Equal Nemesis

Equal Nemesis

Chapter 7

The Struggle Begins

Morganna flexed her fingers and picked up a small potion bottle, opening it slowly. Two drops of the potion would be sufficient enough for her mother, and she stirred the solution into a glass of water. Picking up the glass, she made her way to her mother's bedroom.

Morganna hated to wake her mother from a peaceful sleep. But the Healer had said to give her the potion precisely every two hours or adverse effects would occur. Morganna had no choice but to adhere to those instructions. It was not that her mother would be startled when woken, but it was what her mother would mumble in her rousing that made Morganna fume in loathing and hurt.

Morganna slid the black doors aside with a swipe of her wand, her velvet robes slithering behind her like a phantom as she approached her mother quietly.

Her mother, Sabina, was asleep upon her four-poster. The curtains had been half drawn in the dark green room, allowing a ray of dust to become visible in the light.

Morganna sat on the edge of the bed and sighed, watching the gentle rise and fall of her mother's chest. Her red hair, streaked with grey, was a tangled mess and covered her face like a coarse veil, as if wishing to hide the haunted look of suffering and pain that her face carried all those years.

It all told the history of her misfortune.

"Mother ... your potion," Morganna said smoothly, pulling away the hair to expose her, to see the scars that blemished her face.

Morganna was glad to see that the ugly green Dragon Pox spots were receding. A couple more days with the potion and the spots would be gone. Morganna meant to leave for Hogwarts today, but she would not be able to make it. The Headmaster had been told days before of her predicament, and thankfully since then, she had not been called to any Order meeting.

"Mother, wake up," Morganna softly whispered into her ear. She leaned back when her mother inhaled deeply in her waking slumber.

She stirred in her bed and Morganna gripped her hand, hoping against hope she would not say the dreaded words...

"Hold me dear. Please Ormond ... Please love me..."

Morganna closed her eyes in fury.

She opened them and saw a lonely tear glistening in the corner of her mother's eye, threatening to fall down the slopes of her cheek.

Morganna quickly wiped it away.

She hated tears. It was too painful to watch anyone cry, let alone allow herself to weep. But Morganna remained strong and had promised herself to never shed a tear ever since she was nine, when she saw what her father had done to her mother.

Neither Severus nor she had ever forgotten it. It was only then that Morganna knew that her father would never love them, and any tears to make him notice his own family were in vain and better left unshed.

Morganna closed her eyes, sighing deeply. She loathed the fact that eighteen years after her unloving father's death, her mother had begun to dream of him again, still missing him. When he had been alive, he had not loved her as she craved, and purposely punished her by sleeping with others, and showering these others with the affection his family could only dream about.

They did nothing wrong. They had done nothing wrong.

Ormond, her father, had wanted his possessions for the sole purpose of torture - to demean and break them for his own sickening pleasure. Morganna didn't want to know what on earth had happened to turn a man into that. Then, when his possessions shattered, he would get some more and do the same with them, the perverse cycle ever repeating.

After all her father had done to them, and especially to Severus' mother Phyllis, Sabina still wanted him to love her. If Severus had been alive, he would've put a stop to this nonsense! He would've talked some sense into his stepmother. It was only when Severus was alive that Sabina didn't speak of dear Ormond! Because it was Severus who had freed them from that horrible man.

Morganna was not as strong as her brother was. She wished she could be more forceful when it came to this. But she couldn't act that way. Although those methods worked, Morganna couldn't bring herself to be so brutal towards her mother.

Morganna touched her mother's shoulder. "Mother ... your medicine. Come, drink it now, otherwise you'll start breathing fire."

Morganna was glad when her mother roused, propping herself up in bed to take a couple of gulps of medicine, before sinking into a stupor again.

Morganna left her in peace, closing the doors behind her, feeling exhausted. She rubbed her eyes, leaning her head against the doors for a moment to collect her thoughts and then travelled to her bedroom through a lightless corridor.

"Ormond - no - please, I'll do anything, but don't make them watch."

"SHUT UP YOU DISGUSTING WOMAN," he spat. "You're repulsive, vile, you make me sick! You shall suffer."

"I'll suffer - but PLEASE - don't make

them watch." She begged and pleaded, crying at his feet.

