Chapter Sixty-Five
Strength of the Heart
Jennifer stretched happily after sleeping very late, very glad to be in her own bed, and just as glad not to have to worry about classes. She was about to slip out of bed but was very glad she didn't straight away, because when her hand dropped down, she felt something scaly under her hand.
"Oh, hello, Rasputin! What are you doing in here? You know you're not allowed," Jennifer told him, but she couldn't really make the scold sound very convincing, reaching down and scratching the basilisk's eye ridges.
"That was silly. Now you're going to have to get up and wash your hands before you eat," Severus said from the doorway, and Jennifer looked up to see him standing there with a tray.
"Yes, I suppose I shall. Good morning," Jennifer smiled.
"Good afternoon," Severus replied.
"Oh! Is it really?" Jennifer exclaimed. "This is going to take me a while to get used to the time difference, isn't it? Where is my dressing gown... oh, Rasputin, I think he's lying on it! Can't you get him to move?"
Severus hissed at him. Rasputin hissed back.
"He says that he missed Lady Witch and refuses to leave your side," Severus translated. "You'll simply have to go in there as you are, I suppose."
"You would enjoy that. I should have spent the year learning an Animagus form too so I could use it to get in there without my gown on," Jennifer teased.
"That'd be cheating," Severus decided. "Come now, let's not be at it all day. I'm sure you'll want to be put together before Quintin gets home from school," he pointed out. Jennifer somehow managed to wrestle her gown out from under the lizard, but not without providing Severus some free entertainment in the process. "God, how I missed having you home," he said emphatically. Sighing with exasperation at the way he said that and the thoughts behind it, Jennifer threw on her gown and went into the bathroom to wash her hands. Then she finally managed to grab her late breakfast tray, taking it into Severus' sitting room.
"Finally! Real food!" Jennifer said with enthusiasm.
"As if I hadn't been smuggling things in for you every other day, and I even lent you Mercy for a week," Severus reminded her.
"It still wasn't the same, trust me," Jennifer said. Severus smiled thinly at that, going back to the Headmaster's Study. He shifted the curtain closed but left the door open in case she needed anything, glancing at his appointment book.
"Armando, did Hermione still need to see me about something? I have some time now," Severus replied, checking over the test key for the Runes II final, the last one he needed to give that year.
"Yes, she'll be up as soon as her conference period starts in five minutes," Armando replied, giving Severus ample time to finish what he was doing and set it aside.
Hermione then came up the spiral stairs with the registry in hand, carefully bookmarked.
"Hullo. How's Jennifer doing?" Hermione asked.
"Still waking up. The lag has completely thrown her off schedule, but she is quite happy to be home," Severus replied. "But I doubt that's what you really wanted to talk about, especially if you have that book with you."
"Well, I was wondering if it was safe to start talking about next year yet," Hermione replied.
"I am if it pertains to setting up the budget and so on for the next board meeting," Severus agreed.
"Actually, it does in a way," Hermione agreed. "It's about the student list for next year."
"That would explain why you're carrying that," Severus said, gesturing, and Hermione put it on his desk. "But if you're wanting to remind me that I have everything from Weasleys to Potters to Blacks and everything in between, I have not forgotten about it."
"No, but it is about the fact that it's the Minute Alchemist botch year," Hermione said opening the book. She showed him two filled pages, with the normal amount of any given year. Then she showed him a second page, also filled with names.
"Hermione we have had large attendance years before..." he pointed out, but Hermione held up a finger and turned the page again, showing one more page. "Perhaps not quite this many," he amended reluctantly. "Still, if we use the spare quarters that we typically use when we get one of these surges, we should have enough room, even if it is pushing it a bit."
"But that's only assuming that this class is divided evenly among all four houses," Hermione pointed out. "But what if it isn't? You know as well as I do that certain houses tend to favor first generation students and some favor multi-generational. But in this case, the Minute Alchemist botch only would have effected Wizard or half Wizard families. We probably have about the same amount of first gen students as we always do. And that means that we may be lopsided, and if that happens, we're going to have a tough time fitting them into the dorms, let alone in some of those classrooms." Severus frowned at that. "On top of that," she added, flipping over the next few pages. "Not only is next year a heavy year, but the next few years afterwards, although not as heavy, are also not lighter than normal either. In fact, it stays average or higher, all the way up to..." she flipped through the book, settling on another year that took up several pages.
"The natural baby boom," Severus realized.
"Yes. Exactly. This problem is not going away," Hermione told him seriously. Severus kneaded his forehead.
"Hermione, why haven't you brought this up before?" Severus asked.
"Because every time I've tried to bring up next year, you've cut me off and told me to worry about getting through this year first, because you didn't want to deal with it until Jennifer was safely back here at the castle," Hermione told him bluntly.
"Oh," Severus said, realizing he had done just that. "Yes, alright, I've been warned now."
"Do you want me to send you the budget for next year to see how bad it's going to be?" Hermione asked seriously.
"No," Severus said flatly. "But send it to me anyway." Hermione gave him an expression that was something between a smile and a grimace and picked the book back up, walking back down to her office.
"Do we really have to do this again?" Leu asked with a sigh as they walked up to the lake. "This is the last weekend of school. We only have two days left after this."
"This is the last time," Diana acknowledged solemnly. "Do your best."
"I always do my best," Leu said with exasperation. "But I would much rather be spending it hanging out with the two of you on the benches or in the Owl Room or something, where we can just spend time together enjoying each other's company."
"If you beat me, we can do that as much as you like," Diana said evenly.
"I swear, Diana, you are the most stubborn girl I've ever met in my entire life," Leu declared. "Why is it that I can never seem to say no to you?"
