At exactly ten A.M. Minerva appeared at the door to Sev's office wearing an expression of determined resignation for the Carrows to see. However, once she entered the office it changed to one of extreme joy. Sev asked her to be seated as I requested tea from a house-elf. Sev had already cast the Muffliato charm so we would not be overheard, when Minerva asked if she had understood me that morning.
"Am I correct in understanding that there is to be a bairn in the Snape household, Thera? If so, I am delighted. Albus would have been so, as well. Wouldn't you, you old fraud?"
"Indeed, Minerva, I am overjoyed by their news. But I am still cautious about the rest of this year. There is much too much at stake for a fuss to be made over a perfectly natural occurrence. The young parents are to be congratulated, of course, though. Make sure you report this to our friend in the cottage, Minerva. He will think it only fitting that the dreaded Potions Master will now have his own child to terrorise."
"What are we going to do about the holidays, Minerva? I fear many of the parents may keep their children home after the New Year. I also fear for Miss Lovegood. Her father seems to be making a nuisance of himself by championing Potter against the Dark Lord. There will be retribution, never fear. When the final battle comes, I hope it will be far from here, but logic tells me this is exactly where it must be fought. If Potter, Weasley and Granger are able to get into the vault at Gringott's to retrieve the cup they will certainly have to come here for the diadem. That will make four destroyed, unless they have found a fifth. Albus, where did you and Potter go the night …?" Sev could not bring himself to say the words.
"The night you had to keep that wretched promise you made and the unbreakable vow to send me beyond pain and suffering, you mean. We were in search of another of Tom's Horcruxes. There was supposed to be a locket in this dreadful cave. He has put Inferi under the water in the cave. You and Harry will have to disassemble the whole distasteful thing once this is over. The locket was gone, by the way."
I spoke up then, "They have it. The locket, they have it. It is a long story, but it had been at Grimmauld Place. Fletcher stole it. He was trying to sell it when dear Madame Umbridge took it from him by threats. Harry and company got it back from her in September. Viktor wrote me about it, he had the story from Hermione. It is Slytherin's locket. They haven't figured out how to destroy it yet. "
Minerva looked thoughtful before venturing a comment, "The sword of Gryffindor should do the trick, Severus, if you can get it to them."
"I believe we happen to have a window on their doings, don't we, Phineas?" Dumbledore asked the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black.
"Indeed, Albus. The young woman decided to stuff my portrait from Grimmauld Place into her bag. She lets me out occasionally but only with a blindfold on. Sheer Gryffindor cheek, I must say. I can tell her you wish to converse with her the next time she lets me out. There are just the two of them at present; the two boys had quite a row some weeks ago. The loud one left and has not returned. The quiet one and the girl are stretched almost to the breaking point. She has been crying quite a lot. I occasionally hear another voice. I think it is a Patronus, you know how hollow the Patronus messages sound. Anyway, it is also a young man, but older, I think. He tells the girl the latest news and tries to cheer her up. He also tells her he loves her. He sounds remarkably like that boy from Durmstrang who was here for the Triwizard Tournament. What was his name? Ah yes, Krum, Viktor Krum; a relative of yours, Madame Snape?"
"Thank you, Phineas. Yes, the next time she takes your portrait out, please tell her that Madame Snape wishes to speak to her." Dumbledore winked at me as he said that.
"If the past week is anything to go by, she will be taking the portrait out at some point this evening. It is almost as if she needed to hear another voice. They are extremely solitary; they are moving every few days to evade capture."
"Thank you, Phineas, tell her all the news and let her know they are in our thoughts," Minerva added.
"Of course, do you need me for anything else just at the moment? I will go and wait in the other portrait."
