Willow Song

XXII. The Healer of the Order of the Phoenix

Over the next few weeks Serena adjusted to life in the shadows. She couldn't tell one person from another, but she did at least recognize human shapes. She hated being cooped up at headquarters, but Dolohov and the other Death Eaters were still trying to capture her. (Her father had somehow escaped from the Ministry guards, and rumors were now flying about Ministry collusion with the Death Eaters.) She didn't want anyone else risking his or her life for her sake, so she pretended that she was fine with being a hermit.

The Order was gone on urgent business more and more often, and their meetings at headquarters grew more urgent. More names were being listed among the killed and missing. Cornelius Fudge was killed, so was Madame Rosmerta of the Three Broomsticks. Mundungus went missing for two weeks until he was found, badly beaten and with his memory modified. Serena worked with him for a week.

On June first, the news came that Hermione's dentist parents had been killed by Death Eaters while in their dental offices, and that Percy Weasley had disappeared while trying to save them. Nobody seemed to know what the Death Eaters had done to him. All of the Order and the Weasley family were distraught about this. Serena was troubled too, even though she had seen it happen two years before. She wrote her condolences to Hermione and told Hermione to come and see her when she was ready.

The Order met again and Serena suggested that they stick as close to Harry as possible because the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort would happen at the end of NEWT testing. There was still no news of Percy.

Serena only heard snatches of information about the battles, always wanting more news than she heard. The day came when Dumbledore came to her and told her that she had her first serious patient. Harry had defeated Voldemort. During the battle, Percy had killed himself while under the Imperius Curse rather than kill his little brother Ron. Serena cried at the news. McGonagall was badly wounded and was confined in St. Mungo's. Hagrid had died fighting seven Death Eaters at once. Professor Sprout was killed while saving some of her Hufflepuffs. The news seemed overwhelming, but Dumbledore had explained little. He would tell her all later, but right now she must help a special patient. "He is waiting for you in the healing bedroom at the end of the hall."

"Who is it?"

"Professor Snape."

She entered the room and found a very agitated, jumpy, paranoid man. "Professor?" she inquired timidly. " How are you?" He said nothing, but from what she could legilimize, he was feeling huge waves of anxiety and confusion. Serena stepped back out the door with Dumbledore.

"What happened to him?" she asked softly.

"He's been serving as a spy on Voldemort's inner circle for many years. He was ruthlessly tortured when Voldemort realized his betrayal, but escaped before Voldemort's dementors could administer the Kiss, or the Death Eaters could kill him. Can I do anything to help you?"

"Yes, please get Winky to brew some kava tea, and I need a glass of the draught of peace."

It took several days of soothing Green Song before Snape relaxed enough to let her into his mind. There she built one bridge a day--there were far too many psychic wounds to do at once. Serena didn't stop at Voldemort's wounds. She went back to Snape's Hogwarts years and then to his miserable childhood before Hogwarts, showing Snape the wisdom he possessed and the defeat of Voldemort made possible because of his suffering. She showed him Nott and Zabini and other Slytherins for whom he had provided a safe haven when they chose not to be Death Eaters. He saw the heights of excellence reached by students who never would have tried without his demands. Then she saw his future and its potential for happiness if Snape would allow it, but wondered if he ever could allow himself to be happy. While she worked with him, love for him swelled in her heart. Professor Snape stayed with Serena for a month before he was ready to leave.

"Serena. I have found greater peace and healing here than I thought was possible in the world. Thank you. I hope you think your sacrifice is worth it, because it has saved me and will save many others. How can I pay you for your services?"

"It was worth it. Thank you, Professor. I've never charged any one for what I do. I wouldn't know what price to ask. Just do what you think is best. I'm provided for here by the Black trust and the Order, so I don't need anything."

"Call me Severus. Unfortunately, you've seen far too deeply into my soul to still call me professor. And I will pay you, somehow, someway, a little here and there, but I pay my debts." He reached his arm around her and hugged her stiffly.

"Thank you, Severus," she said, touched, and then he left.

The next day Dumbledore appeared with Harry Potter. "Harry will be staying at headquarters for a week, Serena. Take good care of him."

Harry interrupted, "Professor, I'm fine. I don't need any psychic mumbo jumbo. I'm ready now to help you clear out the remaining Death Eaters." Dumbledore disapparated.

