The Man Who Came In From The Cold

JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers. Plot, new characters, new magical terms and abilities etc. are my intellectual property. If you want to borrow then please kindly ask.

ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. If you are looking for strict Canon or even a slight deviation from Canon you won’t find it here.

Summary: The war has carried on well past Harry Potter’s 7th Year. Snape is on the run from Voldemort and the Ministry of Magic, both of whom will stop at nothing to silence him. He finds unexpected refuge in the most unlikely of places.

The Man Who Came In from the Cold

Chapter 015: Friends

Since she had quite a bit of time Esmé thought she might as well take care of a few things since she was in Paris. After the difficult morning she’d had, she needed relief. She’d done nothing but think about Christian – and Sebastian. There was something about Sebastian that was struggling to formulate in her mind. But she was rather stressed at the moment and just didn’t have the peace of mind to think as thoroughly as she knew she needed to.

Galleries Lafayette had always been one of her favourite destinations in Paris. She could do some shopping and forget about the double life that she’d led; the double life that she was leading once again. She had been pulled kicking and screaming back into her old life as an intelligence operative. Everything that was happening was because of a man she really didn’t know, but whom she growing to love – and the man that she wasn’t ruthless enough to take from his wife and children and whom she would never stop caring about.

Esmé stood in one of the designer boutiques and rifled through a rack of lingerie that was definitely not meant for everyday use. Thoughts about Sebastian hammered in the quagmire that passed as her brain. The young woman could not resist a smirk as she eyeballed the merchandise. She picked up a few carefully chosen items and then breezed through the rest of the shops in the large department store. Who was she kidding – she wanted Sebastian to walk into her life in Bayeux on a more permanent basis.

‘C’est fou!’ she admonished herself.

She’d always heard of people who made a strong commitment within a short while of meeting each other and never really believed in it. If couples who’d known each other for months or years before getting married or living together ended up with a fractured relationship, there was no way a connection that was rushed could survive the inevitable pressures.

And yet she was pushing herself blindly and hoping that a man not given to being impulsive would give into being seduced by her.

‘It’s insane,’ she admonished herself again.

Esmé continued with her shopping in the snowy streets of Paris well into late afternoon, picking up a few odds and ends for her house. She walked through a small park to get to what would have to be her last destination before going home to Bayeux. She had just crossed a small pond and clump of trees when she whirled around and fixed a would-be assailant with a deadly glare.

‘Oww! OK! I give in! Stop dammit!’ the woman who had been behind her screamed as several stinging hexes hit her one after the other. ‘Damn you – you are still good, you know that?’

Esmé was still holding onto her bags and hadn’t drawn her wand.

‘Of course I am.’

The other woman laughed as Esmé dropped her bags and gave her a hug.

‘You look great, Esmé – you really do. Things must be quite improved between you and Christian.’

‘We’re not together, Sasha… I told you; I can’t…’

‘I don’t know too many people who could walk away from their soulmate.’

‘He’s not my soulmate. If he was, things would be a lot different.’

‘Mmm no, I disagree.’

‘It’s true. If Christian was The One; I’d move heaven and earth to be with him – and I’m not inclined to do that and for all the love that he has for me and everything he does for me; he still wouldn’t leave her. At the end of the day – his career is everything to him now and he wouldn’t have had it without her, so he says. I don’t agree, but that’s just me…’

The two women picked up Esmé’s bags and began to walk.

‘Just because I have something on my mind doesn’t mean I’m oblivious to people following me,’ Esmé snorted. ‘So – what are you up to and why.’

‘Please – I walked by Lush and happened to see you standing at the till. I was just having a laugh – that’s all. Its getting more and more difficult to find anything to smile about these days.’

‘It’s not funny Sasha. There’s too much going on and it’s dangerous! You’re lucky I was even aware that it was you!’

‘Alright – point taken. I tell you, no one will be happier than me when all this shit is over.’

‘Why don’t we have a quick bite and then we can have a good old-fashioned girlie chat.’ Esmé suggested. ‘It’s too damn cold out here. God knows I’ve spent enough money…’

‘Sounds good… This is the last real break I’m going to have for a while and I want to enjoy myself while I can.’

‘Oh?’

