Rated M

New Beginning: The Same Refrain

Chapter 6

Albus Dumbledore sat in Severus's sitting room at Spinners End. He watched as the younger wizard slept on the floor, covered with only his travelling cloak, his arm bent under his head for a pillow.

Severus looked like the young man he was in his sleep. Dark lank hair covered a face that still held the vestige of youthful softness. Upon waking, the hard lines around his mouth would become pronounced. The chiseled features of the future man would be much more defined. Severus's stance would be stiff, with a practiced arrogance, his fists would often clench as he fought back his anger.

Albus shook his head, leaned back and waited for the youth to wake. His thoughts went to Minerva and her mission, as he popped a lemon drop into his mouth, and settled back find some comfort in the straight backed chair. He wished he had made Minerva carry a charmed mirror, he would have enjoyed listening to Minerva talk Molly into forgiving the lad.

"Minerva." Molly Weasley stood with a baby on her hips. "You come here and ask me of all people to forgive him?"

"I know this is hard." Minerva crossed her arms. "If we could just talk, perhaps you could just see your way to forgive the boy, not his actions, but the boy. At least give me the courtesy of explaining."

"We can have a cup of tea." Molly headed to the kitchen. "One cup."

"Molly, you know he went to school with the others, Remus and James?" Minerva started.

"Yes, and that traitor Sirius and poor Peter as well." Molly sniffed and rubbed her nose on her sleeve. "Was that entire seventh year filled with darkness or was it just something they picked up later?"

"Molly, I don't believe, I can not believe what they say about Sirius." Minerva moved a toy from one of the chairs and then sat to watch Molly. "Peter was always a little standoffish, always wanting more. He was the one that would stand in the back and listen, but never offering to help, but not Sirius. The loss of Peter is felt greatly, but we have also lost Sirius to this."

"What of that Snape boy? Him as well?" Molly huffed. "He should have stayed where he was."

"His mother was a dear witch." Minerva leaned back into the chair. "She would have already left Hogwarts by the time you came. She fell in love and married a Muggle. I guess he was a good enough man at the time."

"I remember hearing the stories." Molly nodded as she sipped her tea. "Men don't change Minerva. He was the same as he always was and his son is no different."

"Then she was just a foolish witch that thought his jealousy meant that he loved her more." Minerva looked hard at Molly. "He soon resented her power. She could not work in the Muggle world, what did she know? When times got hard, when he lost his job when the mill closed, she had no Muggle skills."

Molly stood up and laid the baby in a cot she had set up in the corner of the kitchen. She then turned to fix more tea.

"It is an old story, Minerva," Molly shook her head. "But that does not excuse him. I'm surprise you would think it could."

"When her baby came he was beside himself," Minerva went on looking at the clock. "No money, no job. Eileen could use magic to clean and cook, but it did not benefit him in other ways. He took to blaming her."

"I have heard the stories Minerva, what does this have to do with Gideon and Fabian?" She looked at Minerva sharply.

"He beat her if she complained. When that did not solve his problems he beat her for not complaining." Minerva made sure Molly was looking at her before she added the next. "The first time he beat Severus the child was not yet six months old."

"He beat a baby?" Molly gasped.

"Not with his fists or belts, that came later." Minerva calmly sipped her tea. "All he had to do, to a six month old was to drop him, or throw him into the wall. By the time Severus was two, I do not think he knew how to cry anymore. He was beaten every time he did."

Minerva let the words hang in the air as she took her wand up and warmed her tea.

"Little Ronald is so cute Molly." Minerva smiled and nodded her head to the cot. "How old is he now? Six months old, is he not?"

"Minerva!" Molly gasped and shook her finger at the older witch. "That's not fair, don't even compare the two."

"No, but it was not fair when Severus's mother took him back home every time we patched him up. She started to take him to the Muggle doctors then." Minerva ran the back of her hand against her eyes. "Molly, if you had only seen him when he came to us. Thin he was, and pale onto death."

"On with it Minerva." Molly knew what the older witch was doing.

"Severus never made real friends. Oh, he had a few classmates he was tried to be close to, but not true long lasting friends. The Marauders, they made up that name themselves, hurled insults at him and laughed at him all the time. Remus was the only one that recognized him as a kindred soul, but if he befriended Severus he would have been exposed."

"James and Sirius would not have betrayed him," Molly said stiffly.

"Of course they would. They were but children. A child betrayed would lash out." Minerva saw Molly's resolve begin to waiver. "You have six of your own, do you not see this in brothers as well."

