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Tel Lindar 35 The Scent of an Uruk-hai or A MidWinter Night’s Squalling

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***

"Severus, I'm not too sure about this!" Bronwyn stood with the Potions Master in front of his fireplace. She was wearing all black and had a short sword and knives strapped to her. Discreetly tucked into her back waistband was the small, tattered teddy-bear that normally sat on her mantle. Amadeus stood at her side, looking equally dubious. "Does anyone know these people?"

The Wizard scowled for two reasons. One, that she even questioned him, but she did that and one would think that she should know better, or he should be used to it. Second, she echoed his own sentiment. That was beyond disturbing.

"No, they are Muggles, but by all reports, they are gone for the holidays." He scowled at Amadeus. “Where is his leash and what is that ridiculous thing stuffed in your trousers?”

"He cannot protect me if he is leashed!" Bronwyn hissed. "It’s my teddy and whose reports?"

"The Aurors," Severus hissed back. "Several checked-"

"Do you mean to tell me that Wizards," Bronwyn was still hissing, as if she were afraid of being overheard in Severus' own private chambers, "have been canvassing my neighborhood, knocking on doors, ‘Excuse me, but are you home? We need your fireplace to Floo one of our teachers-’"

"Do not be asinine." Severus picked up a handful of Floo powder. "Albus could not procure a Portkey quickly enough without raising the eyebrows of Wizards and Witches we would rather not garner the attention of."

"Why are you whispering?"

Severus' eyebrows knit together in anger. "Why are you?"

"Because you are! Hey!" Bronwyn reared up. "I asked first!"

"Are you ready?"

Despite Severus' bravado, he was worried. Bronwyn had come to the same conclusion as he when told where they would be going, and this worried him immensely.

A Muggle home. True, it was close to Bronwyn's Welsh cottage - only a few minutes walk, he had been told, but still, a Muggle home.

Granted, he had been assured that Aurors had checked the place out, had thoroughly been assured that the owners had taken their annual Christmas hols to Paris.

Still...

Nodding to Amadeus, the wolf stepped into the cavern as Severus threw the Floo powder into the fireplace, shoving Bronwyn forward and stating clearly, "Orwen Dafydd."

***

He was first aware of running into her as he stepped through the fireplace.

He was secondly aware of screaming.

Not hers.

Bodily, Severus lifted Bronwyn, setting her to the side. He could feel the unusual snake wrapped around her upper arm under her sleeve. The screaming was continuing and he looked to see a young man and woman completely naked on the rug in front of them. The wretched high-pitched noise was coming from the young man's mouth.

"Stop that, caterwauling," Severus demanded. "You sound worse than a girl."

It didn't help. If anything, it got worse. With a roll of his eyes, Severus pulled his wand and pointed at the young man. "Silencio." The high-pitched screeching immediately stopped, the young man's mouth still hanging agape.

"I thought," Bronwyn had sidled up to Severus and was whispering loudly in his ear, "you said this place was uninhabited, that the residents were out of the country?"

The girl had managed to grab part of the rug and attempted to cover herself, wide-eyed and in shock. Severus pointed his wand at her. "What is your name?"

"Ma... ma... Maggie."

Severus smiled. It wasn't reassuring. "Hello, Maggie," he crooned softly. "Who lives here? You or the Opera Singer to your left?"

She nodded to her left at the silent young man. "George."

Severus squatted down, pulling more of the rug up so the young woman could cover herself better. "I suppose George's parents own this lovely abode?"

"Y...y... yes."

Amadeus materialized from behind a chair, dragging a blanket. He dropped it next to the young woman, who snatched it and covered herself, not paying attention to where it had come from.

"And while they were gone to the Continent, the two of you decided to enjoy the quietness of the country."

"Y...y... yes..."

"Romantic, is it not?"

Maggie's jaw flapped several times.

"Immobulus."

Maggie froze and Severus looked once at the young man before dismissing him.

"Severus?" Bronwyn's voice broke the silence. "We can't leave them here like this. Muggles and wolves don't just jump out of the fireplace."

