An Unexpected Guardian
Chapter 5 of 19
morgaine_dulacAfter Snape has been told that Lily’s son has only been kept alive so that he can die at the right moment, he leaves Hogwarts for a little Muggle town where he once spent a happy weekend with his father. Walking down memory lane he finds a shabby little pub, a memory and hope. (Sequel to His First)
ReviewedChapter 5: An Unexpected Guardian
As Dumbledore had predicted, the pub was empty of patrons as they entered. Edmunds stood behind the counter, drying glasses, but he seemed not to notice neither Dumbledore sitting by the window nor Snape and Hope entering the pub.
'You put enchantments on the place,' Snape concluded.
'I most certainly have,' Dumbledore replied merrily and pulled out two chairs. 'I prefer to converse privately with the two of you.'
'Privately?' Snape cocked an eyebrow. 'You do realise that the Ministry will have been alerted by now, don't you? In a few moments' time, the pub will be crawling with Aurors.'
But Dumbledore didn't seem to worry.
'Did I forget to mention that the Auror on duty today is an old friend of mine? I have been assured that a little bit of magic will go quite unnoticed today. Now, sit, both of you. Tea or brandy?' he asked, conjuring first three glasses out of thin air and then an entire tea set, carrying the Hogwarts coat of arms.
Snape's eyes darkened. Trust Dumbledore to bend the rules. Was there anything he couldn't get away with?
'This is a very nice little pub,' he mused, smiling benignly at Hope as she took a seat beside him. 'And is that apple crumble I smell?'
'I hardly think you came here in order to admire the decor or to have pudding,' Snape snapped. 'And if I recall correctly, you were about to give us some explanations.'
'Yes, indeed,' Dumbledore replied, steepling his fingers in front of him. 'Where to start?' he pondered aloud. 'Where to start?'
'How about you start with telling us how you came to know about Hope's... Miss McKibben's whereabouts?' Snape suggested impatiently. Dumbledore's circumlocutions were making his bile rise.
'Ah, now that, dear Severus, is a very good suggestion. If you must know, one of my sources was a member of your House and a dear friend of yours, Nadezhda. You don't mind me calling you Nadezhda, do you?'
Hope almost imperceptibly shook her head, and Snape frowned. Charles Herrington's memory had been erased. He couldn't have tattled. Or had the spell not worked?
'As you might recall, Severus' Dumbledore continued, 'Mr Herrington sought my permission to visit his parents after Christmas despite previously deciding to stay at Hogwarts in order to catch up on his studies. As you also might recall, the boy blushed easily and had no talent for lying whatsoever. Also, he cared deeply for you, Nadezhda, and was very worried. He only had your best interests in mind when he decided to tell me about your plans.'
'And you simply let those plans be carried out?' Snape questioned.
'I thought it unwise to get involved. For the time being, that is,' Dumbledore explained. 'After all, said plans had been carefully crafted, and if I am honest, I was curious to see how they would pan out. However, when Mr Herrington returned to Hogwarts in January, with seemingly no recollection whatsoever of where he had spent the last two weeks, I did grow slightly concerned.'
'Slightly?' Snape hissed, finding it increasingly harder to control his temper. 'One of your students returns to Hogwarts with his memory erased and another one is missing somewhere in Muggle Britain and you grow slightly concerned? I am starting to think that Lucius was right a couple of years ago. You are losing your touch!'
'Now, now, Severus. Discovering how perfectly the charm had been performed, I didn't have any reason to believe that Nadezhda was in any kind of trouble. After all, we are talking about a very bright young witch. I assumed that she wouldn't have cut bonds with her best friend unless she was absolutely certain that she would do just fine on her own. Am I not correct, Nadezhda?'
'I didn't want anyone to know where I was, including Charles,' Hope confessed. 'It was the only thing that mattered at the time.'
Her voice was calm, and she was sitting with her back straight. She had wrapped her fingers around her tea cup, and Snape couldn't help but wonder if she was doing so in order to keep her hands from shaking. Dumbledore, however, did not seem to have noticed.
'You did very well,' he praised her instead. 'It took me months to find you. Had it not been for the birth of your child, I might never have.'
Hope flinched.
'How do you know about my boy?'
'The birth of every magical child is automatically recorded,' Dumbledore explained. 'I assume you did not know.'
Hope shook her head. She was holding on to her cup with such force now that her knuckles were turning white, and her face was so pale that Snape feared that she would faint at any moment.
'Only a few people know about the Book of Admittance,' Dumbledore continued. 'It is a powerful magical artefact in its own right, charmed by the founders of Hogwarts themselves. The only ones who have access to it are the residing headmaster and his deputy. I can, however, assure you that not even Professor McGonagall had seen that specific entry, and with your son's death, the record of his birth was erased from the pages of the book. No one knows that the boy ever existed. And thus, no one knows where he was born or where you are.'
With a sigh of relief, Hope closed her eyes before burying her face in her hands, and Snape, too, relaxed. He knew about the Dark Lord's plans to gather information about any magical births in the country to seek out and persecute Muggle-borns. Once Dumbledore was dead, it would only be a matter of time until he'd gain access to the Book of Admittance. Surely, he would want to hunt down the one that slipped through his fingers. But thankfully, there was now no record of Nadezhda McKibben's child, and she herself was safe once more.
