The Snake and the Eagle

Chapter 12 - Truth Can Hurt

The cold month of February was nearly to its end, when one day Severus Snape abruptly woke up at sunrise, startled by a sudden itch to his left forearm. In the darkness of his bedroom, he reach out for his wand on his bedside table. He shouted "Lumos", his voice shaking a little. He esitated a few seconds, then he screwed up his courage and lifted the left sleeve of his grey nightshirt to check his Dark Mark, founding confirmation to his fears. The itch he was feeling was only a first warning that Voldemort would summon him that night. He felt slightly reassured by the fact that it was not an immediate calling, in which case the mark would have turned instantly black and burnt painfully.

Snape was more nervous than many other times he had been called, even worse than the night Cedric Diggory died and Voldemort finally had his body back. It had all happened so suddenly and after a very long time of silence, and there was no doubt that something big was moving. He gave a sigh of frustration thinking that his life had just began to be quite bearable. He seemed to hate students less than usual. He had discovered the pleasures of riding, but most of all he had finally found a good friend. He could still count Albus and Minerva among his closest friends, Dumbledore being nearly a father to him. But Alexandra's friendship was special.

He still could not explain, even to himself, the reason that first pushed him closer to her. Trusting her had strangely been so easy for such a reserved man like him. He had always been used to mistrust strangers. It was weird the way he felt at ease in her company, he felt he could safely hold his wards down and relax. He could even recall some occasions in which he had laughed with her and smiled sincerily, things that he had long before forgotten. And now that damned mark threatened to sweep away his feeble hopes for happiness. He could not sleep anymore, he was too agitated to do it, so he got up and began his morning toilet.

He wondered if a warm bath would do him any good, but he soon realized it would have been absolutely useless, unless he decided to drown himself in it, a thing that he found very alluring at the moment. No, there was no time for such stupid, cowardly thoughts. He still had a role to play in that war, and he could not leave Dumbedore to face it alone, not after all the things he had done for him. He had plenty of time and so few things to do before his school day began. He tried to occupy his mind indulging in a careful toilet from head to toes, he even washed and combed his long black hair.

Once fully clothed he desperately looked around to find something to keep his mind busy, anything. He tried to remake his bed Muggle style, but his movements were so quick that he soon found himself to the starting point again. He left his bedroom and went into his office, maybe some extra work would do him good. He took seat in his chair behind his working desk, searching its surface for some unfinished work but he found none. In front of him were only a few blank sheets of parchment and his inkpot and quill. He took his quill in his slightly trembling hand, uncertain about what on earth he could write on those blank sheets. His present state of agitation was driving him mad, he was loosing control on his nerves.

"What the hell it's happening to me, it's not the first time he calls me?" he angrily spat to himself, his hands in his hair. Then he suddenly realized it. He had never been scared of death nor of the Dark Lord himself, because he had never had anything to loose but his own useless life. But now... no, now he felt it was different. He had something to fight for, something precious to protect. All his hopes had a name ... Alexandra. He was ready to give his life, if it was of any use to defeat Voldemort. But more than that, he would be willing to die if that served to save her.

Suddenly, he knew the perfect use for that paper and ink. He began writing a letter to Alexandra, where he shamelessly confessed his love to her. He signed and sealed it with some wax from a burning candle, then he carefully wrote on the back "To be opened when I'm dead, signed Severus Snape, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Potion Master". He believed it was not brave to leave such a delicate matter to a letter, he should have prefered to be able to declare his love straight to her, once everything was over. But if something went wrong and he died in the final war, he wanted her to know the truth about his life and all the rest. He also wrote a secon letter containing his last will, in which he left all his money to charity institutions, his many books to Hogwarts's school Library. He also wrote a letter of introduction to obtain a scholarship for a prestigious Mastership in Potions to Hermione Granger, in case she decided to exploit her natural talent with potions. Once he finished with this second one, he put them in a side drawer of his working desk, so that it could be easier to find them if needed.

Opening the drawer, he had came across the Yull Ball picture. He gave it a quick melancholic look then covered it with the two letters, and closed it. He stood up and mechanically went to the Great Hall for breakfast, though he did not feel hungry. When he entered the room, Dumbledore and the others were already there. The old wizard cheerfully wished him good morning, but his smile faded away as soon as he saw the worried look on the younger wizard's face. Snape approached Dumbledore and bent down to whisper the news in his ear.

