Chapter 24: Support

Bree and Severus had spent the morning wrapped in each other's arms, just enjoying each other’s closeness once again after so long a separation. Bree felt such a relief at being able to be fully open with Severus that she had been smiling for most of that time. He asked her several questions about her past, and she did her best to answer them.

“You said your family was killed when you were seventeen?” he asked.

She winced. It disturbed her still to speak of them, but Severus deserved to know the truth.

“Yes. My parents had always been vocal against Voldemort, and so had I, for that matter. It was summertime, and I was home from Beauxbatons. I met someone, and we began to date. One night, when I returned with him, the Dark Mark was over my home, and the door was ajar. I raced in, not really thinking. The Death Eaters weren’t satisfied with just using the Killing Curse. My parents were together in the living room, both of their necks slashed. They had bled to death in an embrace. My brother...” She stopped to control herself. “... they hung my brother from the ceiling. His body was still swinging slightly when I found him.”

Severus pulled her close in an embrace, but she pulled away quickly.

“Then to top it off, after my boyfriend had pulled me from the house screaming, he explained to me that he was a Death Eater who had been sent to observe us. He knew of the hit on our home but had grown fond of me. He didn’t want me killed in the raid, so he had taken me away until he was sure the deed had been done. As he explained everything to me, my mind seemed to go black. Everything around me went black. Before I knew it, I had pulled my wand out and killed him.”

She shuddered and looked at Severus. “I don’t even remember casting the curse. I just remember his vacant eyes staring up at me from his dead body. I figured I’d be sent to Azkaban, but no one blamed me for my actions. No one said a word to me about the incident… ever.

“I never set foot in that house again. I set up a tent and lived on the lawn for a while.” She chuckled. “I think the neighbors thought I had gone insane, and perhaps I did temporarily. I made arrangements to clean up the house and sold it with all of its contents as quickly as possible.

“I returned to Beauxbatons and vowed I would avenge my family’s deaths. I worked hard and got the grades I needed to become an Auror. By the time I had become an Auror, however, Voldemort had been defeated. I participated in bringing several Death Eaters to justice, but most had already been rounded up by then. Not that I didn’t enjoy the other aspects of Auror work, I did, I had just hoped to be able to put more murderers behind bars. When the Ministry offered me the American liaison position, I jumped at the chance. I like organizing and new things, so it suited me. I’ve been here ever since, and I must admit, I really like my job.”

She finally finished and smiled at him. Severus had listened intently, but he didn’t have the words to express how her story had made him feel.

“Brianna, I’m sorry you had to deal with all of that. I have been part of such raids and have always felt badly for those left behind to deal with their grief.”

Bree nodded and moved in close to him. She didn’t want him to think that she blamed him in any way for her family’s death. He rubbed her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.

“How do you know Dumbledore, anyway?” he asked.

She chuckled. “He is an old friend of the family. He knew my parents when they went to Hogwarts. They became good friends along the years. He helped me after they died.” She smiled in remembrance. “He practically dragged me out of that stupid tent and set me straight about my feelings on the future. He told me I needed to finish my education, that my parents would want that for me. If it hadn’t been for him, I might be living in that tent still.” She frowned at the thought.

“We corresponded at least once a week for a long time. When I moved here, our writings became more sporadic, but we would keep in touch at least once a month. Then, at the beginning of the year, I was surprised to receive an urgent owl from him. He asked me if I would meet him secretly in Britain, and if I could take a leave of absence from the Ministry to help him with a certain matter. The man is like my grandfather, I could refuse him nothing, so I got my leave of absence and met him. He explained what was to be done and asked me to do it because of my anonymity. You pretty much know the rest of the story.”

She looked up at him and was worried to see a scowl on his face.

“What is it?” she asked with trepidation.

“I assume he cares for you somewhat?” Severus asked tensely.

“Yes, why?”

“Once again, Dumbledore has shown his ability to forget his feelings for anyone to achieve his goal,” Severus explained angrily. “He has done it numerous times before, with me especially, and with Potter also. It never ceases to amaze me how he can put the people he cares about in so much danger and not even bat an eye.”

“Well, I agreed to do the job too, Severus. He explained it fully before I agreed. I knew what I was getting into,” she defended.

Severus pulled his arms away from her and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

“No, Brianna, that’s not exactly what I’m speaking of. When the battle was almost over, we discovered you and Lucius. Lucius explained to Dumbledore how you had been hit and were dying. He practically begged Dumbledore to get the stone and destroy it, but Dumbledore refused, citing that the other Death Eaters would get their powers back too and the raid would be a failure.” Severus’ eyes narrowed in anger. “If Lucius hadn’t become irate, telling him that the two of you had done everything he had wanted so far and that you didn’t deserve to die for the mission, he would have let you do just that—die for the cause.”