'It was thanks to the Book of Admittance that I was able to trace you,' Dumbledore continued. 'I checked up on you occasionally and found that you had been doing quite well. Until the day your child expired, that is. That day, I saw you break, and that was the day I decided to reveal myself.'
Hope looked up from behind her hands, frowning. It was clear that she was trying to remember Dumbledore's appearance, but as she had told Snape that very afternoon, she had no recollections whatsoever of the time after the death of her child.
'You were in quite a state, my dear,' Dumbledore explained. 'I considered taking you to St. Mungo's but deemed that a wizard hospital was not the best place for you to be. So I brought you here and made sure that you were taken care of by the right people. The police officers that took you to the hospital were in fact two Aurors and Nurse Edmunds... well, Elisabeth was a Squib.'
'A Squib?' Snape asked incredulously.
'Of course,' Dumbledore replied, sounding as if it were the most natural thing in the world. 'As you are well aware, Squibs are looked upon with a certain degree of... disdain, and quite a few of them have chosen to settle here, in the only place in Britain that has never seen any magic. That Elisabeth Edmunds was on duty the night Nadezhda was brought to the hospital was, of course, a coincidence , but I welcomed it nonetheless. I deemed it wise to have her keep an eye on the girl, in case she happened to produce any kind of magic intentionally or accidentally. Elisabeth would understand and make sure no one else noticed. Thankfully, she never needed to.'
Snape sat as if dumbstruck. He could barely believe what he was hearing and at the same time he was not even surprised. This was Albus Dumbledore talking, after all, one of the most brilliant and cunning wizards alive. If anyone could have found Nadezhda McKibben, find her, make sure she was taken care of and then disappear again without her leaving any trace, it was him.
Hope, too, seemed puzzled, and when she finally spoke, her voice was so feeble that it was hard to make out her words.
'Why... How come I don't remember any of this?' she asked. 'Why don't I remember you?'
'You were not well, my dear,' Dumbledore replied with a gentle tone. 'Your grief and guilt were tearing at your very soul. I feared that you were a danger to yourself. Thus, I decided to ease your burden.'
'You used a Memory Charm on her,' Snape stated.
'I didn't do so lightly,' Dumbledore defended his actions. 'Meddling with someone's memory is not always the best of choices, and I did not know if it would do any good. After all, Nadezhda, your darkness festered in your heart and not in your mind. And that pain I could not take away. It is there to this very day, isn't it?'
Hope did not answer. Her hands still covered half her face, and her green eyes were staring blankly ahead. Snape doubted that she even saw Dumbledore. He, however, glared angrily at the old man.
'I think Miss McKibben has heard enough for today,' he pointed out.
He rose from his chair, and for the second time this afternoon, he gently put his hand on her shoulder.
'Come,' he simply said, and as Dumbledore didn't protest, he carefully guided Hope out of the pub. Edmunds had retreated to the kitchen, and he never saw the door that led upstairs open as if by magic. He neither saw Snape and Hope walk up the stairs, nor did he see Dumbledore vanish into thin air. As far as he was concerned, his pub had been empty for over an hour.
Hope didn't speak nor look at Snape. Her steps were steady, and she was once more keeping her back straight. But Snape wasn't easily fooled. He could see how she was trying to hide her shaking hands in the folds of her dress and how she flinched at the faintest sound.
'It is alright to be upset,' he said softly as he pulled out a chair for her in her room, the same chair he had sat on a few weeks ago. He in turn positioned himself by the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of Dumbledore as the headmaster walked away. He wanted to see him leave. He wanted to be sure that the old meddler had gone. But the fog had grown even thicker, and Snape couldn't make out anything through the window.
'I should have known,' Hope said after a while. 'I should have understood.'
'What should you have understood?' Snape asked.
'That I wasn't alone.'
Snape frowned. From the tone of Hope's voice, he couldn't tell whether or not she was happy about that fact, and he figured that her sentiments could go either way: she could be grateful for Dumbledore's continuous protection or disappointed that she had not been able to keep her whereabouts secret from the Wizarding world.
'This was Elisabeth's dress, you know,' she continued, tugging at the hem of her sleeve. 'She gave me a lot of things. Clothes, books, hairbrushes and ribbons. But most of all, she gave me a home. I don't know where I would have gone, if she hadn't taken me here once I was released from the hospital. I don't think I could have gone back to the cottage. Not after my boy...'
She broke off and looked up at Snape, frowning.
'Do you think Elisabeth only took me in because Dumbledore asked her to?'
Snape shrugged.
'I do not know,' he replied, but as he saw the crestfallen look in Hope's eyes, he quickly added something else.
'I can tell that Edmunds has grown very fond of you. I assume his wife did as well. Do her reasons for taking you in really matter today?'
'No. I guess not.'
Hope exhaled audibly, brought her hands to her face and rubbed her eyes before squeezing them shut and letting her fingers trail through her dark hair. She bent her head and rubbed her neck, rolled her shoulders and then straightened up before taking a couple of steadying breaths.
'None of it matters,' she said softly. 'These things happened half a lifetime ago. Maybe it's time to let them go.'
