Owls and Musings - The Sequel

Chapter 13 - Home Again

Alisha and Derek arrived in McGonagall's office a wee bit disoriented again, travelling so quickly after the Apparition to the copse; but they quickly regained their composure and after depositing the Portkey on the head's desk, sat in the hard chairs that faced it.

Alisha looked frankly at her rescuer. She remembered him from his time at school; a typical Slytherin, although a bit quiet, and he had been a pretty average player on their Quidditch team. She remembered how disappointed her father had been when his talk with Derek had not gone well last spring; she knew he had been hoping that Derek would not follow his family into service to the dark factions of their world.

"Thank you," she said in a soft voice, all of a sudden shy.

"You're welcome..." But before he could say anything more, they heard someone running up the steps outside the main door, and it was flung open to reveal the headmistress and Esme. With a short cry, Alisha had flung herself into her mother's arms, and a fresh round of sobbing on both their parts filled the room. Derek and the headmistress both looked away to give them some privacy, although Minerva used her handkerchief on her eyes. Esme eventually held Alisha out at arms length, taking a good look at her daughter.

"Derek said you had broken bones and bruises..."

"It's alright, Mum, Narcissa gave me some of Da's old potions and they fixed me up. She didn't want a damaged sacrifice," she ground out, in a fair imitation of her father's tone of voice when peeved.

"I'm still going to insist on a visit to the infirmary." She gathered her eldest back to her and looked over the child to the young man standing politely nearby. She held out one hand to him still keeping Alisha tucked under her other arm. "Thank you, Mr Constantine, you cannot know how much I, and my family, appreciate your help."

He took the proffered hand and returned the handclasp. "You're welcome, Professor. I thought we would have to wait until we got to the site, but she insisted I take Alisha on ahead, and I was able to redirect the Apparating." He shuffled his feet a bit as he looked down at the worn oriental carpet in front of the desk. "I have a lot to make up for since I joined the Death Eaters. I should have listened to your husband in the first place, Professor - but they promised me so much!"

"I know, Mr Constantine. And you are correct - you should have listened to him. He was trying to save you from making the same mistakes he made over thirty years ago. Surely you know his history?"

Derek nodded his head. "He would tell us at the beginning of each term. I'm such a fool."

Alisha left the comfort of her mother's arms and walked over to the Slytherin standing nearby. She placed a hand respectfully on his arm, then leaned in and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "At least you saw your mistake, Derek, and you were willing to take a chance on what you knew to be right. I owe you a debt now."

He shook his head quite hard as he placed a hand over hers. "No, I'm indebted to you. If I hadn't seen you and known who you were... well, let's just say that it bludgered home for me the reality and depravity of it all. I really am the one who is in debt."

Alisha smiled up at the young man. "How about we call it even then?" He nodded 'yes' and she turned to her mother. "Can we go see Madam Pomfrey now, mum? I'm tired."

"Of course. Auntie, you'll stay here with Mr Constantine until Severus and the others get back?"

"Surely. They shouldn't be too long - it's past midnight now." She looked sternly over at Derek who had taken his seat again. "I believe Mr Constantine and I have some things to discuss." He looked startled at that pronouncement at first but then sighed resignedly. Esme smiled down at him in a motherly fashion and then bustled her daughter out the door and down the stairs towards the infirmary.

Esme led her daughter to sit on an empty bed while she went to awaken the Mediwitch. Alisha looked around at the stark white ward with its high windows and old-fashioned iron hospital beds. She hadn't had to spend too much time here, except for when Emrys had pulled his prank over autumn term, but she'd heard that Professor Potter practically had a bed named for him here. She wondered which one it was? She looked around - which one looked the most comfortable? She really did not want to dwell on the past few days just yet, and this seemed a better occupation for her mind.

A clearing of the throat alerted her to someone's presence, and she looked up to find herself looking into Professor Potter's face. "Trying to determine which bed is better?" he asked with a grin on his face, leaning against a nearby column.

