Chapter Thirty Three

Six months later

Elaine sat next to Narcissa Malfoy in courtroom ten, their hands interlocked so tight Elaine could feel Narcissa's nails digging into her palm, as Severus was brought in by a team of aurors. The dark haired man was strapped to his chair, and the trial began. Elaine could barely catch her breath as his charges were read.

"Severus Snape, current residence, st. mungos hospital," Shacklebolt stated, reading off the parchment in front of him. He looked up at Severus, who looked healthier than he had last she'd seen him, but he still looked tired, weak. "Accused of conspiring with Voldemort, murdering Albus Dumbledore and other wizards, using the Cruciatus curse on muggleborns, using the Imperious on fellow wizards. You plead?"

"Guilty." His voice came out cracked, and he cleared his throat, trying again. "Guilty." Shacklebolt eyed him, then looked toward the doors as they opened and Harry walked in.

Elaine hadn't seen her brother but once since the war ended; he'd attended her own trial and spoken up for her. She'd gotten off free thanks to him, but then he'd gone off with his friends and girlfriend and the Weasleys, while Elaine had gotten settled back in her old home that she'd shared with Ben. She had fought with the aurors to be allowed to see Severus in the two months since her release, but they hadn't caved, and so this was the first time she'd laid eyes on him since they'd both been arrested.

"Here to speak for the defendant, Harry James Potter, defeater of the Dark Lord known as Voldemort," Shacklebolt said in a dry voice. "Harry?"

Elaine listened as Harry described what Severus had done those last few years of the war, described his condition when Harry and his friends had been locked in the dungeon with them - here he stopped, his eyes finding Elaine's. They looked at each other for a moment, and he continued to speak. He talked of their recovery at the cottage with Bill and Fleur, and how he'd left to continue on while they'd stayed, only to join him at Hogwarts in the end to fight the death eaters.

Shacklebolt listened, and the jury too, and they all seemed thoughtful as Harry's testimony came to a close. "Thank you, Mr. Potter." Harry gave a nod and walked away from the podium, Minerva McGonagall stepping forward to take his place.

She spoke of Severus's time as headmaster; of the Carrows and the punishments they enacted. She spoke of how Severus was never there when the Carrows were doing detention, and the detentions he'd given out hadn't been much. "I didn't know whose side he was on until he disappeared," Minerva continued, staring at Severus straight in the eye. "Then Amycus Carrow stepped up - claiming he'd been given the position of Headmaster, that Severus had been captured by the dark lord for - for betraying him, and that he and Elaine Davies were being held by death eaters as punishment." She stopped, her eyes finding Elaine now. Elaine had always held respect for the older woman, even when she'd refused to speak with Elaine due to her allegiance during the war. But now Minerva looked back up at Shacklebolt. "Severus Snape may be guilty of killing Albus Dumbledore and serving the Dark Lord, but Albus requested both from him to help Harry and the rest of us win. If you put him in Azkaban, you will be doing a hero a great injustice."

As the trial ran on, Elaine couldn't help but keep her eyes trained on Severus. Last she'd seen him, he'd been broken, mentally and physically. The constant cruciatus he'd undergone at Bellatrix's wand had frayed his nerves, nearly killed him, and while he'd recovered slightly during their stay at the cottage, he'd been unable to be seen by an actual healer, and the damage had become semi-permanent.

At the end, they were all commanded to stand, and Elaine couldn't help but eye Severus as the straps were taken off of him and he rose slowly, his hands gripping the sides of the chair as he did so.

"In the case of Severus Tobias Snape, I find him - " Shacklebolt paused, his eyes drifting to Severus, something that looked like pity in them "- not guilty. He is free to return to his residence, with no restrictions." Elaine let out a breath as the courtroom slowly began clearing out. Severus remained where he was, his eyes on Elaine as she waited for enough space to clear between them before she was able to rush to his side. She pulled him into an embrace and she stood there, half holding him up and half leaning on him, for as long as she could.

