AN/- So umm...greetings from the horrible author who has nothing but excuses as to why she hasn't been around. In case you missed reading this story, I'm sorry...I suck...I am horrible...I am stuff I shouldn't be mentioning on a public. But here's to the hope that you might still have for me and this story. Enjoy!

Chapter 70

Audrey and Ron's stay at the Weasley was a comfortable one, but soon they felt the need to move on to real matters. It had taken almost a month to get Ron to realise that the only reason Audrey was hanging with him instead of helping Harry was because she felt that she couldn't have left Ron defenceless, it was obvious that Hermione wouldn't go with him, he'd look like a total coward turning away to make the run for it if Audrey hadn't followed him.

The situation at home wasn't as severe as Ron had thought it to be, neither was it all unicorns and fairies. They knew that the house was under surveillance, they were on a man hunt for Sirius who had disappeared once more, even Remus had lost the trust of the werewolves (who were now all Voldemort's followers).

The only solace that entire month Audrey found, was via Tonks, she had grown immensely since the last time Audrey had seen her. What was better was to see Remus dotting over her; he was really in love with her and that made Audrey smile. It filled her heart; she would fight, if not for herself than for Remus's child and the other children...so many other children.

A week after Christmas break Ron decided that it was time to return, he expressed his grievances to Audrey, claiming that he had been dim witted just like always and had made the stupidest mistake of his life (of course, that input had been Ginny's doing). He was ready to find Harry and Hermione, he would do whatever it took to find them and all he wanted was to be with all of his friends. Audrey helped Ron understand that she knew why he did what he did and that she would never judge him as harshly as he was judging himself currently. So once they were ready the next day, they left.

They were walking down Diagon Alley hoping to gain shelter in the Leaky Cauldron, hoods drawn, in case someone spotted them. Tom gave them a room to live in once he figured out who they were.

The next evening they set out to visit Fred and George at the store, they snuck in through the back entrance and Ron pulled Audrey with him into the office. They spoke to Fred and George about what had been happening while they were away, if they had heard any news from Hogwarts and whether Snape was the true tyrant that they thought he would be.

"Not Snape..." began George as Audrey raised her eyebrows.

"No honestly, Ginny said, he's not even around in the school most of the time, it's the Carrows that you need to watch out for...what's even more interesting to know Audrey...is that your mum...is on our side," said Fred smiling as Audrey sat back in her seat.

"What do you mean?" she asked him.

"She's been helping and supporting the staff and students all year round," said George.

"That's not possible...I saw her...with him...they were..."

"Maybe she was just pretending...to get into his head...to know what was truly going on...once she figured it out...she began looking for a way to try and make life easier," replied Fred.

"Or maybe Snape put her under an imperious...she just figured it out and is now revolting..." added George.

Audrey sat their quietly waiting to take in this information, but there was a sudden movement outside. The sirens went off and Fred and George stood and looked extremely worried.

"You guys...need to leave..." said Fred.

"Now!" emphasized George.

"Wait wha-"began Audrey but before she could complete her sentence Ron was already pulling her out of the store.

"Hey...you...wait..." snarled one of the snatchers.

"Run!" commanded Ron as he had a death grip on Audrey's hand while he made her run into a thin alleyway.

"Stop!" yelled the snatcher tripping to catch hold of Audrey's foot. She however used the same to kick his face and make him bleed from his mouth. The man dropped his wand and Audrey stole it, running further away from him.

They had run into muggle London, mixing into the crowd, hopefully those people wouldn't find them here. Audrey panted as she pocketed the other wand; her eyes shifted to Ron who stood next to her still holding her hand.

"Ron...your jacket is glowing!" she said as Ron looked at the left chest pocket of his jacket and frowned. He pulled out the deluminator and looked at it.

"Click it..." she said shrugging as Ron followed her orders. Several balls of light flew into the lighter as muggles stared with surprise. Ron clicked it again hoping to deliver the lights back but the balls merged together. Ron grasped Audrey's hand as the ball of light went right through him engulfing them. Muggles were left staring at the spot where the two teenagers had randomly disappeared from. Some looked frightened; some called it a miracle, the snatchers who had finally made it there called it magic they had never seen before.

