Chapter Twenty-Four

Letters

It took several moments before Dumbledore started laughing at what Lenore had said. She knew a lot of her humor was due to her tension over Saul but the amusement made her feel better. "The good news is that you won't have to close out your room, only pack it up until you come back for the school year."

She made a face at the hat. "You need a new hat, or at least get a face lift on this one."

"I'll have you know I was appointed by Godric himself." The hat complained.

She smiled. "Designed by Rowena, right?" If a hat could look surprised that was what this one was looking. "I do read you know, Godric was good with brute strength and defense, Rowena with spells, Salazar with potions, and Helga with plants. Godric would have asked for Rowena's help, correct…"

"Well…um…yes…" spluttered the hat.

Lenore smiled as Dumbledore placed the hat back on the bookcase he had taken it from. "Where can I dump my bag for now?" Laura asked, motioning to the suitcase unceremoniously dropped near the fireplace.

"Ah, yes. Lenore, why don't you have Ms. Bent set her things in your room?"

She nodded standing up. "All right," she glanced at the phoenix's perch.

"Have no fear, Lenore. Fawkes will find your friend." Dumbledore assured her. "Now I must speak with Severus alone, if you please,"

She gave a curt nod and walked towards the door. Laura grabbed her suitcase and followed. The door shut behind them and the teenager hurried down the steps to the Great Hall before stopping. Laura, who had been deep in thought, looked at her sharply as Lenore leaned against the wall, wincing slightly.

"Leo?"

"Back and leg hurt…too much walking too soon." She muttered, her eyes closed, blocking the pain.

"Why didn't you say anything!" she exclaimed fumbling through her pockets. "Here!" she pulled out one of Lenore's special pain potions. "Pain potion, take it now, Lenore."

She smiled weakly and swallowed the contents of the vial quickly. The pain disappeared in seconds, all that was left was a dull throb that she could ignore easily. "Thank you."

"You should have said something," grumbled the redhead.

She shrugged feeling guilty. "I didn't want to be any trouble." She said softly walking towards her room once again.

"You're never any trouble, Leo. You're always in trouble, but never any trouble." Laura joked.

The teenager snorted. "Thanks." She stopped outside of the portrait and started laughing. Cassandra had a knight in silver armor knelt in front of her with a red rose. "Enjoying yourself?"

Cassandra let out a squeal of surprise and fell off the bench backwards. "Art thou intruders? Step back fair maiden, I shall avenge thee! Begone! Begone before my blade runs thou through!" the Knight shouted getting to his feet.

Lenore started laughing as Laura stared at the portrait in disbelief. "Mort est dans le vent.' She said the password.

The knight let out a gasp. "Is it? I must…um, goodday fair maiden, I must go hi—er—slay the—I must go!" and with that he raced from the portrait.

Cassandra looked up form where she had fallen and started laughing along with Lenore. "He is so funny." The portrait opened as the girl straightened herself out.

The raven-haired girl stepped into her room and smiled. Laura followed, throwing her suitcase on the couch. "Nice place," she glanced around. "Big." She made a face. "You do realize that you have all the Hogwarts colors in here, don't you?"

Lenore frowned and then giggled after surveying the room. "No I didn't." The irony of it made her laugh harder. She smiled at Laura. "So…yeah…this is my room. Bedroom is through there and bathroom is over there."

"No TV?"

"No way to get one to work inside the castle. Wards in Hogwarts seem to prevent it," Lenore said absentmindly, trying to remember where she suitcase was. She was about to summon it when it occurred to her. "Oh, man."

"What?"

"I can't use magic to pack." She said miserably sitting down with a thump.

She sat down next to her. "Tell me what you need to have packed in this room and I'll help," They both were silent for a moment, both brooding over different topics but both relating to the same man. Lenore sighed after a moment, Laura looking at her from examining the bookcase. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"I…" Lenore licked her lips trying to figure out how to phrase the question. "Why did you send me here?" Laura blinked looking back. "Did you not want to take care of me?"

"No!" she said quickly. Laura sat down next to the teenager. "No, sweetheart, listen to me…" The redhead tucked a strand of dark brown hair behind Lenore's ear. "I love you with all my heart, almost as if you were my own daughter but I know what it is like not knowing your father and I wanted more than anything for you to have what I didn't…"

"Is that why you kept telling me to try, even after I told you everything that he did?" she asked softly.

A distant look appeared in her eye. "Yes. I thought that you were being an exaggerating teenager but when I met him…" the older woman bit her lip and took a breath before continuing. "He's changed since I last saw him."

Lenore looked at her in surprise. "You've met him before?"

"Once…years and years ago." That far off look was in her eye again.

"When?"

"Hm?"

"When did you meet him?"

Laura shook her head. "It's not important." She took another long breath. "He was different then. Had a different light in his eye…now…now it's gone and he seems to be fighting the darkness that wants to consume him."

She stared at her mentor and shook her head. "I don't understand."

The redhead forced a tight smile and pulled Lenore to her, in a hug. "I don't think you ever will…that man lets very few people into his heart."

Lenore was quiet once again. "Do you think that he cares about me?"

The silence between them was deafening as Laura thought once again. "I don't know how to answer that, Lenore. Part of the time I would be able to tell you that without a doubt that he cares about you but most if it is for the wrong reasons in my mind…"

"Because of what I am,"

"Yes."

The teenager pursed her lips for a moment. "Does he care about me beyond that?"

"I'm not sure, sweetie." Laura rubbed Lenore's arm. "I'm just not sure."

Lenore wasn't sure why this caused her to feel empty and why a slight bit of hurt ate at her at this idea. She didn't want to care about what he thought but unfortunately, even she had to admit that she did care.