"Willowsong, I don't need this. I don't want this!" Harry argued.

"Potter, I'm in charge here," she smiled firmly, "so just do as you're told and follow me upstairs."

Dobby apparated into the room behind Harry with a sudden pop. "The great Dumbledore sent me to help Harry and make sure he does what Mistress Serena says. Dobby also gets to see his Winky!"

So Harry reluctantly allowed himself to be led upstairs where he chose a bedroom for his week-long stay.

Serena found plenty to work on in a week with his trauma over Voldemort, the pain of being disbelieved, his hellish childhood, the suffering and guilt for the times his friends suffered because of him, and his guilt especially over the death of Sirius. Serena looked into Harry's future: honored, respected, powerful, loved by his close friends and professors. She saw that he would still perform many great things and have the large loving family he'd always dreamed of. She didn't know if she should show him his bride, but finally built the golden thread that led to Ginny. More importantly, she showed him how his childhood deprivation had made him teachable and strong and ready to prove himself. Everything he suffered had made him strong.

Each day they met she wove him a new bridge, and Harry got so he looked forward to it. "I've never heard anything like your song. It changes every time, but it always makes me feel like I want to soar inside. I feel full of light when you sing. It's bloody brilliant."

The day she gave him the flash of Ginny in his future, he sat up smiling. "Is that real?"

"If you want it to be. You can still make other choices."

"I guess I'll wait and enjoy it when it happens. Am I done? Tomorrow is July thirty-first, my eighteenth birthday. There's a big party at the Weasleys."

"You're done. Charlie will be there too. It's the day he moves back to stay."

"So you reckon we'll be relatives sometime soon?"

"I think so. You know, Harry, we both grew up without our birth parents, raised in the muggle world. We both grew up wishing for a big, loud, loving family."

"And we both were pulled into the Weasley family."

"Exactly," Serena smiled. "I'm glad you found Ron and Ginny." Harry left an hour later, leaving Dobby behind with Winky for a few days.

Remus and Serena apparated to the Burrow the next day for Harry's eighteenth birthday and Charlie's homecoming. The atmosphere was happy, and melancholy--Percy's absence was keenly felt. Arthur came and hugged Serena. "Thank you for making me fix things with Percy. I couldn't have stood it if he'd have gone without knowing we loved him."

Serena heard a crack and the happy squeals of "Charlie" and knew he had just apparated into the room. She heard the hugs and slaps on the back. Her stomach did a flip-flop as she noticed a dark human shape moving towards her. Then she was wrapped in Charlie's arms, feeling like there was no other place in the world where she belonged. "Charlie. Charlie I've missed you. I--" but he stopped her speech with a kiss. Fred and George loudly wolf whistled, and many of the rest of the crowd applauded.

"Okay, time to celebrate!" cried George. Fred and Ginny and Ron marched in carrying birthday cake and butterbeers. McGonagall, just released from St. Mungo's, showed up just as Harry began opening presents and sat down with Charlie and Serena. Harry modestly opened each present. Charlie, Serena, and Remus gave him a small Pensieve made of holly wood. Hermione and Ron gave him a deluxe box of Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes. Fred and George gave him a stock certificate for 40% of the shares in their business--after all he was their primary investor. Mr. & Mrs. Weasley gave Harry a hand on the family clock. McGonagall, Neville, and Luna gave him a training book for Aurors. Bill handed Harry a box of Honeydukes chocolates and added, "This is from Ginny too." Ginny slipped Harry a note asking him to meet her outside later for his real present from her, and he grinned stupidly.

The group headed to the family makeshift Quidditch pitch. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna made up one team (each short one Chaser), while Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Arthur, and Remus made up the other. Charlie and Harry played Seekers; Ron and Arthur played Keepers; Neville, Luna, Fred, and George played Beaters; and Hermione, Ginny, Bill, and Remus were Chasers. Molly, Serena, and McGonagall sat in the grass and cheered both teams. Charlie's team outscored Harry's, but Harry caught the snitch and won 190 to 140.

Charlie hovered on his broom near Serena. "Come on love, we're going flying. Just climb on behind me and hold on tight."

Flying through the air without any idea of where she was going and unable to see what Charlie could see was both terrifying and exhilarating for Serena. As he attempted trickier maneuvers, she just held tighter and found her body moving in sync with his as he flew.

