An Unlikely Savior ~ (Edit) COMPLETED

Chapter 48 ~ The Fruits of Honest Communication

Lucius went straight to the Ministry and called for an emergency meeting of the Board of Governors, who were supposed to have the entire week off for the holiday, and not return until after New Year’s day.

Well, Lucius firmly thrust a broom through that spoke. About an hour and a half later, pissed off Board members sat in the boardroom scowling at Lucius Malfoy. No Board member could refuse to attend an emergency session.

”What is this about, Lucius? Whatever it is, I’m sure it could have waited until the end of the holiday. Really. You interrupted my vacation!” Walthart Scinchley huffed.

”Indeed, Lucius—what’s this all about?” Carlton Bungings inquired.

”Do you know who the mother of Eileen Snape is?” Lucius asked the wizards.

”Oh, not this again, Lucius. Of course we know who the mother is. We sent representatives to the girl’s mother, father and the young lady herself,” Carlton replied evenly.

”You sent a representative to Hermione Granger?” Lucius asked.

”My word, Lucius, why are you so fixated on this? I believe, I believe the mother’s name was Hermione Weasley. She married Arthur’s son, Ronald, I’m sure.”

”But, don’t you see, Hermione Weasley is Hermione Granger,” Lucius said in exasperation. “She is one of the Golden Trio, Harry Potter’s friend. She married Ron Weasley—“

The rest of the Board just blinked at him.

”She’s going to bloody tear us apart!” he exclaimed, standing up. “She’s one of the most brilliant witches in the wizarding world today. And she’s tenacious, determined and a fighter. If you bring that witch and her daughter in here for a hearing, I assure you that witch is going to set your robes ablaze. I implore you, gentlemen, implore you to cancel the hearing and just issue the statement that there is no proof of magical enhancement. You can use as justification that Eileen Snape’s mother was a Gryffindor and received the highest marks in Hogwarts in fifty years when she graduated. And she was Muggle-Born, so there was no magical tampering with the conditions of her birth. And Severus Snape had always been exemplary in the depth and breadth of his knowledge and skills. The girl’s brilliance could be inherited!”

Carlton frowned at him.

”Are you trying to stand in as council for this witch, Lucius? We need to have a united front,” he said coldly.

”No, I am simply saying facing Hermione Granger is much worse than facing the ire of a few jealous Ravenclaw parents. Gentlemen, you have NO basis for this hearing other than written complaints demanding an investigation. What are you going to do, cut the girl open and look for extra magical glands or some other such equally ridiculous indication this could possibly be true? There’s no precedent for this. You’re all just trying to keep your seats. You know how organized the Ravenclaw parents can be when it comes to school board elections. But you have no idea how one Hermione Granger can be when faced with conflict. If I can see the weakness in your actions, she’s certainly going to see them.”

”Lucius, you act as if you’re afraid of this witch, this Hermione Granger,” another Board member said with narrowed eyes.

“I am afraid to get on the wrong side of her. Gentlemen, if you had something substantial to base this hearing on, something of consequence, something concrete, I would stand with you. But this, this is madness and—insulting. I beseech you. Rescind the hearing.”

”We will not, Lucius,” Carlton said firmly. “The parents of Ravenclaw deserve to have their grievances at least reviewed. Talking to this girl and her parents will give them the closure they desire. That’s all we’ll be doing at this point. Talking. If we find there is something amiss, then further action will be taken. If they have nothing to hide, they shouldn’t mind answering a few questions.”

Lucius knew they just didn’t get it. That even bringing up the question of Eileen’s abilities being anything other than natural was a great insult.

“If that is the case, gentleman, I will NOT be in attendance at any of the proceedings in protest,” Lucius said.

All of the Board members looked at him in shock.

”But Lucius, the penalty for a Board member not attending a hearing is a thirty-day suspension without recompense,” Carlton said. “You will forfeit your salary for a month.”

”Then it is very fortunate I am rich, gentlemen, because you couldn’t pay me to sit before Hermione Granger under these circumstances. If you are wise, you will reconsider.”

