Chapter 60
Chapter 59
“Masters! Masters!” Tibsby seemed frantic as she popped into her Master’s bedroom, waking them up. Something no self-respecting house elf would ever attempt lest it be a dire emergency.
Both Severus and Harry sat up, wands in hand, ready to blast any intruder to kingdom come. They lowered their wands once it became apparent that it was only Tibsby in the room.
“What?!” Severus was annoyed at having his blissful sleep interrupted.
“Mrs. Prince is laying injured at the front gates and Tibsby can’t get her through the wards, Master!” The elf uttered while frantically clutching her ears.
It took a few seconds for it to click for Severus before he sprang into action. As he pulled his bathrobe on he instructed Harry to wake Deidric and to instruct the other elves to get his medical supplies ready. Afterwards, he rushed down towards the foyer.
When Snape stepped out of the mansion, he saw a groaning body clutching the wrought iron gates in the distance. He quickly rushed over to see that it was indeed Agness Prince on the ground. There was a reason she couldn’t get into the estate grounds anymore, he had adjusted the wards to keep both her and her husband out after their insistent efforts to get Deidric back.
The gates creaked open for their Lord, and Severus bent down to inspect Agness. Bleary eyes looked back at Severus as he took stock of the contusions and whip marks that marred her back. “Sanctuary,” Agnes managed to utter as she clutched at Severus’s robe. “I request sanctuary, my Lord,”
Snape bypassed the wards with her and apparated directly to one of the guestrooms in the wing he and Harry were staying at. It didn’t take long for Tibsby to direct the newer house elves carrying the medical supplies towards the room in question, nor did it take long for Deidric and Harry to appear.
“What happened?!” Harry uttered, shocked by the sight of the once irritating woman, now helpless on the bed.
“Mother!” Deadric looked beside himself upon seeing the state of the only mother he ever knew. He rushed to her side and held her hand while Severus was pouring potion after potion down her throat.
“My baby,” Agness managed to utter before the Dreamless sleep kicked in.
“It is best that she isn’t awake for this part,” Severus stated as he poured some liquid on his hand. “The lacerations on her back were made with Dark magic. Healing them will hurt immensely,”
“Who would… do such a thing?” Harry whispered, disgust and anger bubbling within him.
“You and I both know who would,” Snape stated. “Honestly, it was only a matter of time, though I never suspected that it would be this bad,”
“He wouldn’t!” Harry uttered in denial. “He does this to his own wife after she stood by him?!”
“That is just how my father is,” Deidric muttered with eyes downcast. “He’s a violent narcissist. Even though she wasn’t my real mother she did shield me from the brunt of his ire at times. To do this to her, I can speculate why,” the young man angrily muttered.
“His pride must have been severely hurt,” Deidric continued while rubbing his face and staring at the sleeping body of his mother. “Mother is a Rosier, a great aunt of hers married into the Black family, but otherwise, there isn’t any family connection that would allow her offspring to become Lord Black. Safe to say after today, with claiming this particular Lordship officially, tongues must be wagging. It wouldn’t be hard for Purebloods to speculate on my father’s late-night activities.”
Harry grumbled something obscene under his breath as his fists tightened.
“There, that should do it,” Severus stated as he wiped his hands. “She’ll sleep through the night. The majority of her wounds should be healed by then.”
“Father can’t continue like this. This is the worst I’ve seen him hurt mother,” Deidric muttered. “I have to do something.”
“What you need to do is look after her,” Snape stated as he had an inkling that Deidric might end up doing something that would land him in trouble with the Aurors. “She has requested Sanctuary, and as Lord Prince, I am obligated to grant that, given the conditions. I will be dealing with her foul husband myself.”
“Deidric, if another Lord interferes when sanctuary has been requested, it could result in a magical feud,” Harry warned. “I get that you want to punch your father, repeatedly, but I have no doubt that Severus will do right by her.”
“She will be stable for now. Feed her a pain potion every three hours. Tibsby can get them from the lab,” Severus said before stifly turning around. “Harry, I require you to accompany me to the Ministry.”
“Severus, do you think it’s such a good idea for me to show my face there after what I did last night?” Harry asked with a frown. “Pardon the pun, but I think Amelia might have a bone to pick with me.”
“I need a secondary Lord to bear witness to what I am about to demand,” Severus stated as he walked out of the room with a purpose, while Harry quickly caught up.
