Sub Rosa

Chapter 29 – A Time for Redemption

Severus opened his eyes to the white ceiling of the hospital wing. It was a long familiar sight. He had spent more time in this part of the castle than any other, save perhaps his classroom. Starting with his childhood attendance to this school and then through the years of spying and fighting, he had learned the ceiling well. He knew every crack and stone like the old friends they were.

A sigh from his left brought his attention to a face he had not expected to see. Marie Laveau sat in a wing chair beside him, a book in her lap and her legs tucked up underneath her.

“Madame Laveau?” He wondered if he was dreaming.

“Good afternoon, Professeur.” Her Cajun lilt gave his French title a romantic edge. He found his eyes crinkling and his lips turning upwards. “You and my Kathryn have been ill from the hex-breaking.” She explained.
“Albus thought my greater experience in this might be useful.” He nodded and relaxed.

“How is she?”

“She took the brunt of it, but she will be well soon enough.” Marie uncurled and rose from the chair. She picked up a small flask from the bedside table and handed it to him, gesturing for him to drink it. He downed it quickly, his eyes crossing from the vile taste.

“Merlin’s ghost, Madame, that is foul.” Even as he made a sour face, he was mentally cataloguing the ingredients.

“If it tastes good, you will stay sick longer.” She said with an airy wave of her hand. Severus chuckled at the old witch and returned the empty flask.

“You are an evil old woman, Madame.” She grinned at him brightly, once more reminding him forcefully of her granddaughter.

“You have a flattering tongue, Professeur.” She returned. Albus stepped into the room and Marie’s eyes went to him like magnets drawn to metal. Albus’ face was still and calm as he entered the room and Severus felt as though he had intruded on something personal and private.

“Marie.” Severus had never heard that particular tone to Albus’ voice before. Albus bowed slightly to the tiny woman who had settled back into the chair.

“Albus.” It was almost music, the way she said it and Severus’s mind whirled with speculations. Her face had a sort of wistful look to it, as though memories were crowding in on her.

“How are you Severus?” Albus turned back to him and Severus felt as though his heart would breaeeineeing the fleeting bleakness in his old friend’s eyes.

“I’m quite well, Albus. Madame Laveau has been taking excellent care of me.” He nodded to the woman, who was sitting quite still.

“I have to take good care of you, child, I’m holding out for you as my grandson.” A smile of pure mischief lit the woman’s eyes at Severus’ shocked expression.

“Grand-mére, stop meddling!” Kathryn’s voice rose weakly from the next bed.

“When have I ever meddled?” She returned with a small pout and Albus met Severus’ eyes with an expression of long-sufferance.

“Last night Death Eaters destroyed the Leaky Cauldron and several other establishments that acted as borders between the muggle world and the magical world.” Albus’s words were like rocks dropping into his stomach and Severus felt anger coiling in his gut.

“Was anybody hurt?” Kathryn’s voice, still thin with pain rose up in enquiry.

“Tom is fine, but about twenty people lost their lives last night. Three families of muggle-born witches and wizards were dragged from their homes and murdered. The Dark Mark was seen above their burning homes.”

“Guide them Bon Dieu. Baron Samedi please guard them in their rest. “ Marie’s whispered prayer echoed through the terrible stiss oss of the room. Kathryn’s soft swearing followed soon after.

Severus was released from the hospital wing a few hours later. Kathryn, still weak from backlash, set him the task of finding out how the bag got into Parvati’s bed in the first place. Someone was in league with the Dark Lord and he had a very good idea where to start.

He stalked down to the dungeons and tried to figure out how to play this. He had to find the culprit and he had to protect his status as a Death Eater. This game grew more complex as the stakes rose. The bitterness of the attack last night, the powerlessness of his position beat down on him. He held his rage inside, pretending to a calm he didn’t feel.

The halls of Hogwarts were hushed and silent. The children went from class to class in a daze. Most hadn’t been born the last time Voldemort had been a threat and it was as if the whispered stories ofir cir childhood had come to life for them.

They had all passed through the Leaky Cauldron at some point in their lives and the place had been a fixture in Wizarding life. To know that Voldemort had it destroyed, just because it opened onto the muggle world, froze them. Suddenly nothing was safe and no place untouchable. He shared their grief, but not their shock. He had known what Voldemort was capable of for twenty years. There was, in fact, a feeling of bitter satisfaction in it, knowing he was no longer alone in his dread.

Stalking into the Slytherin common room he found an atmosphere of fear and suspicion. Half the common room was watching the other half, both sides unsure of the loyalties and allegiances of the other.
His eyes scanned the room and fell upon Pansy Parkinson. She was sitting by the fire with a small smile on her face as she stared into the flames. Crabbe and Goyle sat flanking Draco with expressions of fierce protectiveness. Draco looked drawn and pale, but angry, where he sat across from Pansy, watching her like a mongoose watches a cobra.

“Mr. Malfoy, if you would join me in my office.” He used the discipline voice, the one that indicated a student was in for a tongue-lashing and he watched as Draco began to mentally go over his actions of late.

“Yes, sir.” Draco wit with alacrity and darted after him as Severus stalked from the room. He remained silent until they entered the office and then he cast silence charms and warded the room against eavesdropping and interruptions. Draco watched him wide-eyed through all this. Severus was about to take a terrible chance. He only hoped that he was right about the boy.