"Perhaps, perhaps they may have said something," Molly looked down at her lap.

"Severus was the loneliest First Year I have seen. Only Narcissa Black showed him any kindness." Minerva smiled remembering the two. "I think he was like a little brother that kept her company. And Molly, how he adored her."

"Narcissa? I would not think her capable." Molly was surprised at this bit of information.

"I know," Minerva chuckled. "But she loved him, really Molly. Even after her graduation, and her marriage to Lucius, still she would visit him. For seven years, his only good friend was a woman that married a Death Eater. The only one he loved like family, that did not beat him, or ridicule him, had gone over to Tom."

Minerva leaned back and folded her arms firmly across her chest. She had set the stage, and Molly's face told her she had bought a ticket to the rest of the ride.

"I also know that as a typical teen he was trying to impress a girl friend. I would have been surprised if he did not fall to the other side," Minerva said honestly. "I did nothing to stop it. None of the staff did. We did not believe how truly evil Tom was at the time."

"Albus knew," Molly said.

"Albus has hundreds to watch over." Minerva tried to defend the Headmaster. "The war was growing out of control."

"Your time is passing," Molly, said knowing what was coming. "Finish your tea."

"Severus took the mark, and found out exactly what it cost." Minerva looked at Molly sadly. "Molly, Narcissa and Lucius became his home. He was just seventeen when he took the mark and eighteen when Voldemort called him. He was just a child. Molly, he is so still. He never had the chance to grow up."

"It was not a child that struck down my brothers." Molly lifted her chin defiantly.

"So now we come to this." Minerva looked to the cot in the corner where the baby was fussing.

"He was in a field, with 14 others. Voldemort had called them together. Albus never did discover the reason. Then all hell broke loss." She paused to give Molly a moment. "Gideon and Fabian, along with others landed right in the centre of things. They must have had the wrong co-ordinates not to appear around the edges, it all went so horribly bad."

"No one knows who duelled with whom, or which spell hit the mark. It was bedlam, fourteen Death Eaters, and twelve from the Order, with the Dark Lord trying to get away." Minerva leaned over and grasped Molly hand. "Molly, Severus was but 19 and not the youngest. I do not think he could have done this thing."

"He could have." Molly stiffened.

"He could have, but Molly think." Minerva again paused. "Nineteen and never having fought with a full grown wizard. How could he have done it? How could he have done more the throw up a shield to protect himself?"

"No Molly." Minerva leaned back. "He was there, I have no doubt about it. But he did not throw the curse that fell your bothers."

She paused only a moment. "He has killed Molly, I know that. It eats at him. He is losing his soul, as well as his mind." Minerva now pleaded. "Albus will only intercede if you give him permission. "

"Me?" Molly got up from the table and picked up the baby. "Why should I care what happens to him?"

"Molly, if you could see him." Minerva wiped her tears away. "He wears his guilt Molly, it hangs on him. He came to see Albus."

"Albus?' Molly looked up. "What ever for?"

"For redemption. He came for redemption, or perhaps salvation." Minerva said evenly.

"He asked for that?" Molly whispered. "From Albus? He is a fool."

"No Molly, he said he was dying and needed to let someone know." Minerva felt her tears again.

"He does not know what to ask for, or who to ask. Molly, please. I ask you to save Eileen's baby."

"May I talk to him?"

"I will ask Albus." Minerva held her breath.

"Then go get the poor boy and bring him home." Molly said with anger in her voice. "He will pay dearly for what he has done. Trust me Minerva, I will see to it he pays."

"You are fine with this?" Minerva asked.

"No, not fine." She hesitated as she looked to the cot. "One day we may have need of him and I would rather have him on our side. But Minerva, one wrong thing from his mouth, one wrong word and I will hex him myself."

Minerva rose and went to the younger witch and pulled her into her arms.

"Thank you Molly." She smiled. "Thank you."

"Minerva! You minx!" Molly pulled away looking at Minerva. "You care for the boy."

"Yes Molly." Minerva stood stiffly and smoothed her robes. "I have always been quite fond of him."

"I imagine watching him for seven years would mean something." Molly said as a mother.

"No, Molly," Minerva said sadly. "I have loved him since the first time I helped patch him up when he was but six months old."

Returning to Hogwarts, Minerva found Albus gone, and saw Hannah's note on his desk. Pulling out her wand, she sent her Patronus with a simple message to Albus.

"Bring the boy home."