Buried History

Chapter 28 Dreams and Polyjuice

Mae awoke with a start early Wednesday morning.

Realizing she was alone, she slowed her breathing and attempted to clear her mind.

It was but a dream. A really nasty dream. Only a nightmare.

Not nightmare, distant memory. She had tried to push from her mind.

Mae left her sister's quarters and ran all the way up the stairs. The redheaded woman crossed the hall and knocked fervently on the Severus' chamber door.

A few moments passed until he opened it, coming face to face with the woman's terrified face.

She was still in her navy blue nightgown, her hair a tangled mess of curls.

"Miss Barron, what seems to be the problem?" The man asked curiously.

Mae scratched her head and took a deep breath. "May I speak to my sister, please? It's rather important."

Skeptical, Severus decided it be worth investigating further. He didn't trust her.

"I am quite certain that I could be of assistance to you, Eliza is still asleep and needs her rest to recover properly." He spoke quietly, yet sternly.

Mae rolled her eyes. "I don't think you understand! I dreamt of an awful memory from our past. The last time it happened, terrible events took place."

"Explain." Snape demanded.

The woman took a deep breath. "I dreamt of a terrible memory the night before our mother died, and then again when Eliza was beaten by a gang of drunken men, when she got pregnant, when a mysterious letter mentioned she had to be careful working here or they'd find her and the night before the Dark Lord tortured her through her Dark Mark."

Severus frowned, his mind stirring. "How do you know all of that happened? Eliza said she hadn't spoken to you since she left Hogwarts, 17 years ago."

Mae swallowed thickly and the man caught on. She had revealed something she shouldn't have.

"I don't know what you're up to, but whatever it is, I want you to leave Eliza out of it. And if I see you trying to wake her or spoil her day, you will wish you'd have never come back to Hogwarts." Severus threatened, his voice low sending goosebumps up Mae's arms.

"Are you threatening me?" Her eyes flashed dangerously.

Snape arched an eyebrow and his eyes turned hard and cold. He backed away into the room and closed the door.

"Dammit."

***
Draco,
Your father has taken ill worrying about you. He has tried to neutralize the situation you've cause, to no avail. You are in danger, my son. Go speak to Severus if you need help, even though he is part of the problem. You're his godson, he would do anything to help. Please be careful, darling. If you need anything, I'm only a letter away.
Love, mum.

Draco hastily hid the letter in his pocket as the Quidditch team came towards him.

Garrett sneered at the blond boy. "What have you, Malfoy? Letter from mum?"

The others snickered, and started to whisper to each other. Muffled laughing could be heard. What was going on?

"So what, Bornean? It's none of your business. At least my parents send me letters!" Draco spat back.

The whole team held their breath in anticipation.

"Grow up, Malfoy." Garrett said, taking a hand through his hair. "I'm not here to start something. I'm here to practice for our big game tomorrow. Understood?"

Draco nodded curtly and sneered at the Captain. He envied him so. In his eyes, Garrett had a perfect life. If only he knew.

***
"Severus?" A sleepy voice called out from the bedroom. "Severus, are you there?"

The man hurried from the kitchen, his robes billowing around him dramatically.

"I'm right here, Liezar." He cooed, sitting next to her on his bed. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple.

The woman looked confused. "I had such a strange dream." She frowned, her eyebrows creasing together as she thought. Eliza absentmindedly rubbed the side of her swollen belly where she had received a small kick.

"What happened in your dream?" Severus inquired.

Eliza sighed. "There was a little girl who ran into a shop. She wanted to explore the shop and learn. Then, she saw a woman and a man. The woman tripped on the man's cloak and he caught her." She frowned in concentration. "Then, the scene shifted. The girl was older, she was guiding first years to their dorms. It shifted again, and then I saw you, me and Garrett in a mirror. Perhaps the mirror of Erised. The girl was crying, but she was smiling."

Suddenly, tears started flowing from the woman's eyes. "Oh, Severus I think it was our daughter!"

"Shh. It's alright, don't cry. It's alright." The Dark Arts professor swiftly maneuvered her body onto his lap and held her tightly against his chest. "It was just a dream." He whispered. Though, he wasn't quite sure himself. "Just a dream."

***

"I got it."

Hermione and Ron's eyes widened.

"Merlin's beard! Harry, how'd you manage?" Hermione asked excitedly.

Harry handed over a small vial containing a few ebony hairs. "It was difficult, but I managed."

"I'll put them in the potion right away." Hermione nearly squealed in excitement. She was so eager to have this part of their plan over with.

Harry smiled, but he was very nervous. Internally, he was shaking from head to toe. This wasn't going to be easy.

How was he going to pull this off?

Hermione stirred the potion one last time, before pouring it into a phial, stoppering it and handing it to the boy with the lightning scar.

"Keep it hidden." She said. "The plan is to be executed tonight after supper. Don't be nervous about it and don't let her into your head."

Harry nodded and Ron clapped him on the back. "Good luck, mate. Say, who's hair did you get anyway?"