XXIII
Ginny sat stiffly on the hard bench and the coach did not dare to stir from the spot, while the man she now recognized as Eliot Brown Hermione is still under control and had her long held the knife to the throat. It seemed almost impossible to say how long they sat in that coach. You could hear was the sound of her blood and the irregular beating of her heart. Whether it was minutes or hours now, finally were they stand.
The servant, who had already brought the first news broke the door on the carriage and dragged Ginny out. Brown pushed behind Hermione and followed them in an old house of dirty bricks, which stood at the end of a dark dead end. Even inside it was dark. The house had only small, dirt-curtained window. They had been brought down a narrow stone staircase, and finally in one of the bare room in a wet basement pushed before they closed the door behind them.
Ginny stumbled a few steps forward when the door loudly behind her slammed shut and she heard the key was turned around. Hermione lay before her on the floor. She had tripped and landed on the cold stone. "You all right?" Ginny asked anxiously, as she noticed that her friend was holding her face distorted her round belly. "I guess so," replied she pressed her. She sat up and had to breathe deeply several times, "If only the stress," she added finally and actually had a little more relaxed.
"Who are these guys and what the hell they want?" Asked Ginny. "The guy who held a knife to my throat Eliot Brown has had, the others I do not know, "said Hermione," you want money, they seem to have found out what happened to Lennox and Severus tried to blackmail, but he did not mention this in the hope we were then already in our time. This here must be your Plan B probably. "Hermione slid against the wall and leaned exhausted against.
There were no windows in this room, only the faint light that shone from under the door slot. It took until their eyes adjusted to the darkness, now they could see Ginny's worried expression. Again felt the jump-off. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled her legs closer. Could this be about labor? No, it was too early. She had at least two weeks, or had you used the excitement of premature labor?
The pain was gone and she relaxed. "Are you sure?" Ginny asked again. She had bent down to Hermione, wiping her damp curls from his forehead. She had not answered her, instead she was breathing deeply again. "Damn mine, please do not tell me that the child is now," Ginny begged her. "I do not know," Hermione squeezed out, "but it feels quite then on."
panic shot high and Ginny began against the massive wooden door to hammer. "They may or they do not hear you," Hermione said quietly, "Come here, you have to help me." It had even surprised that she remained so calm and she was glad about it. She had the birth of their child certainly not presented. In a dark, dirty room. Without Severus. A little fear came over her again. She knew that she could not allow. She had to breathe, she had to calm down, otherwise it would make everything worse. Severus will come, she told herself again and again. He will come as long as they had to endure.
Hermione took off her coat and laid upon it. She had already been watching with some births, but really they had no idea what to do. The new position seemed in any case already a good start to be, because their bodies are a little relaxed. "Is that better?" Asked Ginny. "I do not know," said Hermione, "Come here and just hold my hand."
***
There was a knock on the door and Ron hurried frankly, glad to Lavender least able to escape for a moment. Before him stood a young boy. He could hardly be older than seven. His clothes were old and torn and his face was dirty. "Mr. Snape? "He asked. Ron shook his head. "No, I can give him what?" Asked Ron. The boy held out a letter. Amazed, he took the letter. "Who is he?" He asked.
The boy raised unaware of his shoulders. "I do not know," he, "a man has given money so I deliver it here." As soon as he had fulfilled his task, he already ran away. Ron saw the envelope in his hands at her curiously. It was a seal on the back and the front just stood Severus Snape. He wondered what he should do with it. Snape was up, he knew, and perhaps this letter was so important, but he had little desire to deal with the ill-tempered man, so he put the letter on the dining table. Snape would see him as soon as he came down.
It had already begun to dawn as Harry paced restlessly through the house and finally entered the room. "If they're not back yet?" He asked. Lavender and Ron looked at him innocently. "I think Ginny and Hermione," he said, "They were really only just gone." "Oh but you know mine," waved Ron, "she was determined to break away again and did not go to . Harry seemed the answer is not particularly satisfying to. He ran up and knocked gently at the door to Severus' laboratory. "What?" He heard the man ask behind grim and repented already knocked have to, but it was too late. had entered "Did Hermione reported accident?" he asked as he room.
saw high moment Severus. His gaze wandered to the window, then back to Harry. "If they're not back yet?" He asked anxiously. Harry shook his head. Severus stood up and hurried past him. It did not look like Hermione, just not to happen. If she had decided to stay longer, they would have let him at least send a message. He wandered through the rooms downstairs, as from a distance an envelope on the dining table and saw his heartbeat calmed somewhat.
Even before he picked him up he had realized the spidery writing in which his name was written. "Who brought this letter?" He asked. Ron looked up briefly. "A little boy," he said, "A man has paid him for it."
