Hey, I'm back. Because of my damn wisdom teeth I've had a lot of time to write and this muse is just flowing and flowing and flowing and flowing, so I'll post two chapters just to make you guys happy. : P But in turn you have to make me happy by sending lots of reviews: D
A.S. Leif—Yay! Here's another chapter so you can leave me another review! Or two: P Lol. I understand what you mean, though, with the writing thing. It happens to me all the time. I have about two hundred different stories on my laptop and most of them are unfinished. I can never find the time to finish all of them. So I work on which ever one when I can. It's not going to be 100 percent HBP but very close. A lot of the details will be the same but there will be many things that will be different, but not the major happenings…I hate the HBP too. I loathe and despise it. When I was reading it I started hitting the book when I read what happened. I was so mad. Your welcome for updating so quickly, I just had that chapter written but I wanted to fix it like I wanted to fix this one. I was worried about the reactions after the nightmare because I didn't want things to be too…off but I also wanted them to connect a little bit more. I understand what you mean though. I hate the BANG everyone is singing kumbia or something. It's annoying because of how against character it is. Anyway, I'm trying to make it realistic so I'm glad I achieved it. The journal is going to be giving Leo a look into her mother's life and so on. I love interesting storylines myself with lots of twists and turns and that's what I'm trying to do with my stories. And there are going to be plenty of OC characters springing up towards the end of summer and beginning of school year. I thought I explained Almost Humans though, it's the centaur's blood defect, where the centaur baby comes out looking human. I thought that it might be a good place to end the chapter, having her call him Severus rather than Snape or something. I'm trying to be good at surprises. She doesn't hate him, she tolerates him and is starting to understand him…well…until this chapter. Lol. I'm so evil. You'll just have to wait and see how Harry and Hermione and Ron reacts to the fact that she's Snape's daughter and what she does when she sees how Sev treats Harry and the others. Tell me what you think of these next two chapters! As always, REVIEW! Lol. (I like shirts with funny sayings so I put them in my stories. : P )
Ktoddhim—I'm glad they were great chapters! Here are some more chapters, tell me what you think!
Silver—'Bloody brilliant job' why thank you. You're making me blush. Lol. Here are two more chapters but only if you promise to review!
READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!
Chapter Nineteen
Fear in Your Own Home
Ever since that day she and Severus got a long more and more. They still had their spats but they could tolerate each other's company. It was nearly a week later before anything…horrible happened. The therapy sessions grew harder as the days passed but for the last two days she managed to get around the rooms for nearly half the day without her chair, but she had the balance bar hovering next to her at all times for support.
Severus had given her free rein of his library in the living room and she had taken to reading the books well into the evening, catching up on everything that the other students were reading and their knowledge in previous school years. A lot of the books were basic knowledge so she stopped reading those and began reading his more advanced potions texts. He said that after she could start walking, she'd be allowed to help him in the lab. And, though she'd never admit it to him, the idea thrilled her. Perhaps she could find more common ground with Severus.
Currently she was reading another part of her mother's journal. This had actually become a ritual with them. She would read a single entry a day, ask any question that came to her mind about it before their dinner, they'd have dinner, and discuss anything else while working on her Physical Therapy. The entry she was reading was about when her mother had just found out about her pregnancy with Lenore.
Severus is forced to stay away for longer and longer periods of time. When he's home he's distant, almost cold. Spying is hard for him, seeing the things he does. I can't even imagine how it affect him…to be honest I don't have to imagine. He's angry, bitter, hurt, and scared most of the time. I found him last week crying in his potions lab. He spoke of a little girl, eight years old, tortured to death. Her sister, sixteen, raped to death by the Death Eaters, and he was forced to watch it…laugh along with the Dark Lord in order to keep appearances.
Lily comes by to keep me company when James leaves for his Auror duties. She and I have attended only a few Order meetings since she discovered she was pregnant. She's nearly a month along now but…I fear I must confess something before my secret makes me burst. I am pregnant as well. Severus was allowed two week's leave from the Dark Lord's service last month and he had started to gain his sanity back and he took me out to a romantic meal, walk on the beach, and a magical night reminding us both of our wedding night. Merely a week or so after Lily announced her pregnancy I discovered that I was as well.
I'm afraid to tell Severus. He's beginning to crack under the pressure. I don't know what it will do to him if he finds out. Lily says I must tell him, that he'll be proud but it's so different for her. James is on the side of light, he can proclaim that she's pregnant from here to China without having any problems but if Sev did that…I shudder to even think about it. If Sev did that more than he will be placed on the line but he must know. He is coming home in three days time; I have decided to tell him then. Perhaps Albus and Severus can come up with a plan for us to live out of the Dark Lord's grasp. Until then, I will sign away. Lily is cooking some stew and has something to talk with me about. I'm worried; I've never seen her so shaken before. I'll write later.
S.S.S.
