Aurelia's Story

“I'm, I'm looking at the sky tonight, everything clear defined,
Just like the last time.
All ideas inside my head, anything like a real one?
I'm looking from the floor tonight, weary of humankind.
Tired of the chains that bind, wasting time on diatribe.
And all the time the walls are closing in, I'm feeling stuck inside again.”

Sky Babies, The Wildhearts

Her hands trembling, she unfolded the enclosed parchment. “Aurelia,” she read, “I trust that I can rely upon you to recognise the importance of not revealing to any what you are about to read. I realise that I am probably the last person you wish to hear from at this moment, but you have to know; I did what I did because Albus asked me to. I know that you have been having doubts about my loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix, and that is understandable considering my actions in the past.

Draco is with me now, Aurelia. We cannot explain everything that has happened in the course of this letter, but know only that neither of us is loyal to the Dark Lord. This letter will act as a Portkey when you have finished reading it, and it will bring you to our current location. Draco needs you, Aurelia, and I simply have to explain everything to you on Albus’ behalf. You are the only one we can trust. We are waiting for you now. Yours, Severus Snape.”

Aurelia barely had time to compose herself before she felt the tug of the Portkey whisking her away. Stumbling, she stopped in front of an end of terrace house in what appeared to be a Muggle street, cobbled and smelling decidedly dirty. After the luxury of Tintagel and Malfoy Manor, Aurelia was a little ashamed to find herself feeling a little disgusted by it. Subtly withdrawing her wand, she glanced around her. Satisfied that no-one had seen her arrive, she approached the front door and knocked twice.

The door opened a crack and Severus peered through, his wand drawn. Nodding to Aurelia, he pulled her through the door before slamming it closed and re-warding it. They were in a small, shabby sitting room; Draco was sat in an armchair in the corner, his head in his hands. Severus looked at her soberly, distracting her attention. “Aurelia, I am so, so sorry,” he said quietly.

She looked back at him tearfully, feeling her defences fall apart. “How could you, Severus?” she demanded, her voice rising. “Uncle Albus treated you like a son, and you fucking murdered him!”

Draco rose from the chair and walked towards her, his eyes red-rimmed. “Lia, you can’t blame him,” he begged, his voice breaking, “it’s all my fault.”

Despite the fact that she was only four years older than him, Aurelia’s maternal instinct rose and she pulled her stepson into a tender embrace and let him cry on her shoulder. “Draco, hush, darling. It isn’t your fault; I know you weren’t going to cast the curse. I know exactly what happened on that damn tower,” she soothed him, glaring at Severus.

Severus stormed over towards them and pulled Aurelia away from Draco, wrenching her face up to look at his. “You know nothing,” he spat as Aurelia tried desperately to free herself from his grip. “You heard some second-hand tale from Potter, I suppose,” Severus said, his lip curling.

“Get your damn hands off me, Severus,” Aurelia retorted, her temper threatening to spill over. “Or have you so easily forgotten what I told you our master’s instructions were?”

“I have not forgotten,” Severus replied, biting his lip furiously. “But now you mention our master, it reminds me that he is not best-pleased with you at all, disappearing with the children like that.”

Draco stepped forward again, bemusement on his face. “Lia, where are the twins? Are they okay?” he asked anxiously.

“They’re fine, Draco, no thanks to Severus. Did you not think about what would happen to them when you whisked me away with an automatic Portkey?” she asked Severus sarcastically.

“I… no. I apologise for that error.”

“Luckily, the house elves were taking care of them whilst I went to the school…” Aurelia trailed off as a fresh wave of grief hit her with the thought of Hogwarts. “Are you going to tell me your version of events then, Snape, or are we simply going to discuss your failings all night?” she snapped.

“Delightful as that topic may be, I do intend to tell you what happened if you let me get a word in, witch.” Severus sighed and began to pace the room. “I was made aware late last summer of the Dark Lord’s plan for Draco to murder Albus. I went straight to Albus and informed him of what had happened, and that the Dark Lord had asked me to assist Draco in his task. Albus was not surprised; I believe he had been expecting an assassination attempt for some time now. It was clear to all that our master would not be able to get access to Potter whilst Albus was alive, and it he seems he had been anticipating this move.”

