Spinner's End

This universe and the people populating it are the creation of JKR. I'm only taking them out to play.

Spinner's End

They stood in front of the least ramshackle house in the neighbourhood, with poor light filtering through windows on the ground floor without proper curtains. The silhouette against the sky indicated an upper floor that was not lit at all. Other buildings lay completely in the dark and looked abandoned. There was a smell in the air that Ron had trouble describing. Nothing at Ottery St Catchpole had ever smelled quite like this.

His former professor grabbed Ginny, his hands running over her arms and legs, her back and front, murmuring, “Is it really you? Are you all right?”

Despite the wand in her hand, Ginny let it happen for far too long before she gently disentangled herself. “You're choking me, Severus. Otherwise, I assure you that I'm fine.”

The traitor took her hands into his shaking ones again. “You have no idea how worried I was.” He put his arm around her shoulder, and she let herself be led inside.

“Sit down now,” he instructed. “Relax. Do you want tea before the soup?”

Turning around, Ginny called, “Ron, come in now and close the door.”

Ron played along as he knew well enough that he could not start a fight with Snape, but he felt his face flush in anger.

“Ron, what is it? Come now. Severus will attend your wound.”

“If I must,” he said. His eyes narrowed, and Ron braced himself for the usual sneer. A 'hm' was all he received, though.

Snape snatched Ginny back from wherever she had intended to go and pressed a cup into her hands. He ordered her to sit down on the sofa that, albeit just a two-seater, dominated the small room. “First you drink something warm! Freshening up can wait.”

The dramatic flight was over, and Ron was indoors and warm. Nothing distracted him from feeling his body again. Standing there with no purpose, he rode out ripples of discomfort and tried to form a plan for their escape. The sight in front of him wasn't helping.

The oddly casually clad man kneeling in front of the sofa was stroking Ginny's hair out of her face as if used to doing so! How dare he! Ron moved a few steps to the side and took out his wand, but even his left hand was shaking too much for proper aim. He let it drop in frustration.

Ginny's hand moved, but instead of pushing Snape off, she only stilled his movement. She got the man's full attention as she said, “Severus, please. I'm all right, just exhausted. It is fine. Have a look at Ron now, will you. He has a sepsis!”

The medical term finally turned Snape's gaze to Ron—not that he welcomed the attention! As the man's black eyes focussed on him, seemingly devoid of all feelings, sweat ran in rivulets down Ron's temples. This was Snape, there wasn't a doubt!

Examining the arm, Snape approved of the bind. He Summoned a beaker. “Drink this. Put your arm here. And do sit down for heaven's sake.”

The thought alone was absurd! “Don't touch me. Don't touch her, for that matter.”

Before Ron had inhaled enough to say more, Ginny cut him short. “Stop this right now, Ron. You need medical treatment, and we are finally able to provide it. Severus keeps our first aid kit well equipped. Now, please drink the potion; bottom up!”

A vein in the professor's temple had twitched, but he provided an explanation, completely ignoring Ron's outburst. “I will reopen the wound in your palm and apply a salve to draw the poisoned blood back and out. Then we can open the compression. In other words, Mr Weasley, this arm has to lay still, and thus you will either sit down or...”

“Of course, he'll sit down. Do I get us a phial of Sepsim Sortia, then?” Ginny asked, and after Snape nodded she left the room. By the reverberating sounds her steps made, it had to be a bathroom or a lab. Ron preferred not to dwell on the thought what else one might find there but healing salves. He shuddered.

Returning after several minutes, her arms and face clean, his sister peered at the untouched beaker and commanded sharply, “Ron, drink!”

Sighing, Ron considered the yellow, viscose substance. He had to swallow hard to get the jelly to go down, and the fact that it fizzed disturbingly wasn't helping. His heart raced for a moment, and his knees gave in.

A sensation in his wound brought Ron back. He found himself seated, Ginny's hands lying heavily on both his shoulders. She spoke soothing words while Snape applied a salve. The makeshift bandage lay in a pile on the floor.

Three times, Snape wiped a pea-sized blood-coloured dollop of salve away and applied a new, clear one. “Healers widen the wound to draw the poison out more quickly, but this would require hygienic, if not sterile conditions,” he explained, probably upon Ginny's question, as he wasn't known for wasting words.

