Relinquished

Relinquished, Chapter Eleven

By ArrA.

After hours of questioning as well of a search of his body and clothing, where he had been forced to strip down to his underclothes before being issued the grey prisoner's garb, he was carted off to a jail cell. Now he sat against the hard wall of his cell, resting his head against his knees. His wand had long since striped from his person as had Katie's.

He wondered what Katie was doing now. Was she okay? Was she being continuously interrogated like he had been? Was she comfortable? He hoped that they had treated her more kindly than they had treated him.

Stretching, he surveyed his cell. It was small, a small box, 7x7 feet. In one corner, there a bed that was positioned along most of the back wall, but in what space was left, was where Marcus was seating. There was also a small alcove where he could relieve himself, but other than that, the cell was empty.

He relaxed his head against the wall and listened intently. Silence. All the prisoners where quiet with grief, despair and fear. Mostly they were deatheaters, caught by the Ministry but there were also a few petty criminals and even those who were innocent of any wrong doings. Marcus felt pity for the latter; there would be so many who would never get the chance of proving their innocence.

Suddenly he heard the fall of booted feet as they hit the floor in a constant rhythm. He could hear them approach his cell and Marcus took a deep breath and crossed his fingers, hoping for them to pass his own personal prison. Unfortunately for Marcus though, they stopped in front of his cell and the wizards peered in. There were two of them, Ministry Wizards, standing outside Marcus' door and staring in. One was short with shaggy brown hair, while the other one was tall with large framed glasses. Both had their wands trained on him as they watched him through the bars.

"Mister Flint," the tall one said, "stand up and approach the door of the cell."

Glaring at the men, Marcus rose to his feet and did as he was told. At the wizards' direction, Marcus put his hands on his head and the short wizard muttered a spell, chaining his hands together. Then the cell door slid open and he was gestured out of the cell.

The wizards stood on each side of him and lead him down the hall and out of the row of cells. As they lead him through the maze that was the Ministry, nothing was said, the wizards looking stonily ahead, never looking Marcus in the eye.

Finally he was gestured into a large conference room in the depths of the Ministry. The heads of those seated at the large table that positioned in the middle of the room, turned and looked at him. Although Marcus had no recognition of most of the people who sat around the table, there were a few familiar faces. Marcus recognized Albus Dumbledore, Cornelius Fudge and Severus Snape to name a few.

Fudge rose to his feet and motioned the wizards to lead Marcus to one end of the room. Marcus was roughly pushed into a seat and both wizards stood on either side of him.

"Ah, Mister Flint," Fudge said from the other side of the room. "We're here to discuss your fate."

Marcus looked across the table, confused. Why was the Minister of Magic seeing over his trial? Not to mention the Headmaster of his old school.

"Mister Flint," Albus Dumbledore said, standing up beside Fudge, "we're here to discuss where you're going. Contrary to what you may believe, no one has any wish for you to be sent to Azkaban. You protected Miss Bell from your fellow deatheaters and you lied for her, is that not true?"

Marcus nodded, wondering where all this talk was going.

"I do not think that you are loyal to Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore and shushed Marcus when he opened his mouth to talk, "no, you remind me much of Severus at your age. A good man, just misguided. Now, I'm willing to take you under my wing, as long as you agree to several conditions."

Marcus took a deep breath. "Thank you sir," he said, shocked. "I'm flattered you have so much faith in me. What is it you wish me to do for you?"

Albus looked at those seated around the room, until one man, an old wizard with a long grey beard stood up. "Mister Flint," he said, "I am Gregory Lestrange, and you know my niece, Nekane." Marcus nodded. "The same proposition has been given to Nekane and Osbourne Avery who came seeking shelter at Hogwarts about a week ago."

Marcus nodded.

"What we are asking is for you to come to Hogwarts and help Madame Hooch with teaching the children how to ride their brooms and help with House Quidditch," Gregory told him. "While you are at Hogwarts, you will also be helping Aurors discover new spells and translate old prophecies that were stolen from Voldemort's vaults. It is said that at Hogwarts you excelled at Ancient Runes?"

Marcus just nodded.

"Of course, Marcus," Dumbledore added, "we'll give you a little time to consider your fate." Everyone then stood and started to file out of the room, except for Severus Snape and the two Aurors behind him. The former rose from his seat and crossed the room, to sit next to Marcus.

"How did this happen?" Marcus asked his old Head of House.

"Osbourne Avery showed up with that Lestrange girl trailing behind him. They were asking for shelter after abandoning their old cause. They wanted to help us fight Voldemort. I must say that it was very refreshing to see young children, pampered since birth to become deatheaters, walking away from their prior footsteps and join the cause of the righteous."

Marcus laughed softly, watching Snape with his greasy black hair and cold eyes. "Is Dumbledore's cause really so righteous? Do mudbloods really deserve to learn our magic?"

"Ask yourself that, Mister Flint. Isn't Miss Bell a muggle born?"

Marcus nodded slowly. Katie. He hadn't seen her in so long. "Is she alright?"

"Of course, she's going to Hogwarts, for protection. She knows too much about the Dark Lord, she's seen his minions. She would never be safe otherwise. I thought you might want to know that before making your decision."

"What does she have to do with me, Snape?"

Then it was Snape's turn to laugh. "Everything you've done since you took her, everything you've done, it was her. You lied to keep her safe, and you even left your old life for her. I'm sure you would sacrifice yourself for her protection, wouldn't you Flint?"