When they landed, Molly was waiting to scold Charlie, and Neville was waiting to talk to Serena.

"Serena, I talked to Dumbledore and he agrees that it's time for you to take on two of the older members of the Order of the Phoenix--I want to move my parents from St. Mungo's to headquarters. They've waited many years for a healer with your gift to help them. It's time."

Charlie overheard the conversation with Neville and joined in, along with Molly. "How soon are you planning on moving them over?" he asked.

"As soon as possible."

"Could you wait a couple weeks?"

"I suppose, why?"

"Because Serena needs some time off first."

"Okay, I'll plan on moving them there around the fifteenth of August. Is that enough time?"

"Yes, thanks." Neville left to tell Luna the plan.

"Charlie, why'd you do that?" asked Serena.

"Because you do need some time off. Mum, we'll be gone for a few hours, so don't worry. We need to talk."

Charlie and Serena wandered into the woods behind the Burrow, nearly tripping over Harry kissing Ginny. Harry looked up sheepishly grinning. Ginny pertly explained, "Birthday present," then pulled Harry in for another kiss.

Charlie and Serena walked on farther, then Charlie hurriedly changed direction. "Uh, Ron and Hermione were off walking that way," he explained.

"If this is what the Weasley woods are for, no wonder there are so many Weasleys!" Serena laughed.

Charlie sat them down on a fallen log and kissed Serena again. "I know it's not quite two years yet, but I want us to marry now. We can get married in a day or two, go on our honeymoon, then I'll start at the dragon keep, and you can start on the Longbottoms. We'll live at headquarters until you're done with them. Then we'll build our own place, and you can just go to headquarters to work."

"You've really thought this through."

"We can get a marriage license from the Ministry tomorrow and get married the next day. Unless you want something fancy. Or if you think the Samuelsons want us to wait until they can come."

"I haven't heard from them in six months. My owls come back unread."

"What?! Why didn't you tell me?"

"They aren't dead; I'd have felt that, but they are in hiding. They don't want to be found. So they probably figured on missing my wedding anyway."

"I'm sorry. Wait. So is it yes? Let's go tell my folks!"

Molly and Arthur were delighted, though a bit overwhelmed. Molly's wedding dress fit Serena--Molly explaining that before having seven children she used to be the same short curvy size as Serena. Everyone at the party, plus some classmates and the rest of the Order, was invited to the wedding on August second. They got their license on the first and spent the day making last minute preparations for a wedding at the Burrow and securing a Ministry official to perform the ceremony. The whole back of the Burrow was festooned with garlands of flowers, thanks to Hermione and the Patil twins and Katie Bell working wonders with their wands. Ginny was very frustrated to still be a couple weeks short of seventeen and not be able to help with her magic. Lavender used a charm that wove a cap of tiny braids over the crown of Serena's long loose hair, and then inserted tiny pearls into the braids.

Ginny was Serena's bridesmaid, and Bill was Charlie's best man. Remus and Minerva walked Serena down the aisle, Remus on her left and Minerva on her right. At the wedding party, just after the toasts were made to the new couple, Charlie played, "Your Hero" on his guitar, singing it to Serena. Then the dancing began. Serena danced with each of her new brothers, her father-in-law, Remus, Neville, and Harry. To the surprise of most people, but not to Serena, Snape got up and asked her to dance. They took three long slow turns around the floor together.

When the party was finally winding down, and Serena and Charlie had changed out of their wedding clothes, Serena asked Charlie where they were going to go for their honeymoon. "Do you remember the grotto with the ferns and the warm pool and the waterfall that you showed me in my mind when we were in Dumbledore's office that day?" asked Charlie.

Serena smiled wistfully at the memory. "Yes."

"I found it. Now just concentrate on it and hold my hand." Crack! They apparated there together. Charlie already had a tent waiting for them that was fully furnished inside. They walked to the water's edge, peeled off each others' clothes amidst a demanding fury of kisses, and slipped into the warm waters together before they consummated their love behind the cascades of the waterfall.

* * *

Two weeks later they moved into headquarters just in time to help Winky and Dobby finish setting up a residence for the Longbottoms. Neville moved into a bedroom next to his parents to help with the healing. Winky was delighted to have Serena back again.

