An Unlikely Savior ~ (Edit) COMPLETED

Chapter 58 ~ The Column

Eileen sat at the kitchen table, eating bangers and tomatoes with toast that Hermione made for breakfast. Hermione took a sip of tea and rose from the table to collect the morning paper that should be on the front steps.

”You know, I feel a little guilty leaving dad alone on New Years Eve. He probably just sat at home, miserable and by himself,” Eileen said, picking at a sausage.

Hermione entered the kitchen, looking at the paper. Her brow furrowed and she looked at her daughter.

”No, I don’t think he did, Eileen,” she said, laying the paper beside her plate. Eileen looked at it, then picked it up and stared at a picture of her father and Odessa that was on the lower right hand of the front page.

Over the picture a bold-faced caption read, “Severus Snape Attends Ministry Ball.”

The story was on page ten. But Eileen stared the smaller caption underneath the picture.

”Do You Know This Woman? Fifty Galleon Reward for Information.”

Underneath that was an even smaller caption.

”Contact: Rita Skeeter at the Daily Prophet

”Oh no,” Eileen breathed. “That’s Odessa. She works for my dad. Why would this Rita person want information about her?”

Hermione frowned.

”Because she’s a dumpster-diving reporter who likes to stir up trouble,” Hermione replied. “I’ve dealt with her before. She’s a nasty one.”

Eileen flipped the paper to Rita’s column and read it.

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What’s Happening in the Wizarding World
A Daily Column by Rita Skeeter

Hello Readers and a very Happy New Year to you all.

Professor Severus Snape, the wizard who got away with murder, made an appearance at the Ministry Ball last night apparently to rub his continued freedom in the face of the public after nineteen years.

For those of you not up on your history, Snape was a Death Eater who served the horrible Dark Lord, known as Voldemort for many years. He killed Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, also a former rogue wizard who went straight, before witnesses.

Snape was cleared of the murder charge in a trial by only a two-point margin based on the testimony of the famous Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and several Order of the Phoenix members.

The closeness of the 7 – 5 vote showed the Council was not completely convinced of his innocence or the claim that the murder was actually a mercy killing requested by Dumbledore himself.

A divorcee, Snape now runs an obscure apothecary shop in the unsavory location of Knockturn Alley, apparently preferring the company of those of unsavory character as opposed to dwelling in decent society. He was the recent subject of a scandal concerning his daughter, Eileen Hermione Snape.

According to several sources, it appears she was conceived out of wedlock with Hermione Granger while she was still a student. Apparently, she owed Snape a Life Debt for her rescue from Fenrir Greyback and he collected it in flesh.

Some believe the testimony by Hermione Granger - Weasley should be re-examined because of the close nature of their association. I for one agree. It is highly unlikely to happen however, since he’s already been tried and cleared.

Sometimes the law just gets in the way.

Snape’s daughter is also under scrutiny for her academic record by the Hogwarts Board of Governors. It is believed that her high marks are the product of magical enhancement rather than natural ability. With such a questionable man as a father, the suspicion certainly falls into the realm of possibility.

Severus Snape was accompanied to the ball by a mysterious woman who declined to give an interview. I am curious about the kind of woman would be seen in public with a wizard with as dark a past as Snape, as I know my readers are. So, I am offering a fifty Galleon reward to anyone who can provide information about the witch’s past.

As dark as Severus Snape is, he is still a public figure, and the public has a right to know. I can be contacted at the Daily Prophet.

Until my next column, I remain,

Rita Skeeter
Reporter/Columnist

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Eileen looked up at Hermione.

”I want to go home,” she said softly.

”Eileen, whatever Rita wrote in that column, I’m sure it’s skewed and slanted. Rita doesn’t write objectively but tries to turn the public around to her way of thinking with outright lies and innuendos. Since it is a personal column and not real ‘news,’ she can get away with it. I’m sorry if it upset you.”

Eileen held out the paper. Upset her? Wait until her mother read it.

”Take a look,” she said, and handed Hermione the paper.

”Whatwhatwhatwhatwhat?” Hermione cried as she read about her “close” association with Snape. What close association? Then she read about Eileen.

”I’ll kill that witch!” she snarled, then was aware of Eileen looking at her with amusement.

”Sorry if it upset you, mum,” she said softly.