Bree stared ahead with a puzzled look. “I was prepared to die, but I wouldn’t have expected Albus to write me off so quickly.”

“Don’t take it personally, he does it to everybody,” Severus chuckled mirthlessly.

Bree knit her eyebrows together. “Do you know what I think it is? He sees everything so black and white. For him, there is only one outcome and only one way to get to that outcome. He has a hard time wrapping his mind around alternatives once he has made up his mind about a plan.”

Severus frowned. “He lets his plans destroy those who implement them. We are all lucky to have escaped with our lives from his convoluted plans. No one knows the whole plan; everyone just works on their part and doesn’t know who the other allies are. It is lunacy.”

Bree glanced at Severus, who seemed agitated. “You’ve been dealing with him in this capacity much longer than I have. I can see why you’re so upset by him.”

Severus stared at the floor dispassionately. “I have had my fill of him. For all of these years, he has claimed to care for my well-being, but deep down, I know he would have sacrificed me in the blink of an eye. I find it difficult to reconcile that with his claims of friendship.”

“Come here,” Bree urged as she pulled him to her. Her arm laced around his shoulder as she kissed his cheek. “I think you have suffered the most out of all of us, Severus. You have had to work both sides the longest. Just having to be in Voldemort’s presence for the little time that I was in the manor practically made me insane.” She turned his head toward her and kissed him. “Thank you for all that you’ve gone through for all of us.”

Severus frowned and pulled away from Brianna. “You are the first one to thank me for what I’ve done. I appreciate the sentiment.”

“Your colleagues are foolish if they haven’t realized all that you’ve sacrificed over the years.”

Severus rose and began to pace. “I did what I had to do. No one cares that one man risked his life as much as I. They just see Potter as the hero. The back story is of little importance to anyone. Even Dumbledore goes about his business as if everything that happened in the past was only a bad dream. He cares little for me, or how I feel about what I’ve done.”

“Severus,” Brianna muttered.

“No one wants to see the ugly part of the war. They care not about the evil things I had to do. It doesn’t matter how awful everything made me feel. I am the expendable piece. Invaluable until all is said and done, then tossed aside.” He glared at Brianna. “Tossed aside and forgotten by the one man who I respected.”

“Severus, come here.”

He continued to pace. “He knows what it was like for me, but he doesn’t care! He could care less about how I feel now! He doesn’t know how I have horrid nightmares. His plan was accomplished, it doesn’t matter who the casualties were or what they have to endure for the rest of their lives!” He was breathing so hard that his chest was heaving.

Brianna rose and went to him. She pulled him to the sofa and held him to her. “It’s over, Severus. You can put it all behind you.”

“It will never be over for me. I will live with my memories of evil forever.”

Brianna rearranged herself on the couch so she was sitting with her legs up. She pulled Severus up to her and settled him next to her. His head lay on her chest as she massaged his back.

“I will help you forget. You mustn’t berate yourself like this, Severus. Everything you did was to defeat Voldemort. Please don’t fall into self-deprecation. You deserve so much more than that.”

She felt his arms encircle her, and he held her tightly. “Thank you, Brianna, for believing in me and seeing me as more than what I am.”

“I see you as the man I love, Severus. Don’t let Dumbledore’s indifference bother you. In the grand scheme of things he is much less of a player than he thinks. You are a hero. You have gotten your share of coverage in the papers. People see you as the hero you are. Please stop feeling like you’re all alone in the world. You have me and probably many more than you realize on your side.”

Severus pushed himself up and away from Brianna. He sat upright on the couch and stared ahead.

“I am overreacting,” he admitted.

Bree moved to be next to him again. “Nonsense! You’ve been through so much, Severus. You need to let it all come out. That’s the only way you’ll truly be able to put all of this behind you.”

Severus glanced at Brianna. “Will you be able to bear my awful moods?”

“I love you, Severus. I’m not going anywhere.”

Severus moved in slowly toward Brianna. His eyes looked deeply into hers. She gasped as his piercing gaze seemed to see right into her soul.

“Thank you, Brianna.”

