Disclaimer: Not mine.
The Uninvited
Chapter 31
Abigail had no clear idea where to go. She knew she needed to put as much distance as possible between her and Severus. She could not believe how stupid she had been. All those weeks she had been dreaming of a life that she was never meant to have. She should have known better.
She had been acting like a fool. She never would have been like this a short while ago. Prepared to die when she left the Grandfathers, she had been strong and willing to face anything. Now she cowered and cried.
She steeled herself, needing to keep up the walls and rely on herself. She would save him even if the only way of doing it were to leave him. Damn her stupidity and damn him to hell for hiding her children.
She walked through the small town looking for anyone familiar. As she looked around Hogsmeade, she saw that the war had been there also. The destruction was almost complete. She noticed the only building doing any type of business was a pub of some sort, and she made her way over to it.
The Hogs Head was not crowded, but with the empty streets and quietness of the town, it stood out. She entered the small building and stood for a few moments at the door, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Then she looked around at the unfamiliar faces and walked up to the bar, digging in her pockets for the five Galleons she carried.
Looking down at the barkeeper, she pushed the money toward him.
"Whatever that will buy," she said.
A half bottle of cheap firewhiskey was set in front of her. She took it and tipped it up even before a glass was pushed down the polished bar to her. Shaking her head at the glass, she picked up bottle again and headed to a table near the back wall.
Well, she thought, I don't have to worry about money anymore. She had spent all she had on the firewhiskey. She had no clothes, no job, no money and no place to go.
She took another long drink from the bottle and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"What have we here?" said a slurred voice that came to her.
She looked up and saw a heavyset wizard with a jagged scar running the length of his face. He leered down at her slightly weaving as he stood.
"You see a thirsty witch that will rip out your throat with her teeth if you try anything," she spat at him.
"Oh, what a pity," he purred, "and here I thought it was a Reyes whelp wanting to runt," he snickered.
Abigail tipped the bottle up and finished off the amber fluid, slowly standing. She held the bottle by its neck as she smashed the bottom off it with the edge of the table.
The room quieted as everyone watched the pair.
"Want to runt with this?" she pushed the broken bottle towards his trousers.
"You filthy whore," he spat.
"I may be," she walked around him holding the broken bottle toward him, "but this is one whore you can't afford."
She walked backwards until she was close enough to the door to walk out. Tossing the broken bottle to the floor as she left and slamming the door behind her.
She'd started to walk down the street when she heard footsteps running after her. Turning to face whoever was coming for her, she was relieved to see one of the witches from the pub.
"You're Severus' witch?" she asked pulling a thin shawl around her.
"Why do you ask?" Abigail asked coldly, expecting more trouble.
"Listen honey, Severus and I go way back, known him since he was a student himself. I was just going to offer some help if I could. Know what it's like to be out on my own."
"I need to get away from here," Abigail said. "I need to get to London."
"I guess I could do a side a long, but I would have to take you to the train station, Victoria. It is the only place I have been in the city," she answered shrugging.
"That would be fine. Can we go now?" Abigail pushed.
"Sure," the witch grabbed her arm and they spun off.
As soon as they landed Abigail stepped away and started to pull off her robes. Turning to say thank you she heard a small crack, and saw that the witch had already left. Abigail walked out into London trying to come up with a plan.
Severus was livid. He could not stand long enough to berate Poppy, let alone run after the witch. As he struggled to get up Poppy held him down.
"Damn you Poppy," he stormed at her. "You had no right, no right to talk to her that way."
"She needed to hear the truth young man," Poppy sniffed.
"Not that way and not from you," he pushed her away, shoving the small Medi-Witch into the nightstand.
Poppy righted herself and smoothed her apron before looking at Severus angrily. He had not eaten a decent meal in over two weeks, and was thin and weak. She knew he would never make it down the halls, so she left him to sulk as she went back to her office leaving him alone to rant by himself.
Severus needed a wand and he needed it now if he had any hope of getting out of the place. He grabbed the empty water glass on the table next to him and hurled it across the room then grabbed the edge of the nightstand and tipped it backwards, letting it slam into the floor. As he turned to vent his rage some more on the bed, he saw Kingsley Shacklebolt watching him.
"Well, I see your arm is in good shape," he chuckled.
"What do you want Shacklebolt, I am in no mood," Severus sneered at the dark skinned Auror.
"I would say you are in quite the mood," Kingsley's deep baritone laugh filled the ward.
"He is in a snit because that Reyes' witch left," Poppy's voice cut the air as she came over to clean up the glass. She flicked her wand and it flew back to Severus's nightstand.
"Poppy!" Severus reached for the glass as she hurried back to her office.
"So, why did she leave Snape? Has she come to her senses about you or does she believe her absence is best?" Kingsley asked solemnly.
"The latter," he said with gritted teeth, "with Poppy's help."