When she looked up at him, Snape could do nothing but gasp. He had expected to see many things in her green eyes. Tears, confusion, even anger, but he had not expected to see the ghost of a smile reflecting in them. It was as fleeting as a shooting star, gone in a heartbeat but just as mesmerising and precious. And Snape could only hope that one day, it would linger.
~ ~ ~
'How is the girl, Severus?'
Snape carefully closed the door behind him, fighting the urge to slam it shut with such force so it would fly of the hinges. He would keep his temper, he had promised himself on his way up to the headmaster's study. He would listen to what anything else Dumbledore had to say, listen and try to understand. But as the old man now sat behind his desk, looking ever so relaxed and pleased with himself, Snape found it hard to keep the poisonous tone out of his voice.
'Why would you ask me that?' he snapped. 'It seems to me like you know all about Miss McKibben.'
Dumbledore just smiled.
'Now, now, Severus. Have a seat. Tea?'
Snape turned down the tea but did sit down opposite Dumbledore, who took his time pouring himself a cup, adding milk and sugar. He seemed in no hurry whatsoever, and Snape struggled to keep his calm.
'Did you even for a moment stop to consider how startling your sudden appearance today would be?' he demanded to know after a couple of minutes of silence.
'I did indeed,' Dumbledore replied. 'I have considered revealing myself for many years but refrained from doing so just because I was afraid that Nadezhda wouldn't take it well. After all, she has been quite convinced that no one knew where she was.'
'Then what made you change your mind today?'
'The fact that you were with her, of course.'
Snape frowned. He had suspected that Dumbledore's appearance that afternoon had been well-timed and not a mere coincidence, but so far, he had not been able to figure out how the headmaster had known that he had been there.
'I assume you have a spy at the pub,' he suggested. 'One of the Aurors, perhaps?'
'Dear Severus, give yourself some credit. I am quite convinced that you managed to avoid being seen by any Auror. I know you have the means to disappear into the shadows, even without magic.'
'There is no need to flatter me, Albus. Tell me how you knew that I was at the pub.'
'Well, I did not know for certain that you were there today. I hoped you would be, but I could not know for sure. As little as I can know that you went there all those nights and weekends when you couldn't be found anywhere in the castle. You could, of course, have been summoned by Voldemort this afternoon, but I decided to take a chance.'
Snape exhaled through his nose and exaggeratedly clenched and unclenched his fist. Dumbledore was a genius, there was no doubt about that, and he certainly had a talent to make people lose their temper with his opaqueness.
'How did you know that I use to frequent this particular pub?' Snape now asked slowly, weighing every syllable so Dumbledore would not have a chance to give yet another ambiguous answer.
'Well, dear boy, I happened to see you once.'
'I beg your pardon?'
'Well, not in the pub, but in Nadezhda's... Hope's room. And quite frankly, for a moment I was concerned that you might have noticed me as well.'
At first, Snape was intrigued, but as Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, smiling ever so smugly, Snape's eyes darkened once more. He was not in the mood to play games, and if Dumbledore now made him guess on how he had knowledge of whatever happened in Hope's room, Snape would be sorely tempted to throw an Unforgivable curse at him. Luckily for the headmaster, however, he provided an explanation.
'The candle, Severus. The candle on the nightstand and the painting behind it. Didn't you notice anything?'
Snape frowned. He had thought that he seen both candles flicker when he had entered the room, both the one that Hope extinguished and the one in the frame. But surely, it couldn't be!
Yet Dumbledore nodded.
'I have a similar painting,' he explained pointing towards the opposite wall. 'During the day, it is simply a painting among others. Quite small and not much for the world to see. Most people think it to be Muggle painting, since the flame never moves and the wax never melts. But when darkness descends, the painting springs to life, and the flame begins to flicker.'
'When darkness descends?' Snape inquired. 'Darkness... of the mind?'
Dumbledore nodded.
'When Hope lights her candle,' Snape concluded.
'Yes, when Hope lights her candle,' Dumbledore confirmed. 'At first, it was Elisabeth who lit it on my orders. Someone had to watch the girl at night, whisper to her when her nightmares threatened to tear her soul apart. It was meant to be a temporary solution, a tool to be cast aside once it wasn't needed anymore. But then Elisabeth died and Hope kept lighting the candle.'
'What is it she is still afraid of?' Snape asked, his annoyance with Dumbledore all but blown away. This wasn't about Dumbledore. This was about a seventeen-year-old girl who had been scared to a point where she had seen no other way out than to run. And now, half a lifetime later, she was running still.
'Hope, Severus, is afraid of Nadezhda,' Dumbledore answered gravely. 'She is afraid of the things Nadezhda has seen, the things she has learned and the things she is capable of doing. She has locked her away, somewhere in a dark corner of her mind. Locked her away and tried to forget her. But like the night returns once the sun has set, Nadezhda returns with the darkness. And until the day Hope makes peace with her and accepts her with all her flaws and shortcomings, she will not be rid of her demons.'
'She has struggled with those demons for the better part of her adult life,' Snape pointed out. 'Will she ever defeat them? How can she be helped?'
