Disclaimer: Not Mine
The Uninvited
Chapter 13
Things fell into a pattern as the summer passed. June turned to July and the castle emptied to only Severus, Minerva and Albus. Abigail was still with them but most of her days were spent with either her father, or with the private tutor her father had hired to attend to her lessons, both in formal studies and the more everyday social skills she lacked.
Severus did not see much of her, a quick passing in the hallway or a fleeting glance on the grounds was the only thing that reminded him of her presence. He refused to think of her, or to watch for her walking into the Great Hall for meals, determined to keep his distance.
Once, he had travelled to the Alley in search of some relief from the desire her presence caused. The whore had left him feeling empty and more alone than he had felt before he fucked her. He had paid her and left, for the first time feeling unclean after visiting the establishment.
He worked every day on plans to enter the Reyes stronghold. He could not find floor plans to the old estate, although he knew that all dwellings of that age, perhaps 14th century, were recorded long before the wards to render the place un-plotable were known. Without clues as to the locations of the dungeons, any plan would be useless.
He had to talk to Abigail if he was determined to complete his oath to Albus before the summer was done and the students were back to interrupt his plans. Rising early the last Monday of July, he set out to find the witch and propose a plan he had worked out, hoping she would be willing. He waited until he knew she would have left her chambers thinking it safer to see her elsewhere.
"Miss Haley, if I may have a moment," he said, coming up behind her in the owlery.
"Severus, please don't call me that, Abby … call me Abby," she smiled at him warmly.
"As you wish, Abby," he sneered. "However, I am surprised that you so easily cast off the name your mother died for the right to call you."
The words hit his stomach as he watched her face fall, tears filling her eyes. He had not spoken to her in an entire month, and now the first words he uttered afflicted pain. She went to push past him when he reached out and took up her arm."Abigail, I mean Abby," he tried, "I did not mean to say that."
"Why must you always try to be callous Severus, always saying things to hurt?" she cried, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
"Do you treat me like this because I still act like a foolish child sometimes, or is it because I am not up to your standards? Am I not educated, not worldly, not…" she got no further.
He pulled her to him, kissing her hungrily, holding on to her passionately. He acted without thinking, his arms reaching out of their own accord, his lips finding hers as if from a long hidden memory. He felt himself push his arousal to her. He heard a moan, and not knowing whose it was, assumed it to be his, and sliding his hand on her back down, past her waist pushed her into his groin, wanting to hear hers.
She reached her arms up around his neck clinging to him, opening her mouth to him, sliding her hand over his back and down his arms, sighing into him. He felt her hand touch his left arm, sliding over his shoulder, and with a start pushed her back and stepped away from her.
He stood breathing heavy and saw her turn her head. His hands ran through his hair to give them something to do, something other than reaching for her.
"I say these things, to not do this," he spat. "We need to talk, but not here, not alone. Miss Haley, you think you know what I am, but I assure you, that assumption is in error. Do you think that by some affection, or lack of malice, I helped you that night? I can assure you, you are incorrect."
He strode to her, in long angry strides, he pulled her head to face him, and he used his free hand to stroke her breasts.
"I do not rape children Miss Haley," he said coldly. "You however, are no longer a child. If you had been older when I'd first laid eyes on you, I would have taken you with the rest. Now leave, and do not be alone with me again."
Pushing her away, he watched as she stumbled to keep her footing and then turned to run from him, a look of disgust and terror on her face. He needed to keep her away, to scare her, and as he leaned down and put his hands to his knees, he hoped it had worked. He would not survive his duty to Albus if he lost himself in her. He would not survive the war, and would not survive Voldemort if he lost his focus.
He stormed back to the castle to confront Albus with the objections he knew he would hear. After explaining his plan, he waited for a response. They had gone over the plan twice now, and Severus was getting irritated.
"Severus, I fail to see what you need my intervention for. If you need her assistance you will need to approach her." Albus pressed.
