The Love Of A Wizard

CHAPTER 28
Peaceful Blackness

The spring in the English country side was as beautiful this year as past ones. But this year’s spring didn’t bring rebirth to Claudia’s spirit. In fact, she felt that she grieved the winters passing more acutely. The world kept turning around her and she just stood and watched it.
Spring gave way to the beginning of summer and Claudia felt, at long last, some reprieve from her self induced solitude. With summer came more wizards in and out of the house. With summer, Severus would return to her and all that had been wrong for them this past few months would be made right. She would make it right for him.
So it came to pass that Arthur and Molly were coming for dinner. They came to have an early dinner and enjoy a few glasses of wine with their muggle friends. It was the first real happy occasion Claudia had been a part of for some time. Emma was there, on full spotlight mode for Molly. Emma followed Molly around everywhere and made sure everyone knew that Molly was her “Aunt Molly”.
The guys were getting restless, Claudia knew. This was the longest they had ever stayed put anywhere. But tonight, they were carefree and having fun. Everyone was enjoying stories Bones and Rod were telling about their Italy trip. Arthur and Chester were playing on the computer and Molly had whisked Emma off to bed. Claudia walked around smiling at everyone and feeling a bit more alive than she had in the past few months. She had never told the guys about her last meeting with Severus. She thought it was alright, for the time being, to let them think they were separated. She saw no reason to try and defend him to them, when they had already made up their minds. So Claudia thought that later, perhaps over the summer, they could make things right. For Claudia felt as if she was lying to her dearest friends. No one, except Dumbledore, knew of the amulets. Claudia and Severus had made sure no one ever knew, and that made explaining to her friends rather difficult why it was she still trusted Severus.
It turned into a late night for all of them. Zulu had long since gone to bed. Nick was still sitting, sipping Vodka. Bones and Rod were bouncing their heads to music. Molly was sitting with Antonio talking about Italian food. Claudia went in search of Arthur and Chester . Everyone else was so busy, talking, dancing, typing or drinking, no one noticed the bright flash of white light come streaking into the house until it was right in front of Arthur. Claudia knew it to be a Patronus. They were very pretty. It circled his head and rushed to Molly and circled hers.
“Molly!” Arthur yelled. From the other room Claudia could hear Molly shriek with fear. Everyone came running and Arthur was trying to calm his wife.
“What! What’s happening?” Claudia was frantic. Everyone stood still and watched as Arthur gathered his wife in his arms and walked her to the fireplace.
“Molly, go home to the Burrow and collect Fleur. Meet me at the school. Molly? Can you do that?” Arthur’s voice was soft and calming. Molly nodded and tossed sparkly powder into the fireplace. The fireplace sprung to life and projected green flames. Molly stepped into it and yelled,
“The Burrow!” And she was gone. Arthur stood for a moment and collected himself. No one said a word. He started to shake and small sobs came from his throat. Claudia moved behind him and put her hand on his shoulder.
“What happened Arthur? Please tell me.” Claudia begged. Arthur wiped a hand over his face and let out a raspy breath.
“An attack has occurred at the school. From what we gather, Bill was seriously injured. Dumbledore too.” Claudia’s face went whiter than a ghost. No not Bill…she thought. Poor Dumbledore was already injured once. Who could do such a thing? At a school no less? Her heart was beating wildly as she watched Arthur step out of the front door and disapparate.
The remaining six muggles stood in silence a few moments. Nick went to wake Zulu and Claudia went to make a drink. She had that sinking feeling in her stomach that she desperately wanted to ignore. The thought of Molly losing her son was too much for Claudia to fathom. She took two shots of Vodka before she was able to control the shaking hands that held the bottle. The guys assembled in the living room, speaking in hushed tones. Claudia decided to toss the shot glass into the sink and just carry the bottle.
“What the hell man….what the hell?” Was all Rod could say. Chester was sitting in a chair fidgeting with his laptop computer. Claudia just took swig after swig of Vodka. Nick eyed her keenly for a moment, but decided to not try and wrestle the bottle from her just yet. He just went to get another and they sat together and silently prayed for Bill’s and Dumbledore’s safety. Inside, Claudia was begging God to save Severus, wherever he was tonight. Oh God, please let him be alright. She thought.
Almost two hours later, the gang heard footsteps on the porch. Claudia had drank her share of Vodka and had to sit down. The room had been swimming for awhile now and it got increasingly worse as the threat of bad news approached. The front door opened and in came Tonks and Remus. Both of them looked horrible. They both were dirty and disheveled. And both of them had been crying. But what Claudia noticed was that they were holding hands as they entered. She didn’t know why, but that made it even worse.
Claudia stared at them and they stared at them back. She new those looks in their faces. Pity. Fear. Sorrow. She had received many such looks after Joe died. But why was Tonks looking at her that way?
“Death Eaters attacked the school tonight.” Remus said first. Everyone groaned.
“Molly and Arthur left here a long time go. What’s happening?” Chester asked. A silence filled the room and Tonks sniffled. Remus seemed to squeeze her hand as he spoke.
“Well…tonight…um…one of the Death Eaters attacked Bill. It was the werewolf Fenrir Gray back. Tore him up pretty bad.” More groans and Chester sat with his face in his hands. Zulu put his hand on his shoulder to try and comfort him. Claudia couldn’t speak, even if she wanted to she couldn’t. They looked like there was worse news.
“Is he…will he be ok?” Antonio asked. Remus nodded slowly.
“Since Grayback wasn’t transformed at the time, the side effects are limited. But he will be scarred for life.” Relief. Sweet relief washed over her. Claudia put the bottle to her lips again and took a drink.
“What about Dumbledore?” Chester said from behind his hands. More silence. Claudia felt the coldness seeping back into the pit of her stomach. No…
“Dumbledore…was killed tonight.” Remus said quietly Claudia almost choked on the last swig of Vodka. Oh God! No! She thought. Still words wouldn’t come out.
“No!” Chester cried even harder into his hands now. Zulu closed his eyes and Nick gripped Claudia’s shoulder for support. Rod and Bones sat with their heads bowed and Antonio stared at Remus and Tonks, frowning.
“There is more, no?” Antonio said quietly. Remus nodded. What more can there be? Claudia thought. But then…then she caught Tonks’s eye and Claudia felt the earth move under her. Tonks stepped forward toward Claudia and Claudia let out a cry. No…not Severus…it can’t happen to me agian! God is not that cruel. Claudia’s voice broke as she spoke.
“Severus…is he…” Tonks lowered her eyes. “He’s not…is he?” Claudia’s voice was barely audible. Remus gave a shake of his head.
“Claudia…Severus…he killed Dumbledore.” The wind was knocked from Claudia’s body. She dropped the bottle in her hands and fell to her knees on the floor. Nick melted next to her and kept her upright
“What? It is not possible. He is good man, I know!” Nick sounded almost like a child begging for a punishment to be lifted. Tonks tried to go to Claudia but Claudia pushed her away. No. No. No…
“I’m so sorry Claudia. But it’s the truth. There were witnesses. He’s left Hogwarts for Voldemort.” Those last words were more than Claudia could bare. The first thing that happened was that she vomited all over the floor. Bones and Rod went to gather cleaning supplies to clean it up, only to have it disappear with a flick of Remus’s wand. Claudia was shaking uncontrollably and rocking back and forth.
“No…no…no…no…no…” Was all that would come out. Tears poured from her eyes and everything else seemed to melt away. She was slowly slipping away. The room began to spin and she felt Nicks arms catch her as she slumped against him. Then…peaceful blackness.


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A/N: Well...here we are. HBP territory. What will happen now????