"Perhaps you care for me a little," Diana conjectured. "But not enough."
"Who are you to say whether or not I care for you 'enough'?" Leu challenged her. "You won't even let me discuss my feelings at all, so who are you to say what those feelings are?"
"You don't need to say it. It shows up every time you race me. And the race proves that it's not enough," Diana said solemnly and stepped onto the dock where Sagittari stood, then jumped in without another word. Slumping in resignation, Leu jumped in.
Barely anyone came to the races anymore; they had raced so many times and the outcome was always the same. Apollo came. Viorica came. And Charles always came, even that time they raced in the rain and no one else was there, Charles waited at the finish... hoping they'd see a way through. But today was bright and sunny, and the lake was perfect both in temperature and conditions. In fact, it was rather rare to see it quite so calm, and Leu decided to try and enjoy this last race. Maybe he'd beat her after all, he mused, as they both took their positions.
"Steady," he heard Sagittari say, bringing him back out of his own thoughts. "Begin!"
As they took off at speed, Leu knew he was going much, much faster that he had the very first race that year. He had grown stronger and faster with every race; with every competition they had from football to Quidditch, he had gotten better. He was far from the child he was when they first started racing during the Wizard Olympics. He was tall, muscular and yet lean, a bit freckled under his tan but still handsome, and in so many ways ready for the world that lay before him. He had even stashed enough away since becoming a Snape that he had enough for his own boat, perhaps even a house to dock to if he was frugal. He was trained to explore the seas, had the defenses needed to survive no matter what he ran into, and yet at the same time, the family support to turn to in times of need. The future looked quite bright indeed. And yet... he knew that part of him would never leave that school, or leave the ghost that had no future at all.
His focus came back to the present and he suddenly realized just how much ground he had lost. He struggled to regain it, but races with Diana often came down to parts of seconds rather than seconds, and his loss of concentration had cost him dearly. In fact, it wasn't even close.
"Race goes to Diana, by two seconds," Arcadia reported reluctantly. Diana stared at Arcadia, horrified, then turned to glare at Leu with open anger. Unable to contain her emotion, she swam back under water, and everyone standing there noticed her swimming like a bullet to the far side of the castle.
"Well, that sucked," Charles said with a sigh.
"I lost my concentration," Leu admitted. "For some reason, the fact this was the last race really ate at me."
"I'm going to go talk to Diana," Noah said, then flew out over the lake.
"Wait, don't go yet!" Leu called out, but Noah was already out of range. "Don't leave me here alone," he added, but in a much more resigned voice. Copper croaked at him concernedly from the dock, and Charles offered him a hand up.
"You're not alone, Leu," Charles reminded him solemnly as he came up, sitting on the edge of the dock. But despite the firmness of the voice and the truth behind his nephew's words, Leu felt overwhelming grief rise up inside him and began to sob.
"Diana!" Noah called out. She had stopped at an rocky outcrop of rubble at the lower end of the castle, far away from the Potion Lab windows so that her sobs couldn't be heard. She simply couldn't contain it any more, and even when Noah floated over, she couldn't seem to pull herself into the same strong figure that she tried to portray. "Oh, Diana," Noah said again, and he materialized as close to solid as he could to wrap an arm around her, making her shiver. Or was she shivering already? "I'm sorry you're so upset."
"He doesn't love me," Diana sobbed, but Noah smiled.
"Don't be silly, Diana. Of course he loves you," Noah assured her. "It's just that he has as much trouble showing it as you do, is all."
"All he cares about is you," Diana snapped. She shrugged her shoulders away and then stood up to get farther from him.
"Yeah," Noah said softly, hovering against the wall. "I think I understand why now," he admitted. "I think... I want to finish school more than anything, you see. But I've never had plans for what to do after that," he explained, Diana growing quiet. "At first, I thought that was because I can't really go anywhere, since I'm stuck here at the castle. So unless I want to teach or something, there really wasn't much for me to do. But as time went on, I realized that wasn't it either. I just need to complete my last year here. It's my unfinished business, I know that now. And I think Leu's known it for a while too, which explains all the photos he's been doing this last half, and the painting with the three of us."
"Leu couldn't have made that painting happen," Diana pointed out.
"True," Leu agreed. "I figure that the Headmaster knows what my unfinished business is too," he explained, then gazed at Diana seriously. "Diana, you will look after him, won't you? When I'm gone? Promise me you'll look after Leu?"
"I cannot make that promise," Diana informed him, gazing at the lake. "I have other obligations."
"But no one loves Leu as much as I do... except for you. I know you do, and I know I can trust you at your word," Noah said solemnly. But Diana shook her head, staring down at her reflection in the water for a moment before fixing her hair, staring at the comb before putting it back in place.
"His family loves him," Diana pointed out, finally looking over at Noah. "Ask Charles to look after him. He has grown much and is good for his word now, and I believe he probably knows more than what he has been saying."
"True. But he's stuck here at Hogwarts another year. Who knows what sort of trouble Leu will get up to in the year in between?" Noah said.
"Perhaps, but he is your best option nonetheless," Diana said evenly. "I would promise you if I could, but I cannot."
"I understand," Noah said at last, knowing she wouldn't budge. "I had better go find Leu and tell him that you're alright now."
"Noah. I will miss you as well," Diana said solemnly. She was back to her normal composure now, but Noah could see her sincerity, and he smiled.
"Thanks, Diana. I'll miss you too," Noah said and floated inside the castle, leaving Diana to sit there alone to ponder her bleak future.
Diana pulled up her chin proudly as Leu pinned the Owl pin on her, the rest of the order clapping as he did so.
"Great work leading the historical team for the museum project, Diana," Viorica said enthusiastically when she took her seat.