"I cannot Obliviate them. It is too permanent a condition.” He scowled, knitting his eyebrows to a point over his prominent nose. “I suppose I’ll have to do a memory modification-”

“Memory modification?”

Severus smiled nastily. “Must you repeat every thing I say?”

Bronwyn was totally unrepentant, settling back on one hip, with her arms crossed. “Fine. Whatever you say. I simply want it to be known that I did not agree with this particular plan of action. I would have been happy riding out with the rest of my kin on one of the Eagles.” She looked at Maggie and George. “I’m terribly sorry about this. I promise, he won’t harm you, you won’t feel a thing, and you’ll feel much better in the morning.” She turned, thought twice and turned back. “Is there a back door?” Maggie nodded negatively. “Well, damn.” Bronwyn headed off towards the door. “I’m going to wait outside, as I don’t particularly care to watch this. Will you be long?”

Severus had pinned George with a steely gaze. “No, I will not be long. Bronwyn?” He raised a single long finger in Bronwyn’s direction, never taking his eyes off the obviously terrified young man, “Do not wander. I will not search for you.”

Bronwyn saluted and after peeking through the window by the front door, turned off the porch light and silently slid through the front door, Amadeus following behind.

As the door clicked shut, Severus took in the twosome sprawled in front of him. “Oh, who to do first?”

***
Ah, She's a brick
house
Mighty, mighty mighty
Just lettin' it all hang out

She’s a Brick House
Lionel Richie
***

While only ten minutes went by, to Bronwyn it seemed as if hours passed before Severus made his way from the little cottage. Truth was, she didn’t see him, until he was well away from the home, almost at her side. No lights, heavy cloud cover; the man was stealthy and well camouflaged by the night colors he wore so well.

“Do you recognize the surroundings?”

Bronwyn jumped slightly, not expecting him to speak. “Ye— yeah.” She pointed behind the house. “My cottage is a few homes down. In fact, if we go into the back yard, we can make our way down the tree line and rendezvous with the rest in the very back of my yard.” She left off ‘where we materialized this past summer.’

They made their way down the hedgerow, dried, deadish, thorny things that Bronwyn knew would no doubt bloom gloriously in the spring. “I suppose we will be finding an alternate way home?”

Severus held her tightly by the elbow, stopping their flight as they reached the back corner. “No.” He turned her slightly. “If you stay very quiet, you should be able to see the show.” She saw the glow of his grin as the front door of the home they had just invaded flew open with a ‘crack.’

“YOU WHORESON! YOU SON OF A BITCH!”

“But, darlin-”

“Don’t you ‘darling’ me!” Maggie came into view; more heard than seen. “Take me home!”

George followed, a shadow, barely dressed. “But Mags, that will take hours! Come on back in, we’ll talk this out!”

“If you don’t take me home now, I will hitchhike!”

Severus and Bronwyn watched for several minutes before George finally broke down and did as she demanded. “What did you do?” Bronwyn sputtered.

“Oh,” Severus had her by the elbow and began to pull her towards her home, “I modified their memories.” They slipped around the back of the hedges and moved across the neighboring yard, sticking close to the trees.

“No shite, Sherlock! Try me, again.”

They crept along the back, entering her own yard, Severus’ wand out, waving intricate patterns in the air. His nose went up. “Hmm. Just as I suspected. This will take a while. Keep an eye out for your family and that Glory-Elf. Tell them, they need to be very quiet.”

“厂蝉蝉蝉别惫别谤耻蝉蝉蝉蝉!”

“I-” his brow was knitted in concentration and a soft breeze was blowing through his ebony locks, “-planted a slightly incorrect memory in her mind.” His wand continued to weave, unknot...

“础苍诲?”

“Bronwyn, your house has been wrapped with some of the nastiest dark wards I have ever used and some I did not. If I am not careful, the damage will be severe.” He nodded once. “That is one.” With his wand and nose still raised, he turned slightly in order to look at her. “He called her by another’s name. The home should be free of hormonal young people who are in a mating frenzy so when we are through here, we may use the Floo in peace.”

Amadeus sat down with an audible ‘plop’, disgust clearly written on his lupine face.

