The Scars We Leave Behind

Samantha gathered her papers and her Pygmy Puff, Artie from her desk. She headed to her apartment to pack the moment Gerta returned with her ticket for an evening flight. Her apartment was small and one could call it cheap. She certainly didn't stay there for the price, she was paid very handsomely and could afford better. It had more to do with the location and the fact she dreaded the idea of being alone in a big house.

She quickly filed the papers and a little letter with sloppy handwriting fell onto the floor.

Her heart beat quickly remembering what it was. It was her letter from Neville Longbottom asking her for a date on the first Wednesday in October. She'd known him practically her whole life. She really wanted to go on that date, she had been wanting to go on a real date with Neville for a very long time. She'd wanted that since before they kissed behind the greenhouses after Voldemort's defeat. She sometimes, albeit rarely, daydreamed what her life would have been like if she hadn't chosen to become Editor-In-Chief and instead chosen a calmer lifestyle. With this daydream, she'd wonder what would have happened if she'd actually gone on a date with him.

She looked at a calendar hanging on her refrigerator, she had a month until she had to have her brother home. She had a month and four days until her potential date with Neville. If she could get her brother back, maybe she could still make that date.

In her hubris, she grabbed a bit of parchment and pulled a muggle pen from behind her ear. She wrote him back quickly, saying she would love to meet him at the Hogshead INN for a drink. She then grabbed a sprig of Moly from her window herb garden and placed it inside the letter. In her days at Hogwarts, Neville had tutored her in Herbology. Her favorite had been Moly and the two had exchanged a few sprigs affectionately over the years.

She took a deep breathe before handing her poor old owl, Whisp the letter. She knew she'd have to retire the little brown owl eventually, but Samantha had a bit of an attachment. She'd started to fly a bit worse and Samantha rarely used her for important mail, but for personal letters she only used Whisp.

Samantha quickly changed into some travel clothing, she loved shedding the persona that came with her stuffy clothing. At the Prophet, she often dressed in stiff jackets and stuffy fabrics. At home she could wear more floaty clothing, with soft fabrics and patterns. She didn't own much color anymore, but black seemed most comfortable for her in both parts of her life. With a wave of her wand her clothing and travel essentials were packed. If she remembered anything from her days on Potterwatch, it was to pack light and essential. She remembered to pack a few bottles of Dittany and checked the expiration date, she knew what happened when they were expired. She considered before her flight she would have to go and see someone very important. She gathered up Artie again and put her onto her shoulder.

Her mother was a very well renowned artist and fashion designer. She had a small shop in the alley just a few blocks away from Samantha's apartment. She didn't think her mother would mind a small visit. She wasn't going to tell her mother where she was off to, but she was going to see if she could watch her apartment along with Artie and Whisp. Whisp could stay in the apartment as long as there was an open window. Artie on the other hand needed constant watching, she was known to get into a bit of trouble and eating through Samantha's whole window herb garden.

She stepped into the shop making the store bell ring. It had gone through a few redesigns over the years, but one thing was always certain, her mother always did her work in the middle of the store. In the center of the store today, upon a podium was a beautiful white wedding dress. It had a corseted bodice and big feathers flowing down the bottom.

Her mother was sitting in a chair beside the dress, with pins in her mouth. There were needles and feathers floating all around the dress. Her mother turned when the bell rang. She pulled the needles out of her mouth.

"Hey baby girl." She smiled widely. Her face dropped, "Are you alright? You never leave work."

"I'm alright, don't you remember? You promised to watch the apartment, along with Artie and Whisp while I was at AMPECC?"

Samantha knew her mother could forget things pretty easily. Since her brother's disappearance her brain didn't remember dates as well as they used to. She was pretty ashamed to be using it against her mother in that moment.

Her mother shook her head and took a deep breathe, "Oh I forgot. I though that was in November."

"No, it's this month." Samantha lied realizing her ploy was working. "My flight leaves at Ten PM tonight. I figured I'd visit dad at his shop before I head out."

