A Mortal Enemy

Chapter 15: The Unexpected Gift

Kara's eyes opened in response to the slightest of sounds. It was one of those rare situations where the tiniest scrape or whisper could jerk her out of sleep but the loudest crashing could fail to. Instinct turned Kara's head to her left where she saw two tiny feet stepping silently across the floor. The wrinkled boney toes had to belong to a House Elf, Kara found herself realizing; a House Elf that was enjoying anonymity thanks to the privacy screens it was standing behind. With a tiny pop, the feet then disappeared and Kara was left wondering where she was. As was customary now, she pushed a hand underneath the pillow her head was lying on and realized that Prixel's book was not there. That seemed to confirm the theory that this was no bed of hers. Looking up, she saw the stone ribbing of vaulted ceilings and the window above her bed that was letting in streams of moonlight. Given those things plus the relatively uncomfortable bed she was lying in alone, Kara assumed she must be in the Hospital Wing.

Two female voices began whispering nearby. She couldn't make out words but they sounded concerned and frantic. Kara found herself thankful for some privacy and peace as they began walking away from where she was lying. In the dark she pushed the sterile covers off of her body and swung her gown covered legs off the bed. Timidly, she tested her ability to stand, feeling her weak muscles protest under the workload. She took small steps towards where the House Elf had been hoping that will alone might keep her upright.

Quietly she pushed aside the screen and peered into the darkness beyond. Her eyes found another section of the Hospital Wing had been cordoned off and in the bed laid another person, their image glowing in the moonlight. A sickening curiosity forced her to do a double take at the face. At first it appeared to be a girl, probably a student, whose long bright hair was sprawled on the pillow. But after taking a step closer, Kara realized that the profile was very familiar.

She squinted her eyes in the moonlight and carefully sat herself on the edge of the bed. Fatigue overwhelmed her and she nearly fell on top of the figure lying there. After just barely managing to lean in close, she began to examine the person's face with her hands. The skin was slightly greasy and sallow and the moonlight was reflecting off of it in such a way that it looked ghostly. Kara reached up and ran a finger along the forehead and down the nose. The craggy ridge on the bridge of the nose confirmed what she had been hoping. It was Snape. And then the horror of the image began to sink into her sleep-muddled mind.

The once dark black locks on his head were now shinning white, making his image illuminate brightly in the dark room. She lifted a hand to his hair and ran her long spindly fingers through it, unsure that it was real. Could it be one of those Muggle devices that balding men wore? Kara thought they were called wigs. She put her hand on his scalp and felt the warmth there, confirming for her that it couldn't possibly be fake, even though she had to admit to herself that she had never actually seen a wig.

Her body began to weaken under the weight of enduring fatigue and Kara was forced to drape her body on top of Snape's to rest. She closed her eyes listening to the heartbeat in his chest and the rhythmic rise and fall of his body beneath hers.

- - -

A warm hand squeezed hers slightly. This is what woke Kara up for the second time. The bed she was in no longer contained the blond version of Snape. Now it was hers alone, although she knew instantly it wasn't the one she had woken up in before. Next to this bed, Snape was poised anxiously in a chair, one arm raised to hold her hand. The first thing Kara noticed was that his hair was still white.

She looked at him, meeting his eyes but not yet taking in his thoughts. The images and words from her dreams were still resident and vivid. They just stared at one another like two people who weren't sure of what to say.

"Wonderful! She is awake!" came the all too cheery voice of Madame Pomfrey as she emerged from behind the privacy screen. "And about time too! I've never treated an over exhausted Oracle before and you gave me quite the fright young lady! Thank goodness that lovely woman Sydney came by to check up on you. I would have never known to use the camel hoofs in my Pepper-up potion! Now sit up dear."

Snape and Kara shared a knowing look as Madame Pomfrey helped Kara sit up and began running her wand over her body, making sure she was all right. Had news spread already about the attack? Precisely how long had she been asleep and how had Sydney found out? Could news have spread as far as Montare? Kara felt the urgent need to get Snape alone for a moment's peace.

"Poppy, I am fine," Kara said definitively. "I would like to return to my own quarters."

"Yes, of course dear, but first I must insist that you eat. I will be right back." She then disappeared behind the screen with a manic look on her face.

