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The Severed Souls by Magical Maeve

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Chapter Notes: A solution presents itself for a hideaway.
As night fell like a shroud over the Shrieking Shack, its occupants felt strangely contented and at ease. Roderick had returned to the castle shortly after delivering Maeve’s husband to her, acknowledging that his presence would no longer be required. With Severus officially nowhere, it was decided he would stay with Maeve for the night, snatching what little they could from the visit.

Maeve had surprised Severus by serving him the leftovers from their earlier dinner, a very tasty beef bourguignon that he had thoroughly enjoyed. This gave him hope that she had somehow been working on her cooking skills, however he was quickly put right on that score when she informed him that Felicia had dropped it off earlier for them to heat themselves. That disappointment aside, he found it rather wonderful to close his mind off to the problems in London, and at Hogwarts, and give himself entirely to a small oasis of domestic bliss for the evening. He refused to answer any of Maeve’s questions about Harry or the Horcruxes, telling her they would worry about that in the morning. At the back of his mind he could see Remus and his collection of fugitives trudging through wild countryside as they made their way to the meeting point. He hoped the weather wasn’t too bad, as he sipped the wine Maeve had handed him, and then banished them from his thoughts.

Draco wandered into the room and cleared the dishes away, turning on the temperamental tap to wash them up. Severus watched this with astonishment before turning to Maeve.

–Have you Imperiused him?” he whispered.

She shook her head and matched his volume. –Nope, he’s been like this since we got here. Actually, he’s been like this since he remembered how he’d been removed from Hogwarts. Most of his memory is back, although I think he’s completely blocked out what happened at Grimmauld Place because t’s the one thing that he hasn’t spoken about. I’m starting to quite like having him around, which is more than can be said for Ron who spends all his time mooning about and saying bloody a lot.”

–Weasley always was something of a whinger. We’ll get him back with his friends soon enough.” He stretched a languid arm around her shoulders and she moved into the curve of his body, enjoying the warmth she found there.

Draco, his chores finished, came and sat on the battered armchair. He pulled a pack of cards from his pocket and watched as they began to shuffle themselves idly. –Anyone fancy a game of Exploding Snap?” he asked, looking up and pushing a blond flop of hair from his face. For a moment there was the ghost of the child he had been and an eagerness in his expression that made Maeve immediately agree. She looked at Severus and knew he would usually say no; she had never seen him engage in anything so childish as card games.

–Only if we play the Bavarian rules,” Severus said. –Best of five and the loser takes first watch tonight. I assume you are keeping a night watch?”

–I love you,” she said, with some glee. –You always surprise me. I’ll see if Ron wants to play.” And with that she bounded to the foot of the stairs and tempted Ron from his self-imposed exile.

Draco dealt the cards into a ring while she prepared them all drinks and for the next hour or so they were a very companionable group indeed. Nothing seemed to exist outside of the Shack and it felt as if they alone were alive. When the time came for Ron to stand first watch, Maeve and Severus retired together to the master bedroom, each wondering if this time would be the last time, if they would ever be together again for longer than a few snatched hours. Sleep was a long time coming and when it did it was too short-lived, but neither of them complained, content as they were just to be together.


Dawn was sluggish, dragging itself up and slouching across the day in anticipation of nothing good happening. Their breakfast was a subdued affair as Severus brought Maeve up to date with everything. She managed to keep her emotions in check until he told her about the scene with the old wizard at the Ministry. He spared her nothing, and the point at which the man had been kicked brought piteous tears to her eyes.

–There will be worse, eventually,” he said, covering her hands with his as they talked over the breakfast table. –People we know will be affected. People we know may die. The beast is being kept at bay, playing with new toys, occupied with his own victory, He does not know about Harry, and if, when, he finds out there will be a reckoning.”

–And where are you going to put them all? Where can possibly be safe? Each day I wake not knowing if this will be our last here. I don’t even know who I should be afraid of anymore. Would I be killed for sheltering Ron or Draco, or possibly both? Will I be killed just because I am me?”

–No one will find you here. You are on Hogwarts land and Roderick will not allow anything to happen. Keep up your night’s watch, be alert, but do not worry too much. Draco is no stranger to defence against the dark arts and Ron Weasley has proven himself in a tight corner.”

