Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The Final Chapter

Ch.5 - All Too Quickly

There was a loud, sharp, ringing noise and I collapsed to the floor, squeezing my head and screaming. I couldn't hear myself.

I felt heat as a fire started beside me, Death Eaters swarming the place as the enchantments shattered; cracks came from all over the tent as people Disapparated in quick succession. Lupin and Tonks were yelling, and Ron, Harry and Hermione were reaching for me. Shade joined in, and Nova, Hawthorne and their kittens, whilst James and Jenny leapt in too. Snowy and Tobias were clutched in my arms tightly, but as soon as Hermione brushed my skin with her fingertips, there was a jerk behind my navel and we were propelled through distances too great to comprehend, and then we were in London.

"Where are we?" I heard Ron ask. My eyes snapped around like camera lenses, my breathing harsh as Shade tugged me along the pavement. "Tottenham Court Road. Walk- just walk-" Hermione replied, and we walked, reaching a shadowed alleyway. Harry was complaining about his Invisibility Cloak, but Hermione was murmuring things and it seemed to calm them down, handing around clothes and small items.

Shade dressed me, my ears still ringing, but I felt reality snap me back to life and I finished pulling on the jeans and shirt - my mate watched me with oblivious black eyes. Nova and Hawthorne were already dressed, and were sorting out what they were going to do with their kittens, James was soothing Olive, Jenny was standing closely to Harry with her grip clasped on his forearm, and Ron, Hermione and Harry were already moving on after casting an Undetectable charm on the five kittens.

We moved back to the streets, and I held onto my babies tighter until they whimpered for me to stop. Shade took Tobias, and I held his hand with Snowy curled in my opposite grasp. Hermione ranted on about where we could go, but as we passed a pub, a drunken fool stumbled out, "Al'righ', darlins'?" He yelled, opening his arms, beer splashing out of his glass. "Fancy a drink? Ditch ginger and toughy, and come 'n 'ave a pint!"

In a rapid decision, we all piled into an all-night cafe with lightly-greased tables, though it was as empty as my eyes. Jenny and Harry had reverted back to their usual appearances, and we began to discuss where to go and what to do. "Shadow, you okay?" Shade asked gently, and I nodded, the last of the ringing disappearing.

I sighed, but then I followed Harry's gaze to two large men that had entered the cafe. They made identical movements, and our wands all slipped from our pockets. Hermione was shoved sideways, and I stood up straight, "Expulso!" I shouted.

"Stupefy!"

"Petrificus Totalus!"

It was over in a matter of seconds, perhaps a minute. The two Death Eaters, I recognized within moments of exposing their faces. "Thornfinn Rowle and Dolohov." I muttered, watching Hermione remove their memories and the other clear up the place.

Jenny stepped behind Harry and they exchanged a small hug, and then he let her go and, after a debate - spurred on by Hermione after telling Ron where else he could stick his wand that wasn't his pocket - and a quick Apparation, we headed to Grimmauld Place. It was in our line of sight, and it was seemingly under no views other than our own.

We raced up the steps, and tapped the front door with a wand. Click, clack, clock, click, the door swing open and we hurried through the threshold, Hawthorne slamming it behind us.

The old-fashioned gas lamps lit up as we entered, all down the length of the hallway. It was as I had remembered - old house-elf heads mounted on the walls, casting strange, spiked shadows, and the long curtains draped over the portrait of Mrs Black. The only thing out of place, strange as it was, as the troll's stumped leg umbrella stand, which was on its side as if Tonks had only knocked it over yesterday.

"You said there were jinxes against Snape?" Jenny uttered, though her voice carried as if she'd shouted.

"Severus Snape?" Mad-Eye Moody's voice drifted out, sending shudders down our spines. I clutched Shade, and we grip our kittens. I saw Nova and Hawthorne do the same, James at their side too, Olive whimpering in his arms.

A cold air whooshed upwards towards us, and my tongue rolled backwards, making it impossible to speak, however it unraveled quickly, but before we could say any words, a looming, transparent figure started down the hallway. Its face was sunken, fleshless, and its long, ragged hair flew behind it - the eyes sockets were hollow and still, it was painfully familiar.

"No! It wasn't us! We didn't kill you-" Jenny screamed.

The ghost exploded in a smog of dust, but it settled. There was a screeching scream as Mrs Black awoke in her portrait, "Mudbloods, filth, stains of dishonour, taint of shame on the house of my fathers-!"

"SHUT UP!" Harry roared in fury, aiming his wand at the painting and blasting it. She fell silent, and her curtains slipped back over her face.

James let out a loud breath, "Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately, it kills all its pupils."

I smacked him.

* * *

The house was empty, except for Kreacher, who Harry sent off to find Mundungus Fletcher, realizing that the locket - the true Horcrux - had been stolen. Mr Weasley sent a Patronus too, saying: "Family safe. Do not reply. We are being watched."

Harry spent alot of time going through Sirius' things, and we found out that R.A.B. was Regulus Arcturus Black, Sirius' older, deceased brother. Hermione gathered and sorted information, Ron patrolled the house, clearing out a few things, Jenny kept close to Harry most of the time - she cried all the time and she cried at nothing - James had made up with Nova, and took care of Olive most of the days (three days down, and perhaps more to go), Hawthorne guarded the door and took care of Nova, Shade helped out with the clearing up and examined the attic where Jenny, James and I had spent the first twelve years of our life, I cooked and cared for the majority of people, and the five kittens gave the light to our lives in moments of need.

During the second day, two Death Eaters had appeared in front of number twelve and remained there well into the night, gazing at the house they could not see.

On the third evening, before Kreacher had returned, I had finished washing up and was slumped in the dining room, my head in my hands and Shade rubbing my back. Nova and Hawthorne were asleep in the corner, curled around one another with Kapok and Ivy nestled in their paws. James was laying on the floor somewhere, Olive tucked into his arms with a blanket wrapped around them both. Jenny was snuggled into the old armchair, and Harry had come downstairs, tucking a blanket around her and kissing her forehead. Snowy and Tobias were on her lap, sleeping soundly.

I lowered my head to the table, a small thud resonating throughout the kitchen. Harry sighed, and Shade gave me a long hug. "It's okay, Shadow." He murmured, and I gave a quiet groan.

I was exhausted.

However, I wasn't about to get any sleep. There was a tap at the door, the click, clack, clock, click of the door and then the grinding of the chain as the door swung open. Harry and I pulled out or wands whilst Shade growled by my side, his hand settled slightly on my waist, just in case. I felt it was a warming movement, and I sent him a soft look.

A cloaked figure edged into the house, closing the door behind them. They took a step forward, and the dust figure appeared, "Severus Snape?"

"It was not I who killed you, Albus." The jinx snapped, exploding the ghost and making it impossible to sense who it was. I couldn't smell them through all the dust, either.

We raised our wands.

"Don't move!"