Dumbledore sighed and tilted his head, surveying the dark wizard in front of him with his friendly blue eyes.
'Help can only be given to those who accept it, Severus. This is why I did nothing but watch for fifteen years.'
Snape held the headmaster's gaze steadily and unblinkingly. He understood very well that the old man was not only talking about Hope. Yet he was glad when Dumbledore rose from his chair, for he had no desire to discuss his own demons that evening.
'I think I'll take Fawkes down to the grounds,' Dumbledore announced, already extending his arm towards the phoenix that promptly took flight and landed on its master's arm. 'You may stay here, of course, Severus. For as long as you wish.'
Snape frowned, for a moment at a loss of what Dumbledore was talking about. Why would he want to stay in the headmaster's study? But as he looked after Dumbledore as the headmaster approached the door, Snape's eyes were drawn to the little painting on the opposite wall. A painting of a flickering candle.
He swallowed. For a moment, he contemplated to call Dumbledore back, but during the few seconds that it took him to cross the room, he understood that Dumbledore already knew that Hope had lit her candle. He had seen the flame flicker in the semi-darkness and chosen not to act. For he had decided that Hope was not his to protect any longer.
Hesitantly, Snape extended his hand and let his fingers trail over the wooden frame. He did not know how Dumbledore's charm worked, but as he looked into the tiny flame, he could see the silhouette of a woman. Hope was standing by the window, gazing out over the lake, as she had done so many nights before. Her back was straight, and she held her head high, but Snape sensed clearly that it was nothing but pretence. If Hope were as strong as she looked, she would not be standing by the window. If she were as strong as she wanted the world to believe, she would not have lit the candle. Despite what she had said to him earlier, she wasn't ready to let go, had not yet the strength to forget. Maybe she never would.
With a sigh, Snape lifted the painting off the wall, tucked it under his arm and descended to the dungeon. He would look out for Hope now, whisper to her at night and pray that she would sleep. He knew how it was to lay sleepless, unable to wake up from nightmares that did not only come at night and refused to leave in the morning. He'd do anything to spare her. But when he arrived in his study and mounted the painting on the mantel, the flame was quite still. He could see nothing in it, not even a shadow, and he thought that Hope must have gone to sleep. He could not know, of course, that there had been a knock on her door.
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Latest 25 Reviews for There Will Always Be Hope
64 Reviews | 7.31/10 Average
What a lovely final twist. The way you maintained canon was perfect. The fact that you still manage to give us a happy ending was absolutely brilliant. You're a very talented Author and I wish you the very best on your original works. The story earns a 10+
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
I just could not kill him off again. Just. Could. Not. (I'm getting soft, haha.) The Muse is lurking around with a part three to Severus and Hope's story, but we will have to work out some details before I even consider sitting down to write it. Thank you VERY MUCH for reading! I''m thrilled that you ejoy my stories. :)
That was truly heartbreaking. How devastating it must've been for Severus to learn about the elder wand and the dark Lord's need to master it. Reading this discovery as well as his journey leading up to and including his death of the shrieking shack was absolutely heart wrenching.
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
*hands over hankie*
As I have cried often and long when reading your stories I waited until this one was finished before I read it. The wait has been worth, it is simply a heartbreaking tale, thank you!
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
I need to stop making people cry. :P The ending of this story was nothing like I had imagined it in the beginning. Actually, both Hope and Severus stopped following the original plot around chapter three. As an author, I sat back and let them play. It is THEIR story, afterall, not mine. I think they did well. Thank you very much for reading and leaving a review. Both are very much appreciated!
When I first began reading this epilogue I wasn't completely clear about where all these students were and why they were there, but then it dawned on me that it was a group from Hogwarts and that they had to be at Hope's pub. But where was Severus? Had she managed to save him or not?
I really like the way the charmed key had brought Severus back to the pub. It was a brilliant bit of magic by a witch who hadn't routinely plied her craft for decades. But the Apparition to St. Mungo's with Severus was even more impressive! I don't know if "doing magic was indeed like riding a broom" or if it was an indication of just how powerful a witch Hope really is, but save him she did, and she erased the memory from the healer who had so skillfully applied the Phoenix tears, the bezoar, and the potions he had found in Severus' robes. Hope is damned good at memory charms, isn't she? She's very clever that way– no one is mortally damaged, and yet her purpose is accomplished.
When she went for her walk down to the lake, I was champing at the bit. Surely Severus would be there... YES!!! When a voice said, ‘Swans mate for life. Did you know that?’ I finally breathed a sigh of relief. I didn't realize I'd been holding my breath. I have come to associate Hope and Severus with the mated swans so much, and it was especially sweet to see that the lovely birds had their place in this epilogue, too. I sometimes think of Severus as a black swan, so when she looked toward the willow and saw him– "Black clothes, black eyes and black hair streaked with strands of silver"– it seemed perfect to me.
I love knowing that Hope and Severus are together. I love that they can tame each other's demons and wraiths with a gentle touch. And I love that both know that There Will Always Be Hope.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful gift for story telling with us. I have completely enjoyed this journey together, and "hope" to see more of these two sometime in the future. Likewise, I'm thrilled to know your first novel will soon be out and that you're working on a second one. Go, You!!! Of course I'm interested in finding out more about them, so be on the lookout for a PM from yours truly.