"I see," Dumbledore whispered with concern, "meet me in my office this afternoon," he added before Snape silently took his usual seat at the table. Alexandra noticed his strange behaviour and was about to ask him if something was wrong, but fortunately Professor McGonagall prevented her doing so by attracting the younger witch's attention on something else.

***

It was Saturday and many students were outside the castle, enjoying their free time. The school was almost empty and very quite, the perfect place for a meeting of the Order. Only a small group of its members were present, gathered in the staff room. Mad-eye Moody had insisted on letting Professor Falconbridge join them.

"She's not one of the Order," Dumbledore had objected.

"I know, but don't forget that before being a teacher she's an Auror. She has the right to know what's going on!" Moody insisted. Dumbledore's weak attempt to leave her out of the meeting hid his concern to keep Snape's true identity secret to her. But he could not find a valid excuse against Alastor's insistence. His sense of foreboding told him that something should have gone wrong that afternoon.

Snape had suddenly gone ghostly white when, opening the Staff room door, he saw Alexandra there. He knew she was not in the Order, and wondered about the reason of her presence. Well, that was what the other members were asking themselves too. In fact, Moody was the only Auror present at the meeting, the others being too busy running deep investigations after Dumbledore's warning of a coming Death Eaters' meeting. McGonagall noticed at once that Moody's face had twisted into a malicious grin at Snape's reaction, and she was now sure that Alastor had planned it since the beginning. She perfectly remembered Moody complaining about the friendship growing between them. As a good friend of Alexandra's dead parents he seemed to consider himself as her guardian.

Professor Falconbridge stood there in a corner, between Moody and McGonagall, a little embarassed by the looks she was receiving from all those strangers in the room. She was very surprised to see a young wizard wearing extremely shabby robes, with light brown hair flecked with grey, approach Snape with his hand out ready for a shake.

"Hello, Severus," Lupin cheerfully greeted his old schoolmate.

"Good Afternoon, Lupin," Snape curtly said shaking the man's hand, forcing himself to be civil with him because he was in front of Order of the Phoenix members.

To say the truth, there had never been anything particularly unpleasant between the two of them, if one did not count the little werewolf incident during their sixth year. Lupin was a kind man, and had always treated Snape respectfully. Nevertheless, to Snape's eyes he was still one of the Marauders, and his mere presence was enough to make his blood boil over. After about twenty years, he still could not forgive them for having made a hell of his school years. As soon as the Headmaster walked in, the room fell silent and the meeting began.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. I pray you excuse me for the short forewarning, but things have happened very quickly," Dumbledore said to the group scattered all around the room. The elder members had taken seat in the various mismatched chairs all around the room, while the youngsters leant against the walls.

"I've been informed that a Death Eaters' meeting will take place tonight, probably after midnight. Alas we have no means to know where," he stated, trying hard to avoid direct references to his source of information. Although everyone knew who he was referring to, Moody could not resist the ludicrous chance to put Snape in a difficult situation.

"Couldn't our informer tell us where he's going to?" Moody said putting a sarcastic stress on the word, looking sideways at Snape.

"You prefectly know he can't, because he doesn't know it himself," Dumbledore said, boring his eyes into Moody's, a look that seemed to tell I-know-what-you-are-up-to-so-stop-it-at-once. Snape was very pale, and the muscles of his body and face were tensed in the effort to keep control over himself. He had figured Moody's intentions out, and there was no way he was going to fall for it. Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued.

"I'll inform you about all the details of the meeting as soon as I know them. In the meantime, I think we should keep a closer eye on Harry Potter, as he is their main target," the headmaster went on.

"It won't be that easy to keep a sixteen year old adolescent out of trouble," Lupin said with a small good-natured smile. The mention of Harry's name was enough to push Snape out of his silence.

"Potter does have a knack for going looking for trouble," he coldly sneered, "like father, like son and godfather too I'd dare say," he could not refrain himself from adding. Snape had always been unnerved by Lupin's perpetual goodness. That mention of Potter's name seemed to him the perfect chance to try to wash away that irritating smile from Lupin's face.

