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Practice to Deceive	By : SailorSol Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 12424 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 21
- 22
- 23
Disclaimer: Any characters & situations you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. Any characters you don�t recognize belong to me. You can borrow them, but email me first and check on the characters.

Author�s Note: This story is AU after book 5. It contains NO REFERENCES to book 6 or 7 in any way, shape or form.

CHAPTER 21: SURPRISE ATTACK

Days had passed since the attacks that had landed students at Castlemoor Manor. They adapted as best they could.

Aurors had arrived in shifts, formally informing the students of what they already knew: that they were the only surviving members of their families.

The Weasleys elected to stay at the castle until they could find out whether they should rebuild the Burrow or find something somewhere else. The Jordans, Finnegans, and Longbottoms made similar arrangements, knowing that the castle could shelter them all.

The Patil twins and Cho Chang both spent a few hours crying, and then they came to Astrid and Lilith and requested some extracurricular instruction. Astrid contacted Voldemort, and he sent a couple of lesser-known Death Eaters to increase their knowledge of combative magics. Justin joined them, along with Oliver Wood and Harry and his partners.

The one bit of good news was that Hermione�s mother had somehow survived the attack on her and her husband. Aurors had found her in the back yard of the house with Hermione�s spare wand clutched in her hand, and several stunned wizards in Death Eater robes and masks. None of them bore the Dark Mark.

The Creevy brothers were so traumatized that Madame Pomfrey refused to allow them out of the hospital wing, and even went so far as to bully a witch from Children�s Services into giving her custody of the two boys.

The day after the attacks, a knock on the door of the Manor revealed Luna Lovegood and her father.

�We need to speak to Lady Castlemoor,� the older man told Lilith and Astrid.

�Very well,� Lilith said. �What did you need to talk about?�

�I am very well aware that you are not what most people think,� he said diplomatically, seating himself where Lilith indicated.

�What do most people think I am?� Lilith asked.

�What my father is trying to say,� Luna said, her blue eyes only partially focused on the woman in front of her. �We know where your loyalties lie, and he wants to follow Voldemort, and I want to follow Harry. We know now that Dumbledore is not what he appears, and we are not prepared to live a lie.�

Lilith looked over at her sister. Astrid was watching the eccentric student. Astrid knew Luna as a teacher, and Lilith knew her briefly as a fellow student, but Astrid had the Slytherin Gift.

�She�s sincere,� Astrid said finally. �I believe that he is, as well.�

�Very well,� Lilith said. �You contact Father. I�ll have the house elves arrange rooms for Mr. Lovegood and his daughter.�

�I have to go back to our home,� he said. �I have a paper to put out.�

�Your home was destroyed, Mr. Lovegood,� Astrid pointed out. �How are you going to produce your paper?�

�I�ll get a place in Hogsmeade,� he said. �The truth must come out. I am not going to let a little thing like destruction stop the Quibbler.�

�Of course not,� Lilith said, smiling. �I�m sure the mayor can find you something easily. We can talk to him tomorrow.�

�Thank you, Lady Castlemoor,� he said, bowing to her from his seated position.

***** *****

The day before classes were to resume, they made a trip to Diagon Alley. None of the newer children had any of the essentials, since they had been running for their lives.

Astrid and Lilith took Cho and her younger siblings to Madame Malkins, along with Parvati. Maximillian went to Flourish and Blotts with Hermione, Harry, and Viktor. Severus, with Sarah firmly attached to his robes, took Draco and Ginny to get potions ingredients. Alfred took Padma to Exotic Alley to get tea from China and Japan, spices from India and the Spice Islands, coffee from Brazil and Columbia, and pipe tobacco from the Americas.

They all met at the Leaky Cauldron to floo back to Hogsmeade. Astrid smiled at her husband, and then could not stop the building chuckles.

�Whatever do you find to be so amusing, madam?� Severus asked stiffly.

�You must not have been paying much attention in the potions shop, Severus,� Aster chuckled. �She�s definitely your daughter, even if you didn�t sire her.�

�What?� Severus looked down at Sarah. She looked up at him with her wide green eyes, a crystal stirring stick clutched in one hand.

�I see,� he said. One hand lifted up to caress her bonnet-covered head. She grinned at him and put the stirring stick in her mouth.

�Shall we go?� Alfred asked. �I got a new kind of tobacco, and I�m dying to try it.�

�Onward,� Lilith said, pulling a container of floo powder out of her pocket. She enlarged it while the others pulled their cloak hoods over their heads. Astrid took Sarah away from Severus long enough to wrap her in a dark blanket before returning her to her favorite wizard.

One at a time, they all took floo powder, stepped up to the fireplace, called out �Three Broomsticks� and stepped through.

They were most of the way to the manor when Severus handed Sarah to Astrid.

�I have a package that I must pick up,� he said. �I will be along shortly.� He turned away and headed back into the village.

Neither of them saw four men standing between two buildings, watching Severus approach the village square, alone.

~*~*~*~

At the manor, they were pleasantly surprised to see that Voldemort had arrived for a visit. Astrid handed Sarah to him, and watched with a smile while he handled her as if she were made of blown glass, until Bellatrix reached over and adjusted his grip so that Sarah was safely cradled against his chest, gazing up at him with wondering eyes.

