Disclaimer: Not mine.

The Uninvited

Chapter 27

Two weeks later Abigail was awakened by Lenny wringing his hands and running back and forth in her room crying and talking unintelligibly. Thinking something was wrong with the babies she jumped up and ran out of the room, colliding with Molly and Arthur.

"Whoa," Arthur reached out and grabbed her before she could fall.

"What is wrong?" she shouted looking between the two and Lenny. "Let me past, what happened to them?"

"Now child, Ginny is changing them as we speak. I brought her along to watch the little ones so we could talk." Molly tried to smile but failed miserably, dabbing at her swollen eyes.

Arthur pointed his wand toward the bedroom door and said 'Accio Robe'. Shyly he handed it to Abigail looking away until she slipped it on and tied the belt. He tried to grin and apologize as Molly pulled her toward the steps.

"I think a nice cup of tea is in order," she said through tight lips. "Arthur dear, you hold onto her on the stairs now, we gave her quite a shock. I will just hurry down and put the kettle on."

Arthur did as he was told letting Abigail take his arm as he led her to the kitchen. Molly was already floating cups to the table and measuring the tea into the pot. He indicated to her to sit and wait until his wife was finished and soon steaming cups of tea floated to the table as Molly joined them.

"Now my dear," Molly reached up and took Abigail's hand. "You may have guessed we have bad news for you. It concerns Albus."

"What happened Molly? Is he ill?" Abigail tried to get up but Molly held her tightly. "It was those damned stairs. Right? I always thought they were dangerous the way they moved."

"No my dear, Albus died last night," Molly sobbed and quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

Abigail looked at Molly blankly. She turned to Arthur not willing to take in what she had said.

"No, he is just ill, right?" she nodded to him. "He eats far too many sweets. I used to do the same thing when I first got to Hogwarts. She's wrong. She is wrong Arthur…isn't she?"

"I am afraid not." Arthur lowered his head. Then lifting his eyes to hers, he said the words that he knew would hurt far worse. "I am sorry to say that he was killed by the killing curse. It was cast by Severus."

Abigail's mind could not accept what it heard. She knew Molly and Arthur were sitting in her kitchen, and that Ginny was watching over the children. She knew that Lenny was upset over something, but that was all she was sure of right now.

She kept waving her hand in front of her face, to push the buzz of noise away from her, to stop the sting that she felt, as if a million little bugs were crawling over her skin and flying in her eyes. She could hear Arthur's voice getting louder, but she needed to tell him to hush, to come to the dark, down the stairs, it was safe there. She felt she was floating until something hard and wooden hit her face, then all she could do was go into the blackness.

Arthur picked up Abigail from where she had fainted, and carried her back up the stairs to bed with Molly fast at his heels. She tucked the blankets around her then pulled a chair close to the bed to watch over her, casting looks at Arthur that were all too easy for him to read.

"Molly, it is not her fault. Look at her. Do you think she knew anything? No, she would have stopped him if she had known."

"What do we know of her? I mean really know?"

"We know that Snape was in the Order Molly. We know that Albus trusted him above the rest of us," he sighed and looked down at Abigail. "Her? He never spoke of her to me. I just don't know."

"I'll tell you one thing Arthur Weasley. If this is the same girl that slept in our house and ate our food I would give my life for her." She looked at the sleeping girl. "And if she is not I will rip those children from her and she will never see them again."

"I just can't understand why Snape would do this. He has been loyal to the order for seventeen years," he shook his head sadly. "I don't know. At one time we were ready to hang Sirius and look what happened there."

"You think … he was seen… it's not at all like with Sirius." Molly worried her lip and tucked the blanket in around Abigail tighter. "But you are right. We will wait and see."

Later, as the shadows changed to long slanting fingers across the floor Abigail opened her eyes to see Arthur sitting on the chair near her bed. She turned to her side facing away from him and hugged her pillow.

"Abigail, it there anything I can get you?" Arthur asked quietly.

She shook her head and closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep again. Knowing to look into his eyes was to accept the truth. A truth she could not, would not accept.

The next three days were much the same. Lenny cared for the babies while one of the order members begrudgingly sat with her. Sometimes she would accept a cup of tea, or ask to hold the babies. Her awake time lengthened a little each day, and by the end of seven days, she had enough strength to sit up for most of the afternoon.

One day she woke to find herself alone in the room. She grabbed her robe and went down stairs to look for Lenny and the children when she did not find them in their room. What she found was Remus on the floor with the two little ones. They were trying to climb on to him as he lay on his back laughing. The room was a mess. Toys lay on the floor and scraps of food that had not stayed in the little mouths were under highchairs.

She leaned against the doorframe and laughed. When Remus saw her, he blushed and got up off the floor quickly, brushing off his trousers and raking his hands through his hair.

