The Love Of A Wizard

CHAPTER 26
School Days

Claudia was aware that all of the wizards were to be busy for awhile. Namely, the Hogwarts staff were going back to school and the others had Order business to tend to. So, Claudia’s mom and Emma were coming to visit for a couple of weeks.
She had sent word that under no circumstances, were wizards to apparate, Floo or fly broom sticks to her house for two whole weeks. That also meant she wouldn’t see Severus. Claudia couldn’t risk her mother noticing anything odd while she was here. The guys, learning Claudia’s mom was coming, decided to leave for Italy for vacation. Claudia wished dearly she could go, but she wanted to see Emma more. Her mother, still did not approve of her choice in friends, much less her former occupation. And her friends knew it. So they happily packed their belongings and took off for a fun filled vacation.
So the day Claudia went to pick up her mother and Emma was bitter sweet. She held her baby in her arms and cried tears of happiness. She missed her so it felt like an open wound. But she missed Severus as well. They spent two wonderful weeks playing in the English countryside and baking bread. Something her mother did often, and tried to get Claudia to do. It was the night before they were to leave and Claudia and her mother were walking outside after dinner.
Marilyn Sinclair was a sharp tongued woman. Claudia thought she looked just like her mother, only twenty-some-odd years younger. But more to the point, they were a lot a like in personality too. Marilyn Sinclair had an uncanny ability to read her daughter’s mind at times.
“So…have you met anyone new yet?” Her mother asked.
“Um, sort of. But don’t get your hopes up. He’s rather shy.” Claudia said.
“Ah. Is it Remus or Sirius? Oh…don’t look at me like that! Emma told me about them. I just assumed you were playing the field a bit, that’s all. Two men Claudia?” Her mother laughed. Claudia laughed with her.
“No mom. Neither one of those are him.” Claudia fell into a sad silence. She just realized that her daughter had no idea that Sirius was gone. How would she tell her this sad news? Could she tell her?
“What’s wrong honey?” Her mother was reading her face like a book. Claudia shook her head and dismissed the question.
“Well, tell me about the man that IS the one you’re seeing.”
“He’s…a professor at a private school. He’s intelligent, passionate and he and I get one another. You know?” Her mother nodded. “But we are not…well…marriage isn’t an option for us.”
“He’s not married is he?”
“Oh mom! No, of course not! It’s just that he is really busy and has a lot on his plate.” Claudia said.
“Well, I just hope he treats you good and that you are happy. So is Emma staying here? Or am I taking her back with me?” Claudia thought hard about it and decided that Emma could stay. She couldn’t send her baby away anymore. If it meant severing ties with the wizarding world, then she would, for her daughter.
*****

Molly stopped in a day after the two week wizard ban was lifted. She looked paler and more disheveled than Claudia had ever seen her.
“It’s just so stressful! My son Percy…he hasn’t spoken to us in so long.” Her voice cracked. “Remus is doing alright though.” She dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and tried to look less heartbroken. Poor Molly. Claudia thought. The people she loves the most in the world are out there sticking there necks out under the copping block.
“Well, you know we had to vacate Sirius’s house after he…passed on. We weren’t sure who owned it. But apparently Harry does now, Sirius left a will. So we will be returning there for meetings.”
“How is it, that no one else knows of the headquarters? What’s keeping Vol-that wizard, from just going and doing you all in?” Claudia knew how some of the wizards hated to hear Voldemorte’s name.
“Oh well, it’s a charm. See, the Order has what’s called a secret keeper. If the secret keeper does not tell someone where the house is, they can not find it. Very useful spell, might I add.” Just then the front door opened and a very sloppy looking Tonks walked in. Her face was grim and she looked terrible.
“Tonks, good to see you…you look terrible.” Was Claudia’s greeting. Tonks plopped herself down on a chair and shrugged her shoulders. Her hair, once bright pink, was now dull, brown and stringy.
“Apparently, with everything going on, I have lost control over some of my powers. I can’t change my appearance anymore.” She said.
“Sorry to hear it Tonks. You want tea?” She shook her head.
“What I want is for you to tell that boyfriend of yours he needs to be a little more respectful of other Order members!” Tonks fired at her. Both Molly and Claudia jumped with alarm.
“What are you talking about?” Claudia asked her.
“The night I took Harry up to the school, he made fun of…my Patronus.” Her voice was quiet and two big tears slid down her face.
“What’s a Patronus?” Claudia asked.
“It’s something used to send messages within the order, as well as fight of Dementors. Each wizard’s Patronus takes a different shape. Usually being something meaningful to each person. Mine, is a hen.” Molly said proudly.
“What is your Patronus Tonks?” Claudia was fascinated by this tidbit.
“It was a lizard. But…it changed when Remus and I…well, it changed to a werewolf.” Claudia felt Tonks’s pain as if it were her own. Her suffering was etched into her very being. “Molly, have you heard from Remus?”
“Well, not from him, but about him. Through Dumbledore. After Dumbledore got himself hurt so badly…I just worry for everyone now.” Molly sniffled again.
“Speaking of that…how did his hand get so burned?” Claudia asked. Both women shrugged their shoulders.
“He won’t say.” Tonks said. “I suppose Snape is happy he is finally teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons now?” Tonks said with a hint of disapproval in her voice.
“Actually, I haven’t spoken with him in some time. Weeks actually…” Her voice trailed off. “Why do you ask?”
“Oh, there is a rumor that says that post is jinxed. No other teacher has stayed in it for more than one year. One teacher actually died.” Molly said. Claudia thought about this and wondered if it had anything to do with Severus’s steadily declining attitude. He had been angry at Dumbledore and also a bit despondent the last time they were together. Whatever was going on, it didn’t sound very good for Severus.