Login
MuggleNet Fan Fiction
Harry Potter stories written by fans!

The Severed Souls by Magical Maeve

[ - ]   Printer Chapter or Story Table of Contents

- Text Size +
Maeve’s wardrobe choices had become distressingly narrow of late. It was somewhat depressing to walk past the mirror in the bedroom and see herself in the same tired dresses. She wished she had some more practical clothes, envying Felicia her jeans and jumpers. For the meeting with Helena she had chosen her smartest green dress, a classic cut that made her look quite dignified and entirely appropriate for someone of Helena’s status. It was already past nine o’clock, the sun up and everyone in Hogsmeade with it. Ron and Draco had breakfasted and been shooed off to their respective rooms; Luna had arrived, cloaked in a rather sombre grey affair that was at odds with her usual attire. She was happily sitting at the kitchen table, sipping hot chocolate and giving Maeve a very detailed description of the current state of Hogwarts.

Maeve was trying to filter out some of the more ludicrous statements; she clearly knew for a fact that Roderick was not a vampire, something which Luna seemed to believe based on his choice of dress alone. She did, however, fully believe that the new deputies had sadistic tendencies and that their methods of punishment were increasingly disturbing. She also believed that the classes were being split by blood status, and that this was already driving deep division throughout the school. Luna herself looked tired, her blonde hair limp and her pale skin completely washed out. When she moved her arm to pick up her mug, Maeve could see the traces of words scarring her skin and with a shudder realised someone at Hogwarts was making the students use a Black Quill.

–Of course, the Great Hall has been completely re-done and they’ve even got the ceiling enchanted again. There are lots more ominous comets than there ever were in the sky, but it’s nice to have the stars back too. One of the Sixth Year boys managed to turn all the candles black so Professor Rampton had to punish him. If I’m completely honest, Professor Rampton’s punishments aren’t that bad. When I released some Glumbumbles to cheer up a Dark Arts lesson he only made me round up a couple of Nifflers that were loose in his office.”

–I don’t think Glumbumbles cheer people up, Luna. I think it’s quite the opposite.” She sipped her coffee, trying to listen to Luna and plan what she was going to say to Helena at the same time.

–They are very sweet little creatures, –Luna insisted. –Have you seen one close up? They have the most adorable eyes.”

Maeve reminded herself once again that Luna saw things differently from most people and so chose not to point out that Glumbumbles were actually horrid little flies, bringing depression wherever they landed.

The clock ticked inexorably towards ten, even Luna made apprehensive by its relentless movement. As the hour struck the air shivered a little. The shack was usually cold, even with the fire lit, but now the temperature dropped significantly in response to the figure that was forming in their midst. They both stood, to better greet their guest, and waited in anticipation.

Helena materialised into their presence with a shy smile. Although often reclusive around others, she knew Luna well enough so was less inclined to be afraid of the meeting. Helena had never found much bravery in her soul, so she had been pleased to accept the challenge of the Shack and prove, if only to herself, that there was a little of her mother’s spirit in her. She was also becoming very upset by the events at Hogwarts itself, the strain of it all exacting a toll on her melancholy soul.

–Miss Ravenclaw,” Maeve began, almost extending her hand before thinking better of it; not good manners to expect a ghost to respond to a physical action. –It’s very kind of you to come all this way to speak with us.”

The ghost glanced at Luna first, the more familiar witch making her feel slightly less uncomfortable. Luna gave an encouraging smile and Helena turned her attention back to Maeve.

–Luna can be very convincing,” she said, her gentle Scottish lilt almost a whisper. –She said you had some things you wished to learn from me. I remember you, from your time at school. I remember most people that pass through my mother’s House.” She frowned slightly, as if the crowd of people in her memory had suddenly become too much to bear. –Some are more memorable than others,” she added.

–You were very kind to me,” Maeve said. –You were kind to everyone, really, though it meant more to me being so far from home.”

–All the children at Hogwarts are far from home,” she remarked. –Some do better at it than others. So, how am I to help you now? I think this is something more important that Charms homework or a missing pen?”

It was rather awkward, standing there with all the usual social niceties off limits. There was no point offering her a cup of tea, or the use of a chair, so Maeve remained on her feet, unsure how long this would take. The ghost had her hands clasped in front of her, waiting patiently.

–We believe there is a certain item of your mother’s at Hogwarts and we need to find it very badly,” Maeve began. –We don’t know exactly what it is or even if it is, indeed, at Hogwarts, but there can be so few Founder’s artefacts left that we thought you would perhaps know of it. Perhaps your mother left you something when she died as a memento?”

