Chapter 50 Bodyguard
Senna's attention was suddenly drawn to the noise outside the room. She stopped reading the books and notes Viola had brought for her and decided to investigate. She walked towards the door, trying not to make any noise, and gently pressed her ear against it.
"What are we going to tell Roberts?" An unfamiliar male voice asked. The footsteps paused.
"Nothing." Rufus Scrimgeour spoke in a cold voice, "We can't let Struan follow her back overseas. Now that he's completed the prophecy, he'll cause chaos in the states."
"Rufus," Another familiar voice, Severus Snape, "So the question is, where will she stay in the meantime? I can keep her—"
"That is out of the question!" The unfamiliar voice argued. "I'm sorry, but with your—history—such a request is completely unreasonable. Right, Scrimgeour, sir?"
"The matter of where she will be detained is still in progress. For now, we need to assess the level of danger that is present. The healers say she has made a full recovery, which is unbelievable... but let's assess."
Senna wondered if they were assessing how much danger she was in—or how much danger she was to them.
But it didn't matter. She knew they were trying to control her, and there was nothing she could do about it. If her recent meeting with Death taught her something, it was that these things were out of her control, and her true power lies with being herself. Everything else would fall into their respective places.
When the footsteps began to move again, Senna rushed over to her cot. She felt terrible for waking Tonks up after just five hours, but she was sure Scrimgeour wouldn't appreciate seeing her sleep on the job.
Senna put a hand on her shoulder and gently shook her awake. She whispered, "Tonks, you better wake up, I think your boss is coming."
Her groggy expression immediately turned serious, and she bolted up to stand by the door.
Senna quickly got into bed and pulled the covers over herself just as they knocked on the door. Tonks opened it and nodded to Scrimgeour as if she'd been there the entire time. Behind him, Professor Snape, and the unfamiliar man followed.
Scrimgeour nodded back, then turned his attention to Senna. Both men kept their distance from her, except for Snape, who approached the side of her bed, his black eyes focused on her face, wide with an emotion she couldn't place her finger on.
"Good Morning, Miss Senna Snape." Scrimgeour greeted her. His cold and scarred face seemed waxy and unpleasant.
"Good morning," Senna said in a polite tone. She was no longer angry or scared.
After a moment of tense silence, Scrimgeour spoke, "You look well."
"I am well." She replied.
He nodded, "I am here to update you on the Tournament, it's been suspended until further notice. There will be a final decision made soon."
"I heard." Senna's voice was calm.
"In addition, we have learned that one of Stuan's motives includes your capture, and we have taken measures to ensure your safety."
It took all of her willpower to stop from rolling her eyes. It was ridiculous. They knew she was on Struan's radar the moment she stepped foot on British soil. They didn't care about her safety. They just cared about their own safety—from her.
But instead of feeling anger, she was mildly amused. After meeting Death for the seventh time, these matters seemed so trivial.
"We've deemed it necessary to place you under the protection of the ministry."
You mean constant surveillance, Senna thought.
"Right, thank you." She said with an equal mask of indifference.
Scrimgeour and his colleague exchanged a glance. He had anticipated an outburst or resistance.
"The Healer said you will be discharged, and the matter of where you will take residence in the meantime—"
"Has been sorted out." Albus Dumbledore had appeared, making everyone in the room jump—including Senna. He stood next to Tonks with his long white beard, twinkling blue eyes, and a calm, reassuring voice. "Good morning, everyone." He said with a smile. "I have secured safe housing for Miss Senna Snape. She will be staying in one of the safest locations in the country, under the watchful eye of a trusted member of our community."
Scrimgeour was left in disbelief as he stared at the person who interrupted him, his mouth still hanging open. Snape, on the other hand, appeared to relax at the news.
"Thank you, Dumbledore, Sir." Senna took the opportunity to fill the stunned silence. Senna's former self would have never trusted someone like Albus Dumbledore, but her intuition had evolved, and she was going to trust her gut this time.
"With all due respect, Albus, she would be more secure held with the ministry."
"Scrimgeour, Sir, I'm seventeen now. There's no need for you to decide for me. But I appreciate your concern. On another note, can I ask you something?"
Scrimgeour's expression tightened as he kept getting interrupted. It was clear that he was not used to losing control of the conversation. But he nodded reluctantly at Senna.
"Where is the muggle boy from my orphanage?"
"He had been detained for his own protection. But we could not hold him." As Scrimgeour spoke, his face contorted with a strange emotion. It was almost as if he was trying to hide something, but his eyes gave him away. There was definitely more to the story than he was letting on.
Senna waited. When no other explanation came, Senna spoke again.
"Sir, can we just agree to be honest with each other?" She said in a soft voice, "I've been honest with you since we met."
His face contorted with frustration as he spoke. "I'm sorry to say this, but the boy has managed to escape us. We detained him for questioning, as we believe Dark wizards to be responsible for the Clearcil Orphanage incident." The weight of the situation was palpable, as if a storm was brewing in the air.
Senna just nodded, unsure what to feel. Her old self would've been enraged, but she didn't have that anger in her anymore.
Clyde is a survivor. She had to believe in him.
"I see... Thank you."