"Congratulations," Hadrian added with a smile.
"I expect that everyone here will go to the Hogwarts Exhibit opening next Friday," Leu said to the order. "If you wear your armbands or your Hogwarts robes with the rainbow band, that'd be great, since it'll let those coming to see the exhibit know that you participated in the temporary exhibit. I can't wait to see all of you there," Leu said with a smile. "And now, before we all leave to check the doors for those last minute test scores, I have a couple of announcements, and that is concerning the fact that with my graduating, we need a new chairman. Well, I have a confession to make at this point, because I have been talking to the House Reps about my plan on this issue, and all of them agreed with my choices and reasons for them. So, a bit behind their back, we've been getting opinions from the rest of the order and our advisor and I am finally ready to announce my decision.
"So for the benefit of those of you staying on, I would like to announce that the next chairman of the Order of the Owls is none other than TJ Selwyn," Leu said. As everyone clapped, TJ, sitting right next to him, looked quite startled.
"But I am already the assistant chairman," TJ pointed out.
"Yes, we'll get to that," Leu promised, helping her stand up. "I know I can trust you to lead the Order in a new direction with your own ideas, ones that I know those of us leaving will all be proud of." The rest of the order agreed wholeheartedly, and she smiled, a bit glassy-eyed.
"Thank you. I shall do my best," she promised.
"With that decided, the position of assistant chairman is open, and the order has all agreed that should be filled by the only first year we picked up this year; Elliot Selwyn," Leu announced, and everyone clapped and cheered, and as Leu stepped aside and the brother and sister hugged each other and everyone took their places again, a flash went off, and they turned to see Boulderdash setting aside a camera of his own with a smile.
"Sorry, I should have done this years ago," Boulderdash decided, indicating the camera. "I think from now on, I'll have an Order of the Owl scrapbook, that we can keep in here and reference through the generations, for those that follow after."
"I think that's a splendid idea," TJ agreed with a smile.
"Then I guess all that's left to do is to adjourn this meeting," Leu said, his voice sounding a bit shaky as he glanced over to where Noah sat beside Diana. "Good luck to all of you, and have a nice summer if I don't see you at the Feast or on the train."
"Have a nice summer," Noah added with a smile, the others chiming in as they broke up to go check their final scores and to get ready.
When Leu got to the End of the Year Feast, Noah's spot at the end of the table was vacant; but he already knew that he wouldn't be there.
"Where's Noah?" Dasher inquired thoughtfully.
"He's getting an award tonight, actually," Leu explained.
"Thank goodness it's him and not someone from another house!" Colby said with relief. "I would have hated for the rug getting pulled out from under us this year of all years, and you know how close Hufflepuff was."
"I have it on good authority that Noah's reward is the only reward tonight, so there's nothing to worry about there," Leu assured him.
"I'm really going to miss you guys next year, you know," Dasher told Leu solemnly.
"I'll miss you guys too," Leu admitted. "Dasher, you keep up on your studies, okay? I really think you have the potential to be a great teacher one day, especially if your father is any indication."
"Thanks, Leu," Dasher said with a smile. "And make sure you write! I can't wait to hear about all of your undersea adventures."
"I'll write your father, how's that? And I'll address them so they can be read to everyone in the order," Leu promised.
"We'll definitely be looking forward to that," Edward said from the other side of Dasher and Leu nodded with a smile.
Then he looked up to see that the staff was beginning to wander out, and he realized it wasn't going to be long. Feeling his eyes beginning to water up, Leu inhaled deeply and let his breath out slowly to get some control over it.
Then he noticed a flash of white cloth and looked over with surprise to see that Quintin and his mother had chosen to come through the main doors instead of the back. His mother had chosen to wear her formal Whitebridge robes, while Quintin was wearing his Hogsmeade school uniform. The reason they had chosen to come through the front, however, was made clear when Jennifer walked over to the Ravenclaw table instead of going up the center aisle, pausing at the end of the table.
"Good evening, everyone! I see our colors are still flying this year. Well done!" she told them, getting some 'thanks' and some chatter for the acknowledgment. Then she turned to Leu, smiling gently. "If you need to speak with us tonight, just come in through the door to Quintin's room. You know the password, correct?"
"Yes, Father told me already," Leu replied.
"Alright," Jennifer replied with a nod before the two of them walked to the end of the auxiliary table. Jennifer sat down on the end, chatting merrily with Ashley and John and the rest of the staff on that side.
"You're going to the graduation party in the House Rooms tonight, aren't you Leu?" Dasher asked, wondering about Jennifer's strange suggestion.
"Yeah, there's a bit of paperwork we need to pick up," Jimmy Minster reminded him.
"Don't worry, I'll be there," Leu promised. "At least for some of it."
Shrugging at that, his classmates turned their attention back to the professors' table as Severus and Anna stepped through the back door, speaking with Hermione for a few minutes as the rest of the staff assembled. Some of them, like Boulderdash, Ravenclaw, Sagittari, and Arcadia, were looking unusually solemn. As the last few professors got to their places, the Headmaster worked his way around the table. Professor Ravenclaw floated through his to stand at the Headmaster's side as Hermione called the students to order.
"Good evening, students, graduates, faculty, and guests," Severus added, glancing at his wife, who looked amused by that. "I have some quick announcements, and then a special award to give this year before the feast... and no, the award will not affect Ravenclaw's standing as far as the House Cup is concerned," he added, glancing at Gryffindor and Slytherin, who despite their low points had been hoping for a miracle.
