All That You Leave Behind

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LadySybyl, we're sorry you feel we've made Ginny one dimensional. We have to strongly disagree with you on that point. We feel that we've done what very few authors have managed: made her a strong, likeable woman character. Quite how we've done that if she's 'one dimensional' is beyond us! Ginny is most assuredly a strong woman, and absolutely not one dimensional. Her role will come to greater prominence later in the story. We'd be happy to add you to the update list, but you must leave us your e-mail address.


FaeryQueen, we look forward to reading your reviews. You always make us laugh and feel good about the story and ourselves. We wish someone would make a movie of our story too!


We hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please remember to review!



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Severus gave what passed for a smile, and nodded his head, acknowledging the greetings various Ministry lackeys sent his way. He had to admit, even to himself, that he was rather surprised. For the first time in his life, people seemed actually pleased to see his brooding countenance, a few of them had even stopped to shake his hand, even this long after the war had ended. He had scowled when he had come across the portrait of himself hanging in the Atrium next to Harry's and Dumbledore's, but inside he'd been secretly pleased. It was, he was loathe to admit even to himself, gratifying and yes, vindicating to know people saw him as a hero, even as he was very quickly becoming annoyed with the attention he was receiving. Still, he had brought it upon himself by coming here and offering up his services, and although he felt somewhat wary, not being used to this much positive attention, he did feel safe. He was, after all, in the midst of a veritable nest of Aurors, with Kingsley Shacklebolt and Harry at their head. If he wasn't safe here, then nowhere was safe.


Even as this thought concluded in his mind, he felt the tingle of magic and found himself suddenly immobile and sightless, the victim of Binding and Blinding curses. A hand clamped over his mouth rendering him nearly speechless, momentarily surprising rational thought out of his head, and he felt himself being dragged backwards by two strong arms.


Scarcely able to believe that he had been attacked HERE of all places, Severus allowed himself to be manuevred. Whoever had infiltrated here knew what he was doing, and Severus felt that it would be better to wait and gauge the situation carefully before attempting any movement. He was pulled from the deserted corridor into a shadowy alcove. How he knew it was dark in his sightless state, he couldn't have said, other than that years of experience made him very aware of his surroundings, whatever his physical condition.


Unable to reach his own wand, unable to shout for help, he let himself be dragged, concentrating on mustering his own magic together enough to enable him to use wandless, speechless magic to break his bonds and subdue his attacker.


The hand was removed from his mouth, but before he could utter either Reducto or Relashio, his mouth was covered again, this time with warm, soft lips, then filled with a wet and questing tongue bent on sucking his own tongue from his incapacitated mouth.


Using his own magic to break the spells keeping him bound, his attacker was suddenly and rudely forced back against the opposite wall, his head making a satisfying crack as it made contact. Severus drew his wand as he advanced on his stunned attacker, casting Incarcerous, Silencio and Rictusempra in quick succession. He crossed his arms and glared as he watched his victim writhe silent and helpless against the cords keeping him bound in place to the wall.


Severus' victim writhed awkwardly, his face reddened, and although his mouth opened, no sound issued. A glare tried to make its way onto the face, but didn't quite make it to the surface before Severus spoke.


"I believe the spells will wear off in approximately ten minutes. Of course, someone may find you in that time."


His victim's eyes opened wide.


"Perhaps this will teach you to not attempt such foolishness in the future."


Severus watched the emotional figure calmly for a few moments, no expression on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it, and simply spun sharply on his heel and strode away, leaving his attacker helplessly bound to the wall.


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Green flames flared in the massive fireplace, and Lucius Malfoy sipped his cognac as he watched the wiry figure of Howard Fairncombe emerge onto his hearth.


"Sir," Fairncombe spoke, "I came as soon as I got your owl......I destroyed the message."


"Very good, Mr. Fairncombe," Lucius nodded. "Please...have a seat."


Fairncombe was a bit startled at this gesture of hospitality, and gingerly sat on the edge of the chair across from the intimidating man, hoping there was no soot clinging to his arse.


"Cognac, Mr. Fairncombe?" Lucius enquired, inwardly amused at the other man's obvious consternation. By the time he leaves here, he'll be grovelling at my feet he thought with a slight contempt.


"Erm....sure, Sir. Thank you," Fairncombe said warily, feeling completely thrown by this unprecedented display of generosity. He had a feeling that was what the man intended, but was thrown nonetheless.