Scrimgeour watched her, as if expecting more. More speaking, more reaction, more something. But when that something didn't come, he turned to his colleague. "Right, then." He shifted. "I have to get going... Tonks, a word?" He motioned to Tonks as he left. She and the unfamiliar man followed him dutifully.
Then, it was just her and the two Hogwarts professors.
Senna let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Merlin, they're gone. I don't trust any of them."
"Trust is an essential aspect of human connection. It is the force that binds people together. Trust must be earned over time and can be easily shattered." Dumbledore said. She wasn't sure if he wasn't talking to himself or to her.
"You know, Struan told me you could trust someone only if you truly share the same best interest."
"Did he?" Dumbledore looked interested.
But Senna changed the subject.
"Professors," Senna asked. "What really happened after the match? What's this prophecy thing?"
Snape froze for a second, looking like a deer caught in headlights. He looked to Dumbledore, who seemed perfectly calm, then back at her. "Prophecy? Where did you hear that?" Snape asked her.
"I overheard Scrimgeour talking about it. He said Struan fulfilled the prophecy."
"Oh, Good. Now, if you don't mind, I have other matters to attend to." Dumbledore said, with a twinkle in his eyes.
Both Senna and Snape gazed at his departing figure with an expression of irritation.
But she didn't have time to dwell on it. Senna was still trying to understand what was going on.
Snape appeared hesitant as his black eyes met hers. She observed him, noting that he looked tired but not nearly as bad as Tonks. "It's the reason your—father," Snape seemed to choke on the word, "had you, well—Struan."
Senna waited.
"There was a prophecy made to the Dark Lord that his heir would rise and become the most powerful wizard in the world after committing a certain number of murders."
The realization for Senna clicked then, the memory of Viola's voice echoed through her head. 'But after that murder... They just shut down everything.'
"So he's been killing... for power." Senna said quietly.
Snape nodded.
"When the Dark Lord heard the prophecy, he thought he could have an heir, to use them as a tool and harness that power. But he died when you and Struan were just three years old."
"He planned on grooming Struan to use as a tool." Senna muttered. "That..." Senna felt a sudden appreciation for Snape's intervention at her birth. "That is what you were trying to protect me from when you dumped me at the orphanage."
Despite Snape's always emotionless mask—he flinched.
"Yes. But it didn't save you, like I had hoped, and for that—" Snape gulped, "I am sorry."
Senna felt grateful as she heard him apologize. Since their fight, distance grew between them. She had stopped going to him for guidance. She still didn't trust him, but it was a start.
"I don't blame you. We just live in a really shitty world." She tried to laugh, but it sounded forced.
"That day, you asked me where my loyalties lie, whether it was to him, or to you." He paused. "Elena, she didn't want either of you to get caught up in this, and neither do I. But Struan is a man now, and despite my efforts to influence him, he will make his own decisions."
Despite her uncertainty, Senna tried to remain composed and thoughtful. "So, you're just trying to make sure my brother and I cause as little trouble for ourselves and the Wizarding World as possible?"
Snape's face relaxed as he let out a deep sigh. "Your statement is a gross underestimation of the amount of effort I have put in," he said, irritated, "However, I cannot deny that it is true."
"Professor," Senna asked, "Who did he kill?"
"The Minister of Magic."
Senna's eyes widened in shock as she gazed at him, her mouth slightly agape. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, and her mind struggled to process the information. "No, that's... impossible," she blurted, "Tonks just told Viola yesterday that her orders were not coming from Rufus Scrimgeour, they were coming from the Minister of Magic himself!"
Snape's eyes were black, and gave away no emotion. "That's because Rufus Scrimgeour is now the Minister of Magic."
"No!"
"Yes."
Senna sat in shocked silence as she processed the news.
Finally, after a long moment, she spoke. "He's beyond saving now." She said in a sad voice. "After a high-profile crime like that, there's no going back for him."
"That's correct." Snape nodded. It may have been her imagination, but he seemed a bit sullen. "He will be hunted by every soldier of the Ministry and sent to Azkaban."
Senna struggled to understand her emotions. This seemed so final... Like the nail in the coffin. Maybe a part of her hoped that Struan would get on a different path. After all, he had just come of age, like she had.
"And the tournament, it's been canceled because he killed the Minister of Magic."
"No, just suspended. There is a council hearing about the Tournament." Snape's voice had regained its monotone mode, "We will hear back by the time winter break ends."
"I see." Senna said, feeling numb. "But I suppose the British don't feel like competing when they've just lost their Minister."
"I suppose not."
"Me neither. But Dumbledore seems to have things under control, despite everything."
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Yes, he always does."
Senna thought for a moment. "I don't know if I fully trust him, Albus Dumbledore, but I trust his intentions. He's always been a bit cryptic, but I think he genuinely cares about the wizarding world."
Snape nodded, seemingly satisfied with her statement. "We better get you ready to leave. You're going to be staying in a safe house, but we still need to make sure you're prepared for anything."
"But, Viola is supposed to visit this morning..." Senna couldn't help herself. She looked forward to seeing the redhead again. There was so much she had to discuss with her.
Snape gave her a cold look. "It can't wait."
Senna nodded, feeling a sense of unease at the thought of staying in an unknown place and not getting a chance to say goodbye to Viola. But she pushed the feeling aside and focused on the task at hand. She had survived this long, and she would continue to do so, no matter what was thrown her way.