Chapter Twenty-Five

Truths

Lenore found herself perched on the windowsill watching the rain pour from outside. Saul was asleep on the hospital bed near her, his face looking more weary and worn that she had ever seen it. There had been a bit of a blow-out when Snape tried to examine him. Saul had told her not him because he didn't want Snape to find out, unfortunately Snape already knew. She mentioned this and Snape, as predicted, got angry again about the 'ungrateful wolf.' There was another full blown shouting match between all three of them before they realized that Renee had started the diagnostic of Saul's condition, softly speaking Saul's unconscious form in a soothing voice.

Saul was tense, even while he slept and because of it, Renee couldn't do a complete scan. They never really could. Finally Lenore lost her temper and things began exploding about the room. Dumbledore herded them out before coming back to calm her down. She hadn't seen any of them since. Renee told her of what had happened at the store and the things she missed before she had to leave to call her family. She hadn't come back as of yet.

The teenager sighed and then heard a mimicked sigh. She looked back sharply and saw Saul staring at her with a tired smile on his face. "Hey sleepy," she said getting up and walking over. She sat back down next to Saul, taking his hand in hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Silver shards?" He looked away. "You could have died."

"It kills the wolf faster."

"It also kills you and makes you weaker." She retorted shaking her head.

He snorted. "I'll be fine." She rolled her eyes. "Help me sit up,"

She shook her head but helped him anyway. "Just be careful." She looked down. "I can't loose you too."

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You won't. Not any time soon."

"That's what you say." She pulled her knees to her chest.

"Why did you pale so badly when I mentioned Wormtail?" he asked. An involuntary shiver went through her. He peered at her. "What happened?"

"Get comfy, it's a long story." She said before proceeding to tell him everything that had happened to her since the day the fall until now. She told him about the fear of her father, the hurt she felt because of him. The practical jokes she played, her new discovery about herself all the while not realizing that there was someone listening on the other side of the door. At the end he had his arm around her, her head resting in the nook between his head and shoulder. It wasn't until she spoke of Snape's recent shouting events did her magic go haywire, a vase exploding when she started. "…I just…I'm so confused. I started getting along with him but now…now I find out that the only reason I'm even here is because of Dumbledore! He never wanted me…"

"You never thought he wanted you before." He pointed out gently. She mumbled something incoherently. He laughed softly. "Why do you think it's changed now?"

She saw up, her back to him. "Because…because…the truth is because I honestly thought he had started to care about me. I, in my ignorance and stupidity, started to care about him. I depended on him ever since I had my nightmare. We were civil towards each other, almost to the point of respect…he told me about my mom…" Tears were falling down her cheeks. "I…I just don't know! I can't understand it! It shouldn't bug me! I hate the man!"

Saul snorted. The lie in her words wouldn't fool a four-year-old. He touched her back and she sighed. "Leo, is it even remotely possible that you've started to care about him?"

She was quiet. "I've spent my whole life hating him because he left my mother…I thought he hated her." She looked at him, her tears like streams of water. "But he loved her, Saul…he really loved her. I took me weeks to see it and…and…" Lenore trailed off as he began to rub his thumbs on her wrists.

"And you hoped that there would be a place for you as well," he finished for her. She tensed, pulling away but Saul wouldn't let her. "Lenore, he's your last surviving family member that you know of. Without him you'd be alone and you don't want that. A part of you, even a subconscious part wants to be loved and accepted by him in the same way you were with your mother."

She met his eyes. "He didn't want me then…he doesn't want me now. He's never wanted me…I was just too stupid to realize it."

"He probably didn't want you, Lenore." She recoiled. "But you were born in the middle of a war, who would want a child during a war? But whether he likes it or not, he has one beautiful, amazing, talented child." She snorted as he lifted her chin to meet his eyes. "Even you have to admit that he cares something for you, or else he would not have risked coming to get me." She nodded slowly. "Just keep this in mind, Leo. Back in the States and at the shop we all love you. Half the shop is asking if you'll be coming back this summer." He smirked. "Renee tells them: 'Merlin I hope not, I'll have pranks exploding all over my store.'" Saul's eyes danced with mischief. "She's joking of course,"

Lenore managed to laugh. "Of course."

"What does Laura have to say about what's going on?"

She tensed again. "At first it was: 'trust him, 'make friends', 'hold your temper', 'give him a chance'." Lenore shook her head. "But now, now that she's…she treats him worse than I had. She keeps bringing up what I used to think about him so now I'm confused. On top of that, they've met before. I didn't know that. Nothing feels right anymore." Lenore brought her legs to her chest once again, resting her chin on her knee. "After the second…thing with Wormtail, I think he was at my side most of the night. I remember the smell of potions." He nodded. "But Laura was there too." She bit her lip. "I just can't figure it out. He seemed mad at me ever since I woke up. Anything I do gets him pissed off at me. When I found out the only reason I was here was because of Dumbledore's insistence it hurt. I just don't understand."

"Hate to say it, Leo, but you're not going to understand everything."

She giggled. "I wish I could. It'd explain what I'm feeling."

"Perhaps." Saul leaned back. "What about these Weasleys? What do you think of George, you seem to like him?"

