Forgiveness

Thanks to Jilliane and Ultrazipped for the reviews.

Ultrazipped: If you want to receive update notificaton, leave me an email address. I hate that AFF took the OFC category away from us too.

This chapter was beta'ed by Drusilla of Perfect Imagination.


Chapter 3

Severus awoke with a start, wondering where he was for a moment, before recalling the previous evening's events. The digital clock on the bedside table read four o'clock. The girl stirred from her slumber, yawning as she asked, “You leaving, Mister?”

“I must.” He sat up and began gathering his clothes. It had been ages since he had shared the company of a female, willing or paid. He pulled on his briefs, feeling the dull, sweet ache of the nights activities as he stooped.

The girl shrugged into a small cotton dressing gown as she followed him, watching as he donned his clothes. He paused as he buttoned his shirt wanting to speak of the void that the girl's kindness had filled, if momentarily. He said only, “Thank you. The experience was lovely.”

She went to him, twining her arms around him. He embraced her as she rested her head on his chest. “You don't have to say that, Mister. I'm not the best-looking girl, you know.”

He kissed the top of her head, letting the feel of her warm body against his calm him. She turned her gaze to his and for a moment they communicated wordlessly about all the injustices of their worlds. She was plain, lonely and needy. He was cruel, ugly and old before his time. He kissed her, letting the action burn away each of their bitter truths. “My name is Severus. Remember me.”

“Severus,” she said, as if tasting the word. She broke contact with his body, suddenly shy and young once more. “I will. I had a lovely experience too. I don't guess I'll see you again, but thanks for the night. It meant a lot to me.”

He finished dressing and exited into the deep chill of early morning. He stood on the patch of dirt and weeds that served as the lawn, waiting until the porch light and then the bedroom light winked out, before he Apparated to a copse of wind-stunted trees outside the campgrounds.

He walked briskly to the door of the caravan, pausing to catch his breath before he entered.

Joseph Pony's voice was belligerant and laced with malice. “Where you been at?”

Severus ignored the boy. There would be time enough for apologies tomorrow, until then he wanted to savour the glow of sex. Stella stirred as Severus made his way past her small bed. She launched herself at him, her voice quavering as she exhaled, “Uncle 'Rus, I thought you were so mad that you left us.”

Severus noted she still felt hot as his hand skimmed her forehead. He switched on the lamp. She was burning with fever, her eyes glassy, and her skin a deep red. Joseph Pony grumbled as Severus barked more sharply than he intended, “How long has she been like this?”

“What?” Joseph Pony sat up. “Jesus, I don't know. Stella, why didn't you say were feelin' bad?”

The girl began crying softly, collapsing into Severus' arms. “I thought you were gone forever.”

“I will never leave you, or Joseph Pony, no matter how angry I get,” the dark wizard whispered so only she could hear. Severus picked her up and cradled her in his arms as he placed her in his bed. He told himself it was nothing more than what he would have done for one of his younger Slytherins. Returning to the kitchenette, he rifled through the potions stores they had not yet sold. “Mr. Red Horse, please wet some flannels and place them on Stella's head.”

He finally found the bottle for which he looked, and returned to the girl's side. He lifted her shoulders so he could feed her the last dose of Fever-Reducing Potion they had. She shuddered at the taste, but swallowed it all dutifully. Severus ran his hand through his limp hair, feeling the need to shower. He then sat on the edge of the bed as Joseph Pony returned with the flannels, his arrogantly-handsome face solemn. Severus placed the cloths on the girl's forehead and at the back of her neck. She clung to his hand as she drifted to sleep. Severus said softly, “Thank you, Joseph Pony.”

The boy crouched in the floor, flat-footed, his knees drawn to his chest. “Sorry 'bout the teasing, Uncle 'Rus.”

“I over-reacted.” The older man's eyes never left the girl's face, but he felt the unacknowledged tension leeching from his shoulders. “I tend to be less open about such matters.”

“You know, I kinda got that.” Joseph Pony gave a lop-sided grin. After a moment, he asked, “Will she be okay?”

“I will do some diagnostic spells to ascertain her condition. Please, feel free to return to bed. I will let you know my findings.” Severus flicked his wand from the holder on his wrist.

“Nah,” said the boy. “I'm awake now.”

As Severus began the spell, Joseph Pony watched, a shrewd expression crossing his features. He gave voice to his thoughts as Severus concluded. “You learnt that in that war you fought in, didn't you.”

“Yes,” Severus said tersely. He was unwilling to speak to the boy of his involvement. He did not want another young man looking at him as if he were a monster. “Stella is suffering from a spring cold, nothing more. When we reach Tulsa, we will need to locate an apothecary shop. She just needs a dose of Pepper-Up Potion.”

Joseph Pony stood from Severus’s side, stretching his long arms behind his back. “I think I will turn in. I'll take the first shift driving if you want to catch some z's this morning.”

