Chapter Three
Elaine stood outside of Number 4, Privet Drive, heart pounding and mouth dry. She couldn't believe she was here, a front door and a walk away from meeting her brother. Rowan was in her arms, currently tugging on her braid, and she absentmindedly pushed his hand away. Dumbledore had agreed she could be the one to come pick Harry up to bring to the Weasley's, to double up on meeting the Weasley's and Harry before her first death eater meeting that afternoon.
It wasn't an official meeting, per se. Severus had arranged for her to meet with Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, sort of a precursor to her meeting the dark lord himself, but that wasn't until later. For now - she had to get through meeting her brother for the first time in both their lives. So she cleared her throat, walked up to the door, and knocked. Minutes passed, and finally a tall bony woman opened the door.
"May I help you?" she asked with disgust, eyeing Elaine's old clothes and the child in her arm.
"Hi, Mrs. Dursley?" Elaine asked. The other woman nodded, still with her face scrunched up. "Hello. My name is Elaine Davies, I'm here for Harry?"
"Kid's not his is it?" A burly man demanded, bustling to the door and gesturing for Mrs. Dursley to go away. "He doesn't have any money, can't pay child support -"
"No, you misunderstand." Elaine tried to breathe through her nose, to keep herself calm. "Albus Dumbledore sent me here. Is Harry home?" The man looked at her like he wished to murder her, but he turned away from the door.
"BOY!" A scrawny boy appeared at the top of the stairs, wearing clothes that looked to be eight sizes too large and glasses that were broken at the bridge. "Woman's here for you. Take your business in the kitchen so the neighbors don't see."
"I assure you it won't take long, Mr. Dursley. I just need him to get his things and go, we can talk in the car."
"Car? Didn't know you people had those things." The Dursleys didn't even attempt to hide their laughter, and Elaine sighed.
"Harry, can you please go get your things? I'm taking you to the Weasley's." The teen nodded and took off. She turned to Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. "With any luck, you will not see your nephew for Christmas or next summer."
"Good riddance," Vernon sneered, wondering away.
"What about the protection?" Mrs. Dursley whispered. Elaine looked at her. "He is my sister's only child. I do worry about him. I don't want him killed, like she was."
"Never you mind. I assure you he will be under the best protection," Elaine assured her as Harry came back down the stairs, dragging his trunk behind him. "You ready?"
"Yes, erm. I assume..."
"I'm from the Order, Harry. Dumbledore sent me." She shifted her son to her other arm and pulled an envelope out of her pocket and handed it to him. The teenager opened the envelope and began to read.. "I'm Elaine, and this is Rowan. We're the good guys."
After saying goodbye to the Dursleys, they left. They reached the end of the street, and Harry looked around. "I thought you said there was a car?"
Elaine smiled at him. "That's what I told the Dursleys, but Dumbledore created me a portkey to take us to the Burrow. He advised that mentioning magical ways of travel around the Dursleys wouldn't be a good idea."
Harry grinned. "He's right." He hesitated as she pulled the portkey out of her pocket.
"Is everything okay?" Elaine asked him. He nodded mutely, looking at the small cup she held. "You've traveled by portkey, haven't you?"
"Erm. Yeah." He reached out for it and then pulled back. He sighed. "Okay. I'm ready." He reached out again and took it, Elaine activated the spell, and then they were gone off Privet Drive.
They landed half a minute later in front of a home that could only possibly be held up by magic. Rowan immediately started screaming upon landing, and Elaine tried to comfort him as the front door opened and a red haired woman came out.
"Harry dear! It's so good to see you!" she exclaimed, pulling him into a hug. Then she pulled away, seeing Elaine and Rowan. "Oh. My goodness. Mrs. Davies. I was so sorry to hear about Ben."
"Oh. Um. Thanks," Elaine said, forcing a smile.
"And this must be little Rowan!" The woman strode forward, wrapping Elaine and Rowan into a hug, leaving Harry standing confused. Mrs. Weasley looked over at Harry. "Harry, this is Elaine Davies. You met her husband Ben last summer, do you remember?"
"Oh yeah!" Harry said, smiling. "I remember Ben. He helped pick me up from the Dursley's last summer. Is he here?"
Elaine and Molly froze. "I-" Elaine croaked.
"No Harry. Ben isn't here," Molly said sadly. "Come in, come in!"
Elaine shook her head. "I need to get back to Hogwarts," she said. "I have a meeting with Severus this afternoon. Could I leave Rowan with you and pick him up later? Dumbledore suggested I do so." Molly gave her another hug and took Rowan and his bag from her. They all bid their farewells, and Elaine disapparated, landing in Hogsmeade where she was to meet Severus.
Walking down the streets, she sighed to herself. Her and Ben's first date had been during a Hogsmeade weekend. They'd had tea in Madam Puddifoot's, tea neither one truly enjoyed, before going to get a butterbeer at the Hog's Head.
"Elaine?" The soft voice behind her made her jump, and she turned to see Severus standing behind her. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," she whispered. For a moment, just a moment, she had heard Ben calling her name. She let out the breath she'd been holding and turned to Severus. Clearing her throat. "I thought the meeting wasn't until later?" she managed.
