9, February, 1998 3:04

The Diadem had been destroyed by Miss Granger in his former chambers. Severus plodded back to the Headmaster’s office after having reset the Room of Requirement, and leaving Potter to send off a Patronus to Aberforth to shuttle the banished students back to Hogwarts. He had yet one more unpleasant duty to fulfil before he could even contemplate resting. He could only hope that Carrow had grown tired of babysitting the two students and had left them in his office to their own devices.

It was not to be however, as he slipped into his office, only to be greeted by Alecto, who was currently simpering over Malfoy’s prowess at taming the blood traitors in their midst. Miss Weasley glowered from a corner of the room, a look that didn’t bode well for ending this fiasco quickly and attempting some form of rest before he began is day. Severus felt the tension in his neck ratchet up to his scalp as he took his seat behind his desk. He stared for a moment at Carrow, finally catching her attention with a sharp rap of his knuckles against the heavy mahogany wood before him. “Thank you, Alecto, for watching these two dunderheads whilst I was occupied elsewhere. I’m sure you must have other…” he grimaced to punctuate his disdain, “duties… to which you must attend.”

He turned his attention to the paperwork before him, noting the snort of derision and muttered words issued from the Weasley girl’s corner of the room. He lifted his gaze to her, a sneer affixed to his features as Carrow huffed her annoyance at his high-handed dismissal of her. “I think, Snape, the Dark Lord expects more than a slap on the wrist when notorious blood traitors continue to wreak havoc at this institution. We certainly wouldn’t want him to question your ability to keep order now, would we?”

“Out, Alecto!” Severus said, letting his voice fall into the quiet menace that had served him so well for so many years. “Lest the Dark Lord think you’re questioning his judgement. We wouldn’t want that, now, would we?”

The woman scuttled to the door, her alarm apparent in her hasty exit.

Severus returned his attention to the papers before him. There was always so much to do and so little time to accomplish it in. Malfoy, he noted, remained the poised aristocrat he’d been taught to be, betraying no emotion other than a slight boredom, whilst Miss Weasley…. she posed several problems, and the first that he had to address was to ascertain whether she had seen her erstwhile paramour in the hallways that evening. When he had prepared himself sufficiently, he looked in Miss Weasley’s direction and silently cast Legillimens. He was surprised at her mental strength as she resisted his first subtle prod into her mind, he pushed harder and was finally able to slip past her unschooled barrier.

He mentally recoiled as he saw himself through her eyes. Surely he didn’t look that sinister nor that exhausted. He left that image behind to peer further into her memory. She had been aware of an anomalous presence, but thought it was a Disillusioned Death Eater rather than the Know-It-All and Potter. He began withdrawing from her mind only to be confronted by a white hot shaft of anger directed at not only Severus, but at Potter. He paused, examining the emotion. He left me here to deal with this greasy bastard! I could have gone with him, but no! It had to be her! Even though Ron’s there, I know… I know there’s always been something between them… I wish Malfoy’s kisses weren’t more enjoyable than I expected them to be… Ferret boy or not, I hope he makes more opportunities for us to snog, even if he is a wanker and a Death Eater. I’m such a slag… Death Eater scum! I love Harry, I have done since I was ten… but Malfoy… maybe it’s because he’s bad that I’d consider him… Is what I feel for Harry real or just hero worship? I’m so confused now… I wish things were different… I wish Malfoy would snog me again so I could be sure…

Severus felt himself almost physically forced from her mind.

“You fucking bastard!” The girl sagged against the wall, tears streaming down her face. “You have no right! No right at all!”

Draco jerked up from his seat his fists clenched as he glared at Severus. “What did you do to her?”

The boy moved to her side and pulled her into a protective embrace. She allowed him to for a moment, which shouldn’t have surprised Severus as much as it did. Though his head throbbed from the way he had been ripped from the spell, his mental acuity should not have suffered. Perhaps Miss Weasley was every bit as impressive as her two older siblings, a force to be reckoned with. He would need to remove her from the school soon to protect her. It wouldn’t do for her to actually succeed in making the Dark Lord reconsider his position as Headmaster. He said, “I do what I must, Malfoy. Take the chit back to her dorm and then return to Slytherin. You’ll both be serving a week’s detention under Professor Sprout starting tomorrow evening.”