Audrey toppled off Ron as she scrambled her way onto her feet and held out a hand to help Ron up.

"Where are we?" Ron asked as Audrey shrugged.

"I am as clueless as you..."she trailed off, turning her head around the place looking at the snow covered tress and through them the few stars that were made available on the moonlit night.

"I feel like I've been here before," she said trying to run all the times she's been in a forest and then her brain began to pay a memory.

She was fourteen again, standing in a green forest clearing, very similar to the white one she was standing in now.

"Go run!"

"Audrey come on!"

"Go!"

"Audrey!"

"Audrey!"

"Audrey!" Ron yelled as Audrey seemed to be brought back to reality. She shook her head and turned around to look at Ron.

"I know where we are...this is the place the Quidditch World cup had been held," she began but trailed off when she saw bright light coming from between the trees.

"What was that?" asked Ron brandishing his wand around as Audrey walked towards the moving light.

"I'll go check it out! Go look for shelter," she ordered as Ron frowned and turned around, but she had already gone off running.

"What if there are spiders? Audrey!" he called her back but she was gone.

Audrey wrestled through thorns as she followed what she know knew was a patronus and it wasn't just any patronus it was Harry's stag.

She followed quickly, creating a patronus of her own; she thought maybe it'd keep the stag company. When the deer stopped on thin ice and then seemed to dissolve the sheet. Audrey knew something was off, her wand light tried to look for the shiny patronus in the water, but she was surprised to see something or rather someone else, struggle around. The moonlight helped every bit as Audrey discarded her winter cloak and t-shirt and jumped into the hole in the frozen lake.

A few minutes later, they were both panting for air, she suddenly had a recollection and thanked the fact that the second task in the triwizard tournament had seemingly trained her for this moment.

"I remember...you freaking out...once...when we were...just standing over frozen ice...now who is the stupid one...hmmm?" she asked as she pulled on her clothes and Harry did the same. They were both extremely short for breath but that didn't stop him from launching himself on her. He kissed her passionately as she replied in the same way.

"I've missed you," he breathed out finally. She only smiled and pulled him into another kiss.

"Come on, we have a Horcrux to destroy!" he said smiling as he helped her up. The Gryffindor's sword now in his hands while Audrey held onto the locket.

"And I think Ron deserves to slaughter this one!"

"How'd you know he was here?"

"You wouldn't come without him,"

"Good work with the patronus," she said.

"That's just it isn't it...my patronus is a stag...this one didn't have antlers," he said shrugging as Audrey frowned. If it wasn't him than, who could it have been?

A day later, they had slaughtered they're first Horcrux and it currently hung around Ron's neck like a medal, he was after all the knight that had 'slayed' Voldemort's dragon.

They were currently making their way up Xenophilus Lovegood's house as Hermione had recalled that perhaps if anybody it had to be Xenophilus Lovegood who could give them any information about the symbol on the book Dumbledore had left behind.

The house was on the hill top, just like Ron had described, there was an odd tree near the house as the party of four knocked on the door. The tree rang softly as light wind pushed the 'flowers'.

When Mr. Lovegood answered the door, Audrey was surprised to see the man. He looked as if he had suffered a massive loss, probably his magazine was doing terribly (not a big surprise), Audrey felt terrible for his current state. He seemed to be as surprised to see them but quickly invited them in.

They seemed to sit in the large study while Mr. Lovegood filled the five large earthen cups with herbal tea. Audrey looked at him while he did so, observing his actions meticulously as she frowned. He did not seem to remind her of the Xenophilus Lovegood that she had met at Bill and Fleur wedding, rather a complete opposite. She found it fitting to ask the question wondering about his state.

"Mr. lovegood..." she began as he looked at her blankly.

"Where is Luna?" she finished suspiciously as an evident gulp was taken in by Mr. Lovegood.

"She's by the river...looking for Gringe flowers...she won't be long Ms. Snape," he replied and turned to look at the rest.

"What can I do for you Mr. Potter?" he asked as Harry took the book from Hermione and showed him.

"Do you know what this is? What it means?" asked Harry pointing to the symbol.

Mr. Lovegood buried his head into the book and ran his finger over the symbol and then looked up.