“Draco, do you know what the Dark Lord’s ultimate goal is?” He asked and watched the frightened boy straighten into the ramrod stiffness of one waiting for a blow to fall.

“The cleansing of the pureblood world and the domination of the Wizarding world over the muggle world.” He answered by rote.

“Do you understand what that means, what it ly mly means in terms of bloodshed and death?” His voice had dropped to a near whisper as he asked that and he saw the first glimmerings of hope on the boy’s face.

“After today, I’m beginning to.” He looked down at his hands, hands still clean of blood and guilt.

“In the service of The Dark Lord I have personally killed thirty-seven people. Each and every one of them is imprinted on my soul indelibly.” He was shaking and he couldn’t stop. “I can’t do this again, Draco.” The words slipped out before he realized it. Draco came around the desk and wrapped his arms around the man who was more a father to him than Lucius would ever be.

“I’ll help you, sir.” Draco buried his head in Severus’ t ant and Severus held him tightly against him, desperate to protect this child from the evils of his father.

“Last night Kathryn and I almost died because someone put a hex bag in Parvati Patel’s bed.” Draco reared back from him and locked eyes with him.

“Are you alright? Is Professor Leblanc?” Draco was the one shaking now and Severus pulled him back into a quick embrace.

“We are both fine, but there is someone at Hogwarts that did this.”

“Pansy.” His voice was flat and angry. “She made friends with Lavender about a month ago. She developed a sudden interest in divination and spent some time over at Gryffindor tower.” He shook his head in confusion.
“Over the summer she changed, her father took her away somewhere and her mother looked sick and miserable when she came to visit.” Draco began to pace.

“That must have been what Bella was talking about in August.” He remembered the conversation now, Bellatrix prosing on about how women were more rabid in the service of the Dark Lord and were therefore more reliable. How she was seeing to it that more women were brought in to serve.

“We were promised to each other years ago, mother says my bid will be the only one considered, but since the summer…” Draco looked ill and unhappy.

“I will get you out of that.” Severus promised. Draco turned a radiant face to him, a genuine smile, not his usual smirk.

“How?”

“Marie Laveau loves to meddle in matchmaking, I’ll just give her a challenge.” He grinned at the boy.

“You know the Laveau?” Draco’s eyes had widened and his mouth dropped open.

“Let’s go talk to her right now.” Severus rose, unwarded the room and swept Draco after him back to the hospital wing. Draco at his heels, like a faithful terrier, Severus swished into the room, finding Albus and Marie sitting on either side of Kathryn.

Severus nodded to them, but Draco gave Marie a full court bow, young heir to head-of-house. Marie rose gracefully from her chair and extended her hand to him. Like a courtier greeting a queen he bowed over her hand and kissed it.

“Mister Malfoy.” She greeted him and with a graceful gesture produced a chair for both him and Severus. Draco didn’t blink an eye at this example of wandless magic, merely nodding to the headmaster and Kathryn and seating himself.

Severus dropped into the chair beside him and reported both their findings and their dilemma. The understanding that Draco wasn’t going to be following Voldemort made Kathryn’s eyes shand and Albus smile softly. Marie merely nodded, as if it hadn’t ever been at issue. They began to discuss problem of his future marriage.

“Lilith.” Kathryn said from out of nowhere. Marie laughed aloud at that apparent non-sequitor. This was not the tinkling laugh from New Orleans, but a rich, full sound that drew smiles from everyone around her.

“And you say that I meddle, child.” Marie was still chuckling, wiping tears from her eyes.

“She would be perfect for him.” Kathryn added, looked at Draco speculatively.

“She would at that. She is warm and caring, but also quite devious and sneaky.” Draco brightened at the description.

“Machiavellian, that girl, but beautiful and funny.” Kathryn nodded and winked at Draco. “Besides, it would make him my nephew.” Draco looked around at four very powerful and influential wizards and witches and simply nodded.

“If you say so.” He shrugged.

“I have never forced any of my family to marry against their will, if the two of you agree to it, it will be done, but only if you both are happy with it. You both have years to go before you finish school and are ready to settle down.” Marie’s voice had taken on a certain timbre that indicated layers of meaning. Severus noted that Kathryn glanced at Albus beneath her lashes, and that Albus sat rigidly in his chair, not looking at Marie.

“Very wise, Marie.” Was all he said and Severus could just barely see the ghost of pain in him.

“Some of us learn from the sins of the past.” She waved her hand in that dismissive gesture that was becoming familiar to Severus as being particularly Marie. Albus merely nodded. Speculations ran wild in Severus’ mind, but he had other things to think about right then.

“Miss Parkinson.” He redirected the conversation.

“Yes, something must be done. She cannot be allowed to remain at this school if she is serving Tom like this.” Albus sighed.

“That foolish boy.” Marie’s voice was thick with memory and sorrow and Severus was almost offended by her comment.

“That “foolish boy” is responsible for a lot of pain and death, Madame.” His voice was brisk and it brought Marie back from whatever distant place she had gone.

“Yes, the time for his redemption is long past. We have other lives to guard now.” She nodded at Draco and Severus.