Lucy Snape and the Wizarding Army (Book Five)

Free of the worry

Chapter 7: Free of the worry

Lucy stood up abruptly then ran out of the court to find Arthur and Harry waiting for her, she hugged them both and they were taken by surprise but knew she had been set free and wasn't going to Azkaban. 

"I'm not going to Azkaban!" Lucy squealed just as Shona walked out. 

"That's great! Harry got out too," Arthur beamed. "I knew you would both get out without charges — so who was your lawyer, Lucy?" 

"Me," Shona waved as she took her place beside Lucy. 

"I will never be able to thank you enough, Shona," Lucy grinned. "I'd be going to Azkaban right now if it wasn't for you." 

"I know, I know, don't mention it," she winked. 

"You were her lawyer?" Arthur asked, a little surprised. 

"Why of course! If you ever need a lawyer just call Louise — " she reached in her pocket then pulled out a dodgy business card which she then handed to Arthur. 

The four of them filed out of the Ministry, got back on the tube (this time, Lucy didn't shout at any muggles as Arthur clamped a hand down on her shoulder) to return to each of their destinations. Arthur took Harry back to the Order of the Phoenix and then went to Spinners end for Lucy and Shona. 

"You going to stay a bit?" Lucy asked as she reached in her bag and fumbled through her keys, which were hidden amongst her underground map as well as a few books. 

"If you want me to, I can stay a while." Shona shrugged as Lucy took out her keys and led Shona and herself into Snape's house, but when they entered the living room they found something that they weren't expecting; Snape was drunk. 

He clutched a glass of wine in one hand and the prophet in the other, two wine bottles sat at his feet and Angus sat on the arm chair, fast asleep. 

"Oh. My. God." Lucy gasped. "Looks like he took it seriously when I told him to drink some wine and forget about me." 

"He's drunk?" Shona pondered and walked over to Snape who groaned all of a sudden. "This should be a great time to annoy — " 

"Don't, please don't," Lucy protested and snatched the wine glass out of his hands and took the two wine bottles away and threw them in the bin, she held onto the glass though. 

"Give them back..." Snape mumbled, his voice was slurred. 

"Dad, wake up, I'm back and I've been let off," Lucy's voice was sharp and she didn't have any time for someone who was drunk. 

"Let off what..." 

"Oh, I give up," Lucy snapped. "If you don't stop being pathetic I'll drink this wine myself." 

"No..." 

Snape weakly stood up and stepped towards Lucy but unfortunately he didn't know where he was going so Lucy dropped the wine glass just in time to catch Snape from falling and cracking his skull on the edge of the table. 

"A little help here!" Lucy yelled at Shona who turned around lazily and helped Lucy drag Snape back to his chair. 

"I think we'll tell him later, what do you think?" 

"I'd say so..."

Lucy stepped over to Snape's desk and saw the orb was glowing, she picked it up and studied it. "That's weird..." 

"What is?" 

"The orb always seems to be glowing nowadays, do you reckon something could be wrong?" 

"Goodness knows, it could be warning us that Zuc's just bought a hot tub...wonder if he'll invite us round?" 

"McGuire, be quiet..." Snape groaned and both girls heads snapped up to look at him. 

"Dad?" Lucy asked, hoping that he'd be alright now rather than wondering where he was and what he was doing. 

"Yes, Lucy?" He replied, sitting up and was suddenly with it. "Is everything OK? Are you going to — " 

There was silence. Lucy dropped the orb in surprise but luckily Shona caught it as Snape jumped up from his seat and almost suffocated her, crushing her rib cage at the same time. A minute later Lucy was gasping for breath. 

"What was that for?!" Lucy yelled, as Snape released her from the hug. 

"You're not going to Azkaban! You've been let off!" 

"Never mind that, why have you perked up so quickly?" Shona added. 

"Never mind that, what are you doing here?" 

The three of looked at each other but then things started to make sense, including why Snape suddenly felt better; the orb had revived him. But then Lucy suddenly noticed the chess board propped up on the dinner table. 

"Is something wrong?" Snape asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. 

"Yeah...a lot of things are wrong...I think I'm going mad." 

"Tell us something new..." Shona snorted. 

"No, Dumbledore said the knight was a chess piece. A life size chess piece, a life size version of — " Lucy picked up the piece that was a much smaller version of the one she had fought. "That. It attacked me, the thing was enlarged and it was enchanted. Cursed even." 

"The work of Zuc no doubt, it wouldn't surprise me if he sent them to Hogwarts and got them to attack us...besides, they would blend in with the decoration." 

"Wouldn't they just..." 

*       *       *  

"I got you another birthday present recently," Snape announced as he walked in the living room holding something behind his back. 

"Huh?" Lucy asked as she put her book down and wondered what it could be. 

Snape smiled then revealed what was behind his back, it was a guitar. Lucy raised an eyebrow as he handed the acoustic guitar to her. 

"It was my mothers, she gave it to me on my fifteenth birthday. It has been a tradition to pass it down in the family and actually learn to play it...but of course, being the stubborn child that I was I never learnt to play it." 

"Shame on you for breaking traditions," Lucy tutted. "But why do you want me to play it? It has no use to me." 

"I know it doesn't, but I still thought you'd like it considering I thought you might have a passion for music."

He shrugged then left the room abruptly, leaving Lucy to stare at the instrument as Angus began frantically clawing at the strings. 

"At least I never told him I could play, ay Angus?" Lucy winked and he gave her a quizzical look. "Oh come on! What did you expect me to do when I was homeless? Sit there and watch the days go by?" 

Angus gave a little roll of his eyes before hopping down off the chair and returning with Lucy's prefect badge that she had almost completely forgotten about. 

"First day of being a prefect tomorrow...I wonder what evreyone will think of me for being a prefect? After all I was going to get excluded from Hogwarts because I attacked a chess piece..." 

And before Lucy knew it a grin spread across her face and she began to laugh at how pathetic it sounded to herself now that she had actually attacked a chess piece. She headed off to bed and sat down on her windowsill, still holding firmly onto the neck of the guitar. 

"I'm not great but want to hear me play?" She asked Angus who gave her a not fussed look...or a couldn't care less look, Lucy couldn't decide... 

Before long Lucy had completed a simple pattern that she had taught herself and you know what? Snape was listening to every note outside of her bedroom door.