The two left and Severus finally allowed his body to sag against the back of the chair, his head was pounding and he needed to sleep. He was so very tired.

“Well, my boy, that was an interesting development.” Albus’ portrait said. “Could it be that young Malfoy has developed a tendre for Miss Weasley? We could use that, you know.”

Severus pushed the stack of papers to the edge of the desk. He’d deal with everything tomorrow. “I don’t bloody care about the hormonally driven urges of any of these children, Albus. I just need to keep them alive through this nightmare.”

Albus sighed but said nothing else. Severus cast Nox and extinguished all the lights in the room. He would sleep at the desk. He didn’t have the energy it took to reach his chambers.

10 February, 1998 09:37

Ron watched his parents pick their way through the muddy field that led to the hospital. Dad had his arm protectively around Mum, his own steps faltering. Every few feet they would stop and Mum would wipe at her eyes with a white handkerchief, one of the lacy ones she’d made for Bill and Fleur’s wedding. Hannah stood beside Ron, her hand on his back as he waited, her presence at once comforting and worrisome. He had so much to explain, so much to tell his parents, but Percy had to be taken care of first. He turned and took Hannah’s hand. “Let me take care of them, Love. Mum’s not… well, she’s not the easiest person at her best.”

Hannah nodded with a swift frown, tipping up her face for him to brush his lips over her temple. “I’ll just be inside.”

Ron let her go and then walked out to meet his parents. He wondered when it was that he would feel grown up as Mum embraced him. When she was in his arms, he could feel the tears pool in his eyes. He hadn’t allowed himself to cry since Dr Dance had told him they had done all they could. He had felt numb until his mum made him feel safe enough to mourn a brother he had never really known. Dad stood to the side, his fists clenched, his face grim and ashen. Ron reached over Mum’s head and drew him into their embrace.

“I’m sorry, so sorry.” He said it over and over until the words became meaningless. Mum’s gulping sobs finally turned to quiet tears as a fine drizzle started to fall.

Dad said, “Take us to him, son.”

Ron extricated himself from their embrace and Dad put his arm around Mum as she stumbled over one of the muddy ruts in their path. Ron said, “There’s something I need to tell you… after… Percy knew, but well, we couldn’t get word to you… not even a Patronus. The wards… you know.”

Mum began sobbing again, muffling the sound with the lacy square of cotton. Over her head, to Dad, Ron mouthed, “Sorry.”

They made their way into the makeshift morgue waiting area where Dr Dance was waiting with Percy’s mangled body. It was covered by a sheet, but his face, wan and white, was exposed. Hannah sat to his side, her expression kept blank as Ron stood beside her, slipping his hand into hers. Dad noticed, with his sharp blue gaze glinting behind his glasses. He gave a half smile to Hannah as Dr Dance said, “You must be Ron’s parents. I’m so sorry to have to meet you under these circumstances. My name is Antonia Dance, and I was one of the surgeons who was working on your son when he passed.”

“H-how,” Mum said as she looked at Percy. She seemed so old, so worn, and Ron ached for her. After a moment, she drew a deep breath and asked, “Was he in pain when he died?”

“He wasn’t,” Antonia said, her voice as soothing as it could be with less than the hour of sleep the Ron knew she’d had to be forced to take. “He was under anaesthesia and had been given a small dose of Draught of Living Death. We did all we could, but the curse damage was too severe.”

Mum turned to Ron. “What was he doing? He promised… after Albus was murdered by that foul traitor… he didn’t take the Mark did he?”

“What, Mum! No! How could you even think that?” A hot shaft of anger boiled through Ron. How could she even think that of her own son? Her flesh and blood. Sure he was a poncy, self-righteous git, but Percy would never… He turned his back on her before he would say something he regretted, silently pleading with Hannah to handle the situation. Dr Dance withdrew from the scene, pretending to take care of the charts of some other poor sod who had died last night.