"We must be more careful than ever. The Carrows may be stupid but even a complete dunderhead sometimes has a flash of insight. They must be kept in the dark. Thera has the house-elves dosing them with dreamless sleep in their evening tea. And the students are unfailingly polite to them even though not a single one minds them at all. I will show up at Malfoy Manor tonight on some pretext. Things are entirely too quiet for my liking right now. When lines from Shakespeare start running through my mind I know there is mischief brewing. Now, off with all of you, I have things that need doing. Thera, apprise Miss Lovegood of your news. She may share it with her fellow resistance fighters." He nodded at us as we left.
We discussed plans for the Christmas Feast as we walked. The Carrows were quick to note that I was friendly with all the teachers and the students. That fact irritated them no end. Neither of them could get the students to obey at all, but a sweet word from me and the students fell all over themselves minding.
That evening Sev appeared as a supplicant at Malfoy Manor. He was asking the Dark Lord if there were any special instructions for the Christmas holidays for him to implement. He chatted with both Narcissa and Lucius for a bit. He had left our link open so that I could get a sense of what was going on. As he was preparing to leave Bellatrix stopped him in the hallway. She said she wanted to walk out with him to the gates and talk for a moment. What she subsequently asked of him sent a shock wave through the both of us. I knew instinctively he had not been able to mask the revulsion on his face from her view. This was volatile territory now. He must get away from her before the madness took control of her actions. He bowed and started to hurry out of the gates but her screech and the sudden pain in his back came through the link clearly. I knew I must reach him immediately to save him. Touching my wand to the eye charm on my bracelet, I was whisked instantly to his side. I cast protection charms and disillusionment charms before dropping to my knees beside him. I tried to rouse him but had no luck. I looked at the ornate knife sticking out of his back; it glowed evilly with both spells and poison. I searched his pockets for the vial of Felix Felicius and the bezoar, both of which I used immediately. There was another empty vial in his pocket which I shoved into my own pocket. I found the tiny jar of the Murtlap Salve which I spread on the wound. I used all the curse reversal spells I knew on the knife. When it no longer glowed with spell magic I drew it from the wound. I ran a quick diagnostic spell and found her madness had worked to our favour, no vital organs or blood vessels had been damaged. Now, I simply had to get him home. After looking around, I gathered him into my arms as best I could and Disapparated the both of us to the tunnel leading to our rooms. I screamed for Trufy as soon as we appeared. The house-elf got Sev undressed and into bed while I was examining the knife. It was an Italian stiletto, very old, with a leather wrapped handle. There was a long black hair caught in the leather binding on the handle and a bit of black lace caught on the guard of the knife. Both of these I placed in a mortar for future attention, before instructing Trufy to bring broth and tea. I cleaned the wound again before putting in more of the Murtlap Salve; but it was not healing the way it should. I resorted to weaving healing spells along with curse reversal spells into the wound itself before it started to seal up. I had not tried to reach his mind since we had returned, but now when I made to open the link I found him still unresponsive. I let him rest while I examined the items in the mortar. The bit of lace I set aside; it would become the adornment for the poppet I would create with the hair. I ground half of the hair into a fine powder that I mixed with clay; this would form the heart of the poppet. The clay ball, the rest of the hair and the bit of lace were sealed into a flask and hidden from prying eyes. I would build the poppet later, after my husband had recovered.
Returning to the bedroom, I found Sev conscious and thirsty. I poured tea and held the cup for him.
"How did I get here, Thera? I had left the link open; did you hear what she asked me?"
"She wanted you to father a child for her. A child of HIS blood was the way she phrased it. You should never have turned your back on her. She stabbed you with this. It had been spelled and poisoned. Both were poorly done. If it had been me, you would have been dead before you hit the ground. But she does not know you cannot die, does she? You came close though, my love. Her poison was not strong enough and the spells no match for the counter curses I know. I did have to weave the healing spells and the counter curses into the wound, however. You were unresponsive, Sev. I was terrified. I used the bezoar and the vial of Felix Felicis before I got you back here."