A piercing scream had made Morganna jump and she gripped Severus' arm, burying her face into his robes. She had felt Severus' heart beating frantically at the scene, watching his stepmother ... he never closed his eyes.

The screams were too much for Morganna to bear, and the smell had been awful.

The odour of burning flesh hung heavily in the air.

Morganna whimpered and gripped the wall for added support. Her mother had never done anything wrong. Her mother had only asked a simple question that she knew the answer to, yet had been denied the response to. "Where have you been?" she had asked.

She used to be a beautiful woman.

Morganna doubled over, nauseated. Bile crept up her throat and she covered her mouth, remembering her promise to never cry.

Suddenly she heard an unnatural creak on the floorboards and halted, composing herself quickly.

Her hand instinctively inched for her wand. Her heart began to pound, and she sneered. She forgot about the past quickly, she had to when the future that lay ahead was even more terrible.

Morganna turned around and saw a cloaked menace hiding in the darkness. He slowly moved out of the shadows, revealing the silver Death Eater's mask beneath his hood. His wand was trained at Morganna as he silently approached her.

"So. Finally, you have come," she said sweetly, hiding her misery with practised ease.

"Expelliarmus,"

she yelled.

"Stupefy."

A cold voice from behind Morganna, surprising her.

Morganna's enemy had not attacked her alone.

Coward, she thought hazily, as she fell to the ground.

***

A trickle of water soothed Harry's senses. He turned around in the darkness and found

An Tobar Le Fios trickling its cool waters in front of him. Instinctively, he looked up from the small Well of Knowledge and, to his horror, saw Voldemort sneering, his angry red eyes preying on Harry's every move. Behind the Dark Lord, Hermione whimpered, held fast by Bellatrix and Wormtail. Harry's eyes absorbed the scene, and another wave of horror filled him when Voldemort's hand suddenly pressed onto his throat. Voldemort's fingers tightened around Harry's neck and Harry saw the Dark Lord's snake-slit eyes narrowing further. He could feel the privacy of his mind being invaded, and panicked, willing himself to stop the intrusion.

Voldemort whispered, "you know what the first prophecy was about. Hmmm, yet I am unable to penetrate further into your dull mind ... Yes! Just like your mother. That old Mudblood loving fool of a Headmaster is teaching you well."

Harry tried to respond, but something caught his eye. He saw Cedric Diggory's body, lifeless

. Harry tried to scream, closing his dreaming eyes.

Reawakening, he found himself drowning in the stream, holding onto a dead Hermione.

The rushing sounds of water halted and Harry was again able to breath.

Suddenly, a blinding white light flashed across Harry's vision, and he saw a long dagger, a dagger held by Ron, before he plunged it into Harry's chest

.

Harry felt himself falling to the ground, blood pouring in torrents. He blinked at the changing scenes around him. Ron's glassed eyes disappeared and Harry found himself staring into darkness.

But he wasn't seeing a black sky, but a black ceiling when he realised with dread that a blue candle hovered silently overhead.

He lay in the Department of Mysteries, bleeding to death.

Harnessing all his strength, Harry propped himself up.

A cold breeze hit his face and he saw a dais in front of him. With foreboding, his wide eyes trailed further up and he saw the black veil fluttering ominously.

Staring in fear and confusion, Harry didn't know what to think of it ...

whispers circled his cold form, slowly getting louder as the breeze soon turned into a wind. He found the dais moving towards him. Harry shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut.

"No. No! GET AWAY FROM ME!" he yelled, pulling himself further back, in spite of the searing pain.

The whispers abruptly stopped as if they obeyed Harry's demand. The air had stopped stirring. Nothing moved and he found himself opening his eyes, with silence all around.

Then the veil twisted violently and a blur of silver was thrown out from its invisible depths.

It sped towards Harry --

Harry didn't have time to catch it when he heard somebody scream. A woman -- who sounded like his Aunt Petunia. The room changed and Harry got up, seeing his aunt holding Florence in her arms. The baby was crying and Harry looked up into his aunt's eyes.

"I'm sorry ... I'm so sorry," she whispered to Harry, blood trickling down her cheek.

He heard a piercing scream; a cold unearthly scream which caused chills to surge through him. Harry turned around and saw a mass of black and something shapeless swoop down to grasp him --

"Harry ... Harry, wake up!" Harry heard Sirius say as he shook his shoulder. "You were having another nightmare."