"I am not at ease when speaking to Miss Haley as of late. I only ask you to rid Miss Haley of any apprehension she may feel in assisting me."
"Severus, have you insulted the witch in any way?" Albus frowned.
"Albus, if you are unable to assist me I understand." He rose to his feet. "However, I will leave this Friday. I had hoped that this information would be available. As it is not, I shall rely on other means."
"She means that much to you?" Albus said, coming to an understanding.
"I will be in my chambers if you change your mind." Severus left without answering Albus' question. He did not know the answer.
Later that night Albus floo-ed into Severus' chambers to inform him that the witch and gone to the Room of Requirement, as requested, and awaited him there. Severus sat silently as Albus told him this, and watched with a scowl as the Wizard left the green fire of the floo.
Severus knew that Albus was clearly arranging this against his best instincts, but in a show of trust had deferred to him. He put on his Death Eater robes, and walked through the silent hallways toward the room, which would supply what they needed.
The room had appeared before Abigail as she had paced back and forth in the hallway as instructed. Albus had asked her to stay outside until the Professor offered a complete explanation, and that was where he found her. She watched him come toward her, backing up against the wall as she recognized his robes. He stopped a few feet from her, sneering down.
"I dress this way to prepare you, to have you familiar with the sight and to a certain degree comfortable with it before entering. While we are inside you are to trust me, you are to show me the labyrinth of tunnels. Remember, whatever you see does not exist, it is merely what is required to enable you to pass on this information."
"I can't see them. I can only…" she started.
"You can only walk though them. The blackness will be complete. The smells and sounds the same. Walk though the tunnels, I will memorize the steps so that I'm able to go without a map." He stepped up to the door and opened it. Holding his hand out to her, she walked forward and grasped it.
They walked for a day, or a minute, perhaps an hour. Time seemed suspended. Upon entering they were in a kitchen, it was night, she moved to a panel in the wall, and placing her hand on it, and stepped back as it slid open.
They were at the top of a staircase that only went down, stepping on to the first steps, the door slid shut behind them. Abigail felt his hand on her left shoulder, and knew his right held his wand. He was ready to cast a light at any time she panicked, but she felt safe in the complete darkness knowing that they could not find her.
She descended quickly, only to feel him pull her back, turn her, and push her back up to the kitchen. As they reached the door, the light again swallowed them.
"Again," he hissed. "Slower, I need to remember."
This time she descended at a normal speed, placing each foot firmly before lifting the other, at the bottom she paused, and then turned to the right. She did not count her steps, she did not need to. She had traversed these walks many times. She turned down a corridor to the left, Severus still touching her shoulder.
At the end of this tunnel was a low ceiling, she stooped down and turned to put her hand on his head , pushing him as low as she needed, and then turning in a crouch, they went on. Twice more she stopped, turned and went on, then stopped before what she knew to be the door. She took his hand from her shoulder, placed it on the door, then to her cheek, and nodded. She had never spoken in these halls and she did not now.
She opened the door and went in. Severus followed her, quietly closing the chambers door behind him.
"Abigail?" he whispered into her ear, "I need the light now."
She squeezed her eyes shut and leaned her forehead against the wall , not looking at what he would see, not wanting to be reminded yet again.
Severus looked around the small chamber. It had a dirt floor, and in one corner the heap that he had seen in her mind, the remains of her mother. The ceilings and walls were stone, and wet, water almost dripped from them. He assumed this tunnel travelled the length of the house, to outside the walls and under the water he had seen from the kitchen window.
Looking around he turned to the corner opposite Abigail's mother. Four small manacles attached to four small but sturdy chains lay there. The chains were attached low to the wall to allow the shackled to rest on the floor. Abigail's childhood blanket lay rotting nearby.
He looked at the witch standing with her eyes shut, head to the wall and was sorry for what he needed to do. He leaned into her ear and hissed, "Again."