"Mr. Fairncombe," Lucius began as he poured another cognac and handed the glass to the man, "I've asked you here today because we have something to discuss."


"We do?" Fairncombe muttered, distracted by the elegant crystal glass in the elegant fingers of the elegant hand reaching toward him. "Sir?" he added hastily, taking the pro-offered glass.


"Yes, Mr. Fairncombe," Lucius replied keeping the sneer of contempt he again felt to himself. This man was crucial to all his wishes and it wouldn't do to alienate him. Lucius had learned his lesson well with the traitor Snape. These half-blood creatures never did understand the subtilites of power and control. Even the Dark Lord hadn't been able to fully control his pets, and one of them had turned around and bitten him. Snape. The traitor. The real snake in the grass. Lucius was determined that it would not happen to him.


"Indeed we do, Mr. Fairncombe," Lucius said in his elegant, measured tones, "but first, what do you have for me?"


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Severus stared out at the sea of eyes directed his way, cleared his throat, and began speaking.


"I am certain most of you remember me from your school days at Hogwarts when we all had the dubious pleasure of one another's company for Potions class." He eyed them all with a slight frown, for effect.


"Now, however, you do not need me to remind you of the delicate power of liquids that can creep through human veins.....bewitchng the mind....ensnaring the senses......" He paused, looking at his audience once again, before continuing, "You know...or should know by now, what powdered root of asphodel added to and infusion of wormwood results in. You know where to look for a bezoar. You know what the difference is between......"


He was interrupted in his lecture by the noisy arrival of a huffing, red-faced Harry, who hurried to a seat beside Ron. Severus smirked inwardly, his black eyes glinting in evil amusement outwardly.


"Ah yes. There he is. Harry Potter. Our resident.....celebrity." Harry glared at Severus mutinously, then around the room as the hushed snickers of his fellow Aurors.


Severus threw him one small look of amusement, crossed his arms, and began his lecture in earnest, pacing back and forth with a slow, measured gait, as he spoke. He wasn't, of course, wearing his teaching robes, but it wasn't difficult to see them billowing out behind him anyway, he slipped back into the ghost of his former occupation so flawlessly.


"You, as Aurors, know, the Dark Arts remain many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. It is your job to face and fight them every day, protecting and preserving this world we have fought so boldly and bravely for. The fact remains, however, that evil always exists, will always persist, and the Dark Arts remain unfixed, ever mutating, indestructible."


Severus paused in his pacing, glancing once more at his audience, and felt gratified to see every eye focused on him. Unlike at Hogwarts lessons, where a certain amount of fidgeting was to be expected, this group of students, children no longer, were hanging on his every word, listening with rapt attention, and he smiled inwardly, pleased at having captivated his audience so thoroughly.


"Therefore, your defenses must be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo....."


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"I did exactly as you asked, Sir," Fairncombe said after a large gulp of the cognac. He cleared his throat, trying to quell his nerves. The man, for all that Howard admired him, set his nerves to fluttering like a butterfly in a rose garden. "She....erm......Mrs. Potter...she follows the Quidditch season fixture, mostly the two top teams, to report for the Daily Prophet, so she travels quite a bit. But when she isn't travelling to cover Quidditch, she sticks to a schedule of sorts. She visits her mother at her home in Ottery St. Catchpole every Monday morning. On Wednesday mornings, she does her shopping in Hogsmeade. On Friday afternoons, she attends a staff meeting at the Daily Prophet. She usually brings her son along with her wherever she goes, other than when she is travelling. She occaisionally......"


Lucius had stopped listening when Fairncombe had mentioned the Friday afternoon staff meeting Ginny Potter attended. The Daily Prophet offices were in Diagon Alley, which was always full of people.......which was perfect.


"Mr. Fairncombe......Howard....." Lucius interrupted with a smile, "you've done quite well. Just as I've asked. Now, I'm afraid I've got a small problem, and I'm goiing to have to ask your assistance. Just a small favour."


"Of course, Sir," Howard hastened to assure the man. Again, he felt rather chuffed with himself to be so trusted. "Anything I can do for you, just ask."


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"...and of these three last mentioned, I would suggest that teh greatest factor in determining another's potential for Dark behaviour is ambition. And this is what you are up against, why you must never underestimate what an enemy might be capable of."


Severus looked out at the roomful of impassive Aurors. Dead silence. Long moments went by, and Severus began to feel unnerved.