–I can’t not worry. My biggest worry is you down in that place. If the truth were known, if Jenny betrayed you, you would stand no chance of escape.” She clasped his hands, the touch its own comfort. –I wouldn’t even know if something had happened.” There was an edge of hysteria to her words and Severus did his best to calm her, not enjoying seeing her so depressed by circumstance.

–There is always the chance of escape. The Ministry is alive with secret doors and passageways. You need not worry about that. Once I have a safer place for everyone I will move you all there, but for now this will suffice. Trust me, Maeve, I would not leave you in danger. I just wish I could be with you.”

–I do trust you. It’s everyone else that worries me.” She did not release his hands, dreading the moment when she would have to. –I’m just lonely, here with Draco and Ron and my thoughts. If there are no distractions the mind makes things up. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be so feeble. What next? We’re still missing a Horcrux.”

–I think that spending a few days at Hogwarts will be beneficial to tracking down the Horcrux. I have an idea that we are dealing with founder’s objects and the one we are missing is a Ravenclaw. Perhaps something will suggest itself. I do have one thing for you.” He broke contact with her and reached into his robes. She knew what it was before he even produced it; she had been waiting for its return since he had torn if from around her neck back at Grimmauld Place.

He placed it on the table, smoothing out the delicate gold links as he waited for her reaction. She reached out tentative hands and touched the cool metal. Beyond the normal faint hum of energy coming from the jewel, she could feel nothing else. The ruby was gone, leaving the moonstone back in position, glowing faintly from its heart.

–It is as it should be,” he said. –The ruby has left no taint. I have had a very reliable goldsmith repair it and test it for any abnormal magic. It’s as good as it was when you were first given it.”

She lifted it by the ends of the chain and laid it against her neck and suddenly they were both back at Abbeylara on the day he had stood in her room as she prepared to leave. The necklace behaved exactly as it had on that fateful day, wrapping around her neck and securing itself. She touched it gently, as if testing for herself the purity of it now it was again attached to her.

–So here we are,” she said, smiling for him. –I am whole again.”

He frowned, unsure if she was being flippant.

–I was joking,” she assured him. –At least about the necklace. You’re here, after all, so what else would I need. What do we do now? Are you disappearing on me again?”

–I need to stay here for a few days, make a point of helping Rampton, so there may be a chance for a few further meetings here. I have a rendezvous arranged with Lupin, by which time I will hopefully have somewhere for them to go and then I must return to the Ministry, see what fresh tricks Percy Weasley has dreamed up.”

–You shouldn’t allow him free rein with this whole blood purity business. You know how fastidious he is. There’ll only be a handful of people left standing if he draws up all the rules. Before you know it, it will have gone beyond pure blood versus non-pure blood; he’ll be categorizing even pure bloods when he decides that there’s some blood that’s cleaner than others. It’s never ending.”

–He can draw up all the rules he wants, but until the Wizengamot passes them as law then they are just words on paper, and for the Wizengamot to pass them, I need to put the rules before them. Percy has less influence than he thinks he does.”

She didn’t look overly reassured, wondering if Severus was perhaps being too relaxed on this whole matter. These things had a habit of getting away from you, especially where characters like Percy Weasley were concerned.

Draco wandered in, looking bored. It had been many days now since they had been outdoors and they were all starting to feel constrained. Safety was all well and good, but Draco was starting to think that safety at all costs was a poor thing indeed.

–Can’t I come with you?” he asked, taking one of the spare seats at the table. –There’s no reason for me to stay cooped up here. Meany has gone; the Dark Lord probably doesn’t care whether I’m alive or dead. I could help.”

–You’re helping me by being here in case Maeve needs you.” Severus looked at Draco’s hopeful face and wondered again at this transformation.

–Weasley is here. He can use a wand.”

–You’re going to have to stay put for now,” Severus insisted. –I will get you all away from here in time. Now, I need to meet Rampton. Do not do anything foolish, any of you, and I will see you again before I leave for London.”

With Severus gone, Maeve once again felt the wash of loneliness and hoped that he could find them a new location sooner rather than later. If she didn’t get a glimpse of the sun soon she felt she probably would go slightly insane.





Roderick was in his office enjoying a quiet coffee on his own when Severus stalked in. He quickly removed his feet from the desk, sending several architect’s plans tumbling to the floor as he did so.

–You look more like a student than the headmaster, Rampton,” Severus remarked, folding himself into a chair and regarding the younger man thoughtfully. –I’m here to discuss defence.”