Harry's eyes flew open and he shot up panting, scanning the room to find Remus and Ron looking at him, bewilderment and concern evident in their expressions.

Harry felt a cool hand press against his forehead and he turned to see whom it belonged to. Sirius brushed Harry's hair down and placed his hand on his cheek. "Lay back down for a second. Was it a nightmare?"

Harry hesitated, before nodding. "Just a dream," he gulped, licking his parched lips. Remus handed him a glass of water and Harry took it gratefully.

"You look like you are in shock, Harry," Remus observed.

Harry closed his eyes. "I don't know -- wanna go to sleep," Harry said, almost falling asleep again.

"Come on Harry, wake up." Harry heard his godfather speak again, his voice lighter with brightness this time, though it didn't really hide the concern underneath it. "You're not going to sleep again, are you? Hermione has been up and dressed since six. She's all ready for Head Girl duties, etcetera, etcetera. She'll make Percy proud, in fact. I think I will be sick."

"You'll be fine, Harry," Remus replied as Harry groggily woke up again. Remus gave Sirius a calculating look and he left the room once he was sure Harry was all right.

"C'mon. Breakfast will be ready soon," Sirius said with a hungry yawn. "Bathroom's a bit feisty today, so be careful," he added before he left as well.

Harry rubbed his eyes and heard Ron speak. "Dressed since six?" he stated incredulously. "Hermione is not normal."

"I heard that! And good morning to you both," Hermione said brightly, walking into the boys' bedroom, her Head Girl badge pinned to her jumper. The look on Harry's face made Hermione furrow her brow in confusion. "Did you have another vision, Harry?" she asked.

Ron shrugged. "No. He just had the usual nightmare. I had one last night too, I was surprised you didn't wake up 'cause of it," he told Harry.

"Guess I was just too tired last night. It wasn't like a week ago with you and Neville snoring." Harry blinked, pulling his pillow over his face, more interested in his dream than to talk. It was haunting, but he much preferred nightmares to a real vision about Voldemort.

"Oh...." Hermione said a little stiffly.

Harry pulled the pillow away and gazed at Hermione as she sat down, placing a stack of socks onto Harry's bed, freshly ironed by Epona. Hermione placed her hands on top of a pair and tried to straighten out a crease that the house-elf had missed. "Well, sulking isn't going to help anyone today." She heaved. "Come on, we go to Hogwarts today."

Harry sighed as he ran his fingers through his ruffled hair. He pulled his bed sheets away and hopped out of bed. Hermione smiled at his actions and puckered her lips, waiting for Harry to give her a little morning kiss.

"HALT!" Ron blurted, startling Harry and Hermione. "No kissing in the bedroom! I'm on Mum's orders to watch your every move," Ron said sarcastically.

Hermione laughed, and Harry cheered up a little. He had forgotten that Ron was still in the bedroom. "Ron, I'm paranoid about your mother as it is," Harry said. When Ron turned around, Harry gave Hermione a light peck on her cheek.

Ron started to pack his trunk, throwing in his cauldron (which hit the bottom with a small clunk), and then continued dumping clothes and his books into it. "Harry, have you seen my Potions textbook?" Harry shook his head. Ron cringed. "I'm dead if I can't find it."

"We have an hour to get ready for the train and you're still packing? I can't believe it," Hermione said, exasperated. Harry looked around the room to both the open trunks and the mess heaped around the floor in small mounds.

"Well, you're a big sceptic, aren't you?" Ron retorted, while folding his Quidditch robes very carefully.

Harry watched Ron haphazardly fold the rest of his clothes, throwing them in his trunk like pieces of rubbish. His red hair was just as dishevelled as Harry's, and his eyes were still drooping, aching for more sleep. Ron scratched his nose and began piling his casual robes and Muggle clothes into the trunk.

Hermione had had enough. "For goodness' sake, at least use some magic," she said, crossing her arms with a small huff of distaste.

"It's early morning, Hermione. Brain not working," Harry pointed out, searching for his wand before finding it on his armchair, under his dumped clothes, and practiced that little flick Tonks tried to practice on a basket of laundry one day. Sadly it hadn't worked and Tonks gave up, saying her mother must be a genius.