Ginny was excitedly trying to help out and wanted to press a cup of tea into Ron's left hand, which he rejected vehemently. She certainly didn't look like she was planning an escape. While treating Ron's wound, the dark man glanced frequently over at her, frowning.

The rippling unease had gone, but Ron fought a hopeless battle against his own tired brain. He had to prepare for their escape and find their way out, but could not concentrate on a strategy. All he managed was to take in their surroundings more fully.

They were sitting at a small table with chairs, but the sofa and armchair indicated that the cramped room also served for relaxing—provided that Snape knew the concept. Books covered all the walls, except for a small chest near the entrance with a mirror on top. There was no telling what the books hid, so the owner of the house had an enormous advantage in a fight. The door behind Ron led to the bathroom or lab, and there was another door next to it. Snape had brought the tea from a room on the opposite side, probably the kitchen. Ron saw no stairs to the upper floor.

Ginny ended her prattle asking, “Severus, can Ron rest here overnight?”

“No,” Snape declared sharply. When Ginny started to protest, he elaborated, “Our master arranged for a rescue team, and they are still out searching for you.”

“Oh, Merlin,” Ginny exclaimed, noting the sarcasm, and started waving her wand, first at the entrance, and then all around herself.

“Never mind,” Ron huffed, very ready to leave. “We won't abuse your hospitality.”

“Ron, don't be unfair. Severus is helping you.”

“It would be the first time he realizes this, and I don't expect him to be grateful.” Snape remarked dismissively. “Ginevra, please return the salve.”

“You're one to talk about being grateful,” Ron hissed as soon as she was out of earshot. Then he turned away to wait for Ginny.

After only these few minutes, the boy was already grating on his nerves, but Severus needed his co-operation. He sent Ginevra to the kitchen for more tea and told Ron in a matter-of-fact tone, “Listen! She will break down soon. I've kept her busy on purpose, but as soon as she relaxes, she will remember this morning. Keep your animosity under control for your sister's sake!” He looked at Ron, who averted his eyes.

With a huff Severus continued loudly, “Freshen up and then sit down, both of you. I will bring dinner shortly.”

Finally seated, Ginevra obediently brought the spoon to her mouth, but it wasn't nearly full enough.

“I was not sure about the onions, should they be golden or crisp, fried in butter or oil?” Severus asked innocently. Predictably, Ginevra took an an extra helping of onions, nodded and smiled at him. Her smile washed over Severus' strained nerves, and he marvelled how the warm feeling of consent, of belonging and care, could ease even the pain the Dark Lord had inflicted.

Ronald was even more revolted after this display, and Severus did not care for him either. It was a sight in itself to not see Ron Weasley shovelling in all the food within reach.

Half way through their meal, the alarm chimed, and Ginny hissed that they had unknown company.

“Ron, come here. Now!” She pulled her brother out of the chair and moved him to the bedroom. Inside she opened their hideout under the bed and all but pushed Ron in before he had a chance to ask whom she had sensed. “Down here, quickly.”

Severus took a look around and Scourgified a footprint of his brother-in-law. To justify the second setting on the table, he sat down and ate a spoonful of the hot, aromatic soup. With a light flick of his wand, he opened the entrance door to their next unwelcome guests.

Draco Malfoy dragged Ron back into the light and through to the sitting room before he could put up any resistance. He must have fallen asleep in the comfortable hiding place. He inwardly swore to himself.

He remembered that three men had been inspecting the house, the oldest one speaking in a manner that had sounded oddly familiar to Ron. He didn't know the person, but possibly he had met a relative? The man had addressed Ginny with the respect due to the woman of the house or the wife of an honoured colleague—and he had called her Mrs Snape!

Malfoy interrupted his thoughts, declaring, “I'd like you to fill me in now!” He looked expectantly to the armchair, where to Ron's disgust, Ginny was relaxing in the traitor's lap. Snape held her tight, and his hand disentangled a segment of her hair.

Ron started but immediately felt the tip of Malfoy's wand at his throat. The ferret glared at him, then asked sweetly, “Did you want the two of us to sit on the armchair together?”

