Chapter Eleven

Elaine sat in front of Narcissa Malfoy, two cups of steaming hot tea sitting on the table in between them. She had just filled in the older woman on the situation she'd found herself, and Narcissa had immediately called for tea before gesturing for Elaine to continue the conversation.

"I'm not sure how much legal right Cheser Davies has to Rowan," Elaine told her, fiddling with the handle on her tea cup, not looking at Narcissa. "He's an uncle, yes, but a great uncle. I am the mother, so therefore-"

"But you are also, as far as the law is concerned, a mudblood," Narcissa informed her, leaning forward. "Even as a halfblood, the Davies family has more rights. They are purebloods."

"That isn't fair!" Elaine blurted. "I would be just as good a mother whether I was pureblood or not! And because of my birth, poor Kyle and Roger have to continue to live with that man." She froze, then, remembering who she was talking to. Narcissa just forced a smile.

"Trust me," she said softly. "I don't believe it's fair, either." Elaine's head dropped, and she felt Narcissa's hand touch her arm. "However," the blonde woman said, her voice gentle, "You are devoted to our cause, and therefore, Lucius and I will gather the Malfoy advisors to help you keep your son. You have nothing to worry about."

Elaine met with Ignatius Moore, the Malfoy's chief advisor, that very evening. The Malfoys themselves were not present; they'd gone off on an errand that had something to do, Elaine was sure, with the Dark Lord. Mr. Moore had already been filled in on the situation, clearly, as he'd come prepared with a stack of parchment filled with scribbles that Elaine believed to be notes on Wizarding Law.

He set this aside now, looking up at Elaine over the top of his glasses. He'd eyed Rowan, who was seated in the corner of the room, with a brief but intrigued glance before turning back to Elaine herself. "With my help," he began, his voice gruff, "You have a very good chance of winning this thing." He eyed Rowan again, who'd chosen to entertain himself by looking at a hard book, talking to himself. "You have a full time job with living arrangements for both you and the boy, access to three meals a day free of charge for you and, again, the child. While a house elf is your main childcare, this is not unusual, even when both parents are alive, well, and caring for the child." There was a pause, as Mr. Moore raised his eyebrows up at her. "What is this... Chester Davies... What is his reasoning for attempting to gain custody of your child?"

"Spite, if I am to be frank with you," Elaine said, locking her hands together to keep them from shaking. "I- there were circumstances behind my husband's death that Chester blames me for." Mr. Moore made a noncommittal noise, sliding one of the sheets of parchment over to her. She picked it up, staring at the words, but they refused form into a statement that made sense. "What is this?" Elaine asked finally.

"In summary, it states that a child shall not be taken out of a comfortable, if improper, home in exchange for an uncomfortable one, unless abuse is suspected."

"I don't understand."

"It is saying, Mrs. Davies, that despite you being a mudblood, therefore holding an improper home, your son will not and can not be taken from you unless you are abusing him physically, mentally, or emotionally." Elaine scoffed. "It is not a joke, Mrs. Davies. You as well as anybody know the mindset of the current wizarding world."

Elaine sighed, dropping her head into her hands. "I know," she mumbled through them. "I just can't comprehend how my blood dictates that I 'hold an improper home.'" She looked up again. "Because I'm a mudblood I don't have any chance of getting custody of the boys, do I?"

Mr. Moore shook his head and eyed her carefully before rising, gathering up his things. "I cannot help what people believe, Mrs. Davies, I can only tell you the facts." He glanced over at Rowan again, a small smile playing at the edge of his lips as the three year old let out a loud laugh. "I will represent you in court, if it shall come to that. I don't think it will, however."

Elaine stood outside the door to the potion's classroom, noting the single student scrubbing down cauldrons, before knocking softly on the door. Severus looked up and upon spotting her, quickly dismissed the student. She brushed past Elaine, head down, and was soon gone. Elaine could only stand there, looking at Severus, before sinking into a chair and breaking down.

"What is it? What happened?" Severus questioned her, kneeling beside her and setting a hand gently on her wrist. "Elaine?"

"It's Chester," She whispered. "He's trying to take Rowan from me. You knew this already, but it- I don't see how I can win."