*sending loads of hugs and bouquets*Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Dear Beth, First, I'd like to offer my sincerest apologies for taking so long to reply. The last couple of weeks have been filled with editing and re-writing and sitting at the computer almost felt like a punihsment. I am ever so thankful to be able to count you among my most loyal readers. Your reviews and your willingness to share your thoughts with me have been ever so appreciated. I am quite sure that I will never be able to leave the Harry Potter fandom completely. Also, writing for me is like breathing, and sometimes writing in someone else's universe is easier than creating one of your own, so I am pretty sure I will return to fanfic sooner or later. When I do, Hope and Severus will be high up on my priority list. Their story certaintly isn't finished yet.Once more: many, many thanks for being there through the years! Hope to see you again!
When you told me there would only be two chapters left, I expected something like this, of course. But you write it so emotionally, eloquently and elegantly that it didn't matter the least. I absolutely adore your empathy with your heroes and how you keep the plot focussed on them and yet tell a whole story also on side characters. Even the village came to life before my inner eye.Would love to bestow a dozen or three more stars on your story!Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us and all the best for a career as a pro!
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Dear
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
, Thank you for making it through yet another story with me. Your continued support means the world to me!Hopefully I'll will be able to visit Severus and Hope one day and hope you'll come along. Maybe Hope will make her famous Shepard Pie for us?
Wonderful story! Thank you. I hope your imminent novel is successful
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Thank YOU for reading, for leaving a lovely review and for your best wishes.
Severus' conversation with Dumbledore' portrait and his return to his private study afterwords was heartbreaking. I cannot begin to imagine the soul-withering emptiness that must have claimed him as he sat before his cold hearth and watched the small candle flame in the wooden frame.
Reading his thoughts during his brief meeting with Lucius and Narcissa put tears in my eyes. And when he was finally able to cast his Patronus to guide them to Draco, I latched onto that beautiful Swan with all my mental might. I hope that the symbolism of the Swan, that they mate for life, would mean that Severus might somehow get lucky and find his way back to Hope. But then he was in the Shrieking Shack, and Nagini's attack was swift and vicious.
I hope it was a fortunate happenstance that led him to use his right hand to try to staunch the bleeding so that he found the key in his left pocket. "A spasm went through his body, made him convulse and involuntarily close his hands to fists, and in his left pocket, his fingers closed around a little piece of metal."
Oh, dear god, please let those emerald eyes he saw at the end have been Hope's eyes. Please let the key she had charmed have brought her to him. Please let her save his life. Please, even as Severus falls into nothingness, please let him awake to find himself alive and his love there with him.
Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
*hands over hankie and big girl panties and sends Beth to read the epilogue* Come on girl, be brave. You can do it!
When I'd finished reading this chapter I thought back to what Severus had noticed about the preparations Hope had made for the New Year's Eve feast. The simple fact that she couldn't make herself sit down, and the fact that "She had cleaned the tables so thoroughly that the wood shone with polish and had decorated them with white roses and tiny silver stars," spoke volumes about how tense she was. By the end of the chapter it was very clear that she was dreading the moment when Severus would have to leave, worried about him because of the things he'd told her about the light fading, and afraid she would never see him again.
I'm very happy that she used her magic to charm the key to the pub that he always carried with him. I hope she turned it into a Portkey that it will bring him back to her if he should be injured or unable to Apparate on his own.
George tickled me when he started giving Severus the third degree: ‘When are you going to take our darling Hope out for a date?’ Yes, I imagine many of the village folk have noticed a change in our Hope– she smiles when her friend is around.
I totally understood that Severus not staying another night was the right decision, but it broke my heart when he Disapparated. I had read this chapter the day it posted, but I just had to live with it a while to let my feelings sort themselves out. As always you have so entangled my emotions with those of Hope and Severus that at this moment my heart is trying to beat its way out of my chest.
When I came back to this chapter to reread it, I saw that the final chapter and the epilogue had already posted. So I'm going to put my big girl panties on and go find out what happened. Whatever it is, I know I'll love it because the way you write your stories it all makes sense. ~Lots of hugs~Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Oh, this was a tough chapter to write. I really wanted Severus to stay. I really wanted him and Hope to have a sweet night togethe. But nope, no sir, no way Jose. The Muse wouldn't have it. She really kills me at times!
It's good that they have at least addressed their feelings. And I hope her charmed key will somehow be essential in his survival.
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
*sits back and waits for you to read the two last chapters* :-)
Oh, she's reconnecting with magic and shows an interest in the wizarding world! I guess it will be a while until we know what spell she used on the key. So good for Severus to know there's a place he's welcome to visit any time, even if he cannot risk it. Once again a great chapter!
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
*sits back and waits for you to read the two last chapters* :-)
My gracious, so much has happened in such a short time. Edmunds' death came as a complete shock! I felt so sad for Hope and for Severus. It seems that how ever long it's been, things will happen that remind each of them of the sorrow, loss, and sadness they've known... separately and together.