Her muggle father worked for a hardware store in central London.

"You have to forgive my brain. This wedding dress has been so much work." Her mother only partially lied.

"It's pretty." Samantha commented on the dress.

"Bit poofy for my taste personally, but it's not my wedding now is it?" Her mother asked standing up and observing the dress. "It's for that Greengrass girl, you know the younger one?"

Samantha nodded and grimaced, "Yeah, Daphne's little sister, the one marrying Malfoy."

"Oh don't make faces like that." Her mother reminded pointing a finger at her, "You know that poor boy was just a manipulated pawn during the war."

Her mother noticed Artie on her shoulder and proceeded to take her into her hands and pet the little puff. The puff cooed gratefully.

Samantha remembered well, her brother and Draco had been in similar situations. Both young men had been manipulated by the Death Eaters to do their bidding at young ages. Samantha knew every time her mother saw Draco Malfoy able to move on and find a life again, she wished her son would come home and be afforded that opportunity.

"My opinion stems from his bullying over the years, not his war crimes." Samantha said looking over the dress again. Malfoy had made her and her friend's life a living hell for years at Hogwarts.

"Well, they pay well, if I'd like to retire someday, I had better keep up working." Her mother shrugged.

"I told you, if you want to retire I'll take care of you." Samantha tried insisting.

Her mother gave her one of those famous looks, "And I've told you, it's your money. Save it for your future."

Samantha chuckled, "Sure mum. I'll just keep throwing bigger and bigger Annual Gazette Parties. That should put a dent in future things." Every year Samantha threw an alumni party for the school paper, The Hogwarts Gazette, that she helped to found.

"I meant if you ever want a house or have children or something." She said shaking her head.

"Not bloody likely." Samantha laughed uncomfortably. She had been much too busy over the years to get a date, let alone have children. "I'm comfortable right now."

"You mean you are too busy for anything other than your work?" Her mother asked with a roll of her eyes. "Samantha Aithne Fyre, one of these days you will want to slow down your life and you will need that money."

Samantha wrapped her arm around herself, "Maybe, Ginny said I need to slow down. She only agreed to apply to be the Sports Editor if I did. She wants me to take a holiday or maybe get a date or something."

"Smart girl that Ginny. I always liked her." Her mother exclaimed with a wink. "She's right though. When was the last time you went on a real date?"

She decided not to mention she had a date scheduled, just in case something happened while she was looking for her brother. "I've had dates."

"The characters you occasionally bring home from the Leaky Cauldron do not count as dates." Her mother interjected.

Samantha grimaced, she'd taken a few lovers over the years, just when her loneliness eventually caught up to her. It had never been anything serious, just physical comfort more than anything. "I'm not going to ask how you know about that."

"I have my sources." Her mother admitted before changing the subject. "Ginny just had her baby didn't she?"

Samantha nodded, "Yeah, his name is James. He looks like Harry. I got to meet him at the party."

"Did that go well?" Her mother asked.

"Yeah." Samantha smiled, up until seeing that letter, she'd been riding a small high from the party. "Nearly everyone came, except Penelope of course because she's in France on her honeymoon. Ron and Hermione couldn't come because of Hermione being sick and Lee couldn't get off of work."

Her mother rolled her eyes when she mentioned Lee. "You see that tosser enough anyway."

"That's what I told his wife." Samantha crossed her arms.

"Glad to hear everyone else showed though." Her mother commented before giving her a sly tilt of the head, "Was Neville there?"

Samantha side eyed her mother, "Of course, he was on the Gazette. Why do you ask?"

Her mother waved her hand so all of the pins and feathers went flying back behind her counter, "Augusta was in here the other day and she mentioned he was going to the party. Funnily enough, she only really comes in here anymore when her Grandson is single." Her mother said before spinning the dress around.

Samantha wrinkled her nose in response. "Does she?"

