On Thursday Morning, Aubrey had practically begged her God-parents to let her go to Diagon Alley on her own. After much talk, Ginny had persuaded Harry that Aubrey was a responsible girl, a girl mature before her years and she would be fine and Harry like a love-struck teenager let Ginny persuade him with promises.
Aubrey left early on Thursday morning with her weekly allowance and the key to her vault. She wanted to get a few books and she'd seen some clothes in a Witch Fashion Magazine and wanted to see if she could find something similar.
Since Monday, Aubrey had practically lived in her room. She only came out for meal times and to use the bathroom. Ginny had tried everything to get her to come food shopping with her or even to her mother's but Aubrey had refused saying she was studying.
Aubrey had written to Severus both days and received letters from him. She felt finally she had a father. She felt normal. She had two parents in such but actually she only ever had one at one time which broke her heart. She would never have the two of them together which broke her heart. She would never get to see Severus and Hermione in the same room.
She often found herself wondering what their relationship was like and why it started. It was forbidden from the beginning some would have called in wrong. A professor dating his student, definitely wrong. How did they become a couple? Were they a couple or was it just sex and she was a result of that? She didn't think she was by the letter she had gotten from her mother and by the way her father talked of her mother. She had so many unanswered questions and she just needed to know more.
Harry apperated Aubrey into Diagon Alley and then left her with a port key to get home. He lectured her on safety and what to do if impossible situations happening which made her laugh. She promised him to be good and she promised she would stay out of trouble because trouble often found her. After Harry was happy, he gave Aubrey a kiss on the head and went off to work.
Aubrey walked down the high street and went into Flourish and Blotts Bookseller, her mother's favorite shop. When she walked into the shop, the owner automatically knew who she was and began to give her there condolences. The death of Hermione Granger had hit the Wizardry World harshly, everyone was shocked that the once Hero of their world died through a muggle illness.
Aubrey stood and smiled as the man told her of his stories of Hermione and how she would camp out in his bookshop when she was a student at Hogwarts. If Aubrey was honest she didn't want to know, she cared of course she did but when people started to say how sorry they were for her loss she just wanted to hide away and cry. She finally broke free from the crying owner and walked to the back of the story were the fiction books were. She grabbed a few books off the shelves and brought them quickly and then left.
Aubrey walked further down high street and into her Uncle's shop Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. As soon as she walked in she was caught up in a big hug.
'Aubrey' the Weasley twins shouted as she spun her around.
They put her back on the ground and pulled her up to the counter.
'Where's Ginny?' Fred asked.
'At home with Lily.' She replied.
'So who are you with?' George asked.
'Myself. I needed some space, I just thought some shopping would be good before I have dinner with Dad.' She said.
'Dad?' Fred and George said at the same time.
'Severus then.' Aubrey replied.
'So you're actually seeing him?' Fred asked.
'Yep. I spend Monday at Hogwarts with him. I'm going to Hogwarts in September.' She said.
'Gryffindor for sure!' George said.
'I might be a Slytherin.' She replied 'Dad's a Slytherin.'
'You're a Gryffindor.' They both said at the same time.
'Well we'll have to wait and see.' She said. 'Right I'm going to go.'
'Why? Stay. We'll give you a job?' Fred said.
'I have thing to get but I may take you up on that offer for a job.' She said.
'We'd let you work here.' George replied. 'If you do want a job just let us know.'
'I will.' She said as she kissed their cheeks. 'See you later.'
Aubrey walked out the store and down to the very bottom of the high street. Aubrey looked into the window of Ollivander's Wand Shop. She already had a wand, she carried it with her everywhere but she liked looking into the store and watching when people tried out different wands.
She walked away from the shop and stopped for a second to grab hold of her list out of her bag when she felt to hands wrap around the tops of her arms and pull her into an Alleyway. Aubrey screamed when she was pulled sharply into the alleyway and pushed down towards the end. She didn't have a chance to look who had grabbed her but she knew where she was being taken to; Knockturn Alley.
She screamed again, a high pitch scream but that was soon cut off when a hand was put over her mouth. She bites down on the dirty and retched. The man pushed Aubrey down onto the floor which made her foot twist. Aubrey was sprawled out of on the dirty alleyway floor holding onto her foot whimpering. As she looked up she gasped. The man had dirty black hair which was all over the place, bright green eyes and dirt all over his face and body. His clothes were too big for his body or they once fit his body.
Aubrey tried to crawl backwards away from him but her foot wouldn't allow her too. She screamed for help hoping someone would come to her rescue. The man stood staring down at her breathy harshly. She quickly scrambled to her feet and hobbled backwards further down the alleyway and then into Knockturn Alley where she heard someone shout her name.
'Aubrey!' a voice shouted to which she turned around to find Draco Malfoy running towards her.
As soon as Draco reached her she collapsed into his arms crying. She tried to explain that a man had pulled her into the alleyway but she was crying too much for him to understand.
'Aubrey, slow down. Tell me what happened?' He said softly. 'You're alright. I'm here. What happened?'
'Man...pulled me into the alleyway!' she said crying.
'Who are you here with?' he asked.
'No one.' She replied.
'Come on, my office isn't far from here, we'll go there and I'll call Uncle Sev.' He said.
'I can't.' She said. 'I think I've broken my foot.'
Draco looked down at Aubrey's foot. It was swollen and turning a lovely shade of blue. He effortlessly lifted Aubrey into his arms and apperated to his office in Diagon Alley.
Draco apperated into his personal office and placed Aubrey down on the black leather sofa in his office. He then went to his desk and buzzed his receptionist.
