Shadow & Love

22* Challenges

The bracelet tickled on Leonor's arm as usual when it became dark outside. The purpose of that was still not clear and Severus had been determined not to tell her anything except that she would understand one day. Leonor looked melancholic at the beautiful piece of jewellery, played reflectively with the charm on the necklace and then her gaze moved to a sleepy Eileen, but her thoughts were somewhere else.

Moments later, Leonor walked to the sales room of the apothecary and peered through the window. A few strange men patrolled the street and behaved odd that even an untrained witch or wizard hardly overlooked the Imperius Curse. The village lost most of the lively character and an awkward dark mood spread over houses and inhabitants, the uneasy situation difficult to miss even at a first glance after weeks. She removed the 'Closed' sign on the door and Aberforth Dumbledore exited the filthy tavern opposite the apothecary with a besom. He spotted Leonor at once. The windows of the Hog's Head Inn were covered with a thick layer of dirt and the sparse light inside appeared gloomier than ever. Leonor waved and forced a smile to her face while Aberforth crossed the street fleetly squeezing himself through the gap between Leonor and the door. The ill-tempered face studied her gravely.

"Had a good holiday?" he snarled disapprovingly.

"Yes," replied Leonor unsure of what came next.

"I believed you wittier than returning here after two months of absence." He pointed to another strange figure observing the apothecary thoroughly from the outside. The news about the re-opening spread certainly soon.

"It was always planned to return, Aberforth," said Leonor curtly without explaining any detail. The cottage was a beautiful place to live but with the Fidelius Charm in place it was impossible to work as a healer. It was a good retreat for her, Severus and Eileen if needed.

"Sure, you are so brave! Didn't it teach you a lesson that Snape returned to Hogwarts? We are in a war —" he raged.

"— keep quiet or do you want them to listen more closely?" Leonor gestured to the street and walked in the potion kitchen switching on the lights. The daylight faded quickly in September; the autumn spread its draughty wings and began to immerse Scotland in a permanent drizzle.

Aberforth followed and roared again, "Pomfrey and McGonagall are already cracked up after two weeks into the term. The Order is incapable of acting."

"I cannot just watch. I'm obliged to do at least something and have been away long enough," said Leonor matter-of-factly. Inwardly she hoped to help as much as possible despite Eileen and a new queasy feeling in her stomach that haunted her so often these days.

Aberforth grunted something about Snape and Death Eaters what she couldn't understand in detail.

"Some things are different than it seems," replied Leonor nervously and glanced upstairs.

And as if she'd guessed right, an anxious wail came from the upper floor. Eileen got through her first travel with the Floo Network unscathed, asleep and carefully concealed by Leonor's thick travelling cloak. No crumb of ash touched the little one, and she could have slept at least another hour before becoming hungry.

Leonor gave Aberforth an angry look and said, "Excellent, you woke her up."

Eileen cried louder, and Leonor left Aberforth dumbfounded on the ground floor.

The bell chimed again and then Leonor heard a familiar female voice. The little secret of being a fresh mother was about to be revealed and Leonor felt satisfaction and pride of doing so soon, despite all the gossip that followed and the warnings from Severus.

"Aberforth, is she back? I saw you running and then the lights went on."

The old grump gnashed the teeth, "She is."