A Song for Severus ~ (Not Update, but Edit)

Chapter 82 ~ An Unwelcome Visit

Rubin Fezwig was buried in a simple ceremony on the ground of his farm, out in a distant pasture next to his wife, Rita Fezwig. Albus said a few words as did Ursula Gabbingsworth. It may have been a simple funeral, but over seven hundred people were in attendance, the entire membership of FOW and supporters. The most moving moment came when the sound of multiple apparitions filled the air, and the residents of the werewolf village arrived and joined the mourners, all of them wearing green armbands.

The Aurors didn’t accompany them. When the little girl whose family was killed regained consciousness at the makeshift facility in the werewolf village, she gave a description of the man who attacked them. It was undoubtedly Fenrir. The ban was lifted the very morning of Rubin’s funeral and the inhabitants all came to pay their respects.

Remus stood next to the grave, grieving openly, tears streaming down his face as Eloise stood next to him, her arm wrapped around the werewolf’s waist. Severus was in somber attendance, as was Hermione. Rita, Bilbo and a number of other reporters and photographers stood a distance away, Professor Snape having made clear that to come any closer could be quite painful.

“This is a funeral, not a circus,” the wizard said to the reporters pointedly, “You will not interrupt it by asking questions and flashing bulbs. You may go about your business after Mr. Fezwig has been interred. You’ve been warned.”

After the burial, it was clear to see Remus wanted to be left alone. After the crowd gave him their condolences, they thoughtfully left. The reporters were another story and demanded he give a statement about the death of Fenrir Greyback and let them know when he was going to come to the Ministry and claim his reward.

After listening to them clamor for several minutes, Remus said something to Albus who held up his hands and quieted the reporters.

“Mr. Remus wishes to make a statement. This will be all he says on the matter,” the Headmaster said.

The reporters stood there, quills poised over parchment notebooks, all eyes on Remus.

The werewolf scanned the crowd.

”I will arrive at the Ministry…when I arrive,” he said shortly.

The reporters all let out angry shouts and complaints.

“Come on Lupin…give us something!”

“That’s not fair, Lupin!”

”I came all this way for that bullshit?”

Severus walked up to the crowd. He didn’t draw his wand, but looked at the group with narrowed eyes. Albus walked up beside him, his blue eyes dark with displeasure.

”It is time for you all to leave the premises. Please make it an ‘easy’ departure,” Albus said, his meaning unmistakable.

Still complaining all the reporters and photographers disapparated away, except for Rita and Bilbo.

“Surely that doesn’t include us, Headmaster?” Rita purred, her sharp eyes resting on the back of the departing Remus, who walked across the pasture toward the farm with Eloise.

Hermione waited for Severus, her amber eyes rather hard as she looked at Rita. Now wasn’t the time for this.

”I’m afraid it does, Rita. The couple needs this time to themselves,” Albus replied.

”But, but I thought I had exclusive access,” Rita griped.

”You do, Miss Skeeter…when it is appropriate. At this point in time it is not. Give him time to grieve,” Albus said.

“He’s been grieving three days now and not giving us a lick of new information,” Rita complained, “How long do we have to wait? The story’s going cold. People are losing interest.”

Hermione walked forward.

“That’s not true and you know it, Rita. The public is more interested than ever. I can’t believe how shallow you are,” Hermione scolded, “Remus needs a little time to come to terms with his loss. Rubin was…”

”…like a father to him. I know. I know. But he wasn’t his father. The werewolf needs to buck up and go for that reward,” Rita said impatiently.

”He’ll do that when he’s ready. Now please leave the premises,” Albus said firmly.

Rita looked from Albus to Hermione to Severus, who stood scowling, looking as if he’d like nothing better than to hex both she and Bilbo.

”Fine,” she spat, then looked at Hermione, “I’ll know better next time I strike up a deal with you lot.”

Rita disapparated, followed by Bilbo who snapped a quick picture of the three before departing.

“What a horrible woman,” Hermione breathed, scowling at the empty spot Rita had occupied only moments before.

“She serves her purpose. Let us go speak to Remus and Eloise before we leave. There are a few matters he needs to be made aware of,” Albus said, starting across the pasture, Severus and Hermione following.

They still hadn’t revealed their engagement to anyone, feeling Rubin’s death should take precedence. Besides, Severus had not yet purchased a ring for the witch.

They found both Remus and Eloise seated at the table, looking toward the house.

“I keep expecting him to walk out of the house with a platter of seared steaks,” Remus said softly.

