Confused Memories

Chapter 24

Mac stared at AJ in shock. An onslaught of images ran through her mind, paralyzing her.

"Are you paying attention, recruit?!"

"You're to report to Major Farrow in Okinawa..."

"I'm pulling you off the case. You've been requested at JAG Headquarters."

"Marines don't duck."

"This is a mistake."

"Why am I the only one crying?"

"So we decided to call our baby girl 'Sarah.' If that's okay with you, Colonel."

"Last time I did this, I was eighteen and drunk."

"Come to me."

"What he missed out on was you, and that makes him one damned fool."

"Anyone who has ever been involved with Mac is either dead or feels like they are."

"Awkward moment number 310."

"This, from the woman whose law school recommendation came from a superior officer with whom she was having a torrid affair."

"I need you."

"Things will never work out between us."

"Mac!" AJ shouted, pulling her to the ground. The curse that had been headed toward her sailed harmlessly over their heads.

"Ad-admiral?" she stuttered.

AJ's face was a mixture of relief and sorrow. "You remember."

"Everything." She blocked a curse. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Mac--I'm so sorry."

She gave him a short, sweet kiss. "There's no time for regrets." She looked around. The fighting had all but stopped. "The Aurors are here. We'll talk later... AJ." She got up and began helping to clear the battlefield.

****

Severus didn't feel anything. If this was death, he didn't see what was so bad about it.

He opened his eyes. Lucius Malfoy lay on the ground, gray eyes open in shock. A masked Death Eater stood beside the body. He held his hand out to Severus, who refused it, standing on his own.

He surveyed the battlefield. Aurors were in the process of apprehending the Death Eaters who hadn't fled when they had arrived. He rolled his eyes as Harry Potter stormed over to them.

"Damn it, Malfoy!" he yelled. "I told you to capture him alive! Can't you follow one instruction?"

The Death Eater yanked off his mask. If Severus had been given to displays of emotion, his jaw would have dropped. Draco Malfoy stood before him in full Death Eater garb--but he and Potter weren't hexing each other into oblivion.

"Potter, you know my father wouldn't have given up until he had killed each and every last one of you. He was seconds away from finishing off Severus. Was I supposed to just stand by and watch? I know that you think I'm heartless, but even I'm not that cold."

"No, Draco. Of course not," Harry softened. "But we really needed his testimony."

"I know everything he did, Harry. I'll tell you what I found out." Severus shook his head in amazement as the two walked away without acknowledging him.

A low moan caught his attention. He knelt by Hermione's side. "Miss Granger, remain still. I'm going to have to carry you. Do try not to lash out." He lifted Hermione into his arms. She flinched and cried out in pain. The aftereffects of the Cruciatus made any physical contact extremely painful, but Severus didn't want to use Mobilicorpus while she was still conscious.

He made his way slowly across the field, sidestepping the rubble and broken bodies of the casualties. He saw Professor MacKenzie comforting Remus Lupin. That he had never liked any of the elder Potter's little group was an understatement, but he could at least stand the werewolf. To lose two lovers in a few years must have been quite painful, he thought absently.

He pushed his way inside the castle. The entrance hall was swarming with people assisting with triage. Severus hurried to the Hospital Wing, where he knew the worst cases would be.

"Poppy!" he said as he entered the Infirmary. He laid Hermione down on the nearest empty bed.

Madam Pomfrey came hurrying through the door, snapping orders at a sixth-year assistant. "What is it, Severus?" she asked distractedly.

"Miss--Professor Granger requires your attentions," he said, ignoring her tone of voice.

The fact that Severus had corrected himself caught Poppy's attention immediately. "What happened?" she asked.

"Cruciatus," Severus replied simply. Poppy blanched.

"Oh, Merlin, not Hermione," she breathed. She snapped into professional mode. "I'll take care of her. You need to get down to your lab and start making potions. Choose a couple of students to help you. And don't argue with me, Severus."

"I wouldn't dream of it," he replied dryly. He swept out of the room.

****

"Remus. Remus," Sarah murmured, placing her hand on the man's shoulder. He whirled around.

"Oh, gods, Sarah. They killed him. They killed him," he whispered brokenly.

"I know. Clay always expected to be killed in the line of duty. I never wanted to believe it, but he knew. Somehow, he knew," Sarah replied quietly.

"We were just getting to know each other. I hadn't felt that way since... since..." Remus began crying, sobs wracking his body. Sarah slipped her arms around him, wordlessly comforting him. Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice behind them.