"Sorry about the mess, Miss Haley. I told Lenny to go ahead to the services today. I thought I could watch them for a little while. Quite a handful."

"I was just wondering why the highchairs are in the living room."

"I can hear better in here, if you should have called," he reddened. "I guess I am just no good at this. But I was told I'd best learn."

"Oh Remus," she smiled widely. "Your Tonks? You should be home with her. Go now, I am fine."

"No, I told Lenny I would stay, and…well, Tonks and I… ummm"

"No Remus," she frowned at him. "Whatever it is you two have to figure it out. If Severus and I can…"

Her hand flew to her mouth as she rushed to the kitchen and leaned on the counter to catch her breath. She lifted her head, looking out the window over the sink and tried to calm herself. Just then Lenny came in and began cleaning and fussing about it being past naptime. Whisking the babies away, Remus and Abigail were suddenly alone.

"Remus," she called out to him. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"That would be nice," he said smiling.

She put on the water to boil, took two cups down from the cupboard, and grabbed the teapot and tea.

Setting it front of Remus, she shrugged.

"Trust me, if you want to be able to swallow you best measure it out."

Remus fixed the tea, and then poured two cups and slid one over to Abigail.

"Abigail, I know this is difficult for you," he said sitting down opposite her. "If you want to talk I am a pretty good listener."

"I am being selfish Remus. You lost Albus too," she said, "You knew him longer than I did."

"Albus was the only reason I am not dead. He made it possible for me to go to school, he was my mentor and I think my best friend," Remus said in his soft voice. "Severus was a friend as well. It may not have appeared so, but we fought together, and worked against Vo… against him together. I think I can call him friend. It has only been this last few months that I have some idea of what his life was really like."

"Remus don't." She jumped up to leave the room.

Remus ran around the table and caught her, holding her tight, her back to his chest, he wrapped his arms around her.

"We lost both of them," he said. "You need to accept that this has happened."

"NO!" she screamed and tried to pull free, falling forward as Remus held her up. "Severus loved him. Albus was like a father to him. My gods Remus, he wouldn't do this."

Remus lowered her to the floor and then sat with her on the hardwood, still with his arms around her and started to rock her.

"He did do this." Remus said. "He did it in front of people, as if it was meant to be seen. Never doubt that Abigail, he did cast the curse that killed Albus."

"Why, Remus why?" She sobbed unable to catch her breath. "Why would he kill him?"

"There are those that will tell you he is Death Eater." He waited for her response. Getting none, he continued. "There are those that say he still is."

"No, Remus, no," she hissed. "He had to have been forced."

"How would anyone force him to do anything?" Remus said chuckling. "Severus is a cold, stubborn, unlikable, egotistical, selfish, bragging, cantankerous….come on girl. Help me out here …"

"Lovable, kind, gentle, trustworthy, intelligent and loyal to a fault…" she paused and looked at Remus smiling as her tears still fell.

"…Git." they both said at he same time laughing.

Helping Abigail to her feet, they stood and looked at each other sobering to the occasion. Remus walked over to the sofa and sat down, slapping the cushion next to him. She walked over and flopped beside him. They sat side by side, his arm around her shoulder.

"I love him you know," she said.

"Guessed that," he smiled.

"He said he loves me," she said.

"Then he must," Remus said.

"Do you think he could have just been saying that?"

"Nope, if Severus just wanted to bed you he would have said so," Remus said truthfully. "He is not given to emotion."

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Anytime," he smiled. "Now that we have that cleared up we need to talk."

"Is it bad?" she sighed.

"Yep, keeps on coming," he said softly.

She turned to look at him, not knowing if he was joking or not. He was smiling, but looking into his eyes, she knew this was not going to be good.

"What is it Remus?"

"Severus was with a group of Death Eaters when he cast the spell. He did it at Hogwarts, no chance of false identity." He looked at her stonily. "Abigail, there is not a chance that he did not do this, and because of this all his properties have been taken. However, Minerva did stop them from entering his chambers in the dungeons. His lab is gone, destroyed. They took his potions book, his life's work… Gringotts has sealed his vaults and no-one is allowed to access them."

"I care nothing of his belongings. Remus, do you know how he is?" She was angered that all Remus seemed interested in was Severus' wealth.

"Abigail, they want to take his Muggle things as well. That would mean this house," he said slowly, then to drive in another nail. "Without the monthly stipend from Gringotts how will you live?"

"Severus said I would be fine," she lifted her chin. "I trust that he would have made arrangements."

"You knew?" Remus growled.

"No Remus, not that. Only, I had not seen him since I came here. Then three weeks ago," she struggled for words she could say, "before Albus died, he came here. He told me that whatever I heard to remember him, to remember that he loved me. I didn't know that he could have meant anything like this."