"He's nice. I enjoy his company. Why?" she poked him playfully. "Jealous?"

"Always."

She full out laughed as Snape walked in. "The Headmaster wishes to speak with you, Lenore."

Lenore's smile darkened slightly but she got up, said a brief goodbye and walked out of the room. Snape sneered at Saul and moved to leave when the young man spoke. "If you were looking for stealth, you should have used a scent masking charm." The adult glared at him. "Useful advice."

"I'll take it in consideration." He snarled before making a move to leave again.

"What are you going to do now?"

Snape glared back. "Cease wasting my time, Mr. Ret."

"You can't be as cold as you seem or you wouldn't have stopped to listen." Saul said firmly. "What are you going to do? You're confusing the hell out of her. She's a very straight forward type of girl Cut and dry, no complications. Don't dance around feelings just because you don't want to address them. Not with her."

"I do not need advice from you, wolf."

Saul winced slightly. "Then you'll push away the best thing in your life." He said as Snape left.

The raven haired teenager knew something was wrong the moment she entered Dumbledore's office. Laura was sitting in the red armchair looking like a scolded child. Her glamour was off once again and she was head to toe blue. Lenore slid into the blue armchair with a frown.

She bit her lip nervously. "What is going on? I thought Renee was up here."

"She is currently making her way back to the hospital wing." Dumbledore responded before a solemn look encased his face. "Randilyn has made a suggestion that might interest you, Lenore."

"Randilyn?"

"That would be my real name. Just as your mother's real name as Serafina," Laura said shifting. "The unfortunate man you have a relation to takes issue with the fact that you have a werewolf for a friend."

Lenore snorted. "Then he better not meet Jocelyn or Octavos," she joked.

All Laura—Randilyn—whatever—could manage was a tight smile. "He tells me to take him to court all I want."

Warning bells went off in her head. There as something wrong with that statement. "Really? Why? You would think his status as an ex-Death Eater would make him want to keep out of the courts."

"Well…there in lies the tale. I apparently don't have right over you here because I am considered a magical beast and if I took him to court here I would loose." Randilyn swallowed hard looking down.

"Beast?" Lenore exclaimed appalled. "If they consider you a beast what would happen if they found out that you were here without a permit…let alone Saul being here…" she relaxed after thinking this. "But they don't know so it doesn't matter, right?" There was no answer. "They don't know you're here…right?" They both had guilty look. "They know?"

Randilyn handed a piece of parchment over with some sort of official seal on it. "This arrived about a half hour after we returned with Renee and Saul." Frowning she peered at the note.

By Official Decree From the Ministry of Magic

You are herby ordered to remain where you are, there will be a Ministry member coming by to collect you shortly for unlawfully traveling internationally without a permit.

Cornelius Fudge

She dropped the parchment. "I thought Fudge was out of office."

"The new minister has yet to change the name to his suiting." Dumbledore said gravely.

"Why haven't you and Saul left?"

"Don't you wonder why I don't have my glamour on?" Laura asked irritably.

Lenore frowned. "I did but…what does this mean?"

"This means that I will be arrested and taken to court."

"And Saul?" she asked quietly. They didn't answer. "We have to get him out of here! If they know he's a werewolf than—" she stopped short. "Wait…how did they find out?"

"That's the question of the day," Laura said darkly. Lenore knew better than to question Laura when she was in one of these moods. She wouldn't have to wait long. The woman would soon start ranting. "Since there are only two people other than Dumbledore and yourself that know of my existence as an Almost Human and George has not seen anyone but his family since he found out what I am. That leaves a single person who could tell."

Lenore went pale. He wouldn't tell. He wouldn't. "Now Randilyn, please do not be so quick to—" started Dumbledore but she shook her head firmly.

"WHO ELSE COULD HAVE TOLD!" thundered Lau—Randilyn. Lenore recoiled into the armchair. He wouldn't have told…would he?

"Randilyn you—" once again he could not finish his sentence due to commotion and a man running into one of the portraits in the room.

"Albus! They've apprehended the boy!"

"WHAT!" exclaimed Lenore jumping to her feet, ignoring the throb of pain that momentarily shot through her. She raced to the door. "They only sent one for you? How come they have Saul!" she exclaimed throwing it open.

Snape was on the other side. "Headmaster, three men, Weasley is one of them." He said brushing by her without even acknowledging her.

"Weasley?" she gasped. It wasn't possible. George wouldn't.

"Unhand the boy, he's no criminal!" the chatter of angry portraits drifted into the office. "I always hated the smell of you." Snarled another.

"YOU DAMNED FOOLS, LET HIM GO! CAN'T YOU SEE HE'S INJURED!" Renee's angry voice came closer. Lenore started to go down the stairs but Snape caught her arm, shaking his head. "LET HM GO! HE'S NOT A CRIMINAL!"

"It's fine, Renee," Saul's tired voice said. "I'll go freely, just stop dragging me."

Moments later a red haired wizard resembling George entered the room with four others. Two large men in robes were behind him, one was half carrying Saul by his arm. Renee came seconds later, anger clear on her face. Lenore met Saul's eyes. He was blocking pain. She saw that immediately.