Harry placed the socks Hermione had brought in to the trunk, and she watched as Harry concentrated on his wrist movement. "Pack," he said. The socks lifted a little in midair before crashing into the trunk again, looking messier than before. "Bollocks."

Hermione sighed deeply, shaking her head. "Look, Harry," Hermione stood up, pretending to hold a wand to show him what do to. "Move your wand up to your left shoulder. Then in quick succession -- pull the wand to the right and into a semicircle then you flick it down and say 'pack.' That's the correct movement for the Tidy-Up Charm, the domestic Charm that Tonks tries to use. I found it in one of Mrs. Weasley's books. I knew Tonks was doing it all wrong."

"Thank you," Harry said curtly, without looking at her.

"And take out something warm. It's a bit nippy outside," Hermione said to the boys. Harry obeyed and took out a black jumper and long pants.

Across the room, Ron had successfully made the wand movement, and all of his clothes and things began to reorganise themselves in the trunk, neat and tidy. "All right!" Ron smiled. "Got to remember that nifty flick, Tonks will be pleased, too."

Harry focused on his own trunk and it worked perfectly, and he gave Hermione a smile.

Ron picked up his Cleansweep which lay neatly on top of everything. "Last year, Harry, eh? Last year to win the Cup and everything ..."

Harry nodded sullenly, unable to say anything. He locked his trunk shut, and went off to the bathroom to get washed. He didn't want to speak about his last year at Hogwarts. It was too depressing to even think about it.

He knocked on the bathroom door. Nobody was there, since the girls were all ready and most of the Order were up and about, getting ready to transport the children to the platform. But Harry still had to knock on the bathroom door, simply so he wouldn't frighten it- the possible consequences didn't bear considering!

Harry opened the door, peering into the bathroom carefully. "Hello, I'm not going to bother you. I'm just going to have a shower and, uh, yeah..." Harry's voice trailed off as he looked around fearfully.

The room didn't stir. If the bathroom was in one of its moods, a window might shake or the taps would be turned on all of a sudden, or anything loose might be hurled at their heads, telling them that it was not the right time to enter. Harry was glad that they had an outback loo. Otherwise it would have been awful if they were in an emergency. He'd thought about telling Sirius to install another bathroom, but never got around to it.

Harry hesitated for a moment; his towel and clothes on one hand, his wand outstretched in the other. "I'll try not to bother you, okay?" He smiled tentatively, putting down his belongings gently. The last thing he wanted was to be painfully kicked out, and magically land in the backyard.

Ridiculous!

Harry thought as he shampooed his hair, taking every creak in the bathroom as a warning of discomfort of the poor room's feelings. I can't believe I'm scared of my own bathroom!

Unfogging the mirror, dried and clothed, he slipped on his glasses and ran his fingers through his hair, then adjusted his fringe so that it covered his scar. He pulled the white collar over his jumper and turned around. "Thank you for letting me use your facilities," he said to the air. I'm glad I'm not entering this bathroom for another four months! he thought.

Ron walked in a moment later, wringing his hands, staring timorously. When he knew the bathroom was safe he smiled into the mirror, standing beside Harry, and pinned his Prefect's badge on him.

"Parvati loves a man who takes pride in authority," Ron said smugly.

Harry snorted. "Don't make Hermione mad."

Ron narrowed his eyes. "She's just as strict as Percy. She won't give us any fun. I think this Head Girl thing will go over her head. I, however, allow for some shanaganism - it's the only way it'll keep me sane."

"Yeah, that's a good thing t--"

The boys started when Hermione popped her head between Ron's and Harry's shoulders with pursed lips. "Don't make me warn you two," she said softly, raising an eyebrow.

Ron looked at his watch. "Can't you wait until we get on the train?" he yelled to Hermione's retreating back.

The shower curtains rippled dangerously and Harry spun around. "Ron, shut up," he hissed, hurrying out of the bathroom. Ron followed quickly.

"Oh, Harry, Remus says we can charm the trunks ourselves," Ron said behind Harry. "I'll do Hermione's and Ginny's stuff; you do ours," Ron suggested.

"Okay."

"Mum says she'll flay us alive if we cause any trouble." Ron rolled his eyes. "I think we're definitely more trust worthy than Fred and George."

Harry snorted. "Of course we are."

