It Rains

The Noel Family

"Severus, it is only because I trust your judgement that I am allowing this". - Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, his hands clasped, resting on a gleaming silvery cloth. – "I will not ask any questions, as you have requested; I am just expecting the Invisibility Cloak to be returned to its owner as soon as possible".

"So it shall be, headmaster".

He grabbed the cloak, folding it carefully and bowed to Dumbledore.

"Thank you".

"Be careful. Whatever you are planning to do, just be careful".

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"Are you sure it will work?" - Laurel asked, her face marvelling at the cloak she held in her hands, more than fabric, it seemed to be made of liquid silver.

"We won't know if you don't try it on". - Severus said, taking the cloak and covering the woman's body from head to toe. A satisfied gesture appearing on him immediately. – "Look in the mirror".

Laurel turned to the mirror in the room, but it took a while for her brain to understand that there was no reflection staring back at her. She squinted her eyes in disbelief, thinking there may be something wrong with her vision.

"This is unbelievable!" – She said as she removed the cloak from her head, shocked to see it floating in mid-air, no body to support it. She turned to look at the wizard. – "How?"

"A Cloak of Invisibility". – He said, approaching her. - "They are quite rare, but this one is very special. It caught the attention of one of the brightest minds of our times, he has examined it and concluded that it is unique. I thought it may work on you. I was right".

"So? The Dark Lord has given it to you?" – She asked pulling it off and raising an eyebrow curiously.

"No." – He said with a smirk. - "The other brightest mind of our time."

"Dumbledore? Does he know...?"

"Don't ask any questions, Laurel. Please".

She closed her mouth and nodded. Her curiosity was not as strong as her desire to see her family. What difference would it make if Dumbledore knew of her existence? At that moment she cared little for him. Severus was keeping his word and that was all that matters to her now.

Outside everything was dark, it was still a couple of hours before dawn, but they were already prepared to execute the carefully prepared plan. Severus would leave the manor as he always did every early morning, but this time he would be accompanied by the Akardos, glued to him like a shadow, hidden under the invisibility cloak. That night, Pettigrew oversaw the guard at the foyer, and he expected to find him dozing in his post as usual. After passing through the gates, they had to walk a long way until they were well hidden among the hills, and from there, they would fly north to Hackleton.

She was already wearing the Muggle garbs Severus had provided: black trousers, a thick sweater, a long winter coat, scarf, gloves, and a wool hat. He had cast a spell on them to provide her with extra warmth since the height and the frozen wind they will fly against will surely make her ill.

"I will be with you every step of the way. Be brave". - Severus whispered as he slung his satchel over the shoulder and made sure with a last glance that the cloak covered the woman's body completely.

Laurel's nerves were on edge as she set foot outside the suite in which she had been locked up for the past four months. The long corridor was completely alien to her and remembering that she had been taken to the chambers in a state of total shock, the ghost of the terrible pain left by Bellatrix's lashing pierced her back. She took a deep breath and followed Severus as silently as possible as he walked to the wide staircase at the end of the corridor. Every little shadow that crossed their path resembled Bellatrix, Greyback or the hooded figure of the Dark Lord.