Hannah spoke softly, “Mrs Weasley, I worked with Percy in the resistance for the past several months. He died trying to do what was right.”

“Miss…” Dad began, shooting her a questioning look.

“Hannah, sir.” She answered. “I’m Hannah Weasley.”

“You married my boy?” Mum whispered as she dabbed at her eyes with the lacy square. “Percy was your husband?”

Hannah stood next to Ron and took his clenched fist. “No, Mrs Weasley. I married Ron. We’re… I’m pregnant with Ron’s child and he… we got married. Percy was our witness.”

Mum clutched at her neck, stumbled against Dad as she searched blindly for a seat. With a flick of her wand, Dr Dance transfigured a chair from a sheet off a nearby gurney. When Ron turned back to Mum, she was seated and Dad was fanning her with his hand. “Ron, you take care of your mother, and I’ll just settle things with the hea-… erm… doctor.”

Ron swallowed audibly, his Adam’s apple seeming to catch in his throat painfully. “I’m sorry, Mum. I should have told you. I got separated from Harry and Hermione and… well, I found Hannah and we… Let’s get you a cuppa in the mess and Hannah and me… we’ll tell you all about how this all came about.”

Mum gave him a watery smile and leaned forward to hug her son. “I never thought I’d be happy again when I heard about P-percy… A baby, you say? We have so much to do.”

Ron smiled over his mother’s head at his wife. Mum would be all right if she had something to do to occupy her time.


&*&*&

Ron entered his scratcher, one of about forty tents that had been thrown up in the middle of the compound for the field medics. Hannah was asleep on top of his doss bag. He sat on the edge of the camp stool to remove his muddy boots. They fell with a thunk at his feet as he pulled them off. She stirred and Ron cursed under his breath. She sat up and asked “Your parents off now?”

“He’s going to be cremated… to prevent… well, you know about how He makes inferi out of his enemies… don’t want Perce…” Ron’s voice cracked unmanfully and he took a deep breath and looked away from Hannah. “Anyway, the funeral’s Thursday at the Burrow. Dad said he’d tell Bill and Charlie. He’s going to try to get Ginny out of school, but you know how those bastards are about people like us, blood traitors and the like. I doubt that murderer, Snape, will let her go.” He stood, stretching his arms and back as he did. He sat on the edge of the camp bed, brushing Hannah’s hair away from her face. “That went better than I hoped.”

“It did.” Hannah said with a sad little smile playing about her lips. “I wish we could have told them some other way, but… Your mum seemed happy about it once she got over the shock. I just wish Percy… He would have liked to see us all together, I think.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t enlarge the bed.” Ron leaned back his weight supported by his elbows. “There’s no way for both of us to fit. Get up and I’ll transfigure it.”

“I doubt your transfigurations skills are any better than mine, Ron.” Hannah huffed as she rose. She was graceful, almost sylph-like. She wore one of his military-issue tees, a khaki green that made Ron look bilious. With her coltish legs and marvellous arse peeking out from under the hem, Ron thought she looked cute. She shivered as the wind picked up the tent flap and Ron forcefully turned his attention away from her.

He went through the complex wand movements he had been forced to learn by Hermione when they were camping, and transfigured the canvas and wood bed into something that was larger, still green, and probably just a little more comfortable than what they had before. Once done, he opened his arms to his wife. “Come here, Love. It’s been too long, and we still haven’t finished our honeymoon.”

Hannah giggled and melted into him. “You Weasley men are so incorrigible. I think that’s why I love you so much.”

Ron couldn’t answer her with words yet, but he showed her just how he felt about her the rest of the night and into the morning.

&*&*&

11, February 1998 01:37

Severus was jerked out of his sleep by a strange weasel-like Patronus. It gambolled around the room and then stood before him on the desk, its dark silver hands held at its side, its long pointed nose twitching nervously. Lucius’s voice issued from its mouth, drawing a chuckle from Severus until he comprehended his words with dawning horror.