"Mac? Remus? What's going on?" They turned simultaneously, the shock in one face mirrored in the other. They stared at the battered, broken body on the ground, then up at the gray, translucent form before them.

The ghost of Clayton Webb stared back at the tableau. "Well, damn," he said intelligently.

---

Chapter 25

Hermione Granger awoke slowly. She opened her eyes, then squeezed them shut at the burst of light. However, to her surprise, it didn't hurt. In fact, she couldn't feel anything. She tried to sit up, but her body was too weak, and she flopped back down onto the bed.

"The potion should be wearing off, Professor Granger," a familiar deep voice told her. She looked to her left, and saw Severus Snape seated in a chair beside her bed.

Hermione licked her dry, cracked lips. "Wha-what happened?" she asked hoarsely.

"We won," Severus replied. He poured a cup of water. "Sip," he instructed, holding it to her mouth.

She obeyed. When she was finished, she weakly pushed the glass away. "Where's Madam Pomfrey?"

Severus' eyes became more shadowed--if that was possible. "She is taking care of the Headmaster."

"Was he injured?" Hermione asked. She winced at the stupidity of her question. Of course he had been--why else would Poppy be with him?

"Much of his strength was drained when the wards fell. Poppy is watching the Healers to make sure they don't overstep their bounds while in her ward." A faint smirk crossed his face.

"And Sarah? Malfoy said that Macnair would get to have some 'fun' with her after the battle." She unconsciously shivered.

"Professor MacKenzie is currently assisting with cleanup." Hermione sighed in relief. "I require assistance in my lab. Most of these dunderheads can't tell the difference between a Shrinking Solution and Skele-Gro," he sneered. "Be there after you've had a full meal," he ordered. "Oh, and our presence is required in the Headmaster's office after dinner," he added before sweeping out of the room.

Hermione blinked. Had Severus Snape just complimented her?

****

Mac levitated another stone onto the growing pile. She sighed and stretched her arm. Although she wasn't exerting any physical pressure, it felt like it from her exhaustion.

"Mac, go get something to eat," Clay said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She shivered from the prickly freezing sensation it gave her. "Sorry," he apologized. "I suppose I still have some adjusting to do."

"Of course," Mac replied. "You just... died... today."

"Sounds creepy, doesn't it?" Clay grinned mischievously. "But think of what I can do in this form."

Mac raised an eyebrow at the ghost. "Not planning on haunting me for the rest of my life, are you?"

"Nah," Clay replied. "I was thinking more along the lines of Rabb." Mac laughed and shook her head.

"Colonel, go get some dinner," AJ said, walking up to the two. Mac turned and came to attention.

"At ease. We're not exactly on duty right now, Mac," he said.

"I know," Mac replied.

"Go grab some dinner. Professor Dumbledore wants to speak with all of us afterward. Falling asleep in the middle of the meeting probably won't be a good thing." Mac's stomach growled loudly, and AJ grinned. "And I think that would be a bit of a distraction."

"Okay, okay, I'll go eat," Mac said. She pocketed her wand and headed for the Great Hall.

Instead of the usual House tables, the Hall was set up buffet-style. Mac didn't even know the house-elves knew what buffet-style was, but she supposed they could learn. The Hall was swarming with people--students, Aurors and Healers off-duty, and a reporter here and there.

"Professor MacKenzie, the readers of the Daily Prophet would love to know about your role--"

"No comment," she said to the reporter who had just shoved his quill in her face. She made herself a plate and sat at a table.

"This is wonderful pie, isn't it?" a voice said beside her. Mac looked over. A witch with long, dirty blonde hair, rather large silvery eyes, and pale eyebrows gazed back at her, not blinking.

Mac, nonplussed, replied, "Um, I suppose so."

"Is it true that you're a Seer?" the witch asked.

"Yes, it is," Mac said. The other witch nodded and went back to her dinner. Mac furrowed her brow and frowned. What a strange woman.

Suddenly, the woman said, "Prophecies always find ways to come true, don't they?" She smiled and picked up her wand, which had been tucked behind her ear.

"What do you mean?" Mac asked suspiciously. The witch began laughing hysterically.

"What... do you..." she gasped. Mac's eyes widened in alarm. The witch beside her stopped laughing suddenly. "It was nice to meet you, Sarah MacKenzie," she said, standing and leaving the table.

"Wait!" Mac called after her. "What's your..." she trailed off. It was obvious the witch was not listening.

"Mac," another voice said. Clay floated behind her, waiting for her attention. Nobody in the Hall batted an eye at the appearance of the ghost--they were all too used to them at Hogwarts. "The Headmaster wants to see us now."