At other times, Lupin would have just ignored Snape's usual scathing remarks against James or Sirius. He had got used to the usual rivalry between Snape and his two best friends. But now things were different. The wound left by Sirius's death was still bleeding in Lupin's heart, and Snape's gratuitous insulting of the memory of Remus' only real friends, evoked in him a indignated rage. He took a step towards Snape, infuriated by his snide comment.

"How do James and Sirius come into any of this?" Lupin spat, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"I was only suggestin that Black would have been more useful to our cause, if he hadn't gotten himself killed," Snape whispered challengingly, fixing his eyes on Lupin. Snape found Lupin's unexpected change of attitude really intriguing. He seemed to have finally broken that aura of peacefulness, which seemed to perpetually surround the kind werewolf. It was all too ludicrous for Snape to restrain himself. No, he wanted to push Lupin to the limit. He was curious to see how far he was going to get.

"And I suppose you were the only one doing something useful. Weren't you Snivellus?" Lupin hissed, his face only a foot from Snape's.

"The best thing Black ever did was let us use his house as headquarters, and keep himself out of anyone's way," Snape whispered venomously.

"And you, the great redeemed," Lupin sneered putting the deepest desbelief in each word, "you were left alone risking your, oh too valuable, neck for us!" Lupin spat baring his teeth.

"Not that we could count much on you. How helpful could a tamed werewolf be?" came Snape's cold reply.

"My condition is none of your business!" Lupin barked, "it was hard, but I played my part like anyone else and you know it!"

"But it's me who has to lie straight in the Dark Lord's face," Snape hissed, oblivious for a moment of Alexandra's presence in the room. Snape had just lost his control over the situation, and he was unwittingly offering Lupin a perfect weapon for his revenge.

"Dark Lord, eh? You don't even have the guts to say his name, or are you hiding something else?" Lupin said with a malicious grin that didn't fit his usually, kind face.

"What do you mean?" Snape hissed, his eyes narrowing dangerously. Their conversation seemed to have taken a nasty turn, and Snape was becoming aware of it pretty fast.

"Only Death Eaters call him by that name!" Lupin insinuated, "Dumbledore, honestly, how can you be so sure he didn't switch side again?" Lupin asked sceptically.

"Shut up, you beast!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite wild, "Don't talk about things you don't understand!" he spat grabbing the front of Lupin's robes in his fists. His nerves had reached the breaking point now that Dumbledore's trust in him was questioned.

"Enough you two!" Dumbledore roared to put a stop to the two young wizards' quarrel, "We all play our part and nobody can deny it. As for my trust in Snape, it's as strong as ever. I would trust him with my own life," Dumbledore stated, certain to have put an end the whole matter, but he was wrong.

"He's a Death Eater?" came the shaking voice of Professor Falconbridge, who was now staring at Snape with wide-open eyes, and a mixture of horror and fright. She had observed the scene in complete silence, but the mention of the thing she worst feared losened her tongue. Snape suddenly realized with horror the bad turn the events had taken, but he was too shocked to find something good to tell her.

"What? You didn't know? I thought you were good friends!" Moody said derisively.

"You can't believe it?" Lupin asked her with a widening nasty smile, "Why don't you show her your master's little touch of body art, Snivellus?" he said gripping Snape's left arm with an hand, ripping his sleeve with the other, exposing the almost black Dark Mark burnt on his skin.

"Let me go!" Snape howled, and freed himself from Lupin's grip.

"Enough!" Dumbledore's infuriated voice resounded again. Snape turned to look at Alexandra.

"I can explain you everything," he said panic-striken. But Alexandra had taken a few steps away from him, as if he was a dangerous beast about to attack.

"Excuse me, Headmaster," she said lowering her face to the floor, before storming out of the room. Snape took a menacing step towards Lupin, like he was going to attack him, but the slamming of the door stopped him. His eyes darted from Dumbledore to the door and, without saying a word, he rushed out of the staff room to run after her.

In that moment Harry Potter was coming from his dormitory where he had returned to collect his cloak. At the sight of his two teachers, he instinctively hid behind a suit of armour.

"Alexandra... please wait. Let me explain," Snape was begging her. Then he finally reached her on a landing, not far from where Harry was hiding, and seized her by the wrist.

"Don't touch me!" she shouted, and slapped him hard in the face, so violently to make Snape's head turn. A river of tears was streaming from her eyes, "Never speak to me again. How could you ... I trusted you!" she hissed to him, her voice sounding deeply hurt.