Hermione quickly tried to backpedal. Threatening to off Rita Skeeter for writing an article was not the example she wanted to set for Eileen.

”I’m not upset, just—a little shocked,” Hermione told Eileen, who rolled her eyes.

”Hm. Handling shock by issuing a death threat. And they say my dark side comes from my father,” Eileen said with a little Snape-like smirk.

“It does,” Hermione snapped at her irritably.

In the telling of her life story, Hermione had conveniently left out a few of the darker deeds she’d done. She certainly hadn’t been an angel. She might not be as bad as Snape, but she had her little dark spots.

“Well, I want to go home and see if he knows about this,” Eileen stated, rising from the table. “And if Odessa knows. If she doesn’t, someone has to warn her.”

Both Eileen and Hermione got their cloaks, Hermione looking at Eileen curiously as they fastened them on. She looked worried about Odessa. Hermione recognized her immediately as the woman who answered the door at Snape’s house.

“Does this Odessa have a past, Eileen?” she asked her.

”Yes. She used to be a prostitute,” Eileen replied. Hermione’s eyes rounded.

”Your father is involved with a prostitute, Eileen?” Hermione asked her, thinking that such a woman would be a bad influence on Eileen.

Eileen frowned at Hermione slightly, seeing the judgment in her eyes.

”She used to be a prostitute. Now she works for my dad in the apothecary shop,” she said coldly.

“Oh,” Hermione said, noticing the coldness. Apparently, Odessa meant something to Eileen. But a whore?

Eileen exited the house, Hermione following and warding the door behind them. She took her arm and they Apparated to Snape’s house.

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Odessa was awakened by a knocking on her door. She groaned and rolled over.

”Who is it?” she called out.

”It’s Rita Skeeter, Miss Divine. I’d like to talk to you,” Rita said from outside the door.

Rita Skeeter?

”Just a minute,” Odessa said, rolling out of bed.

She put on a pink silk robe with feathered borders, tied the sash and stepped into her matching slippers, then walked to the door.

She was met with popping flash bulbs and shouting reporters, who had picked up on Rita’s column and found their own sources. Finding her had been easy. The minute the prostitutes found out about the reward, they flocked to the Daily Prophet. Competing newspaper reporters simply caught a couple on the way in.

Rita was in front, and asked, “Miss Divine, were you a paid escort for Severus Snape?”

”No! We were just out on a date for New Year’s Eve!”

”Is Snape your main customer?”

”How much do you charge for a shag?”

”How long have you been a hooker?”

Odessa stared at all the screaming reporters in horror, then tried to close the door, but Rita pushed forward, trying to force her way in.

”Get out!” Odessa hissed at her.

”I want your story, Miss Divine. I’ll pay you for it!”

”No, just leave me alone! All of you just leave me alone!” Odessa cried, tears starting to fall from her eyes as she pressed on the door. Finally, a burst of adrenaline gave her the power to slam it shut and lock it. She leaned back against it, then slowly slid down it as the shouting continued outside.

Gods, she knew she shouldn’t have accepted Severus’ invitation. Women like her were nothing but trouble. Now, he was going to go through hell, and it was all because of her.

She blinked away her tears. Now wasn’t the time to fall apart. It was time to think, time to face the situation like she’d always done. She couldn’t go soft now.

Odessa sat there, listening to the shouting die down. They were leaving, but they’d be watching for her, she was sure.

With a heavy heart, Odessa knew there was only one thing she could do to spare Severus this scandal, and she made her decision with a heavy heart. He had tried so hard to make her a decent witch—but he had failed. The world wasn’t ready to accept someone like her. She would always be considered filth, and her dirt would cover everyone she came in contact with. Severus had it hard enough without her adding to his difficulties.

She had to leave town. That was the only way to stop this madness before it got too far out of hand. She stood up and walked over to her small closet and pulled out a very old suitcase. The same one she had when she first arrived at Knockturn Alley, a young, ruined witch, alone and not knowing what to do or who to talk to.

She placed it on her bed and gathered a few things she thought she’d need.

She’d have to get to Gringotts and empty her account. She was going to convert it to Muggle money. She didn’t have much because she hadn’t worked for Snape too long. She hoped it would be enough to find a room someplace, and a job. Any job.

If not, she was going to have to return to the street.

