Revelations

Chapter 5: Revelations

A/N: Thank you, JaneAverage, my wonderful beta!

Emma was quiet now, sleeping, as the dawn approached. Snape, too, was spent from their intense conversation. He was cheered by the fact that she had maintained physical contact with him all night...mostly gripping his hand, occasionally resting in the crook of his arm. Despite it all, she trusted him. That was essential if he were to complete his mission.

He had tried to explain to her about the magical world and the Muggle world and about Ravenclaw's bracelet and the Dark Lord. He explained her unwitting role in the Horcrux drama. He apologized for his necessary deceptions and described his life and teaching at Hogwarts, leaving out much more information than he included.

She had challenged him with question after question, and he knew she had taken in only half of what they discussed. His questions about her magical aura were answered, too. While not a witch, she was a descendant of Sarah Good, who had been hung for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. Snape knew that Sarah Good had been the village herbalist and was, in fact, a squib. Emma's magical lineage no doubt magnified the enchantments attached to Ravenclaw's bracelet.

Inevitably, Emma had asked for proof of his magic,and he had transfigured a magazine into a golden goblet. At this she had not fainted, as he expected, but cried a few quiet tears of relief and confessed her morning encounter with the two silver-masked men and their magical attempts. He identified them as Macnair and Goyle and reassured her that she was not losing her mind as she had feared.

Her exhaustion and need to process the night's information led him to offer her a small dose of Dreamless Sleeping Draught, which she willingly accepted. He was touched by her trust and relieved at how relatively well the night had gone. Unfortunately, Snape knew this evening was the easy part. Macnair and Goyle had been lying in wait in her apartment, and he wasn't sure what they had been planning. He was certain they weren't aware of his involvement yet, and he planned to use this to his advantage. He lay down on the couch and tried to sleep.

Emma woke with a start. Her heart raced and her stomach heaved as she recalled the events of the night before. While she only understood bits and pieces of what Steven...no, Severus...had said, she could feel the mortal peril she was in. She feared for her students, staff and school. She could take care of herself, but would not allow them to be injured in any way. She leapt out of bed and ran right into Severus, who was coming to wake her with a hot cup of coffee. He swore softly, took out his wand and muttered, "Tergeo," and cleaned the hot liquid from his clothes and hers. He invited her to join him at the table, where a continental breakfast had been laid out. "It's not Nonna's coffee, but it will do for today," he softly said.

Emma nodded numbly and joined him. As if reading her mind, he offered, "I'm reasonably sure that Macnair and Goyle will do nothing to the children and staff. It's you they want, and they can't perform offensive magic on you, or, I believe, on anyone connected closely to you. You need to disappear...literally and figuratively..." he chuckled softly at his own joke,"...with me. I have alerted my Auror contacts at the US Ministry of Magic to the situation with Macnair and Goyle. They will be carefully monitored until they leave."

"Are you insane?" Emma retorted. "Last night, I'm informed that there truly are witches and wizards alive in the world. You told me I'm part of some evil plot hatched by a maniac killer. I'm not going anywhere with you! I have my school to run..."

Snape snidely cut across her: "I'm sorry, Emma, but you really have no choice in the matter. If you stay, you will be kidnapped or killed or worse, face Voldemort himself. I'm offering you a chance at life, Emma. Don't be a fool. Take it."

"I'm not particularly interested in living, right now, Severus. But I do have other people in my life who depend upon me."

"As do I, Emma, which is why I am here trying to convince you to help us."

Emma shut her eyes tightly, willing herself to wake up in her apartment, or at her desk, or at Nonna's...anywhere but here. How could she trust this man who had lied to her about his identity then disappeared into thin air with her? The reality is, I have no choice. I felt the Dark Magic of those men. I'd be dead now if they could have killed me.

Emma, her eyes filled with tears, took a deep breath and responded, "I have many loose ends I need to tie up, starting with the running of the school. I will need to access my bank accounts, and my clothes from the apartment."

"You will have time to go to the school and make arrangements there," he curtly replied, "but it's not safe enough to permit a full morning of errands. I will have my contacts at the US Ministry deal with your bank transfers. We will stop at your flat so you can pack. I insist that we Apparate directly from your school to Hogwarts."

She sighed deeply, a bit of her brain again demanding to know what the hell she was doing, trusting him, letting him run her life. She muttered to herself, "You know what he's said is true. You've felt unsettled since you first slipped on that bracelet. With Macnair and Goyle after you, you have no choice but to trust him and hope for the best."

They went first to her apartment. Snape checked carefully for any signs of magic, but there were none. Nothing had been disturbed. Emma quickly filled three suitcases with clothes and shoes, carefully including her sons' baby pictures, her wedding picture and a family portrait. She packed her jewelry, including her husband's ring. Snape used the Reducio Charm so effectively that her luggage fit in his cloak pocket. She set the thermostat to automatically cycle, and they took a cab to the school.

"Emma, I must insist you tell no one about me in case Macnair and Goyle try Legilimency on your staff," Snape warned her.

She did her morning rounds with Roberta and Rachel and called them into her office. Snape followed her in and waited in the corner, under a Disillusionment Charm. Emma explained that a family crisis had called her out of town for an unknown length of time, and that the stewardship of the school would be theirs. She signed and dated the contingency papers, which her attorney had drawn up after her husband's death, then thanked them both. "It's a relief to me that the school is in good hands. I'll be in touch with you as soon as possible."

Both women were stunned and worried. "You know we can help you with anything, right, Emma?" Roberta had asked.

Rachel added, "Money, legal troubles, whatever, we can help you."

It was clear that they did not believe her family emergency excuse.

Emma lowered her voice to barely above a whisper, so Snape could not hear her and said, "I have to help a friend and many of his friends. I believe this to be a life and death matter for all involved. I think, too, this may be my future."

Walden Macnair arrived just as Emma and the invisible Potions Professor were leaving. Snape drew his wand immediately. Macnair sidled up close to Emma and snidely whispered, "Just now coming from an exciting night, Mrs. Doherty? And who is the lucky man?" She recoiled but he pressed closer, spitting, "I want you to be mine. I will brook no arguments!" He grabbed her arm, but let go with an angry hiss as his flesh burned at the touch. Emma froze with fear until she felt Snape grab her other arm and propel her to the park. Macnair and Goyle followed on their heels. Snape, still invisible, stood behind her and circled her waist with his arms. With a loud pop they Disapparated.

****************

Snape and Emma arrived at the gates of Hogwarts. Emma was dizzy and nauseated from the feelings of Apparition. She breathed deeply to regain control of her senses.

She cried out in fear when she looked at what Severus had described as Hogwarts Castle. As a Muggle, she saw a dilapidated, rat-infested two-floor shack listing dangerously, swaying in the wind.

Snape swore to himself, and he realized that from this moment on, nothing was going to be easy. He would have to anticipate everything for her. "Oh, Merlin, what have I gotten myself into?" he muttered under his breath. He forced himself to think of what "Steven" would do now.

He grabbed her by the shoulders, looked deep into her eyes and calmly said, "It will be all right, Emma, it will. I will take care of you."