Snape let go his hold on her, and she left for her rooms. He stood there frozen on the spot, speechless. Although she had slapped him really hard, it did not hurt as much as the look of disgust and fear he had seen in her eyes, those same eyes which many times had looked at him with friendship and tenderness. Harry was astonished to see Snape shaking with grief and remorse, his fists clenched, the nails digging deep into his palms. Then his stare fell on the torn sleeve from which the Mark was almost visible beneath the white fabric of the man's shirt, and he suddenly understood. She might have discovered Snape's true identity, and in the worst way judging from her reaction.

Snape lowered his eyes to the floor, and slowly began to go down the stairs, back to the Entrance Hall. He had his hand on the door handle of the staff room, but then he suddenly changed his mind and turned on his heels, heading to the dangeons instead. He was too shaken to go back in there, moreover, the very sight of Lupin and Moody should have been enough to arise in him a murderous instinct. Harry waited for Snape to disappear, then he went back outside to join Ron and Hermione who were waiting for him. He told them what he had just seen. Much as they detested Snape, they could not help feeling a bit sorry for him. One did not need a genius to understand that Harry had witnessed something more than a simple row between two fellow teachers that day.

***

The meeting in the staff room continued even without Snape. His prolonged absence was a clear evidence that he was not going to come back at all. When people began leaving the room, Dumbledore asked Moody and Lupin to stay over.

"I'm really disgusted by your disgraceful behaviour," Dumbledore shouted with an expression of the utmost fury on his face.

"Honestly, Alastor. Why did you have to detroy the only good thing in Snape's life?" McGonagall said through pursed thin lips. Lupin had seen Professor McGonagall angry on several occasions, but either he had forgotten just how thin her mouth could go, or he had never seen her this angry before.

"I did it for Alexandra's own good. Do you think I haven't noticed him flying about her like an overgrown bat? No, friendship is not enough for him. He wants more!" Moody roared, obviously not regretting anything he had said.

"We have all the right to love, Alastor. Even Snape." Dumbledore sternly stated.

"Then he may go find him some loony hag worth him!" Moody said before storming out of the room.

"Severus in love? That's really funny," Lupin said astonished.

"I know he has made that comment on James and Sirius just to provoke me, but I swear I wouldn't have taken out that story of the Mark, if I knew that witch was his lover," he sincerely told to Dumbledore, feeling really ashamed about the whole matter.

"I believe you, Remus. You're not the kind to play with other people's feelings," Dumbledore calmly said, "Severus and Alexandra are really close friends. The problem is that Severus has fallen in love with her, but he still hasn't found the courage to declare his feelings to her. He had been hiding his involvement with Voldemort from her, because her parents were killed by a group of Death Eaters when she was only six. Now you understand why they were both so distrought? I've suggested him to tell her the truth before they could come out on their own, but you perfectly know how stubborn our Severus may be," he said with a painful sad note in his voice.

"What does she feel for him?" Lupin inquired.

"Albus and I have good reasons to think she may share his feelings, but now..." McGonagall muttered gloomily.

"Oh, Albus. I'm so sorry! I'll go apologize to him before he leaves," Lupin said, feeling even guiltier.

"I know your intentions are good, but I must suggest you to stay well away from him for a while. You know, he's not one who can easily forgive and forget. He needs to be left alone to have time to clear his mind, and get ready to face his difficult task," Dumbledore said while pacing the room, pausing to look at the cloudy sky outside through one of the long windows.

***

During that night feast, there was great silence at the High Table and two empty chairs stood by McGonagall's side. Nobody had seen the two missing teachers all day, they probably were still locked in their own rooms. Dumbledore was greatly worried about Snape. It had been a very hard blow for him, and he had never seen him so distressed before. As soon as the meal was over, the headmaster went down to the dark, cold dungeons to check on Severus. He made a first stop at the Potion Master's office, but he was not there, so he added to his private quarters. The door was strangely open, like his coming had been expected, but the sitting room was empty as well.

"Severus, are you here?" Dumbledore asked, gently knocking on the bedroom door.

"Yes. Come in," whispered a low voice from within.

The room was completely dark, the only light coming from the narrow window by the bed. Dumbledore clapped his hands once and the candles in the room suddenly lit up, revealing a most pitiful sight. Snape was curled up on the stone floor, in the darkest corner of the room. What astonished Dumbledore the most was seeing copious silent tears streaming down the young man's cheecks. Snape had not been crying for ages, probably the last time being when his dear mother died.