‘Things are a bit hectic at work – and I’ve got something else going after the New Year. My life won’t really be my own, probably not for a long time.’

Esmé looked at her old friend. Sasha wasn’t telling her something; whatever it was had to be fairly important.

xxxOOOxxx

‘So… what gives?’ Esmé asked as she unpacked bags of miniaturised items and sorted out her house with her friend helping her.

There was definitely something to be said for being magical. For a start she couldn’t wait to have things delivered and needed to get the house ready. As far as Esmé was concerned, Sebastian was coming back with her and she wanted him to really like the place.

‘I can ask you the same question. Something is going on Esmé – I know you.’

‘I’m fine…’

‘You are very restrained... phenomenally restrained; and yet you just spent a small fortune on sexy lingerie and finally turning this place into a proper home.’ Sasha commented as she pulled a miniature table out of one bag and returned it to its proper size.

‘I have plenty of lingerie you know.’

‘Uh huh…’

‘I do!’

‘I know you do – but I haven’t seen you act like this since you were agonising over all that hot shagging with Christian. You have seen him – haven’t you?’

‘I saw him this morning as a matter of fact.’

‘I don’t understand you two! I really don’t!’ Sasha said exasperatedly. ‘I think deep down both of you are a couple of sadists. What does it do for you to keep meeting up and torturing yourselves with how long you can go without a good hard fuck!’

‘Sasha!’

‘You can’t stand there and tell me that this morning you didn’t want to, Esmé! This is me, remember? It doesn’t take much for either you and I should know - remember!’

‘It just so happens I am with someone now! I wouldn’t cheat on him, Sasha, I wouldn’t!’

‘What? You didn’t have anyone last week when you hot-footed it to Jersey!’

‘No – but things have changed…’

‘In a week? Are you serious? So who’s the lucky fella then?’

‘His name is Sébastien…’

‘And...’

‘He’s French…’

‘I gathered as much….’ Sasha sighed with an exaggerated eye-roll. ‘Being a bit mysterious aren’t we?’

‘There isn’t anything to tell’

‘Nothing to tell… and yet all this fuss over someone you only just met?’

‘It just so happens he’s coming back here for the holidays…’

Sasha looked around the bedroom where they’d moved to shift Esmé’s clothes.

‘Right – and he needs half of your closet and drawer space for a couple weeks…’

Esmé didn’t reply as she walked back to her living room and looked around, carefully scrutinising every detail. The only man who’d spent any significant time here was Christian. He’d found the house for her after her illness and it was thanks to him that she had been able to secure it outright. But she’d never really done anything to make it truly hers, and now that Sebastian was coming she found the energy that had been lacking.

Sasha followed and quirked an eyebrow at her friend; Esmé was notorious for never lowering herself to the antics of the guys in the band. Going crazy over some bloke that wasn’t going to amount to more than a shag didn’t make any sense. The fact that Esmé had even bothered was…odd…’

‘You don’t think… Esmé; you haven’t convinced yourself you’re madly in love with this guy, have you?’

‘What is it with you, huh? Two weeks ago you were ready to take my head off because I wasn’t getting involved with anyone and now I shouldn’t be bothering?’

‘I’m not picking on you! I just don’t understand why all the mystery.’

‘You said it yourself, Sasha. I haven’t known him very long. The whole idea is to get to know him better – a lot better. He’s only passing through Jersey and so am I so it’s not exactly ideal, now is it?’

‘Have mercy girl – a holiday romance…’

‘He’s not married, he has no obligations except to himself and working isn’t his life. I’d like to think I stand a better chance at having more than just a fling.’

‘Uh huh; and he’s told you that has he?’

There was nothing but silence as Esmé went into her large kitchen and started preparing a small meal that would see them both through. Sasha took a seat at the table, watching her friend with concerned eyes.

‘I just don’t want to see you hurt again – that’s all…’

‘You won’t, being across the Channel as you are. I don’t know why you bother with Britain myself. This is your home.’

‘Well – maybe if I’d gone to school here things might have turned out differently. But I’ve got a good job and my talents will take me farther there since the right people know who I am…’

‘You haven’t even tried to see what opportunities are here. Les rosbifs just strike me as incredibly incompetent.’ Esmé replied as she handed Sasha a steaming cup of tea and placed one for herself at her seat.