Harry whipped out his wand once he was in his bedroom and looked at his trunk. "Mobiliarbus," he said with a large swipe of his wand to charm Ron's as well. The trunks floated out the door like two connected train carriages under his direction. Down the stairs, he laid their trunks near the front door and stood aside when Hermione's and Ginny's trunks were laid down too.

Ron pocketed his wand. "I'm starving - hope breakfast is ready." Harry agreed, ignoring his hunger pangs as he walked to the kitchen.

Mrs. Weasley bustled about the kitchen, helping Epona with the breakfast as Harry and Ron entered. Tonks and Kingsley were flipping through a thick pile of parchment. Mrs. O'Connor sat playing aeroplane with a spoonful of pureed pear which Brian refused to eat, and Ginny sat watching him. Hermione was reading through the Daily Prophet, where a brief description of a Death Eater, by the name of Bryce Calder, had been found dead. Aurors guessed the man had been killed by his own pack. The front page also revealed two black and white photographs of Dark Marks appearing over two houses belonging to two International Confederation wizards, one from Canberra, Australia, the other in Palermo, Sicily.

"Listen to this," Hermione said as Harry sat himself down. Epona placed a steaming plate of bacon and eggs in front of him, and he waited for the dreaded news.

"In Sicily, a delegate of the Italian Auror Squadron had told

Il Corriere della Magia that their Confederation member had been murdered. He was seen with an Italian Death Eater, but had refused any dealings. It is almost certain that this led to his death. While across the world, in Australia, there was a family murdered under suspicious circumstances.

"Australian Aurors are investigating the family's murder, though had not released the names of the entire family killed to the Wizarding media. They had only stated that the murderers were not Death Eaters, but copycats wishing to stir panic within the country.

"When a British reporter asked if the two Muggles left in catatonic state on Sydney's south coast were the result of Dementors giving them the kiss of death, the Australian High Auror Commissioner, Nessa McHugh, denied the possibility saying: 'Dementors are Dark creatures who do not acclimatise well. They are not used to different environments, and therefore would not cross oceans to our country.

"'The accidents of the two Muggles in June at Maroubra Beach were merely accidents on their part -- leaving them brain-dead after they had fallen off the cliff. This is regardless of the speculation that a child witch had sworn she had seen the Dementors. It was night and the child had several nightmares. No doubt her paranoia had caused the hallucination."

"The High Auror Commissioner later informed the Australian community: 'The Dark Lord is not a security risk to Australia.'"

Hermione scoffed. "Fat chance!" Hermione looked towards Kingsley in interest.

"We've been trying to liaise with the Australian Ministry, but they insist that there is nothing wrong and everything is passing smoothly. They are not the only ones saying that everything is all right, Hermione."

Harry gulped, losing his appetite at the news that even though the Ministries all over the world had registered the fact that Voldemort had returned, they were refusing to do anything about it.

Epona tugged the sleeve of Harry's jumper, making him look down. He found the house-elf staring up with wide blue eyes. "Master Potter, I've gots you a little going away present sir," the house-elf squeaked.

Harry smiled benignly despite his growing gloom. "You didn't have to."

"But Master's been good to a clumsy house-elf like me."

Before Harry could say something, Epona opened his hand into her own and ransacked her floral pillowcase that she wore for a little packaged lump. "Here you go, Master. You're not to open it 'til Hogwarts," she said, closing his hand and patting it.

"All right, Epona. Thank you very much." Harry grinned and pocketed it. He turned to his breakfast, noticing Tonks whispering. Her eyes caught Harry's and she smiled, running her hand through her blue hair.

"Are you talking about the Order?" Harry asked. Ron stretched his neck a little to get a better look of them.

"Yeah ... just doing some background checks on people who we're planning to ask to join the Order. We just don't want any unpleasant surprises," Tonks said, winking.

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Have you asked many since the last year?"

"Not many ... we just have to be sure we know the right people," Kingsley said. He flipped through a parchment and scratched his nose as he read it. "Here's the people I've talked to: Miromel Quincy--"

"Oh, I had Auror training with her for a year. Makes my nose cringe at her bloody awful jokes," Tonks retorted.

Kingsley blinked. "Well, she's very willing to join the Order, so you'll just have to get used to her bloody awful jokes."

"Oh haha." Tonks rolled her eyes. "Who else is joining?"