"Well, it's been about three times in the last six years. Poor girl he was with this last time really didn't stand a chance against Augusta. You know it when she doesn't like who he's seeing." Her mother rolled her eyes.

"Poor Susan," Samantha rubbed her neck, "I can't imagine anyone not liking her, she was always nice in school."

"Augusta has a nasty habit of comparison." Her mother groaned a little, "So she makes it a point to inform me, so you can be well aware."

Samantha laughed back and felt a small blush, "Trust me, I'm well aware Neville is single again. I've had several people in the last week just casually mention it."

Her mother raised her eyebrows seeing her daughter's slightly red face, "Oh that's uncomfortable."

"I also learned from him that our teachers were trying to set us up for years." Samantha laughed, "Don't tell anyone that I said that. Especially not McGonagall, although she was apparently in on it. I don't want him to get sacked."

Her mum nodded, "I never took Minerva to be the type, I won't say anything."

Samantha chuckled, "I'd really like it if everyone could go ahead and leave my non existent love life alone now."

"People just worry about you." Her mother said putting her hands on her shoulders. "Oh, before you leave, I have a new item for you."

"Mum!" Samantha protested as her mother walked to the back and came out with a new black cloak for her, it was covered in little white stars.

"It's made of black onyx, it's supposed to absorb negative emotions and feelings." As her mother handed it to her, she began to feel a real calmness in her core.

"I've noticed you've been shaking more than normal lately my little lion." Her mother observed touching her face, "And I think if you aren't going to give yourself a break, you should give your emotions one."

Samantha pulled the cloak on, she felt her heart lighten slightly. She had heard of black onyx before, but it was hard to come across, which was why she'd never tried it.

"It isn't a permanent solution, but in more stressful situations, it could be helpful." She smiled at her. "Now you better get going if you are still going to see your father before you leave tonight."

"Thanks Mum." Samantha pulled her mother into a hug before leaving.

She visited her father before heading back to her apartment for a few last minute things. She was about to turn the key when she heard a shuffle beside her, she looked and saw no one there. Samantha grabbed her wand from inside her skirt.

"'Homenum revelio." She whispered.

There was glowing directly beside her and a moment later Harry Potter materialized beside her with his invisibility cloak in his hand.

"Potter?" Samantha exclaimed holding her hand to her heart. "You know you can just knock right?"

"I didn't want anyone to know I was here. You weren't in your office." He said slightly out of breathe. "It is urgent I speak to you."

Samantha finished unlocking her door, "Come in for a cup of tea."

She waved her wand which began brewing a cup of tea for her best friend's husband. "What's so urgent?"

"No one can hear us in here, right?" He asked, fixing his glasses and looking around.

"No, the walls are very thick." Samantha nodded before taking a sip of her own tea.

He nodded as his tea landed in front of him, "Recently our department had heard news of your brother from the American Auror department."

Samantha began shaking, the tea cup in her hand almost spilled. She put it down.

"As of yesterday I was supposed to be sent with some Aurors to America, to investigate. However today, it is almost as if the whole department has had their memories altered. Almost like they've had memory charms placed upon them." He said and Samantha could feel his eyes looking her over. "I went to ask Kingsley about this, and acted like he knew nothing about it. I am concerned there may be a cover up in the Ministry about your brother."

Samantha looked down to her tea.

"If you think everyone's had memory charms, how do you remember?" She asked tilting her head.

Harry reached under his shirt and pulled out a charm, "Mione gave Ron and I these when we started at the department. They deflect memory charms."

"Why isn't Ron here then?" Samantha asked.

"He lost his." Harry shrugged.

Samantha shrugged along, "Sounds like Ron."

"Do you know anything about this?" He asked.

Samantha didn't respond just put her hand under the table, pointing her wand at Harry. Not even the damned boy who lived was keeping her from finding her brother safely.

"It is true, you really don't have much of a poker face." Harry exclaimed with a shake of his head and a laugh.