Thank goodness they both had gotten a goodnight's sleep the night before because the day would be a difficult one to navigate. Laying Edmunds to rest seemed to open the lid on all those closely held memories for both of them, and I'm amazed that Hope was able to stay strong for all the friends who had come back to the pub to have a drink in his honor. These loving neighbors were people that Edmunds cherished and looked after just as he had looked after Hope.
I completely understand why Hope would want to be alone for a while to gather her thoughts. And even though she had asked Severus to be there when she returned, I became just as worried as Severus when she hadn't come back by ten. When he saw the crack in the ice on the lake my heart jumped to my throat. Whew! I'm very happy she was just standing on the shore looking out over the water.
I wondered what she was thinking when she asked him about what was happening in the Wizarding world, and it made me breathe a sigh of relief that she said she needed to know 'whether or not there is a chance that you will come back to me once you’ve left. I need to know if there is hope.’
‘There will always be hope,’ he said quietly, and for the duration of a heartbeat, he managed to believe it himself.
I think sharing Hope's bed that night lead to a wonderfully redemptive moment that I'm sure scared the pants off Severus when it began... 'How do you know? What did you lose?' By choosing to answer her question, I believe Severus finally allowed a deep festering wound to finally open so it could then heal. Even though it was painful, I think being able to talk about Lily to someone who obviously cares about him and to be able to shed the tears and say 'I loved her more than life itself' was immensely healing. The most beautiful thing about this scene was Hope's response: ‘I know,’ Hope whispered, bringing his hand to her chest and cradling it like a little child. ‘I know you’ve loved. And I pray that you haven’t forgotten how to.’
Thank you for such a lovely, sad, tear-filled, heart rending, and loving chapter!!!
Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Dear Beth, Imagine my surprise when the Muse looked at me with her head tilted to the side and an ever so innocent smile on her face, saying: "We're gonna kill someone today." My Muse is bat-shit crazy, I tell you. Needless to say, the crack in the ice made me wet my pants a little as well. :P They have a lot to work through, Severus and Hope, and none of it will be easy. But they'll manage... I hope. To more chapters and the epilogue to go. All written and beta'd. Should all be posted soon. Thank you, as always, for reading and your lovely words. Have a great weekend.
Response from braye27 (Reviewer)
Imagine my surprise when the Muse looked at me with her head tilted to the side and an ever so innocent smile on her face, saying: "We're gonna kill someone today."While she may be bat-shit crazy, she clearly takes her job seriously. The proof is in the pudding, m'dear! I'm excited to know the story is complete, but I'm beginning to suffer from separation anxiety myself. I can't find the words to tell you how much I look forward to each new chapter!!! ~hugs you lots~Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
I know all about separation anxiety. Spent the whole day yesterday feeling "hung over". The day after finishing a story is always totally weird.
This is a beautiful chapter. I suspect the next time Severus casts his patronus, it will have changed--released to Harry, on some level. And the spoken and unspoken in their discussion about sharing a bed was beautifully done. Except the imperative of the verb lie is "lie down." The past tense is "lay," as you correctly have it in your last sentence ("he lies down," "he lay quietly," and "he has lain still for hours.") The verb is intransitive. "Lay down" is the transitive verb and expects a direct object: "I lay the book down on the table at this moment," "I laid it there yesterday," and "I have laid it there every evening for weeks." The difference is the same as that between sit (intransitive) and set (transitive). Sorry to be pedantic, but from your writing you obviously care about such things, and a slip in this lovely story is unusual and distracting.
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Thank you for finding and pointing out my typo. Lie and lay confuse me. Alway have, always will. Which annoys me because if I think about it, it's actually pretty easy to understand. So again, thank you for being "pedantic". And thank you for reading, of course.
I am so damned glad that Severus has never found himself in the land of the of the fairies. I couldn't have borne it. And as painful as it was for him to send his Patronus to call Harry, I'm so glad he was able to call forth his Doe to guide the young wizard to the Sword of Gryffindor. He's going to need it...But the thing in this chapter that totally blew my socks off was the exchange between Severus and Hope. Thank goodness he was able to return to the village because I don't know what would have happened to him if he hadn't. The minute I read the last part of this chapter I realized how much it reminded me of Chapter Nine in His First!!! Except his and Hope's roles were reversed... he was the one whose lips had turned blue, he was the one who was shaking uncontrollably, and he was the one who was afraid that he would freeze to death. When I read this part I was so glad I had read the first story. It is a great feeling when an author ties part of a sequel to something so vitally important as this in the original story. Although there was no love making here in Hope's bedroom, I can't help wondering what the morning will bring. I have no idea what these two will tell you write in the coming chapters, but I guarantee I'll be here waiting with bated breath.Brava! Well done! Here is a lovely bouquet to show you my appreciation for all your hard work, my friend. Ten stars, not even twenty stars would be enough.Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Allow me to give a lovely bouquet to you too. Or how about some nice chocolate? You are spoiling me, dearest Beth. With flowers, your wonderful reviews and rec'ing my stories. Thank you SO MUCH!! Bit speechless right now, really. Chapter 16 should be up withing the next few days, and I just sent chapter 18 off to my beta. Now there is only the epilogue left to write. Need to buy chocolate tomorrow. And tissues. Seperation anxiety, here I come. Smooches!