"You can fight it, I know a good attorney-"

"The Malfoys have already assisted me. I have a Mr. Ignatius Moore representing me."

Severus looked at her, confused. "I don't see the problem, Elaine. I know Ignatius Moore, he is very good at what he does. You have nothing to worry about."

"Severus-" She let out a heavy sigh. "It's the point of it." Elaine stopped, shrugging. "Since Ben died - Rowan's all I have, and to have that man say I have no rights to him because Ben made choices that had nothing to do with me - It's painful, Severus. It hurts." She felt his arm wrap around her, and she leaned into his warmth, closing her eyes. "I know I've been avoiding you," she said, her voice cracking. "Ever since - well, it's been months, and it's not your fault. I just wanted you to know that."

"I know it isn't anything I did," Severus informed her. "You have things to work through, I just have to be patient. And I will be. I am content working beside you if that is all you wish - but you have to let me know, Elaine."

Elaine looked up at him, catching his dark eyes. They were showing an emotion Elaine couldn't place, and she didn't let herself, as she kissed him firmly before pulling away. "I will let you know, I promise you I will. But it will have to wait until after everything with Chester is done." She stood up, and without another word, left Severus kneeling next to her empty chair.

As days passed, Elaine let herself get lost in her work and Rowan. She was spending every possible second with the boy; there were days she even took him to class with her. A week had gone by since her conversation with Kyle, and neither of the Davies boys had shown up to her class. So when Friday came around and Roger didn't attend his lesson, she went to Dumbledore.

The headmaster tapped his fingers on his desk. "I did not wish to be the one to inform you of this, Elaine, but Chester Davies has withdrawn both Roger and Kyle from Hogwarts for their safety."

"What?" Elaine hissed, standing up quickly, her nails digging into her palm. "He can't, they aren't safe with him!"

"There was nothing I could do. There was no proof of the abuse you brought to me, Elaine, save a cut that was healed soon after you saw it, and the word of an underage child."

"Did you really try, Professor, or are you just saying you did?" Elaine snapped at him. "Because it seems to me if you'd made some effort, those boys would still be on school grounds where they are safe."

"Chester isn't going to harm them," Dumbledore told her gently. "Not while he is attempting to gain your son. As I've heard, the law is clear about one thing in regards to children, and they shall not stay in an abusive home."

"If only the law followed through with that," Severus said from the door, causing Elaine to jump. "Elaine. We are wanted at the Malfoy Manor, if you have free time."

Elaine nodded, giving Dumbledore one last look, before following Severus out of the headmaster's office. They stopped close to the staff room, Severus turning to her. "Are you alright?" Elaine asked him.

"Yes." His tone was sharp. "I wish you had come to me, Elaine, about the Davies boys. I would have helped you."

"I thought -" She stopped. "I thought maybe Dumbledore could help, but he either can't. Or won't." She shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe it was stupid. But those boys need help, Severus, and I can't give it to them."

"Albus was right, though, Elaine," Severus told her gently. "As long as Chester is trying to take Rowan from you, he won't lay a hand on those boys, and as soon as you've proven that you are a fit caretaker, you can then petition to have them, too."

"You're right," Elaine murmured, brushing her hair out of her face, pulling a band off her wrist and twisting the red strands into a tight bun. She cleared her throat. "Lucius and Narcissa are waiting for us, are they not?" Severus gave a short nod, and they took off.

The court date was set for the first of February, and as the month of January sped by, Elaine found herself terrified with each waking moment. Before she knew it, it was the morning of, and she sat in her office, dressed in her nicest set of robes, parchment strewn across the desk. Rowan was in the care of Narcissa, temporarily, until this was all over, and then he would either come home to Hogwarts with her, or go to the Davies family mansion with Chester.

A quiet knock on the door made her tense up, and she bid for whoever it was to enter. Severus did so, also dressed in fine robes. "Are you ready to go?" he questioned her.

Elaine looked at him, puzzled. "Don't you have classes this morning?" She asked him. His only response was to shake his head, and Elaine let out a deep breath, closing her eyes. "I suppose I'm as ready as I'll ever be for this," she said after a moment, and she followed him out.