Family Affairs

Chapter Thirteen

Family Affairs

Pendle Hill was often covered in low-lying cloud, or blotted out completely by dense fog, and large swathes of countryside had turned brown, red and gold by the time Severus had completed the first section of his Dark Arts manual for Aurors.

As autumn's colour palate daubed the trees and covered pavements with crisp leaves, frost began to claim the newly-planted perennials in his garden. Whenever the weather was dry, Severus spent his time outdoors, pruning and preparing the garden for winter. During the spells of rain and drizzle, he applied himself to potion-making or writing for the Ministry. His pattern was punctuated by Tess's arrival on Friday evenings and their lazy weekends in front of the fire.

Contentment occasionally sneaked in through the back door, and during the long weeks of the autumn term, Severus began to appreciate how much his life had changed. He did not miss being duty-bound and dancing to the tune of two masters, and he coveted his freedom to live each day as he pleased, away from the stress, strain and tedium of teaching. The only time he longed to be at Hogwarts was when he thought about Tess. Often, by her third or fourth night away, he caught himself moping around the house.

On these days, Severus would usually relocate to the potions laboratory in his outhouse, light the fire, and settle into his brewing to escape the incessant chatter of Fogle the house-elf. Severus had never before owned a house-elf, but he'd always thought elves were not meant to be seen or heard, and so he began to suspect Tess had primed Fogle to ensure his master never went hungry, to tend to all his creature comforts, and prevent the house descending into untidiness: one of Severus's foibles. When the house-elf inevitably wore through Severus's patience, Fogle would punish himself with worrying degrees of masochism. At first, Severus had found the elf's repertoire of self-punishment quite amusing, until he began to realise that Fogle had done nothing wrong and was merely bearing the brunt of Severus's bad moods. At least once a week, Severus took the decision to send Fogle next door to serve his neighbour, Albert. This seemed to please all concerned parties and gave Severus much needed respite.

One Thursday afternoon, Severus was raking leaves from his garden lawn when Albert called to him over the fence.

"Afternoon, Severus," he said jovially. "Thanks for sending Fogle. He's cleaned the house like a whirling dervish, and he's made a cream tea for Trudy. She's just sent him back home to yeh."

Severus left his rake leaning against the outhouse and wandered towards the fence.

Albert assessed him curiously. "Horrible job, that, clearing leaves. Can't understand why yeh don't just... yeh know..." His sentence ended in a wink.

"Gardening is best done the old-fashioned way, Bert. The less magic I use, the fewer gnomes chew my plants and spoil the grass."

Albert nodded. "Makes sense. Plus, yeh wouldn't want anyone seeing yeh, would yer?"

"Definitely not. I like my anonymity, and I'd prefer not to Confund the villagers."

"I notice the fire's lit in the outhouse," Albert remarked, pointing to the smoke from the newly-built chimney. "Been busy?"

"I have," Severus said, knowing that his neighbour was poised to invite himself around to share a pot of tea, as had become their custom on such afternoons. "Shall I put the kettle on?"

"Aye. I'll bring biscuits. Chocolate digestives alright with yeh?"

"Only if they're plain chocolate," Severus replied. "The side gate's open. See you in five minutes."

Once inside his outhouse laboratory, Severus checked the small cauldron's progress, noticing that the potion was brewing to schedule. He filled a kettle with water, placed it upon the stove, and then retrieved a teapot, cups, saucers and a plate. Albert knocked and entered just as Severus was pouring the tea.

"Well timed," Severus commented as Albert pulled up a chair.

Albert opened the biscuits and tipped them onto the plate, then wrapped his fingers appreciatively around the warmth of the teacup. "I'm glad we've seen each other today," he said, pausing to take a sip. "I got some news for yeh."

Severus submerged a biscuit into his tea, then enjoyed the sensation of sweet biscuit and melted chocolate disintegrating on his tongue.

"Aw, yer not supposed to dunk 'em, Severus," Albert remarked, tutting.

"Why ever not? Dunking enhances the flavour."

"Yeh're showing your roots again, lad," said Albert. "Yeh can take the boy out of Cokeworth, but yeh can't take Cokeworth out of the boy."

"Some things remain sacred, Bert. That's why I still take two sugars in my tea."

"Well, I got some more information about yer mother and father from Mrs Grimes, the Muggle-born witch who runs the newsagents in Newchurch. It's not exactly a pleasant story, mind."

"Most things about my upbringing were unpleasant," Severus replied. "I have no intention of ever resuming contact with my father."

"Well, I don't have to tell yeh what I heard."

Severus sighed. "Go on."

Albert paused for another bite of biscuit and a sip of his tea. "Well, we already know yer mother was disowned by the Prince family soon after she turned nineteen. Apparently, generations of the Prince family lived in Barley village, but when yer mother left, so did the rest of 'em. Eileen had two older brothers, and they left home when they were seventeen, moving all over the country. Seems they were the last wizarding family in Barley, not counting the offspring of the Pendle Witches, which we both know weren't real witches or wizards at all.

"Anyway, seems Eileen was fawning after some strapping mill-worker from Cokeworth, who she'd met at a summer fête. Followed him around like a lost puppy, she did, pretended to have a job nearby and walked with him on his way home from work, that sort of stuff. Locals were surprised when all of a sudden she fell pregnant. Apparently, nobody was more surprised than the fella himself."