–I haven’t actually requested any help, you know,” Roderick admitted. –If I didn’t know any better I’d say you were only here because of the lady.”

–Well, you don’t know any better.” Severus flicked an imaginary speck of dust off his sleeve. –I’m here to look for somewhere secure for our wandering friends and I think Scotland might be the place to find it. Know of any other remote small castles in the vicinity?”

–Surely not in the vicinity. Putting them near a building with so many bored Death Eaters would be like feeding them to the wolves.” He grinned rather wolfishly himself. –Quite the dilemma.”

–Shame you gave the land beneath Rampton Court to Voldemort. That would have been the perfect place to hide people.”

–Low blow even for you, Snape.” He stood and crossed to a bookshelf. –Fortunately I have been pondering on your quandary myself and think I have a plan. You need somewhere remote, but not too remote; somewhere visible that can be made invisible; somewhere known to Muggles, but that Muggles don’t know.”

–Stop talking in riddles,” Severus snapped.

–Here.” Roderick pulled a small book from the shelf and handed it to Severus with a flourish. –And you’re welcome,” he added as Severus took the book and examined the spine.

–A Compleat and Moste Interesting Historye of ye Borderlands and ye Moste Importante Reiver Familyes.” He looked blankly at Roderick. –Explain.”

–Take it with you. In fact, choose some more and take them with you for the boys, but that’s the important one. If you can’t figure it out, you wife will be able to. She has some of that wild Celtic blood in her veins.”

–Riddle upon riddle,” Severus said, thoroughly irritated now.

–You didn’t pay enough attention in Muggle Studies, that much is plain. I always found it a most interesting lesson, especially the Muggle history bits. We do, after all, share the same country, and not everything they do is terminally stupid.”

Severus slipped the book into his pocket. –Has my luggage arrived yet?” he asked.

–If you mean that nasty-looking tatty black bag, then yes, it has. I’ve put it in your wife’s old room. Thought you might find the room a comfort. It was unaffected by the Hallows, so all her belongings are still there. It seems people are either too scared of her or too scared of her clutter to move it all out. Her mother’s portrait is also still there. Most boring woman I ever came across; never says a word to anyone.”

–Very well. I suggest we walk the bounds of the castle grounds and make a show of this defensive visit and then I shall retire to my room for a spell. I will take you up on the offer of borrowing some books. Do you have a Wizard’s Chess set I could have also?”

–Never had you down as a chess player.”

–It’s that or Exploding Snap. They are rather light on entertainments.”

–I’ll have a box of things dropped off in Maeve’s room for you to take to them. I would have got around to it anyway, but you turned up. Exploding Snap, eh. Never though a pair of wily Slytherins would be passing their evenings on a kid’s card game.”

–Desperate times.” Severus made to leave and then hesitated. He didn’t trust Rampton, but he did respect the knowledge the man had amassed. –Did you notice anything odd about Draco while you were there?”

–In that he appears to have dropped that rather irksome rich spoilt brat act. Yes, I had noticed that. He’s bordering on the polite. You should never underestimate your wife, Snape; after all, look what being around her did for you.”

–Are you suggesting Maeve is controlling his mind? That’s preposterous.”

–Yes it is and no I’m not. Think of her as the opposite of a Dementor. Dark and light. She can be a bit like a drug once you spend enough time around her, amazed you haven’t noticed it before. I’ll meet you out by the Quidditch pitch in half an hour”

And with that he left Severus to ponder the true nature of his wife and just why being cooped up in indoors could be having a negative effect on her. Severus sometimes forgot that she wasn’t a mere human like him precisely because she was so very human. He looked up at Dumbledore’s empty portrait and despaired anew at the amount that he did not know where she was comcerned.




The day passed quickly. The tour of the grounds had highlighted some defensive weaknesses, and Severus agreed to send another twenty Death Eaters to fortify the school. In truth, it was something of a relief to have less Death Eaters to find work for. He found himself back at the castle by mid-afternoon with the students still safely in lessons. He had no particular desire to meet any of them, or his former teaching colleagues. As far as they were concerned he was irredeemably bad, the enemy to be feared and hated.

He settled on the sofa in Maeve’s room, staring at her mother’s portrait as if seeking solace. She looked down on him through Maeve’s eyes, that very peculiar shade of green unwavering in its clarity.