“Do not look at me like that. I set it so the memory will fade and in time, she will forgive and forget.” Severus moved to the left, his wand again weaving in the air.

Bronwyn slid into the shadows, listening to and finally hearing the flap of great wings. While she was otherwise occupied, Severus whispered to her companion. “Do not let her out of your sight. Make her your sole responsibility.”

*As if I needed you to tell me that?*

Before long, familiar pointed ears emerged from the foggy line.

“Thirty eight thousand years and one does not forget that stench.” Glorfindel’s beautiful features were pinched, Elrond’s sons matching it.

“What stench?”

“Mama?” Faeowynne was starting to recoil. “Can’t you smell it?”

“Smell what?” Bronwyn lifted her nose into the salty air. “I smell sea salt and sand...”

Elrohir raised his hand to hush them all. “She is human, m’aelamin. She cannot smell it.”

“Smell what?” Bronwyn was getting angry and the wolf at her side was bristling, growling low.

“Orcs, tithen aras.” Glorfindel nodded towards her home. “There are Orcs in that house.”

Bronwyn’s head jerked towards Severus, his wand still weaving and his eyes closed in concentration. “You said wards you did not set...”

“Merlin’s beard. She listens.” He lifted his head. “Ah, there goes another.”

Bronwyn popped the catches on her knife holster. “Screw the wards! That thing has been in my house!” She pushed forward, towards the house. She was stopped by a painfully tight grip on her arm.

“I would not do that.” Severus’ eyes glowed almost elf-like in the darkness.

“I said, screw-”

“You would not survive the wards, Bronwyn.” His hand squeezed tighter and she finally gasped and caved in. He turned her loose, with no intention of apologizing for the bruise he knew she would have the next morning. “As I stated, there are some that have been put up are some I would not even use. You are not meant to go into that house, alive.” Severus pointed his wand back towards the house. “Do not make me repeat myself again.”

Elran walked up behind his grandmother and enfolded her in a gentle embrace. He hated the way the Wizard treated Bronwyn, but realized that the man had probably saved her life. Still, he could have been a bit kinder. “How long is this going to take?”

“As long as I need.”

It took an hour, Severus carefully unweaving tight knots and spells. At some point, he cast a slight warming spell around Bronwyn, just enough to keep her teeth from chattering and her lips from turning blue. The twins and Glorfindel took turns standing close to her, keeping her body heat up, while Faeowynne and Amadeus kept a silent reconnaissance around the house. Once, Bronwyn could have sworn she saw a giant Eagle circling in the sky, but before she could ask, Severus lowered his wand and exhaled. “There. Stay here.” He crept towards the house, and circled it, his wand waving around the doorways and windows. As he came back, his eyebrows were knitted together in thought. “You have fought Orcs before?”

“Uma. Would you like to-”

Severus shook his head, waving her off with his hand. “There is a faint smell around the windows, but there are no more wards outside. That does not mean there aren’t any wards inside. I will go in first.”

Glorfindel was not having any of that.

“Excuse me, but if you have no experience-”

“Listen to me, you poncy Elf,” Severus cut him off, “I do not particularly care how many Bellrags you-”

“Balrogs!” This was hissed from several voices.

“- have slain or the number of Orcs and other beasties of the past you have laid low or women you have slept with -”

Bronwyn’s hand went over the Wizard’s mouth, cutting short his tirade. “Glorfindel, a Wizard with an attitude so bad he makes Severus look like the tooth fairy warded this house so tightly, no one would survive the door. Ilúvatar only knows what he has done to the inside.” All were in shock, including Severus, that she had defended him. She laid her hand on the Wizard’s arm. “You’ve been in the house, you know the layout. They hate light. If you Lumos the place brightly enough, it will blind them.”

Severus nodded in acknowledgment, before turning towards the house. With a well-practiced shrug, his long, heavy cloak slid from his shoulders to the ground. He heard her whisper in the wind.

“Come, come, come my darlings, come to Beavis...”

Snape shook his head, wondering at the strange incantation she used to call her knives. He reached the enclave of the back door, refusing to remember the night the two had come here before. He pointed his wand at the lock, whispering the spell. As the door swung open, the dank smell of decay and rot assailed his nostrils and taking a deep breath of clean air, he kicked the door open, his wand out.