”Lucius, even if you are correct and this Hermione Weasley does light into us, what damage can it truly do? A few harsh words, maybe some bad feelings—“

”Maybe a lawsuit. Possibly an inquiry into the Board’s use of monies for frivolous procedures, maybe a suit for pain and suffering caused to a minor—or an investigation of hidden bigotry against children born under magical conditions such as fertility rites, which are perfectly legal,“ Lucius added. “You have no idea of what the repercussions can be, gentlemen. This witch was organizing movements while attending Hogwarts as a student. Don’t underestimate her abilities or her wrath.”

The Board members had all paled when they heard this.

”Perhaps we’d better do a small background check on Mrs. Weasley—just to get the measure of her,” Carlton said, intending on hiring an outside source to thoroughly look into Hermione’s past, and quickly.

”A background check?” Lucius laughed. “No, you want her profile, Carlton. It would be wise if you had it compiled and assessed before you have that hearing. Discretion is the better part of valor, especially in this case. But, I remain firm. I will not be in attendance at the hearing, should there be one. Good day, gentlemen.”

With that, Lucius Malfoy exited the Boardroom. He knew he had sounded a bit cowardly, but none of those pompous compatriots had ever seen Hermione go on the attack. But he had a chance to witness it.

Severus had just barely avoided going to Azkaban. He was told by one of the dissenting Council members that he had gotten away with murder, and he was less than a hero in the eyes of the Ministry. As Snape was led away, Lucius was brought out for his own hearing.

Hermione had been sitting behind Snape with the other witnesses on his behalf, and watched him being led away after the Council’s withering assessment of him. Snape wasn’t in the room when Hermione lit into them, telling them that if not for Snape, there would have been no victory, reminding the Ministry how it had folded under Voldemort and did absolutely nothing to stop him at all. In fact, they promoted him.

The Council members went red faced when Hermione told them if anyone were murderers, it was them, because everyone who died under Voldemort, died because they were ineffective leaders who didn’t do their jobs and protect their citizens.

How true this statement was could be debated, because these weren’t the actual Council members who were seated at the time of Voldemort, they had been replaced, but Hermione meant it in an overall way, the failure of the “magical machine” to protect its people.

But it was a harsh tongue-lashing. Harry and Ron had to drag her out of the room, screaming she’d throw any medal she received back in their faces if they gave her one.

But they did give her one, and with Snape freed and back at Hogwarts—she kept it. It was an Order of Merlin First Class after all, and she had earned it.

Hermione’s backpedaling only goes to show there’s a bit of selfishness in everyone, even in incensed witches who stand up for the underdog—

for a moment.

Harry and Ron received medals as well, and both Ron’s and Hermione’s medals were proudly displayed on the mantel above the fireplace for everyone to see and admire.

In stark contrast, Severus Snape had no idea where his medal was, nor did he care.

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Eileen’s arrival at the Burrow was almost overwhelming to the teenager. Ron had warned everyone to be low level, but Weasleys were boisterous by nature and it was so easy to see they were all curious about Hermione’s daughter. What kind of witch was she after being raised by Severus Snape?

So it felt to Eileen as if eyes were on her at every moment, although Molly gave her a smothering grandmotherly embrace the moment she laid eyes on her, hugging her as if she’d been kidnapped and just returned to the fold. Then she turned a critical eye on her.

”Well, she looks a lot like you, Hermione, thank goodness for that, although she’s got a bit of the—you know—nose,” Molly said, as Eileen started to scowl. “And the eyes—see how narrow they are—“

”Um, come along, Eileen,” Hermione said quickly, hustling her daughter away from Molly to meet to rest of the clan.

Eileen had never seen so many ginger heads congregated in one place in all her life. The Weasley men greeted her civilly, Percy scrutinizing her so hard over his glasses she felt like casting a fogging spell on him.

Polite questions and answers were exchanged, but it was clear the real questions weren’t being asked, and that was about her life with her father. Ron was watching Eileen closely. He hadn’t been too sure that Hermione should just dash her in the middle of the Weasleys this way, but when he said something, he heard the inevitable “She’s my daughter, Ron. I know what’s best for her.”

He’d been expecting it. But sometimes the direct approach wasn’t the best approach, so he kept his eye on his stepdaughter, ready to run interference if things got too overwhelming and it seemed it was happening. She was seated in the living room, everyone staring at her as if she were a zoo animal on display.