Helena’s face became a mask of sadness, her eyes darkening as she understood what was being asked of her. Maeve misread her sorrow for reluctance to part with information.

–There is a great deal at stake, Helena, more than has ever been at stake before. What’s happening at Hogwarts now will be the tip of the iceberg. More will follow, and worse, until Voldemort controls everything and everyone. We cannot allow that to happen without doing all we can to prevent it. Your help could be the key to this.”

–Please, Helena,” Luna added. –Hogwarts is a horrid place to be at the moment and we’re not really learning anything useful. Classes are being cancelled and only the dark subjects are being taught properly. There’s a rumour Care of Magical Creatures is going to become a class for training dangerous beasts. There’s talk of dragons at Hogwarts.”

Helena swayed a little, the room behind her just visible through her skirts. –I’m sorry,” she began, –this is very difficult for me. I have only ever told one other person this story, and he betrayed that trust, I fear.”

It was the first sign that they could get the information they sought and Maeve tried to keep her eagerness under control. She had a feeling that Helena did not like to be pushed into things so left her to wring her hands and think about her story before she pressed on with the tale.

–My mother created a wonderful jewel.” At the mention of her mother a fierce look of regret crossed her face. –It is a diadem and the most beautiful piece imaginable.”

–The Lost Diadem?” Luna asked, breaking Helena’s train of thought.

–Yes, it did become known as the Lost Diadem, although in truth it was never really lost at all. It was stolen and then hidden in a forest far away from here.”

–I’ve read about that in one of Dad’s old books. The Lost Diadem of Ravenclaw was the last thing of Rowena Ravenclaw’s known to still exist. She created it herself and had it inscribed with the House motto. It was Charmed to make the wearer cleverer. No one knows what happened to it after Rowena died.”

–Someone did though,” Maeve mused, –and I think I can guess who that person was. Did Tom Riddle speak to you about this when he attended Hogwarts?”

–He was very charming, you know,” she said, a touch defensively in Maeve’s opinion, –before he became what he became. He was a young man, an intelligent young man that could have been a great Ravenclaw had he not belonged to Slytherin so completely. He befriended me, told me his thoughts and asked my opinion on all manner of things. It was nice to have a friend that didn’t always just want me to help them with homework.”

Both Maeve and Luna managed to look slightly abashed by this. That was precisely what most of the Ravenclaws did want their house ghost for, without once thinking that the house ghost might have needed something in return.

–You wouldn’t be the first woman to be taken in by a charismatic man,” Maeve observed with a wry smile. –I’m sure he was a complete charmer. What exactly did you tell him?”

–The truth,” Helena replied sadly. –I am ashamed of the truth for it shows me in a very poor light and dishonours my mother.”

–Please, Helena, we need to know what it was you told Tom Riddle.” Maeve was on the point of telling her exactly what they believed Tom Riddle had gone on to do with the jewel, but she stopped herself, thinking that perhaps Helena would not lead them to it if she thought it would end up being destroyed.

–I stole the Diadem from my mother and ran away to Albania with it.” She turned her face away from them for a moment, lost in her own shame. Maeve and Luna waited patiently for her to resume her story. –I wanted to be as bright as she was. I wasn’t, of course. No one could have been. She fell ill, fatally as it turned out, and sent the Bloody Baron to bring me home, but that bit of the story I think you know. Before he killed me I hid the Diadem in a tree, not thinking I would never be in a position to retrieve it. And so it became the Lost Diadem of Ravenclaw. She never told the other Founders that I had stolen it. Godric could be such a pompous man I think she felt she would have never heard the end of it. Helga wouldn’t have minded; she never minded much really, but Salazar, Salazar would have been furious. He would have come looking for me, and I think that was what my mother wanted to avoid, because when he found me he might have been merciless.”

–Salazar would have killed you?” Maeve looked incredulous. –But he was a Founder.”

–Founding a school doesn’t make you a saint, you know,” Helena replied with some irritation. –He had a temper that you would not believe. Though I don’t think he would have actually killed me, I am sure there would have been some form of physical punishment involved. And then what does my mother do; she sends a man after me that will actually kill me.”

No one quite knew what to say after that so they stood for a moment, regretting Helena’s tragic life. It was Maeve who broke the silence.

–So you told Tom Riddle where it was.”

–Yes, but only if he promised me he would find it and destroy it. I didn’t want it coming back to light after all that time. I had my position at the school to think of. No one wants a thief for a house ghost.”

–Well, Slytherin have a murderer,” Maeve said, not without rancour at the offending ghost’s actions.

