An Unlikely Savior ~ (Edit) COMPLETED

Chapter 25 ~ An Invitation

Ron was putting the final touches on the tree when Hermione returned home. She removed and hung up her hat and coat, then entered the living room. Ron gave her a smile.

”How did the research go?” he asked her as he stood on a chair, putting a star on top of the tree. He climbed down and crossed over to Hermione, giving her a little peck, then studying her.

”I learned far more than I wanted to know,” Hermione said heavily, sitting down on the sofa.

Ron’s brow furrowed and he sat down next to his wife.

”How’s that possible?” he asked her.

Hermione looked at Ron with rather haunted eyes.

”It’s possible when the source of information is Severus bloody Snape, that’s how,” she replied.

”What? You went to see him? By yourself? Hermione—“

“I was fine, Ron. Nothing happened. Well, I did punch him in the nose twice,” Hermione told Ron, who went pale.

”You punched him?”

”Right in that huge honker. He deserved it, believe me.”

”He didn’t try to do anything back, did he?” Ron asked, looking her over for bruises. If Snape had manhandled Hermione in any way, he’d have more to worry about than a couple of punches in the nose.

”No. He took it pretty well, actually, although he said he’d hit me back if I did it again. I didn’t,” Hermione said, her mouth turning down.

”If he even raised one greasy finger—“ Ron began.

”We’re past that point now, Ron. But I did find out how he took Eileen. He gave me a Pensieve of it.”

Ron blinked at her.

”It showed everything,” Hermione added, frowning. Then tears welled up in her eyes.

Ron wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

”It wasn’t pretty, was it?” he asked her softly.

”No. It was horrible, Ron. It was so—animal. There wasn’t anything about it that was, was—“

Hermione stopped speaking as the tears began to fall.

Ron held his wife as she quietly sobbed. He quietly cursed Snape for what he’d done, but it had happened years ago, and it was the fulfillment of a Life Debt. To be honest, Ron was a bit relieved that Hermione was upset. Suppose what had happened had turned her on and made her hot for Snape?

Ron shuddered a little. Hot for Snape? Gods, what a thought. Brrr.

Hermione gulped back her tears.

”I could have been anyone, Ron. It was clear that he had a purpose. He didn’t lust after me at all. All he wanted was for me to get pregnant, like a brood mare. It was just awful.”

”It’s in the past, Hermione,” Ron told his wife, thinking sometimes her need to know wasn’t a good thing. “Would you like me to Obliviate the memory for you?”

Hermione shook her head.

”No, I just want to take a shower and go to bed. I feel soiled.”

Ron didn’t doubt it. Having sex with Snape must have been gag-worthy, even if it did happen decades ago.

”All right, then. I’ll be along in a bit, love,” Ron said, kissing her temple, then watching as Hermione rose and walked down the hallway.

Ron let out a sigh, wishing he could comfort Hermione and make this nightmare just go away. But short of Obliviation, there was nothing he could do except give her time to come to terms with it.

He’d be there for her like always.

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The next morning, Hugo and Rose were seated opposite each other at the Gryffindor table having their breakfast with their housemates. Eileen watched them for a while and caught Rose glancing at her furtively from time to time. Hugo outright waved at her, but she didn’t respond. He didn’t seem to care as he smiled at her.

”Hugo, stop it. She doesn’t care that you’re waving,” Rose hissed at him from across the table. “And you’re attracting attention.”

Indeed, their housemates were looking at Hugo curiously. Who was he waving at? It was definitely someone at the Slytherin table.

Hugo just shrugged.

Eileen smirked a little. Obviously, Rose didn’t like Hugo trying to be friendly. Well, if she didn’t like Hugo waving, she was going to have conniptions about this. Eileen produced a piece of parchment with something written on it. She flicked her wand at it and it folded neatly into a paper dragon. She sent it to Hugo.

Everyone watched as the paper dragon flew across the Great Hall and circled over Hugo.

”What’s that?” Rose hissed, trying to grab it. But the dragon dodged and actually blew a little flame at her before dropping into Hugo’s lap and unfolding. Hugo picked it up and read it, a broad smile forming on his face.

”What’s it say?” Rose hissed at him.

Hugo put the parchment in his pocket.

”That’s my business,” he replied loftily.

Rose scowled at him blackly.

”Eileen sent you that. I want to know what it says, Hugo and I want to know now.”

Suddenly, Hugo let out a whoop and jumped up, beating at his robes pocket. A waft of smoke came out. Eileen tried not to grin. The parchment had self-destructed in Hugo’s pocket, catching fire and instantly reducing to ash. It was a quick flare-up but hot just the same.

Hugo reached inside and drew out black ash, which he dusted off his hand. He looked at Rose.

”I guess you’ll never know now what it said,” he told her smugly.

Rose whipped out her wand.

”Legilimens!” she hissed as everyone at the table looked at her wide-eyed. Rose could do Legilimency at her age? That wasn’t taught until the sixth year. But Rose was Hermione Weasley’s daughter. She could do quite a few advanced spells.

Hugo was no Occlumens, but—he was fast. He dodged the hex and ran out of the Great Hall, his robes streaming behind him.

”Oooh,” Rose hissed, furious he’d gotten away. She looked over at Eileen, who was actually smiling back at her.

She’d better leave Hugo alone.