“Draco, no! Ron's not going to be a fool,” Ginny said, her cheek not leaving the traitor's shoulder.

Ron shuddered. Ginny had reacted with such malice on even hearing Malfoy. Her using his given name could have only one explanation, she's been Confunded!

“Besides, Mr Malfoy,” Snape added dryly, “your hair is in perfect order compared to this mess here.”

Ginny giggled, curling up some more.

Malfoy's mouth opened, but shut again without a retaliation. His adam's apple bobbed twice before he spoke. “Let me return to the topic: How and when did you leave Land's End, where did you go and how did you two finally get here?”

“Finally the questions I long to answer,” Ginny stated, looking at her husband. “The crap that cheeky upstart in the rescue team insinuated was not worth any reply.”

Her hands moved to his shoulder and played lazily with his hair, an action that demanded nerves from Ron. The man looked far too content!

Ginny related briefly how they had left the little island and then travelled from Land's End to the Burrow. As she explained their Apparition, Snape growled, “Did I not warn you not to Apparate with someone inexperienced?”

That was too much. “Inexperienced? How can you possibly know...” But the wand tip stopped Ron short.

Ginny confirmed that Ron had done well, and he huffed against the offending piece of wood. “As if I'd harm my sister.”

The traitor's eyebrow rose. “I didn't imply you'd do so on purpose.” It sounded almost amiable.

He is far too civil, the slimy git. Isn't that the strategy of a turncoat such as he, to turn your head around two times, making you believe he is helping you? He is not to be trusted. We must get out of here, thought Ron as Ginny continued their story.

Snape, of course, knew of the Draag Stone and approved of relaying their journey there. “How long did it take you to fly here from that place?”

“Oh, we took about one and a half hours, maybe even two. I zigzagged a lot to throw off any pursuers. Ron... err, he wasn't too fit after these Apparitions.”

Severus glared at the boy as if to say 'I told you so'. Aloud, he asked, “Exactly how many Ministry patrols did you encounter?”

“One,” said Ron at the same moment that Ginny said, “Five.”

Ron looked sharply at his sister. “Certainly not!”

“Ron, you noticed only one, which was probably the one that noticed us, too. Another might have also.” She cringed at the thought.

“Wait a moment here, Mrs Snape, super flyer.” Malfoy interjected in a light tone. “Are you telling me you'd caught the attention of a Ministry patrol? You're slipping, young lady. Do you have anything to say in your defence?”

“Possibly, sir,” Ginny played along, “I was using a Cleansweep Seven with an old, badly fitting rucksack, and I had Ron, who was injured, attached to me in child-flight mode. He was riding a Cleansweep Four. Not that they'd have made allowances for that.”

As she listed her calamities, Malfoy's eyes widened, and he dropped his wand a couple of inches.

However, Snape looked up sharply. “You went out, despite the patrols, in that formation?”

“What else was I to do? There wasn't anyone to help me. Ron was weak, and I don't think he has trained for that sort of flight. And no, Draco Malfoy, The Burrow doesn't hold a set of Firebolts and no Bluebottle family broom either.”

“Bloody hell, you're an ace flyer, as I've always said.” The boy's awe was all too apparent, and the highly polished piece of hawthorn wood dropped to Ron's midsection.

Ginny rose to make a curtsy. “Thank you, sir.”

“My pleasure, young lady,” Draco stood and kissed her hand, his wand firmly in his left hand.

Snape had winced involuntarily when Ginny pushed back to stand. Turning, she took a closer look at the man's body and state. The traitor was shaking! “Severus!” Her hands cupped his cheek to turn his head. “Are you well? Can I bring you something?”

Snape shook his head tiredly but urged her to go on. Worried, she asked, “I'm sorry, love, I did not pay any attention to you. What happened to you?”

“The Dark Lord was not pleased,” Malfoy answered for him, and Ron smirked inwardly.

“Oh, Merlin,” Ginny screamed, “he punished you! Did he use the Cruciatus? Did you drink enough?”

Snape turned away from her touch and said with his old sneer, “I had ample time before you arrived.” Ginny flinched severely at the reprimand.