She opened the closet and looked at the gown she’d worn the night before, her eyes filling again as she slowly closed the door back, leaving it there. She wouldn’t need it again.

Odessa closed the suitcase and put on the clothing she had laid out, then a heavy hooded cloak. She picked up her wand and looked around her place for the last time.

”I’m so sorry, Severus,” she said softly to the empty room as she pulled up the hood. “You did your best, but—I’m just not worth it.”

She Disapparated and reappeared in Diagon Alley, near Gringotts Bank. She looked back and saw reporters loitering around the entrance to Knockturn Alley. They didn’t notice her.

The witch entered the bank to close her account.

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Hermione and Eileen reappeared in front of the house. Eileen looked down, then picked up the Daily Prophet. Her father hadn’t read it yet. She turned to Hermione.

”I think I’d like to go in alone, mum,” she said softly. “I have to break the news to him.”

Hermione nodded, although she felt a little left out. This was a family matter in a way. But it also involved another woman, someone Eileen and possibly her father cared about. She’d just be in the way.

”If you need me, contact me,” she said to Eileen softly, kissing her cheek. “I’m sorry this happened.”

”Me too, mum. But I had a great time, I really did,” Eileen responded.

”So did I, Eileen, so did I,” Hermione replied, smoothing her hand over her cheek for a moment. “Goodbye and study hard.”

”I will. Bye mum.”

”Bye.”

Hermione watched as Eileen let herself in and slowly closed the door, then Disapparated for the Burrow.

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”Dad? Dad!” Eileen called as she hung up her cloak.

”In the kitchen, Eileen,” Snape called back. He was making tea. “Did you get the paper?”

”It’s right here,” Eileen said, entering the kitchen. Snape was in his black housecoat and slippers, straining tea into two cups. He turned and brought them to the table and looked at Eileen.

”So, what did you do for New Year’s Eve with your mother?” he asked her as she sat down in front of her tea. He joined her.

”We had fish and chips and watched Big Ben chime in the New Year,” she replied.

”I knew your mother would show you a good time. No doubt you two were on the clock,” he said rather than asked.

Eileen nodded as Snape shook his head. But he wasn’t angry. He was glad Eileen had a good time with her mother. He didn’t enjoy punishing her, but had to be firm.

“What’s done is done. Hand me the paper,” he told his daughter, stretching out his hand.

”Ah, dad, I need to tell you something,” Eileen said, not handing over the paper.

Snape’s brows drew together. He knew that look. She had something unpleasant to tell him.

”What did you do?” he asked her quietly.

”Oh, I didn’t do anything—it has to do with you and Odessa going out last night,” she said.

Snape looked shocked.

”How did you know about that?” he asked her.

Eileen handed him the paper.

”Everyone knows about it, dad. It’s in the Prophet.”

Snape looked at her in disbelief, then down at his and Odessa’s photo on the front page, both of them caught in the flash and staring directly into the camera.

“That nosy, gutter-mucking bitch. I can’t believe she did this,” he hissed as Eileen stared at him. He rarely cursed in front of her.

He read the captions, then quickly turned to the column, his face growing black. He threw the paper on the table and jumped up, hurrying into his bedroom, where he dressed quickly.

He returned to the kitchen, striding past Eileen who hadn’t moved. She did not, following as he walked to the front door and put on his cloak and gloves.

”Where are you going, Dad?” she asked him.

”To retrieve Odessa before reporters descend on her like a pack of wolves. No doubt her former co-workers nearly broke their necks to get that information to Rita. Odessa won’t know what hit her,” he told his daughter. “Your wand is in my top left-hand drawer in my bedroom. You remember how to make a location unplottable, don’t you?”

”Yes, dad,” she answered. That was a major spell.

”Well, use one of my robes to attune the magic to my signature and make the house unplottable, Eileen. We’re going to need the privacy,” he said.

”Yes, sir,” she said.

”Good girl. I’ll be back with Odessa. She’s going to have to stay with us for a while, at least until this blows over.”

Eileen nodded and her father left, Disapparating mid-stride.

Eileen hurried to his bedroom and retrieved her wand, then got her cloak, tying it on securely. She needed to get right to work. It took time to make an entire house unplottable.

Rolling up her sleeves, she got to work.

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A/N: Thanks for reading.