Chapter 8
The Hellibore team had four competitors in the senior section; one upper sixth, the rest, including Caspar Jefferson in the lower sixth, which was the horsiest year in the school. It was also one of the horsiest years in Prince Peak with five, and four in the upper sixth.
The dressage was between Marius and Yelisaveta; and Yelisaveta took the blue ribbon after the judges had wrestled hard with their marks and sent both of them to perform selected moves again. Marius kissed her on the cheek in congratulation and Veta blushed prettily.
There was no question over who was going to win the steeple-chase; Marius threw his heart into the performance of his life, and even George, riding determinedly, could do no better than second with Veta in third and Theodor Feverfew, the Hellibore Upper Sixth into fourth.
"You are very good!" said Theodor "All your competitors! Well, Marius, will we meet again on the adult circuit?"
Marius flushed.
"It is to be hoped so, if you will be doing the European circuit" he said "I to my family firm shall be going, as an Anwalt – a quaestor you call them – and will be constrained not to travel too far."
It was an expense to maintain a flying horse; but on the other hand the contacts that could be made on the equestrian circuit more than outweighed that, a matter he had already discussed with his father and grandfather and great grandfather.
"Well I don't know about that" said Theodor "But perhaps I might; I love riding."
oOoOo
This had been a longer race and refreshments were served, the naughty children of Prince Peak happily thanking their hosts for Kaffee und Kuchen.
And then it was the race between those who raced with carriages, a team of two horses on a small racing gig.
There was a great deal of comment in Hellibore's school that both of the Prince Peak contestants were female.
"I say, it's not fair expecting girls to have to go against boys, Professor Snape" said Caspar Jefferson, the older of Hellibore's driving contestants "They don't have the strength or ability to take risks; shouldn't they race each other for third and fourth place while I race Conrad?"
"I think we'll do it the way it was set up young man" said Severus "And I should not despise girls so much if I were you; the ones that choose to come to your school are what I would deem to be the incapable and gormless. MY girls are very different to the precious little lovies here because they come from families that grew up with flying horses."
He did not say, not those who hope to marry into the sort of families that own horses but the implication was clear enough. And that was not so much snobbery as truth; Jo had grown up around mundane farm horses and Yelisaveta's father had always had flying horses. That Jo was a farm girl and Yelisaveta half bred was to his mind irrelevant.
The youngest were to go first, Johanna Schiff against Hellibore's Conrad Cattermole. Johanna had been given lessons by her brother-in-law, Gennic, whose trade was driving; and she was very good. She looped her whip and caught the end in a professional looking manner that brought her much applause as she romped in with many yards of air between her and Conrad. Jo had been racing the clock not Conrad; because she knew that if the older pair had a fast time she could never be better than third. And so she ignored the boy behind her and put her heart into it, her pair responding to the reins delightfully.
Yelisaveta was next against Caspar Jefferson. He was good; but horses were in Yelisaveta's blood. She had learned at her father's side and continued to ride and drive as a memorial to him.
She too romped in well ahead.
Caspar turned to Severus.
"Marked down, one fool with prejudices; apologising for stupidity" he said.
"Well now, Mr Jefferson, it takes a man to admit to being wrong" said Severus "And you have had rather awful examples."
oOoOo
The fastest times were those of the two girls; and they settled down to watch Conrad and Caspar with fresh horses. It was a good race; the boys were close. Conrad however was the better; and Caspar must settle for that unenviable position of fourth.
Veta and Jo enjoyed their race. Veta had all the instincts; Jo had instinct and a few tricks that Gennic had taught her, and by the barest nose Jo pulled her pair in front of Veta's. The Prince Peak team cheered themselves hoarse for both.
"Unicorn next time?" said Jo to Conrad.
"You can drive unicorn? Three steeds, that's right isn't it?" said Conrad.
"Yes; two drivers and a single leader" said Jo. "It's quite challenging, especially on turns."
"I bet" said Conrad "I doubt the old man would permit it; too risky you know."