Lenore looked up from the book, sliding the ribbon to save her place. She stared at the wall for some time, pondering what could have happened when she told Severus about her pregnancy. She contemplated reading another entry but decided against it. She promised Severus only one entry a night. She glanced at the next entry's date. It was from the same night, the writing panicked and quick. She looked at her father's lab and then back at the entry. Technically it was the same entry because it was entered the same day. With a grin she settled back in to read this entry.
Sweet Merlin, it's worse than I ever imagined. Lily has told me there is talk of a spy in the Dark Lord's ranks, one who is pretending to be on the side of the Light but really Dark. The only person the Order can think of is Severus. But that is impossible. He would never betray Albus like that. He wouldn't betray me like that. He is good. I know he is!
I write this now thinking back to that fateful night I found him in the dungeons of Hogwarts. I shudder to think of that night, how I could have lost him because of Lucius Malfoy. How could I have not seen it our first year? That foul man was lurking through all the first years, boys and girls included. He tried to attack me once first year but Lily had come with one of the Perfects from her house and stopped him. Severus was never so lucky and even after Lucius left the man would not let him be.
He told me our fifth year what happened to him and what Lucius was pressuring him to do but…but then those stupid Marauders. The day of finals when they treated him like that it pushed him over the edge, sent him running to Lucius who took him to the Dark Lord. I was talking with McGonagall instead of outside like I should have been. I could have saved him. But I wasn't there. Because of that he took the mark.
But, no matter how much I insist to Lily that it couldn't possibly be Severus, she tells me that James and three other Aurors are going to come to the house when he comes back and question him under the Truth Serum. The problem is he is immune to it as am I. His magic is too strong for the normal Truth Serum. I don't want to believe that he has betrayed us. I will not. . . . .I cannot!
S.S.S.
She shivered shutting the book as a creak in the house startled her. She swallowed hard, glancing at the Potions Lab with fear in her eyes. He didn't betray her mother…did he? He couldn't have. She looked at the clock and realized she probably should start getting ready for their therapy treatment. She reached for the balance bar and got to her feet slowly. Though it took a good half-hour, she got dressed for their therapy session, her hair back and her sweat clothes on. She was waiting for Severus to come out when the fireplace sprung to a green flame.
Lenore used the bookcase to support herself as she stared at the fire. "Severus!" she shouted towards the potions lab with a faint grin. "Someone is coming to see you!"
She half hoped it was Albus; there was a lot she wanted to talk about with the old man. Starting with what was going on between the states and U.K. Laura spoke of many strange things that Erica had spoken about that went on in those meetings. Many of which alarmed Lenore greatly. She looked towards the lab again as the fire sputtered.
"Severus!" she shouted again. Someone tumbled out from it, sprawling on the ground much as she did whenever she traveled by floo. She started to giggle but her laugh caught her throat when the man looked up, their eyes meeting. "No," she gasped, beginning to shake as the blood fled from her face.
"You," he snarled, on his feet in moments.
She gripped the bookcase hard. "No…no…Severus!" she started out whispering but then began shouting. She took a step back but tripped, her hand loosing it's grip on the bookcase and she was sent lolling on the floor. He pulled his wand out, extending it at her. "No…please! SEVERUS!" she cried out, tears falling down her cheeks as she backed up, trying to get away from him.
Wormtail advanced towards her. "I thought I killed you."
"No please…leave me alone please…I didn't do anything." She said, her back hitting the edge of the couch. She glanced towards the private lab. "SEVERUS PLEASE!" She felt a slight burning sensation on her hand as the rune came to life.
The man towered above her. "He's not going to help you now."
"No…no…no please," she begged, shaking in fear.
"Get up, I prefer to kill people while they're standing!" he grabbed her by the arm and yanked her to her feet.
Startled and scared, her magic burst out, sending him flying across the room. She let out a cry, almost falling to the floor. She stumbled towards the door to the lab and tried the knob. It was locked. She began to pound on it. "SEVERUS! PLEASE! HELP ME!" she sobbed as Wormtail grabbed her from behind and yanked her away from the door. "Let me go!" she begged, tears blinding her.
She brought her foot down hard on his. He released her and she fell to the floor. She scrambled to her feet and half stumbled half ran to the little corner of a kitchen. She hid behind the corner, gasping for breath. "You can't escape from me."
"No…please…just let me go!" she exclaimed crouching down low, ignoring the pain shooting up her back and legs. He moved towards her. "SEVERUS! PLEASE!" she pleaded, tears falling down her face.
Wormtail rounded the corner and grinned evilly at her. "Boo,"
"No!" she cried out as he grabbed her by the shirt lifted her to her feet. His wand pressed to her chin. "SEVERUS PLEASE! HELP ME!"
"Shut up!" he made to slap her. She winced, shying away as much as she could. "One quick spell and it'll be over,"
She struggled against him, her hand stretching, reaching towards the knife that was left out from chopping up vegetables for the stew tonight. "HELP!" she exclaimed, her fingers brushing the edge of the knife.
"SHUT UP!" he shook her just as she grabbed the knife.
She brought it around quickly and sliced him clean across the cheek. He cursed and dropped her to the floor, grabbing his cheek. Lenore crawled away from him and stumbled towards the lab door and pounded on it again. "PLEASE! HELP ME!" she hit the door harder and harder.