As Hugo hightailed it up the marble staircase, looking back to see if Rose was pursuing him, he couldn’t help but be excited. Eileen’s message had been short and to the point.

Hugo,

If you want to go flying, meet me by Hagrid’s shack right after supper. You won’t need a broom and dress warm.

Eileen

Eileen had a customized Firebolt, the fastest one on the market. Did he want to go flying? Sure he did. Rose never took him flying and he didn’t have his own broom yet. He had to use the clunky school brooms, which were as slow as molasses.

He couldn’t wait for this evening. Eileen must really like him to offer to take him flying. Hugo grinned to himself as he took the shifting stairwells.

He knew she was all right from the first.

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”All right, Eileen. What’s going on?” Alsop demanded as they walked across the Hogwarts grounds. It was lunchtime and they both had warm cups of soup clutched in their gloved hands. “First, Rose chases you, then you send a note to Hugo. Something’s going on and I want to know what.”

Eileen sighed inwardly. She knew Alsop was going to take her to task about this, and wouldn’t let up until he was told everything. He had the tenacity of a dragon when he wanted to know something.

“Okay, Alsop, but you can’t tell anyone, not even your parents or your brothers,” Eileen told him, taking a sip of soup as she scowled.

”I promise I won’t. Just tell me what’s going on. Why are you interacting with my cousins? You can’t stand them.”

”I can’t stand Rose. Hugo’s passable,” Eileen replied. “Fast with a wand, too.”

Eileen complimenting Hugo? She never complimented anyone. Something definitely was up.

“So, tell me,” Alsop said impatiently.

”All right. Here’s the quick version. Rose and Hugo’s mum owed my dad a Life Debt for saving her life at the final battle. He performed a fertility ritual and—and---“

”And?” Alsop pressed.

”And—Rose and Hugo’s mum is my mum too,” Eileen finished, taking a sip of soup as if she had just commented on the weather.

Alsop dropped his soup.

”What?” he exclaimed.

”I’m Rose and Hugo’s sister. And your cousin, by marriage,” she informed him.

Alsop felt the entire world bend around him, and staggered alarmingly, Eileen watching him, expecting the wizard to fall flat on his face. But he didn’t.

“But how is that possible? The time frame is all wrong and everything,” Alsop said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“He kept the fertilized egg in some kind of magic statue. It looked like a pregnant woman—“

”A fertility goddess,” Alsop said in a low voice. “It must have kept you viable. Ingenious.”

”When my dad married my mum, I mean Delores, he put me inside her. She was a surrogate mother, not my biological one. I’m Hermione Weasley’s daughter.”

Alsop shook his head.

”And Rose and Hugo know you’re their sister?” he asked her.

”Obviously, or they wouldn’t be stalking me,” Eileen said, her mouth turning down. “But, I’ve decided to give Hugo a chance. Rose can go fly a broom.”

“I can’t believe this,” Alsop said, blinking at her.

”Welcome to my life,” Eileen replied, turning back towards the castle and walking away, Alsop staring after her.

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At supper, Rose didn’t see Eileen at the Slytherin table, and Hugo was inhaling his food as quickly as he could. He had his heavy coat and Weasley hat with him. Rose narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

”Why do you have your hat and coat?” she asked him.

”I’m going outside after supper,” Hugo replied, not looking up at her.

”To do what?” Rose pressed, not liking this at all. Normally, she didn’t care what Hugo was up to, but after he received that note from Eileen, she was on point.

“Just—run around,” Hugo replied. “Like I usually do. Why are you asking me so many questions? You usually don’t care what I do as long as I stay away from you.”

“I’m asking because—because I need to keep an eye on you, that’s why.”

”You didn’t keep an eye on me before. You always tell me to go away and find something to do other than hang around you. Now, I’m doing it without you telling me.”

Rose never realized how much she alienated her younger brother. She was just so used to doing it. He complained, but it didn’t matter then. Now, it did.

”I don’t care what I tell you, Hugo. You’re my brother and I have to protect you.”

”From what? I don’t need protecting,” he retorted, standing up and putting on his coat, hat, and gloves.

”Hugo—“ Rose said as he walked away, heading for the doors.

Rose stood up and followed him, leaving her food uneaten. She entered the entrance hall and saw Hugo exit the castle. She ran after him and opened the door. It was really cold out there.

“Hugo! Hugo, you get back here!” she yelled after him.

But the first year walked determinedly across the grounds, apparently heading toward the Forbidden Forest.

”Oh, damn it,” Rose hissed. She was going to have to get her hat and coat to follow him, and they were all the way up in Gryffindor tower. She ran up the marble stairs.

She’d get her broom, too. It would be easier to find him from above.

As she took the shifting stairwells, Rose had a tight feeling in her belly. She suspected he was going to meet Eileen. The tightness was because inside, Rose was afraid that Hugo might begin to like Eileen more than he did her, especially if Eileen was nice to him and let him hang around her. She could lose her little brother.

She’d have to start to be nicer to Hugo, if only to keep him from turning away from her. Now she felt bad about the way she always ran him off, but he could be annoying and he had no business hanging around her and her friends, listening in. She couldn’t talk in front of him.

Rose sighed. Eileen was messing up the dynamic already. Hugo had been her brother long before he was Eileen’s. She wasn’t about to let that Slytherin steal him away.

She gave the password to the Fat Lady and hurried through, determined to find out what Hugo and Eileen were up to.

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A/N: Thanks for reading.