"Ah well; perhaps on the adult circuit" said Jo, who was learning the intricacies of unicorn from Gennic and was not yet permitted to do so on her own.
It did no harm however to depress the pretensions of these Hellibore boys.
oOoOo
And then the excitement of Halloween was over for another year, and there would instead be the run up to Yule and the younger half of the Bee Marauders were to be involved in the formal aspect of that. The weather had closed in and Saturday dancing had made sure nobody need worry about their steps; and partners needed to be chosen. Fred, Flo, George and Vya were the stable foursome, or rather a pair of pairs; Silvina, missing her sweetheart Seagh, went by custom with Julian Finch as neither upset the sense of rhythm of the other; and Sandalla acknowledged that she and AHHa were not love's sweet dream and she and Svetlana fell back on the old theme of twins to twins with the Jorkins boys; because really Albert was such a very protective and safe friend and Granville, so stubborn, actually thoroughly gently and lovingly manipulated by Svetlana. In the upper sixth Leneli and Milos were an item; Marius took Frieda so she might dance with a countryman and Mungo took Muriel who shared his interest in animals; and Pru went with Rory to discuss the long potion they were brewing for their NEWT. Rory was brewing Mandragora and had raised his own mandrakes, which was just like Rory; and Pru wanted advice with the Arithmancy over her astronomical calculations over the best timing for the Veritaserum SHE was brewing, ambitious but within her capabilities. Randolph was taking Roseli Accola because now she was in the fifth the age difference was less and they were both artists; and the Lowther twins declared that in for a knut, in for a galleon and that they should follow up the twin theme and invited Hette and Vava. Any fourth year girl was going to be flattered by an invitation by a big boy in the upper sixth; and under normal circumstances perhaps a little wary. But they were all Marauders together so that made it all right. BaHH asked Batty and Crow asked Yrdl and Yrdl blushed a lot and Crow asked if she might not mind being his best girl if she could put up with the hassle his parents might make.
"I guess if they love you they'll accept anyone you love" said Yrdl "And I guess I can live with them making dodgy comments for you, Crow. I'd like to be your best girl."
This led to a shy and rather ill contrived kiss; but it satisfied the kissers.
The rest of the fifth and sixth who were blooded had a discrepancy in numbers, being one boy short; so Cecilia kicked her brother in the ankle and told him to invite Kizzy; and Arbrek could go with Jo and she should get Siegfried Snape Von Eich of the third to sacrifice himself.
Siegfried was well versed in etiquette, dancing and social situations in his training as a baron's son before his long magical sleep; and was delighted to help out a fellow bloodkin. Lucy firmly invited Antti and her friend Emma invited Blaise who murmured something about boys, especially senior boys, being the ones supposed to do the running; Antti was just too pleased to be invited by anyone to complain. Though the misunderstanding between him and Hanna-Leena had been cleared up – he had believed, until matters had been explained to him, that she had displayed a callous disregard for her mother's death, not realising how she feared to show her emotions before her step uncle –even so, there was no real friendship between the two Finns. Hanna was going with AHHa – who was also taking her friend Rose – which was why he had not been available for the younger marauders. AHHa knew his duty. Kate Grant decided to dress as a boy to take Yelisaveta, who was ready to play along and whose success in the informal gymkhana had brought her out wonderfully; and Julian asked Silvina if she actually minded going alone so Sara should have an official partner between drooling over Professor Godfrey Goodchild. Silvina laughed and let him off and invited Reinulf Grindler instead. Sylvana might have hoped that she would be invited by Reinulf; but it was impolite to leave a big girl in the sixth without at least a fifth form partner; and Silvina only realised the younger girl's feelings after Reinulf had agreed. He was not yet ready to look for a girlfriend; but Silvina promised herself to keep an eye on that potential relationship, as she more or less represented her father and ought to help things along if she could. She could always plead a bone in her leg and suggest Reinulf invite Sylvana to dance.