–You wouldn’t really expect Slytherin to have anything less,” Luna pointed out, forcing Maeve to tell her off for using such sweeping generalisations about her husband’s House, even if she did privately agree with them.

–So he retrieved the Diadem,” Helena continued, –but he didn’t destroy it. He brought it back to the school and hid it. I couldn’t say anything or I would have exposed myself, and with it hidden it was as good as lost again. No one has mentioned it to me since Tom Riddle’s time, until now.”

–So,” Maeve asked the pressing question, –where exactly did he hide it?”

–He never told me,” she replied, and their sighs of disappointment echoed around the Shack. –Although I did see him on the seventh floor of the school one night, after he had left the school as a student. He’d come back to ask Professor Dumbledore for a job. He didn’t speak to me, just walked straight past me as if he’d never known me. I thought it was strange he should be wandering the school like that.”

Maeve and Luna looked at each other and in unison said, –The Room of Requirement!”



When Severus arrived at the Shack later in the day he found Maeve in a state of great excitement. Luna and the Grey Lady had both returned to the castle, so it was just her and the boys, and she hadn’t divulged the details to either Ron or Draco so Severus got the full force of her news.

–And it’s been there all this time.” She glowed from the knowledge of it. –I’ll bet it doesn’t even have the same protections on it as the others either, because it‘s hidden at Hogwarts. He was probably getting a bit cocky by this time and with so many of them felt he could lessen the protections. We have all been in the Room of Requirement and I have never felt anything like the pull of the others in there.”

–That may be because you didn’t have the necklace when you were at school,” he pointed out.

–Harry can’t have felt it either and he picks up on these things. I think it’s just an object with a soul fragment in it and so should be much easier to destroy than the others.”

–Be careful of wishful thinking,” he warned. –We need to get someone in to find it and return it to us. Can we trust Rampton?”

Maeve hesitated, unsure that she wanted Roderick to know about the artefact. She trusted him to a degree, but the Diadem was much more than just a jewel; he might feel the need to keep the historic piece intact.

–I think we should use someone else,” she said. –Luna could do it.”

–It’s a risk, using a student. If she is caught, the punishment will be severe and we’ll lose the Diadem? Filch will be prowling about and the Carrow twins are an absolute menace.”

–Who do you suggest?” she asked. –Yourself?”

–It might yet come to that. Let us think about it. The thing has been there for many years; one more day isn’t going to make that much difference.”

–All right, let’s get our trip to the tower out of the way and plan our next move. When and where do you need to meet Harry and the others?”

–I’ve arranged to meet them in Beverley tonight. I’ve sent a message to Remus to be at the Westwood after dusk. They are almost there. If we can investigate the tower this afternoon and it is suitable then I can let them know the good news when I see them.”

–They’ll be exhausted. All that tramping around the country would give me blisters.” Maeve turned in the direction of the kitchen and left him hovering in the hallway. –Can I get you anything before we leave? Oh!” She almost walked straight into Ron, who had his head in a cupboard.

–Just looking for something to eat,” he said by way of an explanation.

–Of course,” she said, wondering what it was about the expression on his face that made her feel suddenly uneasy. –Help yourself. I brought plenty back from Felicia’s yesterday. Everything okay?”

–Yep,” he said, pulling out a packet of Custard Creams. –Never better. See you when you get back.”

–Yes, you will.” She frowned. –Are you sure everything is okay?”

–Totally fine, thanks. Cheers for these.” He waved the biscuits at her and left the kitchen in what could only be described as haste.



Severus held the door for her as she stepped out into the weak sunshine. He couldn’t decide if it was his imagination that drew a glow from her cheeks and added extra warmth to her eyes as she turned her face to the sun.

–You’re beautiful,” he said before he could stop himself. Her fingers touched the scar on her cheek even as she smiled at the compliment.

–Thank you.”

–We need to get you out of this place permanently. I think it’s draining you.”

She leant up and gave him a peck on the cheek. –How are we going to do this? We need to be quick or we might be seen.”

He wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, pulling her close into his body. –Hold on to me. Both arms around my shoulders and do not let go. At the very least, I promise I won’t drop you.”

–That’s comforting,” she said with a grin, following his instructions and hanging on for dear life. As Severus whispered the spell she realised this was not quite going to be like her own, slightly more sedate, method of air travel. She gave a yelp as they cannoned skyward at high speed and gripped even tighter.