"Severus, my friend," Kingsley started, then seeing Snape raise his eyebrow he stopped and chuckled. "Yes, I said friend. I will help you find her. After your trial I will help you."
"Why would you do this Kingsley?" Severus asked, "What do you want in return?"
"I have been on the other end of acceptance myself. It has taken me several years for my skin to not be the first thing judged when people look at me." Kingsley said honestly. "Your witch is a good person Severus, a little rough at the edges, but a good heart."
"Why are you here Kingsley?" Severus said without his usual sneer. "I am sure you did not come to offer your undying gratitude."
"Your trial will start tomorrow," Kingsley said back to his professional demeanour, "I have arranged for you to be held here at Hogwarts during the trial. We will apparate you there as needed, and then return in the evenings. I have not always trusted you, but as a member of the Order I and others owe it to you."
"Fine," Severus stated flatly. "I have need for a quill and parchment."
Kingsley took his notebook from his pocket, transfigured a quill from one sheet that he tore out, and handed Severus the rest. He watched as Severus hastily scribbled on a clean page.
"These are the co-ordinates of my Muggle house, left to me by my Mother. It is on Spinners End, it is unregistered, however since it is Muggle I can not make it unplotable," Severus said handing the note to Kingsley. "There is nothing there of interest to the Ministry."
Kingsley raised his eyebrow to Severus in question.
"If I am sent to Azkaban, you are to find Abigail. Take her there," he reached forward and tapped the second address he had written down, "and get my children. They can stay there until she can arrange to sell some of her … belongings."
"Yes my friend," Kingsley said solemnly. "Do you need an oath to trust I will do this?"
"No, your word is enough. I have heard enough oaths to last ten lifetimes."
"Then, I will also watch over her for you in the event you cannot. I shall return for you in the morning. One more thing." Kingsley said quietly. "Where have you hidden the potion?"
"What potion would that be?" Severus suddenly became still, feeling his stomach clench.
"The potion I will need to restore her magic should you be sent to Azkaban."
"It is dark magic Kingsley," Severus said clenching his jaw.
"Undetectable? At an unregistered and unplotable location?" Kingsley said with a scowl. "I think not. You have not had the opportunity. You need to trust me friend, you may not return after tomorrow."
"There is a book that contains the spell, and the potion, behind a loose brick of my floo in the dungeons," Severus sighed. "I am sure you can break the wards."
"Then, until tomorrow…"
"One more thing. I want everything possible done to assist Lucius Malfoy."
"I am not sure much can be done for him."
"There was a battle at the Burrow. You delayed the Aurors while we cleaned up. You should remember what I talk of, if not talk to Molly and Arthur. I am sure they may have a different take on Malfoy. I think the Order members that helped that day are all gone but she would be willing to help him."
This trial was not like his first one. This trial enticed the masses. The Ministry had decided to open its doors and make it a public spectacle. The list of evidence was overwhelming and because of this, the Ministry had listed every crime imaginable against him. Torture, rape and murder took the forefront. No statute of limitation applied, no special circumstances were allowed.
As a Death Eater all these crimes were a given. He sat and listened as each crime was walked out and paraded to the court. He sat stonily, knowing his time was limited. None of the court defenders would accept his case, and with Albus gone he had no-one to stand by him. He sat quietly not rising to the bait of their taunts and challenges. Knowing that at the end, the trial would be over, and he would head to prison. At the end of the second day, it was decided that he should not be retuned to Hogwarts.
Kingsley Shacklebolt stood tall and calm. He asked for reason to prevail, citing the Ministry's promise. He took a wizard's oath that he would personally bring Snape back the next day for trial and was eventually allowed to apparate Severus back to Hogwarts.
"It went well today," Kingsley said standing in front of the fireplace in Severus's old quarters.
"It went well today?" Severus roared, "Were you not there?"
"They did not bring up anything unplanned, no surprises," Kingsley smiled, "It went well."
"How would you define badly?" Severus smirked.
"If you did not have tomorrow, then it would have gone badly. If they had insisted on a vote today," Kingsley said with a raised eyebrow. "That would have been bad, my friend."
Severus walked over to his liquor cabinet, found it empty and slammed down the lid. He then called for a kitchen elf and ordered up a bottle of Ogden's finest 50-year-old scotch.
"If this is to be my last drunk, I plan on enjoying it," he snapped seeing the look on Kingsley's face.
"Kingsley," Severus said as he poured two drinks from the bottle the elf had delivered. "Abigail's father? Whatever happened to him?"
"Dead. Two weeks before the final battle." he sighed. "We did what we could to protect him, we were too late."
"She is truly alone now," Severus stated flatly.
"She has her children, and soon she will have you," Kingsley replied. "You must believe this."
"Let us finish this bottle Kingsley," Severus held up the bottle, "I believe there is one more left after this. And no, she does not have her children, nor will she as long as I languish in Azkaban. No, until my death she will be alone."
