Chapter Thirty-Six

"No," Cian Dearborn spoke softly, "Severus is right."

Charlotte's eyes darted to the auror.

"I work with one leg," Moody growled, "It took some time, but I've managed. You of all people understand how many galleons we've spent preparing her – the cost of her licensure alone - and how much time is going to waste here."

The younger auror shrugged, crossing his arms against his chest, "It doesn't have to be a waste."

Next to her, Charlotte felt Severus shift until his thigh pressed firmly against hers. Her lips twitched at the silent move of reassurance.

"You will recall, Alastor, that we had many missed opportunities during the war. Specifically, if I remember correctly, that we were never able to infiltrate Knockturn Alley. Anyone we sent there was noticed immediately."

Remus had occupied the space in Molly's kitchen doorway, his shoulder and head resting against the doorframe. He looked terrible, Charlotte thought guiltily, with dark circles beneath his eyes and a neglected shadow of beard smattering his jaw and chin. Lyall Lupin – Remus's father – had recently purchased a small cottage in Scotland. Under what Charlotte presumed to be a ruse, he had installed Remus at the cottage to look after it for him until his retirement. The werewolf had been in no place to refuse him after losing his job at the printer, though she knew their relationship was tumultuous. As he spoke now, she could hear the edge of exhaustion in his voice, and her fingers knotted together.

"Snape's suggestion could be useful, down the line."

Alastor snorted, "And the money we've spent training her? I'm supposed to ignore that hole in my department's budget?"

"Consider it payment," Snape's voice was frosty, "A cheap one, I assure you. I recall you promising me that you would look after my wife, not manipulate or mislead her."

Eyes swiveled to Severus, as they had each time he opened his mouth. They had been at the Burrow for hours. As the clock ticked away in the Weasley's sitting room, she could feel her eyelids growing heavier, and was grateful for the short break she had taken from the leering, nervous looks of Order members. Molly had asked for her help giving Ginny a bath – Ronald had come down with a touch of a cold and was demanding a third bedtime story – and Charlotte had been too happy to take the giggling ginger-haired baby from her to flee the horrified expression Mundungus Fletcher gave her each time her eyes met his.

Now, her pants still damp from Ginny's bathwater and her fingers pruned, she shifted uncomfortably in the seat and wished someone would add another log to Molly's fireplace.

"If Charlotte reopens Fraser Apothecary in Knockturn Alley, it will benefit the Order. I'm certain tongues will loosen in the business of a Death Eater and provide valuable information. If the Dark Lord does return, your aurors can use the establishment as a safehouse. I seem to remember that the Order had a bit of difficulty in Knockturn Alley during the war."

Alastor huffed, "'A bit of difficulty'. As if you didn't contribute to that, Snape. You and Rookwood – has he fully recovered from his long bout of the Imperius Curse?"

Charlotte's mouth twitched, unbidden.

Augustus had pleaded to the Wizengamot that he'd been under the Imperius Curse for the duration of the war. How any individual with wherewithal had believed him, she couldn't be certain, though she doubted there wasn't heavy pocket lining done before his trial date. The Rookwoods had deep pockets, and larger vaults and no expense would have been spared to keep the last of their line out of Azkaban.

Severus snorted, "How is Eugenia Wallace? I wonder if she's looked in after her dear friends the Longbottoms at St. Mungo's. I imagine the Lestranges are a bit more difficult to reach in Azkaban."

Mad Eye's remaining eye narrowed, his jaw tightened.

"Enough, both of you," Molly snapped, as she heaved a heavy long into the fireplace, "The war is over – what's happened is done. I don't see how Charlotte can return to the Ministry as she is now. The poor girl can hardly manage the staircase on her own."

Wincing, Charlotte began to pick at a loosened cuticle at her thumb.

"Charlotte can't run after dark wizards and witches," Lupin's voice was sharp, "When there's any sign of precipitation in the air, she can hardly walk. You've got a whole new leg under your trousers. I don't care what you'll say about her abilities as a possessor. I think it's evident that isn't an option until she's better. Snape and I agree that it will take years for her to recover."