As much of an interferer as Dumbledore can be, I was delighted that he interfered on Hallowe'en night so that Severus, his colleagues, and the students and ghosts can enjoy the evening without fear of the Carrows wreaking havoc far and wide. I don't know that the Carrows deserved to get a good night's sleep, but everyone else in the castle deserves that they have one... but that's not exactly how the evening turned out for Severus.
I went back to "His First" and reread Chapter 9 (The First He Cried With) so I could refresh my memory about what happened that night, and I have to applaud your gift for so seamlessly merging the two in this chapter of "There Will Always Be Hope." Take a well-deserved bow, m'dear.
When Severus and Hope were talking in the pub everything about her spoke volumes about her frame of mind, but I had no idea of what was about to happen– until she told him to speak to Dumbledore and tell him that she had sent him and that he needed to use the Pensieve, and then I knew what was going to happen.
I'm very sorry that Severus couldn't watch the entire memory, but I damned well understand why he didn't. But if he had, he would have seen something of monumental importance: '... Nadezhda understood. She knew you would blame yourself for what had happened. She knew that you wouldn’t be able to live with yourself. So she did the only thing she could think of at that moment. She used a Memory Charm on you.’
My heart is breaking for both of them. In the review I left for Chapter 9 in "His First," I said "...it is the passion we feel that gets us through the impossible times. Their passion didn't have to follow this particular path, but in the aftermath, in thinking about what has happened in these last few chapters, it just seems like the right path."
And it still seems like the right path to me. I don't want either of them to needlessly suffer, but I hope that Severus will go back to the village. Tonight. And I hope the fact that Dumbledore smiled after him when he turned and left will mean that he won't go off half-cocked. I hope he remembers what Albus said about Nadezhda understanding and that he will remember that Hope had told him that she was sorry: ‘I am sorry, Severus. Unspeakably sorry. And I’ll understand if you decide to never come back here. But please know that I never meant to hurt you.’ I hope this means that Severus will remember that the underlying meaning of this last thing Hope said to him, at the pub, on this night, is that she will understand if he doesn't come back, but that she hopes with all her heart that he will.
And I'm wondering when Severus will remember that Hope gave birth to a son.
This is one of the best chapters I've ever read. You've answered some questions and posed more. Now that we've reached this point, I'm already trying to guess how the rest of the story will read. What will happen? Will they both survive? Is their son still alive? If so, where is he?
A Thousand Point to your House! Perhaps I should just say "to Our House" since both of us are Slytherins. Thank you for this story! Thank you for hanging in there when I know there might been times when you could have thrown up your hands and walked away... and that would break my heart... so thank you from the bottom of my heart for this amazing gift.
Hugs, Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Dear Beth, sorry you had to wait so long for a response. For being off work, I have been ridicullously busy this week. But hey, I wrote the next chapter which will be posted in a few days, so I'm forgiven, right? ;-) Hm, Dumbledore... You've read a few stories of mine, and you know that I don't like the old man. But he is a good plot device. And he does have his students' best at heart. His means, however... Anyway, while you're on the edge of your seat waiting for the next chapter, I promise you that Severus WILL go back to the pub. I can also tell you that the Muse has decided to NOT follow the original plans for this story and that I am considering to take away some of the warnings I posted in chapter one. Curious yet? Hopeful? ;-) "See" you in a couple of days. /M
Response from braye27 (Reviewer)
*fist pump* I am totally curious and filled with hope!!! *big grin*
omg, I didn't expect her to let him know... and just now! Poor Severus!I wonder if she has used the wand by now.Loved also the fine notions like trading chocolate frog cards and feasts. It is a relief that Severus can remember simple habits like these!
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
There is no gentle way to roll in a hand grenade, and Snape needed to be told at some point. I figured Haloween was as bad a night as any other. Buckle up for the next chapter. Thanks for reading and leaving a review!
I love the way you described life in the village in the opening paragraph. The townspeople "had no idea, of course, why the fog made them miserable, why it made them feel as if every ounce of happiness had been sucked from their hearts." But Severus and Hope "knew that the fog was the result of Dementors breeding and that the risk of the world plunging into eternal darkness was more imminent than any Muggle could imagine."Hope and Severus have so much in common. Both were treated horribly by their fathers, both of them had had to lie and pretend to be someone else under circumstances that no child should have to endure. It gives me a feeling of comfort knowing that each of them carries with them something that belongs to the other. In his pocket Severus keeps the key Hope pressed into his hand so many months ago. And Hope now has the larch wand that had belonged to Eileen Snape. I like knowing that the key can symbolize "safe haven," and that larch bestows courage and confidence to its owner. In folklore the wearing and burning of larch was said to protect against enchantment and evil spirits. I have a feeling that before everything is said and done both of them will have need of a safe haven and protection against evil. I think Severus' discovery that when Hope lights her comforting candle he can see her and watch over her was one of the most important things to happen in this chapter– other than Hope agreeing to accept the wand.Thank you for another wonderful chapter.*hugs you*Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Dear Beth, I am - as so often before - impressed and honoured by the way you write your reviews. So detalied, so deep. And I love that you understood the larch reference! Well done! 10 points to your house! As you can imagine, there are hard times ahead for Severus and Hope, and they will need each other more than they can imagine. I'm hoping to have a new chapter for you soon. It's my last workday today, so I should have time to write. Yay! Take care and see you soon!