"Mr. Weasley, pleasant day." Dumbledore said. Theatrically thunder clapped after he spoke.

"Headmaster Dumbledore," the red haired man pointed at Randilyn. "Take her now."

"Hey!" she exclaimed getting yanked off the chair. "Let go,"

"OUCH!" the man that had pulled her up dropped her arm as if he had gotten shocked.

"Now wait just a moment," Albus said calmly.

The redhead glared at him. "Headmaster these two are under arrest for international travel without clearance. You will let me take them."

The old man shook his head. "Percy, surely you can understand that there was an emergency."

"There always is with you."

"Percy…" she said the name. This was the 'prick' brother that George had spoken about.

The cold eyes stared at her from behind thin wire glasses, brows both arched and burrowed. "Do I know you?"

There was no way that Laura or Saul could get out of this on their own and she doubted that Dumbledore or Renee could do much. It was up to her. She found her voice and put for the British accent she had adapted to. "I…uh…we've never met but I know your twin brothers." She smiled weakly. "Their jokes got me out of a tight spot in the attack last week." Percy watched her with calculating eyes. "George told me about you from one of my many visits to the shop to pick up pranks for my…my brother's birthday." She faltered slightly seeing Saul slip out of the grasp of the large man.

The redhead seemed to be thrown off slightly. "You were in the attack?"

She nodded slowly, looking down. "I barely made it out of there. Your brother's smoke bombs gave me an escape but…" She swallowed hard. "But the rest of my family wasn't as lucky."

"Why are you here instead of at the relief shelter?"

"Because my family knew him personally and he's attempting to find me a place to stay. I have no other family." Saul was gone by the time she tried to look for him. "My friend, Laura, from the States wanted to make sure I was all right. She's from America and didn't know that English laws prohibit her from traveling without expressed permission." Lenore looked at him pulling off an innocent look that Snape never could have pulled off. "But now that we know that we'll clear it next time she would like to visit."

"Ignorance can hardly be an excuse, Wartly." One of the men said.

Percy clenched his teeth. "Weasley. The name is Weasley." He growled. "And I'll be judge of that."

Lenore fought a smirk. He was desperate to remain in charge. "She as just leaving too after she got her things. Please don't get her in trouble."

"What of these two?" he motioned behind him to Renee and Snape, the man who had been holding Saul realized that he was gone.

"Renee came with Laura and Professor Snape was here since I arrived. Renee is human, I didn't think there was any laws against that." Percy whirled around as Lenore kept her eyes on him, not daring to look at anyone else. "What is she in trouble for?"

"Where is he?" Percy demanded.

"Who?" asked the man, his eyes were slightly unfocused.

"The boy!" Percy exclaimed.

The other man looked confused. "What boy?"

"The boy from the infirmary!"

"Who?" the first man asked.

Percy blinked. "What?"

"Wartly are you all right?"

The redhead ground his teeth together. "Fine and it's Weasley." Percy looked back at her, his face softening slightly; that as a good sign. "Ms…"

"Pennyworth," she made up a last name, praying he wouldn't check out the attack victims. "Lenore Pennyworth." She smiled nervously. Pain unexpectedly shot up her back. The potion was wearing off. "Please Mr. Weasley," His eyes brightened at the correct pronunciation of his name "Don't get her in trouble."

"Well…"

A shot of pain caused her leg to give out of her. She went tumbling to the floor, barely grabbing the desk in time to keep her balance. "Shit," she cursed softly, her eyes meeting Snape's. Percy supported her. "Ow…"

"Are you ill?"

"I was hit with a falling beam before my house collapsed. Fell on my back and crushed my leg…I'm still healing from it." She said as he helped her into a chair. "Thank you."

"Do you need St. Mungos?"

"No," she said shaking her head. "The pain potion just wore off. I'll be fine."

Percy straightened up. "Then I see no reason to remain. I will let her off with a warning and a hundred gallon fine." Laura looked like she was going to protest but smartly kept her mouth shut. Lenore forced her eyes to brighten. "But don't let it happen again."

She smiled sweetly at him. "We won't."

He gave a curt nod, a glare at the others in the room, and then swept out. Lenore sagged against the chair, the tension releasing. She wanted to curl up and sleep for a few hours. Snape was at her side in an instant checking her pulse on her wrist. She looked at her startled.

"You should have said something," he snapped, pressing two potions in her hand, a nutrient and a pain potion.

"Would you have listened without shouting at me?" Snape's face twitched, his black eyes boring into her. "I didn't think so."

"What happened?" Renee asked confused. "Why didn't they remember Saul? Not that I wanted him taken but…"

"Oblivation," Laura said with a smirk at Dumbledore. "Thank you. Both." She glanced at Snape who merely nodded.

Renee relaxed slightly. "So he'll be all right?"

"He's in the castle somewhere, hiding until they're gone," Lenore said feeling better as soon as she had drank the potions. "He'll be fine."

The blonde smiled. "Well…that has got to be the biggest load of bull I have ever heard you dish out, Leo." Lenore blushed. "Nice job."