“尝鲍惭翱厂!”

Light infused the house, the kitchen as bright as a carnival. There was a high - pitched screech as a creature flung itself at the Wizard. The Avada Kedavra was out of his mouth faster than he thought possible and the Orc fell at his feet. He stepped over the body; there would be time enough later to examine the creature. He sensed more than felt several of the Elves follow in behind him.

“叠谤辞苍飞测苍?”

“Behind you.” She pointed with a knife. “If you can-”

Knowing already what she wanted, he pointed through the kitchen into the living area at the front door. “Alohamora.” The door clicked and Elves flew through it, to...

Nothing.

“One?” Glorfindel stepped through the door into the kitchen, looking at the lone Orc sprawled lifeless in the floor. “This place stinks too much to only have one.” He stepped back into the living area.

“It smells like Moria.” Bronwyn was looking around, fear evident on her face.

Orophin’s face softened. He strode over and cupped her face with his hands. “To you, it would.” He grinned at her and moved into the living area, leaving Severus and herself alone in the kitchen.

Her knives were singing, had literally slung themselves into her hands and every hair on the back of her neck was raised.

“There are more here.”

“I know, Bronwyn.” Severus was looking, throwing open cabinet doors, slinging open the refrigerator, to nothing. He could see the Elves in the other area of the house, milling about, looking behind...

Amadeus was bristled, growling low, sniffing at everything. He finally sat down, threw his head back and began to howl.

“Must you do that?”

He continued to bay.

*This is not right!*

He stopped, to breath, glaring at the Wizard, when, looking at the ceiling, his eyes opened wide. The wolf resumed his growling, yipping and snapping.

“Amaday-” Bronwyn slowly looked up to the rafters in her kitchen.

Nothing.

“-耻蝉?”

There... a shimmer... a movement...

“Holy fu- Shite!” Bronwyn slung her knives upwards, the wicked things embedding into something soft that blended in with the whitewash of the ceiling. As it - and they - fell, colors fused and an Orc fell to the floor, writhing in agony. Severus stared in wonderment - or was it shock - as the knives flew back to her hands. She flung again, blood splattering and the thing at her feet gurgling his last breath.

“They’re camouflaged! Chameleons!”

Severus was grabbed from behind, fetid breath wafting around him, the stench over-powering. Before the knife could slash across his throat, her mutt slung himself at the Orc, teeth sinking into its arm. As it tried to fling the wolf off, Severus turned with his wand, felling it with the killing curse.

He saw from his side vision Bronwyn heaving her knives sideways, in opposing directions, one embedding itself in an Orc squatting in her window, the other, rushing from the small pantry on the opposing side. Severus pointed his wand at the nearest, as Bronwyn cast her knives at the other.

For what seemed a long time, yet in slow motion, the sounds of combat in close quarters was overwhelming. Orcs materialized from hidden, dark places. For a time, there was nothing but sounds of fighting, growling, screeching. Several times, Severus saw Bronwyn’s knives zinging, flying with an aim, a purpose. There was a pounding on the stairs, as Elves - and most likely Orcs, thundered up and from the second floor. Amadeus was a white blur, growling and snapping at what looked like empty air, but evidently was not. As time went, the sounds of battle diminished, members of the party calling out, seeing who had been harmed. Bronwyn was breathing hard, her adrenaline up, when she began calling.

“贵补别辞飞测苍苍别?”

“Fine! So is Elran.”

“I swear, you do not know your child from lover! Faeowynne and Elrohir are fine... Elladan?”

“Upstairs with Rumil... Orophin?”

“Damn it!” A door slammed. “One was hiding in the bath! I have been cut.”

“Shite.” Bronwyn moved into the living area, stepping over bodies. “Bad?”

“N’uma. Just... stings-”

“Where are Eilahan and Glorfindel?”

The two came in from her garage, dusting the other off. “Did we get them all?”

