SALVATION

JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers

JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers. Plot, new characters, new magical terms and abilities etc. are my intellectual property. If you want to borrow then please kindly ask. I do not make any money from this.

ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. If you are looking for strict Canon or even a slight deviation from Canon you won’t find it here.

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Summary: The War is finally over and Snape finds that the world he knows has nothing to offer him. He finds himself drawn to a new world; one steeped in traditions of its own not known to the wizarding world. Will he take the risks needed for his own salvation?

Rated M for Sexual Situations, Language, Some Violence.

Author’s Notes: My inspiration comes from the novel and film WHALE RIDER. Regarding the NZ slang – I am using several online resources including those from the U of NZ and some local to specific areas of NZ including the one in which this story is set.

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SALVATION

Chapter 008: One Step Beyond & Back

Pai was back on her feet within a few days of the talk between Snape and her family. She didn’t need convincing to stay away from the settlement and for that her partner was greatly relieved. Rawiri and Witi broke the news to Koro that Pai wasn’t coming back as Snape removed Pai’s things from her tiny hut of a house. They killed two birds with one stone; while Snape moved out Pai’s things her uncle and father moved Wendy out of the house she’d shared with Koro since she was 15 years old.

They did it in mid-morning when there wasn’t likely to be too many people around. Koro ranted and raved, but everyone realised that it was more for show than anything else. He was finally getting what he wanted, the granddaughter he hated and the wife he’d stop loving long ago out of his life. Wendy wasn’t fooled – she knew that some fool of a girl would be living here before long. Yet she couldn’t feel sad about it or even angry. Mentally she’d left him years ago, now her reality was catching up. After all this time, she was free and so was Pai and both her sons. Their little family was still intact and would only get stronger, that much she was sure about.

Koro didn’t even care to stay and gloat. He drove off in his truck to bother his latest fling. By the time he returned several hours later, there was no sign that anyone other than him had ever lived in the house he had shared with his soon-to-be ex-wife. As for Pai’s old place – it didn’t even exist anymore having seemingly imploded in on itself. Koro looked blankly at the pile of wood and made a mental note to use it as kindling.

xxxOOOxxx

Now that her mind was made up, Pai was eager to make the move to Wairoa. She and Snape drove all over the District and decided that they preferred someplace outside of town with ocean views, someplace where it would be easy to have their privacy as they built their new life together. Two weeks after they’d started, they found it; the perfect house. It was beautifully situated in Taylor's Bay, on the Mahia Peninsula. The expansive two-story house came with land, including beachfront. They had sweeping views along the Pacific coastline and the house was nestled in a lovely grove of fragrant conifer and broadleaf trees. Mercifully there were no close neighbours so their privacy was assured.

They bought the house together and there was no long wait to move in since the place was empty. And so it happened that they had exchanged contracts and could move in within three weeks of making their offer. Finally, things were falling into place.

xxxOOOxxx

‘I think it’s only fair I buy this place back from you,’ Witi said to Snape as they made one last tour of the house after packing up. ‘I’m happy to give you what you paid for it.’

Snape hadn’t had much to begin with and Pai even less. It had taken then only a couple of hours and everything fitted neatly into a small rental lorry. Another five minutes or so and they were to their new life together.

The former Potions Master sighed and ran a hand through his hair frustratedly. It was definitely true that he could use the money back sooner rather than later. Putting the house up for sale on the open market meant losing out to agent’s and solicitor’s fees; and there was no telling how long it would take for the house to sell. But Pai had insisted she was more than happy to support them both if it became necessary until he was able to sort something out for himself – and that did not sit well with him at all. If anything Pai should be able to relax a little and to enjoy the beauty of the life they could have in New Zealand. Not everyone was as fortunate as they were; a fact that made him even more determined that Pai should be able to achieve some of her dreams. And she wouldn’t if she had to look after him. If he were a religious man he would say that Witi’s offer was Goddess-sent. It was, but Snape just couldn’t allow himself to take advantage even though it was the easiest thing he could do for himself.

‘That is completely unnecessary,’ Snape lied. ‘You need not be concerned...’

‘Look, I know all too well that you are a proud man and I really do respect you for it honestly,’ Witi said firmly as he guided his daughter’s lover away from the house so that she wouldn’t stumble upon them having this little chat. ‘But we both know things with Koro have gotten out of hand and that any potential buyer is probably going to be warned off, much like you were but worse. You’d be lucky if some crafty geezer didn’t come along and try and bargain you out of the place for a song. And it’s not right.’

