A/N: This chapter may contain subject matter which is uncomfortable for certain readers, including somewhat graphic depictions of involuntary mutilations and torture. Reader discretion is advised.
Delores stood in the center of the room wringing her hands as Lucius described all the various things he had discovered. All the heads were there, with Minerva and Filius looking the least impressed. When Lucius described the spell on the window Pomona flew into a rage about the infringement of privacy. Rather surprisingly, Severus looked bored through most of the blond man's revelations. As did Albus who spared only a soft sigh when he heard about the floo monitoring. That's when Emmeline walked in. For a moment Severus was shocked, then his eyes closed with fear as Emmeline came to stand beside Lucius holding a stack of Delores wretched cat plates.
"I brought all the plates you wanted."
"Excellent!" Lucius purred. "I was just about to get to that part…"
"Emmeline?" Minerva piped up, in slight shock.
"I hired Miss. Vance, on behalf of the board, as a runic consultant." Lucius informed the room smoothly. "I was not aware she had been banned from the grounds. In fact… the board was not even notified of her removal." If they were being completely honest the board had not been officially informed of her hiring in the first place, as evident by Albus' slight shift when Lucius caught his gaze. However, since the drastic improvement in grades in the last two years, very few board members felt it warranted investigation. Best to let sleeping dragons lie after all. If what Albus had done was working, it didn't require fixing.
Of course, Umbridge seemed to think differently.
"A runic consultant?" Minerva enquired. "Is the board concerned about the keystones?"
"Indeed. The recent attack of young Lucy Mathers had us quite concerned. The level of magical exhaustion she faced was quite severe. The Keystones should have prevented such a strain."
"I see…" Minerva murmured, catching Emmeline's eye. Her eyes met the transfiguration professor for just a moment before she turned to her fiance. His eyes were screaming at her.
What have you done?
She tore her eyes away to look back at Umbridge who was trying to remain calm despite the vicious looks she was getting. "Why do you need her cat plates?"
"It seems that Umbridge used them to record something in her office." Lucius declared, "And since she saw fit to invade your privacy, it would only be fair to invade hers in turn, yes?"
"Certainly," Minerva purred with a little smirk. The other agreed, either silently or with loud agreement.
"Delores," Lucius began angrily. "Show us." the woman hesitated for a moment.
"E-everything I did was for the benefit of the ministry!" she suddenly blurted out. The group looked rather unimpressed. All save Albus.
"Indeed? Well then… Peregrine," he called to one of the portraits on the walls. The headmaster perked up and gave Albus an inquisitive look. "Go and request Cornelius for a visit. Tell him that Delores has something she'd like to show him." the portrait nodded and left the frame. Delores paled further as the headmaster folded his hands and gave a grandfatherly smile. "We should probably wait a moment while he gathers himself." there was a moment where there were no sounds save the ticking and whirling of Dumbledore's multitudinous machines and the occasional soft noise from Fawlkes who was looking around the room curiously. Suddenly the fire burned emerald green.
"Alright, albus! The time has come at last! Time for you to step dow…" Cornelius trailed off, all victorious fanfare leaving him as he took in the plateau before him. The two Aurors beside him, one Dawlish and Shaklebolt looked equally confused, even if the latter all seemed a bit bemused. "Lucius?! What are you doing here?"
"I was conducting an inspection."
"I didn't request an inspection," Cornelius argued.
"It wasn't a ministry inspection, it was a board of governors inspection." Lucius clarified. "I am head of the board of governors after all. This does give me the right to inspect the school."
"I suppose," Cornelius began with a scowl " But inspecting in the middle of the semester. Highly irregular don't you think?"
"These are highly irregular circumstances," Albus argued with a smile. "If you would kindly sit Cornelius, Delores was just about to show us something which she claims was done in your service."
"Done in my service? What are they talking about Delores?" Cornelius demanded with a scowl.
"Well," Lucius implored the woman, who looked even more ill than before. But finally, she took a deep breath, picked up one of the plates and cleared her throat.