In the fourth, which was deficient in boys, Henik, just delighted that he was so healed that he COULD dance, invited Beta as a nice short girl; Rudi invited Sylvana on grounds that they were as close to being brother and sister as made no odds and Sylvana agreed on the same grounds; and Liriope, Cerellia, Sarah and Zoë decided to just go as a foursome and not to worry about bothersome things like boys.
With the Saturday dancing it was a quicker, quieter affair of choosing than ever was managed at Hogwarts, Severus reflected; and all sorted out within a couple of weeks of Halloween.
And then the horror struck.
oOoOo
Madam Malfoy's classes had believed her to be utterly unflappable by anything from unexpected transfigurations to unwanted dementors; so when she let out a gasp of pure anguish and vanished in the middle of the class they were shocked to say the least.
Krait, Severus, and indeed the whole blood group felt the unbearable, painful wrenching that was something terrible happening to Lilith; and all the Snapes disappeared en masse, the pulse from Hermione to the others to stay put and lend power.
The school ground to a halt.
oOoOo
Severus and his wives and children – Jade, Seagh, Grace and Romulus apparating from their disparate locations as well as Erich, Lydia, Silvina, Siegfried, Iris, Sevnev, Ismenia, the smaller ones having been grabbed by Mimette – apparated directly to the source of the trouble; which was the sixth form common room in Hogwarts, where other marauders were convening in a hurry. It scarcely needed legilimensy to get the tale from those who had seen it, that a girl who was present had actually cast evanesco on that most beloved little girl.
"Severus! DO something!" cried Sextus.
Severus and Krait took him wordlessly by the hand, one each side; others linked hands too, Harry and Draco and Alastor there in Auror uniform, Lucius, David Fraser, Hawke, Lynx, Sirius and Remus of the staff, Mimi, Richard, Sevvy as Lilith's siblings in Hogwarts, and all the other marauders there, the Stripy marauders, her group invited into the circle with her siblings, the others as backup. Severus glanced at Sextus; would the boy be prepared to go to Lilith, he the one most nearly connected to her in the ties of Bloodkin love? He almost did not dare to ask the question.
Apparently Sextus was already a legilimens.
"YES" he said to that unspoken question; and went into the middle of the circle where the chant caused glowing lines to forge around him. A shell of colour covered his body; and the wand of the girl responsible flew to Severus' hand where he had cast the summoning charm for the culprit wand. He pointed it at Sextus and pronounced the spell.
"EVANESCO!"
The lines from the circle of wizards and witches still existed; disappeared into…nowhere. And Severus laid his wand across them. His expression became bleaker as long minutes passed; three, four minutes ticked by. And then he snapped to life and started chanting again as he felt Sextus pull on those lines of force; knew from the positive way the boy tugged that he had succeeded!
Hawke Malfoy and his twin and their wives were adding a counterpoint; it was a harsh language and Severus had to give half a wry sneering smile; Black Speech from Tolkein was almost appropriate and Lilith at least would appreciate it; if they got her back alive.
"Ash Nazg durbatuluk; Ash Nazg gimatul; Ash Nazg thrakatuluk, agh burzum ishi krimpatul!" chanted siblings and cousins in the made up language; 'one ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them' for they had made a ring and were tying Sextus to Lilith to bring her back.
It seemed interminable; and then Sextus was lying on the floor, still shimmering, cradling a figure to him; a figure hardly recognisable as Lilith with the outgrowths of fungus and mould and unnameable substances growing out of and into her tiny body. Krait, for the first time in her life, screamed in sheer terror; Sirri and Dione put horrified arms around her.
"LUCIUS!" Severus' cry for help was raw.
"A cleansing chant" said Lucius looking sick. "I – Ancient Egyptian."
"A voice offering to Truth and Purity" said Jade "Peret kherw en-ka-en Lilith em did Khet nebet nefer-t wab-t maat-kheper-t djet er neh-eh" a voice offering for the spirit of Lilith giving things everything perfect, pure, truthful her form enduringly for eternity.
Those who could cope took up the chant; those who could not hummed or clapped accompaniment.