”He loved cooking them for us,” Eloise said, smiling a little, “No matter what the problem was…it was like Rubin believed any ill could be solved with rare beef.”

Remus chuckled a little, then said, “Gods, I miss him.”

”I do too, Remus. I wonder what will happen to the farm now, and the animals?” Eloise said, looking toward the corralled cattle.

“Well, that depends on Remus,” Albus said, walking up to the table and drawing a folded parchment out of the inside pocket of his robes. He handed it to Remus.

“This is a copy of Rubin’s will,” Albus said, “I took the liberty of filing the original at the Ministry without too much difficulty, particularly since I took Miss Gabbingsworth and several FOW members with me. The clerk was quite accommodating.”

Remus unfolded the parchment and began reading. Suddenly his eyebrows lifted.

“He left me the farm?” he said, then looked at Eloise, “Eloise, he left us the farm!”

Eloise smiled. She had come to love the farm…now she could continue to do so.

“Let us go inside and discuss the details of your new holdings,” Albus said, walking toward the farmhouse. Remus and Eloise made no move to follow him.

“We can’t enter the house, Headmaster,” Remus called to him, “Silver threading runs through every inch of wall.”

”No longer, Remus. It has been removed, as has the threading on the animal barn,” Severus said to the wizard.

”Removed? By who?” Remus asked.

Severus blinked at him.

“By someone who was extremely tired and put out by all the work it required, that’s who,” the wizard snapped, turning around quickly followed Albus, his robes billowing. Severus wasn’t up to hearing Remus emotionally express his gratitude.

Hermione shook her head. Severus was really wonderful to do that for Remus and Eloise. It had to have been hard work.

Eloise smiled after the dark Potions Master.

“He really is a kind man,” she said.

Both Remus and Hermione looked at Eloise incredulously.

”I wouldn’t go that far,” they both said together, then started laughing.

”No one knows exactly why Severus does the things he does. He will do something extremely thoughtful one moment, then something incredibly snarky the next. I never know what he’s going to do,” Hermione said softly, watching as Severus disappeared into the depth of the house.

“And that’s one of the reasons you love him, Hermione, isn’t it?” Eloise asked her.

Hermione looked at her and nodded.

“One of the reasons…yes,” she replied.

Remus shook his head.

“I never believed Severus would have anyone to love him,” Remus said, “It only goes to prove that love isn’t a respecter of men…even men as contrary and dark as Severus Snape can be blessed by it.”

All three quietly walked to the porch of the farmhouse. Hermione entered first, then Remus cautiously approached the door, hesitating, then walking through half-expecting to be hit with a burning pain. No…nothing happened. Severus really had removed all the silver.

They walked into the parlor, Eloise exclaiming how homey and comfortable the house was. Rubin hadn’t changed a thing about it since he lost his wife. The muggle walked into the kitchen as the rest of the group sat down in the parlor, Albus directing Remus to Rubin’s desk, then removing the strongbox from his pocket, enlarging it and handing it to the wizard.

In the kitchen, Eloise went through the pantry, cabinets and cooler. She put a pot of coffee on the stove, then turned it on, glad that Rubin didn’t do everything by magic. The kitchen could be used by a muggle. She walked back into the parlor and took a seat, listening to Albus and Remus discuss Rubin’s estate.

Remus couldn’t believe it. With Rubin’s holdings even if he didn’t collect the reward for killing Fenrir, he would still be quite well off. He and Eloise could live a good life together. They wouldn’t want for anything. As Albus talked, Remus’ eyes rested on Eloise. Everything was falling into place. Only one more thing had to be addressed. One very important thing.

He would take care of that after going to the Ministry.

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That evening, there was a knock on the door. Remus and Eloise were sitting in the parlor, reminiscing about Rubin. Both looked up.

”Who could that be?” Remus said, drawing his wand and walking up to the door.

”Who is it?” he called.

“A Ministry representative,” a voice answered.

Rubin looked back at Eloise, who had stiffened, a low growl sounding deep in her throat. What did the Ministry want?

”What is your business here?” Remus called through the door.

”Only to speak to you, Mr. Lupin. The Council has an offer for you,” the voice replied.

”What kind of offer?” Remus asked cautiously.

“I would rather talk to you personally than through the door,” the voice said, sounding irritated.

Eloise stood up and walked to the other side of the door, preparing herself to help Remus if anything untoward was going on. Even in human form she was quite formidable.

“Open the door,” she mouthed at him.