“Are you laying the blame for your punishment on Ginny?” Ron exclaimed and pushed Malfoy's wand away like an annoying insect.

Snape, however, didn't rise to the bait at all. After a sharp look, he simply addressed Ginny again. “Your excursion was inexcusably dangerous and far too risky. And yet I would have loved to see it.” His long arms pulled Ginny to sit on his lap again. Repulsed as Ron was, he noticed something else now, too: the way they moved their heads didn't look right.

“Boy, can you be proud of your sister!” Malfoy marvelled in what did not seem a sneer at all. When Ron failed to answer, he prompted, the offending wand piercing Ron's rips, “Can't you?”

“What?” Ron spat.

“Be proud of your sister!” Draco insisted. “If you aren't, I declare she ceases to be your sister. I'll take her any day.”

“Don't you dare touch my sister again, Malfoy!”

“Oh, I don't plan on stepping out of line. Merlin, Severus would have my privates for dinner. That is, if she left them recognizable.”

“Stop talking like that then!” Ron snarled. “She is my sister.”

“Stop it, both of you! I'm right here, and I've an abundance of brothers, just in case either of you forgot. Yes, well,” she continued calmly, “we landed, assessed the situation, and I brought Ron over here.”

The group fell silent, letting their minds wander whilst examining their individual injuries.

Suddenly the young woman stiffened, then jumped up, eyes wide in agony. She backed away from everyone. “Don't touch me. Don't come near me.”

“Are you finally realising, where and with whom you are?” Ron asked. He stood up and approached her. “Come now. It is all right, I'm not leaving you.”

Draco was too puzzled to stop him. However, Ginny only moved further away until her back met the wall. “Stay away!”

Now Severus stood, but he did not approach her. “Stay where you are, Mr Weasley,” he ordered in a sharp voice. “I told you it would happen.” With barely a blink, he silently closed the doors to all other rooms. Pacifying his books required a slight flick of his wand, which startled the agitated witch. She glared at him, but this was preferable to the damage the books might cause.

He had about ten minutes to get her away from the books. With his most tender voice, he continued, “Ginevra, do not worry. Calm down. Everything is fine.”

“NO, you don't understand. I cannot... I... Oh, Merlin!” In an attempt to get even further away from them, Ginevra pressed her back against the shelf at the wall. Her hands, all fingers spread, groped along the books, searching for a way out. Panic widened her eyes as she realised the futility of it.

“I understand how you feel,” Severus tried to soothe her. “You may stay where you are. I am not coming closer, all right? And the others aren't either,” he warned them.

Ron approached his sister, ignoring all warnings. “Ginny, it is fine.” He stepped forward, reaching out his hand. “Come now. We will leave,” he coaxed.

“Go. Go away, Ron. I'm not safe, I'm a monster!” she shrieked.

Ron turned to Severus in rage. “What have you...”

Draco flicked his wand before the accusation was out, and Ron's voice failed him. “Shut up and listen before you do anything even more stupid.”

Trusting Draco to deal with the heated redhead, Severus spoke to his wife again. “You are not a monster, Ginevra, but I understand how you feel. Why not sit down where you are? We are not coming closer, and we are not going to touch you if you don't want us to. Please, Ginevra, sit down.”

He lowered himself to sit on the floor.

“You have no idea, what I am, what I have done,” she answered, trembling like an aspen leaf as she was running out of energy and adrenaline.

Calm and soothing, his voice reached her ear. “Sit down, Ginevra. Sit down where you are now. This is fine.” She had let herself glide down along the post of the bookshelf, but she stayed alert as she listened to her husband. “I know what you have done, and I do not condemn you. Can you explain it to your brother and Draco?” Severus asked.

“I'm a monster, a murderer,” she said with resignation. “I've no place in human society.”

Severus dared a glance back and saw Draco's eyes widen in shock while Ron took the news somewhat more calmly. “Ginevra,” Severus began again, “you have every right to stay with us. We are at war. It is one of those things... although it is never easy. It must not be easy. It will help you if you tell us who it was or what has happened.”

For a while he feared she would not comply, but eventually she stilled. Her monotonous, listless voice reported, “He fought Mum, and... he tripped. As he was still casting spells... I levitated a stone and... let it drop on his head. I've... I've killed our teacher, Missile.” Covering her face in shame, she became quiet.