And gradually the awful excrescences that were taking over Lilith started to crumble and fall away and leave a screaming sobbing little girl, writhing in awful agony. And Severus and Krait must hold the chant to clear the growths before they could go to their little girl; but Sextus held her firmly, stroked her hair and ignored the grasping tentacles and spores that tried to invade him. The chant included his name too with the adjuration that everything be perfect and pure without the female –t suffix now he was under attack; and the invading vegetation blackened into dust and died.
Severus scooped a now quietly sobbing Lilith into his arms.
"WHO HAS DONE THIS?" he asked terribly.
The combined sixth turned and looked at the girl – Severus vaguely recalled her name as Xanthia Fawcett – who quailed. They were waiting for her to own up.
"I – it was an accident" said Xanthia hurriedly as she felt his cold black eyes on her "I – I meant to banish her across the room not vanish her; wrong spell. She's out of bounds being in here anyway."
"Liar" said Severus.
"AND she wasn't out of bounds because she was invited in" said Sampta "NOT that that would be any excuse; you've gone too far this time and none of us are going to even try to save your rotten skin."
Severus passed his eldest actual daughter to Krait and advanced on Fawcett, who shrieked. There was murder in his eyes.
"Severus"
Harry Potter was never an impressive figure with his untidy black hair, escaping from the ponytail he wore in imitation of Severus; even in Auror robes. But Severus turned to his voice.
"Harry?"
"Not you. This is for Draco and Alastor and me. We all heard the confession – such as it was – and read the lie. We'll take her in. Not your bag. You go to Lilith."
"Yes Harry" said Severus, bowing his head to his ward. "I will not take myself down to her level. Take her away and lock her up; keep other children safe."
"I will Severus" said Harry. "Professor Fraser, you are in Loco Parentis; I must ask your permission to arrest this female."
"Take her away Harry" said David "She's an adult; well over seventeen. You have your job to do."
Harry and Draco both advanced on Fawcett.
"You can't do this!" she cried "I only wanted to punish the snotty little brat! She's a danger to the public, she's Voldemort's granddaughter, she's going to grow up a dark witch and cause untold misery!"
"Funny" drawled Draco "The only dark intent I can find around here is an adult trying to kill a minor in the most horrible way imaginable; even VOLDEMORT never came up with inflicting THAT on any of his victims!"
"And I feel sick that we used it against ODESSA people" Krait muttered to Severus "We're not blameless in that."
"We never did it to any who had not attacked with deadly intent" said Severus harshly. "And in strongholds that might have been expected to have wards they might use against such things. NOT on children. Yes, I feel sickened at it too; but we were at war. This female has NOT that excuse; for none of the other sixth seem to think she had any justification."
"Sir? Is she all right?" Sextus laid a hand on Severus' arm.
Severus put an arm around him.
"Thanks to your heroism, lad" he said. "I would have gone myself but I knew I could anchor the chant better than anyone."
"It's rather horrid in the otherwhere" said Sextus "I see you've sent her to sleep; but I wouldn't be surprised if she had nightmares. It….. everything is out of phase; skewed."
"Cockeyed as Trenco's ether" muttered Lilith, resisting sleep; she had discovered the Lensmen series in the local library.
"Yeah" said Sextus who had some idea what she was talking about. "It's why it took me a while to find her; sight isn't reliable. And also the place you put me down had shifted from where she was sent; there's different physical rules I think."
"When we're grown up we can use the clever attachment chant to go and do some investigation of it" said Kazrael soothingly.
"That would be interesting but not until I feel better about it first" said Lilith "Mummy I want to go home with you!"
"You shall, pumpkin" said Krait. "David Fraser isn't going to insist on you staying in school after that; Sextus, I'll ask if you can come too."
"I'd like that Krait" said Sextus "She's my GIRL."