"Seamus Arthur Finegan, November 6th" she spoke clearly. The eyes of the cat on the plate began to glow before a projection appeared, like a fish eyes lens looking into a small version of her office. The colours were crisp and the sound was stellar. As though everyone were they.
"Hello, Mr. Finnigan."
"Hullo professor," Seamus said nonchalantly, looking as though he hadn't a care in the world. Umbridge narrowed her eyes.
"Mr. Finnigan. Need I remind you that you are here for punishment?"
"No professor." Seamus agreed, sheepishly averting his eyes.
"Sit." she declared, gesturing to the desk in front of her. The Irish teen sat a wave of apprehension landing on him, making his eyes shift a bit.
"W-what would you like me to do professor?"
"I would like you to write lines." the Irish teen was visibly relieved when he heard that.
"What am I writing?"
"'I will dress and act with decorum'" Delores recited. Seamus scowled before he schooled his expression blank again.
"How many times?"
"As many as necessary." Delores insisted. Seamus winced but relented. As he reached into his bag though Delores stopped him.
"Oh, no need for that Mr. Finnigan. I have one here for you." Delores insisted before he placed a quill on the teen's desk.
Instantly Severus took a step forward.
"Is that…" he muttered in near silent horror.
"Delores…" Cornelius began softly. The woman refused to speak, seemingly mesmerized by the recording.
It only took a moment for Seamus to jump up and drop the quill with a look of horror.
"What the bloody hell-" he cried in disbelief.
"Ten points from Gryffindor for foul language." Delores spat furiously. "Return to your seat, Mr. Finnigan."
"No way! I'm going straight to mcgonagall and putting a stop to this!" he declared.
"Professor McGonagall has no authority over me, boy!" Delores shouted with a sinister grin. Seamus turned to her with a thick swallow. "I am free to do as I deem necessary. Now sit down and continue your lines. The sooner you finish the sooner you may leave." Seamus seemed to hesitate for a moment before he swallowed the returned to his seat. The teacher watched in horror and disgust as the boy repeated his line over and over. It was only when a bead of blood dribbled out of the cuts that Delores cleared her throat.
"Excellent." she purred, inspecting the hand. "Yes the message seems to have sunk in nicely." she eyed Seamus before she lifted her wand. The boy flinched for only a moment before suddenly his eyes went a bit dim. "Return to Gryffindor tower. Tell no one of what has transpired. But remember your lesson." then she lowered her wand. The boy blinked a few times before he looked at Umbridge. When he couldn't seem to meet her eyes, gripped by fear as he was. And under the fear was that flicker of confusion of someone who could not quite remember what had just transpired. Then he turned and fled. The projection disappeared when the teen closed the door behind him.
The room was speechless.
"Delores…" Cornelius repeated but Lucius lifted a hand.
"Another." he insisted, cold eyes boring into the woman. She looked ill and seconds from tears. But with a shaky hand, she grasped another plate. The next two proceeded much the same as Seamus' with such 'helpful' lessons as 'I will not act like a heathen' and 'I will show my betters respect'. Both of these students had been Hufflepuff, which had Pomona beyond reason with fury.
"M-milicent Bulstrode, December 3rd" Delores stuttered at the fourth plate. Both Lucius and Severus' eyes bugged out. Cornelius looked very sick at that name. Thomas Bulstrode was a relatively important member of the wizengamot. While it was true that his youngest son, Edward, had been disowned for marrying and conceiving a child with a muggle, it was no secret that the elderly wizard doted on his 'precious' granddaughter despite that separation. He would not be pleased. Her lesson was 'I will act more ladylike', which made Severus' blood boil. Milicent might not be what most would conventionally call 'pretty', but that didn't make her less worthy of respect. She was simply an adventurous child who loved animals and music. She didn't need some judgmental old hag telling her the 'correct' way to behave. However, the second bridge placed the quill in front of the sullen girl the recording broke the trend.