"I have some interesting news to share with you," the teenager looked up. "They are combining the two schools into one. Apparently it will save money and help prepare students for the war America has now agreed to help in. Personally I think it will be a distraction,"

"Maybe," she said realizing that for the first time in her life she'd be attending a co-ed school. Back home she would see the boys in the field and during lunch when the campuses were open but they weren't in class together. "I'll have classes like that too."

"I suppose you'll be—" a pop cut Laura's sentence off.

"Flawkes!" Lenore exclaimed jumping to her feet. The phoenix was on the table in front of her. "You found him?" The bird bowed his head before extending his beak out, a piece of lined paper in it. "Thank you so much," she said taking it, stroking the bird on his head before sitting down. She opened the folded paper, worry hitting her. There were letters bolded ever so slightly. "Laura, look." She showed the letter to her.

Leo,

I was surprised to hear from you. No problems to speak of here. Tons to do though. Renee is working me hard. I know the ins and the outs of the store as well as the ups and downs. Be careful over there, little one. We hear about Voldieshorts everyday here. Everyone misses you, Lenore. Pardon my scribbled writing, I'm in a rush to get back to the store. Write to me soon.

Forever-In-Wait!

Saul

"I-N, in, T-R—" Lenore peered at the paper and gasped. "T-R-O-U-B-L-E! In trouble! H-E-L-P, help, M-E…N-O-W…In trouble, help me now…"She looked sharply at the redhead. "Laura! He's in trouble, we have to help him!"

"I know, I'll go get Albus. Write a letter back saying help is on its way." And with that she swept from the room.

Lenore dropped to her knees in front of the phoenix. "Was he all right? Alive and okay?" she asked, worry pounding in her heart. The bird trilled and nuzzled her cheek much like a cat would. She forced a smile. "He'll be all right…right?" The bird trilled again as she grabbed another piece of paper. "Will you wait for another letter?" Her hand was shaking as she knelt down again, pressing the pen to the paper. She didn't want to imagine life without Saul. He was the only one she had been writing to consistently. He was her big-brother in many ways…she couldn't loose him. "Thank you…"

Saul,

I was just making sure. I was worried when I heard. Even though this place is fun I miss everyone there. Even the rude people. Isn't that weird? You don't think you'll miss people until your gone. Way too much time has passed since we saw each other. I should have seen you before I was gone…miss you.

Leo

She swallowed hard, hoping it wasn't too obvious that the letters were bolded and she folded the paper. "Here…thank you…" she said softly. The bird bowed as Laura came bustling into the room followed by Dumbledore. "I wrote it."

"Go ahead and send it, we'll get him help, Lenore, do no worry." Dumbledore said but his eyes betrayed his worry.

Lenore glanced at Flawkes who trilled once again and disappeared with a pop. "I'll go, just let me get into my work clothes." Laura said firmly.

"Now, Ms. Bent, let trained—"

"NO! Saul knows me, everyone knows me, they won't suspect me there. Besides, the store will be closing about now. He would have no reason to let others in, he would have a reason to let me in."

Lenore shook her head. "I don't care who goes, just get him out. I can't…" her eyes pleaded with Laura, tears in them. She looked at the floor. "I can't loose him too." She whispered softly as Snape walked into the room.

"Headmaster," he wasn't snide or rude, he just seemed…concerned. "I knew the name sounded familiar, I—" He glanced at her.

"You can't say anything about Saul I probably don't already know," Lenore said firmly.

Snape sneered slightly before looking back at Albus. "He is well-known in the Dark Lord's ranks since he began his attempt to recruit the Americans…he was the youngest member in four years and quickly grew to be the right-hand man of Blade, the leader of the group. He earned the nickname of Shadow because he could always slip out of places unseen and unnoticed, deadly killer." At that point he looked at her but she didn't blink. She knew he wasn't the purest of people but at the same time neither was the man speaking. "He was discovered to be a werewolf six months after he joined." Once again another glance in Lenore's direction but she stared straight back at him. "The Dark Lord thinks of him as a valuable ally and he doesn't want anyone else to have him, per say. There was talk that he would join—"

"He wouldn't." Lenore said firmly. "He would never join back up."

"A member of the Destroyers mentioned that ever since he dropped a year or so ago they've been attempting to reinitiate him but he refuses. The Dark Lord may have sent a Death Eater to convince him."

Lenore's face paled once again. "You have to get him out of there! They'll kill him! I know it!" A moment after she said it a pop filled the room and Flawkes was sitting quite calmly on the table once again. "Please…if anyone like Dryle, the new leader or…" she drew in a sharp breath. "If Flame is there…" Panic entered her eyes. "Now, please."

"As I told you before, Lenore, we will get him."

"I will go Headmaster," Snape said suddenly. "The Destroyers know to fear the mask and mark."

"You're a fool," snapped Laura shaking her head. "What are you going to do, waltz in there show them your mark and say I'm going to take him to Albus Dumbledore now, bye? They wouldn't let you within feet of Saul."

"I suggest you both go." Dumbledore said before Snape had a chance even to open his mouth.

"WHAT!" thundered the redhead. "NO! I'm not taking him anywhere!"

"Headmaster!" started Snape.

"ENOUGH!" Lenore shouted. "For Merlin's sake someone just go! He has to get out of there and every moment we waste by you two arguing is a moment that Saul might not have! Please!"

Whether it was her pleads or the fact that Laura knew that Lenore would be lost without Saul around the redhead gave a curt nod. She changed her clothes quickly to what Lenore recognized as her work clothes and pulled the scarf over her hair before taking out the necklace that was her portkey. "This will portkey us to outside the store. He'll be there," she said looking over at Snape. "Coming?"

The man sneered and moved towards her. "Be safe," Lenore said as Laura begrudgingly took Snape's arm.

"We will," she squeezed the necklace. "Horris." She said and then they were gone.