Back in Prince Peak the school was assembled for Hermione, acting head for the rest of the day, to give an explanation of what had happened; almost all the pupils knew Lilith and all who knew her liked her at least, even Antti who found all Marauders a trifle incomprehensible. It was hard not to consider as sweet a little girl who had been ticked off for skiing on her tummy in the form of a penguin, the most abiding picture most of the children had of her. And those who did not know her had heard stories of her; and not one of them was anything but angry that anyone should do such a thing to any child, let alone their beloved headmaster's little girl! Hermione had to rapidly stop an incipient riot with a sonorous spell and voice control to prevent the whole school rising to demand Azkaban for Xanthia Fawcett! Hermione personally felt that the girl deserved it; and fully anticipated that she would be so sentenced. She was not the only one having agonies of guilt over what the group had done to Odessa agents; until Sandalla and Svetlana came up to her and Sandalla said,
"Hermione, as Marauders, we wanted to remind you what Ivan the Testeronical was going to do to us; and what he did on a daily basis to Vya and Beta and all the others who were also children. You are with child; imagine taking it as given that someone should jinx you; and your child be weakened because of it; and likely to have his – their – brains dashed out if they displayed a weakness. For an adult to do it to a child is wickedness; you did what was necessary to scare Odessa into fear to attack other children."
Hermione regarded them.
"You are right of course" she said "But it does not stop me wondering if some of those vanished were innocents."
"Like Wulf?" said Sandalla "Did you not ascertain that there were none he would wish to save from the German place? And do you think an innocent would be party to torturing a child?"
Hermione nodded.
"Thank you" she said "You place it into perspective. We are emotionally disturbed, those of us who have seen Lilith grow up from the time she was in the medical womb…..not thinking properly. I'm grateful. Now go away; I want to have a good cry."
They went gravely away and told Professor Ron that he should permit his wife to cry for ten minutes or so before going to comfort her because girls needed to be over the worst storm before cuddles were in order.
Ron, to whom all females were fairly alien, went on their recommendation and found Hermione receptive to cuddles rather than being snippy.
"Professor Ron is the strong one in that marriage of course" said Sandalla to her twin "Professor Granger can be a little fragile at times."
This would have annoyed Hermione no end had she heard it; but when it came to Krait's ears later via Silvina she nodded sagely in agreement. Sandalla had understood THAT very well indeed!
oOoOo
Lilith just wanted to be with her parents and Sextus and cry and hug for a couple of hours before she fell into a sleep of exhaustion. And Sextus was quietly with her when she awoke and just held her hand while she talked it through with him.
And explained why she had to go back.
Initially horrified, Sextus saw what she meant; and held his peace.
Severus, when Lilith told him bluntly that she had to return to the evanesco place, hit the roof and vetoed it immediately.
His fear for his little girl and the horror of what had happened was such that he refused to even discuss it; and they had not talked it over when Lilith demanded to go back to school so she and Sextus did not miss any more schooling.
As both were well ahead of their fellows and the only thing stopping Sextus working for a remove was a desire to be with his friends this was a spurious argument; but Lilith did not want to argue with her father before he had a chance to cool down.
And in the meantime the Stripy Marauders WERE working on a rather neat project to tie up the resources of Achille Crouch-Villeneuve who had emerged as a French supremacist – or so Mimi had told them from her Darryl's adventures in France – and they were busy working on Ancient Egyptian forgeries to keep him looking for the fabled Book of Thoth for years.
oOoOo
The other side effect of the attack on Lilith had been to send Dimsie Burke into labour with her second child – she was more or less due in any case – and small Erica had arrived a week early and in a bad mood. She was named, as Dimsie told everyone, not after Erica Malfoy but after Erica in the Dimsie books, so there.
"What if she'd been a boy?" asked Krait curiously.
"Garfield" said Dimsie promptly "For Sir Garry Sobers you know."
For a keen cricketer it made perfect sense and Ross Tuthill had to poke his wife when Heather made noises about using cricketing names for their subsequent offspring.
oOoOo
Lilith had been back at school for a couple of days when she contacted Severus.
"Daddy, I'm having nightmares" she said bluntly "And the only way to defeat a boggart is to face it. I HAVE to go back; and the only way I can face it is with you at this end to rescue me if all goes wrong. I NEED to do this; I never had anything I was afraid of before, not like this; I stopped seeing boggarts when I was awfully little and if you don't let me I think it's going to blight my whole life."