"Ermmm... actually I was wondering which one had been your favourite?" she asked timidly.

Harry burst out laughing. "Oh, that's easy - that one over there." He pointed to a bed near some windows, before moving nearer to her bed. "That one has the best view of the Quidditch pitch." She joined in with his laughter.

She looked over at the Defence teacher. "Is Da back, too?" she asked guardedly. She watched as he shook his head.

"No, I needed to get Remus back before he transformed. I promised your father I would check up on you. So, how are you feeling?" he asked as he took a seat next to her on the bed.

She thought about this a moment before replying. "Physically? All right, I guess. Mum is getting Pomfrey to come and look at me - but Narcissa healed me before the ceremony. Mentally? Still very confused, and scared. That will probably last awhile," she said with a rueful tone to her voice. She looked up at her Professor. "I know what she needed me for - she explained it when I was in the dungeon. But why me? That's what I don't understand; why was I so special?"

"Well, from what we understand, it was mostly revenge against your father. Madam Malfoy blames him for all that went wrong in her life. She should really blame me - but I wasn't the traitor that turned on Voldemort; just the one who killed him forever. But Severus... he was considered one of Voldemort's closest supporters, at least amongst the Death Eaters." He smiled a bit wryly as he looked at the girl sitting next to him. "There were many times, as a student, that I was convinced he was a true supporter of Voldemort right up until he killed Nagini in the final fight. Even then it took your mother to point several things out to me. In any case, Narcissa blames Severus for her son's eventual demise and the imprisoning of her husband."

"So," she ventured, "she wanted to make my father suffer as she had?"

"Got it in one," he approved. "Ten points to Ravenclaw."

"Did you hate my father, Professor?" she asked quietly.

Harry thought about that one for a minute. "Sometimes, yes, I did. When I was just starting here as a student, I was absolutely convinced he hated me! Well, that didn't make for a congenial atmosphere between the two of us, as I had absolutely no idea what I had done to deserve that hate! It was years before I ever saw him as something other than the 'greasy git of the dungeons'. I do respect him now though, and I think he respects me."

She smiled at the moniker. "The students still refer to him as 'the dungeons' bat'."

He looked up from her smile and saw Esme and Poppy heading over to the bed. The Mediwitch had apparently been asleep as her hair was still down, but plaited, and she wore a dressing gown over her nightdress. "Here's your mum." He stood up from the bed as Esme approached and gave her and Pomfrey each a quick hug. He and Esme stood at the end of the bed as the Mediwitch cast some diagnostic spells on Alisha.

"Well, other than some malnutrition, she appears to be well." She Accio-ed a potion bottle from her stores and, pouring out a cupful, handed it to Alisha. "Just a nutritive potion, dearie. Drink it up now, that's a good girl," she said approvingly. "Well, I think she can go back home, Esmerelda. Tell Severus she should take some Dreamless Sleep Potion tonight. She can take tomorrow off of classes, but should be well enough to resume the next day, as long as she gets some sleep and some good food into her system between now and then." She looked over at Harry, giving him the once over. "Am I to assume you were in another fight, Mr Potter? Do I need to check you over as well?"

Harry immediately put his hands up in defence, backing away from her. "No, Poppy, just dirt. No injuries, I promise!" Esme and Alisha tried in vain to hide their mirth at the sight of the Defence Professor cowed by the stern Mediwitch. Madam Pomfrey just sniffed in an injured tone and stalked back across the ward to her office. Harry joined in the sniggering with the two ladies.

"Well, let me escort you lovely ladies home, shall I?" He offered his hand to Alisha as she wriggled off of the bed and the three of them made a hasty retreat out of the infirmary before Pomfrey decided to detain them any further.

"Oh, welcome back, Miss Snape!" Gustav said after they woke up the door portrait. "I trust you are alright?"