Since Snape had left the meeting that afternoon, images of all those happy moments spent with Alexandra kept showing before his eyes, like a faded movie. In particular, the memory of their kiss on Saint Valentine's night was just unbearable. He had considered it as his happiest memory, the one which made his heart skip a beat every time he remembered it, but now it had turned in an awful nightmare that hurt him like a dagger straight in his heart. His grief was so great and his anguish so deep, that he could not help crying, his chest heaving with emotion. Dumbledore waved his wand and an armchair appeared out of thin air, just in front of the spot were Snape stood.

"I'm sorry there's nothing I could say to heal your pain, my boy. I won't justify Moody and Lupin's reproachful behaviour, but they have done what you should have done a long time ago. I've warned you that your status of Death Eater could ruin your relationship with her, once it came out," he gravely sighed, but not a hint of blame was hidden in his voice.

"I know I should have told her the truth, but I was so scared ... scared to lose her," Snape whispered, his eyes staring blankly to the floor.

"The truth," Dumbledore muttered, "is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution."

"And I've been too cautious in hiding it from her, and now I've lost that special thing there was between her and me forever," Severus bitterly said.

"It may now seems to you impossible, but I think there's still hope for you two. Just give her time, Severus," Albus fatherly said, putting a conforting hand on the man's shoulder. Severus sighed heavily, then tears of dispear began to flow as he spoke again.

"Albus, Just look at me! Here I am, alone again when I need her more than ever," he said boring his glittering eyes in the old wizard's ones, full of self-hatred, "She is all I ever had. If only I could explain the way she makes me feel inside. Each time I look into her eyes, I see the man I want to be. She understands me, because she's my friend or I should say she was. She cared for me and has always been there for me. She was the best thing in my life ... and now she hates me!" his voice and body were shaking with regret. Dumbledore listened silently, letting Severus give vent to the storm of emotions overwhelming his heart.

"Why haven't you told her?" he finally said, looking at him straight in his black bright eyes.

"Tell her what?" Snape said a little startled to hear the man's voice after his long silence.

"That you love her so much, what else?" he said with amused twinkling eyes at Snape's moment of confusion.

"That's really funny!" Severus sneered, "I'm not afraid of lying straight in the Dark Lord's face, but I'm too scared to openly declare my feelings!"

"Call him Voldemort, Severus. Always use the proper name for things. You won't really be able to defeat him as long as you're not able to say his name!" Dumbledore sternly admonished him, "Alas, time's running fast. I'm sorry to remind you that in a few hours you'll have to leave, you need to get ready. Be strong, my son," he calmly said. Snape finally stood up and followed the Headmaster into his sitting room.

"Thank you, Albus. I really needed someone to talk to," he whispered with a weak smile.

"Tell me, Severus. Is there anything I can do for you before you leave?" Dumbledore calmly said.

"My only desire is to see her one last time before I leave, but I couldn't stand to see that look of scorn in her eyes again," he sadly whispered.

"Don't worry, I have the solution for this problem. At eleven o'clock sharp, go visit Minerva and she will tell you what to do. Where a broken heart is concerned, nobody can deal with it like a witch does," Dumbledore incouragingly pat him on the shoulder, his eyes twinkling.

***

Snape was completely clueless about what odd idea could have come out of the headmaster's mind, but he knew he could trust him. He still had some time left before going up to Minerva's private quarters, which happened to be on the seventh floor, near the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. He needed to clear his mind from all his worries, in order to be able to use Occlumency. It was really hard, because he felt a strange bad sensation about that night Death Eaters' meeting. He felt like he could never come back ... alive. This dark thought gave him the idea to prepare an amulet for Alexandra to protect her in his absence. He did not know how he was going to convince her to wear it, but he though Albus would have probably found a way. He only had to go in his office and brew the catalizing potion, and find a suitable amulet to use, obviously.

He was a true perfectionist whenever he had to cast an incanation, and there was no doubt he was going to use the most powerful he knew, better if it was one belonging to the ancien magical tradition. But what should he use as amulet? He was not very fond of jewellery, so he did not possess anything suitable. Then he suddenly found the perfect thing, it had been there with him all the time. He was going to use his own amulet, just the one his mother gave him before her death. He always wore it around his neck, night and day, never taking it away.