–This cannot be safe,” she managed to shout as they straightened out and punched a pathway through the air. As they gained speed she began to enjoy the little giddy feeling in her stomach. This was much faster than broomsticks and the wind tore her hair away from her face. She was breathless from the sheer joy of it so when Severus began to slow down after what seemed like just a few minutes her first feeling was of disappointment. He brought them to the ground slowly, making sure that they were unobserved.

Maeve unwrapped herself from him, her face a massive grin. –That was amazing,” she exclaimed. –When this is over I want to learn how to do that. We could have races.”

He smiled at her excitement, reminded suddenly of the girl she had been at Hogwarts. He smoothed out her hair and nodded towards the structure behind her.

–Your future home awaits; shall we investigate?”

She turned to see what appeared to be a pretty intact tower rising from the landscape, dour grey stone blending with sky. It sat proud in the landscape and they were pleased to see it was not overlooked by any other structures. The aspect seemed designed to give a clear view of the approach to the hamlet that lent it its name, as good a defensive position as you could hope for. Wind disturbed the grass about them and the bare trees creaked as they danced. It certainly felt remote, only the unexpected call of a curlew disturbed the solitude.

They strode across the scrubby rise that led to a steep set of outside stairs, which in turn rose to a shabby looking wooden door to what would be the first floor. Severus tested the stonework and found it to be sound so they climbed awkwardly towards the door. It was stuck; neither of them was entirely surprised about that given the warping in the wood. Severus gave it a heft with his shoulder and the door gave way with a chorus of splintering. It remained hanging on its hinges, the damage not terminal, and allowed stale air to seep out around them. The concoction of neglect seemed to consist of old sheep dung and moss mixed with a vaguely rotting odour.

–Lumos.” Maeve shone her wand around the room and they were both pleasantly surprised. It was still watertight, the floor recognisably a floor and the ceiling intact, with an open staircase rising to the next floor. There seemed to be no evidence of any previous occupants, no sticks of furniture or discarded pictures, nor any old books or chipped cups. There was a trap door in the corner that would presumably lead to the ground floor.

–Up or down?” he asked.

–Let’s go up,” she said. –Find our prospective bedrooms.”

–Don’t expect much,” he warned, managing her expectations. –I think it will be more of the same.”

She gave him a little wink that he pretended to ignore and said, –More of the same suits me.”

It was more of the same in terms of the building. Stout walls, wooden floor and a high ceiling formed the main room, but this floor had been partitioned to give several smaller rooms. The small windows were just about holding on, their glass opaque with centuries of dirt. There was some furniture here; not much, but a large double bed with a canopy that had been devoured by moths stood in the largest room and there were some old dining chairs stacked by the door.

–It’s very quiet,” she pointed out. –I can’t hear a thing with the walls and those windows. That’s a good thing at least.”

Severus nodded as he walked to the wooden staircase that led to the top floor. She followed him, taking care on the steps as this wood looked in slightly worse shape than the rest of it. The top room was much the same as the bottom. It was completely open plan and clearly had been the defensive part of the building. Small archer’s slots served as windows and offered a clear view for miles around. The ceiling here was stone with another trap door giving access to the roof. A rickety ladder stood by it and they looked at each other.

–We’ll have to take a look,” Maeve said. –We need to be sure all of this is deserted.”

–I hardly think anyone will be camping out on the roof,” he replied with a flick of his right eyebrow.

–Are you suggesting we cut corners?” She knew he would be offended by the very notion so within seconds she found herself steadying the ladder as he climbed up to open the trapdoor. With a flurry of robes he disappeared from view and she had a few anxious moments before his head popped back over the opening.

–All clear,” he said. –The view is excellent, although I don’t advise anyone spends any time out here in full view.”

Once he had clambered back down and dusted himself off they descended back to the ground floor and the final trap door to the basement. He refused to let her go down until he seen for himself that it was clear of anything harmful. In the event there was nothing harmful there, but it did appear as if the animals had been locked in and left to die. Several large skeletons lay in distressed states in the makeshift pens that a previous owner had built. Maeve looked around in the light from her wand and gave a grimace.

–Cattle?” Severus asked, bowing to her greater knowledge of the animal world.

–Horses,” she confirmed, her voice heavy with sadness. –I can’t imagine the distress they must have suffered. We’ll need to clear this out before anyone else sees it; it’s too awful.”

He put an arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. –Come on. I’ll attend to this. We’ve done what we needed to do so let’s get back to Hogsmeade.”

–Do we have to?” she asked as they emerged into the relatively airy space above the horses’ graveyard. –It’s such a relief to be out.”

–It won’t be for long,” he said as he ushered her from the building.