"Thank you, Gustav, I am," she agreed. "And I am glad to be home!" She entered as the door swung open.

The twins and Rebecca were all camped out in sitting room. It was obvious they had fallen asleep while waiting for the results of the night, schoolbooks and bottles of ink along with homework scrolls were scattered across the low table in front of the divan.

Tonks was sitting in a comfy chair next to a playpen where A.J. and Benjamin were sleeping, bums up in the air and thumbs in their mouths. Tonks gave a huge sigh of relief at seeing her goddaughter walk in the room, and her hair took on a bright blue hue in her happiness. The sound woke up Brigida who looked at her godmother and then, following her gaze, gave a squeal of delight as she saw her older sister. Before Alisha could take another step she was encircled by hugs from her siblings and was eventually led to the divan where Rebecca climbed into her lap to better hug her and Brigida cuddled on one side with Emrys on the other. Esme called down to the kitchens for some tea and biscuits and the food arrived just as Severus came in the rooms, followed by a now-human Remus, and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

They all trooped into the dining room to eat and discuss the previous night's happenings. Esme presided over the teapot as Tonks passed out plates of biscuits. When everyone was taken care of, Esme looked down the table at her husband.

"Well, are we going to hear what happened?" she asked a bit testily.

He started a bit at her tone but gave a report, chalking up her testiness to stress. "Everyone who was there was captured and are in cells at the Ministry. Narcissa has clearly gone insane, but will soon be occupying a cell in Azkaban." A satisfied grin graced his face as he thought about that. "Aurors found the rock dungeons where they kept you, Alisha." He looked at his daughter sitting near him at the table and reached out to give her hand a squeeze, then turned to address the rest of the table again. "They are also giving the Manor a full going over. It is going straight into Ministry hands and will most likely be sold at auction later this year."

Alisha looked over at her father. "What about Derek?" She was feeling a bit sympathetic for the former Death Eater.

"Mr Constantine is being questioned by the Aurors as we speak. He has a lot to think about, but he will not be going to Azkaban; he is too valuable to us now."

"Valuable?" she looked questioningly at him.

"Yes, he may be able to infiltrate the rest of the Death Eaters, turning spy. As no one got away, the truth as to who betrayed Narcissa will not be known - that information is being Obliviated from them."

She nodded her understanding and sat quietly listening to the adults talk further around her but not really taking it in. She must have closed her eyes for a moment, because the next thing she knew her father was gently shaking her awake to lead her down the hall to her room. Rebecca and Bree followed after to head to their own room, and she vaguely heard her mother seeing the Lupins, Professor Potter and Shacklebolt to the door. She tumbled into bed, curling up around Teddy, and was asleep again before her father could even help her change into a nightdress. He just chuckled, spelled the covers over her and nox-ed the lights, meeting Esme in the hallway where she was carrying A.J. down to the room he now shared with Emrys. Before shutting the door, he set a monitoring spell on the room to let him know if she awoke in the night.

"Thank you, dear, for bringing her home."

"It wasn't me, Esme, Derek was the one who made the rescue possible."

"I know. Is he going to turn spy?" she asked quietly, as she lay the baby in his cot and covered up her older son with a flick of her wand.

"I think he will. He feels guilty enough to want to make amends."

"Guilty? Whatever for? He certainly wasn't in on the beatings - he told us that!"

"For not being able to save her from the beatings, or to rescue her sooner," he explained.

"Are you sure he was a Slytherin? That sounds like a Gryffindor attitude to me," she asked shrewdly.

"I'll share a secret with you; the hat wanted him in Gryffindor, but he knew his family would disown him if he ended up there, so he convinced it to place him in Slytherin instead." He chuckled at the incredulous look on his wife's face. "Oh, yes, it is very rare that a child is able to influence the hat, but that is what happened. I found out last night during our little questioning of Mr Constantine." He ushered her into their room, closing the door on the rest of the night.