‘You make fair points but…’

‘Hear me out Michael. What I aim to do is turn the place into an educational centre the way Pai always said it should have been done There’s so much that my people need and I know you understand that. Koro can mind it if it were you and Pai – but he can’t touch me. And he’s no fool either – the community are going to want it once they find out how well the rest are doing on the other side of the district and no thanks to Pai. Of course I want you to look after Pai like a man should do the woman he loves and the family he’d have with her, but all of this has happened for a reason and I can see that now is the time for Pai to really effect change here. She can do it with us helping her – and me buying the house back from you is the first step in the process.’

‘You drive a hard bargain Witi.’

‘But you do agree the idea is a sound one eh?’

‘Indeed I do. I know Paikea doesn’t want to always be tied to Evolution – and that doing as much as she can for your people is very important to her.’

‘You’re a part of that too, Michael; an important part. She’s never had anyone stand by her like you do.’

Snape fell silent. It was a lie to say that he’d never really had anyone. He shouldn’t have let Paikea believe that that was the case because it wasn’t. But trying to explain his past to her now… he was fearful of all that they’d achieved so far unravelling before it really had a chance to get off the ground if he was too candid.

For the first time since he’d arrived back in Kiwi country he thought of someone – a special someone who was very much like Pai; someone who had tried to stand by him but whom he’d pushed away for barmy reasons of his own. He’d tried to convince himself that he was doing the right thing at the time, but even after all these years that one mistake still cut through his heart and soul like an Unforgivable.

‘You’re a man with an awful lot of secrets, Michael Stuart-Clark’ Witi observed carefully as he noted the pained expression on the man’s face as he blinked his eyes rapidly.

‘I do love Paikea and I would do anything for her; please make no mistake about that.’

‘I know what it’s like to be afraid and because you want to be someone other than who you are – and to make the worst kind of mistakes because of that. But you’re past it, right? You’ve learned from it all and life has given you a second chance. And you aren’t wasting it.’

‘Correct, but this is not my second chance; it’s actually my third.’

Snape sighed and walked to the edge of the property and looked down at the settlement.

‘The first woman I ever loved, I loved obsessively. There are no two ways about it.’ he explained as he sat down and dangled his feet over the edge of a small bit of land that jutted outward. ’We were childhood friends and my affection and regard for her never diminished as we grew older. It was quite the contrary, but only on my side. And because of my dunderheaded fixations and rampant stupidity on my part I got myself into a lot of trouble. Oh, she was but a part of it all – but she was a very important part of it all. She died while still a very young woman – not long after we’d left school. Because of her death and placing the blame for it squarely at my feet, I sought vengeance. That was yet another mistake, but it was the single biggest mistake of my life.’

Witi nodded as he sat down beside Snape and then gestured for him to continue.

‘The years passed and I was completely cut off from having friends or some semblance of companionship because of the choice I had made,’ Snape said. ‘And then she came along…’ Snape’s face literally transformed in a way that surprised even Witi; Michael Stuart-Clark was filled with wonder as he relived the memory – and love. ‘She was…so much more than a miserable wretch like me ever deserved… She was good, and kind; very caring and gentle. The passion that we had when I finally succumbed to it – Merlin help me… she made me realise what a fool I had been to hold on to unrequited love and for so bloody long. I found out what real love was – she and her family taught me a lot. I was forced to grow up fast; but I still had a lot to learn.’

‘Her family? You were close to them then?’

‘Ahh well her grandparents. Her family life had not been the easiest. To make a long story short she ended up having to live with her grandparents for a time and it just so happened that they lived near me. She had no idea that I was but a few streets over for a time, but once the truth was out we became closer than we already had been, closer than was appropriate as it so happens.’

‘Your situation in life, for lack of a better way to put it, something about where you were compared to her made the situation…’

‘…socially unacceptable. And she didn’t care. It mattered not a jot that I was an undesirable in everyone’s eyes. She loved me and believed in me so much that she was prepared to die for me – and that is what made me end it. I could not have yet more blood on my hands, especially hers.’

‘I love my Janie – and I would die for her Michael. I would take a bullet, an Unforgivable – I would take whatever I have to for that woman because I love her so much!’

‘And would she do the same for you?’

‘Absolutely!’