Half an hour after their return, Astrid started pacing. She was anxious that Severus had not returned yet.

She watched the twins and Cho tell Bellatrix about their new clothing, and Draco and Hermione explore their new books.

She watched her father discover first-hand that babies grabbed everything that caught their interest, including noses, collars, and hair.

When an hour had passed, she grabbed her cloak with a whimper of distress and headed for the front door. Max looked quickly at his liege, and then picked up his cloak to follow his wife.

He caught up with her before she got out of the manor gates, and put an arm around her while the two of them walked towards Hogsmeade.

On the outskirts of the village, they were met by a man they knew from the party, but had not seen since then.

�I was comin� to tell Lady Castlemoor,� he said. �We foun� Professor Snape �tween two o� the shops. He were beaten bad, an� left in th� snow. We got some people takin� him t� Hogwarts.�

�Max,� Astrid said, turning to him. �Catch up to them and stay with Severus. We�ll be down as soon as I tell Lilith.�

�We foun� somethin� clutched in th� Professor�s hand, Lady Darkshire,� the man continued. He held out his hand, showing a black velvet ribbon with several long blonde hairs caught in it.

Astrid stared at the man�s hand for a long moment before reaching out to take it from him.

�Thank you,� she said. �I will see to it that Lady Castlemoor gets this, and I am sure she will inform the proper authorities.�

�Thank ye, Lady,� he said, and then turned to return to the village.

Max stared at Astrid�s clutched hand, and then at her eyes, brimming with unshed tears.

�I think I should stay with you,� he said softly.

�NO!� Astrid cried out, clutching her hand to her chest. �Severus needs to know that the rest of us are coming! He needs to hang on! I�ll bring Draco and Hermione to brew any potions Poppy might need. We�ll floo over there. Now, go.� She pushed at Max with her other hand, and Max realized that she was correct. Severus needed someone to keep him grounded until he was healed.

Max took one of Astrid�s hands in his, pressed a passionate kiss to it, and then turned away to do as she had told him.

Astrid returned to the manor in a fit of rage. She slammed the door and threw her cloak at Jewel as she strode into the parlor.

Everyone looked up as she walked over to Voldemort and put her hands on her hips.

�Where is Lucius Malfoy?� she demanded.

�What is wrong?� Voldemort asked, handing Sarah to Bellatrix and rising to his feet.

�This!� Astrid said, loosing her hold on the object in her hand enough for them to see it. �He and three others beat Severus nearly to death!�

�We need to go, immediately,� Lilith said. �I�ll get the children together and you get whatever potions you think the nurse will need.�

�I want Malfoy on a silver platter,� Astrid said. �If Severus dies, we all die!�

�My Lord,� Bellatrix said. �Lucius is vain and ambitious, but he would not defy your orders that Hogwarts and its areas were off limits. He knows that Severus is married to your daughters. He would not jeopardize them, or your favor.�

�I will find out what is going on,� Voldemort said. �Go to Severus, and assure him that I am not displeased with him.�

�Yes, Father,� Astrid said coldly. �If Malfoy did to this, though, I will deal with him, personally.�

~*~*~*~

At the Hogwarts infirmary, Astrid helped Madam Pomfrey tend to the terrible injuries that Severus had sustained. They needed to repair the bones in his arms and legs. The bones in both of his hands were smashed. Madame Pomfrey put casts on both of them, and then removed all of the bones in his hands.

�I�ll give him Skele-Gro when he wakes,� she said. �Right now, all we can do is make sure that he stays with us.�

�No,� Astrid said. �I can make him swallow the potions, Poppy. Get the Skele-Gro. The most important thing to Severus is his hands, like any wizard. We have to be able to tell him that he will still be able to brew.�

�Of course, dear,� Madam Pomfrey said. �I�ll get the Skele-Gro immediately.�

~*~*~*~

Hours later, Alfred and Lilith had taken the non school-age children to the dungeons, and sent the students to their dormitories, with a promise to inform them when Severus woke. Astrid dozed in the bed next to Severus�, and Max dozed in a chair between the two of them.

Astrid was wakened by the medallion around her neck warming. She sat up slowly, and then pulled her mirror out of her pocket.

�Yes, Father,� she said. �I take it that you�ve found Malfoy.�

�I have,� Voldemort replied. �He was nowhere near Hogsmeade today. He was in a meeting of the School Governors all day. They reported on all of the �Death Eater� attacks over a two day period, and wanted to explore the idea of posting Aurors to make certain that the school stayed safe.�

�If it wasn�t Malfoy,� Astrid said, her eyes narrowing. �Then it probably wasn�t any Death Eater.�

�I am checking on the whereabouts of all of my people,� Voldemort said. �How is Severus?�

�He hasn�t woken,� she said. �I know something to do. I will find out who attacked him. I�ll talk to you later, Father.� She closed the mirror and quietly got off of the bed. She picked up her shoes and padded silently to the door. She opened the door as quietly as possible, and opened it enough to slip through.