Lilith was scarcely more than awfully little as yet in her father's book; but though there were girls who threw around phrases about blighted life over such things as not having a new robe, Lilith was not one of them.
"You have to give me time to think about this" said Severus "I don't want to let you; I – I'll talk to you in a few days."
He agonised; and discussed it with his wives.
"She needs to go and return in a controlled way; and though I hate it too, love, she IS right" said Krait. "You'd do the same. And knowing Lilith, the ability to examine the place with, as one might say, the eyes open, will enable her to file it away into her complex little mind as something done in the spirit of scientific enquiry."
"She's very like you dear" said Severus.
"And even more like you, dear" retorted Krait.
He made up his mind; nodded; and pulsed Lilith and her group to go to the Marauder room.
oOoOo
As he arrived Severus spoke harshly.
"I don't want to do this, Lilith; but I had rather do it myself than have you try on your own with half trained children as your only anchors. You will take my orders absolutely in this."
"Yes daddy" said Lilith.
"Can I go with her sir?" asked Sextus.
"No" said Lilith "I need to do it alone; it doesn't need but half a minute, dad."
Severus nodded; and set the children in a circle, chanting to set up the same protective shell about Lilith as he had set about Sextus, tying the strands that wove it to himself. Father and daughter exchanged a glance; and Lilith nodded her readiness. Severus cast the vanishing spell; gritted his teeth; and waited for a long count of thirty, wand on the strands in case of an untoward need to return her.
And then he was chanting her back, pulling on the strands, and Lilith tumbled into the centre of the small circle.
Severus checked the protective shell for invading organisms, nodded in satisfaction, and dispelled it.
"Are you all right?" he asked roughly.
Lilith nodded.
"Thank you daddy" she hugged him fiercely "It – it's not NICE there but I could concentrate without being gnawed on by rapacious fungi. Now I understand the place better I shan't be scared again because I think I know more counters to the fungi even without a shell because I've watched them. They can be controlled by simple mind control spells like animals I think to be persuaded not to come. Revulsion charms; I've studied them with Flitters. So I don't have to get in a flat spin over anyone doing it to me in, say, a duel. I didn't think very straight when SHE sent me there so the fungi had a chance; I lost my cool. I know that's pretty reprehensible" she added.
"Hardly, in a child your age; even in a child the age of your friends" growled Severus.
"Well I kind of expect to be in total self control all the time; so I suppose it's a learning experience that there ARE things that can rattle me" said Lilith. "Anyway, you CAN use repelling charms like I said, and that means you can be safe long enough to find the link; and I think it's possible to apport directly to a blood kin you're close to; will you send me down again so I can try, daddy? Because it should be tested."
"No" said Severus shortly "I'LL go. You're a good enough chanter to retrieve me if need be; and I'll test your theory about repelling charms too."
"Not without a linkage just in case sir" said Sextus firmly "I'm not prepared to let Lilith lose her daddy knowing what might be happening to him. And please, the shell of protection would be better for her peace of mind too; you can still use repelling spells."
Severus looked at him a long moment; and laid a hand on his shoulder with a nod.
"Right you are old man" he said. That boy was extremely sensible; and very adult for his years. Doubtless learned through looking after his rather gormless mother.
They practised weaving the shell and its attachments; then Sextus raised his wand and cast the spell. Lilith was to be the blood-bond to whom Severus returned and it was felt that therefore Sextus should hold the other strands. Severus disappeared and the threads as before disappeared into nothing.
oOoOo
Severus reappeared in front of Lilith with a loud CRAC! noise and nodded approval.
"Your deductions were all valid" he said "They backed off for the repulsion and I could feel all my kindred. And you and Sextus are very brave; it really is a very nasty place. I'm not at all surprised you could not think straight. The strangeness of the way things look and the way the atmosphere swims in drunken illusions is not conducive to pure thought either."
"Did the rubbish make the fungi or do they just eat it?" asked Sextus.
