Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Zingaro	By : ccino49 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 3610 -:- 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
- 61
- 62
- 63
I own nothing from the Harry Potter universe. It all belongs to JK Rowling.

Zingaro

Chapter 62

The moment Paula stepped through the gates of Hogwarts she felt it. An aura of total despair, desolation, and demoralizasion. Her iris� changed constantly when she saw the many lost and confused souls of those who died in battle. So many remained, drifting aimlessly, unsure of what had happened to them, bewildered as to why no one, their friends and loved ones alike, did not aknowledge them, instead removing themselves from the bloodied grounds to inhabit the castle or return to their respective home. Love ones that had openly grieved for their dead, yet were unable to hear the souls crying out to them, �We�re here, we can hear you, see you. Why do you not look at us?�
As if by some inner sense they all noticed Paula at the same time, flocking around her, questions, so many questions, so many spirits. Paula was so overwhelmed by their heartfelt despondency she almost collapsed. Only with the timely intervention of Hagrid, who happened to see her staggering as he made his way to tend his few remaning animals, was she able to escape them and enter the castle with his help.
�Professor Vance, where �ave ye bin? Are ye alright? Someone said they�d seen ya fightin� werewolves, another said vampires, and someone else said it were you and that beast o� yours that wrapped up them dementors in that gold cage thing. They all died by the way, the dementors. Dunno what you did or �ow, but the Ministry took it away wi �em for examining.� He said, half carrying her into the castle.
�Riley captured them Hagrid, all I did was release the trapped souls and sent them on their way. And I was not the only one fighting the werewolves, or the shimulo Hagrid.�

�Thas not ow I heard it, said you got Greyback an all. Finished �im off good an proper like. I�m glad yer didn�t desert us when we needed yer Miss Vance. Allus knew ye were a good �un.�
�Thanks Hagrid. Where is everyone?�

�The headmistress�ll be in her office, Arry, Ermione and Ron are at the Weasley�s and the rest �o the students �av gone �ome. Mos� �o the staff are still �ere though.�
�Thank you hagrid, and thank you for looking after Riley. I know he has spent many a night here even after I was forced to leave.�

Hagrid�s cheeks reddened slightly. �Yeh well, that wasn� really �cos �o me. He� er� he got friendly with a young unicorn mare, pretty thing she is. Bit of an outcast with the other unicorns on account of her avin a gold hoof. I named her Goldie �cos �o that. She�s in the family way now, thanks to Riley.� Hagrid told her while intently studying the toes of his boots.
Paula chuckled for the first time in several weeks. �A new life Hagrid, that is good. Something beautiful is to be found after all of this.� She swept her hand in a wide arc, indicating the ruined castle, the occasional copper coloured patch of grass even now visible on the grounds through the castle doors.

He smiled. �Yer right �o course. Passwords Tabby cat.� He told her, before turning and heading toward his hut.
Paula approached the gargoyle, but instead of saying the password, she laid a hand on its stony head.

The gargoyle looked up at her and smiled, then moved aside to allow her access to the moving staircase.

�Paula. Oh my goodness you don�t know how good it is to see you alive. Where have you been? I heard� �

�Hagrid told me Minerva, and yes, I tried to do my bit. What of the others?�
Minerva sat heavily in her chair, indicating that Paula too should sit down.

�We lost so many good witches and wizards Paula. Remus Lupin, Alistair Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Fred Weasley, Collin Creevy.� She choked on a sob. �Sev� Severus Snape.� The older witch broke down into racking sobs before the younger woman, no longer able to hold the façade of stern detatchment.
Paula reached across the desk and held her hand, saying nothing, just letting Minerva release the pent up emotion she�d held back for so long.
When Minerva finaly calmed a little, Paula conjured a hanky and passed it to her, then summoned an elf to bring them tea.
�You know,� Minerva said when they�d settled into the chairs before the fireplace. �we never found him, Severus I mean. Harry had some memeories belonging to him, taken when he-wa� V-Voldemort had that great snake of his kill him in cold blood. We never found� when we returned to the Shack he was� no one knows where� �

�Minerva.� Paula interrupted. �Promise me you will not repeat what I tell you.�

�What? You know something? Do you know what happened to his� where he was taken? The Ministry have searched high and low for him. Even now, while they are still trying to decide whether or not he was he was on our side, they are looking for his remains.�

�Promise me Minerva.�

The older witch studied Paula for a long moment, then made her promise, a swirl of magic winding round her for a second before disappearing.
�Severus is not dead.�

Minerva�s face paled, her hand shot to her chest as she tried to take breath. �Wh-what? But where, how? Paula do you know where he is?�
�I have him. He is gravely ill, The sar, the snake, she bit into his jugualar, her venom worked too quickly into his system and I was not able to reach him in time to prevent it reaching his vital organs. As yet he is still unconscious, and is slightly stonger than he was. It will be a long time before he is able to function normally again.�
�But he�s alive? Why did you take hime away, hide him?�

�She did what she had to Minerva.�

Both women turned to the source of the voice.
�But Albus, the Ministry. We all thought that someone had taken his body for more Machiavellian purposes. You know that.�

Albus looked from one to the other before speaking again. �Had Paula not administered to him, he would have died alone in that shack. Had she handed him over to the Ministry, they would have placed him in St. Mugo�s and he still would have died Minerva. The only reason he had for returning to this world is sitting right in front of you.�

Minerva returned her gaze to Paula.
�Severus was late in calling me after he was bitten, he also knew that the Ministry would not allow him to live after they believed for so long that he worked for Voldemort. If he survived, they would imprison him and give him the dementoers kiss. I could not let that happen.� Paula told her.
She explained the Will-o-the-wisp to McGonagall, Albus explained what Paula had done as regards his own soul, although she already knew about that, and the small part of Severus� she had taken for safekeeping. Then what she had done to bring him back. �After that I am afraid I was otherwise detained.� Albus said. He was of course referring to his meeting with Harry.
�Untill the Ministry clears his name and he is well enough to speak for himself, he will remain with me.� Paula told them. �It is better this way. When he is well, and if the Ministry clears his name, it will be his decision as to what he will do next. I will return whenever possible to assist you with the rebuilding of the castle, but Severus will remain my priority. I would like your permission to raid his stores for phoenix tears if he has any. My supply is depleted and Fawkes is still recovering from his recent burning. He can only provide me with a couple of tears every few days.�

�Fawkes is with you?� Minerva asked incredulously.
�Since the day Albus died. The bird remained close to be near Albus� soul, and now he is recovering.�

Minerva took her down to the potions storeroom but could not take down all of Severus� wards.
Paula took over and opened the door. Between them they found three bottles of usable phoenix tears, and two bottles that were clearly out of date, then went to see Madam Pomfrey so that Paula could procure mass amounts of fresh dressings.

Madam Pomfrey was told that Paula was healing those she met on her travells to places hit by Death Eater attacks, but which the Ministry had not yet found the resources to adminster any aid.

Minerva also gave Paula access to Severus� quarters so she could take some of his more personal things.

TBC

Stanki nashti chi arakenpe manushen shai

Mountains do not meet, but people do

Te pochinen penge lazhav

Pay for their shame
- 61
- 62
- 63
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