"It isn't. I was going to spend some time in the bookshop before we met up," He admitted, and Elaine laughed.
"So was I," she told him. And so they decided to go together.
Malfoy Manor looked just like she expected it to: grand to the point of there being no point, except to show off how much money they had. She knew the Malfoys were rich, of course. She doubted there was anyone in the wizarding world, bar a few, who didn't know about their wealth. She even remembered when the Malfoy heir started Hogwarts. He was a pain in the ass, screaming about mudbloods. She shuddered, remembering that awful last year. Elaine had been distracted that year, what with the chamber of secrets having been opened, that she'd barely studied for her NEWTS. She passed them, of course, but barely.
Elaine struggled to get her thoughts back in order as Severus led her to the manor door, knocking twice. It swung open, and he gestured for her to follow. They'd made no more than five feet into the entryway before an extremely blonde woman popped up in front of them, a cold look upon her face.
"Elaine, this is Narcissa Malfoy," Severus introduced. "Narcissa, Elaine Davies."
"Benjamin's wife." A man came to stand behind Narcissa, and Elaine recognized him as Lucius Malfoy. "It is an honor to have you in our home. Benjamin was an outstanding addition to our cause."
Elaine looked down. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy."
He waved a hand. "Please, it's Lucius. We have lunch waiting, are you joining us? Draco is at a lunch meeting with other children his age - that we agreed he could be around." As they walked, he continued talking. "Of course, your child Rowan will be able to meet some children his age that are suitable. I believe Theodore Nott Senior and his wife had another son before she, unfortunately, passed away."
"Thomas," Narcissa spoke up. "The child's name is Thomas, and it would be splendid for little Rowan and Thomas to have a playdate. It's never too early to find the right people to acquaint your children with, Elaine. I'll owl Theodore when lunch is over, in fact."
"I would be grateful, thank you," Elaine murmured, thinking inwardly that it would be a long time before this Thomas boy ever met Rowan, if his father too was a death eater. They entered the dining area and all sat at the table, waiting for something. Elaine briefly wondered what, before several house elves popped in carrying dishes of varying sizes.
"Please. Enjoy." Narcissa sated as the house elves took lids off the plates and set plates and silverware in front of each person. The Malfoy matriarch smiled at them as she took a napkin and placed it in her lap.
After lunch, the men retired to Lucius' office, while Narcissa took Elaine on a tour of the grounds. They got partially through the tour when she suddenly stopped, looking over at Elaine with a sad look on her face.
"I know what I'm risking, saying this to you, considering you are going to be joining the dark lord shortly." She paused, looking away for a second before letting her gaze fall on Elaine's left hand, where the gold band still glinted on her finger. "Benjamin was a good man, but he was that; a man. Women are doomed in this war. We give our husbands, our children, and we are expected to sit back and watch. We must sit back, because in general the dark lord ignores us unless we benefit him, and because at the end of this we will be the only ones standing."
"I cannot sit back," Elaine whispered. "I have only my son, and I am what he has. What I'm doing, I'm doing for his future." They grew silent. "Draco isn't in danger, is he?" she asked quietly.
Narcissa turned her back to Elaine. "That path leads to the herb garden, but the elves are busy down there at this time of day, so we can venture back into the house. I'm sure Lucius and Severus are nearly finished with their business."
Elaine apparated back to the Burrow alone, after telling Severus goodbye. Inwardly she was shaking, but she didn't allow Severus to see. She knocked on the door, and Molly Weasley opened the door. She saw Elaine and beamed.
"Mrs. Davies! Oh, it's good to see you returning, little Rowan is napping in Ron's room, so if you don't want to wake him up you can join me in the living room, I'm working on Christmas sweaters. If you know how to knit, I can lend you yarn while we wait."
"Christmas sweaters?" Elaine smiled at the older woman. "It's just now the end of June."
"Yes, well, I have a lot of sweaters to make," Molly told her, smiling back. "Come, come, before one of the boys need something." Elaine followed her into another room, where Molly picked up a basket full of yarn and held it up to her. "Take your pick of colors."
"Thank you," Elaine said quietly, sitting across from Molly and choosing a dark blue bundle. She started unwrapping it, and paused, looking over at Molly. "How do you do it?" she asked suddenly. "Or, how would you do it - if you lost your husband, I mean?"
"I almost did you know," Molly said, a sad little smile on her face. "There was an incident last year - Arthur was attacked, and the snake venom-"
"Snake venom?" Elaine asked, surprised.
Molly nodded. "Yes. Arthur was in the wrong place at the wrong time and you-know-who's snake attacked him." Elaine could only stare. "He survived, of course. He spent some time in the hospital, the venom did not allow his wound to heal properly. It was a long period of recovery, even after he came home. We never told the children." She looked down at the sweater she was knitting, and then back up at Elaine. "I couldn't have done it without him, you know. Raising the seven kids. I don't think I could have raised one without him by my side."