"Abigail, he thought this place was out of the Ministry's reach. They passed new laws just this week. Abigail, the Ministry is out for him." Remus ran is hand through his hair. "They have guards posted around Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. They are searching every known Death Eater's house." He spoke softly, but Abigail knew he was distraught. "He is running out of safe places, Abigail."

"Remus," she started. "What about you? Do you think he did this?"

"Abigail, what did I just tell you?" He was losing patience, "Yes, he did it."

"I guess what I meant was," she thought hard, "do you think there could have been a reason?"

"Other than to kill the most powerful wizard alive?" He looked at her strangely.

"But, if he was that powerful, how did Severus kill him?" With that, they both sat silently thinking.

"Abigail, how long has it been since you have been out of this house?" Remus asked.

"A couple of weeks now anyway, I really don't remember." She thought back to her shopping trip with Mrs Smyth and Severus' reaction.

"Let's go to lunch. Tonks gets off in about twenty minutes, we can meet her," Remus smiled.

"Can we go to Flourish and Blotts?" she asked, "I would love to get the children some story books I can read to them. I know he put some of my money in a Muggle bank, I can have it transferred back or I have two bags of Galleons left. Is that enough?"

"Sure, keep your hood up and your head down in the Alley," he said seriously. "We can trust Tom at the Leaky Cauldron but other than him I can't be sure."

"I left all my robes, I didn't think I would need any," she said sadly. "Oh Remus, I hate it here. I do. I don't want to raise my children here. I don't know what to do, or what to say. Everything moves so fast and everyone is so noisy."

"Oh, look what I just so happen to have in my pocket," he reached in his pocket, took out her robes, and enlarged them back to normal size. Then he looked at her and shrugged. "I hoped you would say yes. I can't say you can move back there, but maybe you can visit once in a while."

She donned her robes, checked with Lenny, and they left by Apparation. Arriving in the alley behind the Leaky Cauldron, Remus was about to take her in the back door when Tom came out. He looked at Abigail, then at Remus.

"Tonks floo-ed, she cannot make it," he said to Remus but looked at Abigail. "You best put your hood up. Your picture is all over the Daily Prophet."

"Thank you," she muttered, embarrassed at the way he was staring at her.

"I used to be his friend you know," Tom spat out. "I guess the Muggle saying is true about not changing spots."

"Tom, Abigail is only here to…"

"Remus, I don't care what she is here for." Tom turned to go back to work, "Just take her someplace else to eat. The look of her sickens me."

"Abigail, Tom is just … it's too soon."

"I am fine Remus, maybe this is just a bad idea." She pulled her hood over her face. "I need to go back home, I can't do this."

"We'll stop at the bookstore, and then we'll leave," he smiled at her. "Come on. No-one will recognize you."

They walked down to the bookstore at a quick pace. Remus held on to her arm and guided her. Abigail kept her hood so firmly in place she only had a small field of vision. Once at the bookstore they made their way to the children's section where Abigail was quaking by the time she had picked out three books, and shoving them at Remus she whispered that she would wait by the door. He went to pay, and carrying the small bag they left.

"I have to leave," she hissed. "It's too much, too crowded."

On the way back down the Alley, he stepped to her left side, keeping her right to the storefronts. As they walked past a small opening between buildings, he slowed to an almost stop. Abigail felt a hand take her right elbow, as Remus let go of the left. The unseen man pulled her into the small dead-end space and pushed her against the wall.

She could not scream, a hand covered her mouth. She was pinned to the wall by a tall lean body. As a hand second hand reached into her hood to touch her face, she stilled. She knew his touch. She wrapped her arms around him and held on.

"Oh thank you, thank you gods," she cried, clinging to him.

He pushed her hood back and reached under her robes to hold her. Leaning down he kissed her, his lips hungry and unyielding, he crushed her between the wall and himself. He could not let her go.

"Abigail," was all he could say.

She reached up and tipped his hood, just enough to see his face. She gasped in horror at what she saw. His eyes looked completely black, the lids and under the eyes raw from lack of sleep. His skin was pale, his cheeks hollow. He looked gaunt, and thin unto death.

"Oh Merlin, Severus, please." Her arms went around him again. "Severus I love you still, and I know you love me," she said remembering the last thing he had said to her.

Then he reached back and grasped her hands in his own, and brought them out from behind his back.

"Lupin!" his voice harsh. "Take her home."

Remus stepped back into the dark space taking her hands from Severus' grip as he left in a rustle of fabric.

Remus lowered her hood back over her face, took her arm and walked out to the Alley. They did not talk as they walked, she did not think she could. Remus pulled her to his side and apparated back to her sitting room.

"Remus, you should have told me," she pulled away from him furiously.

"I wasn't sure he could show up," he said calmly. "We can't talk of this, elves have ears."

Abigail sat on the sofa, wrapping her arms around herself and looked up at him.

"Where does this end, Remus? Where does this end?"