He was mere millimeters from her. She could feel the heat from his lips as they closed in on hers. Then he was kissing her. His hands came up to her arms, and he pushed her back into the sofa. She fell back while she wrapped her arms around him, lacing the fingers of one hand through his hair. With the other hand, she pulled him even closer. She tried to convey her devotion with her kiss. She wanted him to know that no matter what, she would never desert him. By his passionate response, she knew he’d felt her sentiments.

They continued basking in each others affections for quite some time. Finally, they broke apart, gasping as they each looked into the other's eyes again. Their looks each spoke volumes. Severus fell into her and rested his head once again upon her chest. They didn’t speak… they just enjoyed each other’s closeness. It seemed like time had stopped, and they were the only two people in the world.


oooOOOooo

They had remained like that for a long time. Each had their eyes closed, but neither slept. They both were incredibly aware of the other so close to them, but no words had been spoken in a while. Brianna opened her eyes when her stomach grumbled.

“I’m hungry, Severus, are you?” she asked.

“Now that you mention it, yes, I am,” he replied.

“What do you think about pizza?”

oooOOOooo

They had walked for a few blocks and passed several pizza parlors before they finally stopped. The sign read Fat Sal’s Pizza, and there was a picture of a portly man in a chef’s hat and apron, presumably Sal, twirling a pizza.

“So, Severus, have you ever had a New York pie?”

He looked at her quizzically. “I thought we were going for pizza.”

She laughed. “Sorry, that’s local lingo. A pie is another name for a pizza. You know… a pizza pie?”

“Ah,” he said with understanding. “No, I can’t say that I have. Are they something special?”

Her eyes grew wide at him and then she said playfully, “Why they’re the best pizza ever made!”

Severus grinned at her enthusiasm. “May I ask why we passed several other pizza establishments?”

“Oh, because this one is the absolute best!” she gushed as she pulled him into the store.

The delicious scent of pizza sauce and oregano filled Severus’ nostrils as he breathed in deeply. Bree went to the counter and ordered a ‘pie’ with extra cheese and two cokes. Then they settled themselves into a table.

“You didn’t want pepperoni or anything?” Severus asked.

Bree sat back thoughtfully. “New York pies are better left unadulterated. The toppings detract from the beauty that is the pie.”

Severus snorted, and Bree grinned. “It sounds like you’re comparing a pizza to Nirvana,” Severus laughed.

“Just wait… you’ll see,” Bree said slyly.

After a few minutes a thick Brooklyn accent rang out, “Regular pie, extra cheese!”

Severus got up and brought the pizza back to their table along with a couple of paper plates.

Looking at the plates he noted, “Such elegance for a simple pizza?”

Bree laughed as she grabbed a slice and put it on her plate. Severus tentatively pulled one onto his plate and watched the cheese stretch and finally break.

“Good heavens, woman, these pieces are huge, how am I to eat this?” he exclaimed.

“Oh, you fold it,” Bree offered and showed him with her already folded slice.

With a raised eyebrow Severus folded his pizza and took a bite. Okay, it wasn’t Nirvana, but it was, by far, the best pizza he had ever had. He was never really fond of the food item, but he could see himself enjoying this particular ‘pie’ on a regular basis. Finally when his mouth was empty he nodded to Brianna’s expectant form.

“It’s very good,” he said.

“So, in your understated way of saying things that means it’s phenomenal, right?” she quipped.

He smiled at her and nodded as his mouth was full again. They happily downed half of the pie and had the other half boxed. Bree had advised Severus that cold pizza made an excellent breakfast food. He was a bit skeptical. They exited the pizza parlor, and Bree shrank the box and put it into her pocket. She looked over at Severus.

“So, what do you want to do now?” Severus asked.

She crinkled her nose. “I need to stop by work for a few minutes.”

“I thought you had the day off.”

“I do, but I need to fill out that report, and I need to speak with Brian about something,” she informed him.

“You’re not going to seek out that maniac, are you, Brianna,” Severus asked sternly.

She frowned. “If I never see him again, it will be too soon. No, I have no intention of going near him until the trial. American Wizarding trials are usually very swift. They’ll probably have it in the next day or two.”

“If only our Ministry worked that quickly. There are still Death Eaters awaiting trial from the battle.”

Bree nodded absently. “Do you want to come with me or would you rather wander around the city?”

“I will come with you,” he said.

“I usually like to walk in the city, but it’s a ways away, and I’m not fond of the subway system. Let’s find an alley and Apparate.”

Severus nodded and soon they had disappeared. In another few minutes they had made their way up to Brian’s office.

“Could you wait out here for a few minutes? This shouldn’t take long,” Bree told him.