He was sure it would not have offended his mother's memory, if he used it to protect the woman he loved, just like she had first done to protect him. It was a pendant hanging from a thin golden chain. It had the shape of a small dragon with spread wings, carved in a real dragon fang. It was very pretty, so she would certainly have liked to wear it. He quickly brewed the catalizing potion, and dipped the amulet in it. He then took a sharp cerimonial knife and used it to trace a small cut in his left wrist to let some drops of his own blood fall in the concotion.

"AMATUM, AMANTEM, EGO TE PROTEGO," he casted the ancient incantation on it, moving his wand in wide circles. The potion began shining of a blue light, once it was ready. Although it required the use of the protector's blood, that old incantation did not fell under in the category of dark magic. At eleven o'clock, Snape left the dungeons and headed to Professor McGonagall's private quarters. He knocked twice on the old witch's door and she came to open it.

"Oh, Severus. Come in, dear," she warmly greeted him.

"Evening, Minerva. Forgive me for this late visit, but Albus told me to come here," he politely apologized to her.

"Don't worry, I know it. I just come from visiting Alexandra, and now I'm going back to bring her a cup of herb-tea," she said pouring some hot water from her kettle in a cup.

"How is she?" he asked worried.

"A little better now, but it had been an hard blow for her too," she said kindly, "Now, stay here and wait for me," she instructed him and left the room. He sat on a chair, and waited for about ten minutes her return.

"Here I am, Severus," she called opening the door, "All right, she's sleeping in her bedroom. She's under a Sleeping Charm, so she won't wake up while you're there with her. The effect will last only an hour and half. You can touch her, speak to her, but she won't wake up nor hear what you say," she told him with an encouraging smile.

"Thank you, Minerva. I owe you one," he gratefully whispered and left the room.

Alexandra's door was open, he went in and found her asleep on her bed. He silently approached her, his heart beating madly. He sat down on the bed, close to her. Her face was tear stained and he wipped them away, caressing her cheecks with his hand.

"I'm sorry, my love. It's all my fault, but I promise you I will never make you cry again," he gently whispered to her. He bent down to kiss her, first on her forehead, then on her eyes, last on her soft cherry lips. He decided to spend the short time he had, lying down beside her, watching her sleep, memorizing every single line of her face, taking in her scent, holding her in his strong arms right on his heart. Time seemed to run faster that night, and he finally had to go. Before leaving her room, he took out the amulet from his pocket and bound it to a column of her four-posters, then he left giving her a last kiss on the lips.

He made a quick stop in his room to put on his long, hooded, black cloak and take his Death Eater's mask, then another in his office to leave some dangerous memory in Dumbledore's Pensieve. He was a superb Occlumens, but prudence was never enough whenever Voldemort's Legilimency was involved. He needed to get rid of some important information concerning the Order, Dumbledore, and any connection between Alexandra and himself which was another means to protect her. He silently crossed the Entrance Hall and the grounds, till he was right outside Hogwarts's gates. He then uncovered his left forearm, put his right hand on the black Dark Mark and shouted "Morsmordre!" and he disappareted to take his place in the inner circle at that night's meeting, right next to Lucius Malfoy.

When Alexandra woke up the next morning, she felt quite relaxed, but her heart felt heavy at the thought of seeing him down in the Great Hall, sat right next to her. Then her eyes were attracted by something hanging around a column of her four-posters. She was shocked by the sudden realization that someone had been there, while she was asleep. She took it and decided to bring it down to ask if someone recognized it. She was very surprised to find Snape's seat empty. She wanted to ask someone where he was, but she did not want to show she cared.

"Minerva, look. I've found this amulet in my room, is it yours?" she asked showing it to her senior colleague.

"No, dear," she casually said without even looking at it.

"Then, someone must have managed to get in my room tonight," she said with apprehension.

"Let me have a closer look, please," Minerva said taking it in her had. She showed it to Dumbledore, and they exchanged a knowing, worried look. They both knew who that object belonged to, and understood why Alexandra had found it in her room.

"I can assure you there's nothing to worry about it. On the contrary, this amulet has been charged with a powerful protective charm. I suggest you to wear it everywhere you go," Dumbledore reassured her and she obediently hooked it around her neck.