"No way I'm touching that!" Milicent cried in horror as she stood and took several steps back, away from the door. "I know what that is! It's a blood quill! I thought those were illegal."
"Miss. Bulstrode," Umbridge began coldly. "This is your punishment. Sit down and begin your lines."
"No! I'm going straight to Dumbledore with this!"
"Imperio!" Umbridge roared.
"Delores!" Cornelius cried in horror rising to his feet in outrage. The rest of the staff was frozen in horror as the recording continued.
The girl instantly froze, going glassy-eyed.
"Turn around," Delores commanded, sweetness returning to her voice. The girl dutifully did so. "Come and sit." once again Millicent moved, with a frightening robotocism and complied. "Now… write your lines," Delores commanded. Instantly the girl picked up the quill and did as she was told.
The professor was disgusted as that recording ended, especially since Umbridge had kept the girl longer than the other, insisting that she start new lines saying 'I will obey my professors' Severus was glaring holes into the woman's head now.
"Lucius," Albus began "I think-"
"Onto the next one." he declared, cutting off the headmaster. Delores swallowed. The rest of the professors looked to be warring with each other. The rage made them want more, but the weight of the pain these children had suffered was making it hard to persevere. There were only three more plates left. The first two played out similarly to Millicent and Seamus', the former, a scrawny-looking Ravenclaw requiring the imperious curse when he refused to use the blood quill. He tried to be reasonable, offering to do extra lines with his own quill. But Umbridge was having none of it. The second last student was a young Slytherin first-year, caught out after hours on a dare. Severus recognized him well, one of the first years he had had to help with homesickness the first week of Hogwarts. It was the first time the boy had been away from his parents and his pets and he missed them all terribly. And Umbridge's lesson 'I will obey the rules' left more than a sour taste in his mouth.
Then everything froze.
"L-lucy M-mathers, February 16th" Delores squeaked out, barely above a whisper. Severus's breath caught in his throat.
"No…" Emmeline wheezed, her heart clenched in her chest. For the first few moments, the teachers all watched with caught breath as Severus stepped into the office and seemed to survey everything. They heard the exchange between the two professors. Saw Severus' lingering gaze. Then his ultimate departure. The professors all held their breath as Lucy stepped up to the hated professor's desk.
Professor Umbridge," Lucy began with a deep breath. "Please allow me to express my sincerest apologies for how I acted in class this morning. It was very unbecoming of me. I had no right to say such things. I'm not saying this to get out of punishment. I understand that I have done wrong and that I deserve this. I just wanted to apologize and wanted you to know that I will never do or say such things ever again."
Every professor was momentarily stunned.
"Oh Lucy," Emmeline moaned, eyes glittering with sorrow and pride all at once.
"She is the finest Hufflepuff I ever taught!" Pomona declared with weepy eyes.
Delores was momentarily stunned at the young girl's speech before he cleared her throat.
"Thank you. Now please, take a seat."
"Yes, professor." Lucy agreed before settling into the desk.
"Today, I would like for you to write lines."
"How many times?" Lucy asked. Delores paused.
"I think a hundred times seems reasonable, seeing as you are already quite contrite." the defence professor decided.
"How generous." Lucius drawled in disgust. Delores swallowed roughly.
"What am I writing professor?"
"I will speak to my professor with respect." Lucy nodded in agreement with that phrase. As she reached for quill Delores cleared her throat.
"No need for that. I would like you to use one of mine." Delores declared before she withdrew the blood quill and placed it in front of the girl. And then a strange thing happened. Lucy's entire posture stiffened up as her eyes landed on the quill. It was as if instinct alone was telling the girl that the quill was evil. "Begin." Delores declared. But still, Lucy refused to touch the quill. She also refused to move, however. After a few moments of silence, Delores paused from where she'd been gazing at the window and turned around. Upon seeing Lucy refusing to start she scowled "Miss. Mathers. Begin your lines."
"Professor…" Lucy began nervously "C-can I have a different quill?"
"No Miss. Mathers. You must use this quill. No start your lines" Lucy shook her head in response. "Miss. Mathers, pick up the quill."