However, what he asked me…” Severus’ eyes took on a haunted look, and his hands shook. “Albus made me promise to try to turn Draco away from the Dark Lord and to fulfil Draco’s task for him.”

Aurelia was horrified. “You cannot expect me to believe that Uncle Albus wanted to die?!”

Severus looked out of the window, sighing. “I do not believe he wanted to die, Aurelia, no. However, he was an old man, and he came close to death more than once this past year. Albus accepted that death was coming for him, and I believe he thought that this way I could still spy for the Order, and Potter would be able to go on and fulfil his destiny without hiding behind Albus all the time.”

“Harry does not hide!” Aurelia retorted hotly, missing Draco’s narrowed eyebrows at her remark.

“Whether intentionally or not, he does. Perhaps it was Albus’ fault – he always mollycoddled the boy somewhat.”

“Severus, I am still not convinced. Putting aside our disagreements over Harry for now, I cannot understand why my uncle would choose to leave a world he loves so much that still had so much for him.”

“Try to see it from his point of view, Aurelia. He was weakening anyway, you must have noticed that. Albus would not have been able to withstand another confrontation with the Dark Lord. This way, he departed this life on his own terms, with benefits for the Order.”

“How do I know you haven’t merely been told to say this to me by our master?” Aurelia asked suspiciously, still reluctant to believe that Albus could have chosen to die.

“Clearly you won’t believe me, Aurelia, no matter what I say to you. Will you agree to see the memory inside my Pensieve?”

“I have no choice if I want to understand, it seems,” she replied resignedly. “Very well.”

Severus strode over to the cabinet on the far side of the room and withdrew the Pensieve, silently placing it on the table to the side of Aurelia. She took a deep breath, then entered.

**********

Albus Dumbledore paced his office, Fawkes the phoenix singing softly behind him. “You say that there is no way that Draco can decline, Severus?”

Severus looked at him in astonishment. “Albus, when has anyone ever been able to say no to the Dark Lord? Even disregarding that, I am certain that he would follow through on his threat to the twins should Draco fail. Aurelia may believe that he would not harm them, but if he is angered, there is nothing he will not do.”

Albus shuddered. “It is not as if we can warn Aurelia either. The twins may not be born yet, but I know that she will move heaven and earth to protect them already. If she suspects that they are in even the slightest danger, she will not sit back and do nothing. That will put you and Draco in danger as well. There must be some way that you can all be protected…” Albus trailed off, his eyes closing as he thought.

“Yes,” he said quietly, “I can see no other way.”

“Headmaster?” Severus enquired tentatively. “Do you have a solution?”

“Voldemort has asked you to help Draco, yes?” Severus nodded. “I do not believe that Draco has it in him to become a killer. He may be a bigoted bully, but he is no murderer, I am certain of it. Under Aurelia’s influence as well, I believe he has enough good in him to steer him away.”

“But that solves nothing, Albus.”

“You must fulfil his task for him, my boy,” Albus said sorrowfully. “I wish I did not have to ask this of you –“

Severus interrupted him. “You cannot possibly be serious!”

“I am. Severus, you know that I am getting no younger. My reflexes are not what they used to be,” Albus said, lifting his blackened hand as evidence, “and there is little more I can do; I have no chance of surviving another direct confrontation with Voldemort. I merely want enough time to prepare Harry for what he must do, and then my role in this will be over.”

“I cannot kill you, Albus, I simply cannot do it!” Severus exclaimed.

“There is no other way, Severus, you must see. I wish I did not have to go; I will have precious little time with the twins, and I fear for what will happen to the school between my death and Voldemort’s.” Albus’ eyes shone, tears threatening to spill through.

“How can you be so certain that Potter will triumph?”

“If I didn’t believe it, Severus, there would be no hope and nothing worth striving for. We must all have confidence that good will triumph over evil; is that not the way of the world after all?”

“I don’t know that I can do it, Albus.”