‘And so they are – which is why a bright spark like me can get ahead. I’ve been noticed by the right people, important people, and I can make this work for me. They want me more than their cherished favourites and that is saying something.’

‘You’re not talking about your job – it’s this other thing, isn’t it?’

‘One more than the other – and it is the other, yes…’

‘So… are you going to tell me what this exciting something is?’

‘No… not yet. I’m not really at liberty to say.’

‘Right! So now who’s being mysterious,’ Esmé snorted as she placed a serving platter on the table with omelettes and croissants followed by plates, knives and forks for each of them.

‘Really – I shouldn’t have even mentioned it as it was!’

‘Then why did you?’

‘Look – I might need your help eventually.’

‘My help? I can’t imagine you’d have much use for an artisan with whatever mysterious thing it is that you are doing. I still don’t understand what it is that you even do for a living.’

‘I’m… not really at liberty to say…’

‘…and you’ve already said too much – yes I’ve heard that before…’

Esmé paused as she lifted her fork to her mouth.

‘Sasha – you’re not getting mixed up in whatever it is that’s going on over there – are you?’

‘It’s hard for anyone to not be involved.’

‘That’s not answering the question and you know it.’

Esmé looked at Sasha as a growing comprehension set off the ubiquitous lightbulb over her head.

‘So you are working for the Ministry of Magic… and whatever it is that you do can’t be talked about. But you are speaking to me really because of this other thing – putting me on the alert, aren’t you?’

‘You saw Christian this morning – and that was no coincidence, surely.’

‘It’s never a coincidence when I’m at his place.’

‘And nothing is going on between you two, is it?’

‘It’s strictly platonic.’

‘And how many times have you ended up in bed?’

‘None – not since I moved out of his place after… Mr. Wonderful,’ Esmé sneered.

‘I never thought Michel was that bad myself…’

‘You don’t know him – and you live in London so how could you know? You were preoccupied with the heady delights of whoever the flavour of the month was back then…’

‘That’s not fair, Esmé!’

‘You’re Chris’ friend more than you are mine, and that’s a fact! There’s no point in pretending otherwise. Since you’re dying to know all about my personal life why don’t you ask her and stop bugging me about it – like you always do! Oh – except you’ve already spoken to her, haven’t you? You know everything there is to know! But I still don’t know what it is that you, of all people, want from me!’

‘Trust me – I wish I didn’t!’

‘Right – so you two have spoken! I don’t need these games, Sasha, and especially from you of all people.’

‘Looks, Chris is worried and so am I…’

‘I’m a grown woman, and I think it’s about time the two of you and everybody else remembers that. If it wasn’t for Chris and my mother things would have been a lot different. Both of them live their lives with their heads buried in the sand; everything is just fine because they won’t agree to any reality other than their own…’

Esmé proceeded to tell Sasha everything that had happened, and especially the finer details that her mother and sister didn’t care to know about. The other woman sat in a stunned silence, occasionally opening her mouth as though to speak, but never finding the words. When Esmé was done, they both sat in silence until Esmé refilled their mugs with more tea, taking care to prepare Sasha’s the English way as her friend was accustomed to.

‘I’m sorry, Esmé. I really am.’

‘If it wasn’t for Christian – I might have done something really stupid. I was so isolated and no one in the family wanted to hear it; they like being important and untainted by scandal. They don’t particularly like Christian and I really don’t give a damn. But I think that’s also why he would never do what he could for his own happiness. Marianne’s family at least welcome him and don’t hold it against him that he’s not from a prominent wizarding family loaded with money. Being respected is very important to him, and we both know what my mother and sisters are like.’

‘Then he’s a fool. He should do what he needs to for his own sake and to hell with anyone else! Why should he care what your family thinks about him? He loves you and wants to be with you – and yet he won’t because of your prissy mum and sisters? Do me a favour!’

‘And that, my dear Sasha, is where he and Sebastian are very different. That’s something I do know at this point.’

‘I hope it works out for you, I really do. Chris wouldn’t say much about this man of yours, but the conversation wasn’t about you really. She is wrapped up tight about Gill…’

Esmé snorted.

