Severus and Lily: The Snape Family

Chapter 45 - Turns

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"I beg your pardon?" Severus asked as he narrowed his eyes at the two men on his doorstep.

"You......you're under arrest, Minister Snape." Mr. Wigginshill repeated.

Silence fell between the three men as Severus narrowed his eyes at his two unwelcome visitors.

"Are you honestly telling me that you've come to take me from my home on bogus charges while my wife lies upstairs suffering.....dependent on me for her survival and comfort?" Severus glowered.

Mr. Cratching cowered while Mr. Wigginshill sniffed and replied, "The Ministry has enacted an order, Minister Snape. It is my duty as the Head of Magical Law enforcement to-"

"It is your duty, Mr. Wigginshill." Severus coldly snapped, ".....to act as a servant of the Ministry.....Apparently I have failed to anticipate the mutiny that's clearly occurred underneath my nose. Regardless, I have committed no such crime that you listed in your first statement. I care very little for who or how others may feel about whether or not I am guilty.........Rest assured, Mr. Wigginshill, I have no intention of leaving my home tonight."

"We must apprehend you, Minister." Mr. Wigginshill nodded as he took a step towards Severus, "Unless you'd like to add resisting arrest and disobeying a Ministry official to the list of your charges."

There was no chance of Severus allowing himself to acquiesce.

If he left, then who would take care of Lily?

A better question was who would he want to take care of Lily?

In Severus's eyes, no one was more qualified for that job than himself.

"I remain the Minister for Magic." Severus confidently reminded the two men, ".....At least for the night."

Mr. Wigginshill and Mr. Cratching both drew in deep breaths as Severus pulled his wand from his pocket and pointed it at them as he boldly declared, "I will not leave my house this evening.......That is not a wish, or a fool's yearning.......it is a simple, irrefutable fact. If either of you are under the impression that you can force me to do otherwise, you are welcome to come forward and challenge me. Before you do, however, I must.....beg you...to remember exactly who I am, what I have done, and what I am capable of when it comes to protecting my family."

"We'll add the two charges to the list, then, Minister Snape." Mr. Cratching replied as he and Mr. Wigginshill turned away.

Severus watched the two men walk down the steps that led to his house.

He frowned as they disapparated into the night.

In the distance, lightning crackled across the dark, velvet sky.

Severus's black robes billowed in the wind that blew past to warn of the coming storm.

The storm seemed insignificant.

His own arrest seemed insignificant.

If someone wanted him to move aside from his post as Minister that badly, then so be it, he would move.

Severus would gladly retire into obscurity, if that's what it took, to make sure that Lily stayed in his care.

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Mr. Cratching and Mr. Wigginshill compensated for their own professional failings by proudly informing the entire wizarding world that they had thoughtfully placed the Minister under house arrest, out of the generosity of their hearts, to allow him the privilege of looking after his ailing wife.