"Edward Winkworth. That old nut has had numerous troubles with the Department of Experimentation. Very good with inventing things, though. He created Mad-Eye's magical eye."

"Lovely. Well, I'll be sure to thank the man who has made countless children suffer nightmares after seeing that eye."

Ron choked on his breakfast and Harry had to thump his back. Ginny giggled, but Hermione looked up from the Daily Prophet sternly.

"Tonks, shut up!" Kingsley shook his head, chuckling while perusing through his notes again. "Elamarra Ives, Agatha Barton, Albert Grady - yes, Tonks, the same wizard who splinched himself on eighteen separate occasions. One more splinching and he'll break Foster Wallops record of 1746."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. "Why doesn't he just have an Apparation test?" Ron asked.

"He's tried out 113 times. Failed absolutely miserably each time." Tonks sniffled. "Anyway, these are the people willing on my list: Basil Pitchard, Harriet Hadrien, Lee Priddy, Wilfrid Zabini--"

"Hang on..." Harry said loudly, having struck a cord with one of the names. "Zabini? Is his daughter Blaise Zabini of Slytherin?"

Kingsley took a deep breath and stared into Harry's eyes. "Harry, not all Slytherins are bad, you know. Zabini, Pitchard and I were all in Slytherin."

Harry and Ron were stunned.

Kingsley in Slytherin? It was a shock to their system that an Auror, Order member and good friend had been in Slytherin House. Kingsley was completely different in contrast to Draco Malfoy, that was for sure, Harry thought.

Remus entered the kitchen, breaking the conversation up. He approached Mrs. Weasley and whispered in her ear. Mrs. Weasley turned abruptly to check the clock.

It was ten o'clock, time for them to head off to King's Cross. Harry briefly wondered how they would be getting there and if he and Ron would be allowed to Apparate on their own. Harry guessed they were most likely to get there by Ministry cars.

It would take an hour to get to King's Cross, since Black Manor was in the countryside. But it would've taken longer if the cars were just normal Muggle automobiles.

"Right, girls, have you both finished your breakfasts?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Ginny and Hermione nodded. "There are Ministry cars waiting outside, so you better get your cloaks and into the cars."

"Mum, does that mean me and Harry can Apparate there?" Ron asked, his eyes blazing with anticipation. He and Harry hadn't Apparated much during the summer, not as much as Fred and George two summers ago. Mrs. Weasley made it clear that there would be trouble if there were any unnecessary Apparations in the house.

Mrs. Weasley heaved her chest. "Yes, you two will be able to. But you both must land exactly by the barrier where Sirius, Tonks and Alastor Moody will be. Is that clear?" Ron and Harry made a murmur of assent, and Mrs. Weasley continued. "Bill and Kingsley will Apparate with you both while the rest of us accompanied Ginny and Hermione."

Minutes after a scramble to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything, Harry stood on the porch, observing Mrs. and Mr. Weasley packing their belongings into the cars. Ginny and Hermione were trying to catch Lilac who kept trying to get back into Harry's arms.

When Ginny walked off cradling the cat, Lilac bit her and ran back to Harry. He thought Lilac was probably wondering why he wasn't going with her. The second time it happened, Lilac scratched Ginny and bit Hermione's finger so she could get back to Harry. Third time -- well it was only a matter of time before that happened, as Ron and Harry tried not to laugh at the sight of the girls trying to hold on to the cat.

"HARRY, SHE'S A BEAST!" Ginny shouted, nursing her scratched arms. Lilac scrambled over the rickety white fence and jumped onto Harry's chest, hissing back at Ginny.

Lilac's claws latched onto Harry's jumper and she didn't want to let go. "I'll be there soon, don't worry." Harry calmed the cat down. He opened the gate and made sure Lilac was safely put in the car and in a basket with Crookshanks and Persia.

"Er ... have a safe trip," Harry whispered in Hermione's ear, his fingers brushing away a frizzy brown lock of hair from her cheek. Hermione batted her eyelashes and her lips curved into a smile.

"Thanks. I love you, Harry."

"Love you too," Harry grinned and kissed her goodbye.

"Would you two hurry up? We'll get into heavy traffic," Mrs. Weasley said from the front seat.

Harry closed the car door and waved them off, the bare road hiding the two cars with a trail of dust. Harry returned to the house and saw Ron leaning against the doorway, staring at the grey sky.

