Chapter 11 - So Mote It Be
At around two o'clock in the morning, three teenagers apparated to the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest (had it only been two days since Severus had prayed for death there?). Weary yet full of youthful adrenaline, they made their way to the entrance where they were nearly denied access (out of sheer cussedness rather than any regard for school rules) by Mr. Filch.
Filch had alerted McGonagall; and Minerva – who had been fearful for their well-being during their absence -- whisked the children up the gryphon staircase and into Dumbledore's office, where that esteemed figure awaited them. Minerva went back downstairs intent on some errand or another, even at that late hour.
The students blinked and looked around, especially when the Headmasters of Old shushed them from inside their frames.
"Tut tut tut," said Dumbledore, nodding at the most vociferous of them. "Come now, Headmaster Crandall," he said. "Surely there were late-night emergencies back in the Fourteenth Century? Sit, children, by all means."
With a gentle wave of his hands (he didn't need a wand, not Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard on Earth!) he transfigured several piles of stacked-up parchments into four handsome and plushly comfortable chairs. Severus, James, and Lily took their places, wondering for whom the fourth seat might be needed.
Dumbledore sat behind his desk and surveyed them with a smile on his face and his fingers steepled. "I thought I would never live to see the day," he remarked, looking at Snape.
"What, sir?" Severus returned, a bit apprehensive.
" -- the day when our Slytherin friend donned Gryffindor apparel, of course!"
Severus then remembered that he'd borrowed one of James Potter's outgrown school robes at home. It hadn't occurred to him that it bore Potter's house crest. Feeling relaxed and comfortable being joshed by the Headmaster, Severus grinned. "Hold on there, sir. I don't plan to make a habit of wearing Godrick Gryffindor's crest across my heart."
"So much the loss for the Gryffindors at Hogwarts, then!" Dumbledore said, his own lips curving into a grin. "Well, now. I suppose you young ones are hungry again. Am I correct?"
They all eyed one another wordlessly. Each had eaten a great deal at the Potters, but it apparently took a lot of energy to disapparate and apparate. Well, it was as good an excuse as another, and all three nodded. Within a trice, Dumbledore had summoned Gertie the House Elf, who was remarkably energetic even at this time of the morning.
"Yesses, Headmaster, what can Gertie fetch you and the yungins?"
"Fetch a nice plate of different kind of sandwiches -- "
Dumbledore thought he saw a slight wrinkle in James Potter's nose.
" -- and some nice pork chops with cinnamon applesauce -- "
Lily's smile dimpled.
" -- with different kinds of fresh fruits -- "
Severus -- less socially adept than his peers -- simply sighed deeply.
" -- and several trays of petit fours, tarts, and a four-layer chocolate cake with double chocolate icing."
All three students grinned once again.
"Isem that all, sir?"
"That should do us -- and our guest. Ah, come in, Minerva and Mrs. Snape!" Severus spun in his seat, and beheld his smiling mother.
"My Sevi liberated us -- ! Oh my baby, I do believe we'll be shut of him!" Crying, the tall darkheaded woman pulled her son up in a hug.
"That's all right, Mama," he said. "It wasn't me who did it. It was my friends here -- James and Lily. If they hadn't stepped in and gotten me out of the Ministry of Magic, we never could have pulled it off."
Mrs. Snape smiled, her large eyes tired but alight with joy. "My sweet Lily I know already. And this is James, is it?" The two shook hands. "I can't thank you enough. I'm so grateful for what you've done. It's like -- well, like being released from -- prison. For both Sevi and for me."
"Kindly pull up a chair, Mrs. Snape," said Dumbledore, seating himself.
"I do believe I'll retire, then," said Minerva with a wink.
"You'll miss an enormous feed if you do," Albus replied. "That's assuming there will be anything left for the grownups!"
McGonagall nodded and bid the guests adieu, and barely missed being knocked over by four House Elves laden with serving pieces and great platters of food.
"Cor!" Sev said with great satisfaction.
"You would think we don't feed these unfortunate youths," Dumbledore said to Tenebria Snape.
"My Severus was never a great eater. But I'm glad Hogwarts is a great feeder nonetheless -- obviously so!" she returned.
"Dig in, all," said Dumbledore, making a first assault on the chocolate layer cake.
"Mama, what did they find in the back anteroom?"