Bronwyn was making a physical check of all the Elves, not paying attention to the wolf and Wizard behind her. Severus was quietly pointing his wand at each Orc and whispering, the body disappearing in a puff of smoke. “Orophin says he’s been cut, but I haven’t seen him-” Those that had been upstairs were coming down. Orophin was inspecting his arm, blood dripping.

“The blade might have been poisoned. It stings-” The Elf was scowling, looking more like his deceased brother by the moment.

One of the twins pulled the Lorien Elf to the side and began to inspect his arm. “Bronwyn, do you have a clean cloth? Some soap, perhaps?” He continued to roll the sleeve up, revealing a strong, sinewy forearm. “I have an ointment, but this must be cleaned first.”

Bronwyn stuck her nose around the taller Elf. “Upstairs. Are you sure you got them all?”

There were nods and “Uma’s,” no one really paying attention to her. Checking again to make sure that the Elf didn’t need stitches, she made her way up the stairs and into the back, in the bathroom.

She had to step over a few bodies and she called down to Severus to tell them she was thoroughly disgusted by the knowledge that her home had been a haven for Orc sex. She went into the well lit water closet, making a beeline for the small pantry, removing a face cloth. She looked around quickly, the blood making her stomach feel squirrelly. She was heaving by the time she reached the sink, her stomach protesting the only way it knew how. Somehow, between retches, she managed to turn the water on, the contents of her stomach being washed down the ancient drain as fast she was expelling it. As she came up for air, she focused on her reflection in the aging mirror, seeing her ragged face, her eyes watering from the exertion of her body’s expulsion. Bronwyn’s head ached from the vomiting and sensing she was done, she opened the cabinet to remove a stomach settling tablet she knew was in the corner. It took a moment, but she finally found the bottle and popping two into her mouth, she replaced the bottle and shut the cabinet door.

Only to see the reflection of an Uruk-hai standing behind her.

Bronwyn didn’t have time to scream, nor time to pull her knives, before the thing was upon her, one huge paw wrapped around her throat. She was slammed against the wall, the Orc’s thumb pressed to her windpipe and two fingers rammed down her throat.

“Bitch,” it had a foul, loathsome breath and he lifted her off the floor. “You die.”

Amadeus’ head jerked up.

*She has gone cold-*

Severus felt the temperature in the room drop suddenly, as if someone had opened the door to a blizzard. The Elves were immune or didn’t notice and he heard, no, felt the growing fear in his chest, could hear her gasping for breath that didn’t come in his head.

Bronwyn’s legs were kicking feebly against the wall, both of her hands wrapped around one giant wrist of the thing. She bit him, repeatedly, but he only grinned and she could taste his blood as it trickled down her throat.

Both wolf and Wizard ran towards the stairs at the same time, Severus throwing Glorfindel to the side to move him. Amadeus was ahead of him, a white streak, who began growling as he reached the landing. He bounded over two bodies, barreling into the slightly ajar door. Severus followed, his wand out, brandished, and he heard, as he rounded the landing, a faint thumping against the wall.

As Amadeus burst into the door, he could see the thing had the Bard raised from the floor and pinned to the wall. Her familiar collided into it, his jaws clamping under its armpit, forcing him to drop her. Bronwyn plummeted to the floor, color returning to her face, forced air wheezing audibly over the din of Elves now storming the second floor behind him.

Uruk-hai and beast were now tussling on the floor, an Orc blade flashed and somewhere in the grit of the battle, Severus heard a pained yelp. Without hesitation, he rushed the pair on the floor, grabbing Amadeus by the collar and flinging him back towards Bronwyn. At the same time, one of her knives flew, embedding itself in the Uruk-hai’s belly. Severus, with his wand now pointed at the monster on the floor, bellowed over the maelstrom of thundering Elves behind him, “Do not sling them again!” Several arrows were nocked and pointed at the thing on the bloodied floor and Severus used his free hand to wave them back. The creak of a bowstring was heard and Severus’ temper was nearly lost. “I want him alive, fools!”

The Uruk-hai rushed the Wizard, in an attempt to grab him by the legs. Severus stepped back, into the first line of Elves.

“颁谤耻肠颈辞!”

With a gasp, the creature fell, dropping his weapon, his body contorting and his breath coming in a high pitched gasp.