Remus quickly pulled the door open. On the porch stood a short white-haired wizard, with a large mustache, and dressed in a royal blue robe. He had a large envelope in his hand. Behind him stood two steely-eyed Aurors from the Werewolf Control Department.

”My name is Broderick Mennings. I am a Council member. May I come in, Mr. Lupin?” the wizard said as Eloise appeared from the other side of the door, looking at him suspiciously, then eyeing the Aurors with dislike.

”You can come in,” she said, “but those goons have to stay outside. They aren’t welcome here. We’d like to keep what little we have.”

Mennings eyed the woman. This must be the muggle the Council spoke of. The fertile werewolf bitch with full rights. The Aurors behind him scowled blackly at Eloise, who returned their scowl.

”They are with me for my…my protection,” Mennings said a bit nervously.

”We’re not going to bite you, Mr. Mennings. If you don’t feel safe in our presence, then perhaps you should return to the Ministry,” Remus said evenly.

The Aurors stirred slightly as Remus’ statement. How dare a werewolf speak to a Council member in such a way?

“Lupin, we have every right to enter your home,” one Auror growled at him, “That hasn’t changed. Now you let the Councilman in and us…or there are going to be problems.”

Eloise’s eyes began to vein.

”This is my home too. And you can’t come into my home without papers,” she spat.

“This home is registered to Remus Lupin…not Eloise Hedgeberry,” the other Auror said with a nasty smile, “This has nothing to do with you. You have no legal claim to this place. We can’t enter your barn…but we can come in here. So I suggest you get out of the way.”

Remus’ eyes began to vein as well. Alarmed, Mennings moved out of the way and the two werewolves faced off with the Aurors, who drew their wands.

”Attacking an Auror is prison time, Lupin,” the first Auror said, “Now lower your wand. We won’t tell you again.”

Remus stared at the pair stubbornly as Eloise began to growl.

“Go ahead and lower your wand, Remus,” a female voice said behind him.

Everyone spun. Ursula Gabbingsworth and about twenty FOW members stood in the yard, eyeing the Aurors and Council members. Suddenly there was a flashbulb pop.

”Got it,” Bilbo said, looking down and fiddling with his camera a bit before looking over at Rita, who’s quick-quotes quill was moving a mile a minute.

”Hey!” One of the Aurors shouted at Bilbo, “Give me that camera!”

He started down the steps toward Bilbo, only to find the photographer blocked by several FOW members. He stood there impotently scowling at them.

”Freedom of the press,” Ursula smirked at him, then she looked up at Mennings.

”We figured we’d better hang around. Mind if we come in, Mr. Lupin?” she said to Remus, though her blue eyes were narrowed as she looked at the Councilman.

Remus smiled with relief.

”Yes, you may all come in,” Remus said, stepping away from the door, “You too, Rita…Bilbo.”

The Aurors and Mennings moved aside as the group of supporters filed inside the farmhouse.

After they all passed, Remus said to Mennings, “Now you have plenty of witnesses. You shouldn’t feel uncomfortable at all.”

Mennings looked at the Aurors, who shrugged and shook their heads. They weren’t about to strong-arm Lupin in front of witnesses.

”I need to speak to you privately, Mr. Lupin,” Mennings said in a low voice.

”We can use the bedroom,” Remus said, “Just the three of us.”

”Three of us?” Mennings said, blinking.

”Yes. You, my mate and myself,” Remus said, indicating Eloise, “Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of her. We both make the decisions.”

Mennings looked at Eloise, whose eyes were hard as opals. Well, he had to talk to Lupin…the rest of the Council made that very clear when he drew the short straw.

”Very well,” Mennings said resignedly, entering the house.

The Aurors tried to follow him. Eloise blocked their path.

”You still aren’t welcome here,” she said, slamming the door in their faces.

”That bitch,” one Auror muttered as they both sat down on the porch to wait.

“There’s coffee in the kitchen,” Eloise said to the group in passing as she walked toward the bedroom, “And you can rummage through the pantry and cooler if you’re hungry.”

They thanked her and a few filed into the kitchen. Everyone made themselves at home. Rita waited for the bedroom door to close, then walked up to it…standing a bit to the right of it. She pulled her wand and cast an amplifying charm on it.

”Private? Not when I’m around,” she breathed, the quick-quotes quill floating next to her in readiness.

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A/N: Ooh, the Ministry tried a bit of dirty Quidditch eh? Wonder what the ‘offer’ was? Those Aurors weren’t there for show. Hurray for FOW. They didn’t abandon the pair. And Rita was on the scene too, the story hound. Lol. She ought to get an earful. Thanks for reading.