"How long have I been asleep?" Kara asked Snape immediately in a quiet voice.

"Four days. I woke a few days ago, myself."

"Four days," she repeated in awe. "The Dementors are gone then? Voldemort didn't attempt another attack?"

"No," he replied as he squeezed her hand gently again. "Reports coming in seem to indicate this has seriously set his plans back. He has retreated to Albania for the present."

"Good," Kara replied. Her hair had been unbound and draped loosely around her shoulders. Annoyance overwhelmed her and she executed several normal spells in her mind to banish the hair to its normal state. The magic now was painful, as if muscles were required and those muscles were sore.

"Mine as well," Snape said out of nowhere. He must have read the pain off of her face.

"Are you otherwise alright?" Kara asked of him. "Your powers, I mean?"

"Yes. I must conclude, however, that this is an unforeseen side effect." He dragged several fingers through his hair to indicate what he meant.

"Why haven't you returned it to its natural color?"

"I have tried," he said stoically. "It seems intent on staying this way."

A huge smile erupted on Kara's face. She felt compelled all of a sudden to burst out into laughter at the thought of Snape standing in front of the students with that white hair.

"Yes, the students do find it amusing as well," he said reactively. There was a small hint of malice in his voice.

Madame Pomfrey returned just moments later carrying a tray of breakfast foods.

"Miss Granger was by a few days ago to tell me that you enjoy ‚clairs, Professor. I made a request to the kitchens this morning with the hope that you would wake." Snape gave Kara a searching look at this pronouncement. "Eat up and then enjoy the gifts you've been receiving."

"Gifts?"

"Yes, gifts. I for one am curious to see what lingers in that black box there. I have been quite careful to keep the Weasley twins out of the Hospital Wing. We can be assured that whatever is inside isn't going to jump out and try to set you on fire or turn your hair yellow." The witch laughed to herself slightly. "I'll leave you two to it then. Just leave everything where it is when you're done." Madame Pomfrey gave her a loving smile and turned to go.

Kara reached for an ‚clair.

"Black told me you took the Granger girl to Durmstrang," Snape began. She could hear the disapproval in his voice.

"She was my only choice as she already knew. She had the book checked out of the library already when I went to fetch it. Apparently Miss Weasley had overheard Potter." With this, Kara gave Snape a very stern look but he returned it with one of shock.

"Overheard what precisely?"

"The incantation to the blood oath. He has taken it." She took a large bite out of the ‚clair, tasting the richness of the creamy filling.

"Damn him," Snape said under his breath. He stood, but it was not the usual sharp movements he usually enjoyed. Instead he rose carefully and began to timidly pace as if the muscles in his body weren't cooperating.

"So both Granger and Weasley know," he said. It was half a question, half a statement.

"Miss Granger assured me she did not speak of it with anyone else, including Potter. Ginny is wholly unaware of what it was. I believe Hermione told her it was part of his lessons."

Snape gave her a shocked looked and then he continued to pace quietly for several more moments as Kara ate. The sausages and toast tasted better than any she'd ever had before. It was as if she hadn't eaten in a week, which in reality wasn't far from the truth. No wonder Madame Pomfrey had been so insistent that she eat immediately.

When she was finished, Snape helped her into some black robes and escorted her back to their quarters. While there, she showered and made herself presentable once again. They had more time, now, to discuss the intimate details of what had happened since Snape slipped into stasis. It also gave him an opportunity to explain exactly what was going on, although Kara could feel him holding back certain things such as why Harry would have taken the oath.

She also told him about her reservations regarding the Yurlome and the discovery of Nabokov's newest student. Snape gave her the same look she had given Nabokov. He looked unsure of his response, but whether he was thinking of the legacy or of their young Oracle, Kara couldn't tell.

- - -

The next few weeks seemed to fly by. The unusual events had a telling effect on the students. They were calm, more focused and somehow they managed to find it in themselves not to panic. Some of the staff chalked this up to the performance Kara and Snape had put on for the school. Fear of the Oracle had turned into thankfulness of the protection she could provide. Students no longer passed her in fear, pushing as far to the wall as they could when they encountered their professor in the hall. Now they brought her ‚clairs during morning classes (thanks to the rumors no doubt spread by Gryffindor) and showed up in the evenings to ask for extra help with potions.