“颁谤耻肠颈辞!”

It slid backwards, into the bathtub, banging painfully into it.

“颁谤耻肠颈辞!”

It was now wavering on the brink of unconsciousness. One of the Elves whispered, “Damn,” and Severus decided it was one of Elrond’s sons; only they had picked up Earth’s rather gauche terms. With his free hand, he reached into his pocket and pulling out the desired bottle, he held it out to no one in particular. Popping the stopper with his thumb, he nodded towards it, “Someone pour this in its mouth.”

Faeowynne took it and kneeling down next to the Uruk-hai, began to pour the contents into its gaping maw. “What is it?”

“It is an Uruk-hai, mother. Even we-”

“I know it’s an Uruk-hai; what am I pouring down his throat?”

Severus was now hovering over the two. “Stroke his throat. Make sure he swallows.” Faeowynne glared upwards at the commanding Wizard, but complied. Severus’ body temperature was beginning to rise from the numbing coldness he had just experienced and he looked in Bronwyn’s direction.

She had a bloodied wolf in her lap, hands searching for the gash. Amadeus’ fur was matted, dank with gore and he was whining softly. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” Her voice was raspy. “My throat is sore, but I’ll be okay.” She looked up, eyes anguished. “Amadeus is hurt. He has a gash-”

Severus turned the other way, nodding to an unidentified twin behind him. With a nod, the Elf moved to Bronwyn’s lap and began to tend the wolf. Bronwyn’s daughter had tipped the last drop of the potion into the deformed creature’s mouth and had looked back up at Severus. “What did I just pour down its throat?”

Severus held his wand tightly in his grasp and motioning her to move, knelt down next to the fallen Uruk-hai. “Veritaserum.”

“奥丑补迟?”

“Truth serum.” Collective gasps rose from the group. “Perhaps we can cut this search short.” With a smack, he roused the creature. Eyes the color of mud focused on the Wizard and deep down, Severus knew he did not have much time. Bronwyn’s single knife was embedded in the thing’s belly and it was buried to the hilt. Knowing what they opened up to, Severus had no doubt its injuries would quickly cause its demise. With his wand pointed at his face, Severus asked, “Can you hear me?”

It stared, contortions on its features.

“Do not fight it, it will make your passing more painful.”

“I... am not afraid of pain.” The ‘p’ was spat.

“Good, for you shall have plenty of it. Do not fight the serum. It will be a losing battle.” Severus waited for his words to sink in. The Uruk-hai’s breathing was becoming labored and raspy. “Who is your master?”

The Uruk-hai began to chuckle, a nasty evil sound, and blood bubbled around the wound and the handle of the knife. “The Dark One will kill you all.”

“Yeah, yeah right!” Bronwyn hollered. “Just answer the damn question!”

A glare silenced her and she returned her attentions to the wolf in her lap.

“Tell me of the Dark One. Where is he? Who is he?”

Laughter bubbled up and the Uruk-hai looked at the aging ceiling above him. “Where is he? The Wizard wants to know where he is!” Slowly, his gaze returned to the party surrounding him. “The Dark One is within your reach. You are going to die.”

“I am quite certain of that, but not before you. Again, where is your master?”

The thing’s breath was beginning to wheeze, a glaze beginning to form over his eyes. “The Dark One... is... where it is coooooooooold.” The word was a whisper, drawing out on the last vestiges of air. “It is sooooo coooold.”

With his wand still firmly in his grasp, Severus grabbed the Uruk-hai by the neck of his leather tunic. “Who is your master?”

The answers were becoming softer and softer, as the Uruk-hai began to lose his battle for breath and the serum. “My Master... is the... Dark... One.”

“What is the name of the Dark One?”

“Ssssskkkkkkkkkuh.....” The last breath wheezed out as death finally took hold of the Uruk-hai, his eyes glazing over, jaw hanging agape.

“Damn!” Severus pulled the knife from the belly of the being he knelt over and slung it in anger into the bathtub, taking little satisfaction from the sound of the metal clanging and ricocheting into the lion clawed basin. “Bronwyn...”

