Dark Coil

Dark Coil Chapter Fifteen

Making Plans

Olivia and the others sat in a small chamber off the main Legal Affairs complex. They had been whisked there immediately upon their arrival by the department head, Bill Lewis. Huddled around the scarred and pitted table, the group from Hogwarts listened attentively to Lewis as he brought them up to date on Professor Snape's situation.

"It really couldn't be a worse predicament," the graying man explained. "Found with the body of another victim. And this one's family had just finished filing a missing person's report with Scotland Yard. Most of the other victims were runaways, strays who had no family willing to claim them. Terribly sad." Lewis sighed heavily and rested his chin on folded hands. "There is not one shred of evidence tying Professor Snape to the actual crime, but the Muggle police have been taking a beating in their press. And now, with the grieving parents on every single channel… They are going to want to pin this on Snape if they can get away with it, if only to settle the public down a bit."

He turned his warm brown eyes on Olivia. "Miss McGonagall, I have arranged a meeting with their Chief Prosecutor for later this morning. You will be able to present some argument on behalf of Professor Snape then. I realize you have had no time to prepare but I hope that the arresting officers' report and photos of the scene will prove helpful."

At this he handed Olivia a thick brown envelope.

Taking the offered package, Olivia opened it and removed the contents. As she skimmed over the report, Lewis continued.

"You should know this, also, before going in Olivia. Fudge has thrown Professor Snape to the Muggles. You will receive no help from the Ministry on this one, at least not voluntarily. The Muggles will have to request Ministry assistance." At the confused looks directed his way, Lewis grinned sheepishly. "I am acting on my own here. Strictly off the record. Of course, Fudge knows you are here, using the Floo network through this office, but he doesn't know I am lending you a hand. Could mean my head on a pole outside his office door if he finds out." The department head rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I will trust you to keep my name out of this should…ah…questions be asked."

"Bill, we all appreciate the risk you are taking. If you would like, we could leave right now and proceed on our own." Olivia paused as Lewis waved away her words.

"No. I'll not see an innocent wizard sent to Azkaban and the guilty go free because Fudge is too damned stupid to accept the truth about Voldemort. That is what this is all about, after all. He thinks that if he simply continues to feed upbeat information to the Daily Prophet and the wizard community continues buys it, the nightmare will end. Bloody fool!"

Lupin spoke for the first time. "Has the Daily Prophet run the story yet?"

Lewis nodded and removing his wand from his robe, he tapped the tabletop. The morning edition of the wizard newspaper appeared. The headlines screamed, literally, "Muggle-Child Murderer Captured!!" Below the bold lines was the snarling photo of Professor Snape. Cold black eyes gazed hatefully at the group sitting around the table before rudely turning his back.

Lupin picked up the paper and began to read, Madam Pomfrey and Hermione Granger leaning in close, reading intently. Olivia and Lewis continued their conversation.

"Without the Ministry's involvement in the case, Olivia, how do you intend to gain Professor Snape's freedom?" Lewis asked intently.

"Why, I plan on walking in there and stealing him away, of course," she joked. When the man didn't respond, she replied soberly. "I am going to do what any lawyer would do. I am going to prove that Snape is innocent. I know that we could easily go in and take Snape, alter a few memories, but his name in our world would be ruined forever. I can't let that happen to him. He deserves better." Olivia sighed. "Since the Ministry will not willingly become involved, I am going to insist that the Muggle authorities request assistance. I want to use the Visum Memoria scroll."

Lewis nodded. "Will Professor Snape agree to this?"

"It may be his only chance. I would suggest a Pensive, but the memories could be called into question because they can be taken out of context. With the scroll, we would have an entire sequence of events." Olivia didn't seem pleased with her limited options. "Of course, with the Visum Memoria, we risk exposing Professor Snape to other dangers." She raised intent green eyes to equally intent brown.

Lewis nodded. "I understand. Certain allegiances may be called into question."

"That must be avoided, if at all possible. I don't want to save him from the Muggles, just to have certain wizards hunting him down."