"First, I want to thank Professor Arcadia for joining us this year as our Potions Master," Severus continued. "I am told that after this, she is taking a year off of teaching to attend to some family matters." Sagittari gave Severus a dirty look at the way he worded that as everyone clapped enthusiastically, but none of the students had missed how rotund her middle section had gotten in recent months, let alone the fact that she hadn't taken a human form since before Christmas. "We have learned a great deal from her expertise in Healing Potions and Medicine, and have even been able to encourage a couple of our students to sign up for the exchange program so that they can study a year at Whitebridge.
"And speaking of Whitebridge, I would also like to welcome the return of Professor Jennifer Craw, after her year teaching Items there," Severus continued, getting another smattering of applause. "She will be, of course, returning to Hogwarts next year, as the Head of Ravenclaw House as well as Head of the Physical Arts Department," he explained. Jennifer smiled, but couldn't hide her confusion as to how he worded that. "I would also like to acknowledge her accomplishments since she has been gone. First, for her development of the ROM device, and effective cure for the Obliviation Curse, as well as a cure for several other memory-related curses," he said, then waited for the hearty applause to die down. "And second, we should congratulate her on her new appointment as a member of the Whitebridge school board, as President of the Academy. And since their school board has a different format than ours, I should explain that means that she is in charge of the secondary teachers' board of representatives, and can make recommendations for improvements and long-term goals for the Academy. If we had the equivalent job title on our school board, it would translate to her being my boss," he explained. "Which means, of course, that nothing has really changed in the slightest," he concluded, and everyone laughed at that. Even Jennifer couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head at him knowingly.
"And now I suppose the time has finally come," Severus said. His expression became solemn, and even... to those close enough to see it... sad, somehow.
"I have an award to give out this year to a particular student who managed to ace his NEWT exams," he explained, an impressed murmur going up at all of the tables. "These Academic Excellence awards are pretty rare as it is, although I've given out awards for students who have aced their OWLS on occasion. As you can imagine, acing the NEWT is much, much rarer. When these events happen, their name is added to a particular plaque in the Trophy Room to stand forevermore as a reminder of that achievement. And for reasons that will soon become clear to you, I have chosen to also present this student not only with his Academic certificate, but also his Scroll of Completion, because I want to give everyone in this room the opportunity to congratulate him for it. And now, without further delay, I would like to present the winner of the Academic Excellence award for this year, Mr. Noah Dolan," Severus said.
Leu was, of course, the first one to his feet, along with the rest of the Owls, followed by many of the other seventh years who knew him well. Noah floated through the door, and even the faculty was standing as he was floated down the aisle, smiling at his friends and making eye contact with a few in particular before he finally made his way over to Professor Snape and Professor Ravenclaw. As everyone clapped loudly, Severus first gave him the Ace certificate, which Noah then passed on to Ravenclaw to hold. Then Noah turned back to the Headmaster with a smile. Severus paused before handing him the Scroll.
"It has been an honor to know you, both as a student and before it," Severus said quietly and sincerely. "Your presence here will never be forgotten."
"Thank you, Professor Snape, Professor Ravenclaw," Noah added, looking between them. "And thank you for allowing me the opportunity to finish my schooling. It means a lot, you know."
"Yes, I know," Severus replied. He handed Noah the Scroll and took a step back.
Neither of them were surprised when Noah began to glow right away. Neither was the staff, Leu, Charles, or Diana. Noah smiled softly, turning to walk up the center aisle. Even as most of the students kept clapping and was wondering what was going on, Noah floated towards the far end where he sat with Leu. But the moment he began to glow, Leu began to move, making his way to the center aisle and meeting him halfway, his face already streaming with tears. Noah became solid enough to give his friend a cold but heartfelt hug.
"I want you to have this, Leu," Noah said, handing him his diploma. "I couldn't have ever finished it, you know, if it hadn't been for you."
"Say hi to Myrtle for me," Leu said shakily. "And your sister, too."
"I can't wait to tell them about what fun I've had! And all about you, and Diana. Leu, please talk to Diana. Really, I think you two are meant for each other, you know," Noah said, almost too bright to see now.
"I'll miss you! Craters, I miss you already!" Leu said as his ears began to ring.
"Don't worry, I'll see you again one day... but not too soon, I trust. Live your best life, Leu, live long and make me proud, okay?" Noah said, and then suddenly looked up when there was an echo of a voice. For some reason, Leu could hear it too... a girl's voice, perhaps two... and one of them definitely sounded like Myrtle. "I'm coming!" Noah shouted at the voices as he began to lift up. "Goodbye, Leu! Chuck, don't forget your promise!" Charles had slipped out of his spot and had come up behind Leu, knowing he was going to need the support.
"I won't," Charles told Noah solemnly.
"Goodbye, everyone! Hogwarts Forever!" Noah shouted, as he lost shape altogether, turning into a light that jetted straight upwards and faded out of view.
As the light level changed, it took everyone a few moments to adjust, and the sound of sobs came from every direction as Charles put an arm around Leu to support him. Several other members of the Order of the Owl went over too, as well as Amber and Destiny, taking turns hugging Leu while shedding tears themselves. Colby and Jimmy Minster decided to step up and help Leu back to his seat.
Severus and Icarus made their way back to their own seats, intentionally slow to give everyone some much needed time to recover, including the staff, most of which still had their handkerchiefs out and were trying to compose themselves. Despite the slow pace, Anna was still in quite a state even after everyone else had started to pull themselves together. Severus nudged her gently.
"Forget it, I don't care what anyone else thinks," Anna snapped at him. "I'll be done crying when I'm damn well ready to be done crying," she said defiantly, taking her seat.
"Fine, I know it'd be pointless to argue," Severus said quietly, but smiled thinly at her in understanding. "In your own good time, then," he said, gesturing for everyone else to take their seats so they could start the feast. No one was surprised at the amount of people in the room that picked at their plates without eating that evening.