Hermione, Lily, Rose, Ginny and Fleur were in the kitchen helping Molly prepare the big meal she’d be serving. Eileen had tried to help, too, but Molly and Hermione insisted she was a guest and instructed her to stay with the family and get to know them. Eileen would have been more comfortable helping to prepare the meal with the other witches.

Then Hugo started recounting when Eileen took him flying and they were chased by the Acromantula. It sounded exciting to Hugo, but everyone else looked a bit angry. That had been very dangerous.

”You could have been killed, Hugo,” Albus said, looking at Eileen blackly.

James’ brown eyes shifted toward Albus, and he frowned a little. James didn’t really talk to Eileen, but he wasn’t rude to her. But it seemed his brother really had it in for the witch, and she hadn’t done anything to him.

”Eileen is a good flyer, and she casts the best hexes. We were safe. Those spiders didn’t stand a chance,” Hugo boasted as Eileen cringed a little.

He wasn’t helping.

Alsop wasn’t present to serve as a buffer. He’d been sent on an errand to a neighbor’s house to see if he could get a bit of clotted cream. Molly claimed it was the best and freshest in the wizarding world and nothing else would do. Unfortunately, Alsop had to stay there until it was properly set, which seemed to be taking forever.

”Come on, Eileen,” Ron said, dashing into the middle of the group. “Let’s go flying a bit. Get your Bludger and Snitch, Hugo. We’ll meet you outside.”

He caught Eileen’s hand, dragged her through the foyer where they collected their Weasley gear, then whisked her out of the house.

He let her go once they were clear of the Burrow.

”Sorry ‘bout that, Eileen. My family can be a bit much. Thought you could use some space,” he told her as they walked to the broom shed. Eileen had been told to bring her broom. It was Ron’s suggestion she bring it.

”There’s no flying like at the Burrow,” he told Hermione, who just wanted Eileen to mingle. She so wanted her indoctrinated into the family. But Hermione was used to the Weasleys. Eileen wasn’t.

”Thanks,” Eileen said, “I was starting to feel a bit closed in.”

”Yeah, well, getting in some flying will ease that up,” he told her with a smile as Hugo came running up, Snitch and Bludger in hand.

”Do you play Quidditch, Eileen?” Ron asked her as he opened the broom closet and handed Eileen her Firebolt.

”Not if I can help it,” she said witheringly.

Ron looked absolutely horrified as he took out his own Firebolt. It was an older model, nowhere near as fast as Eileen’s broom.

”Not if you can—oi! You’re your mother’s daughter, all right. Hermione can’t stand Quidditch,” he said, shaking his head as if this were a great sin.

”I think it has something to do with not liking to be hit by bone-crushing iron balls and wooden clubs,” Eileen suggested as she climbed on her broom. “Not my idea of fun.”

”But the fun part is avoiding getting hit by them,” Ron explained as he also mounted his broom, “as well as making points. And watching others get hit by them is entertaining, as long as they’re on the other team.”

Eileen didn’t look at all convinced of the fun factor, although she had enjoyed watching players at Hogwarts getting whomped off their brooms from time to time. It appealed to her darker side.

“Well, we don’t have any iron balls or clubs. What we’re going to do is try to catch the Snitch and avoid getting hit by Hugo’s Bludger, so toss them up, Hugo!”

Hugo tossed up the Bludger and Snitch. The Snitch hovered in front of Eileen, darting back and forth like a humming bird. Her brown eyes rested on it.

”I can catch that,” she said softly as Ron grinned.

”You have the world’s fastest Firebolt,” he replied, his own blue eyes resting on the Snitch as Hugo joined them, his eyes also on the Snitch. “But you need more than speed to catch a Snitch. I’ll probably get it before you, even though my broom is slower. I’m experienced. You’re a novice. You’ve got to get your Quidditch legs first.”

Suddenly, Ron was buffeted in the side of the head by the soft little Bludger.

“Fly!” Hugo cried, flying toward the Snitch as Ron took off, the Bludger pursuing him. Eileen stared after him, then the Snitch appeared right in front of her face as if taunting her. She made a grab for it, but it ducked just under her hand, still hovering like a round little hummingbird. Eileen grabbed for it several more times but it ducked and jerked away, still tantalizingly close. Hugo flew forward, trying to grab it and the Snitch took off.