The Dark Lord has left for the continent and Bella is here in his place. She has tortured and bade Pettigrew to molest the Lovegood girl. Something must be done and Draco must be kept safe… that bitch has decided… Draco was to despoil the girl during Yule holiday and he did not. She has decided that he will be summoned to the Manor to do as she commands. No amount of argument will sway her, Narcissa has been trying to change her mind for days. I know my son, Severus, he won’t do as he must and he’ll... Please, Severus, help us one last time. We will be forever in your debt..

Severus cursed softly. The Lovegood girl and the two other prisoners in Malfoy’s dungeons would have to be removed, should have been removed weeks ago to prevent this disastrous scenario. Bellatrix, without the Dark Lord to rein in her excesses, was as dangerous as she was unpredictably mad. His knife’s edge existence had just become a little more perilous. He would have to find a safe place for Draco to ride out the storm of his aunt’s lunacy and safeguard his own life. It was necessary for him to protect Draco. He would let Lucius figure out what to do with the prisoners.

He cast his own Patronus, “Buy me some time for your son, Lucius, and release the other damned prisoners so that the chit’s disappearance is not tracked back to me. I don’t have the time or patience for more of your family’s drama.”

He let the doe scamper about the room before allowing her to fly through the windows. He lay back in his bed, knowing that sleep would not come again to him. He had a small kernel of an idea to hide Draco, but it would take some hard diplomacy on his part to get all the parties he must involve to agree to the terms.

12 February, 1998 10:00

The sky was leaden and overcast and the bitingly cold breeze that blew around the corners of the Burrow, promised snow. Ron and Hannah had Apparated from the field hospital to the Burrow, using three points of Disapparition as they had been trained to do, to confuse any of the enemy who might be monitoring travel. Hannah looked decidedly green as Ron put his wand up to the wards to be recognised. He snugged her next to his side and stepped through the now shimmering shield that had been exposed with the tap of his wand. They made their way to the house. It seemed smaller to Ron, more ramshackle. It was less like home somehow.

Bill came out to greet them in the yard where a few chickens scratched in the winter grass. He hugged Ron, a tight protective embrace that brought tears to the younger man’s eyes. “Charlie couldn’t make it, and Gin… she wouldn’t come and the twins are incommunicado right now. So it’s just us, and the parents. Mum is beside herself. She’s been cooking and cleaning since… Anyway, it’s good to see you, kind of strange to think you’re going to be a dad, but… yeah.”

Bill nodded to Hannah. “You must be Hannah. Mum has big plans for you and the baby.”

At Hannah’s alarmed look Bill gave her his signature lop-sided grin. “Just don’t let her run over you. Distance helps. Lots of distance, and a secret kept location.”

“Shut it, Bill. You’re scaring her.” Ron gave his brother a shove with his shoulder. “But yeah, I’d say distance is good.”

They entered the house, both of the men laughing. Bill said quietly as they came to the empty parlour cum living room, “Dad doesn’t want us to cry for Perce. He said he wants us to celebrate his life. Percy would have liked that, I think.”

Ron looked to the family clock. Percy’s hand would never move again. It seemed wrong and unfair that this war had already taken one of their own. It could have been any of them, but Percy… he’d been the one to always follow the rules, to make sure everything was as it should be. He’d been their conscience and their nag and he was gone. He was gone and the family was scattered. Things would never be the same again, not for his family, maybe not for the world, but he vowed that he would do his damnedest to make sure that the foul bastards that had killed his brother would pay. He turned his attention back to his brother, “I think Percy would have loved us celebrating him. It’s what he always wanted, the prat. Let’s go to the kitchen to see what Mum’s made for lunch. I’m starving.”

“You’re always hungry, little brother.” Bill ruffled Ron’s hair. Ron smoothed it down with a scowl at his older brother. He hated to have his hair mussed and Bill knew it. Some things would never change.