"I don't envy you the task ahead, Olivia. I will do everything I can to help you." Lewis laid a hand on Olivia's arm. She covered it with her own hand and gave him a grateful squeeze.

"We should be getting on with it, then," Olivia told him in a firm voice.

Lupin, Hermione and Madam Pomfrey looked up from the paper.

"Right, you are," Lewis admitted grimly. He turned his attention to the others. "I have taken the liberty of manufacturing Muggle identification for each of you. Dr. Pomfrey."

He handed Madam a set of forms and identification cards showing she was licensed to practice medicine in Great Britain, a driver's license, proof of insurance and several Muggle credit cards. When she frowned in confusion at the cards, Lewis smiled and said,

"Just don't limit them out, okay?"

He gave similar packets to Lupin and Hermione before pushing himself from his chair. "You will need these when presenting yourselves at the hospital. Only immediate family will be allowed to attend outside of the good doctor here and the councilor."

"We have conjured some Muggle clothing for each of you. Your personal belongings will have already arrived and will be stored here until you are able to find lodging. I wish the Ministry would allow you to use the flat we hold for times such as these, but… well, you see…" He flushed in embarrassment and shrugged his shoulders.

"Not to worry," Hermione spoke out. "I will start contacting some agencies about housing. I can handle that. Any idea how long we may be staying, Miss McGonagall?"

Olivia shook her head. "Hopefully, just a few days. But you don't have to tell them that. We can make a full deposit and pay for several months in advance if we have to. Find something as close to the hospital as possible. We could simply get a hotel room, but I would rather not risk maids coming in and finding anything unusual."

Olivia turned to Madam Pomfrey. "Poppy, you will have to go directly to the hospital with Miss Granger. I will need to know Professor Snape's condition. Remus must remain with me when I am to meet with the Prosecutor. We will meet you as soon as we can." Olivia regarded the mediwitch gently. "Do you feel up to the Muggle world?"

Poppy pulled herself up rigidly. "I'd like to see some Muggle git try to come between me and that boy. I have put him back together too many times to let some quack work on the professor!" she announced stoutly.

"Good." Lewis was smiling. "If you would be so kind to step this way, you can change into something more suitable for Muggle London and then you can be off. I would drive you, but I need to remain in the background as much as possible if I am to be any real help to you later."

He led them through a stout wooden door that opened into a dim corridor. Several other doors stood along the way. Lewis indicated two portals opposite one another. "Ladies," he said indicating the door to his right. "And gents," he informed Lupin, pointing to the left.

"Now, here I must leave you. I wish you all the best. Call me as needed, please. When you are ready to go, exit through the last door on your right. You will come out in the Muggle courthouse. Olivia, your meeting is to take place upstairs in about twenty minutes. Madam Pomfrey, you and Miss Granger will able to summon a taxi just outside the front doors." With a brief nod, he left them.

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It took just moments for them to change into the Muggle clothing and re-group in the corridor. Olivia was dressed simply in a black two-piece suit and matching heels. The soft collar of her white blouse fell in elegant lines to a deep V. Her long brown hair was swept up in a French knot at the back of her head leaving the slender column of her neck exposed. The effect was both business-like and feminine. Hermione had decided on lavender slacks, a blouse of flowing mauve and blazer. Madam Pomfrey dressed much as Olivia except she opted for low-heeled "sensible shoes" of shining black leather. With her black physician's bag, she looked every inch the professional health care provider. It was the change in Lupin that caused the ladies to catch their breath.

Lupin emerged from his dressing room struggling with his maroon silk tie, the collar of his dove gray dress shirt turned up. He had managed to fasten himself into the slacks of charcoal gray that hung from his slim frame giving the witches their first glimpse at the length of his legs and trim torso as he lifted his chin to fasten the top button of his shirt. The matching coat was thrown carelessly over one arm as he fought with the shining length of material that was meant to knot neatly about his throat. Hermione rushed forward to offer her assistance.