"All sorts of nasty things, child. Hand of Glory. Tincture of Belladonna, much too pure for any use other than poisoning. Skulls. Some crude wax dolls, dark moon symbols, and books on everything from demonology to blood magic. Ugh! And other things I'd rather not mention for fear of spoiling your appetites!"
"When's the trial?" James asked, his mouth full of pork.
"Fairly soon, according to the Auror who remained at the house awaiting my return. Things are quiet, yet the Ministry's of the belief that Dark witchery is more afoot now than it was even five or ten years ago. It's possible that they'll make an example of him."
There was an uncomfortable silence. James and Lily were largely unaquainted with Severus' history of abuse.
"They can lock him in Azkaban for the rest of his natural life as far as I'm concerned," Sev said with an odd expression on his face. "All -- the beatings. All the -- "
He began to cry. His mother wrapped her arms around him, letting him release his tension, anger, sadness, and great relief.
"Things will be so much better for us, my baby. So much better. No more living in fear. Hey?" she lifted his chin and used the back of her hands to wipe his eyes. He nodded, and gave her a small smile.
"I expect that you'll be given authorization over the Manor and its assets, ma'am," said Dumbledore.
"Call me Tenebria, please! I can't thank you enough for your kindness and understanding, Headmaster."
"You're very welcome, and make it Albus, then."
"And I'm coming right back here to school, Mama. Father wanted me to transfer to Durmstrang. My heart nearly broke at hearing it."
"We'd have missed Severus," Lily said, extending a hand and patting the boy on the back. Tenebria Snape caught her hand and kissed her fingers. "I'm so thankful for my Sevi's friends. Bless you both. You can't imagine what a burden you've relieved, now that I know he has the two of you to look out for him."
At this, James dipped his head and pretended to reach for a napkin. Had it been this kind woman's son – this brutally abused boy -- whom he'd utterly humiliated only a day or two ago, and with such deliberate cruelty?
"Mrs. Snape," he said. "I won't pretend to take credit for something I'm not -- or haven't been, at any rate. My friends and have played some rather disgraceful tricks on Sev. They started out as pranks that the House of Gryffindor would play on the House of Slytherin. But then it went beyond that. They weren't just pranks against Slytherins. They turned into pranks against Severus. And there were four of us, and only one of him. I can't apologize enough. Sev, I had no right to make you even more miserable than you -- well, than you already were, with your father, I mean."
"It's all right, James," sighed Severus, hoping that his mother wouldn't start asking questions.
"I won't ever do it again, you know," James Potter said. "I'll do what I can about the others, but I can't guarantee anything in that regard."
"I understand."
Mrs. Snape knew better than to interject in what was clearly a watershed moment between the two boys. She dabbed at her eyes with her napkin, and held her peace. Dumbledore watched the scene unfolding before him gravely.
"They – James and Sev took the Wizards' Oath back at the Potters' house, you know," Lily said quietly, touching James' sleeve with affection and a bit of pride.
At this, both adults smiled, and understood that even if things wouldn't be resolved among these students and their friends, they would at least be improved.
-----------------
The food ran out at about the chime of three. All rose and shortly gave one another their farewells.
"Mama, will you wait for me downstairs?" said Severus. James and Lily nodded at him, then walked to the platform below the gryphon, joining Mrs. Snape.
Once they had gone, Severus turned to Dumbledore. "You can't imagine what was going through my head earlier this evening, Headmaster. There I was, being shamed and belted around by my father, who was going to send me far away, never to come here ever again. I'm not very good at social things like thank-yous -- but I did want to let you know how happy I am to be -- "
" -- to be Home, Severus?" He opened his arms, and the boy sighed and went to him.
"Yes," he said. "Home for good and all -- "
"You did me such an honor by calling me 'father' when they were taking you away, "said Dumbledore. "I don't believe I've ever received a greater one." Neither student or headmaster said anything else in that moment, for words were beyond them.
And downstairs, Lily and James touched fingertips briefly, and with a touch of embarrassment.
Tenebria offered prayers of thanks for the liberation of her son and herself.
Severus soon joined her, and both walked down the chilly torchlit corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with more than a touch of weariness. It had been a very long couple of days, after all.
---------------
"My House shall honor your House
For ever and ever without break or decay.
When the hills are all flat
And the rivers are all dry,
When it lightens and thunders in winter,
When it rains and snows in summer,
When Heaven and Earth mingle--
Not till then will I dishonor your House.
So Mote It Be."