Severus sat on a bench in the hall while Brianna went in to speak with her boss. She knocked on the door and entered when called to. Crossing the room, she found herself at Brian’s desk. He looked at her, surprised to see her there.

“I thought I told you to take the day off,” he chided.

She smiled at him. “I’m only here to fill out my report. I don’t keep those infernal recording machines at my home.”

“So, what brings you to my office? Surely you can fill out a report without my help.”

Bree smiled and sat on the corner of his desk. “I have a question and possibly a favor to ask of you,” she explained.

“Go on,” Brian urged.

“I have heard some rumors that the American liaison to the British Ministry wants to retire. Is that true?”

“Seth Grady?” Brian chuckled. “He has been threatening to retire for six years now!”

Bree nodded. “I was wondering if I could take over his position.”

Brian looked at her sternly. “Bree, you just got back.”

“I know. When I did I really thought I wanted to be here, but I find myself wanting to return to England again.”

“Does this have something to do with that Snape fellow who was looking for you yesterday? He said he was just a friend, but there seemed to be more going on than he was revealing.”

She regarded Brian thoughtfully. Curse Aurors and their ability to read people and their emotional state.

“Yes, that has a lot to do with it actually,” she finally acquiesced.

“Bree, you’re not an American, how can you possibly ask to take over that position?”

Bree rolled her eyes. “Brian, I have lived in America longer than I have lived in England… for over half of my life actually. No, I’m not a native, but I certainly understand the American Ministry and can represent you across the pond.”

Brian nodded at her assessment. He mulled over her request for a little while then looked to her.

“Alright, Bree, I’ll see if Grady is serious about retiring. If he is, you may transfer to that position, but--” He pointed at her. “--you must train your replacement completely before departing. I will not live with the fiasco we had here for the time you were away. Do you agree with those terms?”

“Of course!” she exclaimed, jumping down from the desk. “How long will it take to train a replacement?”

“Don’t jump the gun! I haven’t even spoken with Seth yet. I’ll owl you as soon as I get a response, but it might not be until tomorrow. Training, as you know from your own, takes two weeks.”

She gave Brian a brilliant smile. “Thank you, Brian. I’m in your debt.”

With that she bid him good-bye and left the office. Closing the door behind her she smiled at Severus and beckoned him to follow her. He rose, and they proceeded down the hall to a plain door that had no title or name on it. Bree went in, followed by Severus.

The room wasn’t huge. It held a solitary desk in it where a young blonde woman sat. The office had four doors leading to smaller rooms with tables in them. Bree walked up to the woman at the desk.

“Hello, Deanna, I need to file a report about an incident that happened last night,” she told the blonde woman.

“Hey, Bree,” the woman responded as she opened a drawer and fished out a box. “I heard you had some trouble with Robert last night.” She was frowning as she handed the box over to Bree.

“Yes, he nearly killed me,” she replied.

Deanna shook her head. “I’m glad you’re alright.” She glanced over at Severus. “Who’s your friend?”

“Oh, this is Severus Snape,” she told Deanna.

Deanna flashed him a wide grin and extended her hand. Severus looked a bit put out, but he grasped her hand and shook it anyway to be polite.

“I’m Deanna Smith. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She flashed another grin, this time a bit more seductive than the last.

“Hey, hands off, he’s mine,” Bree informed her.

Severus arched an eyebrow at Bree as Deanna quickly pulled her hand back.

“Well, why didn’t you say so? You just said he was a friend.”

Bree rolled her eyes. “Sorry, next time I’ll put a big sign on him, okay?”

Both girls burst into laughter as Severus watched on at a loss. He wasn’t used to being fought over and certainly not being spoken about as if he weren't in the room.

“I’ll take room two,” Bree advised Deanna.

Deanna nodded at her and pushed a button. A light appeared above room two, and Bree stepped through the door. She let Severus glide by her, and then, waving to Deanna, she closed the door behind her.

“Sorry, Severus. Deanna and I have a running joke about hitting on each other’s men. We’ve been doing it for years. I hope you didn’t feel too awkward.”

“No, everyone likes to be the butt of jokes, Brianna, think nothing of it.”

Bree looked at him in amusement. She wandered back to him and put her arms around his neck. She kissed him soundly and even though he was a bit miffed, he responded to her brazen kiss.

“There,” she said as she pulled away, “I hope that makes up for your discomfort.”

She pulled away and went back to work. She pulled the lid off the box and removed a small stack of parchment and a Quick Quotes Quill. She then removed a small metallic box which was flat and rectangular. She laid that on the table next to the parchment and the quill. She sat down and motioned for Severus to take a seat.