‘You are fortunate to have had the mother you did Witi and your brother and friends. Your mother especially because she helped you to see things from the right perspective at an early age. She balanced out the hate from Koro. I had no such luck and unfortunately listened to too many of the wrong people. I wanted to be important and if it meant that people feared me then so be it. I thought that being what I was back then could get me what I wanted – mainly my first love. I did a lot for a woman that was never going to love me and never did. It was a long time before I could face that undeniable truth but by then it was too late. I was committed to a course of action I could not turn my back on as much as I wanted to.’

‘It strikes me that you valued the wrong things Michael. But having experienced your world first-hand I can understand how it’s possible. Your people seem to take a lot of pride in the most bizarre stuff – they do dangerous things with their magic just because they can and no one questions it.’

‘They don’t – until someone comes along that desires to rule over all others because of what they have mastered.’

‘So this girl – what happened to her, if you don’t mind me asking?’

Down came the shutters in Snape’s eyes.

‘Pop? Michael? I’m finished!’ Pai called from the house. ‘Come on let’s go!’

Snape inched back and then stood up and offered a hand to Witi.

‘But you have moved on, right?’ Witi said firmly as he took it and stood up. ‘Pai doesn’t deserve to have to have to compete with a ghost.’

‘I love Pai for herself, not because of any similarity she might have with Nina.’

‘Nina?’

‘My ghost… whom I exorcised long ago.’

‘I suppose you wouldn’t be admitting all this if you still carried a torch for the girl.’

‘I have feelings for one woman and one woman only; and that woman is going to throttle us both if we don’t get a move on,’ Snape said resolutely as he began to walk back towards the house. ‘But if makes you feel any better – I want to ask you for your daughter’s hand in marriage. I don’t believe in merely living together and I don’t need more time to think about it. I want to commit myself to her fully and have a family if she wishes it.’

‘So it’s true then?’

‘What? Ahh, someone saw me at the jeweller’s did they?’

‘You know what folks are like; two and two always equals four even when it’s really two and three!’

Snape chuckled. ‘As it so happens I was picking up something I ordered for Pai for a special evening I have planned to celebrate our new life together – an eternity ring. I had planned on speaking to you before sorting out the engagement.’

‘You’ll be needing your dosh to be splashing out like that on my daughter.’

‘So we have your blessing?’

‘Since I don’t pick up on any emotional connection to this Nina, yes, yes you do. I accept that at this point in your life she is just a pleasant memory for you and that you have grown past the point of regretting not being with her.’

‘I would not be making this commitment to Paikea if my heart lay elsewhere,’ Snape answered sharply. ‘I will confess that I have not discussed much of my life with her and especially this. One day I may have to but that day has not yet arrived. And I have no need to know of her other paramours either – it works both ways.’

‘Do I have your agreement about the house?’

‘I can’t really say no to progress. And it will be a tremendous step in the right direction to have that centre and the grants that will be poured into this part of the district.’

‘Exactly. It shouldn’t be for Koro’s successor or some newcomer to have such a nice roof over their heads. Everyone deserves that – and they’ll get it too. What Pai and the others have achieved in the rest of the District can be done here, no question,’ said Witi.

‘What did he say?’ Pai asked her father excitedly as Witi and Snape walked into the kitchen one last time.

‘You knew?!’ Snape barked.

‘Whoopsie Dasies!’ Pai said dancing around the room.

‘I’ve been set up!’

‘Oh come on Michael you were not!’

Snape sighed and reached out and pulled Pai to him. ‘I said yes, my little dancing fairy. You’ll have to tell me all about what you have in mind for this place later.’

He gave her a kiss on the forehead and then looked at her tenderly.

‘I’ll go start the truck and follow behind…’ Witi said smiling. ‘Takes a bit to warm up I expect and I need to have a good look at the map so no need to rush just yet.’

Once he left, Snape looked around the kitchen and then at Pai before kissing her again. Her arms went up around his neck and she teased his tongue with hers. His hands pulled her shirt out of her jeans and then he began to stroke her back. Pai reached down and stroked the bulge that was now visibly straining against his pants.

‘Merlin help me,’ Snape groaned.

They hadn’t had penetrative sex again since that night. There was something about this house that put he and Paikea off. They made up for it with some heavy sessions of making out, but even she had admitted she couldn’t wait until they were away from Koro and could relax the way they wanted to with each other.

Pai unsnapped his jeans and reached a hand inside. The feel of his manhood still left her breathless even if she couldn’t fully see it at the moment. It was long and thick and surrounded by an almost unruly mass of black wiry hair; just looking at him being so excited and knowing that she was the reason for it turned her on and filled her with confidence. She began to pump him hard as they kissed. He was thrusting upwards in her hand and then closed his eyes as he felt her slide down his body. He felt something warm envelop him; Pai had taken him into her mouth.