"No." Lucy insisted firmly. Delores sneered and drew her wand.
"Imperio!" the girl flushed her face twisted into a grimace. "Pick up the quill!"
"No!" Lucy shouted back, stunning Delores who paused for a moment before she sneered and put more force into her spell.
"I said pick it up!" but all she managed to do was get Lucy's hands on the table. That's when the woman marched over and slapped the girl.
Severus dove across the space with a viscous growl.
"LET ME AT HER!" he roared as Dawlish and Kingsley held him back. "BY GOD, I'LL-"
"Severus!" Minerva cried despite her own rage, "Try and calm yourself!" Severus growled and turned back to the recording.
The slap seemed to have startled Lucy a bit since she'd burst into tears. Umbridge looked triumphant, however, since the girl was holding the quill.
"Write your lines," Delores commanded. The girl shook her head, sobbing, even as her grip on the quill remained firm. Delores growled and reached for the girl's hand and tried to force the girl to start. But it was a struggle. Then Delores got the upper hand and drew a viciously deep straight line across the page. Lucy screamed in pain.
"Lucius!" Cornelius cried out in horror "Lucius, that is enough!"
"Not quite," Lucius insisted. "This doesn't explain the extent of the magical exhaustion."
"Lucius," Albus began looking grave "this is unnecessary…"
"I would like to be certain." Lucius insisted.
Umbridge tried, unsuccessfully, to get Lucy to start her lines by force eight more times. But at that point, the girl's hand was cut to ribbons, with the deepest overlapping cuts bleeding profusely.
"Well!" Delores cried, panting in exhaustion and rage. "Since you have failed to receive the proper punishment you'll simply have to come back tomorrow!" Lucy was silently sobbing (courtesy of a command 'Be quiet!') "Now!" Umbridge cried before she took a deep breath "Return to Hufflepuff Commons. Tell no one what has transpired here. You are still required to serve your detention. Get out!" Lucy walked slowly and robotically. As she did, blood dribbled on the floor, making Delores sneer. "The first part of your detention tomorrow will be to clean up this mess you made!" then the door closed.
As the recording ended Emmeline took a deep breath.
"How could you?" she demanded on a shaking Umbridge. "How could you? She was just a baby!" the woman burst into tears and covered her sobs with her hands before she dashed across the room to Severus, still sobbing. The man instantly pulled her into a comforting hug. Lucius made a noise.
"She didn't go to Hufflepuff Commons that night, correct? I believe the record stated that she went to you, Severus?" the potions master blinked at his name and turned to Lucius looking a bit stunned.
"Yes," he replied with a hoarseness of grief in his throat. Lucius let that fact sink in for a moment before he clapped his hands.
"Well! I'm satisfied. There is clearly nothing wrong with the keystones." he declared as if that was the only thing of note.
"Dawlish," Cornelius whispered. "Shaklebolt… take her away."
"Yes sir." dawlish agreed with a thought.
"What?! No! Cornelius! Cornelius, please! I only did what I thought I had to! For the good of the ministry! Wait! Dawlish no! Put me down! You can't do this to me! I am senior undersecretary-"
"WERE!" Cornelius roared, with a sudden power behind his voice. The woman froze in her struggle and stared at the man who was very hollow looking. "You were senior undersecretary." Delores was distraught and didn't even bother to fight as the two aurors dragged her into the emerald-green flames. As she disappeared he let out a deeply trouble sigh. "This is a mess…"
"A mess that you ought to leave to myself and the board of governors to resolve, Cornelius." Albus insisted. "You will have enough on your plate. Allow us to help you." the man seemed to hesitate before he turned to Lucius.
"The board can solve this I'm sure?"
"Certainly Cornelius." Lucius purred, looking like the cat that got the canary. Albus looked only the slightest bit put out by the dismissal, but only insofar as he was disappointed, as a bit of the twinkle in his eyes was gone. The minister then turned to Emmeline and Severus and seemed to wilt.