–Grainne O’Malley, what a place we find ourselves in,” he remarked, not expecting a response. The portrait, as far as he was aware, had never spoken. Perhaps Niall O’Malley had told the portrait painter to give it no words; it was the kind of cruel trick he would play.

As promised, there was a box of books and a few games, including the requested chess, which he would take back with him under cover of darkness later. He also needed to speak to Felicia; the notion that she was popping in and out with food every day, in full view of any passing eyes, did not sit well with him and a solution to the food problem would have to be found. With the fire lit and candles giving the dying daylight some help, he took out Roderick’s book and began to read.

It was an interesting, if violent, little history. He wondered if the Muggles considered their own blood-soaked past when compared to the magical violence being served on them by the Death Eaters now. It struck him that they had always done a good job of killing and maiming themselves without any help from the Wizarding world. It transpired the Rievers were a vicious bunch of mercenaries, roaming the borders between England and Scotland for centuries, robbing and harrying the settlements along this blurred line. They could perhaps have taught Voldemort something about equality as they plundered Scots and English, rich and poor, alike.

He read until there was a knock at the door and a House-Elf deposited his dinner on the table by the sofa. Eating absentmindedly, he barely tasted the food. He had reached the chapter that dealt with the homes of these Rievers and he thought he could guess what Roderick was alluding to. The towers they constructed were impregnable. Stark towers that rose like an insult from remote countryside; most were ruined or lost, but some remained. It was these that would prove most interesting. All they needed was one with a few floors intact and magic could make up for the rest. The charm that concealed Hogwarts from the Muggles could be used to keep any locals away, and with no one to direct the Death Eaters to look at these castles, there would be no reason to imagine their discovery. It was perfect. The names and locales were almost meaningless as the landscape would have changed much since the heyday of these buildings. He could narrow it down by eliminating anything to the West; this would be a risk given the party’s current position and their limited travel capacity. The ones that lay more easterly, however, where almost in a direct line from their final position in Beverley. They would be exhausted by the time they reached Northumberland, but at least then they would be hidden.

He made a shortlist to visit the following day: Norham, East Nesbit, Smailholm, Carham and Fenwick all sat within reasonable distance of each other and he was sure at least one of them would be habitable. Closing the book, he allowed his mind to wander and it found its way to the possible Ravenclaw Horcrux. That the artefact would be at Hogwarts, he had no doubt , but where and what it was would be a puzzle. He would need to speak to some of the members of Ravenclaw, though whether they would speak to him was very much open for debate.



He picked up the box and left the castle by the quietest route possible to avoid any unnecessary encounters. The sky was clear of any clouds and he had only starlight for company as he headed for the shack. He supposed Roderick had instigated a curfew; nothing else would explain the lack of either students or teachers at such a relatively early hour. With a muttered charm, he opened the door and stepped inside, straight into a heated debate between Draco and Ron. Maeve was nowhere to be seen as he set the box down on the table.

–Enough,” he shouted. –What are you arguing about and where is my wife.”

–That’s exactly what we’re arguing about,” Ron said before Draco could get a word in. –She went out earlier and hasn’t come back.”

–She did what?” He pronounced each world fully and with venom.

–She said she had to meet someone in Hogsmeade,” Draco said. –That was four hours ago and I really think it’s time someone went to look for her. Ron disagrees.”

–Ron is right. The last thing I need is to be looking for two missing people instead of just one.” He raised his eyes to the ceiling, as if some answer could be found there, and then steeled himself. –Did she say anything at all about who she was going to meet?”

–Nothing,” Ron said. –All she said was it might be important for the Horcrux and then she disappeared. She’s all got up like Lupin’s sister again. She’ll be fine, mate. Maeve’s too smart to let anything happen.”

Severus put his face within inches of Ron’s. –I am not your mate, Mr Weasley. You will both stay put. No arguments, Draco.”

He left the Shack, a sick feeling settling in his stomach as he started off along the lane to Hogsmeade. As he reached the junction, he could see the candles from The Three Broomsticks shining in the windows. Someone stepped out and a low hum of conversation escaped, along with the clinking of glasses. He didn’t particularly want to show his face in there, not being that popular in the wider Wizarding world at the moment. As he debated with himself a door opened further down the main street and a cloaked figure stepped out. He moved back into the pub’s shadow and watched as the figure moved towards him, oblivious to his presence. It was a smaller figure, female but too short to be Maeve. She seemed to realise that she was not alone as she drew level with him. The hood revealed just enough of her face for him to see the sudden shock register, her blue eyes wide with what at first he thought was fear for her own safety, until she spoke and he realised the fear was for him.