They sat in silence, drinking until Severus called for the second bottle, and laid his head back on the sofa. He began talking of Abigail, of the first time he found her, of the horrors of her childhood.
Kingsley listened, and then asked the question that had hung in the air.
"Why did you not marry the witch?" his voice was low and quiet.
The question went unanswered as they drank their whiskey and waited for the sun to rise.
An elf brought in a tray of breakfast, and the two very drunk wizards saw the vials of sober up potion included. Kingsley chuckled as he downed two and tossed one over to Severus. The vial sailed past Severus who was unable to focus on it, not even attempting to catch it.
Laughing Kingsley retrieved the vial, opened it for the drunken wizard, and helped to pour it down his throat. The two now sober, proceeded to eat, shower and prepare for the day.
As Kingsley was handing Severus over to the courtroom Aurors, he leaned forward and spoke softly.
"You must trust us, that we do what we do to save you," he frowned. "You will not be happy, but try to remain calm."
Once again, he felt the restraints of the chair snap around him. The stands were full again, people standing in the aisles and taking pictures. Severus sat straight, unmoving, looking straight ahead. The judges filed in, and the proceedings began.
Minerva offered the pensive showing his oath to first Narcissa, pledging to save Draco's soul. Draco had been given the chore of killing Albus. Severus had pledged to step in and stop Draco by whatever means necessary, not letting him fail in his task, but not letting him fall further into hell. Then the memories flipped to Albus extracting his Oath from Severus. The Court and the public sat in silence as they watched Albus push up his sleeve revealing the extent to which the poison had travelled.
When Albus forced the oath from Severus, forcing the dark wizard to kill the only man he loved, gasps and quiet sobs filled the courtroom.
Minerva stepped up and offered her evidence. Severus was a loyal Order member, he was an invaluable spy, he had saved countless and fulfilled only an oath. Harry Potter followed and spoke of the bravery he had seen at the last battle, the undying loyalty, and his priceless support. Students, staff members and citizens came forward to offer testimony about his bravery, begrudgingly given it was more effective then Minerva's own.
The court looked down at him. They had no choice but to believe the pensive, to discount the murder of Albus Dumbledore and the charge of Death Eater. However, there was still more that they pushed for. The very fact that the children were missing smacked of dark rituals and hinted at the death of the youngsters.
A murmur started in the back of the courtroom, and like ripples in water it spread until Severus saw the Judges' shocked faces, and turned towards the door himself.
Molly and Arthur Weasley were standing there, each held one of Severus' children by the hand. They allowed the children to take a couple of steps, and then each were scooped up and placed on a hip. Molly walked down the middle aisle carrying Ainslie.
"Here are those children you accused this dear man of killing," she shook her finger at the Judges. "How dare you start such rumours?"
"Molly dear," Arthur reached forward to grab his wife's arm. "This may not be a good time to show your temper."
Severus watched as Arthur unsuccessfully tried to pull her back. He felt his lip twitch. Whether the smile that was threatening was due to the joy of seeing his children or his reflex to cross his legs he was not sure. He suddenly felt free. Whatever happened to him, he knew they would be well taken care of. Kingsley would watch over them. Molly would make sure of it.
"Molly," he said with a smirk, "If Arthur ever wants to get rid of you, just owl me. I may be in Azkaban but we could arrange for a conjugal visit."
The stands laughed as Molly walked up to Severus, pushing the Aurors away and shook her finger in his face.
"I will have you know young man, that when you get out of here and find Abigail I will tell her just how badly you have been behaving," she stormed at him. "Sitting there and not defending yourself. It's time to stand up to these fools. You know yourself that before the week it out half of them will be brought up on charges themselves. Bunch of Death Eater wannabes"
"Arthur, if I survive this I will recommend you for the Order of Merlin myself," he said. "Anyone that has lived with her as long as you have deserves it."
The gavel was banging and eventually order was reinstated. The judges looked around the courtroom as everyone tried to compose themselves. Molly stomped back to sit next to Minerva as Arthur followed.
"In the case of Severus Snape and the Ministry of Magic, all charges are hereby dropped." The gavel came down and the judges stood to leave, several casting warning looks at Molly. A stunned silence fell over the room, then the arms of the chair sprung free.
He stood uncertainly. Could it really have ended so suddenly? Minerva's arms were engulfing him, as Molly and Arthur came over with his children. Taking one child in each arm, he held them to him and thanked Molly for all she had done.
"We have no time for babysitting," Kingsley said taking the children one at a time and returning them to Molly and Arthur, "we have a witch to find, and you Mrs Weasley are to hurry down to Mr Malfoy's trial which will begin shortly."
"Ginny and her brothers are already there. I will be damned if they'll hurt that man," she set her chin and headed for the door.
A/N Last chapter will be posted later this week...