Both Hugo and Eileen took off after it, Eileen leaving Hugo in the dust as she quickly caught up to the Snitch.

”I knew this would be easy,” she said to herself, then blinked.

The Snitch was gone. Hugo let out a whoop behind her as he pursued the Snitch. It had reversed on her. Eileen whirled on the end of her broom and took off after Hugo and the Snitch. Suddenly, Ron passed in front of her, using an old Quidditch move to transfer the Bludger and it now started attacking Eileen. She ducked, then spun then began to fly as the Bludger chased her. Amazingly, it managed to stay right on her bristles.

Eileen began to enjoy herself, forgetting all about the Snitch as she dodged and dipped, trying to shake the Bludger. She nearly collided with the Burrow, but Ron shouted at her and she veered off, taking a blow from the Bludger. She needed to be more aware of her surroundings.

Finally, she flew back toward Hugo, using Ron’s trick to put the Bludger on him. It banged him in the nose.

“Hey!” Hugo cried, losing his bead on the Snitch. Ron was after it now, flying all around the Burrow and down low through the trees in pursuit. He was soon aware of Eileen beside him, low to her broom, smirking at him as she stayed with him, her hair streaming from under her Weasley hat.

She began to pull away from him, when the Snitch changed direction, flying straight up. Eileen pulled up and began flying vertically, Ron on her bristles, then Hugo crossed her path, passing off the Bludger again, which began flying around her like a bothersome mosquito. Ron zipped by her as she tried to get the annoying little ball off her.

”Blast!” she hissed as Ron and Hugo dove toward the ground, indicating another change of the Snitch’s direction. Eileen managed to dodge the Bludger long enough to get back in action, following them. The Snitch was leading them further along the landscape now, all three flying in formation, the Bludger taking turns worrying them.

Suddenly a shadow zipped in front of all of them, startling the flyers, Ron bumping into Eileen and Hugo bumping into Ron. They all tangled up for a moment, robes and limbs akimbo as laughter rained down on them from above.

When they finally managed to untangle themselves, they looked up to see Harry on his broom, smiling down on them. He had the same model Firebolt Eileen did. He victoriously held the Snitch out for all of them to see.

”I’ve still got it,” he said, grinning.

*************************************

Eileen returned to the Burrow after a few more tries of catching the Snitch. She didn’t manage to do it. Harry and Ron were very competitive and didn’t give her any quarter.

”If you catch the Snitch, Eileen, you’re going to do it honest,” Harry said with a wicked grin, slicing across her path and nearly making her fall.

But Eileen loved it. She hated being coddled and Harry and Ron were treating her like they would anyone else they were competing with. Eileen appreciated that because she knew that no one ever became better at a thing if he or she wasn’t challenged. Her father had taught her that and she believed in it whole-heartedly. She still didn’t like Quidditch, but she’d like to be able to catch the Snitch one day, just to satisfy herself that she had the skill to do it.

“It’s about time you got back in here,” Molly said to Ron and Harry as they entered behind a very pink-faced Eileen and a happy Hugo. He had nicked the Snitch several times which meant he’d come very close to catching it. “Supper is ready.”

A long table with benches had been set up, and it was filled with food and hungry Weasleys, ready to battle over the dishes. Eileen was seated between Hugo and Hermione.

”If you want to get the best things, Eileen, you have to grab them fast or you’re going to miss out,” Hugo advised her. “It’s every Weasley for himself.”

Eileen looked around the table. Everyone was tense and eyeing the food as if they were waiting for a starter pistol to sound. Arthur cleared his throat.

”I dedicate this meal to family, old and new,” he said, giving Eileen a smile. “Let us have a moment of silence to remember those who are not here, but remain in our hearts.”

The table went silent for several seconds, a kind of heaviness falling over everyone as they remembered Fred Weasley, George’s twin brother who had fallen at the Final Battle. The thoughts of others filled their heads as well. Remus Lupin. Nymphadora Tonks and others gone but not forgotten.