Diana looked over her trunk critically, making certain that it was clearly marked in her foster mother's name before walking away from the baggage car as the bell clanged out a warning that it was time to get on board. But Leu had been lingering, talking with some of the other students who were saying goodbye on the platform. Smiling thinly in relief that she had been able to find him in time, Diana approached Leu, pointedly walking a few steps away from everyone else so that he had to step over to talk to her.
"So! Do you want to race to the train? If I win, you have to sit with me," Leu said with a grin.
"No, I'm afraid it's too late for that," Diana said. "I am not going on the train, just my things are being sent to my foster mother. I am going home directly," she explained.
"Oh, that's a shame. Joking aside, I was hoping to sit with you on the train, especially since I feel closer to you than anyone else now," Leu admitted, but Diana frowned at that.
"Perhaps it would be better if you didn't think of me in that way," Diana said seriously. "I am certain others will come along that you will feel closer to." Leu thought about then, then put his hands in his pockets, shaking his head.
"No, there won't," Leu decided. "It doesn't matter how much time passes. I'm pretty sure I won't feel as close to anyone else as I did the two of you this year." Diana nodded somberly at that. "Hey, what's wrong? There's no reason for you to get like this. I'll see you at the WHAT Museum for the opening, right?"
"No, I have obligations at home," Diana explained with a somber expression. "That's why I need to say goodbye, because once I'm there..." she hesitated and then sighed. "I have things I have to take care of. Important things."
"Alright," Leu said, wondering why she was being so vague again. "So I guess I'll see you when you get back? Maybe we could work on a joint ocean expedition or something?"
"That will be unlikely," Diana admitted evenly. "Take care, Llewellyn MacLir Murphy."
"You too, Diana," Leu said, feeling a bit uneasy as she walked away.
Why did that goodbye feel so final? Worriedly, he turned around to find her and to confront her as a last ditch attempt to get her to tell him what she was hiding.
"Diana?" he called out. But although all of the other students on the platform looked over at him when he called her name, she was nowhere to be seen.
Leu was sitting at the kitchen bar with a cup of tea, watching his mother go through all of the cabinets as they waited for Severus to arrive from Hogwarts so that they could all go to the exhibit opening together.
"It's going to be a busy summer, Leu," Jennifer said. "I can tell you're in a bit of a daze from graduating, so don't feel as if you need to start working straight away. You're hardly getting thrown out, after all, and it's natural to need some time after finishing school to get on better footing," she assured him. "Besides, I could use the help, really. We'll probably take the boat out while your father is on holiday, but once we get back, I need to sort out how much time I'm going to need to go back and forth to Whitebridge for school board meetings and to help Wind. Also, Severus invited the Millers to come stay with us for a week after everyone is back from Tir Na Nog. The Millers are teachers I worked with there, and they have two sons about Quintin's age so he'll have someone to play with," she said. Then she wrote a few things down on her grocery list before looking up again, sighing when she saw his expression. "It's Diana, isn't it?" she asked.
"She told me she's not going to the exhibit opening today," Leu explained. Jennifer looked down at her list without really reading it. "She said she had obligations at home, as if it wasn't important to her. But Diana worked on this project harder than anyone else. It seems wrong for her not to be going. No, it's more than that," he murmured, looking serious as he rubbed his forehead. "Something seems wrong overall, and I don't know what. Something in the way she said goodbye on the platform. It sounded so final somehow." Jennifer put her quill down.
"You're right, of course. There is something wrong," Jennifer admitted. Leu dropped his hand in surprise, gazing at her serious expression.
"You know something about this?" Leu asked.
"I do, but I also don't want to break any promises I may have made in the past," Jennifer admitted, Leu gazing at her all the more intently. "But maybe I can show you," she realized. "I can show you at the Wizard Museum. During the presentation, do you think you can slip away without your father noticing?"
"Probably, since it'll be packed," Leu said.
"Well, the first chance you get, meet me in the basement... the Cultural level, I mean, and I'll show you what's going on. Just do me a favor and promise me that you won't tell your father. I don't want him to accuse me of interfering," Jennifer said, lowering her voice when she heard the door.
"Deal," Leu replied. They heard Quintin greeting his father in the front room before Severus finally stepped in. He found the two of them leaning over the kitchen bar and talking with serious expressions.
"Sorry that took a bit. We were making a few last minute adjustments to next year's budget, since I'm going to need to hire more help," Severus explained, glancing between them. "And what are the two of you up to?"
"Just checking kitchen supplies since I'm going to need to shop for my boat before we can go on holiday," Jennifer explained easily, showing him the list she was working on.
"I was just sitting here waiting for you so we could go to the museum," Leu said.
"You look rather sullen about it. I'm hardly that late," Severus said suspiciously.
"I'm just bored," Leu said.
"He has the graduation blues, Severus. He's just looking for a direction. I told him he could take it easy for a few months if need be," Jennifer explained smoothly, but Severus noted that she had her spectacles up again.
"Yes, alright. After all, no one can deny that Leu had a rough year." Severus replied. "Just give me twelve minutes to get situated and we'll go. Quintin, twelve minutes to get cleaned up."
"Yes, Dad!" Quintin said from the living room and then marched up the stairs.
Leu finished his tea and Jennifer added a few more lines before they walked over to the door with Severus and then Quintin arriving at exactly twelve minutes so they could leave, using Jennifer's Portkey to Coven Suites and then walking over. The place was already bustling with members of the Order of the Owls and their parents, along with board members and others who had seen the signs about the temporary exhibit opening.