The agreement between Severus and Remus was as unusual as it had been unlikely. Charlotte had expected Remus to side with Alastor and Albus – who was remaining eerily quiet at the head of Molly's homespun-covered table – but he had taken the opposite route. Days before their arranged meeting with the Order, he had arrived at Spinner's End to inform Severus he was going to stand behind any decision he'd made.

"And I've told you – who better to instruct her and watch over that recovery than my department? Cian is a skilled Occlumens and Legilimens. Snape is at Hogwarts more than half the year. How is he going to look in on her in that condition? How can you promise she won't blow up half of London?"

She felt her face heat as her fingernail pulled away the stray cuticle, ignoring the sharp twinge of pain as it tore.

At first, she had suggested hiring Remus at the apothecary. Her idea had quickly been struck down by Severus. Lupin, he reminded her, was too easily recognized as an Order member. The allure of Fraser Apothecary would be that it was an establishment owned by a Death Eater. Witches and wizards from their side of the war wouldn't have any meaningful discussion with a known member from the Order of the Phoenix in attendance.

Snape had thrown himself into the preparation of his plan. He had refused to permit Charlotte to return to working in the Magical Law Enforcement department, and she hadn't argued with him. It would have been different, she knew if her leg had fully recovered. Perhaps there would've been a higher ground then for Mad Eye to stand upon.

As the end of Snape's sabbatical loomed ahead, she had questioned how she would fill her days in his absence. Now able to move about on her own – only needing a cane on days that grew too cold or wet – she found herself growing restless. Guiltily, she missed the hectic schedule she'd carried during her time as a hit witch trainee. However, she knew that would now be different. There were no longer any appearances to be upheld in the department. Cian would continue to be her babysitter there until Mad Eye had decided to use her in some capacity. She would become a fixture at a desk, an ornament, or a warning to others.

Severus hadn't wanted her to return for other reasons. He surmised that the danger involved in advanced wand work was too great and had reasonable concerns over her mobility. Even then, he likely would have agreed to return her to Alastor to sit at a desk and complete mundane, tedious work if it weren't for his anger. Whereas Charlotte had slowly become accustomed to being manipulated and used, she allowed dryly, Severus was not so amenable to the prospect of his wife being reduced to a pawn.

Instead, he had come to the determination that she should reopen her father's business. A long, cumbersome look through the papers left by the executor of Walburga's estate had located the deed for the shop – as well as the Fraser house in Scotland – and the gold left to her by the Black family as Regulus's widow would more than cover any repairs and renovations on their own without the necessity of tapping into her own savings.

"I may have a suggestion."

Eyes swiveled to Albus as he spoke.

He had remained unusually silent for the duration of their meeting, having been the last to arrive. Charlotte had avoided his blue-eyed stare, occupying herself first with the plate of heaped food Molly had placed before her and then later with Ginny's bath. Now, his eyes bore into her own, and she watched them crinkle in a smile.

"Severus is due to return to Hogwarts at the end of the holiday. Horace has determined he is more suited to his retirement. While Severus is required to be at Hogwarts, it poses a concern that Charlotte will be left alone. I think we are in agreement that long periods of independence have shown to have negative consequences in the past, and I would hate to see the progress Charlotte has taken in these few months disappear."

She stifled the snort that threatened to vibrate in her nose.

The painstaking progress had been a handful of successful spells under Louisa's watchful eye and a few successful executions of illuminating charms. The last, Charlotte recalled dryly, had nearly blinded Severus as she looked for a book beneath their bed. Physically, there had been significant strides made. There were no longer any open wounds on her body. Her skin was mottled with a silvery battleground of scars and dimpled marks. Nearly two weeks ago, she had been able to shower entirely by herself, though she could catch the hard look of disappointment in Snape's face when she'd left the tub.

Evidently, he had enjoyed their joined morning washings.

"Will there be staff employed at Fraser Apothecary?"

"A house elf," Severus answered smoothly, "I don't suspect business will be incredibly busy in the first year. She will have to re-establish herself, make supply contracts and vendor arrangements."