”Dive in!” Arthur cried, and the melee began. Eileen was stunned at all the noise and grappling that went on as everyone tried to fill their plates. Lily was tugging on a bowl of potatoes, trying to wrest them from her Uncle Charlie’s hand. He tugged but let go, grabbed at some rolls.

”Eileen, get something to eat!” Hugo told her, passing her some peas, then a plate of sliced beef.

She managed to get enough to eat, but couldn’t believe the mountains of food on the male Weasleys’ plates. How could they eat all that at one sitting? Now, things calmed down and everyone began to chat.

Eileen ate quietly as everyone talked around her. She wasn’t used to so much chatter.

Then Molly addressed her.

”Eileen, it’s wonderful to have you here,” the matriarch told her. “Although I wish we knew about you sooner. We could have stopped some of the damage that being raised by your git of a father caused you, dear.”

Hermione and Ron stiffened, and everyone at the table fell silent.

Molly looked around.

”Oh, come now. I just said what everyone else was thinking. It had to be horrible being raised by Severus Snape,” she said, “And I believe honesty is the best policy. If you have something to say, say it. Eileen understands, don’t you dear?”

Eileen put her fork and knife down and looked at Molly.

”You’re not even my family,” she said softly, her brown eyes glistening. “How dare you talk about my father that way, when you haven’t even taught your children decent table manners, you—you horrible old witch!”

”Eileen!” Hermione gasped.

”What? You expect me to sit here and listen to her talk about my father that way? What about the bloody rules? You made me sit through all of that, and when someone breaks the rules you look at me like it’s my fault! She has no right to say that. She’s not even my real grandmother. None of you are related to me! None of you except for Rose, Hugo and my mother!”

Alsop walked into the house with the clotted cream and stopped as he saw Eileen rising from the table, her face black.

”I’m not going to take this—I don’t have to take it! I don’t need any of you! If you can’t accept my father, then you can’t accept me and neither of us needs any of you!”

”Eileen, wait,” Hermione said, rising too, placing her hand on Eileen’s shoulder. The girl twisted away.

”Rules. Right,” she said witheringly, stepping over the bench and storming away. She walked past a staring Alsop, who held the clotted cream in his hand out like an offering. Eileen stopped in the foyer and looked at her Weasley gear, frowning. She grabbed her traveling cloak. That was it. She didn’t need the rest. They could bloody keep it.

She wasn’t a Weasley. She was a Snape.

”Eileen, wait!” Hermione cried, climbing over the bench and running out of the door just in time to see Eileen grab her Firebolt out of the broom shed and Disapparate.

Alsop walked into the dining room, his face black.

”What did you do to Eileen?” he demanded furiously as everyone looked back at him.

”She—she became a bit upset at something I said, Alsop. I must say she is a rude little witch who doesn’t know how to hold her tongue. Her father’s fault, I’m sure,” Molly said.

Ron shook his head slightly. His mother was one to talk about holding tongues. If she had held hers, this wouldn’t have happened. But Molly was always a bit outspoken and naturally believed people saw things her way. He wanted to take his mother to task for her thickness in speaking to Eileen, but decided against it. It would only make a bad situation worse.

Hermione walked back into the kitchen, stricken.

”She Disapparated,” she said hollowly, her eyes glistening brightly as she looked at Molly. “Why did you say anything about Severus, Molly? I asked you not to do it.”

”Grandmum? You said something bad about Eileen’s father?” Alsop demanded. “Why would you do something like that?”

Molly ignored him.

”Hermione, I couldn’t look that child in her face and not tell her how I felt,” Molly said. “It would have been dishonest. Open communication is far better.”

”But I told you we had rules,” Hermione said, tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

”I didn’t sign any papers, Hermione. Eileen deserves to know what we really think,” Molly replied. “Right, Arthur?”

Arthur didn’t say anything, but slowly ate a forkful of peas. Alsop suddenly slammed the clotted cream down on the table so hard, a large dollop flew out and landed on the few slices of beef left.

”Here’s your bloody cream,” he snarled, turning and running out of the door. He looked around the yard, Harry running after him.

”Alsop! Get back here!” he yelled at his son.

Alsop looked back at him, his brown eyes glistening. They’d driven her off. They’d all driven her off.

Harry walked out of the house toward Alsop.

Alsop Disapparated.

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A/N: Thanks for reading.