Forever and Always Yours, SS [Book 3]

Chapter 99

Amilia scrubbed at a stain in Jordan's shirt when Severus arrived. She watched him walk to their bed, pull out a small suitcase, and begin tossing their daughter's belongings. Amilia's brows furrowed, and she set down the shirt, "Severus?"

"If there is anything that you want her to have, put it in the bag. Right now."

"What?"

Severus did not turn to look at her; he kept throwing things in the suitcase, minimizing what he could and loudly saying the extension charm on it.

"Now Amilia."

"Severus, what is wrong?"

Severus crossed the room, grabbed all the diapers and burp rags, and tossed them in the suitcase.

Jordan stirred in the crib, letting out a little cry causing him to pause before looking at Amilia.

There, in his eyes, Amilia could see his heart shattering into a million little pieces. "Severus?"

"Eric will be here in a few minutes."

"Eric?" Amilia was confused. "Do I need to come with you? Is he babysitting? Why are you packing her things?"

Severus grabbed the little board books and small trinkets they had gotten for their daughter and carefully wrapped them in one of his shirts. He glanced at the bed and snagged Amilia's nightgown, and wrapped a stuffed animal in it.

Amilia grabbed his arm and jerked him around to face her. "Tell me what is going on!"

Severus pulled his arm from her hands and picked up Jordan. "They are coming to Hogwarts."

"Who is?"

"The Death Eaters. Specifically the Carrow twins and Bellatrix and a few others."

Amilia stepped back, completely horrified.

"They are what?"

"Draco has completed the cabinet and now he must finish his task."

"Then why are they coming!?"

"To make sure he does the job and to show the world that Hogwarts is not safe."

Jordan rubbed her face on Severus's jacket before closing her eyes again.

"Where are we going?"

"We aren't going anywhere." Severus walked into the sitting room and handed Jordan to Eric, "she is."

Amilia and Severus stood outside the airport. Eric fiddled with the plane tickets and Jordan's suitcase. Amilia held her daughter tightly, much to the little ones' protests. "What are we waiting for?"

"Who, not what." Severus said quietly.

From the crowd, parents appeared with two haphazardly dressed and tired children.

"Kylie?" Amilia stepped forward. "Someone tell me what is going on right now."

Kylie looked at the ground, and Eric shifted his weight. "Severus came to us with a plan in case dark faces plans become more...well, more."

"Severus is this true?" Amilia stared at her husband. He nodded his head. "You didn't think it was a good idea to tell me!?"

"No."

"She is my daughter and you expect me to go along with you shipping her off to another country!? Without me!?"

"Yes!" Severus snapped. He took Jordan from Amilia and handed her to Kylie. "The moment you were forced back...is the moment I made this plan. Originally it was going to be the both of you...but she is safer without us right now."

"Without us?" Amilia's voice cracked.

Kylie handed Jordan back, "Yes love. I am fleeing my home...because I fear for my children's lives. You are in a far worse situation than we are."

Amilia clung to her baby as tears streamed down her face. "Severus no. We can't."

Severus hugged her. "We have to. She will be safe."

"No." Amilia buried her face in Jordan's hair. "We are going to miss her birthday! Her first birthday!"

Severus took out a pair of small scissors, clipped off a lock of hair, and shoved it in his pocket. He embraced his wife and daughter, making this moment a pleasant memory.

"Can I at least see her off?" reluctantly, he let go and nodded at Kylie, who then pried the little girl out of her mother's arms. Amilia held onto her little hand.

"You two should be able to go up to the gate and watch the plane depart." Eric checked his watch. "We need to get going."

"Where are you all staying?" Amilia asked.

Kylie, Marcus, and Eric looked at each other, "We aren't telling either of you."

"What? Why?"

"What will happen if you are tortured or given the Veritas Serum? We all would be exposed." Eric said a little too harshly.

Amilia looked at the ground, "I suppose you are right."

At the gate, they hugged one last time, and someone took a picture of the three on Marcus's disposable camera.

Amilia watched as Severus shoved a bag that sounded full of galleons into Eric's hands. Marcus took his son's hands, talking wildly about what it's like to fly so high in the air. Kylie held Jordan, who started to doze in her arms.

Amilia chewed her lip and pulled out the box the Malfoys had gifted Jordan; she opened it and stared at the pictures as they flashed by: Amilia in her gown on her doomed wedding day, Severus reading the paper in his office, Edgar flying just out of Jordan's reach, and the first family photo they had ever taken.

Amilia's heart was breaking as she walked up to her friend. "I want this back when you all come home." She placed the box in Kylie's purse. "Tell her that I love her. Everyday." Amilia reached out and gently stroked her daughter's hair.

"I will."

Severus touched her back, saying, "They need to get going."

Eric gave Amilia a look full of sadness and grief, "She will love it in America."

Amilia stared at him, unsure what to say, so she approached Kylie and Jordan again. "I will see you when this is all over. I love you, little one." She kissed the top of the little girl's head and backed away quickly.

"Eric, will you keep our daughter safe?" Severus asked calmly though the look in his eyes showed otherwise.

"Of course I will, my life depends on it."

"That it does." Severus said darkly.

"Will you keep Amilia safe?" Eric said sharply.

"I will die before anything happens to her." Severus growled.

Eric and Kylie nodded as their time to board was called. Amilia and Severus watched as passengers filed into the plane and as the plane taxied down the tarmac.

Severus kept his hand on the small of her back, but it trembled as she stood there, staring at where the plane once stood. Amilia watched the tears roll down her face in the reflection of the glass.