"There was another vial in my pocket, Thera. A few drops of Draught of Living Death. I knew you would find me almost immediately. When she stabbed me I drained the vial and staggered to the outside of the gates. I must have fallen directly afterwards. I'm sorry you were worried. I had a feeling she was going to ask something like this. I knew her fury would be ungovernable when I refused. I knew she would leave if she thought she had slain me. Having to explain that to the Dark Lord would make her even more crazed than she is at present. If I had died as a result of her attack his wrath would not be pleasant to see. She would be made to pay and pay dearly."
"She will pay dearly, I shall see to it personally. She left a hair on the braided leather and a bit of lace from her sleeve caught in the guard of the knife. I have started the process to make a poppet. I know the Dark Arts better than she does, I think. You cannot talk me out of it, Sev. She tried to take you from me two ways tonight. She will be punished two ways. Trufy! Keep Master in bed until I return. Feed him broth and tea. Do not let him up. I love you, Severus Emrys Charles Snape. I am going to the Dark Lord to tell him what his precious Bellatrix did tonight. You lie here. I will not be long."
I did not bother to change out of my bloodstained clothes; they gave credence to my anger. I Disapparated to the gates of Malfoy Manor where I found Draco examining at the bloodstains on the grass, his shock at seeing me all too evident.
"Madame Snape, why are you here? What happened? Do you know whose blood this is?"
"Draco, I must see the Dark Lord. It is urgent. The blood belongs to Severus. He was attacked and nearly killed tonight. I pulled this from his back." I showed him the stiletto. By his reaction I knew he recognised it.
"Yes, come in, please Madame Snape, I will announce you. " He left me outside the ballroom door. Lucius appeared a moment later. Just then Draco came to bring me into the room where the Dark Lord sat. He beckoned me forward and asked why I had come.
"Your husband was just here an hour or so ago, child. Why have you appeared here in a bloodstained gown? Is there aught amiss?"
"Yes, my Lord, there is much amiss. Do you recognise this? I pulled this knife from my husband's back tonight after I got him back to the school. His attacker could not know we were bonded according to the ancient rituals. I knew immediately he had been injured almost to death. The woman asked a task of him tonight and when he refused her she tried to kill him. She wanted him to father a child on her. He would never presume to do such a thing. He knows his place, my Lord. But apparently, Madame Lestrange does not know how to take no for an answer. She had poisoned the blade and spelled it. Both were done badly; I daresay that one of my husband's fourth year Potions students could have concocted a more potent poison. And the curses on the blade were pitifully inadequate. I could produce better curses before I began my studies at Durmstrang. I felt you should be informed immediately. I ask only that I be allowed to confront her. Please, my Lord." I curtsied low in front of him as I made my plea. It must have worked because he told Lucius to bring Bellatrix before him. When she entered the room her eyes went wide at the sight of me. She went to stand beside her master but he waved her away to stand by the fireplace.
"Bella, young Madame Snape brings me shocking news. She says Severus was attacked as he was leaving here tonight. She says, Bella, that you stabbed her husband because he refused your request for him to give you a child. Is this true?"
"My Lord, I can explain. He is a traitor. He is a turncoat. I only thought to remove him. I made no request of him. Why should I want a child of his?"
"Because a child of his will be my grandchild, Bella, you have known for years that Severus is my son. Do not lie to me. Young Thera has no call to lie to me. She came to inform me of your actions after she saved the life of her husband. She has asked to confront you on the matter. So be it. You must answer to her. She has your knife; by the way, that is how I knew the veracity of her tale. That knife never leaves your vicinity. No one here would have dared take it. You tried to kill my only child, Bella. No matter what punishment she metes out, you will face my wrath later. Do you understand me, Bella?"
"My Lord, I beg of you, do not give this traitor's child… this traitor's wife, dominion over me. She is unfit to stand before you."
"Silence, Bellatrix. You are not in a position to ask anything of me. She is yours to deal with, Madame Snape. She will not raise her wand against you."
