Redemption

42

Within the following weeks, Ella had instilled her reign of terror upon the school and its inhabitants. She had forced her way out of hiding, taking over at the highest possible level. She was running the whole show. McGonagall was powerless against her and Snape... He had disappointingly fallen victim to her charms.

I was forbidden to see him, not that I really wanted to. He had subsequently betrayed Hogwarts through his willingness to remarry and obey Ella's demands. I wasn't allowed to see Waverly either. I was hired as the new full-time Potions' teacher, seeing as Snape was too occupied to see to his duties. The new Headmistress kept him on a short leash, he was never out of her sight.

She wouldn't risk losing him again.

I could understand her logic behind it. He was a lot to lose.

A very stressed out Minky was ordered to send me up to the round office. I sighed, patted the elf's head, and made my way up. After muttering the password and stepping into the room, I was presented with a very dishevelled Ella. She wore nothing but baby blue lace undergarments, a satin robe hanging from her elbows. Her curls pushed back from her face haphazardly, cigarette in hand.

She sat in the tall wingback chair, draping herself over the armrests. "Ah, there you are, slave."

I rolled my eyes. "I am not your slave, Ella."

She smirked, taking a long drag. "You are absolutely right, Hermione. You are worth so much less."

I bit the inside of my cheek, it was everything I could fo not to rip her head off. She sneered, snapping her fingers for the house elf to return. Minky placed a martini glass in the witch's hand and scurried off. "Good, you're learning to keep your mouth shut. Wouldn't want to have to punish you again, would we?"

She pouted mockingly, a shrill laugh escaping her. After taking a sip of her drink, she placed it on the tabletop, sliding the filter between her lips as she pushed her hair from her face, securing it with a hair tie. "The reason I called you here," she started, flicking the ashes onto the floor. "is because I want you to help me steal Sev's fortune."

I swallowed thickly, shaking my head. Not this again.

She nodded, a wicked smile gracing her face. "Oh yes, little bird. Aphrodite tells me you were less than willing when she first addressed the thought. I may have a few suggestions that could change your mind."

She gestured for a man to come forward, my stomach churned. I didn't like this. He forced me into the chair before her desk, binding me to it with thick cables. There was a wand at my throat, a knife at my chest. "MacNair was the professional in getting information from captives during the war. You see, he is very skilled with a blade... Now, I suggest you listen carefully and do as I say, or I'll have him cut out that broken little heart of yours."

I shrugged. "I'll be of no use to you dead."

Ella smiled. "Sweetheart, you're nearly of no use to me alive." She replied. "I just need you to get me his money, angelface. Then, I'll kill you anyway. The last girl who tried to take my husband's attention from me was never heard from again. In fact, her entire family suffered the consequences. Poof! All gone, just like that. Byebye itty bitty baby Maddles."

I felt sick. "You're mad! He'll kill you if he finds out you were responsible for her death! You murdered three innocent people! A baby."

The flicker of a new idea danced across her features. "Speaking of babies, I'll kill yours if you don't do this for me."

I frowned, my heart pounding. I felt dizzy. "What baby?"

She pouted, coming around the desk to lean on it. "Oh, darling, you didn't know?" She twirled a loose curl around her finger. "Over the last 18 years of my life, I have been pregnant too many times to keep track. The symptoms and warning signs are second nature to me by now."

I was going to be sick. She was bluffing, she had to be. "I'm not..."

She nodded slowly, her martini refilling itself. "That little life growing inside of you is going to pay for your inaction, little bird."

My mind was racing. There was no way I was pregnant. I would have known, right? I tried to think back on the last few months... Things were starting to add up. Her theory made sense. I shook my head. I refused to believe it.

MacNair aimed the dagger at my abdomen, the wand at my neck jabbing me harder. "Now, I have a choice." Said Ella, tilted her head as she looked at me. "That baby has my Severus' DNA. I could choose to conserve it, keep it safe, raise it as my own after your 'untimely' death, or..." She slid her tongue over her teeth. "I could just kill you both and get this over with. But I won't do that. I need that money."

My heart was so heavy. It was hardly a fair choice. I learn that I am pregnant with the child of the man I adore, only to find out that I will most likely be murdered before I could ever meet them. "You're despicable." I spat, wincing at the wand pushing against my jugular.

She smiled brightly. "Aren't I?"

"Why don't you just get his money yourself? He'll do whatever you say." I asked. I was drained of energy. What was the point of it all? Either within a few minutes, or months, I would meet the same fate. It changed nothing.

She raised a hand, halting my speech. "I was wondering when you'd ask." She sauntered off to the hidden doorway behind the tapestry, returning moments later with a very robotic, zombie-like Severus. His eyes were glazed over, no longer sharp. She led him by the hand, standing him in front of me. "Sev, you know what I would love more than anything? The Prince fortune."

His head turned to her slowly. "Over my dead body, wench."

She smirked. "That's not nice, darling." She said, grabbing his face in her hand, talon-like nails digging into the skin. "What would you say if I killed your little girlfriend?" She forced him to look at me. Something pained flashed through onyx eyes, cutting through the hazy glaze momentarily.

He shook his head. "She means nothing." He replied, his voice breaking, as though he were obliged to speak the words.

She kissed his cheek, draping herself over him. "Don't lie to me, love."

He seemed to fight with himself a moment. "She is meaningless, useless." The words were pulled from his throat, strained and stressed.

A sob escaped me, tears running down my face. "Stop it!"

The blonde ignored me. "Would you give her your fortune?"

He snarled. "Only the true, male heir can inherit it. I can't, nor would, give it to anyone, you impudent harpy."

She nodded slowly, though she had obviously heard this too many time before. "Ah, I see. Wizards and their archaic rules. So, if your pretty little apprentice were to have a baby boy, she would have access?"

He rolled his eyes. "I will not ever willingly put her in that circumstance, you detestable creature."

The witch tucked away a stray hair behind his ear. "Oh, Sevvie, baby. You're so sweet, but you see, it's too late. You already knocked her up. Oops."

I leaned my head back in the chair, sliding my eyes shut. "What have you done to him?" I whispered, practically begging for an answer.

The demonic face of the Mitchell woman came into my line of sight and my opened my heavy eyes. "He may possibly, perhaps, be very drugged into submission. He's strong, I'll give him that. Not strong enough. Sorry, sweetpea. I win."

Severus lunged at her, but he was too weak to actually cause any damage. Ella grabbed his sleeve and dragged him away, leaving MacNair with orders to keep me in one of the dungeons. He was not to kill me, yet. They would wait.

I woke up screaming.