“I’m sorry!” she wailed. “It attacked me and I was scared. I didn’t know you wanted it alive! You didn’t tell me! And Amadeus is hurt!”

The white wolf lay in her lap, bloodied and limp. A twin - Severus would learn later it was Elrohir - knelt next to her, digging frantically through his pouch. He looked up at the Wizard with sorrowful eyes. “I have nothing here for him.”

Impatiently, he pushed the Elf to the side. “Out of my way.” He quickly found the gash on the rear flank. While Amadeus didn’t flinch as he ran his fingers over it, he did growl. “Was the blade poisoned?”

Faeowynne found the object, slung against a wall. “It does not appear so.” She passed it around gingerly to Elrond’s sons, who shook their heads.

Severus contemplated the wolf with a sideways glance. “It is your lucky day, dog.”

*Your bedside manner has much to be desired, Merlin!*

Severus drew his wand out, muttering under his breath. The bleeding ceased and the wolf lowered his head in Bronwyn’s lap, his eyes shutting.

“What did you do?” Bronwyn was close to hysterics. “Did you kill him?” Her hand flew to his chest, feeling for the heartbeat.

“I did no such thing.”

*You would never get in her bed again. I should hold my breath!*

Bronwyn was glaring, clearly disbelieving him. “What did-”

“I put a cessation spell on him, along with a cooling spell.” Bronwyn looked confused. “Damnation, woman, I stopped the bleeding and numbed the area.”

The white tail thumped weakly and Amadeus lifted his head, to look adoringly at the Wizard. *I love you. I wish to bear your children.*

*Your attempt at humor is appalling.*

“叠耻迟-”

“I cannot do anything for him, Bronwyn.” Severus’ tone was clipped. “Nor can your Elves.” With fluid grace, the Wizard stood up, towering over woman and wolf. “I want to get him stabilized enough to get him to Remus, who would know more than I.” Stepping backwards, he pointed his wand at the body in the floor, the corpse evaporating at the mumbled word. “He should be able to move shortly. I will deal,” this was directed at the Elves in the bathroom, “with the rest of the bodies.” The dark Wizard left the Elves in his wake, words spoken under his breath audible to their keen hearing.

Elladan was looking around the room. “This has to be the largest water closet I have seen.”

“It had been a bedroom until the 1940's.” Bronwyn was warily passing her hands over Amadeus’ coat. “Nana came into a lot of money and she put in modern appliances and the bathroom.” She looked down at the wolf and smiled. “How are you doing, boy?”

***

Severus was an unhappy man. He didn’t know why he was unhappy; he expected a fight, he expected to kill a few beings; he had expected bloodshed. He had hoped, if possible, to keep one cornered and alive long enough to bring this infernal search to a close once and for all, or at the very least, closer to an end.

He had not expected to see Bronwyn in the capacity that he had seen her in. Oh, granted, he knew she had killed a dragon, knew she had fought side by side with her pointy-eared mate in battles too large to imagine.

But to see her... actually watch her in action...

In truth, it was physical poetry, her knives an extension of her hands. He pointed, another body evaporating into thin air. The stench of blood and Orc was overpowering and he waved his wand, cleansing the air. Last thing he wanted was for her to lose her stomach yet again, when she came down with her beast.

Bear his children, indeed. The wolf was daft!

After clearing the living area, as well as the alcove with her computer, he went into the kitchen, checking every nook and cranny. The room was cold, a suddenly frigid breeze cutting through and he looked to see if the door had blown open. With icy trepidation, he realized the wind came not from the door or any window, but a place unknown. It was if a ghost...

“Who shares this room with me?”

*Ssssssssevvvrussssss.....*

It was feminine, soft, a hiss in his ear.

“Who are you?” It was whispered, the steel covering his unease.

*Mmmmmmmy sssssoonnnnnnnn...*

“My mother is very much alive.” This pronunciation was met with a light, tinkling laughter. The Wizard’s fear was replaced with hostile disdain. “Who are you? Reveal yourself.”

The door to the pantry slowly drifted open, displaying shelves with aging cans and bottles, covered with dust. A mist began to roll from the crevices surrounding the shelves.