“That would be acceptable,” Severus replied, nodding.

The boy smirked. “All right Mr. Tuvock.”


&*&*&

Just outside Tulsa, while Joseph Pony drove, Severus noted a change in their speed. Stella was feeling better and becoming bored with just looking out at the scenery. Severus set a History of Magic text in front of her telling her a written theme was expected by the end of the day's trip. He smirked at her protestations of the unfairness of life in general and Severus in particular. With a lift of his brow, he stated, “You complained of boredom.”

The caravan hit a rough patch of road and then came to a halt. The wizard looked out onto the street-side of the vehicle before exiting the conveyance. Joseph Pony slouched insolently at the side of the pick-up, his hair blowing into his face from the strong breeze from the south. A man in a brown uniform was standing beside him, speaking softly into a device on his shoulder. As Severus approached the two, he took note of the cloth insignia stitched to the man's shirt. It read; Oklahoma State Trooper. With a sinking feeling of dread, Severus stopped. He had been horrified at the notion that the Peace Officers of this country carried firearms, and were allowed to use them a their discretion. He had spied on the Dark Lord, betrayed his friends and lived life on the knife-edge of death for twenty years, but the thought of a Muggle authorised to use a firearm made his knees feel watery.

The man looked in Severus' direction, mirrored sunglasses flashing in the late morning sun. He placed his hand on the butt of his gun, flicking the safety off as he did so. He barked authoritatively, “Sit down on the shoulder, sir, and don't move.”

Severus complied, and prayed to whatever gods ruled this country that Stella stayed in the caravan. The officer directed Joseph Pony to sit beside Severus. Looking over the rims of his sunglasses, he asked, “This your son?”

“Yes,” Severus said, trying not to dart a nervous glance at the boy. They had worked on a cover when they left Rosebud. Muggle laws were strange concerning Native Americans and guardianship. The children would be removed from his custody if it were found that Severus was unrelated to them. Joseph Pony and Stella both knew that they were to claim him as father if need arose.

“Don't look much like you, except maybe the eyes,” the officer conveyed with a look that it was indeed good fortune the boy did not take after Severus. Severus smirked to himself, in agreement. “He says you're on your way to a new job.”

The older wizard again answered in the affirmative. The rapid fire interrogation continued. “Where are you heading?”

“Pardon me?” Severus asked, attempting to discover the point of the questioning. “Heavener, Oklahoma.”

“Heevner, huh?” the officer queried. Severus had been saying the name incorrectly and he made a mental note to correct the mistake. The officer continued, “You're not from around here.”

Obviously. Severus bit back the acid reply, instead settling on a more acceptable one. “I am originally from Manchester. I settled here some years ago.”

The officer relaxed his wary stance slightly. “I spent some time in England, Lakenheath, when I was in the Air Force. Pretty country. Green.”

“That it is. May I ask what my son has done that caused you to stop us?” Severus ventured, feeling a little more at ease as the officer removed his hand from the butt of the gun.

“Speeding. He was doing sixty-eight in a sixty-mile-an-hour zone.” Severus scowled as the officer related the information. “Didn't want to pull you out of wreck later on down the road. A rig like this can jack-knife in a flash.”

“Jack-knife. I see,” Severus said, knowing full well the magical protections that had been invested in the vehicle. Severus heard the pop of a window opening. He could almost feel Stella's gaze on his back.

The officer noted the action too, becoming wary immediately. Severus did feel for the man; he, himself, had lived under that same constant alertness, and knew the adrenaline-powered surge the man felt. “You mind if I look in the trailer?”

Severus waved his hand laconically, a gesture he had learned from Lucius. “Certainly, if I might accompany you. My daughter is ill, and I do not want her unduly alarmed.”

“Daughter, hunh?” The officer's jerky head movement belied his alertness. He spoke softly into the radio on his shoulder. “I just called for backup. A K-9 unit'll be here soon.”

“Great,” Joseph Pony groaned softly to Severus. “Just what we need, Stella around a dog.”

The trooper began shining a light under the caravan, stooping to look underneath. Severus moved slightly to watch the man, only interested to see if his magical modifications to the structure were noticed. After a few moments, Stella came to the door. “Daddy, can I come out?”

The trooper jerked his head up, glaring at the girl who was clad only in her flannel nightgown and a jumper. She wore the huge, furry slippers the Old Woman had purchased her for her birthday in June, and her hair was bound in two fuzzy, half-undone braids. Severus damned the girl to the lowest level of hell as the officer placed his hand on his gun once more. “You say she's sick?”

Severus was saved an answer by the arrival of the canine unit. The officer in the new car pulled up and let his dog bound out of the car on the end of a short lead. Stella's soft intake of breath was the only noise that broke the tense silence. Severus shot the girl a warning glance but said nothing.