Taking the tie from his fumbling fingers she expertly slid it around his neck, saying as she worked, "I do this all the time for my dad. After all these years, you would think the man could tie a decent knot without having to use the bedpost." Guiding the maroon silk into a complicated formation, she deftly cinched it up near the top button and then leaning closer, reached behind Lupin's head to turn down the collar of his shirt. Standing this close to the man she once called "professor", Hermione detected his deep mellow scent and noticed for the first time the broadness of his shoulders under the gray material. Feeling heat creep into her face, she gave the tie, and his muscled chest a tiny pat, saying briskly, "There, all done!" and moved back to her place by Olivia McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey.

The women stared as Lupin slipped the elegant suit jacket on and as one, they ran their eyes over the length of him. Wizard's robes had done a remarkable job of hiding Lupin's lean form for many years and while he had always been considered a handsome man by anyone's standard, seeing him revealed in the flattering Muggle suit was a pleasant surprise.

Lupin shrugged the jacket into a comfortable position and buttoned the front. He glanced up at the three women staring at him with wide eyes and quickly looked down at his person, afraid he had left something open. Looking up again, confused he inquired, "What?"

No one spoke for a brief moment then Madam Pomfrey broke the silence. "Why Remus, you are positively lovely!" She quickly covered her mouth with a hand as her eyes widened in shock at her own words.

Olivia rushed in,"Remus, it is just that…well, you look great. I think you may start a trend." She smiled as a flood of crimson moved up the wizard's neck and into his face. "We shall have to keep a close eye on you while we are here. You will be causing quite a stir among the females of London."

The embarrassed man spread his hands helplessly then grinned his slow, lopsided grin.

Hermione felt her heart climb into her throat and a shivery feeling wormed its way along her stomach. She busied herself with the contents of her hand bag and thought to herself, "Oh my!"

Olivia gave them all one final look over and after asking Hermione if she thought they passed muster, indicated that it was time they set out on their separate tasks. Their robes and wands had been reduced using a shrinking spell and stored away in pockets and purses. Taking deep, steadying breaths they moved to the exit Lewis had pointed out to them earlier.

They stepped out into the lobby of an immense building filled with morning light that flooded in through tall windows lining one wall of the exposed upper floor. A row of glass and metal doors exited out on the already busy street and across from them was a wall of elevators. The black and white marble floors gleamed with the morning sun ending in a broad staircase leading to the upper floor. Near the stairs stood a round information desk, a uniformed officer seated behind it. Dark wood shone with careful cleaning and the air was alive with the muffled sounds of voices as lawyers, bailiffs, police officers and civilians made to start their work day.

"Right." Olivia addressed the nervous group. "Poppy, you and Hermione are to go straight way to the Royal Marsden Hospital. You should have no trouble finding the hospital or gaining access to Professor Snape. You should ask to meet with the attending physician upon arrival, present your credentials. Hermione, after you have delivered Poppy safely to Professor Snape's room, I need you to contact a real estate agent about housing and I want you to get us some cell phones. We will need a way to be in contact with each other without using magic. You know what to do." Hermione nodded. Olivia continued, "I won't stress our need for caution. We all know what is at stake here." Stepping forward quickly, Olivia gave the other women a warm embrace, pressing them close to her. Pulling away she told them, "Go on, Severus is waiting."

As Madam Pomfrey turned to the glass exits, Hermione risked a quick glance at Lupin. He caught her eye and held it for a moment before the young woman moved to catch up with Poppy.

"They will do fine, Olivia," Lupin told her as they watched the two women enter the taxi Hermione had quickly hailed.

"Yes, I know." Olivia sighed. She felt a touch on her arm and looked up into Remus' understanding eyes.

"Severus will be fine, too. You have to believe that."

Olivia smiled at Remus and gripped her case tighter. Nodding toward the information desk, she said firmly, "Let's get busy."

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Those of you who want to flame me about the Lupin and Hermione thing-nah!nah!nah!