–Can we fly back the long way round?” she asked with a smile, trying to rid herself of the sight of so many bones. –It might be last fun I have for some time.”

Severus could give her that small pleasure, at least, and took her back along the coast, weaving in and out of the landscape. With a sense of relief he finally brought them back to the Shack, exhausted suddenly by the extra passenger. Maeve was alive with the thrill of it all, most reluctant to return indoors. She gave him a grateful kiss and activated the charms that opened the door.

–Are you coming in?” she asked, sensing his hesitation.

–I have to go,” he said, regret written all over his face. –I need to report back to Rampton before meeting Lupin. He needs to be aware of where we intend to put everyone.”

–Be careful, especially with Harry. There are risks everywhere.” She leaned in and kissed him slowly before saying goodbye. Partings seemed to have become a way of life.


The Shack was quiet when she stepped inside. She shrugged her cloak off and hung it up before going through to make herself a coffee. There was movement from upstairs and she called up a quick hello, although she got no response. She dropped onto the sofa and closed her eyes with no intention of sleeping, but sleep she did, until Draco woke her a few hours later.

–I don’t want to alarm you,” he said as her brain tried to drag itself back to the land of the living.

–That sounds a lot like you are about to,” she said, suddenly alert with foreboding.

–Ron’s gone,” he said, bluntness still something of a Malfoy speciality.

Maeve thought that was the moment she finally realised nothing could shock her any longer. In the past this might have been regarded as a disaster, but now she just closed her eyes, muttered a small oath and looked at Draco again.

–I don’t suppose he said anything before he left?” She wasn’t hopeful of a positive answer. –Anything minor like where he was going or why?”

–Nope. His door was open. I could see he wasn’t there, or anywhere else in the house. He’s definitely bailed. Probably gone to find Potter.”

–He probably has,” she agreed, remembering the earlier shifty expression on his face and the feeling that something was afoot. –I’m also going to have to go out.”

Draco watched as she stood up and went to get her cloak. He was as bored as Ron, but unlike Ron there was no one anywhere that he felt a need to run to. Unlike Ron, he lacked a purpose. Ron, right at that moment, was as full of purpose as he ever had been.



He’d left as soon as Maeve and Severus had departed for the tower. It had been easy enough to slip out of the door, the hood of his top disguising the tell-tale Weasley hair. The isolated shack meant he was unobserved as he stood by the kerb’s edge and stuck out his hand, hoping against hope that the Knight bus was still running. There was a moment of doubt as he stood with his arm outstretched, a moment in which he began to feel a little stupid and rather conspicuous. He heard it before he saw it; a low rumble of wheels and engine with an underlying hum of relief. There was a tortured sound from the tyres as it came into view and ground to an abrupt halt.

Eric Shunpike was hanging off the rail at the back, looking at Ron suspiciously. It was clear to anyone that this was a young man with a great deal on his mind, and that being the conductor of the Knight Bus was currently not at the top of the great deal of things.

–’urry up. I ain’t got all day to hang about fer the likes of you to make your mind up about getting’ on the bleedin’ bus now have I?”

Ron hopped on quickly, wondering where Stan was. He didn’t much like the new Stan. The bus moved off as quickly as it had arrived and on lurched against the stairs.

–Where you goin’ then?” He peered at Ron, as if committing his face to memory.

–Beverley,” Ron muttered, hoping nothing further would be required.

–I asked you where you was goin’, not who you was goin’ to see. Donchoo know the difference.”

–Beverley is a place,” Ron stuttered. –It’s East.”

–East of what?” Eric asked, folding his arms over his ticket machine in disgust as having such a dunderhead on his bus.

–Just East.” Ron looked around him desperately, as if an answer could be found on the walls of the bus.
–An’ are there any special features about this Beverley place then?” Eric was beginning to worry he wasn’t going to get a proper destination out of this troublesome passenger. No destination always caused Ernie to have a bit of a funny turn and there was no saying how the bus itself would act up.

Inspiration struck suddenly. –The Westwood”” he shouted, –The Westwood in Beverley. That’ s it.”

–Well, why didn’t yer say so,” Eric bellowed, relieved as the bus lurched in a different direction. –That’s something Ern can work with, Ain’t it Ern?”

–Ar,” said Ernie, as he put his foot to the floor and gave the Knight Bus its head.

–There in a jiffy,” Eric said, ushering Ron to a seat as he punched numbers into his ticket machine. –Thirteen sickles, if yer please?”

Ron handed over his small stash of coins and sank back into the velour with relief. He was heading for Harry and that was all that suddenly mattered.