*Come home. Claim what is yours.*

Severus’ hand tightened on his wand, knuckles white in checked anger. “I suppose you missed the owl. I denounced my ownership. It is Bronwyn’s.”

The mist continued to emit from the cracks, now rolling, pooling across the floor, rolling around the Wizard’s boots and buttoned trousers. *She cannot claim what lies beneath. She cannot claim the land. Only one of the blood...*

One of the blood.

The mist was forming behind him, the outline of a woman that Severus could not see, but could sense.

“What should I say?” he whispered, snidely. “Open Sesame?”

There was a ghostly snort. *No. Ssssssimply tell the door to open. The land knows who you are.*

Severus leaned backwards, peering into the living area. They had not come down from the upper reaches of the cottage; he could hear no obvious signs of restlessness from above.

*She cannot come down. No one can enter-*

“Except a descendant,” Severus completed.

*Except The Descendant.*

“Lovely little club you have here.” Severus pointed his wand “Alohamora.”

Shelves moved, rearranged, a groaning of wood and metal, finally moving aside and opening to a large, dank doorway that led nowhere but down into the bowels of the home. As the Wizard stepped forward, the tip of his wand illuminating, a dank, mildewy smell rose from the dark, cobwebs visible in the meager light. Stepping onto the threshold, he could see sconces, brackets for unlit torches affixed to the walls. Cobwebs hung like streamers into the dim and gloom of the underground cavern and a dank stench of mold and age rose from the murk of the shadow. Checking for sounds of life coming down from the upper reaches of the cottage once last time, Severus quietly Lumosed the sconces, lighting the torches and moved the cobwebs from rafters.

The stairs went downwards forever and he thought he would never touch the firmness of earth. When he finally did, he lit the cave.

And realized he had stepped into home.

***
One Alone, to be my own.
I, alone, to know her caresses.
Mine to be, eternally, the one her worshiping soul possesses.
At her call, I'd give my all. All my love and all my life enduring.
This would be a magic world to me. If she were mine alone

One Alone
***

Severus was closing the hidden passageway as the Elves trooped down the stairs with Bronwyn and a slow-moving Amadeus in tow. The others disappeared into the forest, while Severus and Bronwyn limped Amadeus to the Dafydd house and Flooed back to Severus’ rooms. Albus was waiting for them and while they moved onward to Remus’ chambers, he closed the way, erasing any reminder that the Muggle fireplace had been used for anything but a fire.

Remus met them with a finger across his lips; Bronwyn’s child curled up on the couch, sound asleep, with one hand curled under his cheek.

“Very busy, that one is.”

Bronwyn’s smile was one of indulgent mother. Too quickly however, she changed the mood. “Amadeus was injured, slashed with an Orc blade.” Remus fell to one knee, quickly looking for the wound and finding it easily. “It wasn’t poisoned, but Elvish medicine isn’t working and Severus thought you might-”

“Been there; done that.” Remus grimaced. “It’s a nasty cut, but I have something that will help. Might be best if you spend the night with me, old sod.”

The alarm was evident on Amadeus’ face has he looked back and forth between Bronwyn and Remus, Bronwyn completely misunderstanding the wolf’s misgivings. She knelt down and stroked his face.

“Duncan will be upset if he wakes and there isn’t a familiar face. Remus will fix you up and you know Severus won’t let anything happen to me.

*That is what I am afraid of.*

Severus heard it clearly and behind Bronwyn’s back, his leer was positively feral. She hugged the wolf and stood to tuck in her child.

Remus was glaring at the Potion Master. “Have you no decency?” he snarled under his breath.

“No.” He clapped the Werewolf on the shoulder. “And thank you for making it possible.” He swept from the room, Bronwyn following in his wake, thanking Remus for his aid and friendship.

The two moved like shadows to her chambers, Severus whispering the password and warding the door behind them. Bronwyn was oblivious to the quick, intricate movements of his wand, her back to him, stretching her arms above her head.

“God, I’m beat. I think I’ll take a shower and tuck on in.” She turned to see Severus staring at her, his eyes glittering with a look she had almost forgotten.

“Good. I will join you.”

***
tbc
***