Severus broke the seal and scanned the letter quickly, as his eyes widened, his face him FÜ r slipped a little while. A short time later he was back in focus and read it again. "How long is the here already?" He asked coldly. Ron raised the shoulders. "I do not know," he said, "perhaps since noon."
He crossed the room with a few large steps until he stood at the redhead and his right hand on the grabbed his throat. "If something happens it is ...", Severus hissed. Lavender looked at him anxiously, Harry was also with them and shouted at him to let go of Ron. The face under his hand was already under red. Severus let go and threw Harry to read the letter. Ron staggered toward the bed. He had seen Harry and found that the facial features of his friend's the same way slipped away before he came up to him and handed him the letter in his hand.
"I did not know what was in there," Ron defended himself after he flew over him, but neither Harry nor Severus it seemed to be observed. "We have lost a lot of time," said Severus, "First we must pick our wands at Burton." Harry and Ron shot up. "They do not," Severus said to Ron, "You will stay here with Miss Brown."
***
Hermione was still lying on the floor. Her contractions came more frequently. She had initially tried to pull himself together, but she had now lost all power and let out a deafening scream at each contraction. She was drenched in sweat and she was afraid. As much anxiety as Ginny, who was sitting beside her on the floor, held her hand and dabbing her forehead.
Someone turned the key in the door to behind them and opened it. Ginny shot around instantly. Brown came in cautiously, while the other man stood still lurking with a gun in his hand, in the doorway. Brown put a jug of water and two slices of bread in front of them. Again, let Hermione go a loud, anguished cry and prevented him from immediately turning around and leave. He saw two women hesitantly.
"What does it have?" He asked. "She gets her child," replied Ginny irritated and dabbed at her again from her forehead.
"What do you need?" He asked uncertainly after a while. Startled, he looked at Ginny, "What I need is a midwife. For I have no idea how to bring a child into the world, "she yelled.
"Water and fresh towels," Hermione pressed out before it had run over a further contraction.
"For a dead woman and a dead child they will see a penny," Ginny called after them, as both men left the room.
you were alone again. "You want some food?" Asked Ginny and grabbed one of the rock-hard bread. "No," Hermione replied, her head shaking, "but some water."
"What should I do mine?" she asked anxiously, after she had passed her the water. "First, the petticoats off," said Hermione. Like most women, they also contributed to this cold season, more layered petticoats and was now all but one of Ginny strip.
"Oh no, oh no, oh no," whimpered Hermione after a while. Concerned Ginny looked at her. "What is it mine?" "I think my amniotic sac is burst"
she answered her. Ginny pulled the remaining rock up, saw the wet, dark stain on the stone floor between her legs and nodded her consent to.
Now they finally had to settle for getting their child to be alone here in this dirty room. Severus would not come on time.
was again pushed the door open behind them and a small, round nun in the room. She had a bucket of water in one hand and a few sheets in the other. Brown made two candlesticks on the floor and locked the door again.
"Mrs. Snape, "the nun said, surprised when she saw the woman on the floor," The doctor had already worried that they do not come. "Are Hermione recognized the roundish woman she had met as a sister Elis. They often came into the poor house to help. Most of them supported the midwives, but they also made each other, their possible work.
"I'm glad to see them," said Hermione easier. Elis sister rolled up their sleeves and decided to put himself between Hermione's legs, then she pushed her skirt up. "The waters have already collapsed," she said and looked around. "Give me a sheet of," she said to Ginny, who obeyed her immediately. She put a clean Sheet under Hermione, then she began to scan her stomach. A new woe came, and Hermione began to press automatically.
"Listen to me well. You may now press under any circumstances, "said his sister worried," The child has turned. We need to get it again only in the right situation. "Elis sister put her hands back on Hermione's belly. "That's going to hurt," she warned, and began applying pressure. Hermione screamed with all her strength, but Eli's sister did not stop. "We're almost there," reassured them, "It is on the side, just a little bit."
"I can not, please," Hermione pleaded, "Please, I can not." However, had the round nun learned to compete despite their size. She pushed her hands, which she had placed protectively around her belly to the side. "Hermione, they have to," she said emphatically, "pull yourself together now, for her child."
Hermione seemed to have eased somewhat, so that she again put her hands on her stomach. "On three. One, two, three, "she said and again began to exert pressure on her stomach.
"Made it, we did it, tried it against her loud cries to come. "And now, pressing, kid," she went on talking to her. Hermione lay exhausted on the floor. "Come on, they must press," she implored women to them.