"Of course I do, this is the symbol of the deadly hallows," he replied as Ron and Audrey frowned looking at him confused.

"But...that's just...just a fairy tale..." trailed Audrey and then looked away in deep thought.

"Oh but it isn't it Ms. Snape...you've seen the very wand in your grandfather's hand when he was alive...haven't you..."said Xenophilus as Audrey looked at him.

"It isn't what you think...he...said...it was fashioned...it was...customized...the wand...was...it wasn't the elder wand...that's fictional!" she almost yelled at the man.

"Or was it...?" said Mr. Lovegood challengingly.

"The power to channel great magic comes through one and only one wand...why do you think the dark lord himself was frightened of your grandfather...my dear?" asked Mr. Lovegood.

"What is going on?" Harry asked aloud.

"The story of the three brothers..." began Mr. Lovegood as Harry gave a blank expression.

"Really...you don't know it...what about Wibbity Wabbity...how do you not know these?"

"Because we grew up listen to Snow white and the seven dwarves...and Cinderella,"

"Cindera—who?" asked Ron confused as Hermione shook her head.

"I'll read it..." said Hermione as she began reciting the story from the book carefully.

Throughout the story, Audrey had memories running through her head, remembering her grandfather's wand, so clearly, she also recalled the countless times he described the elder wand to her and the endless times she would tell 'Uncle' Albus that his wand was just like the elder wand.

"My dear it is all but a story..." he'd counter her smiling softly while looking right through her over his half moon spectacles.

Audrey sighed silently and stood up to walk towards the big window looking outside at nothing in particular. So if the stories were true then the elder wand, the resurrection stone and the...cloak of invisibility..." Audrey turned around to look at Harry. He already had the cloak of invisibility, it was passed down to him from his father...and it wasn't faulty unlike most fakes...that meant...Harry was the descendent of the third brother, Ignatius. Maybe, she was just thinking too much into this. The story had ended with an eerie silence as Ron spoke bravely.

"So what happens when we get all the hallows together?"

"Don't you see, whoever has all the hallows is the rightful master of death," replied Hermione hurriedly as Audrey noticed Harry looking at her strangely as she averted her gaze outside once again to the bare and still frozen landscape. The marshy land was a guarantee that everything would be under the muck, nothing seemed to blossom in such disgusting weather...

A speck of black made Audrey do a double take as she panicked and walked towards the group.

"We need to get out of here!"she yelled as the three others looked at her dumbstruck.

"They know!" replied Audrey as she already had her wand in her hand.

"You...we trusted you...you alerted them...with that horrid tree...did you not...Luna is not at the river...Gringe flowers cannot grow near a frozen river!" snarled Audrey as Harry almost pulled her towards the exit.

"What are you playing at?" snarled Audrey as Mr. Lovegood seemed to be reduced to tears.

"Please...you're my only hope...they took my Luna away from me they were angry you see...about what I'd been writing you see..."

"Who took her sir?" asked Harry softly, guiltily.

"Voldemort!" replied Lovegood with a manic look in his eyes.

"We need to leave now!" yelled Ron.

"Voldemort!" finished Lovegood

"You must understand...I can't let you go!" said Lovegood as the attack on his house began; spells were shot in every direction.

Harry covered Audrey as they tried their best to reach Ron and Hermione on the other side of Mr. Lovegood. Harry held Audrey by the waist as she created deflector shields one after the other while the house seemed to fall to shambles. Harry finally managed to grab hold of Ron's sweaty fingers as they apparated away from there.

"The nasty bastard!" yelled Ron as they stood at their old campsite; their tent was still hitched as it flapped violently against the wind.

"Calm down Ron...his daughter is in danger...it's understandable..."began Harry.

"And giving us away will do a lot good!" snapped Audrey gritting her teeth.

"Audrey...you're just pissed because he was right about something you didn't want to believe,"

"I can't believe your taking his side...the side of a man who..."began Audrey stomping away waving her wand wildly in the air.

"Let's put up the charms," said Ron following her lead as Harry kept looking at them.

Ron and Audrey paused suddenly as six large men rose up to their full height.

Audrey took three steps back as her eyes rest on Fenrir Greyback.

"We meet again," he smiled sniffing the air around her.

