She had never dared to live in the same place for so long, outside of Hawaii. For the last few months, Hellen had lived in a small Scottish village, far from the big cities, and located by the sea. In that place, the woman had found a new paradise.
The rocky cliffs had a unique beauty, and from the old, abandoned castle it was possible to observe incredibly beautiful sunsets. Even the bad weather was new to her, and she found beauty in the dark gray of the clouds, the rough state of the sea, and the sound of grass moving in the wind.
And for the first time, not even Severus had any complaints about the safety of this place. The village was inhabited only by muggles, but it was not too far away from Hosmeade, which was very convenient for him to escape without attracting attention.
One afternoon, they were both sitting on the stones of the old ruins of the castle, holding hands, while observing the twilight landscape. They had tried to preserve that custom, and whenever they could, they met to watch the sunset together.
"I have spoken with Kapono. He says he is going to close the bar for a while, to do renovations. He asked me when I'm coming back."
"And what did you tell him?"
"That I didn't know," Hellen hesitated for a few seconds. "I think he senses that one day I won't come back," Severus looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "I can always visit him during the holidays. After all, I still have my house," she smiled, implying that the prospect, although it saddened her, did not displease her at all.
They were both silent for a few minutes, still holding hands. The silent landscape radiated peace.
"Let's get married," he said suddenly. Hellen looked at him, surprised because she wasn't expecting it.
"Are you serious?"
"Completely. We don't need the Ministry to know, we can do it like the muggles," she continued looking at him in disbelief, but Severus seemed calm and very confident. He knew it wasn't the most romantic proposal in the world, but it was completely sincere.
"I don't want you to leave, Hellen, I want to be able to see you every day, and not have to talk to you by letter. You could stay permanently, in this town, if you like it so much. We could buy a house. You wouldn't have to leave anymore. We could... We could have a life together. We could have a family."
Hellen's eyes were wet, and her heart was pounding. She hadn't realized how much she had wanted to hear those words. Moved, she squeezed his hand and smiled.
"I would like that," she whispered, approaching him to kiss him. "I don't want to be apart from you either."
They got married in Hawaii. Hellen wanted to be surrounded by the only family she had, and that included the man who had been like a father to her. This was also how she was able to say goodbye, at least temporarily, to her friends, and disappear without raising suspicions.
Continuing as planned, they bought a house in the small Scottish town that Hellen had fallen in love with and set about creating a new home.
Severus and Win surrounded the house with countless protective spells, being careful not to attract attention with the magic. To integrate into the muggle community, Hellen began working in the local tavern, and in a short time she had earned the acceptance of the neighbors.
Within a few months, she became a local, and no one considered her a stranger.
With Severus' increased presence, Win was able to relax her role as guardian, and travel the world again. Every time she returned, she came loaded with strange objects and gifts.
For his part, Severus took all possible precautions when traveling, even going so far as driving a car, so that the muggles would not suspect him. He had not told anyone about Hellen, not even Dumbledore, but despite the secrets and lies, they both managed to be happy.
And for the first time since they met, they allowed themselves to let their guard down, and simply live normally, just like any other couple.
***
Snape and the Lady were escorted to Dumbledore's office, but once there, only McGonagall remained in the room. After all, they were guarding the same woman who a few weeks ago had immobilized them all with the blink of an eye, and perhaps it was wiser to focus their efforts on protecting the students.
But Dumbledore was furious, and at that moment his body gave off an aura of energy that heated like the sun itself, and there, in his office, not even the Lady was a match for him. And anyway, the witch was very changed.
Gone were her haughty and serious pose, and her unwavering confidence. Now her nerves were flooding her, and it seemed like she was going to lose control at any moment.
Small blue flames could be seen in her clenched fists, which were an indication of her rage. And for some reason that McGonagall didn't understand, Snape seemed to be in charge of the situation, and remained alert, like a human shield that prevented the Lady and Dumbledore from attacking each other.
"I demand an explanation," Dumbledore's tone gave no room for excuses. His blue eyes bored into the couple standing before him, focusing on the woman. "Why did you attack Fudge? What did you want?"
"Fudge? He is nothing to me," she spat. "That veela, however, is the greatest danger we have faced. She is behind everything."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and looked at Snape, seeking confirmation of those words.
"We have evidence that Vaitiare is behind the disappearances," said the professor.
"What kind of evidence?"