"I've missed you," she whispered, feeling his hand drift to her hair. She pulled away and looked up at him. His dark eyes met hers, but they had sadness in them. "What is it?"

"I have nothing to give you," he confessed. "We - I wanted to marry you when the war ended, but I have nothing. I don't even have a home, not one I wish to go back to."

"I do," Elaine informed him, smiling softly. "You can come stay with me."

And so he did, joining her in the house in London. The first few weeks after Severus moved in with her were difficult, to say the least. Neither of them spoke of their baby, the one they'd lost, and Rowan, too, was a rough topic. Elaine still hadn't heard from Chester since the dark lord's defeat, despite the countless letters she'd sent out, and she feared she would never see her four year old again.

They'd been settled in for maybe a week when Harry came to visit. Severus had just laid down when a loud knock sounded on the door, and she went to see who it was. Elaine was startled to see Harry standing there, alone, looking uncomfortable. When he saw her, though, his face lit up. "Elaine."

She shut the door behind her, standing on the front step with Harry. "Yes?" She said, her voice cold. This took Harry by surprise, and his face dropped again.

"I uh - I came to see how you and Sna- pro-" he stuttered. "To see how you and Severus are uh, are doing?" Elaine raised her eyebrows. "I meant to come by sooner, after you got out of the ministry holding cells - "

"But you didn't," Elaine interrupted. She crossed her arms, leaning against the door frame. "I get that things have been hard-"

"But they haven't," Harry said, locking eyes with his sister. "Things have been the easiest they've ever been in - in forever, and so I got lost in them and - well, I had time get away from me," he admitted. "I meant to come visit you ages ago, I really did."

"But you've been happy, and didn't want to burden yourself with your death eater sister, is that it?"

"No!"

"Then what, Harry, because Severus is resting and I don't like to leave him alone too long," Elaine snapped impatiently.

"He's - how's he doing?" Harry questioned.

Elaine sank down onto the top step, dropping her head in her arms for a second before looking back up at Harry. "We aren't sure if he'll ever get better. The damage the cruciatus leaves -"

"I know," Harry said, and judging by the look on his face he was recalling the Longbottoms.

"I think it would be a blessing if he'd gone insane some days," Elaine admitted. Harry looked at her, shocked. "His heart's been damaged, his nerves are shot. He spends more time in pain than not," she told him. "The healers have him on a potion regimen to help regain some strength in his nerves, but it's slow going. The dark curse Greyback used at the end - well, he'd barely started his recovery and that set him back."

"I didn't realize it was that bad," Harry said softly, sitting next to her on the step. "If you need anything - gold, or anything, I know those potions get expensive, and I assume he can't-"

"No, he can't brew them himself anymore," Elaine said. "We have a little bit of money, but it's not much. It'll do, though. We'll manage."

"I'll have the money for the potions come out of my account at Gringotts," Harry informed her. "If it wasn't for Severus, I would be dead and Voldemort would be in control, so it's the least I can do. Please let me."

Elaine hesitated. It would be a huge help, and with Severus unable to work and her unwilling to leave his side- "Fine," she said finally. "But I need your fame to help me with something."

Time passed, and Elaine waited at home impatiently, waiting for the owl that would decide things. And then, close to February, an owl flew in the window with a letter from Harry, with only one sentence.

I've found him.

Three weeks later, Elaine was standing at a muggle airport, waiting for the plane to arrive. Severus had stayed home, unsure about the crowds. While he was mostly recovered, there were days he was easily exhausted. And he didn't want to intrude on what he considered family business.

Elaine saw Roger first, his tall figure cutting a path into the crowd. He saw Elaine and broke into a run, and she hugged him, crying happily. Next was Kyle, who looked like he'd grown two feet since she saw him last, and then -

There Rowan was, holding tightly to Chester's hand. Elaine bent down, holding out her arms to her son. He looked up at Chester, who nodded encouragingly, and she took her son in her arms for the first time in nearly two years.

They were together again.

Just the epilogue left now, guys!