And Potions classes were much more pleasant than she had hoped. One of the first things she did was put in an order for thirty singing hourglasses from Items d'Exotica in Paris. They arrived one afternoon care of an elderly wizard. Snape spotted them by chance when he came to fetch something from the school stores. He sneered slightly and went back to looking for what he had come for. Kara smirked in reply.

Her only problem was with the dastardly pairing of Gryffindor and Slytherin. But even then the Slytherins had learned long ago that while she would permit their muffled sarcasm that they could not get away with openly provoking their red and gold clad enemies that sat just feet away. There were no repeat performances of flying lizard brains and chicken livers. The Slytherins, while still all together unpleasant, seemed to have lost some of their zeal for touting up the Dark Lord in the presence of their Oracle Professor. It was a change in attitude that was remarked upon by all the Professors.

"I have never seen Pansy Parkinson be so pleasant," Professor Sprout remarked one day at a staff meeting. "She always turns her nose up when I ask the students to repot. Something about the dirt and her clothes. But today she was an absolute delight!"

"Parkinson? She was dating young Draco Malfoy was she not?" Professor Vector spoke up. "I always thought she should direct her affections elsewhere. Nothing but trouble for that girl there, I say." Snape had interrupted moments later to begin the meeting to the delight of the staff who still smiled to themselves when they looked at his now pure white hair. Sometimes Kara heard clever remarks being made in their minds, but they were nothing compared to the comments students made to one another.

Kara had told Snape she had seen Draco at Durmstrang and he repeated his intention to bring the boy back to Hogwarts. At her insistence she had gotten Snape to agree to let her inform Potter. It was a conversation they knew would have to be done before Malfoy came back onto the grounds. The problem was that neither she nor Snape knew when that would be. There was still the problem of his Mark and smuggling him from Durmstrang without being noticed. As far as she knew, Snape had no plan for doing this, and so the talk with Potter had been pushed off.

But Harry took no time from his studies to worry about the recent events. Kara had descended into the chamber one morning for their usual tutoring session. It was the first they'd had since she had returned from Durmstrang. There were more pillows on the stairs as of late, and Kara concluded that Harry was repositioning himself during meditation, or using them for practice. The conversation about his disobedience had even gone well. He looked defiant and repentant, stating only that he had wanted to save Hagrid and the girl. Caroline Fletchley had fainted at the sight of the Dementors and Hagrid had run to her. Harry, watching the sight from the towers of Gryffindor had run down to save his friend. It was bravery that Kara couldn't quite explain to herself or to Snape. Harry knew how important his life was, knew he had been instructed to stay inside the castle at all costs, and yet found the life of Hagrid to be more important than these things. Thankfully for all, it had turned out well.

Kara gave him two weeks worth of extra studying. It was what Nabokov would have called detention. For Harry it was a welcome detractor from the pressures now building up around him. It could not be ignored that he was out there facing Voldemort again. The Daily Prophet, when they reported on the story, never failed to mention the heroic boy and how he had been (ironically) saved by two dark wizards. And while it was Kara and Snape who had saved the day, it was Potter who had received all the credit. The story had annoyed Snape who set the paper on fire before Kara had a chance to read the story.

On a Tuesday, Kara finished up with her afternoon classes and went to meet Harry in the chamber before dinner. They often shared this time together to go over minor lessons, usually focusing on the details of particular spells as opposed to studying new complicated subjects. Harry was practicing his concentration by juggling pillows when she walked in.

"Good afternoon Harry."

"Hello Professor," he replied as he let the pillows float to the ground. He took one and sat on the steps. She sat beside him.

Somehow, Kara had decided on her way down that today would be the day she would tell Harry about Draco returning. It seemed to be the most appropriate time, although she couldn't explain why it felt that way. The day of Draco's return, while not yet set in stone, seemed almost imminent to her as if it were creeping up slowly enough for her to see.

'I have no lesson prepared for today. Instead there is something of great importance that we must discuss."

Harry nodded in response but she could already feel the tension come over him. Was he expecting another lecture?

"Tell me, Harry, do the students speak much lately of Draco Malfoy?" she asked.