"Thank you, my Lord. I mean only to warn her that if she raises her hand against me or mine again, she will not survive the day. I have power she cannot imagine. I know what she was like in Azkaban. I know how she boasted of things she should have kept secret. I know how she hates both of her sisters because they each had a child. I pity her because she is a poor, mad, jealous thing. I will not waste my breath cursing her because both Severus and I know how completely unstable she is. She is to be pitied rather than punished. I leave her to your tender mercies, my Lord Voldemort. May I take my leave? My husband needs me."
The Dark Lord looked at me with a strange light in his eyes. Then he smiled and beckoned me forward. He caressed my cheek before telling me to return to my husband; that he was very proud that I was his daughter-in-law.
"Go, child. Take care of my son. Tell him that Bella will never raise a hand to him again. Now you may go, daughter."
Draco had listened to this whole conversation with eyes the size of saucers. He walked me to the gates before speaking.
"I knew there was some reason Uncle Severus was favoured over the others but never thought..."
"When you come back to the school, talk to me, Draco. It is important. Promise me."
"Yes, Madame Snape, I'll come."
"It is Thera, Draco. We are all friends here, aren't we?"
"I am at a loss, Thera. I know things I should not know and am afraid for my life. I am afraid for my mother, too. My father has been emasculated by all that has happened. He has given up. What am I to do?"
"You need to discuss this with Severus. I must go. He was badly hurt. I was covered in his blood as you can see. I do not lie when I say that any who harms what is mine will suffer swift and terrible retribution." I touched his arm to emphasise my words.
I saw something change in Draco's eyes. A spark of hope flared to be banked down again as he smiled at me.
"Take care, Thera, of my Uncle Severus and yourself. I will see you both soon."
I Disapparated to the tunnel, upon arriving I heard Sev arguing with Trufy.
"Master is not to get up. Mistress said so. She will punish Trufy. Master must stay in bed. He could hurt himself."
"She has been gone far too long, Trufy. I am worried about her. She was going to walk into that madhouse as bold as brass." At the doorway I could see him struggling to get up.
"Not to worry, Sev. I am home. Thank you for taking care of him, Trufy. Might I ask for some tea? I want to change out of these clothes." I hurried into the loo to change into a clean robe, when I emerged Sev was sitting up in bed with the teapot in his hands. He poured me a cup while directing a look at me that would have curdled a seventh year's potion.
"Well, Thera, what happened? Did you take vengeance on her? Or did you simply talk about how you pity her, poor mad cow that she is. Did you incite my 'father' to take her to task later? Was he as appalled as I was by her request? This all happened in front of the Malfoys, I presume. So now Lucius and Draco know my true parentage. Say something, damn it, woman!" He was letting his worry morph into impotent anger.
"I reported that you had been attacked, showed him the knife which everyone recognised. Asked to confront her and warned all of them that I protect what is mine; by any means. He must have liked my spirit because he told me to take care of you and called me daughter. Oh, and Draco has serious doubts about everything. He is frightened for his mother. He says Lucius has been emasculated by all that has happened. I told him to talk to us when he returns to the school. I think he wants out of the Dark back into the light."
"And you left her to be punished by the Dark Lord? Did you say that she was more to be pitied than punished? She will hate you for that condescension, Thera. She will hate you as she hates me. I only hope you did not tell them about the babe." He was relieved that I had taken no overt action.
"That is our news, love, not fodder for the monster's ego. I purposely went in my bloodstained clothes to let them see my fury, my worry for you. I gave a performance worthy of the West End, love. The Dark Lord thinks my only focus is you. He will underestimate me, to his regret. He will underestimate all of us. He does not consider that these young people at the school are not about to let themselves become the next generation of Death Eaters. They are steadfastly opposed to him and his teachings. They know, some from personal experience, what standing up to him may cost. They realise the danger and still choose to fight. Riddle cannot even imagine that courage. His hubris will become his downfall."
"It may very well be just that, Thera. But it can also spell danger for us as well.
We need to keep out of the limelight as much as possible. When Draco comes back I want to meet with him in my office. I will make an excuse to leave him alone with the portraits. Albus may be able to ascertain what his fears and loyalties truly are. If Draco is really fed up with the Dark Lord and wants out, it will be no easy task to extricate him, unless we use the same trick as when I got Moody out. What is Albus's portrait saying? Uncover it, please."