"I have verified the existence of the bathtub of blood I told you about. It is linked to an ancient black magic spell. Whoever bathes in it will gain life and power, absorbing the magic of their victims," explained the Lady.
"How do you know?"
"Because that was what the Dark Lord intended to do with me!" her words left Dumbledore and McGonagall speechless. "I was going to be his method of obtaining immortality during the First Wizarding War, or at least, of extending his life beyond what was humanly possible. He was just waiting for me to reach the right age and for my magic power to increase enough. If it hadn't been for the prophecy–"
"The prophecy?"
"When the Dark Lord heard the prophecy, he became obsessed with killing Harry Potter. He became his priority, and the Dark Lord delayed my sacrifice until he could complete his mission. That's why... that's why I was spared. If the Dark Lord had survived the First War, he would have used me to perform the ritual, and that would have completed everything he had done until then to become immortal."
"Everything he had done until then?" Dumbledore looked at her with total attention, without missing any detail of her gestures or her words. She shook her head, regretting her words, but still continued speaking.
"I don't know the details, he never revealed them to me. But I know he had put a lot of effort into making sure he would never die. I was simply the final piece of his work."
Dumbledore paced around the office, hands behind his back. As if by chance, he stopped in front of the display case where Griffindor's sword and Tom Riddle 's destroyed diary rested. Thoughtfully, he turned the ring with the broken stone in his blackened hand between his fingers.
"Is it possible that Voldemort will make that sacrifice in the future?" he asked, still looking at the display case. The Lady blinked and swallowed.
"Yes. As long as I live and keep my magic, that possibility will always be open."
Silence filled the office and Dumbledore exchanged a worried look with McGonagall. His face was thoughtful and reflected concern. Snape didn't say anything, but he looked paler than usual.
"But now you think that Vaitiare could be about to perform that spell?" both nodded. "Why?"
"Because of what Narcissa said. Only young girls are disappearing. The spell has no age limit, and if she sought to obtain magical power, she would choose adult wizards and witches, since magic is more powerful in them. But she only catches young, pretty girls. And for a veela, youth and beauty are the most important thing."
"Merlin," McGonagall whispered.
"I have seen it. I have seen the bathtub full of blood, and a dead girl. And the snakes have confirmed it's existence to me," the Lady insisted. "I know it is true, and that the ritual is in process. You can ask Potter if you don't believe me."
"Harry?"
"For some reason, he shares a bond with me. He is able to have the same visions as me."
Dumbledore returned to his desk, and rested his hands on the wood, thoughtful.
"Headmaster, you have seen how Vaitiare has controlled Fudge," Snape intervened. "She may have the entire Ministry under her control. That's why they don't investigate disappearances."
"Wasn't the Ministry in the hands of Voldemort?"
"In theory it is, but Vaitiare has taken control of a section of the Ministry. That is why no further efforts have been made to search for the girls."
"And Voldemort doesn't suspect anything? I thought you had warned him about what was happening," at that question, both of them shifted uncomfortably. Dumbledore looked at them over the top of his glasses, boring into them with his blue eyes. "What are you hiding?" his voice took on a dangerous tone, and it seemed that the light in the office suddenly dimmed.
McGonagall raised her wand, preparing to fight, and Snape also reached into his pocket, but the Lady stopped him, resting a hand on his arm.
"No," she whispered. "Tell him, Severus, it doesn't matter anymore."
"Tell me what?" the headmaster was still on guard, keeping his gaze fixed on them. Snape hesitated, turning to her with a doubtful expression.
"Please, there is no time. There is no point in continuing to hide it," the woman pleaded, her voice slightly trembling. "He won't believe me. Tell him the truth."
Finding himself trapped, but clearly against his wishes, Snape cleared his throat. He fixed his dark eyes on the headmaster's, forcing himself to confess what he did not want to tell.
"We think she has..." he hesitated. "She took our daughter."
The most absolute silence followed his words. Dumbledore sank back into his chair, taking in what he had just heard.
"Your daughter," he repeated, looking from one to the other. They both nodded, very serious. Again, silence filled the office.
McGonagall remained in stunned silence, trying to understand what she had just heard, while Dumbledore kept looking at them over his glasses, with a stony expression. The Lady became nervous under that scrutiny.
"Don't you believe us?"
"Yes, I believe you. It's simply a truth that I didn't expect to hear," Snape looked back at him, defiant but silent. "Can I ask about her name?"
After a second of hesitation, the Lady cleared her throat.
"Eily, her name is Eily. She is five years old."