- The Wizards' Oath
---------------
THE END
At around two o'clock in the morning, three teenagers apparated to the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest (had it only been two days since Severus had prayed for death there?). Weary yet full of youthful adrenaline, they made their way to the entrance where they were nearly denied access (out of sheer cussedness rather than any regard for school rules) by Mr. Filch.
Filch had alerted McGonagall; and Minerva – who had been fearful for their well-being during their absence -- whisked the children up the gryphon staircase and into Dumbledore's office, where that esteemed figure awaited them. Minerva went back downstairs intent on some errand or another, even at that late hour.
The students blinked and looked around, especially when the Headmasters of Old shushed them from inside their frames.
"Tut tut tut," said Dumbledore, nodding at the most vociferous of them. "Come now, Headmaster Crandall," he said. "Surely there were late-night emergencies back in the Fourteenth Century? Sit, children, by all means."
With a gentle wave of his hands (he didn't need a wand, not Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard on Earth!) he transfigured several piles of stacked-up parchments into four handsome and plushly comfortable chairs. Severus, James, and Lily took their places, wondering for whom the fourth seat might be needed.
Dumbledore sat behind his desk and surveyed them with a smile on his face and his fingers steepled. "I thought I would never live to see the day," he remarked, looking at Snape.
"What, sir?" Severus returned, a bit apprehensive.
" -- the day when our Slytherin friend donned Gryffindor apparel, of course!"
Severus then remembered that he'd borrowed one of James Potter's outgrown school robes at home. It hadn't occurred to him that it bore Potter's house crest. Feeling relaxed and comfortable being joshed by the Headmaster, Severus grinned. "Hold on there, sir. I don't plan to make a habit of wearing Godrick Gryffindor's crest across my heart."
"So much the loss for the Gryffindors at Hogwarts, then!" Dumbledore said, his own lips curving into a grin. "Well, now. I suppose you young ones are hungry again. Am I correct?"
They all eyed one another wordlessly. Each had eaten a great deal at the Potters, but it apparently took a lot of energy to disapparate and apparate. Well, it was as good an excuse as another, and all three nodded. Within a trice, Dumbledore had summoned Gertie the House Elf, who was remarkably energetic even at this time of the morning.
"Yesses, Headmaster, what can Gertie fetch you and the yungins?"
"Fetch a nice plate of different kind of sandwiches -- "
Dumbledore thought he saw a slight wrinkle in James Potter's nose.
" -- and some nice pork chops with cinnamon applesauce -- "
Lily's smile dimpled.
" -- with different kinds of fresh fruits -- "
Severus -- less socially adept than his peers -- simply sighed deeply.
" -- and several trays of petit fours, tarts, and a four-layer chocolate cake with double chocolate icing."
All three students grinned once again.
"Isem that all, sir?"
"That should do us -- and our guest. Ah, come in, Minerva and Mrs. Snape!" Severus spun in his seat, and beheld his smiling mother.
"My Sevi liberated us -- ! Oh my baby, I do believe we'll be shut of him!" Crying, the tall darkheaded woman pulled her son up in a hug.
"That's all right, Mama," he said. "It wasn't me who did it. It was my friends here -- James and Lily. If they hadn't stepped in and gotten me out of the Ministry of Magic, we never could have pulled it off."
Mrs. Snape smiled, her large eyes tired but alight with joy. "My sweet Lily I know already. And this is James, is it?" The two shook hands. "I can't thank you enough. I'm so grateful for what you've done. It's like -- well, like being released from -- prison. For both Sevi and for me."
"Kindly pull up a chair, Mrs. Snape," said Dumbledore, seating himself.
"I do believe I'll retire, then," said Minerva with a wink.
"You'll miss an enormous feed if you do," Albus replied. "That's assuming there will be anything left for the grownups!"
McGonagall nodded and bid the guests adieu, and barely missed being knocked over by four House Elves laden with serving pieces and great platters of food.
"Cor!" Sev said with great satisfaction.
"You would think we don't feed these unfortunate youths," Dumbledore said to Tenebria Snape.
"My Severus was never a great eater. But I'm glad Hogwarts is a great feeder nonetheless -- obviously so!" she returned.
"Dig in, all," said Dumbledore, making a first assault on the chocolate layer cake.
"Mama, what did they find in the back anteroom?"