‘Let’s not talk about that. I’m in a decent enough mood but just thinking about him makes my blood boil!’

‘’I can see why – I tried to tell Chris I think they are making a huge mistake to move into together straight away but…’

Esmé dropped her fork and it hit the floor with a loud clatter.

‘WHAT?’

‘Are you telling me you don’t know?’

‘I think that’s obvious!’

‘She told me last night when I rang her up. That’s how I knew you were going to be back here for a day or so. Anyway, Gill’s asked her to marry him and she’s said yes! He’s moving out of that little place he was calling home with the soon-to-be ex Mrs. D’Arcy and in with her.’

‘Moving in with her? After all this time…? I cant believe it!’

‘Chris said that they are moving into the ancestral estate as soon as the architects are finished. Gill wasted no time and is sparing no expense. He wants to restore it to its former glory and the two of them are going live there and start a family. They will move in just after the New Year. Elizabeth D’Arcy is fit to be tied from what I heard. She wanted to be Lady of the Manor. Apparently she was suffering under the delusion that she was going to take what she thinks is her rightful place there. She hated that little place of theirs with its six measly bedrooms. Gill is going to be renting it out and will put in tenant farmers in Chris’ place.’

‘Only a bitch like Elizabeth D’Arcy could turn her nose up at such a fantastic house. It’s not dissimilar from what she grew up in as I understand it. I can’t stand people like her who make out like they are so poor when her family does quite well, certainly well enough to land themselves in the circles that D’Arcy moves in,’ Esmé sniffed as she washed up the kitchenware they’d used. ‘But it sounds like Gillaume has it all figured out and Chris is going along with it.’

‘Come on – don’t be such a sourpuss. Chris has waited a long time for this…’

‘Chris is a big girl – it’s not for me to approve or disapprove. But I know what Elizabeth D’Arcy is like! She is not going to just roll over and play dead. D’Arcy is really rubbing her face in it and so is Chris, no doubt. I know what my sister is like; she’s bound to be prouder than a peacock.’

‘She’s a free woman now. She doesn’t have to live a life that doesn’t suit her. Farming isn’t her thing – come on Esmé; we both know that.’

‘She only did it because of D’Arcy. Maman will be over the moon. She wants ‘Ladies Who Lunch’ for daughters – she will finally have one. But D’Arcy is a married man moving in with his mistress! We all know that Elizabeth had lovers – but she didn’t move herself in with them!’

‘Well… that might change actually…’ Cat said knowingly as they moved into the living room and took seats on a rather overstuffed but comfortable sofa.

‘My god – there’s more?’

‘No – but from what you said about Michel; it stands to reason that Elizabeth D’Arcy will use this as an opportunity to be with him now.’

‘Hmmph – time will tell I guess…’

‘You sound as though you don’t believe it’s possible. You aren’t hung up over Michel are you? Not after everything he’s put you through?’

‘No – not at all. I just… I don’t know… It’s twisted that this small group of people are married and having affairs and then moving on with their lovers – and they are all friends! D’Arcy is clueless about Michel and if Elizabeth D’Arcy really wants to hurt him, moving in with Michel is a great way to do it! If anything it will prove that I wasn’t some deluded child when I tried to tell them.’

‘But?’

‘But – something ugly is going to kick off over all this; I know it as sure as I know when I was born. D’Arcy’s showing his true colours… Maybe he feels justified and just wants to prove something to himself and to Chris, but I do think they are going about it the wrong way…’

‘Well – at least Chris won’t have to be bothered with a life that she really doesn’t want to lead. D’Arcy’s taking control and she’s more than happy to let him do it. She’d going to set up an art gallery with his blessing – and his backing. And she will be overseeing that foundation that D’Arcy has for arts and culture.’

‘She’s getting everything she ever wanted and then some…’ Esmé sighed.

Suddenly she froze.

‘Esmé – are you alright?’

‘Damn it I don’t believe those two! I need to get back to Jersey – to hell with waiting another few hours!’

‘Chris is ok – calm down.’ Sasha said breathlessly as she raced behind Esmé to the front hall.

‘It’s not Chris I’m worried about…’ Esmé snapped as she grabbed their coats from the closet in her foyer.