"That's a bit extreme," was Marcus' only answer.

"I'll leave you to think over your decision," Snape said, giving him a knowing look.

"Of course, Sir."

And with that, Snape walked out of the room and Marcus was left alone, except for the two aurors who stood behind him.

He missed Katie, he missed her so much, he thought to himself. He could go to Hogwarts, make sure she was okay. Hopefully he would be safe there, safe from the deatheaters and those who would prosecute him for his past way of life.

Grandfather. The thought flashed through his mind. What had happened to him, after Marcus had fled that night. He would ask, he would make sure that the old man was safe. Turning his head towards the Ministry Aurors, he said, "I've decided."

The Aurors just nodded, standing as still as ever.

Two minutes later though, as if by magic, Dumbledore, Fudge and Snape returned to the room, this time alone.

"I hear you have decided, Mister Flint?" Dumbledore asked kindly. "What have you decided?"

"I will come to Hogwarts," he said simply, "on one condition."

"You're not in the position to be making conditions, boy," Fudge snapped in an annoyed voice but Dumbledore waved his hand, gesturing for him to be quiet.

"What is this condition, Marcus?"

"I want my Grandfather to be safe. He's a good man, you know."

Dumbledore just nodded. "Of course. We had planned on protecting him all along. To tell the truth, he's just as brilliant at ancient runes as you are."

"Good," Marcus replied, attempting to look reserved but then he blurted out what had just came to his mind, "Sir? May I see Katie?"

Dumbledore looked at him for a moment, a secret twinkle in his eyes. "You will see her soon enough, Mister Flint. But for now, you must be content with your grandfather."

Marcus nodded, relieved to see someone who cared for him.

"Come, Mister Flint," Dumbledore said, gesturing for Marcus to approach him. This time the two Aurors stayed where they were, watching suspiciously as he walked across the room.

Dumbledore then led him out of the large room and they entered a room with a large fireplace which took up almost the whole back wall of the room. There were a few people, waiting in line to use the fireplace, standing and chatting. There was also a floo depressor in the corner but instead of getting floo from the machine, Dumbledore handed Marcus a handful of the fine powder.

"When you go through the fireplace, say Hogwarts Castle, the Headmaster's Office, alright, Mister Flint?"

Marcus nodded and took the powder in his hand and waiting. The people who were lined up to use the fireplace shuffled out of the way to give Marcus, Dumbledore and Snape, whom Marcus hadn't notice follow behind, approach the fireplace.

Snape was the first to go through. He threw his Floo powder into the flames and yelled, "Hogwarts Castle, the Headmaster's Office," and stepped into the green flame, promptly disappearing.

Next, it was Marcus' turn to step through the fire. He imitated Snape's actions, stepping through the fire and ending up in Dumbledore's office, which he visited before.

Snape was sitting in a chair, by a large desk; that Marcus assumed was Dumbledore's. Beside the desk was a large, golden cage which contained a beautiful bird which he recognized was a phoenix.

There was a small explosion behind him, drawing his attention from the magnificent creature in the cage and turned to see Dumbledore standing behind him, smiling. "I see that you both arrived safely. I was worried that Voldemort might have tapped into the Floo System but thankfully that wasn't the case," he said, before turning to Snape, "Severus, I think that Mister Flint has had enough drama for one day. Please, will you show him to his room?"

Snape nodded, and stood up and started to lead Marcus out the room. Right before Marcus stepped out of the room he stopped. "Professor?"

"Yes, Mister Flint?"

"Thank you."

Dumbledore smiled and sat down in his desk, waving it off with a careless hand. "It was nothing Mister Flint."

Marcus smiled slightly and followed Snape down the stairs.

"You'll be sharing a set of rooms with you Grandfather," Snape said when they arrived in front of Marcus' new rooms. Instead of being placed near the dungeons, where he had spent his time in Hogwarts, his new rooms would be positioned by the library, quite a bit closer to Gryffindor Tower, where he assumed Katie would be staying.

"Thank you, Professor," he said to Snape, in a respectful voice.

"No need to call me, Professor, Mister Flint. You're a peer now. Please, call me Severus."

"Thank you Severus. Please call me Marcus," he added as an after thought.

Snape nodded his head and told him the password to his rooms which was an old, Flint family motto, "Pride is strength, and pity is weakness." Marcus turned to the painting of the entrance of his rooms which consisted of a knight in polished silver armor and muttered the password and staggered into his new rooms after a strenuous day.

He was greeted kindly by his grandfather, who took him by the arm and led the tired boy to bed. Marcus hugged Ed, grateful that he still had someone and with these reassurances, quickly drifted off to sleep.

Author's Notes

Sorry that there's no M/K in this chapter, but the next chapter they're reunited! Yay! Actually, I'm not sure how much longer this story's going on for. I think it's coming to the end soon. Not sure what I'm going to do, kill off Voldemort or not... oh well. We'll see, eh? ;)

Many thanks to my reviewers!! J

Cady (Nope, not done yet! There's chapters coming up!), kat6528 (Glad you liked it! The next chapter is up! Hope you liked it.), Queen of Night (Glad you liked it!), daphne (Yay!! Thanks for the review! All is forgive! J Glad you like the characters and ships!), and Darcel (Aw, can't you lie? I tried to change it, but it wouldn't let me. L I think I'd have to make a totally new group and I'm too lazy.)