"I have to." Elaine's voice cracked. "I'm the only one there for Rowan, and if something happens to me- he has uncles, but they - they know about what Ben did."
"I do too, and I don't judge that little boy for it," Molly said gently. "Your little boy is innocent, and if his uncles don't see that and don't want to be in his life, then that's their problem. Their loss. I will be there for you. And for Rowan. He is the sweetest child I've ever had the pleasure of taking care of - minus my own, of course." Elaine let out a laugh, surprising even herself. Molly sat next to her on the couch and took Elaine's hand. "Dumbledore told me who you are," she whispered. "And what you're doing for the Order, and I think it's brave. Rowan will too, when he's older. Not to mention, when Harry finds out - Oh, he will be pleased to have a family."
"I will too," Elaine confessed. "The only family I've ever had was Ben and Rowan."
"I know." The two women were startled by the door slamming open, and a pair of twins marching in.
"Hey mom-" One started.
"Do you have leftover lunch?" The other finished, before the pair noticed Elaine sitting there as well. "Oi! It's Evans!"
"Evans!"
"Hi Fred. Hi George."
"What're you doing here?" Fred questioned.
"Haven't seen you in ages."
"You stopped writing."
"Broke our hearts."
"Boys," Molly said sharply. "Be nice."
Elaine stood. "I really should get going," she said, feeling tears rise up from the conversation she'd just had. "How long ago did Rowan-" A cry came from upstairs, and Elaine let out a chuckle. "I guess he's awake," she said.
"Who's Rowan?" she heard one of the twins as she headed up the stairs, following her son's cry.
"When do I get to tell him?" Elaine and Dumbledore were sitting in her office, Rowan playing behind a baby gate. "Harry. When do I get to tell him who I am?"
"Perhaps at a later date, when-"
"No." Elaine stood up, pressing both her hands on her desk. "You kept this a secret my entire life," she said in a low voice. "You've kept it from Harry for sixteen years. I know the truth, so now he needs to know too. If you're too much of a coward, Dumbledore, then I'll go to him myself. And I mean it. You keep way too many people in the dark about things that involve them!"
"Fine," Dumbledore snapped, and Elaine could only stare as the old man stood up, slamming his chair back. "Tell him. But when he wants nothing to do with you-"
"You're the one that wanted me to help him!" Elaine shouted. "YOU. You wanted all of this and you got it, but you're still not happy, are you? You took my husband from me and you aren't happy. You took Harry's parents from him, don't think I don't know that somehow you're behind him going to that shithole of a home. You aren't happy because not everybody wants to do things your exact way. I can see why Ben rebelled against you. You aren't much better than the Dark Lord, you just don't use the killing curse yourself, you let other people do that!"
Someone cleared their throat, and Elaine whirled to the door, where Severus was standing. "Elaine. It's time for us to go."
"Dobby." The house elf popped into the room. "I need you to take Rowan out to our rooms, please. I have a meeting to get to."
"Yes miss!"
Elaine shot one last glare at Dumbledore before marching out. When they reached the front hall, Severus turned to her. "What was that about?" he questioned as the doors leading outside opened and they stepped out into the cool night air. "Care to explain?"
"Dumbledore's a right prat," she muttered, before sighing, looking up at the sky to calm herself. "I want to tell Harry."
"You want to tell Harry...?" He let the words trail off.
"I want him to know the truth, you know? That the Dursleys aren't his only family. I met them, you know. Rotten people. The poor child has been kept in the dark all these years, from what I understand. First with who he was, now his family- it's wrong, and I don't get why a school's headmaster gets to make all of these decisions about one of the wizarding world's heroes. Who gave him that willpower?"
"Your mother's will," Severus said calmly, not looking at her. "Lily. She stated in her will that if anything were to happen to her or James, and if Sirius Black was unavailable, who was Harry's godfather, that Albus would be granted guardianship over him. As Chief Warlock, Hogwarts headmaster, and various other duties he holds, Albus certainly did not have the ability to raise a child, and your mother's protection made it almost impossible as well, so he sent him to the Dursley's. Of course, he then failed to check up on him over the years, but Albus and I have had that argument already."
They'd reached the apparation point, but Elaine stood there, looking at Severus. "I don't understand why I had to stay hidden all these years," she said helplessly. "There was no reason at all that Dumbledore - or.. Or Remus, for that matter, couldn't have come and gotten me out of the orphanage once the dark lord disappeared. I don't see why I had to stay."
"We always knew he would return," Severus said calmly, looking her directly in the eyes. "Albus never had any doubt that the dark lord would return, and when he did, you, and Harry, were in the most danger. He kept you hidden as best he could for your own good."
"Why did my mother trust him?" She eyed Severus. "Why do you trust him?"
"I don't," He said matter of factly. "I've never trusted Albus Dumbledore. But despite matters and the way things look, he is on the good side of this." He held out his arm. "Are you ready to meet the dark lord?"
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. We see Elaine and Harry meeting for the first time, and Elaine's first semi death eater meeting. Please leave a review, I appreciate knowing what you guys think!