‘Do you want to tell me what’s going on?’

‘I’m just thinking about other people that are going to be affected by this madness…’

‘Lizzie D’Arcy and Michel? Why should you care about them?

‘I don’t…’

‘But…’

‘Enough with the twenty questions – I need to get to the ferry!’

Sasha looked at her watch.

‘Crikey – I had no idea it was that late. I’ve got to get going myself.’

The two women jumped into Esmé’s 4x4 and roared down the lane that led to town.

‘You never did tell me what you might need me for…’ Esmé said quickly.

‘Well – I might have need of someone who’s fairly good with potions. None of the people I’m working with are capable of doing anything beyond re-recreating what they read in books. I have some ideas about a few things that have happened… But I need more time to see if I’m right…’

‘Potions? Now wait just a minute…’

‘Look, I need someone who can cross-analyse and create spells and potions. We’ve got some good people – but they can’t do what I can and there isn’t time to teach them everything they’d need to know to help me! I’ve spoken to the Higher-Up that brought me in, and she’d love to have the help if you’re willing. She thinks very highly of me and of course would want to meet you a few times to get a sense of what you’re like, but she trusts my judgment. Their people are being slaughtered left, right and center – she’d no dunderhead, they need all the help they can get.’

‘Maybe if they weren’t so damn picky about who they admitted to their precious school and their ministry they’d have more support!’

‘You’ve got too much talent to waste your life spinning cotton! A lot is at stake this time around; sooner or later we will all be affected by it!’

An alarm went off in Esmé’s mind and Christian’s voice rose from its depths.

‘Just promise me you won’t leave later than Friday or Saturday at the most,’ he’d said. ‘If what I think is coming, no doubt some of the inhabitants of neighbouring islands in the Channel will try to cross over to Jersey. We will be sending in the Bastille Guards to patrol our borders and those of Jersey. Jersey may be a Crown Dependency to Britain, but in her affairs she is truly French. She has formally allied with us and the British are seeing red over it.’

‘No,’ Esmé thought to herself. ‘It’s only the British who will be affected by this because Europe isn’t going to allow this to become their problem like they did the last time.’

‘I’ve got my own life to lead Sasha,’ she said aloud. ‘And there is something you’ve been holding back from me since the moment we met in Paris.’

‘Damn you and that gift of yours…’

‘What’s going on? Something is motivating you beyond a simple desire to rid the world of the pestilence of a Dark Wizard…’

‘You know that someone tried to kill Albus Dumbledore…’

’Hmm I remember hearing something to that effect, yes…’

‘Esmé this is the greatest wizard of the age we are talking about – not the man that sells ice cream in Diagon Alley!’

‘The life of your ice cream man is just as important – he isn’t worth any less because he’s not in your ministry or running a wizarding school.’

‘Ok, OK! Anyhow – the man that is believed to have attempted murder was my old Potions Master who also taught Defense Against the Dark Arts for a time. They couldn’t anyone to teach DADA – that job seems to be jinxed. But Professor Snape, Severus Snape, agreed to do it. He also happened to be my Head of House in Slytherin. Most people outside our House don’t give a shit about him, but he always looked after us – or at least he tried to. I know for a fact that he worked his bollocks off trying to protect us and keep the impressionable ones from running off to join You-Know-Who…’

‘And?’

‘And… I don’t believe the things they are saying in the papers and I definitely don’t believe what’s being said amongst the people in the resistance. They won’t be pleased to see me and I definitely know of one that is going to want me to be anywhere but in her presence.

‘Tough shit, she’ll have to deal with it the same as the rest of them!’

‘’Zact! The only man who can clear Professor Snape’s name is near death. And somehow, someway he can be brought back. I know he can! But I need help and that help isn’t going to come from the circle of people that Professor McGonagall knows and trusts – she’s the woman who brought me in to help The Order of the Phoenix…the resistance.’