"What are you thinking?" Harry asked.

"Parvati," Ron replied, looking at Harry.

"Ahh." Harry nodded. "I think she'll need to stand on a milk crate to kiss you." He laughed.

Ron rolled his eyes. "I haven't seen her for the entire holidays. I can't wait to see her again." He then disappeared into the house to finish packing.

***

On the far end of Platform Nine and Three Quarters, Narcissa placed her hands delicately on her son's shoulder. "Now Draco, darling, I trust you'll be strong and fearless."

"Mother ... please I know, now let me go." Draco huffed impatiently.

Narcissa lifted Draco's chin with her finger and looked into his grey eyes. "Draco, you will uphold the Malfoy honour. Make your father proud. Is that understood?" Draco nodded and gave her a strange observing expression.

Narcissa knew by her son's stare that her change in manner was becoming more apparent. In the past, she normally would molly-coddle him and cry when he left for Hogwarts. But since his father had become a wanted fugitive, Narcissa had become more ... independent. More powerful, if that was the right word to say.

Narcissa saw a flash of red in the corner of her eye and saw a Weasley man chatting to a group of people, including Potter's godfather. Narcissa heard her son hiss.

"I still can't believe it," Draco spat. His mother furrowed. "I still can't believe that Granger was made Head Girl. The nerve of the bloody Headmaster! I'm ashamed to even have to converse with that Mudblood, now that I'm Head Boy."

"Now, now Draco. I understand. You've told me many times already, but keep quiet, soon things will turn our way." She smiled lightly, patting his shoulders.

"Goodbye, Mother," Draco stiffened, sighting Crabbe and Goyle in the distance, his Head Boy badge glinting in the cold light.

A small crack resounded, and Narcissa noticed a new form directly in front of her: Morganna Snape. "Draco darling, I'll write to you tomorrow," she said softly, placing her pale hand on his cheek. Draco stared back, mimicking the same cold look Lucius had. Narcissa let go of her son and watched him walk off to meet his gorilla-like friends.

"Good morning, Professor Snape," Narcissa sniffled, raising her chin smugly.

"Mrs. Malfoy," Morganna replied curtly, her eyes blazing.

"I do hope Draco conducts himself well within Slytherin House," Narcissa said. She sensed that the conversation was strained and unwelcome. The Professor looked at the Animagus Black for a moment, then focused on Narcissa again.

"Draco is a pleasant student to work with, Mrs. Malfoy. Your son is very well behaved in my classes and is such a wonderful role model to his own house. I ensure you he will do fine in his last year," Morganna assured her briskly. "Good day to you, Mrs. Malfoy. I must head off."

Narcissa inclined her head slightly in response, and Morganna spun round, her dark robes billowing out, mirroring her brother's move.

***

Sirius was indeed surprised when he saw Morganna. Now, he watched her pass cheerful students, getting ready to leave, her face expressionless and dark. White smoke obscured his view for a moment and when the smoke subsided, Sirius and Tonks stared at her.

"What?" Morganna said, making sure her gloves fitted neatly in between her fingers.

"What did she say to you?" Tonks said bluntly. "Fancy Apparating right in front of Mrs. Malfoy. Gave me goose pimples."

Morganna snorted impatiently. "Yes, it was very awkward. Hello, Sirius."

"Hello back. How's your mother? I thought you were to arrive at Hogwarts later on in the week, and Dumbledore said you didn't have to come here for the supervision?" Sirius queried.

Morganna sighed. "Yes I was, but I thought I'd give a hand to the Order even though I didn't have to. My mother is much better today, and I wanted to talk to Potter--"

"Ahh, so you're finally going to apologise to him after what you did," Sirius prodded. "Better apologise to Hermione, too."

Morganna grimaced. "Well yes, If I must. However, I will apologise to Miss Granger separately. You see ... a Snape never apologises," She hissed, stepping closer to Sirius so that Tonks wouldn't hear. "It will be--"

"Awkward ... embarrassing, maybe?" Sirius raised his eyebrows.

Morganna curled her lip dangerously, her voice becoming a cold whisper. "Even more uneasy with four eyes staring back at me. After all, I think it's best to apologise before school starts. Start the year afresh." Her eyes narrowed. Sirius had to laugh at her. "I want to forget about it as quickly as possible. I've had enough of your dull nagging," she hissed.