"All sorts of nasty things, child. Hand of Glory. Tincture of Belladonna, much too pure for any use other than poisoning. Skulls. Some crude wax dolls, dark moon symbols, and books on everything from demonology to blood magic. Ugh! And other things I'd rather not mention for fear of spoiling your appetites!"
"When's the trial?" James asked, his mouth full of pork.
"Fairly soon, according to the Auror who remained at the house awaiting my return. Things are quiet, yet the Ministry's of the belief that Dark witchery is more afoot now than it was even five or ten years ago. It's possible that they'll make an example of him."
There was an uncomfortable silence. James and Lily were largely unaquainted with Severus' history of abuse.
"They can lock him in Azkaban for the rest of his natural life as far as I'm concerned," Sev said with an odd expression on his face. "All -- the beatings. All the -- "
He began to cry. His mother wrapped her arms around him, letting him release his tension, anger, sadness, and great relief.
"Things will be so much better for us, my baby. So much better. No more living in fear. Hey?" she lifted his chin and used the back of her hands to wipe his eyes. He nodded, and gave her a small smile.
"I expect that you'll be given authorization over the Manor and its assets, ma'am," said Dumbledore.
"Call me Tenebria, please! I can't thank you enough for your kindness and understanding, Headmaster."
"You're very welcome, and make it Albus, then."
"And I'm coming right back here to school, Mama. Father wanted me to transfer to Durmstrang. My heart nearly broke at hearing it."
"We'd have missed Severus," Lily said, extending a hand and patting the boy on the back. Tenebria Snape caught her hand and kissed her fingers. "I'm so thankful for my Sevi's friends. Bless you both. You can't imagine what a burden you've relieved, now that I know he has the two of you to look out for him."
At this, James dipped his head and pretended to reach for a napkin. Had it been this kind woman's son – this brutally abused boy -- whom he'd utterly humiliated only a day or two ago, and with such deliberate cruelty?
"Mrs. Snape," he said. "I won't pretend to take credit for something I'm not -- or haven't been, at any rate. My friends and have played some rather disgraceful tricks on Sev. They started out as pranks that the House of Gryffindor would play on the House of Slytherin. But then it went beyond that. They weren't just pranks against Slytherins. They turned into pranks against Severus. And there were four of us, and only one of him. I can't apologize enough. Sev, I had no right to make you even more miserable than you -- well, than you already were, with your father, I mean."
"It's all right, James," sighed Severus, hoping that his mother wouldn't start asking questions.
"I won't ever do it again, you know," James Potter said. "I'll do what I can about the others, but I can't guarantee anything in that regard."
"I understand."
Mrs. Snape knew better than to interject in what was clearly a watershed moment between the two boys. She dabbed at her eyes with her napkin, and held her peace. Dumbledore watched the scene unfolding before him gravely.
"They – James and Sev took the Wizards' Oath back at the Potters' house, you know," Lily said quietly, touching James' sleeve with affection and a bit of pride.
At this, both adults smiled, and understood that even if things wouldn't be resolved among these students and their friends, they would at least be improved.
-----------------
The food ran out at about the chime of three. All rose and shortly gave one another their farewells.
"Mama, will you wait for me downstairs?" said Severus. James and Lily nodded at him, then walked to the platform below the gryphon, joining Mrs. Snape.
Once they had gone, Severus turned to Dumbledore. "You can't imagine what was going through my head earlier this evening, Headmaster. There I was, being shamed and belted around by my father, who was going to send me far away, never to come here ever again. I'm not very good at social things like thank-yous -- but I did want to let you know how happy I am to be -- "
" -- to be Home, Severus?" He opened his arms, and the boy sighed and went to him.
"Yes," he said. "Home for good and all -- "
"You did me such an honor by calling me 'father' when they were taking you away, "said Dumbledore. "I don't believe I've ever received a greater one." Neither student or headmaster said anything else in that moment, for words were beyond them.
And downstairs, Lily and James touched fingertips briefly, and with a touch of embarrassment.
Tenebria offered prayers of thanks for the liberation of her son and herself.
Severus soon joined her, and both walked down the chilly torchlit corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with more than a touch of weariness. It had been a very long couple of days, after all.
---------------
"My House shall honor your House
For ever and ever without break or decay.
When the hills are all flat
And the rivers are all dry,
When it lightens and thunders in winter,
When it rains and snows in summer,
When Heaven and Earth mingle--
Not till then will I dishonor your House.
So Mote It Be."
- The Wizards' Oath
---------------
THE END