Severus had begun going over his key points in his head, wondering what exactly in his lecture would provoke such a reaction when suddenly applause erupted in the room. He glanced up at the witches and wizards facing him, and gradually the realisation sank in: they were applauding him. They were aplauding his words.


Harry, green eyes shining with love and pride, was clapping harder than anyone. He stood there for a moment, uncertain as to what to do, but then was enveloped in a sea of Aurors, all wanting to shake his hand and expressing their approval of his lecture.


They filed out, chattering amongst themselves as they went, leaving Severus and Harry alone in the room.


"That was...fabulous, Severus!" Harry said, leaving his seat and grasping Severus' arm. "Honestly, it was the best lecture you've ever given! I was riveted!" He tried drawing the older man into an embrace, intending on showing him his appreciation with a kiss, and was surprised when Severus drew back. Feeling confused, he made another attempt and again found himself thwarted.


"Sev?" he said, somewhat disbelievingly.


"Did our earlier encounter teach you nothing?" Severus asked harshly.


"Are you kidding?!" Harry exclaimed, his disbelief evident on his face now. "It's not like I want a shag here and now! I just wanted to give you a kiss! I mean...earlier.....well, I thought you were just being...well, you. Difficult." He tried to smile, but it was only half-heartedly.


"Do you understand that this is where you work?" Severus said, "Do you understand that you are a married man? Do you understand that this is a risk too great for even the great Harry Potter to take?"


It's just a kiss!" Harry yelped, feeling wounded.


"Listen to me!" Severus said, grasping Harry's shoulders. "Your father-in-law works here! People talk! Surely you must have realised that by now?! What can you possibly be thinking in that head of yours, that even a simple kiss would be alright?? There can be none of that here! No kisses, no embraces, and certainly never again anything like the stunt you pulled earlier! If you cannot control yourself, I will have no choice but to resign this position. As you are so fond of reminding me, Auror Potter, you are an adult now. I suggest you begin to behave as one."


"This isn't school," he went on inexorably, "you won't have the headmaster twinkling kindly at you should you mess up, this is real life, and you can not mess up here. Too much depends upon it. Your happiness, Ginevra's. Not to mention my new role here!"


"What we do behind closed doors is one thing. But these are most definitely not closed doors. I will not tell you again. There can be nothing between us here. This is not the place!" Although it wounded Severus to see the hurt in those green eyes, he hardened his gaze, and stalked from the room leaving a pale and trembling Harry standing there alone.


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"Next month, I must attend a function at the Ministry of Magic, one of those frightfully boring luncheon things, you know, but there's a problem with that, you see," Lucius said smoothly, watching the other man gulp his good cognac.


"You see," Lucius continued, inwardly grinding his teeth at the heathen abusing his good drink, "it's very important that I attend this Ministry affair, must be seen to be doing my part and all that. Divert attention away from our....shall we say...less 'noble' activities, and make the Ministry think that I'm being a good boy in their new world."


"I understand, Sir," Fairncombe said smugly. Less 'noble' activities indeed! Only in the eyes of the Ministry would they be seen as less than noble.


"The problem is," Lucius went on, "I have a contact I am desirous of meeting on that same day, but that is the only day he is available at the moment. I cannot impress upon you enough how important it is that I court this contact properly, as he could very well prove invaluable to furthering our cause."

"I understand, Sir," Fairncombe repeated, hoping that Malfoy would soon notice the diminished contents of his glass and pour more of his expensive tipple.


Lucius, fuming inwardly at the lack of manners Fairncombe displayed, picked up the cognac decanter once again, filling the sot's glass. Imagine gulping 100 year old cognac as if it were butterbeer! He repressed a shudder, gritted his teeth and continued in a honeyed voice. "The favour I require of you, Howard, involves you taking my place at the Ministry function, enabling me to meet with my contact. You needn't stay long, perhaps an hour at the most, and I will coach you in possible conversation topics. I will procure Polyjiuce Potion to enable us to carry out this endeavor. You will consume it, become me, attend the Ministry function, and no one will be the wiser."


"I get to be you, Sir?" Fairncombe said stupidly, then quickly added, "of course I'll be happy to do as you ask, Sir!"


I'm sure you will Lucius thought disgustedly. He put on a smile and said, "Very good, Howard. The plan is in motion then." His smile became somewhat chilling, not that Fairncombe noticed, as a pleasing thought formed in his mind.


And very soon the Traitor and his little paramour shall be made to pay.


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