Frank and Alice were put into a single room together. Neville helped with healing herbs and comforting one parent, while Serena worked with the other.

Each day Serena moved by tiny increments to get past the walls of insanity that both Alice and Frank had erected to find a place where there was no pain. Some days she was so exhausted from the efforts that Charlie carried her to bed without supper. It was a long and difficult labor of love, but by Christmas Neville had real parents again and in February the three Longbottoms returned to their own home. The Daily Prophet even did a write up about the Longbottoms' recovery.

Charlie took Serena to the beach where they had spent their first date. Even though it was a warm day for February, Charlie was surprised when Serena peeled down to her suit and insisted on swimming. He put a magical tether around Serena's waist and put the other end of it on his wrist, and they body surfed again together. They quit after less than an hour because of the cold of the water. Charlie was watching Serena dry off when he noticed a slight round protrusion just below her waist. He knelt before her and put his head on her stomach. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to tell you tonight. Are you happy?"

"You know I am. When are we due?"

"The end of August."

"Do you know what we're having?"

"I've known that since I healed you last Christmas. This one's a girl."

"Really? I mean, Ginny is the first female Weasley in five generations. That Y chromosome is pretty dominant in this family."

"Don't worry; she'll have lots of little brothers."

"Lots!" Charlie took Serena in his arms and kissed her giddily, his hands pulling her in tightly while her hands slid down to his cold, wet, swim trunks.

"We'd better get warm." Charlie started a magical fire, and they put their warm clothes on next to it.

Charlie took Serena out for the night to celebrate at an Argentinean restaurant. Charlie just got up to surprise Serena with his choices for her from the salad bar, when Serena saw a dark human form standing in front of her. "Who are you?" she asked with more than a hint of trepidation. "Do I know you?"

"Serena Willowsong Dolohov Weasley. You look good. Married life becomes you."

"Antonin? What are you doing here?"

"Don't worry, I'm no threat to you. I just wanted to see you one time before I go into permanent hiding, or get caught and end up in Azkaban. My master is dead. I was a fool to follow him, but fear makes fools of many of us. So are you truly blind?"

"Yes. I'm blind. It was the price of my gift."

" I read about your work with the Longbottoms in the Daily Prophet this week. What you did for them was impressive. You're to be congratulated."

"Thank you."

"You're lucky I didn't raise you; that Lestrange never got her hands on you. We'd have ruined you or killed you trying. You're a powerful witch. Even though all I did was donate the sperm, I must say you've done well, Serena." Then he disapparated with a thunderous crack.

Charlie came back carrying a plate with tiny boiled quail eggs, delicate spring greens with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and balls of handmade fresh mozzarella. "You'll have to tell me if I guessed right about what you'd like from the salad bar." Then he took in her white face and the slight shake in her hands. " Who was that you were talking to?" he asked as he set the plate in front of her.

"My father."

"Henry?"

"No, Antonin. He's gone now and won't be back."

"Bugger! That murderous evil git was here?"

"He was almost nice. I think he regrets the choices he's made. He's proud of me for what I did with the Longbottoms. It was a very strange moment."

They finished early, no longer feeling talkative. After dinner they apparated to the Burrow, but instead of sitting down inside and chatting, the Weasleys led her on a walk through the Weasley woods to a cottage about five acres behind the Burrow. Charlie said, "I thought I should show you what I've really doing during all that overtime I've been working." Ron raised his eyebrows at him, so Charlie quickly added, "With a little help from the rest of the family."

Charlie led Serena inside. He led her through the living room, kitchen, dining room, pantry, master bedroom, and main floor bathroom, walking the boundaries of each room and running her hands over the doors and windows. He described the colors in each room and asked her where furniture should be placed. He showed her the two little rooms that led off the master bedroom, "One is for Winky," he said.

Winky jumped out of her room, saying, "Surprise!"

"And the other is for a nursery."

Serena had a surprise of her own to share with the Weasleys as she was led through the nursery--it would have its first resident in about six months. "How do you like the name Tatienne Minerva Silva Weasley? I'm pretty sure it's a girl." The Weasleys were delighted to have a granddaughter on the way. They could tell Charlie to talk Serena into a better name later.

Upstairs Charlie showed her four large bedrooms and two bathrooms. "For company," Charlie explained, "until we fill them up ourselves. You are a Weasley now, after all."

Finis