"Run!" yelled Ron pulling Audrey with him as the four of them ran in pairs towards the interiors of the forest.

Audrey did not know how long she had run for before she lost Ron to the snatchers, but she couldn't help it. Tears fell through her eyes, her feet hurt terribly and all she wanted to do was to know and hope that her friends had managed to hide or apparate to someplace safe, she didn't even know if apparition would be the right thing to do.

A distant squawk was heard as Audrey could see a red flying object over her head, but the next thing she knew, her feet were caught in a jelly leg jinx and Fawkes who she had hoped would be her way out lay tied up near her trying to set himself free but failing to miserably.

"Oh Fawkes," she cried as a snatcher picked her up and smiled.

"Oh...a good price on your pretty head isn't there!" he snapped as she felt the customary pull of force during apparition.

"This one almost got away...but...we've got her for you miss," smirked the nasty man, his foul breath made Audrey cringe. Her eyes averted to Harry as she frowned, what was wrong with his face?

"Welcome back dearest...I am sure your daddy will be very happy to see you. You! Go alert headmaster Snape and his wife," smiled Bellatrix to a random snatcher in the corner as Audrey froze when she heard her voice.

"So happy to have you come back," Bellatrix laughed manically, her eyes falling on Ron and Hermione, she sized them up and smirked, then she looked at Harry and made a face.

Audrey's eyes fell on the new entrants in the room; a feeling of hope seemed to rise when she noticed Draco and Astoria walk in. The other girl seemed to almost run towards her but Draco entwined her fingers with hers and squeezed her hand making sure she understood that the excitement would give them away.

"You requested our assistance Aunt Bella?" Draco asked slightly aloof as he looked at his aunt holding a defaced boy by the hair, her wand at his throat.

"Well...is this Harry Potter or not?" she asked as Draco looked at Audrey and then turned back.

"He came with her?" he called as his aunt nodded excitedly.

"I-I can't be sure," said Draco looking at Harry carefully making enough eye contact, hoping that Potter would understand that he was on his side.

"Draco...if we were the ones to hand Potter over to the dark lord then...everything will be as it was...you understand..." began Lucius as Audrey scoffed the snatcher however heard this exchange.

"We're not forgetting who actually caught 'em are we Mr. Malfoy?" he smirked barring his yellow teeth at the world.

"You dare to talk to me like that in my own house!" snarled Lucius as his wife came to his side, she looked at her son pleadingly.

Audrey was slightly wary now, Draco and his mother had a very different bond, she did not know if he would defy her for Audrey, but Astoria's hand in his seemed to comfort Audrey to greater levels than it would ever have as Astoria kept throwing hopeful glances at her, Ron and Hermione.

"Don't be shy sweetie, come over," said Bellatrix breaking the hand held between Draco and Astoria as she pulled him towards Harry. Draco squatted next to Potter while his aunt smiled at him like an excited wet dog.

"Now, Draco, if you don't think this is who we think it is then he'll kill us all...we need to be absolutely sure..." said Bellatrix.

"And you're sure he came with the girl and the bird?" asked Draco.

"This is not! About the girl and the bird...the bird determines that...that is Audrey Snape...now look at him!" snapped Bellatrix trying to be as kind as she could, something rarely seen. Draco stared at Harry while Harry stared back at him, both looking at each other as if communicating silently through blinks and breaths.

"What's wrong with his face?" called Astoria softly as Bellatrix looked at her seeming curiously.

"Yes, what is wrong with his face?" asked Bellatrix

"He came to us like that...something he must have picked up in the forest I reckon," replied the snatcher.

"A stinging jinx perhaps, was it you dear, maybe we should take a look at your wand...see what your last spell was?..." smiled Bellatrix running her hand down Hermione's face, Hermione tried her best to move away but the snatcher's grip on her was tight.

"...got you..." laughed Bellatrix manically as it seemed as if another had joined the room, Audrey grew stiff when she noticed her father stride into the room, his regal gait intimidating the entire lot of snatchers.

Bellatrix seemed to have spotted something on a snatcher.

"What is that? Where did you get that!" she snarled.

"I found it when I searched her bag...reckon it's mine now!" he smiled foolishly as the Gryffindor sword glistened from his belt.