"I am so deeply sorry for the harm that has been done… I know there is nothing…" he trailed off and let out another tired sigh before he turned and left.
Every professor looked incredibly drained.
Exhaustion was coming out of every pore.
"Sweet Merlin," Minerva suddenly cried as she sunk into the chair previously occupied by Cornelius. "What a nightmare… Albus, who are we going to get to cover the defence classes?!"
"I'm afraid Cornelius put Lucius in charge, Minerva." Albus reminded her. "It is not our decision to make." that had a bit of his mirth back, watching Lucius' self-righteous smile turn into a slightly weary grimace.
"If…" Severus began softly "I might be so bold… I know of a candidate who would likely be overjoyed at the concept…"
"Can such a person even exist?" Lucius demanded, "They'd have to be mad."
"Oh he is," Severus complained. "But only one night of the month."
"You… couldn't possibly mean Lupin." Lucius cried. "That would be political suicide!"
"Not," Albus began "if you replaced a notoriously terrible professor with one that has been proven to be much more effective." Lucius blinked and turned to Emmeline. Then his eyes narrowed back to the headmaster.
"Excuse me," he growled. "But Cornelius put me in charge."
"Come now Lucius," Albus insisted with a good-natured chuckle. "It's not as if we are telling you what to do. Merely offering some suggestions." the blond man growled before he took a deep breath.
"I will have my decisions but Monday."
"We will await the news with bated breath." Albus began "Now, feel free to-" he motioned to the fireplace with a gestured hand when suddenly the offered floo began to belch out plumes of green smoke and at least a dozen letters were spat out, some of them smoking at the seams. He winced. "Ah. I'm afraid it appears as though news of Delores's misdeeds have already reached the general public… and we still have to remove the restrictions Delores placed on the floo network…"
"I will walk down to the gates." Lucius conceded with a roll of his eyes.
"Allow me to walk with you," Emmeline muttered having since wiped her face and composed herself. "I need to get back to the hospital."
"Very well," Lucius muttered. "Good day to you all." then he strutted out of the room with the same grace he did most things, Emmeline hot on his heels. There was a momentary exchange of glances before Severus quickly excused himself to follow them.
"I must say," Lucius began as they approached the entrance hall. "This is a most fortuitous turn of events. Who could have predicted that Cornelius would place such trust in me… most fortuitous indeed."
"I'm glad I was able to help with your political machinations," Emmeline declared, sounding almost genuine. "I suppose we're even." suddenly Lucius grasped Emmeline's upper arm.
"Nice try Vance!" he spat, with a dangerously low voice. "We are far from even. Do not forget for a second that you owe me"
"I won't." Emmeline insisted, but there was a coldness in her eyes. "However, you should know that no force on this earth would make me do anything to hurt my family." Lucius let out a humourless laugh.
"Oh, I am well aware of that, Vance. I don't expect anything so obvious. Instead… I shall call on you for a favour."
"Of course," Emmeline responded evenly. Lucius scoffed before he turned and walked through the doors of the entrance hall to the long bridge. Emmeline watched hi god was a hand landed on her shoulder.
"Emmeline," Severus began when she suddenly reached up and pulled him in for a long kiss. "Emmeline." Severus tried again, the heat of the kiss not distracting him from his worry. "Do you realize how dangerous a game you are playing? Lucius Malfoy is not one to be messed with…"
"Trust me, Severus." Emmeline implored him softly. "I can weather whatever he decides to throw at me." Severus paled.
"You didn't agree to the conditions ahead of time?!"
"Getting Delores out of here was more important." Then his lip wobbled and fresh tears threatened to break through. "I'm headed back to the hospital."
"I'm coming with you." Severus declared. "Minerva took the liberty of cancelling all classes for the afternoon. She and the others will be explaining the situation to everyone else."
"Let's go then." Emmeline agreed before they left the castle hand in hand.