Severus felt his eyebrows creeping up his head. "Are you saying...?"

"That she tricked him? Slipped him a Love Potion? Who knows."

"Certainly, that would explain a few things," Severus commented, remembering how his father rarely showed his mother any affection, talked resentfully about 'doing his duty', and told him he was an unwanted child.

"Well, they say he only wed Eileen 'cos she was pregnant, but locals never could work out why her parents were so mad about their marriage. Your grandparents moved away from the area after the wedding."

"Perhaps they disowned her because she'd married a Muggle," Severus pondered. "They were probably a pureblood family."

"That would explain it, I reckon."

Albert helped himself to another biscuit whilst Severus considered the repercussions.

"How long have you lived here, Bert?" he asked eventually.

"Since I were a nipper. Me mum was a Muggle, but me dad went to Hogwarts and everything. We lived here together, this were our family home. When I were old enough, I left home for a bit and tried to fit in to the wizarding world, but it turned out it weren't right for me. Or I weren't right for it. The old woman who lived in yer house was also a witch, but she kept herself to herself, she did. Took me years to work out she were magical."

"Tess told me you knew me to be a wizard from the first moment we met."

"Aye. Gave yourself away, yeh did. Better now that yeh've stopped using magic on the garden."

"I learned my lesson the hard way. I hate de-gnoming gardens. However, I also hate raking leaves."

"Yeh're tidying up the back yard before Tess comes back tomorrow?"

"Trying to keep myself occupied."

"Ah," Albert said with a crooked smile. "Yeh're missing her."

With a hissing intake of breath, Severus closed his eyes. "Am I so obvious?"

Albert chuckled. "Yep, but I wouldn't worry about it. Experience tells me that women like their men to show these things from time to time."

Severus grimaced. "I'll take your word for it."

"Why don't you visit her at Hogwarts during the week? Surely yeh could just Apparate there?"

"I could Apparate to the main gate, but I'd be escorted inside and see people to whom I don't wish to speak. I can't bring myself to do it."

"Can't yeh take the Floo Network?"

"Only by prior invitation to specific locations in the castle. There's no privacy."

"Yer house used to be connected to the Floo Network," Albert continued. "That's how old Maud used to come and go without me noticing."

"I hadn't thought about using the Floo," Severus admitted, realising it had been a long time since he'd needed that mode of transport.

"Well, I'd best get back, Severus. Here, let me help yeh clear up these plates."

As Albert gathered up the crockery, he knocked Severus's Tiger's Eye ring across the workbench.

"Oh, what's this, then?"

"That's mine," Severus replied, placing the silver ring into his pocket. "I take it off when I'm gardening."

"From the size of it, I thought it might be an engagement ring for yer lady." Albert winked, swilling the teacups under a running water tap.

Severus smiled inwardly at the older man's charm. He knew Albert had already coaxed more information from him than he'd ever intended to share. "I thought you said you were leaving?"

Albert laughed gruffly, leaving the crockery to dry. "That I am. Thanks for lending us Fogle again. See yeh soon!"

Severus watched as the wiry-haired man shuffled through the leaves on the lawn and closed the gate behind him.

By the time Severus had tended to his cauldronful of potion, the light outside had dipped, and fog had descended upon the village. Feeling tired and ready for his evening meal, he locked the outhouse and retrieved his wand from inside his coat sleeve. He knew he'd regret using magic to clear the garden of fallen leaves, but Albert had given him an idea, and he'd decided he'd pay Kingsley Shacklebolt an early visit tomorrow instead of working on his garden.

Checking first for twitching curtains and nosy neighbours, Severus swept his wand around the lawn, intending to Vanish the leaves.

Nothing happened.

He executed the same charm again, this time with a verbal incantation.

And still nothing happened.

Severus stood for a moment, perplexed, wondering if he was simply too tired or preoccupied for the task.

After one more failed attempt, he stomped through the back door of the house, washed his hands, and returned his Tiger's Eye ring to its usual place on his little finger. Fogle greeted him with a warm and creamy Shepherd's Pie, and Severus settled down at the table.

"Fogle?"

"Yes, master?" The pale-brown elf reappeared by the dinner table with a wine bottle, poised to top up his goblet.

"I want you to go outside and clear the fallen leaves from the lawn."

Fogle's large copper-coloured eyes betrayed his confusion. "Fogle has been banned from going outdoors; Fogle doesn't want to get into trouble. But Fogle will follow his master's orders..." The elf scratched the back of his hands anxiously as he processed the contradiction.

Severus sighed, seeing the need for an explanation, but not wanting to make an admission. "I usually prefer to do my own gardening, but tonight my wand let me down."

The elf's expression changed from bemusement to curiosity, the latter of which made Severus flinch.

"The neighbours won't be able see you outside tonight; the fog is too thick. Just this once, remove the leaves from the garden."

Fogle nodded and scampered away, leaving Severus on his own with a plate of food and a quietly crackling fire. He took out his wand and laid it down upon the table, his mind preoccupied with its failure.

Eventually, when his plate was empty and his goblet drained, he tentatively cast Incendio at the fireplace. He felt a spike of relief when large flames leapt forth as usual. His wand's failure appeared to be intermittent.

In the morning, he decided, he would see the Minister for Magic to make a request, present his first manuscript, and then pay a visit to a professional on Diagon Alley.