Amortentia Dolorosa

Lucky rubbed his hands across his face as he sighed. I haven't heard anything from Sev, and he's not been here. School was out, and he'd have been home this weekend. I'd best go make sure he's all right.

With that thought, Lucius slipped on some neatly pressed black jeans and a white t-shirt, sliding a miniaturised set of robes into his pockets. He ran his hands through his hair as he walked to the door, before apparating off.

When he reached Sev's neighborhood, Lucky cast a careful disillusionment spell on himself, preferring to look around silently and assess the situation before he announced his presence.

Murphy had been in the house at Spinner's End for about three days, and everything was wrong. Mistress Eileen barely spoke above a whisper, and most days she prepared breakfast and then vanished into her son's room until well after her husband left the house. Master Tobias threatened his wife, threatened his absent son, and smelled faintly of gin, all the time. The house was almost sparkling clean, in some places -- the places Mistress Eileen washed several times every day -- but those were the only parts that got cleaned, and the entire house was in grim disrepair.

She'd begun to understand why that little friend of Roddy's had been so bent out of shape about his mum. Mistress Eileen was not a well woman, and in this environment, she never would be.

So, Murphy did what she could -- scrubbing the yellow staining from the walls, one room at a time, and fixing what she was able. She cooked lunch, each day, and over it, tried to get Mistress Eileen to talk to her, and explain how she'd come to be in such a bad situation. Unfortunately, the Mistress was well beyond the ability to discuss uncomfortable subjects, instead simply hearing that she'd been addressed, but processing none of the content.

Today found Murphy singing old Gaelic lullabies, as she washed the front windows of the house.

Seeing Murphy outside the house, Lucius slipped around the corner before dropping the disillusionment. He walked up around the corner, and spoke to her quietly. "Murphy," he said. "It's odd to see you here. Is Severus all right?"

His tone was polite and friendly as he watched the woman washing the windows, standing close enough that she could reply without the neighbors hearing.

"Lucky! There's a shock for the eyes," Murphy turned and looked up at Lucius. "You're worried about Severus? Sure, he's back at the Freehold with Roddy and all. I'd be more worried with him here, just so."

She pushed back her long, straight, black hair with one wrist, taking a few more swipes at the window. "I hope this ain't what it's like in all England, Lucky. Though, that would explain a lot, it would."

He laughed. "Good to hear. Now if only I could convince Roddy to let me know when he abducts our Sev, so I that I don't worry about him here myself."

He shook his head at her for a moment. "It's bad, then?" he asked. "I haven't spoken with Madam Snape in several years, after I reassured her of the purity of my intentions in offering Severus the use of the laboratories at my house."

He sighed, and moved closer to her for a moment. "I suspected something, but it's hardly possible for me to just take Severus in, with my father. At least if he was in the lab, I knew he had an escape, as well as food and resources, and I could excuse it at home as making a connection."

Murphy lowered her voice to be barely audible. "The Mistress isn't right, Lucky." She tapped her temple for effect. "She goes on about her son and the family's mansion, and forgets she doesn't have house elves. Not that we have them -- barbaric lot of shite that is -- but, we also don't expect them to be there."

"And the Master..." Murphy shook her head, "He's not cut out for this sort of thing. Severus insisted that one of us come watch out for his mum, and I think he's why. I'll break his head before another five days are out, sure I will. He's wit enough not to raise a hand to me, yet, but if I see what I know he does to her, he won't last a minute more."

He nodded. "I knew she was disinherited for her marriage, but I hadn't realised she'd slipped." He sighed. "If you think it'll help, I can speak with her. I've enough experience with that sort of thing already."

He shook his head. "To lose so much for love, and then be married to a man like that. It's a tragedy."

He paused for a moment in thought. "Is there anything you need, here? Or anything I can send for her? I can't correct the situation entirely, but if there's a thing I can bring to help, I will."

His eyes got cold. "If I'd known for sure he was laying hand on them, I'd have tried to put the fear of Wizards in him years ago. All I could figure was that Severus preferred not to be home, and it doesn't take a heavy hand to see that."

"You're a dear thing, you are, Lucky." Murphy reached up and patted the tall man's cheek. "I know you've but little for yourself, alone, but if you'd be so kind as to send a bit of food this way that isn't day-olds and barrel-scrapings, that'd be a dream. Something other than turnips and potatoes, of course -- those I can fetch from the Freehold, with none to cry for it. I'd bring some from the Far Lands, but I'm not sure she has the magic left to eat it."

She looked at the side of the house, frustratedly. "I don't know what would help her. The Ada-- er, the Muggles -- have all sorts of strange potions and talk of cutting into people's heads, but what I've seen, it looks like she'll be no better for any of it. And this doesn't happen to me and mine -- or not like this, it doesn't. For us, we've only the Confusion of Foreseeing, and that's got reason, it does."

He laughed merrily. "Oh, I have enough for that, easily, Murphy. I've money enough for needs, as long as I don't try to live on my own. It's just a round or two less for the bar, next time I'm drinking, and better spent here. After all, I'm the poor little rich boy. Enough money for anything, as long as it's not my independence."

He nodded wisely. "I'm not sure what would help, because I haven't seen her. Many of the older bloodlines have tendencies, however. I've seen it in families enough over my short span. I can bring calming drafts, and potions for sleep, if you think that'd help though. Severus keeps us well stocked in such things in return for a place to work and all the materials he could want for his own work. And should I run out, I can certainly stop being lazy and make more myself."

He looked pensive for a moment. "Short of that, I know no permanent cure, unless this is only a brief flight of reason."

"I can take a message home for you as well, though, since I'm headed there after I send what you need. And a message for Eileen, if you think she's well enough to pen one."

"May you never catch Auntie's eye, boyo. If you ever have that I can do for you, you let me know." Murphy caught Lucius's hands and squeezed them tightly.

I'll see how clear she is, today, and try to get some sort of note from her." Murphy reached for the door. "I'd ask you in, but I'll not ask you to crawl under the noodles I've got hanging. It'll be just a few."

She reached into her sleeve and tossed him a cigarette, as she cleared the door. "A fag to pass the time."

He squeezed her hands in return, before releasing them, nodding solemnly.

As she slipped through the door, he lit the fag, and began composing a list in his head of basics that he should send to the house. Bread, milk, cheese, some sort of fresh fruit, and some meat ought to do it for now. Oh, and tea. Just need to make sure to send some every couple of days, or some money with it for more.

He slouched against the wall of the house casually, as he waited. He took a deep drag, and relaxed for the moment.

Twenty minutes passed before Murphy returned with two folded papers in her hand. "Here's Mistress Eileen's," she said, passing the first to Lucius, "and this one is for Brigid. Some things you need in writing before you do them, sure you do."

"Is there aught more I can do you while you stand, Lucky? Sure I'll owe you this for times to come." She picked up the rag again, and moved to the next window.

He tucked the letters away carefully, nodding to her solemnly. "You'll have more food before the day is out, Murphy. I'll send it by owl."


He shook his head and smiled. "You're doing enough, Murphy, in looking after the lady of the house." He turned to go, the turning back. "I'm sure I'll see you around one of these times." With that, he found a hidden alleyway, and apparated home.

{END}

[Leads to Come Calling.]