"Ginny tell you that?" She asked leaning forward.

"No." He crossed his arms and she noticed he had his wand in his hand as well. "She doesn't know I'm here Fyre. She's been telling me for years to keep an eye out for Jack, as a favor to you. I'd like some explanation as to why you didn't seem surprised when I mentioned a cover up."

"I don't owe you anything Potter." She stated strongly.

"You do, if you are hiding a criminal." He said just as strongly.

"I'm not hiding my brother." She confessed, "That's the truth. I just want to bring him home without accusatory methods. We don't know if he's done anything wrong."

"He was a Death Eater." Harry argued.

"He was manipulated and seduced. Whatever he did, it wasn't his choice." Samantha said gripping her wand tighter. She didn't want to fight Harry, "Kingsley agreed to this. He agreed to let me go and speak with him, alone. I didn't want him being bombarded by Aurors. He doesn't deserve to just be carted off to Askaban when we don't even know his crimes. If he has done anything worthy of extreme punishment I will turn him in."

"Why would Kingsley agree to that?" Harry asked but leaned back and dropped his shoulders.

Samantha had never told anyone about her agreement with Kingsley. "You aren't the only one who fought, Potter."

His eyes and face began to droop, causing the lightning bolt scar to dance upon his face. He nodded, as if agreeing. "I never said I was. I knew Kingsley gave favors to those who went above and beyond in the war. I just always assumed it was your position at the Prophet."

"You really don't believe I enjoy this, do you Potter? I've been doing this as a favor for the last six years. Kingsley knew I could reform the Prophet, he knew with a few years training and a lot of hard work, I would make it better than ever, and it is. I know I have talent as a writer and as a journalist, I've worked hard enough for it." Samantha explained taking off her hat and placing it on the table. She put her wand on the table to show him she trusted him. "But, after the war I didn't want to be Barnabas' successor. I craved a simple internship and a slow boring life, but I wanted my brother back more. Kingsley agreed that if I did this, I would be allowed to bring my brother home, alone."

Harry stood up. "Well, that makes a lot of sense, on a lot of levels."

"Don't tell anyone please." Samantha nodded feeling tears leave her eyes. "I'm going tonight, to find my brother. I've been allowed a month."

Harry ran his hands through his hair, looking around her apartment. She could see him scanning the room, looking at her book shelf covered in archived Prophet issues in perfectly organized folders.

Looking next to the pictures at the top of the shelf, of her years at Hogwarts. A picture of her and Ginny sat in the middle, it was a picture taken by Colin Creevey, her friend who had died in the war. She had few pictures of Colin, just ones with the whole Gazette. It was Colin's death that had affected her the worst from the war.

Harry kept looking past her shelf to the Gryffindor Pennants adorning her walls and the little herb garden in her window.

Lastly his eyes landed on a picture of two small children. A little boy had his arm around a little girl. He giving her a kiss on the cheek. It was her and her brother from when they were toddlers.

"I've given up everything for this opportunity." Samantha admitted aloud, "Please, Harry I don't want to fight you. I just want to give my brother a chance. Please don't tell anyone, and don't go sending the whole Auror department till Kingsley says so. I just want my brother to have a chance."

She stood and walked around her table, "What do you say Potter?" She reached out her scarred hand to him to shake.

Harry returned the handshake, his similarly scarred hand meeting her's. "If Kingsley agreed to a month, then I will too. If you have any trouble or need me, please don't hesitate to get ahold of me. If he's done anything or hurt any of our friends-"

"He will be turned in." Samantha agreed with a nod.

Harry turned to leave, his hands now in his pockets and his wand put away. He began to open the door.

"Hey Harry," Samantha began asking a question without thinking, "If Ginny didn't tell you I have a horrible Poker face, who did?"

Harry turned and looked first at her then at the herb garden in her window, "Goodbye Fyre. I'll see you in a month."

He left, without ever answering her question.