But as they arrived, Jennifer was very surprised to discover that slipping away was going to be much harder than she thought, for quite a number of people wanted to speak to her about her new device and her new status at Whitebridge. Eric and Norman were among them, very interested to hear more about Whitebridge's new charter school status and the details of what it meant, as well as some of the projects that Wind and she had been planning to implement.
Severus, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind being left out of the conversation, smiling thinly as he took Quintin's hand. After all, she was at their administration level now; the exchange between the two boards would likely be beneficial on both ends. On top of that, her higher academic level as well as being a Platinum member of the Order of Libris afforded her even greater acclaim. Severus was now certain that Jennifer's earned influence and stature would not fade as it had during her accomplishments when she had first come to Hogwarts. Contentedly he turned his attention to the Order of the Owl members and their parents, going over to talk with them as they walked through the exhibit.
It had been very easy for Leu to get away. It wasn't until Pierce Selwyn arrived with TJ and Elliot that Jennifer finally had an opportunity to slip down the stairs. But she sighed with exasperation when she saw him standing by the centaur exhibit, which was right beside the one he actually needed.
"Come over here, Leu," Jennifer said with a smile, grateful that nobody else seemed to be on that floor at the moment.
"Alright, Mum. What was it that you wanted to show me?" Leu asked.
"Tell me, Leu. Have you ever studied anything about the Fomorians at school?" Jennifer asked, standing by the exhibit.
"Well, I meant to," Leu admitted sheepishly. "Ever since we touched on them briefly in one of my history courses, I had wanted to do a research paper on them. But Diana always wanted me to work on something else."
"Gee, I wonder why," Jennifer said dryly. "Here, why don't you start by reading this section out loud," Jennifer suggested, pointing Leu in the right direction. Leu stepped over to it.
"'Fomorians are isolationists and have limited contact with Wizard society. Because of this, members of our society believed they were extinct until their rediscovery by Norman Balmweed and his team during the search for the Cauldron,'" Leu read.
"Oh, they rediscovered them, all right," Jennifer said with a smirk.
"'Despite their isolation, the Formorians have knowledge of the outside world, information they gather through a network of Fomorian Scouts. When a Fomorian girl comes of age, they are sent out into the human world on challenging missions to prove themselves, typically by either questing for a sacred item or to help keep tabs on humans, easily blending in with the help of a minimizing potion'... Diana! That's why she didn't shrink with the rest of us when we were looking for the Distaff! She was already minimized!" Leu realized.
"Read on, Leu," Jennifer said firmly.
"'This serves two purposes; protecting the Fomorian colony by reporting possible altercations with humans, as well as training the girls to develop physical strength, magical ability, and intellectual prowess so that they are well prepared to raise children upon their return home...' Mum, she really was saying goodbye," Leu realized, feeling a lump in his throat. But Jennifer pointed to a section on a different panel.
"Now read here," Jennifer told him, but Leu needed very little prompting.
"'Like many cultures, Fomorians revere the Summer Solstice as a time of great prosperity. Celebrations begin starting with the full moon just before the Solstice, and ends after the next full moon. The celebration includes feasting, music, and various competitions. While most competitions are ceremonial in nature and considered to be offerings to the gods through toil and completion, the most important event is when the young Fomorian Warriors compete for brides, only earning the right to a mate after besting the well-trained scouts...' Damn it! Why didn't she tell me?" Leu shouted in frustration. "Why didn't you or Dad tell me?" he lashed out furiously.
"We couldn't! If everyone had found out she was a Fomorian, she would have been duty-bound to leave the school and she wouldn't have graduated," Jennifer explained. "And to be honest, after she finished school, we were hoping she'd tell you the truth on her own."
"Well, she didn't!" Leu snapped.
"Yes, I figured that out after what you said earlier," Jennifer sighed.
"Isn't there any way she can get out of it at all? Does she have any choice with who she competes with, or is she forced to accept any challenge?" Leu demanded.
"I don't know," Jennifer admitted. "I know they do have a form of divorce, but as I have come to understand it, women can't ask for a divorce until she has a child of age. Men can ask for one after a year, just in case his wife ends up barren. In short, it's far from an equal society."
"If that's true, then it's also possible she'll be forced to accept a challenge," Leu said and ran up the stairs. Jennifer scrambled to catch up, having to dodge the crowd in the front of her as Leu hurried to the doors. But when he got to the entryway, he saw his father standing between the glass doors with his arms folded as if he had been expecting him.
"Get the hell out of my way, Dad," Leu snapped. Andrew, who was standing by Quintin and helping him get some punch, was about to put up a Sonorous Shield when his mother managed to run up and do it herself.
"And where do you think you're going?" Severus asked evenly.
"I'm going to try to rescue Diana. And I'm furious that you never told me about this! You must have known the entire time! Why else would you have allowed those races to go on? That's why you were so tolerant to her behavior!" Leu shouted.
"I didn't tell you because I wanted her to graduate just as much as I wanted Noah to," Severus said evenly. "Afterwards, it was her decision as to whether or not to tell you, not ours, and apparently, she chose to walk away. You realize that if you go after her, you're going against her wishes."
"I don't believe it!" Leu snapped. "She may have been too afraid to tell me at the end, but you can't tell me those races meant nothing to her. They meant everything to her! I just didn't understand the urgency! Well, I understand now, and I'm going after her whether you want me to or not. Maybe it's not too late to save her. Please, Dad! I'll accept the risks come what may, but please, let me go. I don't want to lose her too!" Severus gazed at him calmly for a moment and then held up a Portkey.
"Here, take the boat. It's already moored at the Lupin's island dock. The Merrows will know where to take you from there," Severus told him quietly, and Leu took the key.
"Thank you," Leu said.