Sirius had to laugh at her. "I didn't nag, Snape. I only told you off twice."

Morganna spun around in anger, refusing to face Sirius.

Tonks checked her watch. "Harry and Ron should arrive just about now, before everyone else," and then added, leaning to Sirius. "I can't believe a Snape is apologising." Tonks snickered. "What did you say, Sirius?"

"I guess my charms worked - a female can't resist them, even the evilest, most cold woman on earth can't surpass it." Sirius laughed. Tonks rolled her eyes. Moody, who had just joined them, was not amused.

***

Harry, Ron, Bill and Kingsley Apparated right in front of the Order members. Harry and Ron smiled, and congratulated themselves for a fine journey. They'd never done an Apparation that far before.

Ron heard his name and turned around, spotting Parvati in the train waving back at them.

"Ron, I missed you so much," Parvati yelled, continuing their conversation when Ron strode up to her, his head nearly level with the carriage window. Harry looked on when Professor Snape spoke.

"Can I speak to you in private, Mr. Potter?"

Harry did a double take, and pointed to his chest in shock and suspicion. "Me, Professor?"

"Yes you, you insolent child." Morganna blinked. Sirius rubbed his eyes and chuckled in the background.

Harry looked towards Sirius. His arms were crossed and when Harry's green, curious eyes focused on him, Sirius nudged his head in agreement to Morganna's statement, telling Harry that it was all right and she wasn't about to turn him into a Flobberworm. Nevertheless, it still made Harry very uneasy about the foreboding conversation.

Professor Snape made a sharp movement and walked away from the Order members. Harry followed her as she sought a quiet little spot where there were very few people around. She halted near an archway.

"What did you want to talk about, Professor?" Harry asked timidly. The Potions Mistress looked like she was trying to stop herself from hurling insults at him. She curled her top lip, and rubbed her right eye.

"I wanted to - to -" Professor Snape stuttered, as Harry innocently looked on. "To apologise for what I did to you and Granger," she finally said.

Harry's eyes widened in shock and disbelief, his eyebrows rising. Professor Snape stared at him in bewilderment.

"What ...?" she spat

"Er...' Harry said. He didn't know what to say. "Sorry Professor, it's just--"

"Surreal that a Snape would say sorry for something as petty as what I did to you? You realise that you may have already gotten used to the snide comments made by my brother. A simple apology like this would make you wonder if a cauldron exploded in my face while making a potion." Harry hesitated before nodding. Professor Snape sniffed smugly. "Yes, well, blame it on your godfather. You know, by the way, that we are ... together."

Harry kept his face utterly straight, noticing her eyes growing darker as she said the words. He didn't know what to say or do, because a word out of place may warrant him a two-month detention.

"Well, er, apology is accepted, Professor," Harry said tensely, and saw that Hermione and Ginny have arrived on the platform.

The Potions Mistress heaved her bosom and turned her head slightly, though she did not fully see what was happening behind her. "There is something else I want to talk to you about."

Harry's eyes darted off Hermione back to Professor Snape. "What is it, Professor?" he asked.

The moment he asked, the professor's long pale fingers flexed and reached inside her cloak where she retrieved something from her pocket. Harry looked at it in surprise, not knowing what it was. "Your godfather asked me to give you this. I have a few and it is very useful for protection."

Between her thumb and index finger she held up a red ball, which resembled a swirling marble. On closer inspection Harry discovered it was a tiny skull. He was about to ask a question but he froze, unable to look away, intrigued by it ... too mesmerised, it was like he was under the Imperius Curse... but this time, his will to look away battled with the power of the object.

It was as if the moment he saw the red skull, he was locked to it.

Amidst the struggle to look away, Harry distantly heard Mad-Eye Moody shout something Harry did not understand ... the next moment he heard only silence, he was still watching the skull, but he started to struggle against its power. Suddenly, Morganna's fingers gripped Harry's shoulder and Harry watched as the little red skull dropped.

When it hit the ground, it shattered -- exploded was more like it. Harry felt the vibrations ricochet up his body. Black smoke filled his vision. Harry felt his body, the atoms stretching agonisingly. It was like he was being sucked through a black hole.

Harry screamed, but nothing came out.