The two officers circled the undercarriage with the dog in tow, speaking softly to each other as they did. Stella followed their progress through the windows as the dog circled the caravan. The officer with the dog smiled at her, apparently noting the look of longing on her face. He approached Severus, his expression friendly. “Why don'tcha step inside with me, sir. I'll just let Farley here do his job, and you can keep an eye on the girl.”

He indicated the dog, and allowed Severus to stand. Severus hated dogs. He had since he was a child when he had been attacked by rather large terrier that had taken residence on the street which he lived. His left buttock still bore a small, white scar from the animal. The Werewolf and the Mutt had done nothing to change his opinion of the genus. He preceded the officer into the caravan, uneasy that he could not keep a wary eye on the beast as he walked. Severus pulled Stella to the alcove she had vacated. “I told you to stay abed.”

“Yeah, sorry,” the girl said accompanied by a shrug. Severus followed her intense gaze as she watched the dog's progress into their living area. “I just wanted to see what was going on.”

“I will think of an appropriate punishment for your disobedience,” Severus said setting his mouth in a stern line. “We will discuss it when we stop for the evening.”

Stella ducked her head, her eyes still on the dog. “Yessir.”

The officer had made a circuit of the area and came to a stop in front of the wizard and the girl. He stooped, speaking to Stella, “You like dogs?”

Severus inclined his head, indicating she should answer. “Yessir. I love dogs, but he won't let me have one yet.”

“I tell you what, I think it's real smart of your daddy not to let you have one until you have a big yard, and a real home. Dogs are a lot of work.” The officer's twinkling, blue eyes sought Severus' then once more fell to the girl. “Would you like to pet Farley?”

Stella's mouth fell open in an O of surprised awe as she darted a glance to obtain permission from Severus. He nodded, cautiously concerned, and the officer brought the dog in front of the girl. “Make a fist, and let him sniff your hand.”

Stella did so, and the dog's lolling tongue darted out swiping her hand with it. Stella giggled delightedly and began scratching the beast on the cheek. Severus could not control his unease. “You are certain he will not bite her?”

“Yeah, he's on duty, but he has to be given a command to attack. Don't worry, I have two daughters of my own, he loves kids.” Severus still watched warily, unconvinced. The canine officer offered, “If she wants a dog, you should get her a small, older mixed-breed. That way she could learn to take care of a dog without all the problems that a puppy poses.”

Stella gaped at the man, her new hero, if Severus judged by the expression she wore. He felt a sharp stab of something closely akin to jealousy, so he said stiffly, “I will consider it when we reach our destination. Stella, quit touching the animal so the officer can be on his way.”

In the end, Joseph Pony received a warning ticket, along with a stern lecture from the original officer. Severus smiled inwardly at the boy's barely-suppressed anger, but grimaced as Stella waved shyly from the caravan at the K-9 officer, who drove off with a friendly wave. The older wizard chided himself for getting soft as he got behind the wheel of the truck and proceeded on to Tulsa.

They drove until early, after a rather longer stop in the town than they expected.

The wizarding maps, that Severus had purchased in Chicago, were inaccurate, and it took several hours to find the district in the well laid-out town. Once they had and Severus located an apothecary, he purchased the proper potion and administered it to the girl. It was late afternoon and they had yet to eat lunch so Severus treated the two to a proper meal at a wizarding establishment beside the shop they had just exited.

The two were unimpressed with the food, but stared at the colourfully dressed patrons of the establishment. Severus noted that they, too drew stares in their Muggle togs, and he resolved to purchase proper clothing for the children for such outings in the future. He would not have them treated as pariahs, as he had been when he was a child. If not for Lily, he would have had no friends his first year at Hogwarts.

As usual, the thought of Lily cast a pall on his mood, and by the time he resumed driving, he had become surly and snappish. The boy interpreted the change in the older wizard's mood as his fault, and so withdrew. Stella, allowed in the cab of the pick-up once more, clung to her guardian, resting her head on his shoulder.

Late in the day, Severus found a likely spot in which to spend the night, as he ascertained their destination was close. As he released the sticking charm for the girl, she looked at him, her expression soft. Severus' first impulse was to scowl, but he schooled his features to blandness. The girl could not help that he was a foul-tempered bastard. Once unstuck, she placed her hand on his arm, staying his flight. “Uncle 'Rus, I kinda liked calling you Daddy today. Can I do it some more, when no one else is around?”

Severus felt himself blinking in shock, aware of Joseph Pony's sharp-eyed glare. The older man swallowed, all his inner demons shocked to silence as well. He finally answered, “That would be... acceptable.”

Joseph Pony smirked and mouthed, 'Tuvock' as he went to the caravan, whistling shrilly all the way. Stella smiled shyly at Severus and said, “Daddy. Yeah, I like that.”


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