"That's a bit of a chicken and egg question" said Severus
"Well that one isn't difficult" said Lilith "The egg came first and it was dinosaurs and Archaeopteryx before it was a chicken. I reckon the fungus must have been there first at least in a proto-form because if it had gone with the first banished wizardly rubbish it would be recognisable and it isn't. And we've only been banishing rubbish for what, no more then forty thousand years, not enough for that massive an amount of evolution surely?"
"Point taken and I guess that you're generous in your guess of the maximum time" said Severus "There's only a need to get rid of rubbish when you have a stable and settled population; back then every evidence suggests at least a hunter-gatherer existence, probably entirely nomadic following game. I'd say no more than ten thousand years and however short the generations that's not really enough for household mould to get aggressive and semi-sentient."
Lilith nodded.
Making an academic study of it made it so much easier to deal with!
"Thanks daddy" she said.
"You are welcome, pumpkin; now the lot of you skedaddle back to bed" he glared around the little group in his best headmaster glare.
They giggled; the girls kissed him and the boys shook his hand and they departed back to bed.
oOoOo
Severus departed back to Prince Peak and gave a full report to his wives.
"I thought she'd be happier once she had a scientific curiosity on the subject" said Krait with a sigh of relief. "I suppose that we should be glad that the elves we rescued from Ivan the Testeronical did not apport to their master but took our word that he was dead and gone. I suspect though that may have been partly casuistry because he was GONE from the universe they knew and they did not exactly have any incentive to see him alive. Somehow I can see Dobby rescuing Lucius even during the Voldemort years when Lucius was so rotten to him."
"Because there were ties of love" said Severus softly "Love is the strongest magic; Albus is right. I know I keep saying that but it's so true. Without Sextus and the true love he feels for Lilith it would have been much harder to get her back; you would have had to go because I'm the better chanter. And you get creative with your obedience my dear; Sextus did what he was told, exactly what he was told, no more and no less. Total trust."
"I trust you totally" said Krait.
"I know love; but you are also used, being an adult, to do your own thinking and acting. And I don't say that's wrong; you might have used that amazing instinct of yours and apparated to the blood-tie yourself with her. Or you might have been overcome by horror at the growths and tried to get rid of them before coming back."
Krait considered that.
"One likes to think that one would do the right thing; but a mother is a little bit too emotionally involved and not always in a good way; like Molly Weasley. The risks we early bloodkin blithely let each other in for were way beyond what any parent likes; I suppose there is something about motherhood that makes one irrational. It means you can perform feats of hysterical strength beyond the human norm; but it also means that you don't act with calm cold logic. I don't even WANT to be able to act with calm cold logic if my children are at risk; which is even more illogical."
"It is however a fact" said Sirri
"And knowing it is a fact means we stood aside to permit those who COULD act with logic rescue Lilith" said Dione "I'm not her real mother but I felt it nonetheless; and Sirri and I were just as addled by Krait's feelings as by our own."
"Addled isn't the word I'd necessarily have chosen darling" said Krait "But we were glad, Severus, that you CAN stand aside from your own feelings and put them in a box to take out and scream over later."
He gave a grim smile.
"I think that's what I was doing when I was first shouting 'absolutely not, never!' at Lilith when she first mooted going back" he said "Taking out my feelings and screaming at them. Once I'd finished doing that I was able to listen to her logic; and even agree. And she looks so much better and that haunted look has gone from her eyes now she has Arithmancy not horror to concentrate on. I had to love her enough to trust her needs and to let her go; which is always the hardest thing for any parent, and the thing poor Molly never learned."
"And she'd doubtless be horrified that you permitted it and would prefer one of hers to have nightmares for all time than let them take a minimised risk" said Sirri scornfully.
"She would" said Krait "Believing herself to be a good mother when she told them to 'just put it all behind you dear and forget all about it'."
"AM I glad we're still about thirteen inside" said Dione "In the best possible way."
"I prefer the lot of you to be a good bit older than that" said Severus, exploring. "More womanly."
His wives giggled at him and proceeded to show him how womanly they could be, to release the tensions of the last week in their tender loving.