Severus was still wondering how to continue when she spoke again. “Then Flint. He was in that shack, tormenting Ron. I... I did the same.” Resignation made her stop.

“Flint?” Severus did not succeed in suppressing his astonishment. “I knew only about Missile. I saw Flint there, but it looked as if...”

“I had taken Ron's wand for a few spells that leave traces,” she said and finally broke down in sobs.

Severus heard a commotion from the sofa and Draco's snarl. “Stay where you are!”

Keeping his movements slow, Severus inched forward towards Ginny. “May I come to you now? Will you let me help you, love?” he asked.

“You're not disgusted?” she wondered, looking up at him.

“I could never be. I love you,” he said very slowly and with sincerity. “Do you want to come here now?”

Reluctantly she took his outstretched hand and let herself be pulled to his embrace. After a minute of silently stroking her back, he got up and guided her back to the armchair. On the sofa, Ron was being released from Draco's spells. Both boys only watched, unable to decide how to proceed.

Severus knelt in front of Ginny, moving her cup of tea closer. “I'm... surprised, maybe. I saw you. It looked very personal. What made you act so determined on your trainer?”

“He's a lecherous wanker. After flying lessons, in the changing room...”

“He didn't!” Severus and Draco exclaimed.

Ron jumped up, his fatigue forgotten. “This is how you protect her? Pretend to love her, Snape?”

Severus stood in fury. “How dare you. You have no idea what I am doing to protect her.”

“I’m not interested in the details. I know that you helped me today, but I won’t let you make a habit of it. Ginny, come on. We’re leaving.”

“Excuse me?” Ginny exclaimed, but Severus' voice boomed through the small room. “Which 'we' are you referring to?”

“You don't have to stay here any longer, Ginny. Let's go home,” the boy repeated in as gentle a voice as he managed, his arms reaching out and down as though towards a small child.

“Ron? Severus is...,” she started again.

“You're not going to take her anywhere, Weasley,” Severus said, speaking quietly again, but all the more threatening.

“She's been imprisoned here long enough. Now that she has the chance to return where she belongs you are not going to stop her!”

“My wife, Weasley, belongs here, with me, in her home.”

Sporting a Weasley-red face, the boy shouted, “Your wife? She's your slave! Her home? This whole room doesn't hold anything of hers, does it?”

Abruptly, Severus stopped arguing. He turned to Ginny who had curled up in the armchair and was silently weeping. “I am sorry we shouted over you. We are too agitated to handle this without shouting. We should let your brother go now.”

Ron continued, lowering his voice just a bit, “I'm not done with you yet. And I'm going nowhere without my sister!”

Ginevra stood and faced her brother with a beaten expression. Her stance and her red eyes spoke of fatigue and disappointment. Very quietly, she said, “Ron, please leave us alone now. Severus treated your wound, he fed you and hid you, and you haven't as much as thanked him. Go. Just go.”

Ron knelt down at her side. “You don't know what you're saying, Ginny.” He spoke to her as if she were a mentally ill person.

“Let's just go home and get you well.” Ron stood for his last words. “Then you'll see reason.”

With a far stronger voice than minutes ago, the young witch said, “You don't tell me what to do. I'm not going anywhere because I am at home.” She gripped Severus' hand and looked up at him. He gripped her hand firmly and swallowed hard to not lose his countenance.

“What? Ginny, this isn't about a school crush any more,” Weasley made a new attempt. “Whatever you might have seen in his study, whatever you might have experienced these months, please be reasonable now.”

Severus could not suppress a sharp intake of breath. “My study, Ginevra?” he asked. “My bedroom at Hogwarts?” he added in total bewilderment.

“Oh, yes,” the boy told him in a superior tone, ranting and mocking. “She cracked your wards; what do you say now? Didn't imagine it wouldn't even hold a schoolchild's attempt? Well, but then you aren't too perceptive or you would have noticed in all these months that she hates being called by her full name. Instead you addled her brains that she clings to you like a fool.”