She put on her shoes and headed for the Great Hall. There was no one about except for the Bloody Baron chasing Peeves through the flying buttresses. She crossed the Great Hall and went to the entry.

Lilith and Harry were waiting, dressed for the cold. Lilith was holding Astrid�s fur-lined cloak in her hands.

�Let�s go,� Lilith said.

�I don�t even know what we�re doing,� Harry said, wrapped in the leather and fur cloak that Hermione had given him for Christmas.

�We�re going to where Severus was attacked,� Astrid said. �Lilith and I were taught a spell by Madame Hendricks that allows the caster to see what has happened in the last twenty-four hours. We�re going to go cast it at the place where Severus was attacked.�

�Let�s go,� Harry said. �Should we fly?�

�Capital idea, dear brother,� Astrid said. �Accio Nimbus!�

Astrid caught her broom when it flew up to her, and waited a few moments while Lilith and Harry summoned their own brooms. The three of them mounted and flew over to Hogsmeade.

They found the site of Severus� attack easily. The bloodstained snow had been shoveled away and sand was spread on the bare ground.

�Okay,� Lilith said. �We stand together, with our backs to one another, and all cast the spell together. Since we�re all Bonded, we should see everything around us.�

�Even if we don�t,� Astrid said. �We should be able to compare one another�s memories in a pensieve.�

�Right,� Lilith said. �Let�s get to it.�

�Okay, Harry,� Astrid said. �You raise your wand full length above your head, and then bring it down sharply to point at the ground. The spell is Postcognito. Just relax. You�re certainly good enough to cast this spell. We learned it third year.�

�Okay,� Harry said. He turned away from the two sisters, so that the three of them were facing outward. If he strained his eyes to the left, he could see Astrid. If he strained to the right, he could see Lilith. There would be nothing unseen.

�Ready?� Lilith said, raising her wand. The other two mimicked her.

�Postcognito!� the three of them cast in exact concert, creating a spell that was had a full circle effect.

For several minutes, nothing out of the ordinary happened. Snow had fallen the night before, so they could see it falling now. An owl went flying by with a rat in its claws. The street grew lighter as the sun of the day before rose over the eastern horizon.

They saw their group leave for Diagon Alley, walking down to the Three Broomsticks to use Rosmerta�s floo, since they had closed off their own for security reasons.

�I see them,� Lilith hissed.

Harry turned his head to the right, and sensed Astrid turning hers to the left, so that all of them could see the four wizards lurking between two shops, watching their quarry walk to the Three Broomsticks.

The wizards crouched down to wait, throwing their hoods off and talking quietly among themselves. Harry felt himself break out in a cold sweat as he recognized his former best friend among the group of wizards. He didn�t know two of the others, but the fourth man was Kingsley Shacklebolt.

They all stayed still, watching, while the men whiled away the time talking. Shacklebolt pulled out four phials and distributed them to the other three. They started being more alert, and they stood up and withdrew into the shadows of the building when Lilith�s earlier self led the others back up to the manor.

Astrid watched helplessly while Severus separated from them and started towards the village. He passed the four men and went into the jewelry store.

The four wizards waiting in ambush each swallowed the contents of their phials, grimacing in disgust. Their appearance started warping, and Shacklebolt turned into Walden MacNair, the two unknown men into Rudolphus and Rabistan Lestrange, and Ronald Weasley into Lucius Malfoy.

Severus came out of the jeweler, clutching a small box. The four men swarmed out of their hiding place when he passed them and began beating and hexing him. One of them grabbed his wand and tossed it away, and �Malfoy� grabbed the small box and put it in a pocket. They kept beating him until someone cried out. One of the men put something in Severus� hand, and then all four of them Apparated away.

People came out of shops, gathering around Severus. The Mayor arrived, conjured a floating stretcher for Severus, and then gestured one of the men towards the manor. One of the other men handed the Mayor what they found in Severus� hand. The Mayor handed it to the other man, and then gestured to the manor again.

The man started in the direction of the manor while the others took the floating stretcher and headed to Hogwarts.

The three of them watched while the remaining townspeople vanish the bloodstained snow and spread sand over the bloodied ground.

When the spell ended, all three of them moved in three different directions.

Astrid moved to retrieve Severus� wand, still in the snowbank where it had been tossed during the attack.

Harry moved to where he had seen Ron toss the phial that had contained the Polyjuice potion.

Lilith went to where the wizards had waited in ambush and searched to see if they had left anything behind.

***** *****

The next morning, Severus was no better. His wounds had been healed, but he seemed to be in some kind of a coma that showed no signs of breaking.

�I don�t know what�s causing it,� Madam Pomfrey said. �It�s almost as though he does not want to come back to us.�

�I can get him out of it,� Astrid said. She climbed onto the same bed as Severus, pressing herself against him and laying partially on him. She reached up to cup his cheek with her hand and closed her eyes.

�Legilimens,� she whispered.

~*~*~*~

She found herself surrounded by fog, and she could hear Severus sobbing, but there was no direction to it. The sobbing seemed to come from everywhere, and nowhere.

//Severus!// she called out. //Severus, I�m here!//

TBC
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Practice to Deceive