Dumbledore smiled, "Might I suggest we include a Hogwarts house elf? Our elves are capable of apparating onto the school grounds, whereas there are restrictions in place for others. I could arrange an elf to accompany Charlotte to the shop during the day and return home with her in the evening. An escort of sorts, capable of returning to Hogwarts should the need arise."

Charlotte watched her husband's jaw move.

Admittedly, it was not an altogether terrible idea. An elf would not draw much attention from customers. They were commonplace enough, and most of those who would likely shop at Fraser Apothecary would not consider house elves disobedient enough to eavesdrop. No one would recognize a house elf from Hogwarts – Charlotte could hardly recall a time she'd ever seen one during her seven years of attendance – and it would likely ease Severus's mind while he was at school. But her fingernails still continued their destruction of her thumb's cuticle.

The prospect of obtaining an elf had been a long-winded battle with Severus and Louisa.

Bibsy had been the last elf Charlotte had owned. Before that, Kreacher had served the Blacks at Grimmauld Place. Her mother and father had owned an elf, though it had been elderly, and Charlotte could no longer recall what had happened to the creature.

She had never held attachment of any sorts to any other than Bibsy. Bibsy, who had become something akin to a friend in the gilded townhome the Blacks had purchased. The long-eared elf had been happy to make her favorite shortbread and sit with her while she wrote endless invitations to fussy brunches and sent congratulatory cards for newborn babies as her own stomach coiled with envy. Bibsy hadn't minded her tempers or the long periods of time in which she had struggled to get up from bed, instead opting to wash her hair in a bedside basin and comb it through without comment. During the years Charlotte had been married to Regulus, she hadn't trusted anyone the way she'd trusted her elf.

There was no escape from the blame for Bibsy's death as it weighed between her shoulders. She had ordered the elf to stay in the house, and the doe-eyed elf had been inherently obedient. For that obedience, she had been consumed by the blazing chimeras of fiendfyre.

It was no small task to undertake the responsibility of a new elf in her current state. Charlotte worried that she would lose control once more, and instead of burning Severus – who had his own smattering of scarring along his forearms from attempting to smother the blaze on her body – she would set an elf alight.

Together, Lou and Charlotte had sat in bed concocting a list of rules for the new elf. The creature, Pyrus, was already installed at Finch Street. Another elf, she thought miserably, would be yet another responsibility on her growing plate.

"I would ask that you permit me to return home occasionally," Severus's voice was cool, "If the situation arises, I will ask your permission before bringing her on to school grounds."

Charlotte noted the small smile that grew on Dumbledore's face, and scowled in return.

"Of course, Severus."

The tension which had grown thick in the Burrow's kitchen began to ease. Charlotte watched Molly begin to top off drinks – alternating a tea kettle with a bottle of whiskey – and mumbled her own thanks as her chipped cup was filled to the brim with steaming Earl Grey.

"What am I supposed to tell people, then? That she's quit?"

Beside her, she felt Severus stiffen and winced as she waited for his mouth to open in a cutting retort.

"No one believed you would let Charlie graduate," Remus said, his voice unnaturally cool, "If you had assigned Sirius or James a desk job after all their auror training, they would've left the department. I don't see how Charlie leaving is any different."

He pushed himself away from the wall to accept a top off from the whiskey bottle Molly tipped towards him, "None of their lot will have trouble with it. They're all too aware of how difficult it is to find a job with the Dark Mark on their arms. Even Rookwood's been demoted at the Ministry of Magic, despite his connections. It'll mean you'll have to demote Wallace, as well."

At this, Alastor's lip curled, "Wallace is too talented to put at a desk."

She felt her nose suck in a sharp breath as her jaw clenched.

"And I wasn't?"

Suddenly, all eyes were on her.

"I wasn't talented? I didn't follow all your moronic rules? Constant vigilance, the greater good, all of that bullshit? You were still going to put me at a desk, and I didn't sell out Frank and Alice Longbottom to be tortured to psychosis by the Lestranges."

Charlotte's face was hot, her fingernails bit into her palms. "The only difference between Wallace and me is that I'm a bit more talented than her, wouldn't you say?"