“You must, Severus, for everyone. It has to be this way. All I ask is that you delay it as long as possible. Draco has until the end of the school year to do it – make it as close to that deadline as you can.”

“How can you talk about your death so rationally, Albus?” Severus asked in wonderment.

“I am not afraid for myself, Severus. After all, is not death only life’s next adventure?” Albus smiled, his eyes twinkling.

**********

Aurelia pulled her head out of the Pensieve and stared at Severus, unable to find the words. Brusquely, he crossed the room and briefly embraced her before pulling back. “He had to beg me, Aurelia. I almost couldn’t do it. I hated myself so, so much atop that tower tonight.”

“You did him proud, Severus,” she replied, her voice wavering. “And Draco – I am so proud of you. Many doubted that you could pull away from your father’s path, but I hoped all along that you would be strong enough. I can never thank you enough for doing all you could to keep my children safe.”

“They are my family, Aurelia, as are you. I would die for any of you if necessary – I merely wish that it did not have to take this to make me realise it.”

“What now, Severus? Uncle Albus died to keep us all safe, we cannot let him down.”

“Firstly, we must hide Draco. Unfortunately, his Occlumency skills are not yet developed enough to fool the Dark Lord, and he will sense the deception instantly.”

“That will not be a problem. Draco will be safe where I have been staying with the twins these past few months; none will find him there.”

Draco nodded, and Severus continued. “Tonight, then, I must go to the Dark Lord and inform him that Draco has absconded from my care, and bring him up to date on events. Do you wish me to pass on a message from you?”

Aurelia thought hard. “Yes, that will be best. Tell him I am not angry with him over the death of Uncle Albus, and I hope the day is near that he returns Lucius to me so that I can resume my service to him and atone for Draco’s betrayal.”

“Very well.”

“And what of the Order?” Aurelia asked concernedly. “Do they know of this?”

“I am not sure. I believe Albus left instructions and explanations in his will; we have to wait till the reading of that.”

“Okay. Severus, I hate to take my leave of you so hastily, but we cannot rely on Draco being hidden here for much longer. We must take our leave of you. Hopefully, I will hear from you soon.”

“I hope so. Take care of yourself and the children, won’t you?” They embraced briefly before Severus clapped a hand on Draco’s shoulder then left the room, dropping the wards on the front door with a wave of his wand.

Aurelia turned to face her stepson. “Come, Draco, we mustn’t dally.” They exited the house, and Aurelia took hold of Draco’s arm and Apparated them to the boundaries of Tintagel.

“There is something I must explain before we go in,” Aurelia said quietly, checking around them. Satisfied they had not been followed, they walked slowly to the entrance.

“Where are we?” asked Draco, awed.

“Tintagel, my ancestral home. The blood and magic of my ancestors will protect you whilst you are here, Draco. However, you will not be able to see the twins or I inside the grounds. Our being here was protected by the Fidelius charm; Uncle Albus was the Secret Keeper. Obviously, the secret died with him, so none other than those he revealed it to will be able to find us here. I will have the head house elf, Tosey, come to greet you and settle you into the guest quarters.”

“Thank you, Aurelia,” Draco asked, unsuccessfully hiding a yawn. “When will I see you next then?”

“I come to the gates at 6am every day to collect the Daily Prophet; you can meet me then if you like. Come on, we had best get inside the grounds. The twins will be difficult to settle tonight, having been away from me for so long,” Aurelia said tiredly.

“Ok. Before we go in, though, Lia… I really am sorry for your loss,” Draco said sincerely.

“I know, Draco. I know.” They regarded each other silently, then entered the sanctuary of Tintagel, each resolving to make the most of these last few precious hours of peace.


Voldemort did not wait long to act. Just three days later, Aurelia took the Daily Prophet from the delivery owl and unfurled it to read the headline, “MASS AZKABAN BREAKOUT – all incarcerated Death Eaters loose!”

Aurelia paled, and handed the paper to Draco. “Lucius… my Lucius… I must go to the manor. Draco, I will be back as soon as possible.” She ran into the castle, hurriedly snatched up the twins and Flooed to Malfoy Manor.