Luckily for him, Severus was still dumbstruck, and it was Draco who acted first, gagging him and firing thin, snakelike cords around his torso and arms. “I'll lead him out to an Apparition point somewhere off,” he declared. “If he is strong enough for this display, he will manage to get home, too. And if not, maybe he'll learn something. Is there anything he should take?”

“No,” Ginevra replied sadly. “Bye, Ron.”

They were at the door when Severus had composed himself enough to say, “Draco, you know what to do. You are also supposed to return here. Your bed upstairs is ready. I can send Pöllö to Narcissa.”

“Of course,” Draco replied. “Off we go,” he told Ron sharply.

Draco led Ron out. An additional Sight Lock Spell forced Ron's eyes straight ahead, no matter how he craned his neck. “Can't have you... taking in the scenery,” he panted. He didn't remove the gag, but he levitated Ron just a tiny bit to ensure he didn't trip.

Being at the mercy of the blond arrogant boy, Ron had to go with the flow.

They rushed through narrow, filthy streets and dingy passages and along a smelly creek with ankle-deep mud. Only in the forest did Draco turn to face his charge. His voice was shaking with anger. “Do you have any idea how much you have hurt her, how much she is missing her family?” He considered the redhead again. “No, you probably haven't really got it. You were not thinking at all in there. She is suffering from the separation. I can't bear it. There is only so much Severus and I can do.”

Draco quickly reached a decision. “Let's Apparate somewhere to talk. It won't be close by, so don't start thinking you can trace your way back here.” He gripped Ron's undamaged hand, and they arrived in a dingy corner of an otherwise brightly lit Muggle shopping centre. “Now listen.”

Back at Spinner's end, Severus tended to his wife's acute needs. She was mentally and physically exhausted. He helped her in the bathroom and then to the bedroom, tucking her in with an overwhelming desire to care and hold her. A Dreamless Sleep potion was what was needed, and he gave her a good measure. “Now sleep, my love. We have lots to talk about in the morning.”

He left a note for Draco and retired as well. Spooning with her still and soundly sleeping form, he let today's revelations run through his mind.

She had killed two men today—slain, technically, but for her it was the same. She was appalled at herself. The hate she had felt must have been overwhelming, and to know that she had the ability to kill would horrify her.

“This is how one should feel after such an act, however necessary it appeared.” Such had been Albus' words.

“Are you not frightened of the monster I have become? Not even disgusted?” Severus had asked him on occasions.

“Not as long as you keep asking me like you do, feeling disgusted like this, Severus. Don't feel disgusted with yourself, for you might lose your mind. But don't stop feeling disgusted about what you must do. When you lose your disgust, you lose your ability to turn away from the evil, towards love.”

“I have lost that ability long ago, if I have ever had it, Albus.”

The headmaster had contradicted him every time.

Today, Severus might just believe he wasn't such a hopeless case. Thanks to her, thanks to his wonderful wife.

She had then tended to her brother who in return had not understood anything. Both experiences have marked themselves into her soul.

However, Severus had learned something else this night. Months back she had obviously entered his private quarters at Hogwarts, the small study and bedroom behind his office. She must have passed through the complex series of Empathy Charms he had applied on them before she had ever arrived at his place, ever come to know him as anything other than a hated teacher. It put their relationship into a new perspective.

Severus dozed lightly and so heard Draco return. He cautiously disentangled himself from his wife and crawled out of bed. “Draco?”

“Still awake, Severus?”

“Did you know?”

“Did I know about Ginny entering your study? Yes, I did. She told me about it when you left me with the leg-lock.” Draco indicated the chair to which he had been confined all those months back. He yawned widely. “I never told Ginny about the kind of wards you had set.”

“Hm... Thank you, Draco.” After a pause Severus asked, “How about Mr Weasley?”

“I've put him into his place quite thoroughly. Let me just say that he asked me to send his apologies to Ginny. And to you.” Another yawn interrupted him. “Sleep well, Severus.”

“You too, Draco.”

A/N

HUGE thanks and a basket of chocolate frogs go to my britpicker MagicAlly, who went through this chapter word by word and thoroughly eliminated the kinks and oddities I had inserted. You don't want to imagine what it looked like before! She's the best.

The broom manufacturer Bluebottle advertised their family broom at the Quidditch World Cup.