Ginny had asked her again and pressed her hand. Hermione was breathing hard, then she began to push. It was a hell of pain, they would have been required not even your worst enemy. She had her eyes tightly shut and pressed simply. It was as if something was torn from the inside out. She had lost all sense of their surroundings, until the moment when the two women apparently stopped next to her breathing and she had suddenly heard the loud cries of a child.
sister Elis had cleaned it and wrapped in one of the sheets, then put the small bundle, the new mother in the arm. "I congratulate you, they have a little girl," she said.
The pain was gone in the background, Instead, they only had eyes for the little creature on her arm. She already had a soft black fuzz on her head and looked at her from prying eyes, golden brown.
The sudden silence had drawn attention to them and the door was pushed open again. Brown leaned against the door and looked at her searchingly, until his eyes got stuck to his sister, Elis.
The nun picked himself up and walked over to Brown, but he blocked her path. It was clear that he was not sure whether he could let go of the woman how much she had learned from other women how and what may would reveal.
"Let me through," said the little woman round to Brown, "you have given me to take the child with her wife and I have done, but now I have to back into the poor house."
Brown hesitated a moment, then went to the side and let the woman go.
Elis sister left the house and stood in the dark dead end. They had brought in a coach. She was somewhere in the harbor area knew so much. , Dorington Street 'she read at last a sign and the name of trying to memorize all costs.
to get a poor house was far away. They had run most of the time. Personally, it was Mr. Snape never met, nor knew where he lived, so she had much to Dr. Fander. He would know what to do.
She had hardly any power, they had already hidden any sensation such as pain or fatigue. Their legs they wore automatically until it was finally arrived at the poorhouse. She tore open the door and almost had someone run over.
a grim man with chin length black hair and a prominent, crooked nose, came to meet her, followed by a younger man with glasses. "Forgive she, sir, "she brought out, breathing heavily, waiting for not even his reaction, but ran up the stairs.
Fander She had finally found. Concerned at the sight of her he left his tools and went to lie on sister Elis. "You have," she began, however, came no further, as they breathed continuously. "Her .." she began again.
Fander put his hand on his shoulder. "Calm down first time," he said, patting her. Elis sister breathed deeply several times. "You have Mrs. Snape. They keep them in a cellar in a Houses Dorington Street set, "she said suddenly, looking like the eyes of the doctor's widened.
"Mr. Snape was just here. You have to be met him coming in, "he said. Fander walked excitedly back and forth. "You go to the Commissioner and the Commissioner say everything they know. I try to catch Snape, "he said, and went immediately on the road.
***
Harry had trouble keeping up with Severus, but he did not say a word. He just wanted to see Hermione and Ginny so badly again. They rattled every restaurant, whether Muggle or wizards from finding in the hope of a hint, but people were mostly not very helpful. The
loud plop a Apparierzaubers let them turn around. "Thank Merlin I have found them," said Fander. He worked from a quick back and forth Apparate still a little groggy and leaned on one of the tables. "I know where they are. Dorington Street, the last house in the street, "he said.
He had barely finished the sentence, there were the two already disappeared.
you showed up in the barely lit street. Severus strode unerringly to the end and banging at the door of the last house. A man whom he recognized immediately opened it. It was the same man who brought him Brown's first letter. He also seemed to have recognized, for he pulled out his gun and pointed it with a grin on Severus.
Severus had his wand still clutched firmly. He hurled a Sectumsempra to its opposite, what the man hurled a few meters back and the door was free. Severus entered the house and walked up to the bleeding man on the ground. He pushed the gun with one foot to the side and then went down the narrow stairs to the basement.
Hermione and Ginny sat pressed against the wall and listened to the rumbling noise that penetrated from above. Her eyes were focused on the wooden door, as if someone turned the key and opened it.
"Severus," she said, relieved when she saw him enter. Harry was right behind him and ran to Ginny, Severus while still somewhat incredulously at Hermione and saw the small bundle in her arms. "Is this ..?", he started and went up to her.
You beamed at him and lifted the sleeping girl, so he could see better. Whatever he walked up to this moment in my head was gone, but instead conjured up the little being an honest smile on his face.
"No movement," he heard behind him, "Do they have the money," asked Brown. Severus turned cautious. "I swear by them, I blow a hole in her skull," he said and pointed it at Hermione.
you suddenly heard many steps to come down the steps. Five men in red coats of the British uniform dressed and armed with guns came in, and addressed the points of their bayonets on Brown, who now lowered his own pistol.
Severus came up to him. He had seen a glint in the dim glow of the candle. "This is mine," Brown said he and tore the chain with the ring of his mother from the neck.
To be continued ...
0 comments:
Post a Comment