Emmeline got the letter the next day while hemming and hawing over paint colours in the new bedroom at the Dover cottage. Lucy loved a soft blue, but Emmeline had also seen her drawn to purples and greens. She also had a sunshine yellow cardigan she'd seen the girl wear several times. That's when the massive black eagle owl flew in through the open window and let out a raspy shriek. Emmeline scowled, recognizing the emblem on its post pouch as the Malfoy family crest.
"Lucius wants his favour already huh?" Emmeline demanded as she took the letter a little less politely than usual. But when she tore the letter open it did something which would seem unusual given the sender. It made her heart soar. She beamed and dashed from the room for her still-packed truck. As she brought it downstairs and pulled open the door the owl flew after her and let out an annoyed sounding noise. Emmeline blinked.
"Oh! Whoops." She quickly conjured a quill and wrote on the back of the envelope a very short phrase.
I accept and thank you for this position.
"There? Happy?" She demanded the owl. So because it swooped over and snatched the parchment up from her hand and glided out the door. Emmeline grinned then turned back around sweeping her wand against the air. Instantly everything righted itself, tidying. Doors and windows locked themselves and the gas was turned off. Then with a pleased nod, she closed and locked the door behind her.
Severus rubbed his temples to stave off the stupidity-induced headache he always got when marking 1st year. It was becoming increasingly obvious that none of this bunch knew how to read. The crisp knock on the door made him groan further.
"Yes, what?" He called out tiredly.
"Well," Emmeline responded with a put-upon huff "and here I thought I was doing you a favor." She grinned as the man got up and sprinted to her.
"You got your job back?"
"Yes."
"Brilliant." Severus cried before he scooped her up, bridal style and pulled her into his quarters beyond his office.
"Wah! Severus! What on earth-" Emmeline cried, though she had a beaming smile.
"I have not held you in 4 months." Severus declared as he stood over her, removing his outer robe. "This is a highly unacceptable condition I will now be remedying." Emmeline let out a girlish giggle before she lifted her wand and the door slammed closed.
Albus looked up from his writing as the door to his office opened. He expected Minerva. Instead, Emmeline Vance walked in with a light in her eyes that gave Albus pause.
"Hello Emmeline," Albus began casually as he put his quill back in his ink well and folded his hands as casually as he could. "What a pleasant surprise. Allow me to wish you a hearty welcome back."
"Thank you," Emmeline said with a soft coldness. Albus remained stoically happy on the outside, but inside a thousand thoughts swirled through his head. "How long have you been in contact with Tobias Snape?"
Albus paused, smile falling a fraction.
"many years now. But I'm sure you know that Severus does not wish to speak with his father."
"And what about the letters?" Emmeline asked softly.
"Letters?" Albus asked casually.
"Apparently, Tobias has been sending letters to Severus on his birthday every year for the last ten years." Emmeline declared with a matter-of-fact expression on her face. There was a pause, the whirling ticking of Albus machines the only noise as the pair seemed to enter a small battle of wills. Finally, Albus leaned back, casual and relaxed.
"I was not aware of any letters." Albus declared. Emmeline frowned at him for a moment before her expression softened somewhat.
"I see… I suppose I should ask Severus then…"
"That would probably be the best course," Albus agreed. Emmeline gave the old man a look then. It was… almost sad.
"Have a good night Albus."
"You as well dear Emmeline." then she was gone. Albus' expression grew contemplative as he looked up to the ceiling. Then he sighed.
Seems he'd let that vein run its course a little too long.
Severus walked into his and Emmeline's quarters with a little spring in his step. As the portrait of Lady Gedevier swung open and he saw his beautiful future wife sitting by the fire he smiled and crossed the room to kiss her temple.
"You are insatiable," Emmeline responded, but in a distracted manner which made Severus pause.
"What's wrong?" He asked worriedly. Emmeline took a deep breath.
"I'm just tired." She finally responded. "It's been a long day."
"That it has…" Severus agreed softly as he placed another kiss against her temple. Emmeline chuckled before she stood up.
"Come to bed," she called, with a hand reaching for his. He gladly took it and the two turned to sleep.