Alastor snorted.

"How many people has she broken into? How many minds has she taken? I've lost count in my repertoire. Don't make me laugh – Wallace is too good to put at a desk. Tell the Prophet you're taking over the comedy section, that's pure gold."

Albus's eyes grew soft, "Charlotte, I don't believe this is the time."

"No? I think it's as good a time as any. You lied to me, you spineless little shit. You wanted to desk me after all of that? Turn Dearborn into my glorified nanny? I think you'll follow along to whatever plans I have for the rest of my life. I've been in the minds of people you know, Mad Eye. I know things that would change the way people at this table think about you, I imagine."

Mad Eye's remaining eye narrowed, "Are you threatening me?"

"I'm sure that isn't Charlotte's intent, Alastor," Dumbledore began quietly, but Charlotte's sharp laugh interrupted his reassurance.

Pushing herself forward in the chair, she ignored the twinge in her knee, "What are you going to do about it, Mad Eye? Throw me in Azkaban?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Remus grimace, but anger goaded her.

"Afraid I'll blow up half of London? What do you think I'll do in Azkaban when I don't have to be on my best behavior anymore? Wallace is too talented to put at a desk. Put me in Azkaban and you'll see how talented I can be."

She watched the redness in his cheeks pale, his eyes widening a fraction. Beside her, Severus was smirking, absently swirling his glass.

"I'm opening an apothecary in Knockturn Alley. I'll take the house elf – but not for you or Albus. I'll do it for Severus and Remus. Unlike you, I know my limitations. You can sit there and shut up about what money you spent on my training. From the beginning, you knew it'd be a waste. There was never any intention to let me work in your department. I was going to be your precious cowed Death Eater, to sit at a desk and make you look good. The Dark Lord's possessor, come to lick your boots?"

Standing abruptly, she fished the handle of her cane from the table's edge. Molly quickly hurried forward with her coat, a nervous smile on her lips. Charlotte slipped her arms into her coat as Severus took a large swallow of his whiskey, finishing the glass and standing on his own. She turned to kiss Molly's cheek and mumbled an apology, feeling her chest constrict as the redheaded witch squeeze her elbow in reassurance.

"This meeting isn't over, Fraser."

Laughing, she tied the belt of her coat tight against her waist, "You aren't my boss anymore, Moody, and I'm not a member of the Order. Severus is, but I am not. So, while he is more than welcome to remain here for some more of Molly's wonderful cooking, I am going home. Do tell my old friend Wallace that I've said hello. Pity about her demotion."

Severus snorted, "Ready?"

"Nearly."

Charlotte felt her mouth pull in a smile as she faced Alastor, tucking her cane between her fingers, "You may have the reputation as a respected auror of our wonderful Ministry, Alastor. But I have a bit of a different one. You have things you're good at, and I have mine. There may be some uncomfortable thoughts lingering in the heads of Death Eaters in regard to you. You've certainly earned that little shiver that ticks up their spines. But, I haven't been so pigeon-holed. You give them goosebumps," her mouth twitched, "I give them fucking nightmares."

Eyes as wide as galleons stared back at her.

"Goodnight, Molly, please send me your scone recipe. I loved them."

AN: I am SO sorry for how long this chapter took. My brain has been completely fried, and I wrote six different versions of this chapter before deciding on this route. If you notice any grammatical errors, I'm trying a new software for editing and I'm not entirely thrilled with it. It has an intense hatred for all of Rowling's vocabulary. Hopefully updates will become semi-regular moving forward, but school is swamping me a bit at the moment and I'm ninety days from graduation! (FINALLY). I get a month long break before grad school picks up, so hopefully will be squashing in some writing time. I am keeping my profile updated with expected update times, as well as potential new releases.

I LOVE saucy Charlotte and I'm so excited to get to write this chapter. Please let me know what you think! :)

I'll be updating the House Cup this Wednesday, so keep an eye out, and don't forget to leave a review with your House name for 5 points! Bonus points of five will be added for any review that mentions their Pottermore wand!