"I imagine Voldemort is unaware of her existence," Dumbledore deduced, leaning on the back of the chair. "That is why you do not want him to be involved in the investigation of the disappearances, so that he does not discover her."
"That's right," Snape was still very serious, but he no longer seemed about to take out his wand. Dumbledore continued to watch them, with a bewildered expression. Finally, he addressed the Lady.
"I don't understand. You've been missing for sixteen years, and everyone assumed you were dead. You had a new life, and a little daughter. Why did you decide to come out? Why return to Voldemort's service? Knowing that he plans to sacrifice you to achieve immortality, it is suicide," the Lady maintained his gaze, but her lips outlined a grimace of bitterness. "Why did you get into this mess?" the headmaster looked questioningly at Snape, and he shrugged his shoulders.
"It was not voluntary."
"What do you mean by that?"
"It was because of Eily, she speaks Parseltongue. It was her the person the snakes found," the Lady murmured. Her expression revealed regret and anxiety. "We were playing, and I thought she was talking to me. When I realized the presence of the snakes it was already too late. The Dark Lord was informed within a few hours," the Lady rubbed her hands nervously. "We knew that it was useless to hide, because he would find us sooner or later, so we decided that the most sensible thing was for me to come into the light, to distract him from Eily's existence."
"How did you explain your absence?" although he had already discussed that with Snape, he wanted to confirm the story with her.
"I told him that I had lost consciousness after his defeat, that I had been plunged into a state of hibernation, and that his return had awakened me. He thinks our minds and our magic are linked, so he never doubted my word. What's more, it confirmed to him that I am not strong enough to pose a threat."
"And yet he is still interested in sacrificing you?"
"I am convinced of it. Again, he is waiting for the right moment," the Lady glanced at Snape out of the corner of her eye. "We think he wants to kill Harry Potter first, but maybe... if it's not that easy... he might decide to use my power to defeat him."
"And what is your plan in case something like this happens?"
The couple seemed nervous at the idea.
"We were thinking of faking her death," Snape confessed. "It already worked once."
"What if there is no time for it?"
"Then... we will fight. It's not just about the Lady's life, but her magic. The Dark Lord must never access to such power."
"You would lose your alibi, Severus."
"In a situation like that, my assistance as a spy would be of little use. Even you would have trouble facing him if he became stronger with the Lady's magic."
Dumbledore evaluated his words silently, drumming his fingers on the arms of his chair. Beside him, McGonagall also said nothing, observing the scene in silence.
"I thank you for your sincerity, and I hope that we never reach that situation. At least we now know what risks we face," Dumbledore rested his elbows on the table, joining his fingertips. His eyes were still just as penetrating, but he had relaxed the hardness of his gaze. "For now, we must focus on Vaitiare and the problem of the missing girls. If what you say is true, we face a race against time to find them. Do you think Vaitiare knows that Eily is your daughter?"
"It doesn't matter, how many girls do you think it takes to fill that bathtub? Nothing will stop her from sacrificing them all," Snape growled, irritated, and the Lady paled at that. "Vaitiare is not motivated by personal revenge, she only wants the power that the girls' blood will provide her. Whether or not she knows who Eily is doesn't change anything, that knowledge will only make her kill her sooner."
"I won't let that happen," Dumbledore promised.
"Are you sure about that?" asked the Lady, looking into his eyes. For the first time, the headmaster realized that he was not talking to a death eater and his mistress, but to two parents worried about their daughter's life.
"You have my word."
***
The creatures had cleaned the bathtub and the floor, leaving no trace of the contaminated blood.
Ginny watched from the corner, not moving. For now, she was being ignored, and that was a good thing, but her luck wouldn't last forever.
"I might be able to stain it again. I might spit or urinate."
"I don't think it will work again. They'll kill you to stop you from sabotaging them."
"But it could buy time for the others," Hermione didn't reply to that. Their options were very limited. "I wish I could go out like they do."
Ginny had seen how Fretzu went through one of the walls of the room, as if it were made of air. But she suspected that the exit must be protected by a spell, because the runes lit up every time he touched the wall. However, Ginny couldn't get closer, as she had been chained to the ground.
"They left the door open."
In their usual indifference, the captors had left her alone, and for the first time, they had not closed the door that led to the cave. But Ginny couldn't get out. However, another creature could.
Carefully, the young woman changed her position, releasing the stuffed seal, which she had hidden behind her back. For some reason, she had felt the urge to put it away before being chained. And from under the stuffed animal, the little snake stretched, hissing.