"Give me the sword!" she yelled as the snatcher threw it at her feet and made a dash out.

"You'll get your payment...now get out!" snarled Bellatrix as the snatchers left without a word, calling her mental.

Audrey could feel the tension in the situation rising.

"Wormtail...put the boys in the cellar...I want to talk to these two girl to girl!" snarled Bellatrix Audrey seemed to be strapped onto a seat and while Hermione spread out on the floor her arms and legs tied together.

"Now...Snape...you will be honest with me...I'd appreciate that...your friend would appreciate that...Severus have you brought the serum?" snarled Bellatrix. Audrey could feel herself rush into panic mode as Fawkes was thrown in next to Hermione.

"I am no longer the potions master and Slughorn did not have any in stock," drawled Snape as Bellatrix seemed to bite the inside of her cheek.

"Very well Snape...you're a skilled legillimens, go through her mind...see what you can find,"

"You cannot order me to do anything Bella..."

"Severus...this is important..." Lucius grovelled as Severus seemed to look at his old friend. Audrey had a bad feeling about this. Her father stepped in front of her as she grit her teeth.

He stared at her for a good second as if taking in her face, studying her, analyzing it, finding any marks, any scars. Audrey said nothing; she just stared at him blankly, ready to have her mind searched, hoping and praying that whatever Occlumency that she had used so far had trained her enough for this. She however, highly doubted it.

He raised his wand as the spell slipped through his lips.

Severus could feel her strong shield, she had learnt well, but she wasn't that accomplished to stop him. He breezed through the recent memories not stopping at any, refusing to even look at them. He could feel her fighting hard to push him out but the further he went the harder it become. He however, stopped at one memory in particular. It was the memory of the summer in her fifth year, just a few weeks or days before he had finally found out that she was his.

"The patronus charm is one of the most difficult charms there is to master, patronus typically means guardian, because that is what it does, it guards you from the greatest of evils, therefore the only way to repel a dementor is through a strong Patronus," said Severus as Audrey nodded as she soaked up all the information.

"The patronus, if strong will take the form of the animal that describes you best, therefore the patronus is nothing in reality but your inner spirit guiding you towards light—it might be a myth but ancient text say that after your soul leaves the world your patronus is what guides it towards heaven or hell—although many have debated this." He went on.

"It cannot be said how long it might take to create the Patronus sometimes it comes in the first shot sometimes it does, so don't be disheartened if you fail for the first time, now to create patronus you will need—the incantation which is—Ex-pec-to Pat-ro-num and the only sorcery behind this is a happy memory—a memory so powerful that it can deflect depression and darkness—it will help the patronus breath," he said pronouncing it as clearly as he could, she shook her head in response.

"How do you move the wand?" she asked as he smirked at her.

"You don't—that is why people think it's not really a charm as such but there are theorists who believe otherwise," he said intelligently.

"Expecto Patronum," she began as white light shot out of the tip of her wand and then vanished. Severus could see the memory play like it had before in her mind.

"Not to pry, but what memory have you chosen," he asked as Audrey looked at him.

"When Remus bought me my guitar," she said as she looked at him.

"That's not good enough—not nearly good enough—it has to be strong, the happiest you've got," he said as she looked at him, she didn't seem to remember any happy memory, she thought again, she remembered her trip to Italy three years ago, seeing the leaning tower of Pisa and acting like she was pushing her hand to make it lean, eating pizza and going for scooter rides with her mother. Another strong memory played as he noticed his daughter and his wife enjoy their days in Italy.

"Okay," she said nodding as she readied herself to try again, he moved out her way as she focused on the memory.

"Expecto Patronum," she shouted as the light that had previously shot from her wand got brighter and then moved around in the air as it made a ball of light and then it went right through her as the light then died.

"Are you alright?" he asked her as she nodded.

"Yes, I feel like I have just been purified," she murmured, he had never read about something like that.

"I have never seen something like that happen before," he said shrugging as she smiled and shrugged back.

"Maybe you should focus on another memory," he said and she slumped, where was she supposed to get so many good memories from?