"Not really. Just that he went to Durmstrang. Why?"

"That is correct, he is at Durmstrang now. He is doing quite well there actually. Really what I wanted you to be aware of is that he has been Marked."

Harry's eyebrows drew together. He wasn't sure what she meant.

"He is a Death Eater."

Harry seemed somewhat shocked at these words, but it wasn't for the reason Kara was thinking.

"I would have thought he had already been. I mean before he even left Hogwarts."

"No. Apparently he was forced to become a Death Eater at the insistence of his father. You might not want to hear this Harry, but it was because he failed to kill you the night he was expelled."

These words seemed to have a profound effect on the teenager. He let his eyes wander into the room, across the flame of the pyre and into oblivion. Harry sat in silence; thinking to himself for quite some time and Kara afforded him the opportunity to do so.

"You're telling me this for a reason," he blurted out a short time later.

"Yes. You see Mr. Malfoy has expressed to Severus and I, that is to say, Professor Snape and I that he no longer wishes to be in the service of Voldemort. In short, he has asked for our assistance now that his familial ties no longer bind him."

"And what does that have to do with me?" Harry asked coldly.

"In order to provide such assistance, he would need to leave Durmstrang and come under our protection."

"You mean here at Hogwarts?"

"I mean precisely that."

Harry stood quickly and walked around to the other side of the pyre and back.

"He tried to kill me, and he has made an unknown number of threats to Hermione. How could you possibly want to do this?"

"Ask yourself, Harry, did he really try to kill you?"

Her question was met with a look of incredulity.

"Think about it calmly. He has had an unknown number of opportunities to harm you on the Quidditch field, poisoning your food at mealtimes and accidental potions mishaps. Why would he then choose to storm into a crowded dormitory, risk waking up several hundred of your greatest supporters and attempt face you single handedly? Why not even involve his allies? He didn't like the situation anymore than you."

"How could you possibly believe this?" Harry said a bit louder than he intended to.

"How could he possibly lie to me?" She asked in return.

Harry shook his head unbelievingly.

"I saw him the night his parents died, Harry. He was suddenly alone and very frightened. You know what it's like to be an orphan and as painful as that is, there is comfort you can find in the time gap that separates your parents' death and today. He has not had the luxury of that time."

"My parents weren't Death Eaters and didn't force me to become one."

"Hardly a counter argument here. That's all the more reason to sympathize with Mr. Malfoy. He was forced to become something he didn't want to be and forced to kill people he didn't want to kill. Can you imagine going from that to having nothing at all? Worse yet, to have sudden freedom from such expectations, yet no way to really possess that freedom?"

Harry gave her a look of semi-understanding. On the whole he looked uncomfortable and unsure.

"How is bringing him here going to protect him? Voldemort will still know he's here, so will everyone in Slytherin."

"We will disguise him. It will be done carefully." Harry only looked more astonished at these words.

- - -

The first game of the Quidditch season began fairly normally. Kara sauntered down to the field a few minutes before the game was to start, students running past her to try and get a good seat. Hers, of course, was already arranged next to Snape in the announcers box. There was no rushing needed so Kara was in no hurry. She hollered to a few students to slow down and be careful. It was the first time the students had really been let out since the Dementors had been on the grounds. It took Professor Sprout nearly two weeks to encourage the grass back to life. She had harassed Kara and Snape endlessly to make more grass seedling potions. It had paid off though, and despite the fact that the rainy season had not yet begun, the Quidditch pitch was healthy as ever.

Kara took her seat next to Snape and waited for the game to begin. It really was a fine day, Kara noted. There were just a few clouds in the sky now and a cool breeze from the west had picked up. In the distance she could see a swirl of clouds on the horizon. Professor Sprout would be delighted, Kara assumed; after all it would mean that Hogwarts' beautiful grounds would return to their original splendor.

The players were already in the air, showing off for the crowd and warming up. Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff wasn't an exciting match up and the students seemed more interested in gossiping than watching the field. Even as Madame Hooch threw up the Quaffle, the students were still talking amongst themselves. And no wonder, Kara realized, the players were sloppy and out of practice, due no doubt to the fact that they hadn't been let outside of the castle to practice.