"Be careful," Severus replied simply, stepping out of the way so that Leu could push his way out. Then he glanced up at Jennifer, who exhaled after realizing she had been holding her breath without meaning to, dispelling the shield. Quite a number of people were looking in their direction curiously, but when Severus simply turned and got them both a glass of wine, the crowd decided that perhaps there wasn't an emergency after all and went back to what they were doing.
"Told him, did you?" Severus inquired, handing Jennifer a glass.
"Hm? I'm not sure what you're referring to," Jennifer said, refusing to look at him, Instead, she nodded and waved to someone she knew. "And what was my boat doing docked in the western islands of Ireland, anyway?"
"Hm? I'm not sure what you're referring to," Severus replied, dropping the subject.
Governor Mikolas tapped his fingers with growing agitation at the way that his granddaughter had been behaving on her return from the Wizardlands. She had returned and dutifully reported her success, recounting her deeds eloquently. She entertained the entire court, impressing them greatly with her tale at how she had helped free an entire race of enslaved Fae from the Wizards. Ironic that the Wizards had held such a race captive after they had freed his own people, Mikolas mused. But the Wizards held great contradictions; their trickery seemed to match their heroic deeds, thus making them difficult to predict and difficult to keep treaties with. It seemed as if they were forever attempting to renegotiate with them. Diana told them of their games and how she had gained skills at them, besting them all. She told the court of her skill with Wizard Magic, and even showed them some to prove it. Not, of course, that she had to prove it. No Scout would stoop to lie about their deeds. Even a failure would be met with more understanding than such a disgrace. And when her tales were done, there was no doubt that his granddaughter was a good match for even the best of his warriors. She had performed her duties well, which meant that any of the best warriors that were old enough to challenge for her could, thus insuring her a good match.
But so far, the challenges she had accepted had been nothing short of surprising and disappointing. What could she be thinking, accepting the challenges of warriors so low that they failed even at the simplest of the Solstice games? Not one of them could have hoped to beat her; none of them came close. But when a warrior worthy of the challenge came before her, she pretended not to hear them, often professing an errand, or a need, or some other vague excuse before she would wander among the apple trees and look far out to sea as if expecting something else.
After three days of trials, Diana went to the ceremonial games, watching each competitor critically and counting how many warriors of poor skills were left. She was duty-bound to accept one challenge a day, she frowned, but upon watching them at javelin, discus, and foot races, she was coming to the conclusion that it would not be long before she ran out of less-skilled warriors. There certainly weren't enough of those to get through the twenty-eight days she needed to get through to honorably walk away from the games without a husband. Furthermore, despite the fact that her mother had not questioned her choices, it was obvious that her grandfather was none too pleased with them and watched her often.
Let him wonder, Diana brooded, watching worriedly as the current Captain of the Guard raced around the track, easily besting his lieutenant, who, Diana had to admit to herself, she probably couldn't have won against either. Noticing the position of the sun in the sky, she realized that she needed to get away from there before someone decided to approach her. She came off the earthwork embankment and made her way to the beach to look over the warriors who had lost early in the day to judge which would be the easiest to beat. But as she rounded the curve and looked them over from a distance, her grandfather stepped in front of her, gazing at her critically.
"Diana," Mikolas said evenly. "I saw you upon the hill, watching the games again. Did you see any warriors you feel that are worthy of you?"
"No, Grandfather, I did not," Diana said, turning to walk towards the beach, despite his attempt to cut her off.
"You are the best of the Scouts that returned this year, the warriors know this well. Captain Delos would suit you," Mikolas suggested.
"Delos has more muscle than brain power. I care not to marry a fool," Diana replied.
"Solon then," Mikolas said, and Diana debated it thoughtfully. She could probably beat the scholar, she mused, but it would be risky. His brother was very good at games. Then she glanced at those along standing on the platform waiting for the swimming challenges. Then she smiled.
"Terpander might ask me if he likes," Diana said, pointing out the skinny acolyte.
"Nonsense, Diana! No more unworthies!" Mikolas snapped at her. "Three days you have bested the worst of them. You do no honor to them or to yourself. And yet you refuse the best of them as if they are beneath you! To do so brings dishonor on your entire family."
"It does no such thing! I honor our custom accepting a challenge each day!" Diana snapped.
"You choose no one but those you feel that you can beat! That is a dishonor!" Mikolas snapped back. In fact, the two of them had gotten so loud that they were garnering attention from all around them. "I am done with you accepting challenges from those unworthy of you! As your grandfather and as sovereign leader of our city, you will name a worthy challenger this instant, or I will name one for you whether you approve of him or not!"
"I will challenge her!" came a booming voice. Mikolas looked around in confusion, expecting someone to be standing there, but there wasn't. All of the other Fomorians nearby looked around as well. Only Diana looked down.
"Leu! What are you doing here?" Diana asked in complete surprise and alarm.
"I already said what I'm doing here! I'm here to challenge you! And you've got a lot of explaining to do keeping all of this from me!" Leu snapped, using his wand to resonate his voice
"Diana, who is this Wizard?" Mikolas demanded, outraged. "Did you lead him here?"
"No, she didn't, but I'm here for her anyway," Leu shouted back. "I don't give a toss about whether you think I'm worthy or not. I'm not going to let you force her into a marriage she doesn't want!"
"He is a Mac Lir," Diana said, loud enough for those around them to hear, causing a murmur to go up. "And I accept his challenge whether you like it or not, Grandfather!"
"I want proof he is a Mac Lir!" Mikolas snapped.
Diana shrugged and picked Leu up like a doll, carrying him to the platform.
"Diana, what are you doing?" Leu asked, flustered.
"Go down to the floor of the ocean and fetch me something off the bottom," Diana demanded, dropping him in.
"You could have at least waited until I was stripped down to my wetsuit first!" Leu complained, wrestling out of his wet clothes and putting them on the platform before diving down.