“What are you going to demand, Severus?!” Harry asked as he hurried to his lover’s side. This clearly struck a nerve with Severus, and Harry had an inkling why.
The walk to the fireplace was a quiet one, and Harry followed once Severus had thrown in the floo powder and uttered “Ministry of Magic Metro-floo.”
When Harry emerged, somewhat gracefully this time he bumped into Severus’s back. The Ministry was normally busy but what he observed this morning was pure chaos. Not only were the floo networks backing up, but there also seemed to be an increase in security. “What the hell?” Harry uttered as they started to follow a queue.
It took them nearly 20 minutes to make it to one of the Aurors regestring wands. “Nature of your visit?” The woman asked as she scrutinized both men.
“Lord Prince and Lord Peverel to see Madam Bones,” Severus stated in a no-nonsense tone.
“What the devil is going on here?” Harry asked as their wands were scanned and handed back.
“Madam Bones is not seeing anyone at the moment.” The woman stated.
“I have come to claim the right of Damnatio memoriae,” Severus stated, which caused the Auror and her partner handling the line next to her, along with several close wizards and witches, to stop and stare. Harry, too was blinking at Severus in astonishment.
“Excuse me, what?!” She uttered, looking quite shocked still.
“I did not stutter. Madam Bones, now,”
“Uhm, my colleague will guide you,” She looked flustered but waved over a young-looking lad. Harry surmised that the lad must be a Junior Auror, fresh out of the Academy.
“Are you sure about this?” Harry whispered as they were let through. He knew what Damnatio memoriae meant and why it was not frequently used anymore.
“Positive,” Snape growled. “I may not like Deidric’s mother, but I abhor domestic violence even more. Such scum has no place in this family,”
The young Auror had guided them to a nondescript office on the ninth floor. Harry frowned as he knew this wasn’t Amelia’s normal office. Also, the hallway had increased security with Aurors posted on both ends.
“Enter,” was tersely said upon Severus knocking. When they walked inside, Harry could have sworn Amelia had aged overnight.
“You!” Amelia hissed upon laying eyes on Harry while Harry uttered a quick “I’m sorry, but I had to!”
“You cast Fiendfyre in the Ministry!” Amelia uttered.
“It was controlled!” Harry defended. “I did what I had to do!”
“You burned Voldemort’s body to ashes and left seven Unspeakables in utter chaos while you and your partner hurried out of the Ministry!”
“I just prevented the Third Wizarding war!” Harry shot back.
“Enough!” Severus interrupted. “We can hash this out in a bit. Right now, Amelia, I need you to bear witness to my right as Lord Prince to invoke Damnatio memoriae.”
“Excuse me, what?!” Madam Bones stared in shock. “Severus, it has been nearly 70 years since the last Damnatio memoriae was invoked. Are you sure?”
“I am very well aware of that,” Severus stated. “But I will not have an abuser in any position of power within the family. As the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, you have the obligation to witness and execute this claim if Lady Magic deems it fit.”
“Harry is here as my witness as required by Magical Law.”
Amelia looked as if several more gray hairs were about to sprout on her head, but she motioned for Severus to state his grievance. “I, Severus Snape, with the authority of Lord Prince, beseech Lady Magic to grant my right of Damnatio memoriae onto Robert Prince. May his memory be condemned and his name erased from public records and stricken from the Prince line for crimes against the family. Domestic violence, use of Dark magic against his spouse, infidelity, and child abuse.”
A warm magical light shone in the room, signaling that Lady Magic had given her approval.
“Bloody hell,” Amelia muttered as she knew what this meant. Magic had deemed the crimes of this fellow, in accordance with the Prince family charter, deplorable enough to shun him from polite society. Not only would this Robert fellow be stricken of his family magic, but it would be like he had never been part of the Prince family at all. Magical genealogy trees would only show Father/ Husband: Unknown now, and any public record of his achievements would cease to exist. She, as the Head of the Magical Law Enforcement department, would have to see to it that any remaining records of the man are disposed of.
“Now that that pressing matter has been resolved, why is there so much security today?” Severus asked calmly as if he hadn’t just erased someone from existence.
Madam Bones gave the Potion Master a look but then said, “Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge were found dead in their cells this morning. Albus Dumbledore’s body was also found in his cell however, it reeked of Dark magic according to one very magic-sensitive Unspeakable. The current consensus is that Grindelwald managed to switch bodies, eliminate the witnesses, and is currently laying low as a Ministry employee.”
“I’m sorry, WHAT?!” Harry uttered.