"I can't recall any," she said looking at her feet, she closed her eyes. She didn't have any? What was that supposed to mean, she was fourteen she was supposed to have millions of happy memories, truth was she never did enjoy her childhood so there were no memories as such.

The new realization of this fact made him feel terrible. He had never been there for his daughter when she had most needed him and he still continued to fail her as a father.

"There must be something," he called looking at the girl; she had closed her eyes as she opened them to look at him.

"There is one—but it's not really a memory—just—just something I keep imagining," she said as he looked at her.

"Is it strong?" he asked her as she nodded with determination in her reply.

"Let's give it a try," he said as she took in a deep breath and focused on the figment of her imagination. She was five, running through the mass of trees her little feet crunching the dried leaves and sunlight under them as a man ran behind her laughing and calling out her name his voice was rich, deep, smooth and baritone, she giggled softly as her hair whipped around her face strong arms went around her small body as she was lifted from the ground, as someone buried their face in her hair and laughed tickling her on the stomach, she giggled like a five year old would. She was then flipped and turned as she snuggled into the man's shoulder, there was no face but her voice echoed in her head.

Severus just stood there looking at that imaginary memory she had created for herself as a pang of guilt hit him. He had to hold on to the thought that he was doing it for her.

"Daddy,"

"Expecto Patronum!" she said as white light escaped her wand once more, Severus looked at it intently it was almost as if there was a shape, and it came, too soon for a fourteen year old but there it was as a rather large stallion burst from the tip of her wand and clopped around the yard. He blew out air in pride as Audrey opened her eyes to see it.

"A stallion—allusion of power, very difficult to tame—runs wild if set free and has a rather foul temper also a very distinct feature of a male ego—I do not understand that bit though," said Snape in his deep voice, so deep that it had made Audrey jump, why had she placed Snape's voice with the man from her imagination. Could he be who she thought he was?

The memory changed, they were now sitting in the kitchen at the burrow talking.

"You thought of that?" he asked her disbelievingly, this girl—she really did love him and all this while he had been jealous for her counting Lupin way more than him.

"Well—not exactly—seeing that I didn't know what my father looked like—but I associated your voice with his—I don't know why—but it seemed only easy to do it—but it's the only memory I use to produce my patronus," stated Audrey honestly.

"You see I thought and thought—about the form it takes and the only conclusion I ever made about it was understandable after I figured you to be my father," she said.

"You see I inferred that my patronus is a stallion not because of me being wild and temperamental but because I associated everything about a stallion with my father—he'd be tall—manly—strong—with a demanding voice—but he'd be soft spoken to me—just like you," she said, Severus could not believe as she went on telling him these things so easily, he felt terribly guilty for even thinking what he had last night. He thought that she didn't care—that she obviously considered Lupin way beyond him—that she connected with him way more than she could ever with him.

Severus finally felt the toughest blow to his chest he had ever felt since he entered her mind, it seemed as if she had managed to knock his breath out by punching him physically.

When he opened his eyes to look at her, she had been weeping, not crying or just a few stray tears like they had been with the normal Audrey. Her eyes her blood shot her face was blotched and her nose was runny as she sniffed profusely.

"I hate you...with every living fibre of in body...I swear to hate you forever!" she yelled panting.

An extremely strong urge to pull her into his arms almost overtook him, however, he managed to turn around and look at an expectant Bellatrix...

"Nothing...the bird is helping her guard her recent memories...her shields are as penetrable as they were when Dumbledore was alive," said Severus as Audrey looked up to glare at his back. A lie...he was lying...why was he lying for her! She did not want him lying for her.

"If I find out that you've been saving your precious traitor daughter...I will personally mention it to the dark lord...and I know he will himself see to you and your family...Snape...especially...your precious little wife...the Carrows have notified me of her support for a student uprising...you better keep her under control Snape...you never know..."

"That will be enough Bella...if Severus says...he cannot...then I believe him..." said Narcissa and Lucius nodded shaking his head.

"Fools," muttered Bellatrix.

"Fine...if one little cub won't talk...I shall break the other one,"

"This darling little mudblood cub...is Potter's friend is she not Draco? And the red head inside?" asked Bellatrix as Draco nodded somberly.

"Very well then, if you will not talk Audrey Adams...then your friend must!"

AN/- Do leave a review.