"Phineas has Miss Granger wanting to speak with you, Thera. Come through the floo to the office. Hurry, please."
"Damn and blast. You had best go. Let me get dressed. I want to hear what is happening also."
"Just put your dressing gown on, love. I'll help you. Here, The Headmaster's Office." I had steadied him as we stepped into the fireplace. Once in the office, he sat behind the desk and I stood close to the portrait of Headmaster Black. Sev cast multiple spells to insure we were not overheard.
"Hermione? Are you there? Oh, dear, please be there. Are you safe?"
"Thera, oh Thera, it is so good to hear your voice. I hear from Viktor most weeks but I have missed you. Is everything all right at the school?" She sounded tired and scared.
"There are new developments, Hermione. Sev was almost killed tonight by Bellatrix. We know where two of the items on your list are. I will send a Patronus with the locations. Do you need anything? We have Lupin and Tonks here at the school. He is the new caretaker. Filch is gone. Hermione, I am going to have a baby. Please take care and stay safe. How is Harry dealing with things? Remember to contact me if you need anything, please."
"Thera, Harry is very down. Ron left and Harry is taking it hard. We keep moving. He wants to go to Godric's Hollow some time. But I am not sure it is safe. I will keep in touch. Good news about the baby. Hope your husband was not hurt too badly. I must go. Harry is sleeping and I don't want to wake him. "
She was gone. Headmaster Black reappeared in his portrait nodding his head. "The girl does have manners. She thanked me most respectfully this time, and hugged the frame of my portrait. Poor child, I think she is worn to a frazzle. Did I do right? I did not listen. When she put the portrait back into her bag, I returned here. I had cast a temporary deafness spell on myself. "
Albus answered for all of us. "Yes, Phineas, that was perfect. You did excellently. "
I helped Sev back to our rooms and put him in bed. He held me close to all that night. In the morning he was able to resume his duties and go about things normally. Everything seemed to go smoothly as we neared the Christmas holidays. I had been working with both Neville and Luna on wandless magic for several weeks. Both of them had become extremely adept at it as well as non-verbal spells. Luna was also showing great promise at healing spells. I made sure to keep all the remnants of Dumbledore's Army supplied with healing potions. When the train left Hogsmeade, Luna had a full supply of potions in her trunk. Hermione had taught Luna the extremely handy spell for miniaturizing things after most of Luna's possessions had disappeared the previous year. She had used that spell to keep her trunk in her pocket most of this year. Little did we know that we would not see Luna again for many months, although we would hear from her that very night. She was stolen from the train by the Death Eaters as punishment for her father's continued support for Harry Potter. Severus did try to reason with the Dark Lord later, but to no avail. As I was walking along the lake late that afternoon a silvery hare appeared in front of me. It spoke, as I knew it would, in Luna's voice.
"Not to worry, I am safe. Malfoy Manor, I think, and Mr. Ollivander is here as well. Thank Merlin I had the trunk in my pocket. Will contact you again soon."
I rushed to tell my husband of the abduction. He had already heard from the Carrows. He was most displeased. He informed me that Neville had been so successfully resisting the Carrows that the Dark Lord had sent Death Eaters against his grandmother. Augusta Longbottom had managed to avoid capture, stun her pursuers and disappear.
"You may inform Neville that his grandmother is successfully evading the incompetent efforts to capture her. She is an amazingly formidable witch. If we all survive this, I think Augusta Longbottom may become a teacher here. Anyway, tell Neville that she is taking up residence with another old friend at the other end of the lake. You have certainly made headway with teaching Miss Lovegood the benefits of wandless magic. It is a good thing she had her trunk miniaturized as well. If the Dark Lord has been making use of Ollivander's knowledge, the poor man must be in wretched shape by now."