–What are you doing here,” she hissed. –Maeve will be furious.”

–Maeve will be furious,” he repeated, incredulous. –I am furious. Do you know where she is?”

–Of course I do. I have to go, Professor Snape. It’s too dangerous to loiter for long anywhere in these difficult times that we find ourselves. You should take my advice and get back to the Shack. It’s not far and she’ll be expecting you to be there when she gets back. Felicia was a bit upset when I left so she stayed behind to offer her some tea and some rather nice biscuits. I asked for the recipe but Felicia couldn’t find it. She said she’d find it for me next time I visit. It’s her grandmother’s recipe all the way from Ireland. I like the fact one of the ingredients…”

–Miss Lovegood, I am NOT here to have a debate about biscuits. I feel like I have stumbled across some mother’s meeting. What is going on?” He couldn’t put as much anger into his words as he would have liked because of the obligation to whisper, but Luna understood how infuriated he was becoming.”

–Sorry, Professor, I’ve got to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

–Tomorrow?” he whispered at her retreating back. –What’s happening tomorrow?”

A shout erupted from inside the pub; it sounded like a minor altercation was about to get more serious, in which case it would be thrown outside, so he hurried on. He walked down the street and stopped at the door that Luna had stepped out of. Presumably this was where the Forfex woman lived, but he couldn’t be sure. There was always the chance that Luna had paid an unexpected visit on someone else after she had left the other two women. He raised a hand to the door, still debating with himself, at the same time as it was opened gently. He immediately withdrew his hand only to bring it up again to muffle the scream that came from Maeve’s mouth and almost made her drop the basket she was carrying.

–Madness,” he said, removing his hand from her mouth once her initial shock had subsided. –This is madness.”

–I’m not the one standing there about to knock on a complete stranger’s door,” she replied, her dander well and truly up. –What are you even doing here?”

Felicia had joined them at the sound of the slight commotion. Maeve shooed her back inside and stepped out to join Severus on the street. She closed the door quietly and immediately set off back to the Shack, with Severus following in her wake.

–I’m looking for you,” he replied, catching up with her easily.

–Don’t say anything else until we are out of Hogsmeade. Not one word.”

So it was an uneasy silence that accompanied them back to safety, and a relieved Ron and Draco that met them there. Maeve immediately shrugged off her disguise, her whole demeanour radiating fury. She threw her cloak on the chair and rounded on Ron.

–I told you there was nothing to worry about. How could you let him come looking for me like that. We both could have been compromised.”

–Erm, actually…”

–Don’t blame Mr Weasley for your foolishness,” Severus interjected. –I specifically told you not to leave under any circumstances. So what do you? You go for a little get together in Hogsmeade with at least one person who shouldn’t really have any idea where you are.”

–I was perfectly safe. It’s a short walk to Felicia’s place.”

–No one is perfectly safe. I am already concerned about the amount of coming and going from this place as it is without you adding to the equation. What could possibly have been so important you needed to go outside?” Now that they were back indoors some of his anger was fading, though he could see she was not so quick to cool down.

–Doing your job for you,” Maeve said in an arch tone. –Luna is widely thought to talk nonsense, though I find if you actually listen to her much of what she says makes perfect sense. Roderick has had a word with her. He set up the meeting. It’s a Ravenclaw artefact that you believe we are looking for and Luna is a Ravenclaw.”

–Yes. How does that have any bearing on the missing artefact?”

–Who is the Grey Lady?”

A glimmer of light dawned on him. –Rowena’s daughter.”

–Exactly. If anyone knows the location of some missing jewel or cup it might well be Helena. Luna gets on very well with her, apparently.”

–I find that hard to believe. The Grey Lady doesn’t speak.”

–Yes, Severus, she does. She’s quite cooperative with members of Ravenclaw. She’s found things for me on more than one occasion, and she’s always helpful whenever you get stuck on homework. So Luna is going to speak with her and see if she can persuade her to come here for a chat. I think that would be very beneficial. I can’t go to the castle so she could come here.”

–You know the Hogwarts’ ghosts won’t come within a mile of this place,” Draco said, having heard all the old tales. –They make a point about it.”