‘Oh Merde…’

‘Professor Snape has been gone for a very long time now and there’s no chance he’s alive. He was exposed as a Death Eater and the other side were out for his blood as much as ours were. But to read the papers he’s public enemy number one and not that thing he served once upon a time. Dumbledore apparently believed in him and Snape had joined the original Order just before You-Know-Who reached the height of his powers the last time and spied for the Headmaster at a great risk to himself. Dumbledore even testified in support of him during the trials. He flat out said that Severus Snape was no more a Death Eater than he was. Snape was released from Azkaban and then took up the Potions Masters job at Hogwarts.

But Professor Snape was a very clever and talented wizard, much better than anyone ever wanted to give him credit for – save Dumbledore and some of us Slytherins. It’s too complicated to get into, but suffice it to say that to get rid of You-Know-Who is going to take a lot more than the talent the Order has at the moment. My former Head of House would have been the only one who would have had a chance to sort this out what with Dumbledore being near death and all – but there isn’t anyone that comes close to knowing what he knows. He could brew the Wolfsbane Potion easy peasy – and that’s saying something. But there hasn’t been anyone that could do it since he disappeared – and they need me to try, amongst other things. That’s why McGonagall reached out to me – I was one of the best students he ever had and I know a lot more than the esteemed minds in the Order at the moment. She worries that I might be more loyal to him than the Order – but that’s not my problem.’

‘They need you, not the other way around.’

‘’Zact!’

‘So – sounds like they have a werewolf or two in their midst…’

‘Mmm hmm; another former professor. He actually taught DADA for a year and then got found out for what he was…’

‘So of course he had to go…’

‘Yes,’ Sasha sighed. ‘Aside from Professor Snape he probably was the best DADA teacher they ever had. Lupin was creepy though – something about him I just didn’t like… I’ll have to deal with him now because he’s in the Order and one of Dumbledore’s dearest friends.’

‘God – what a soap opera…’

‘A what?’

Esmé rolled her eyes.

‘What a load of over-the-top drama…’

‘The nature of the beast I guess. So… what do you say?’ Will you at least consider it? Maybe if you met with McGonagall and me together…?’

‘And of course she gave you her blessing to have this ‘little girlie chat’ with me, eh?’

‘That she did!’ Sasha grinned. ‘So come on what do you say?’

Esmé sighed and then shook her head.

‘So much for not being at liberty to tell me anything – as if I would commit myself to something I didn’t really understand… Let’s just see how you get on and what the deal is with these people. I’m not turning my life upside down for something that has nothing to do with me!’

‘You-Know-Who is a threat to all of us, Esmé,’ Sasha replied firmly. ‘It’s not like you to turn away from the obvious – but it’s the truth. People who don’t stand for something will fall for anything.’

Esmé didn’t reply. It was obvious that Sasha didn’t know as much as she thought she did, and Esmé wasn’t going to be the one to enlighten her. Christian had her loyalty and she had no doubt of anything that he told her and especially given her role in helping him. Sasha only knew of him because she’d caught them together twice in the flat above the little shop Esmé used to have to sell her tapestries and going into his flat in Paris. Eventually they were introduced. but Sasha had no idea that Christian worked for the French intelligence service of the equivalent of the Ministry of Magic. Sasha also had no idea of Esmé’s unofficial role as an intelligence agent either.

She turned it over in her mind. This could actually be quite useful. She would talk to Christian about it, of course. But it seemed highly probably that he would agree to her getting involved with Sasha and this Order of the Phoenix.

‘Ok, I will consider it,’ she finally answered.

Sasha let out a loud whoop.

‘Don’t get too excited! I will think about it and we can see how you get on. But I will tell you right now, France is my home and France is where I will stay…’ Esmé said sharply.

They pulled up just outside her parent’s house which wasn’t too far from the ferry terminal.

‘Sounds like you have already made up your mind to me!’ Sasha said excitedly as she slammed the passenger door shut. ‘I’ll let Professor McGonagall know about what we talked about and then see how it goes. I’ll call you once you are back from Jersey.’

Esmé nodded and then took off as Sasha disappeared into her parent’s house.

There were more important things to sort out, not the least of which was getting back to Jersey. Sebastian had to be aware of what was going on with her sister and D’Arcy. It seemed that there was no longer a place for him there. Given that fact, the man from nowhere might go on the run again if he hadn’t taken off already.

Sebastian had been so anxious about her leaving and not coming back that she could only hope that he was still there, waiting for her.