Snape panted as he grew harder. ‘Oh fuck…! Paikea… I can’t wait…!’

There was an explosion of thick silvery white and Pai pulled her mouth away as he continued to come all over her hand and himself.

Snape leaned against the counter and caught his breath as he pulled up his boxers and jeans.

‘Was that what you meant by “having one last big goodbye”?’ he teased as Pai neatened herself up.

‘Well I thought about having my way with you down there on the tiles – but I want you in bed first for a few hours then on the floor!’

‘Far be it from me to deny you anything my little vixen; you can have me anyway you please…’

A horn sounded from in front of the house and they both dashed outside.

‘Keep your shirt on Pop!’ Pai called out as Snape locked the front door.

‘You know what your uncle is like – he’ll be crying with hunger by the time we get there!’ Witi answered back.

‘Oops – forgot about that!’ Pai said as she slid into the passenger side of Snape’s 4x4. He was ever the gentleman, holding the door for her before getting in himself.

‘I can’t believe this is really happening,’ she said nervously as he buckled up.

‘Ready?’ Snape asked as he started the ignition.

Pai fought back tears as she nodded yes.

‘I know this is a huge change for you my love,’ Snape said gently as he kissed one of her hands. ‘But you’ll be just fine once we are settled.’

‘You’re right,’ Pai answered with a nod as she wiped her cheeks. ‘You’ve made far bigger changes than me moving from one part of the district to another…’

‘In some ways perhaps – but that doesn’t mean it’s any less traumatic for you.’

‘Thank you; for understanding.’

Snape kissed her hand and pulled away with Witi following behind.

Pai remained quiet and let him focus on the drive to Mahia.

As for Snape, for the first time since he’d arrived he wondered about what was going on with the life he left behind in Britain.

xxxOOOxxx

‘Dead?’ What do you mean dead?’ Hermione gasped.

‘I…I have no idea!’ Professor McGonagall rasped. ‘Tonks and Lupin seemed pretty sure it would work but instead…’

‘It backfired… they did the one thing or a combination of things that had been anticipated by Voldemort – and it killed her!’

‘Aye. It would seem so,’ the Deputy Headmistress sighed as she collapsed in a chair at her home.

‘And Lupin?’

‘It’s doubtful he can be saved. As it was St. Mungo’s wasn’t enthusiastic about having a werewolf under their roof.’

‘Hogwarts isn’t safe – for anyone! For Merlin’s sake Professor! If one of the most celebrated specialists in Defense Against the Dark Arts and a decorated Auror couldn’t succeed then what chance do the rest of us have?!’ Ron Weasley snapped.

‘You think I don’t know that, Mr. Weasley? You think I don’t spend every second of every waking moment of ever day thinking about just how bloody awful this situation really is?!’

‘But that’s just it Ronald! It’s not about defending against the Dark Arts! It’s about knowing the Dark Arts!’

‘What are you on about – they’re the same thing!’

‘No, they aren’t! And that’s what we are really up against! We turned our noses up at studying the Dark Arts properly while we stood so high-and-mighty on our pedestals lording our supposed superiority over people we despised and here we don’t know half of what we think we do! This isn’t about hinkypunks or recognising werewolves – that’s not what’s at stake here!’

‘Oh for crying out loud…!’

‘Calm yourself Mr. Weasley and sit down before you wear a hole in my carpet,’ McGonagall ordered. ‘Miss Granger, excuse me – Mrs. Krum, makes a very valid point! We have done ourselves a great disservice with our hypocrisy and now the chickens have come home to roost.’

‘Wait – you aren’t saying what I think you’re say?’ Nevil Longbottom piped up. ‘Viktor Krum went to Durmstrang and…’

‘Justforget all that malarkey Neville! We would have been so much better off it we’d cooperated with them in the first place and shared knowledge. But guess what – they know everything that we do and whole lot that we don’t!’ Hermione snapped.

‘Oh this is classic! Are you proposing for your precious Krum to help us?!’ Ron growled rolling his eyes.

‘As it so happens he thinks what we’ve been up to is suicide! There’s no point in trying to fix this mess without a Death Eater – and one who was really on the inside with Voldemort!’

‘But there are no more Death Eaters! They were slaughtered along with every thing and every person that followed You-Know-Who!’

‘Well that’s not entirely accurate, now is it?’