The animal had behaved very strangely and had not left her side since it had gotten out of the bathtub. Ginny didn't know what to think, but Hermione thought it might be Harry's doing. After all, he was a Parseltongue speaker. However, neither of them could communicate with the animal.
But now that the door was open, the snake seemed to have remembered its initial purpose, and coming out of its hiding place, it crawled towards the door, escaping from the room without anyone noticing it.
***
Narcissa Malfoy had locked herself in the library, surrounded by old newspapers and magazines.
No one noticed her, but the woman used that as an advantage. She could see and hear without attracting attention, and although people generally did not value her intellect, the truth was that the woman was aware of everything that was happening around her and was able to fill in the gaps that she didn't know.
She had realized very early on the strange relationship that existed between the Lady and Snape. The death eater's concern for her went beyond simple loyalty and devotion to his superior, and on at least a couple of occasions there had been physical contact between them that indicated a certain familiarity. Furthermore, although the Lady tried to hide it, the last nights she had not slept in her bed, and Narcissa had also noticed her frequent visits to the dungeons.
She had also noticed the growing concern that both of them had shown lately, and their unusual interest in the missing girls. The Lady's fight with Vaitiare had not gone unnoticed by the observant Mrs. Malfoy either.
Any other death eater would have relayed that information to the Dark Lord without hesitation, but Narcissa wasn't going to do it, at least not until the time was right. There was no use attacking those who were Lord Voldemort's favorites for the moment, and Snape could still be useful to help Lucius or Draco in the future. She preferred to use that information to help her family.
For the moment, Narcissa was content to observe in silence, focusing her efforts on finding out more about Vaitiare.
The veela also baffled her. She had heard that the Dark Lord was aware of her presence at Hogwarts, but Narcissa suspected that the veela had her own interests. And she would be an idiot to ignore that possibility.
"Mother? What are you doing?" Draco approached her table. "I was looking for you."
"Sorry, I wasn't hungry."
"It's already past dinner time."
"I couldn't sleep either."
"No one can," Draco sat next to her. "After what happened with Alecto..."
"Don't worry about that now. Severus will be in charge of breaking the news to the Dark Lord, not us."
Draco didn't seem convinced, but he didn't insist. He looked at the papers his mother had accumulated on the table.
"What is all this?"
"Stories of unsolved disappearances."
"But they are very old, what do they have to do with what is happening now?"
"They follow the same pattern, and the same type of victims."
"This news is more than a century old," Draco pointed out, reading one of the newspapers.
"Yes, and sometimes decades pass until the next disappearances, at least in England. It is difficult to trace disappearances in other countries."
"Who do you think is behind them? The Lady seems to be convinced that it is Vaitiare."
"I think she is right," Narcissa looked through the papers, thoughtful.
"But Vaitiare is very young, how is going to be her?" his mother looked at him with a shadow of mockery in her eyes, and he lowered his head, ashamed.
"You saw how she attacked the Lady today. She deflected her curse like it was nothing and made her retreat. That kind of power is not acquired overnight. There are few wizards who could match the Lady, and the veelas are not that powerful," Narcissa looked at her son, very serious. "Draco, I don't know what's going to happen, but Vaitiare is very dangerous. I'd like you to avoid her as much as possible and use Occlumency when she's around."
"Don't worry, I wouldn't like to feel her power again either."
"All the more reason to stay away from her."
Draco didn't respond, feeling like he didn't need his mother's warning to stay away from Vaitiare. After his last encounter with the veela, Draco was afraid of her.
"But mother, why are you looking for information about her?"
Narcissa looked around, making sure no one was close to them.
"It's for the Dark Lord," she whispered. "It has occurred to me that... if I gather enough evidence to prove that Vaitiare is a traitor and present it before Severus and the Lady... perhaps the Dark Lord will agree to grant us a favor."
"A favor?"
"Perhaps, if he is satisfied, the Dark Lord will agree to free your father," Narcissa fixed her eyes on the papers in front of her, to remain calm. Every time she thought about Lucius, she felt anguish rise in her throat.
"Do you think it will work?" Draco looked at her with a mixture of hope and fear.
"I don't know, but I have to try. We must do everything possible to bring him home."
"Can I help?"
Narcissa looked at her son and smiled tenderly, nodding. And together, mother and son continued studying the old documents, trying to find the slightest clue that would lead to the fall of Vaitiare and the release of Lucius.