"Hermione said they were going to try to go to Godric's Hollow sometime this week. I have a bad feeling about that. What if the place is being watched? Oh, Sev, I am worried about all of them. And where, pray tell, did Ron Weasley go? It may be that he was taken. I know Harry wants to see his parents' home, but surely the Dark Lord would have it watched or set as a snare."
"It is possible that he has not done so, Thera. He would never think of it on his own, but possibly either Lucius or Bellatrix, who have a more realistic understanding, suggested it. You can always send Hermione one of the 'eye' charms so that you could get to them, if need be. Hide it somewhere at Godric's Hollow or another place, then tell her where to retrieve it. Take them potions, salves, and food, whatever they need. Didn't Phineas say they were very down? Probably they aren't sleeping or eating correctly; and I know you would rather have them under your wing than wandering in the wilderness."
"I will send a Patronus with where I will leave the 'eye' charm. She can pick it up or not. But I will be there to talk to her. I will take Viktor with me. And I think I will send Viktor to Godric's Hollow to do a recce before they go."
"Excellent idea. Get Trufy to pack them a hamper, too. Or, better yet, take Ptitsa with you with food hampers miniaturised. Take two of the 'eye' charms, one for each of them. Show Hermione how to link them. But have yours linked to both beforehand. Boost her spirits, somehow, and take them Felix Felicis, please. But be careful, Thera. I need you beside me."
I sent the Patronus with the information about the Horcruxes and the 'eye' charm. I told her I would leave it at Stonehenge, on the altar stone but that I would be there to meet her. She sent word back that she would be there at dusk.
When I Apparated in I cast spells to see if anyone was present. I placed the glass charms in a small depression on the altar stone before finding myself a sheltered but visible place to wait. I had the hampers miniaturized in the pocket of my cloak as well as a carafe of tea and two stone mugs. I heated the tea again and poured myself some. I did not have long to wait for her. The instant the sun began to sink below the western horizon, she Apparated in. She looked haggard, and so very thin. The bones in her face were much more prominent than before. I hugged her fiercely. I made her drink the tea I had poured and eat one of the sandwiches Trufy had prepared. She was crying with exhaustion at the relief of actually having real food and tea at last. I told her what had happened lately and warned her to let Viktor do a recce at Godric's Hollow before she and Harry ventured there. She agreed to do so, saying she wanted to see Viktor very badly. I gave her my cloak before we both left as hers was getting threadbare.
"You have no idea how good this has been for my morale, Thera. I will sew one of the charms on his jacket. Mine will go on my bra. Thank you for all this. I don't know how much longer we could have gone on without contact with friends and loved ones. Tell Viktor I want to see him, too. Thank you so much, my very un-Slytherin friend." Her smile lit her thin face like a beacon. She hugged me and was suddenly gone.
I returned to the school to send another Patronus to Viktor. He replied that he would go to the village the next day. But he also said he was going to stay with her when she and Harry arrived. I could not tell him not to do that, knowing how strongly he felt for her. I told him to tell her, but to keep out of sight of Harry. There was just a niggling twinge of unease at the back of my mind. Sev and I decided to leave Filius and Minerva at the school and go to Chelsea for the holiday. After discussing the matter, we decided that Gryffindor's sword should accompany us. We opened the flat and then went to Petersburg to see Mother. She and Ptitsa came back with us for the holiday. Sev disappeared for a few hours on the day before Christmas Eve to do his shopping. I had done mine weeks before. When he showed up that afternoon, he was chilled to the bone and burdened under a mound of packages. He hovered the packages to the hearth and sat down. Mother and Ptitsa had created a dinner worthy of the Tsars. As we sat down to eat, Viktor appeared at the door. He came in to join us for dinner. He was concerned about Hermione and Harry going off to Godric's Hollow. He and Sev discussed the subject until I told them firmly to leave off. When Viktor left that night, he promised to keep both Harry and Hermione safe. He told me they would be going the following day in the late afternoon. He swore he would send a message when they were safely away again.
4