“Have you ever seen one of these devices, Severus?” she asked.

He shook his head.

“It’s a recording device. It will take my statement and then ask any questions that will help to clarify what I have already stated. It is admissible as evidence in court. The judge and jury for Robert will hear this testimony first, and then decide whether I need to come in to testify further. I’m hoping what I record today will be enough.”

Severus got up and picked up the device. The box was smooth and nondescript. There were no openings whatsoever in the metal. He placed the box down and sat back down.

“You’ll have to be completely silent during the interview. If the box hears any sounds other than my voice, it will restart the tape, and I will have to begin my testimony again. The light that Deanna turned on signifies that the room has been made soundproof to ensure my privacy and the completion of the record.”

“Brianna, would you rather I waited outside?” Severus asked.

She looked at him tentatively. “No, I would rather have you here, if you wouldn’t mind.”

She looked extremely vulnerable. Severus rose and pulled her to him.

“It will be alright, Brianna. You are ensuring his punishment by reliving this again.”

Bree grasped him and hugged him tightly. “Thank you for being here with me.”

Severus stroked her hair and studied her eyes. “I will always be here for you, Brianna.”

He pulled away from her and brought his chair so that he was sitting right next to her. She looked at him and told him she was ready. He nodded. Bree took her wand and tapped the top of the recording box. It began to speak.

“Testimony of Brianna Corwin, on the attack made by Robert Godfrey. Please begin when you are ready, and be as thorough as possible. Remember, you are under Oath.”

Bree gave her testimony for the next ten minutes, beginning from Robert appearing in the Floo and ending with the appearance of Brian and her handing over the evidence. As she got closer to the attack, she began to clench and unclench her fists, but that was the only sign of discomfort that she showed. Severus watched her solemnly, admiring her strength and ability to stay calm while describing such an unpleasant memory.

She finished and waited a moment while the recording device studied her response. Finally it spoke again.

“Are there any other details that you have not included in your testimony?” the box asked.

Brianna thought for a moment. “No,” she replied.

“When Robert Godfrey attacked your mind, how long was he inside of your head?”

Bree tensed as she thought about it. “Probably about two minutes.”

“How far did his assault go?”

Bree frowned, and Severus reached out and grabbed her hand. He squeezed it in support.

“He kissed me and fondled me before I was able to expel him from my mind,” she said robotically.

“Did he remove your clothes?”

“No,” she responded.

“Are there any more details you wish to report about his assault?”

“No,” she replied again.

“Those are all the questions I have. You may turn off the recorder.”

Bree tapped the device with her wand and slumped back into her chair. She blinked back tears as Severus kneeled before her and looked into her eyes. He grasped her hands and squeezed them.

“I admire your ability to be detached in your testimony,” he told her.

Her lips formed a thin line as she struggled for control of her emotions. She had promised herself that she wouldn’t break down when she did this. Robert Godfrey would not have that control over her. Suddenly, she felt Severus’ arms around her.

“It's okay, let it out,” he whispered.

All of her resolve crumbled. She pulled Severus further toward her and sobbed on his shoulder. He held her tightly as her sobs continued.

“You were amazing yesterday, fighting him off,” he told her.

“No, I froze. He got farther than he should have.”

“Brianna, it was part of his control. He made you freeze. It shows how powerful your mind is that you were able to fight him off at all.”

Bree pulled her head back and searched Severus’ face. “Are you sure? I thought I was just being weak.”

A flash of anger went through Severus. Anger that this evil man had made her feel so vulnerable. He looked directly into her eyes and enveloped her face in his hands.

“You, Brianna Corwin, are not weak. Everything you have done, everything you have been through, testifies that you are probably the strongest witch I have ever met.” He put his hands to her shoulders. “Do not let that horrible creature make you doubt yourself. Do you understand me?” he shook her slightly.

She nodded and sniffed. Brushing her tears away, she composed herself and looked back at Severus. Her heart was flooded with love and gratitude for him. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

“Thank you, Severus. I appreciate you bringing me to my senses.”

He embraced her. “I couldn’t let you think so horridly of yourself, Brianna. Especially after all I’ve put you through.”

“Severus, don’t,” she whispered into his ear.

He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “It seems I will be making that up to you for the rest of our lives.”

She smiled at him. “So, you plan on us being together for the rest of our lives?” she asked slyly.

“Absolutely,” he countered before he kissed her passionately.

---

A/N: Next up: More fluff. ;)

Thank you all for reading and reviewing.