"Calliope Sanders gets the Quaffle... No! She dropped it? What is it with Hufflepuff in this game!" shouted Lee Jordan from in front of Kara.

"Ashley Hagan has the Quaffle, she rushes the goal... Wait! There goes Cho Chang diving for the Snitch. Does she have it? Yes!! Ravenclaw wins the game in record time!"

Flags of blue and silver began waving in the sky and Kara could see the disappointed faces of all the students. Now that the game was over they would be banished to the stuffy castle again.

- - -

That evening Kara sat at the small desk in Snape's sitting room reading over this week's potions assignment. She made a red mark on Hermione's paper and set it aside, relieved that she was nearly at the bottom of the stack. It meant she could sleep soon. But beneath Hermione's was Neville Longbottom's and despite her attempts to push aside her bad feelings for the boy, it was hard to not feel complete dread at the thought of reading his paper. After a deep breath, she began reading.

Snape was sitting in a chair near the fire, reading a journal on Muggle Chemistry. Once in a while she would feel his stare upon her and look up to meet his eyes. He was flirting silently in his own special way and Kara knew that once they were both through here that a long session of bodily attention would be paid to both of them. It was an idea that distracted her even more from Neville's essay on goat tongue extraction.

Just then a crying sound erupted from within the room and Kara jumped. She saw, out of the corner of her eye, Snape rise out of the chair and begin looking around the room. It was coming from the general direction of the desk and he walked towards her. Moving from side to side he tried to pinpoint the nature of the sound and eventually stopped in front of a bookshelf, on which he had placed a number of items they had brought back from the Hospital Wing. "Gifts" is what Madame Pomfrey had called them, but Kara was slightly more suspicious about what had been left there. She and Snape had not discussed the matter. They simply brought the items down with them and set them on the shelf. Now one of them was making this loud sound. She stood up beside Snape.

He picked up several cards and stared intently at them, no doubt casting a Finite Incantatum spell on each. However the sound never went away. Next he picked up a yellow tiny box, inside of which he found a tiny letter folded up. Another moment of concentration passed and he set the box down. This went on for some time as he picked through the pile of trinkets and cards. And then his eyes rested on the rather large black box that had been sitting next to Snape's hospital bed.

He put his arm out in front of Kara and pushed both himself and her backwards until they were far enough away to execute defensive spells. He then levitated the box in the air, settled it on the desk and took the lid off. Inside was a broken eggshell, out of which was peering a very vibrant green bird. Kara gasped.

Both she and Snape simply stared at the crying creature for several minutes before realizing what was going on.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I'm not entirely sure. A bird of some kind, no doubt." He walked towards it to get a closer look, but the bird disappeared suddenly, leaving its former eggshell home empty. Snape began looking around the room for it, thinking it had somehow hopped out of sight without him noticing.

Kara turned around to do the same and then heard a muffled sound of aggravation. When Snape came into view again, she saw what he was annoyed at. The tiny green bird had appeared on his shoulder and was rubbing its soft green head against the side of his neck. Snape's white curtain of hair was draping elegantly over the little bird's body. Kara approached slowly and cautiously.

"Hello little one," Kara said in her sweetest voice as she pushed some of Snape's hair aside to get a better look at the creature. It chirped softly in response and began to nestle into the crook behind Snape's ear. For a moment, Kara thought she saw Snape's lips curled a little into a smile.

"Whatever it is, it seems to like you." He grunted in response.

Kara stood there staring at the little creature for several minutes, intrigued by its affection for her fianc. The soft fluff covering its body began to magically transform into silky feathers as the bird preened itself while on Snape's shoulder. And then it hit Kara.

"You don't suppose this is an Augery?" she asked. Snape gave her a quizzical look.

"It makes sense doesn't it? How many birds do you know that can magically disappear and reappear? And don't Augeries cry when it rains? The skies were darkening this afternoon."

"Why would anyone send me an annoying little bird?" he snapped sarcastically.

"I don't know. Unless..." Kara's voice trailed off and she walked to the other side of the room. She plucked a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them from a shelf at eye level and began pouring through it looking for information.

It didn't take her long to find what she needed, and when she did, the coincidences almost knocked her over.

"Severus? Augery is just another name for an Irish Phoenix,"

The look he gave her in response was priceless.