I am so glad Snape was able to change her self image and encouraged her to take back her strenght.
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
And strength they will need, both of them! Thank you very much for reading and reviewing. Just sent chapter 12 off to my beta.
‘If I left you a wand,’ he started, deeming that there was no point in waiting any longer. ‘Would you use it to protect yourself?’When Severus offered her a wand, Hope reacted just like I thought she would. But what truly surprised me was the gentle argument, the purest illustration that he employed to break through Hope's fears. May I just say that was one of the most gifted bits of writing I've ever read. 
You done GOOD, my friend!Thank you for this beautiful chapter. I feel much better about Hope's future in these coming weeks and months. If push comes to shove, I do think she will fight like a tiger. Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Dear, dear Beth, your words make me blush and smile and believe that there is hope for my writing. Smooches to you! Just sent chapter 12 to my beta, so it should be up soon. Hope you'll enjoy it.
omg, there's a horrid year ahead of them. Your Snape is almost nice, and you've created such a uniqe and loveable own character. Now pulling them through this hell is sheer terror for us as well! Nevertheless, keep going with this excellent story!
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
*giggles at "Snape is almost nice"* He's about to get a whole lot nicer! Well, not ooey-gooey-nice, but Snape-nice. Bit, scary, I know, almost as scary as the year that lies ahead! Thank you for reading and reviewing. I hope you won't have to wait too long for the next chapter.
I was afraid this would be what happened when Severus was Summoned. The nightmare has truly resumed, and all I can think about is what's to come:•How can Severus protect Hope and Edmunds while still playing his role as a spy for the Light? •How will they keep Edmunds from finding out that Hope is a witch and that Elisabeth was a Squib?•Will Hope be able to master her fear and depression to be able to aid Severus in his efforts to defeat the Dark?•What will Severus do if and when he finds out that he fathered Hope's child?•What about their son? Is there any chance that he is still alive?There is so much roiling beneath the surface, and I'm looking forward to seeing where you take this story!Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Your review looks almost like my check-list for the next couple of chapters. Great minds think alike, they say. :-) I've answered two questions with no, have ignored one and put a maybe on the others. Haha! Oh, I do wish that my muse would follow the original plot line just once!
I was afraid this would be what happened when Severus was Summoned. The nightmare has truly resumed, and all I can think about is what's to come:•How can Severus protect Hope and Edmunds while still playing his role as a spy for the Light? •How will they keep Edmunds from finding out that Hope is a witch and that Elisabeth was a Squib?•Will Hope be able to master her fear and depression to be able to aid Severus in his efforts to defeat the Dark?•What will Severus do if and when he finds out that he fathered Hope's child?•What about their son? Is there any chance that he is still alive?There is so much roiling beneath the surface, and I'm looking forward to seeing where you take this story!Beth
Response from braye27 (Reviewer)
Arrrggghhh! 
Please ignore this... I posted it to the wrong chapter.Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
And here I was, thinking that the story had become immensely popular. ;-)
I was so glad that Severus had been able to spend time in the Muggle village with Hope and Edmunds. Being able to feel rested, relaxed and utterly at peace would be a true blessing, one he probably hadn't known in any number of years, if ever. I also believe (with all my heart) that having Severus there was a blessing for Hope, too. Both of them have led such hectic and unpredictable lives that any peace and serenity would be gratefully received as the precious gift it was.When Severus felt himself being Summoned by the Dark Lord, my heart sank. Why couldn't he and Hope and Edmunds have had a little more time to enjoy each other's company. But one thing that stood out clearly was that Hope had felt his summons, too. That tickled some of my memory cells and I just had to go back to His First to recall that Voldemort had given Hope a silver bracelet on her seventeenth birthday... and this bracelet had turned into a silver snake with emerald eyes and had buried its fangs into the flesh at her wrist. It functioned the way Severus' Dark Mark did and she felt the summonds the same time he did. Thank goodness Severus didn't have any dangerous tasks being asked of him by th Dark Lord, and both Lucius and Narcissa should be grateful that he friend was there to help them. Bella is a right nasty piece of work. I hope she ultimately gets her just desserts.Will Severus go back to the village before going back to Hogwarts? I hope so because it would be nice if he and Hope could have a few minutes to be assured that the other hasn't come to any harm. I can't wait to see what happens next!Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
I do believe that Hope and Snape are good for each other and that they are able to see things in each other that other people can't see. And I promise that I will give them some more time together. It will not be as carefree as before, but... Well, you'll see. Chapter 10 is posted. :-)
Oh, you're giving Narcissa a bit of spine here, although unwisely displayed. I'm very curious how you lead us through the seventh book!!
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
I'm quite curious about that, too. The muse hasn't been sticking to the original plot for quite a while. ;-)
I haven't been reading for quite a while and caught up a few chapters right now. This was a most touching and well-written chapter. You've given also the side characters a true story and their own backgrounds in so few words. Amazingly well done.Now I'll read on, although, considering, I should leave the story for a night to give Snape more rest.
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Welcome back to reading,
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
!