her wand and cast another Silencing Charm of her own on top of the ones already in place in the room.
"Adrienne, the American press isn't taking this seriously enough," Catherine said quietly, her blue-gray eyes very sober. "The British press isn't either for that matter. At times, the tone seems to waver between hysteria because Voldemort hasn't been taken into custody yet and smug assurance that it will all be over any minute and there's really nothing to worry about! Voldemort may not be omnipotent, but he's a very powerful dark wizard with a lot more followers than anyone wants to admit. He's a good strategist, and he's had literally years to plan his takeover. I don't think this will be over any time soon."
Adrienne grew cold, despite the warmth of summer outside and the magically regulated temperature within. "You're not even halfway through your leave," she heard herself say.
"If I'm not going to be back on time, it's not fair for me to keep my job. Devon can't get a new permanent replacement until I resign, and someone else who could do the job can't have either the satisfaction or the paycheck," Catherine pointed out gently. "I don't think it's right for me to stop things from moving on without me."
"I understand," Adrienne said at last. "I'm sorry. I know you really liked it. Brenda said you were very good." Catherine smiled a little, although without the light in her eyes that signified real joy.
"I'm glad. It was a good place for me to be."
"Why did you quit being an Auror when Bobby died?" Adrienne asked abruptly, seeing Catherine withdraw inwardly without surprise. She had always wondered about that, but there had never been a good time to press the issue.
"It wouldn't have been the same without Robert," Catherine said calmly, but Adrienne could see that her eyes were shielded. "It was time for me to try something different."
"That wasn't it, and we both know it," Adrienne said implacably. "You could have worked with a new partner. That would've been something different. Everyone knew how good you were, and you got on well with the other Aurors. Why did you quit instead?"
Catherine's jaw set. "I told you why I left."
"No one blamed you for Bobby's death."
"I know that." Catherine was getting impatient, but Adrienne persisted.
"Not me, not anyone. There was nothing you could have done," she insisted.
"Adrienne, I know."
"Bobby wouldn't have blamed you either."
Catherine was now more openly irritated. "Adrienne, drop it."
"Why did you quit?"
"I told you, I – "
"Don't lie to me, Catherine. I've known you too long to believe that, and I've got more right to the truth than anyone else. I want to know why." Adrienne saw Catherine's eyes blaze in response, and thought she might finally get an answer.
"I quit so I wouldn't kill Wilcox!" Catherine ejaculated angrily, than clapped a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes.
"Catherine?" Adrienne whispered, not sure what to say. She had known there was more to Catherine's decision to change jobs than she was saying, but she would never have guessed that.
Catherine's anger had apparently drained away after her outburst. When she opened her eyes again, she did not meet Adrienne's, and her voice when she spoke was weary.
"I knew I couldn't have saved Robert. I won't deny that I felt I should have been able to, but I always knew I couldn't have. I ran over what happened in my mind more times than I want to remember, but I always came back to one thing – Wilcox chose to kill him. There were plenty of other things he could have done to try to escape arrest without taking a life, but he chose to kill, and he was still walking around and breathing when Robert wasn't."
"Oh, Catherine –"
"It made me angry."
Adrienne reached over to clasp one of Catherine's hands in her own. "I was angry too, Catherine, that's perfectly normal." Catherine met her eyes again, her own grimmer than Adrienne had ever seen them.
"But you're not an Auror," she pointed out. "Knowing how to enforce the law also means we know how to break it. Being angry at Wilcox was one thing – even wishing him dead doesn't bother me – but I went beyond merely wishing and started trying to figure out how to bring it about." Her lips twisted slightly. "I did it, too – figured out a way to kill him and get away with it. I don't say that like the typical criminal – they all think that they'll get away with it, and they're usually wrong. I say I would have gotten away with it because I knew how things were done. I had the power to kill Wilcox – I probably would have said punish him at the time – and get away with it."
"You didn't use it."
"No," Catherine admitted, "but no one who was thinking the way I was at the time has any business being an Auror. We're supposed to enforce the law, not find ways around it."
Adrienne felt her eyes filling with tears. Prosecution, of course, she thought. Law and order and dedication to the system. Playing by the rules.
"Bobby would've been very proud of you," she said. Catherine, startled, met her eyes and searched them as though not sure Adrienne was serious. "I mean it," she insisted. "Bobby would have been very proud of you."
Catherine swallowed hard. "I don't see why. I'm very ashamed about the whole thing."
"You shouldn't be. The fact that you had more options doesn't change your choice." Catherine picked up her coffee cup awkwardly, although her movements were normally deft. "I wanted to kill him too," Adrienne said. "Back then, I mean. I just didn't have the same opportunity. It was easier for me, I guess. I knew I wouldn't get away with it, and the kids needed me – but I think I would have if I could have, and then I would never have seen him the way I did today."
"Diminished."
"Exactly. He seemed so powerful before. He isn't."
"I know what you mean." Some of Catherine's unnatural tension was easing away. "As bizarre as it is, Voldemort has helped me get a better perspective on Wilcox."
Adrienne grinned. "Nice to know there's something good about the man." Their eyes met, and both women laughed and felt much better for it. "I wish you'd said something before."
"You had enough burdens of your own to deal with," Catherine said firmly. "So how's the potions work going?"
"It would go better if I could get in a little more lab time," Adrienne admitted, accepting the change in subject. "I love Grace dearly, but I have to admit I'll be glad when she starts school and I have a little more time to myself. I keep thinking I'll get in a little work during the day while the boys are at school and she's napping, but it seems like it's one thing after another and before I know it, Tristan and Garrett are back home and I've lost another opportunity." She was also rapidly running out of time to get enough done to submit an abstract for the potions conference that was coming up in December. Maybe next time – it will only be another four years.
Adrienne looked over at Catherine, and immediately recognized the look that meant that she was busily working out how to solve someone else's problem. Bobby had called it her 'Miss Fix-it' look.
"Have you thought about approaching Maggie?" Catherine said, referring to her sister-in-law.
"Approaching her about what?"
"Swapping babysitting."
"What do you mean?"
"If Maggie would watch Grace sometimes during the week when the boys are at school, you could get some solid work time in."
"Maggie already has Annabel and the baby to worry about," Adrienne pointed out.
"Grace and Annabel aren't too far apart in age, and one more won't matter much. In return, you could take her two sometimes on the weekends. Not too often, or Michael will never see them, but I know they'd appreciate some time without the kids once in a while."
Adrienne thought this over quickly. As usual, Catherine made a lot of sense. There weren't many people she would trust with her children, but Maggie and Michael Clare were among them. Adrienne remembered how she and Bobby had treasured their rare time alone together, so perhaps Maggie would be willing to work something out.
With Bobby's irregular working hours as an Auror, he and Adrienne had difficulty finding time for themselves, time for them to be a couple rather than just Tristan and Garrett's parents. In retrospect, most of those rare occasions were made possible only because Catherine had agreed to watch the boys. Without Bobby, she no longer needed that private time, but she pushed that painful thought away and tried to focus on the present.
"That's a good idea, Catherine. I'll Floo her and see what she says."