"He has a tongue about him for such a little fellow," Thera ventured from where she stood near the platform.
"He is using a translation potion, Mother," Diana replied.
"That was not what I meant," Thera said. "He does not seem to be happy about this challenge."
"That is because I kept it from him that I was a Fomorian, as I was sworn to do," Diana explained.
"I see," Thera said evenly. "But he is here now, despite the lie."
"Yes," Diana agreed.
"And it is his favor that you wear," Thera concluded, nodding to the comb in her hair.
"Yes," Diana agreed.
"What! Diana, what madness is this?" Mikolas asked sternly.
Diana didn't reply. Instead, she watched the water as Leu finally came out with a barnacle-covered golden pin. From the size, it was obvious it had been a Fomorian pin before the latch broke.
"There. From the bottom," Leu reported.
"Did any guards follow him?" Mikolas asked.
"Yes, Governor," one of the men swimming in the water replied. "He used no spell nor potion, but swam down readily without ill effect."
"He does not smell like an enemy, but a man of the sea," Thera ventured. Mikolas glared at her in annoyance.
"You truly wish to allow this?" Mikolas asked. "Mixed blood or not, he is still a Wizard."
"We sent my daughter to live among the Wizards for seven years, Father. Why should we be so surprised by the choice? It is our own doing, is it not?" Thera pointed out, then turned to Leu. "It would be unfair to expect you to swim at our height when you are not used to it. If I am not mistaken, my daughter is well-trained even at human height."
"I am," Diana said proudly. "He has yet to beat me."
"Just how many times have you raced this Wizard?" Mikolas snapped.
"It does not matter," Diana pointed out. "This is the only one that counts."
"Set up a more appropriate course, Father," Thera said.
"Thera..."
"Consider, Father. If he loses, my daughter will be more willing to listen to your counsel as to who she should let challenge her next," Thera pointed out. Mikolas frowned at that, but then finally relented.
"So be it! But you will swim your best, Diana!" Mikolas warned.
"You dishonor my daughter by implying that she would not, and insult my training of her," Thera snapped at him.
"I have no intention of being dishonorable," Diana said firmly.
"That's right! She never has," Leu agreed.
"You have no voice here, Wizard," Mikolas snapped.
"Grandfather is right. Beat me first, then you can tell him off at your leisure," Diana said. Mikolas blinked at that, while Thera looked slightly amused.
"Oh, what I have to say to him is nothing compared to the long talk I plan to have with you after all of this is over," Leu snapped. Diana pulled out a phial from a small pouch at her side.
"You'll have to beat me first. If you do not, you'll never have the chance," Diana replied, drinking down the potion and discarding the bag as she slowly shrunk down to human size again. "Let us set the platform at the base of Longfish Rock."
"So be it," Mikolas said, and instructed the guards watching the course on how to modify it for the race.
Leu decided to do a simple form to clear his mind, knowing he couldn't afford to make a single mistake. The worlds that his mother told him during the challenge in Greece came back in his mind full force: Swim like your life depended on it. Swim like her life depended on it. Leu closed his eyes, trying to meditate for a moment. But then he heard strange voices and frowned, looking around. Sighing, he got up to get to his bag when Diana called out to him in alarm.
"The translation potion wore off, Diana," Leu explained. Diana sighed with exasperation.
"Then you will have to do without. If you drink anything now, they will suspect that you're cheating," she warned.
"Diana!" Thera snapped. "The two of you should not be talking to each other!"
"My translation potion wore off," Leu explained, glad that at least her mother seemed to understand English.
"I will speak to my father," Thera said. Diana listened as Thera and Mikolas spoke, then finally turned her attention back to warming up. "He will blow a horn for the start of the race. I will go to the other side so that I can report the outcome fairly. We will start once I am in place," Thera reported, diving in. Realizing that at Thera's size it would not take her very long to get over there, Leu got up.
"Where do I stand?" Leu asked. Diana frowned at him and pointed.
Leu stood where he was told, watching her to see the proper way to set, which was fortunately no different to how she was positioned for the Hogwarts races. All of the sudden, things seemed to be happening too soon; with so many emotions racing, time no longer seemed to be a constant.
The horn blew and Leu found himself in the water, at first on autopilot. He forced himself to focus, but did not try to push away his feelings when they came. Instead, he harnessed them; first the anger, then the determination, fueling his desperate desire to get across the course. He pulled the fear in and then the pain; accepting it as a necessary part of the race and giving him more reason to push on rather than less of a reason. He harnessed the countless failed attempts when he didn't know what was at stake; using what he had learned from those past mistakes to keep from making the same ones now. And last but not least, he harnessed his love; his love for Diana, which had been nothing but a gradual climb from the first time he saw her in the water to what it was now... building over time, always under the surface like a strong current in the sea, swelling up like a rolling wave as the strong, underlying current was finally ready to emerge and crash powerfully against the shore...
When his hand touched the rock, he immediately pushed himself out into open air, a bit surprised when it was nearly a second later when Diana emerged. Had he imagined that? Or had she just stayed down in the water longer than he had? A shadow fell over him that scared him at first, wondering if it was a bad sign. But then he realized it was Thera, crouching down to gaze at him with a thin smile on her lips.
"Well done, Mac Lir," Thera said, nodding to him.
Diana burst into tears, swimming over and nearly pulling him under as she attempted to hug him with open relief. He put an arm around her with a smile, allowing himself a moment of relief as well before the enormity of everything hit him full force.
"Hey, I'm still very angry with you. You know that, don't you?" Leu told Diana as firmly as he could.
"Be angry with me later," Diana advised, kissing him and pulling him under the water.