'Get my father and tell him that Professor Snape needs to come immediately.' Draco said and then walked back over to Aubrey. 'How you feeling?'
'A little shook up.' She said. 'It happened so fast. I didn't even get chance to get my wand out to stun him. I don't even know who he was; he just pulled me into the Alleyway and pushed me on the floor.'
Draco sat down on the end of the sofa and brought Aubrey's leg into her lap. He examined her foot closely and looked up at her.
'Did you get a good look at who he was?' Draco asked.
'Yeah. He had dark hair, bright green eyes; he was really skinny and dirty. I bite on his hand when he tried to stop me from screaming.' She said as tears fell down her face.
'It's alright.' He said as he stroked her leg comforting. 'You're safe now.'
Aubrey moved her foot down and put her hands up to her face and cried. 'I thought he was...' she sobbed.
Draco looked at the girl and felt his heart jump. He pulled Aubrey to him and held her to him whispering comforting words to her and rubbing her back. Five minutes later his door was pushed open by his father who had Severus standing behind him shocked to see his daughter holding onto Draco crying.
Lucius walked in and ushered Severus in and towards his daughter. Draco looked at Severus and sighed. He knew as soon as Severus knew he would blow his top.
'What happened?' he asked as he bent down to Aubrey.
Aubrey looked up from Draco to see her father which brought another lot of fresh tears. She through her arms around Severus. Severus sat down on the sofa next to Draco and Aubrey and looked at Draco. 'What happened?' he asked sternly.
'Aubrey got pulled into Knockturn Alley this afternoon by ...well we don't know who but she caught a good look at him. He pushed her about a bit and she's hurt her foot. She thinks it might be broken but I think maybe just a sprain.' He said.
'Where are you Aunt and Uncle?' he asked as rubbed her back soothingly.
'Uncle Harry is working and Aunt Gin is at home. I begged them to let me go alone.' She said.
Severus shook his head with anger and looked up at Lucius silently asking what to do. Lucius looked at Severus one the sofa with the girl huddled close to him. It was weird to see Severus as a father, comforting his daughter, Severus had never been a nurturing type.
'Let's take you to Hogwarts and get the school nurse to look at your foot.' Severus said as he tried to pry Aubrey off him.
Severus finally got up off the sofa and held out his hand to Aubrey.
'I can't walk.' She said.
'Then how did you get here?' he asked.
'Draco carried me.' She said as she blushed.
'Right. Well, l'll have to carry you and use Draco's floo.' He said as he bent down to pick up Aubrey.
Severus lifted Aubrey into his arms and stood up.
'Thank you Draco.' He said.
'No problem.' He said 'Feel better Aubrey.'
'Thank you.' She muttered into her father's chest embarrassed at having to be carried everywhere.
Severus stepped into the floo and had Draco chuck the floo powder for him and within seconds they were at Hogwarts Infirmary.
Severus stepped into the Infirmary and called out for Poppy. Poppy came at the call of his voice and soon Aubrey found herself laid upon a bed being poked and prodded. Her foot wasn't broken just badly sprained.
While Poppy gave her some potions, Severus owled the Potters to let them know that Aubrey was with them and had a spot of trouble in Diagon Alley. He spoke with Harry through floo call and explained what had happened. Harry, the head Auror was sending out some Aurors to look into what had happened and to see if they could find his God-Daughter's attacker. Severus said he would keep Aubrey here for dinner so she could rest and would drop her back later to which Harry agreed.
When Severus returned to the hospital room he found Aubrey's foot bandaged up and Aubrey asleep.
'Poor girl. She's got enough on her plate.' Poppy said as she looked at Aubrey.
'I know.' Severus said as he sat in the chair beside her bed.
'You can take her back to her guardians now Severus.' Poppy said.
'She'll be staying here for a while; she was supposed to be having dinner with me tonight.' He said.
'Alright. Well as soon as she wakes she can go.' She said as she walked out.
Three hours later Aubrey awoke to find herself still at Hogwarts. She looked around the room and then looked to her left and saw her father asleep.
'Severus.' She said quietly trying to wake him but he didn't even stir. 'Severus.' She said a little louder this time but still nothing. 'Dad!' She shouted and Severus jumped and awoke.
'Aubrey. You alright?' he asked as she looked at her.
'I was trying to wake you, you wouldn't wake up.' She said. 'Can we leave now?'
'We can leave any time.' He said as he stood up. 'Do you want to stay for dinner or go home?'
'Can I stay?' she asked.
'Of course.' He said. 'Can you walk?'
Aubrey nodded and swung her legs off the bed and stood up. 'feels as good as knew.'
'Just be careful.' He said.
Aubrey and Severus slowly walked towards the dungeons. He helped Aubrey climb up the stairs to his front door and then they went into the living room.
'What did Uncle Harry say?' she asked.
'Just that he was sending Aurors out to look for the man and that he should have never let you go.' He said as he ordered dinner though an elf.
'I'll never be allowed out again.' She said.
'Apparently you attract trouble, like your mother.' Severus said. 'I often had to rescue your mother from all sorts of situations, trouble seemed to love her.'
'Seems it loves me too.' She said.
'Luckily Draco came to your rescue.' He said as he sat down.
'I know. If Draco hadn't of...I don't want to think what might have happened.' She said.
'And neither do I.' He said looking at Aubrey.
'I'll try stay out of troubles way.' She said.
'If you could, I'm getting old and my heart might not take it.' He said smirking which made Aubrey laugh.
'I'll try Dad.' She laughed.
AU: Another Chapter for you. I might not get a chapter out tomorrow as I'm working all day so you have two in one day now. Reviews are most welcome as always xxx