‘Oh no – not that!’ Neville said standing up fast. ‘I don’t want any part of it…!’

‘You haven’t even heard what I was going to say!’

‘Whatever it is – it has to do with him, doesn’t it!’

‘And so what would you propose Neville?’ Hermione shouted ‘Send more people to their doom? Sit on our arses while Hogwarts disintegrates into nothing and the land remains cursed? We are blind – completely blind and powerless here! Professor Dumbledore’s memories didn’t lie! We are all only alive thanks to Severus Snape even if you don’t particularly like it!’

‘I can’t believe I took the whole morning off for this!’

‘Nobody’s forcing you to stay,’ Ginny Weasley said quietly.

‘Hang on mate, I’m going with you,’ Ron said as he jumped up. ‘Ginny I don’t think…’

‘I could give a rat’s arse about what you think Ron! You’ve got your life with Lavender so what do you care about anyone else?’

‘Fine. Have it your way then. Come on Neville.’

McGonagall showed Ron and Neville to the front door but not without a few last parting words. She swept back into the room and looked forlornly at Hermione and then Ginny,

‘I’m sorry Professor. I still find it hard to believe that Harry’s really gone. Sometimes it’s like he’s still around me… somehow.’

‘I wish I could say something that would be some comfort to you…’ McGonagall answered her gently as she took the young woman’s hands in hers.

The once vivacious redhead had been listless since Harry Potter’s death at the Battle of Hogwarts all those years ago. She hadn’t been able to move on and rarely got a full night’s sleep. Most nights she just cried for the boy turned young man who had realised just how much he really did love her when time was running out. They never had a real chance.

‘What are you thinking Hermione?’ Ginny asked as she pulled back and hugged herself where she sat.

Hermione was uncharacteristically lost for words.

‘Hermione?’

‘Um… I think we should swallow our pride and try to find him.’

‘Professor Snape you mean…’

‘Mmm hmm.’

‘And what does Viktor say?’

‘It was his idea – and I agree. We can’t go on like this. We’ve wasted so much time and people have died because of our damnedable pride.’

‘I think you’re right.’ Ginny said sadly.

‘I’m sorry Ginny. I really am. I miss him too.’

‘Not finding his body. That’s what really hurts. I could move on maybe if there had been something...’

‘You still believe he is out…there…somewhere?’ McGonagall asked.

‘I know you all think I’m completely mental! But Professor Snape… he said once that Voldemort had been trapped between this world and the next; that’s why they never found any part of him that night when Harry was a baby. That curse rebounded and sent him… wherever it was. And then Quirrell’s messing about brought him back but incomplete. We haven’t found anything! Not anything that proves once and for all Harry’s really dead!’

‘You have my deepest sympanthies, Ginevra, but we were at the battle! We saw it with our own eyes!’

‘What we saw was that Harry was there one minute and then the next he was gone and the only thing left was Voldemort’s corpse and that dead demon snake of his!’

‘There’s no point in arguing,’ Hermione said delicately as she averted the crazed look in Ginny’s eyes. If they weren’t careful she could end up back in the psychiatric wards at St. Mungo’s. ‘We can’t do anything without Professor Snape. We need him, plain and simple.’

‘No one has seen him for months,’ McGonagall commented flatly.

‘I know you hate the man…’ Hermione began.

‘Yes! Yes I do! That man has been nothing but trouble since the day he set foot in Hogwarts as a student!’

‘Oh come on Professor! You didn’t give him the time of day even when he was a student!’

‘And what do you know about it, Mrs. Krum. At least Snape was right about one thing – you really can be insufferable to the point of being sanctimonious sometimes!’

Hermione sucked in her breath. ‘I see,’ she said tightly. ‘Forgive me for wasting your precious time. It won’t happen again if I can help it.’

‘Wait Hermione please! Don’t go!’ Ginny howled.

‘I’m sorry Ginny – but I should get back to work myself. Lord knows I’ve wasted enough time over the years trying to find a solution to this mess. I hardly have any paid holiday left, not that I get any thanks or appreciation for it. Oh, don’t trouble yourself to get up Professor, I can find my way out thanks. Ginny – you know where to reach me.’

Hermione headed for the front door, her heart breaking at the sound of Ginny beginning to sob.

‘We can’t go on like this,’ she thought to herself. ‘We just can’t.

She wasn’t sure what the next step would be, but she knew what the end result needed to be.

Somehow, some way they needed to find Professor Snape and pray to the Goddess and Merlin that he didn’t just tell them all to go fuck themselves.