"GET BACK HERE!" he snarled grabbing her and slamming her into the wall next to the door.
Tears fell down her cheeks. "Please," she begged when the door next to them suddenly swung open.
Severus added the last ingredient into the potion and stirred it once more when the pounding on his door began. He frowned looking up. He had been so deep in his work he had only heard the pounding just before it ended so he thought he imagined it. Lenore was the only person in his rooms and he knew she wouldn't be pounding on his door. She knew better than that. The pound got more fervent when suddenly it stopped and it sounded as if someone was slammed into the wall beside the door.
That was enough. He flung open the door. "Lenore, what is the meaning of you pounding on—" Severus started to thunder when he stopped cold at the sight of Wormtail holding her up against the wall, his wand against her throat. She looked at him, a tear escaping her eye again when he acted. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted, his wand extended at the man.
Wormtail flew across the room and hit the wall hard, knocking him unconscious. Lenore, unable to stand any long, slid down the way sobbing. Severus quickly shot a spell that would tie the intruder up and then kneeled down next to her. She shuddered as he touched her arm. He was still baffled at why Wormtail would be coming through his fireplace but it didn't matter right now.
"Lenore, Merlin, Lenore, I am so sorry." He said as she shook in fear.
"He…he was trying to kill me," she sobbed as she leaned forward, crying into his shoulder.
"I know, I know." He said trying to calm her down.
Things around them began to shatter. "You didn't hear me. You weren't coming." She mumbled into his shoulder as the sound of someone thundering down the halls outside the rooms.
"Take deep breaths in, calm down, Lenore." He said as books began flying off the bookshelves.
"OPEN UP!" an all too familiar voice ran outside the door, the sound of hoof beats against the wall.
"Sir there is a centaur demanding access. He says he'll kick my portrait in if I don't let him enter." The man who was on the portrait outside of Severus' rooms appeared in an empty portrait near the kitchen.
She was rocking back and forth. "He was trying to kill me…you didn't hear." A glass of water left on the kitchen table exploded, shards flying everywhere.
"Centaur?" Severus said glancing from the portrait to the distraught Lenore. He grabbed her hand. She jumped startled, her eyes not focused on him. She froze staring at a spot past his shoulder. "The rune," he traced the rune on her hand. It was glowing a light orange, not as bright or as deep as it had been when Wormtail had thrown her off the stairs but enough to worry him. He looked at the portrait as the hoof beats pounded again. "Let him in, hurry."
The man disappeared and the portrait swung open, the red centaur thundering in. "What happened?" he growled in a voice that actually caused Severus to shake slightly. Lenore was still staring at a spot behind Severus' shoulder, pure shock on her face. She was still shaking. The picture frame let out a large crack, splintering. "What is that man doing here?" Adem asked his eyes angry.
Severus turned Lenore's arms over and began rubbing her wrists, trying to calm her down. "I—"
"What is going on! Severus, Lenore!" the all-too familiar voice of Albus Dumbledore thundered down the hall moments before the old wizard came into the room, his bright blue robes flowing behind him much like Severus' did. The moment he entered the room his glasses cracked. "What?"
"Lenore, please," Severus tried to calm her down. "Take in a deep breath," She didn't even look like she heard him. The bookcase next to him suddenly crashed to the floor. He jumped slightly, barely moving out of the way in time to miss being hit by the edge of it. "She can't hear me, Albus. I can't get her to calm down!"
Albus moved forward. "What happened?"
"Wormtail must have come through the floo, she was in the living room read—" Severus was cut off by the set of kitchen knives flying across the room and hitting the wall.
"Kali," Adem exclaimed, ducking one of the knives.
"She's in shock," Albus said as a pulse went out, shoving every piece of furniture against the wall. All three men stumbled backwards slightly. "You have to get her to stop,"
"The only way I can do that is by putting her to sleep and I don't know what that would do to her!" Severus ducked a lamp that flew from across the room and shattered just above him.
Albus shook his head and held his wand out pointing it at her. He muttered something too low for Severus to hear and slowly Lenore grew limp before she seemed to pass out completely. He caught her before her head hit the ground. Adem glared at Severus as he lifted the teenage girl up.
"We have to get her help." He said firmly, trying to hid the fact that he was beginning to shake with fear for his daughter.
"Is the mediwitch here?" asked Adem as two more sets of hoof beats thundered down the hall.
"No, she's still at another conference." Albus said as Severus laid his daughter gently on the couch.
"Adem!" Eithne burst into the room. "The Leader, he's coming to the camp. You have to come back,"
"Eithne! Eithne! I told you not to leave!" Saffron appeared around the corner.
"This school is being over run by beasts," sneered Severus more out of worry for his daughter than for anything against the centaurs themselves.
"Severus!" scolded Albus shaking his head. "Insulting them will not help Lenore!"
He let out a slow breath. "We have to get her help." He said softly, staring at her, the strain of what she had just been through clear on her face.
"We will, Severus. We will."