–It’s been a long time since Lupin’s day,” Severus said. –Even he ghosts change their minds. I wonder if this might just work.”

–So, waste of time or not?” Maeve folded her arms and barely managed to stop herself tapping her foot.

–Not a waste of time.” He sighed. –You still should have waited to let me know before going out.”

–Not a child, Severus.”

–I give up. – He took his own cloak off and hung it on the cloak stand before going through to the kitchen to retrieve something to drink. She followed him through, placed the basket she had been carrying on the table, and put her arms around his neck. It was enough to stand there for a few moments, letting their relief comfort them.


With the immediate worry for her safety resolved, Ron had the Wizard’s Chess set out and was setting it up for a game. Draco agreed to play, with the warning that he wasn’t very good, and Ron quickly discovered this was no exaggeration. Within ten minutes it turned into a chess tutorial rather than an actual game.

While they occupied themselves, Severus showed Maeve the book and explained the plan that was forming. She flicked through the pages, nodding at various points. When she had seen enough she closed the book and handed it back to him.

–We should head for East Nesbitt. I know it.”

–How do you know something so completely random?”

–Field trip from school.”

–Hogwarts sent pupils to ruined towers?” He shook his head, never having heard of such a thing.

–No, but my Irish school did. Apparently there was some connection between the old Irish wizarding families and a couple of the clans that lived along the border. There was some powerful magic bought to construct the early towers, dodgy deals done, that sort of thing. Our headmistress was very much in favour of seeing things for ourselves and some of the towers still hold on to some of their residual magic. That’s partly why the Muggles won’t go near them. It’s an even better solution than you thought it was.”

–So it would appear. And this East Nesbitt; is it magically enhanced?”

–It was, though by the time we arrived the magic had mostly worn off. The locals still wouldn’t go near the place, especially when one of the floors fell in. I haven’t been to all the others so can’t comment on them, but this one fits our needs, assuming no further damage has taken place in the last twenty years. A few Muggle repelling charms and a fix for the floor and no one will go near the place.”

–This will make shorter work of my day tomorrow, I’ll go straight there and if it’s still in reasonable condition we’ll start the work to make it safe. Perhaps Hogwarts should consider field trips; they certainly seem to come in useful at the most unexpected of times.”

–Let me come with you. I can follow you in the air and no one will know I ever left. –She looked so hopeful that he wasn’t sure how best to phrase his no. –We won’t be there long, Severus, please.”

–Maeve,” he began, and then remembered Roderick’s words regarding her nature. Was the lack of sunlight making her fade a little? She was certainly more on edge than he had ever seen her. He drowned for a moment in her hopeful eyes and then made a decision. –You change your appearance to that of Selene. Very few of our living enemies have seen that incarnation. I will fly us both there, we spend no more than an hour at the tower, and then I will bring you back. Once we know if Helena is going to come we can work it around that visit.”


She was so excited at the prospect of getting out of the shack that she didn’t at first catch the new bit of information in his words. It was only when she replayed it in her head did she realise he had mentioned flying.

–Severus, just what exactly do you mean by fly?” It was so rare in wizards that she was almost sure he didn’t mean actual flying, although with Severus and Voldemort together you could never be absolutely sure of anything. The spell might have been considered to be lost, but what was lost can usually be found again.

–Voldemort has recovered the flying charm. It’s old magic that has been hidden for some time. All those books of his still have secrets to give up. No Apparation and no traceability. It’s almost as good as your trick.”

–I look forward to trying it,” she said with a smile, and then doubt crept in. –It is safe, isn’t it?”

–Of course, although I haven’t taken any passengers along yet.”

She punched him on the arm, only half in jest.

–Dinner’s in the basket. I’ll put it in the oven to warm. I think it’s Irish Stew.”

They both turned at a sound from the chimney. There came a whoosh of soot, followed by an explosion of feathers and a small owl tumbled onto the hearth.

–That’s not possible,” Severus said, watching Maeve retrieve the message from the bewildered creature. –The Shack doesn’t even have a proper chimney.”

–Luna clearly has her ways. –She smiled. –The meeting is on. Helena will be here at 10am prompt. I suggest you make yourself scare until after she has left.”

–I’ll leave you a list of pointed questions,” he said. –Wouldn’t want you to leave anything out.”

–Heaven forfend,” she said, as she moved to free the owl. –That I should forget something.”