A Mortal Enemy

Chapter 16: Alcaeus

"We really don't feel it's necessary to question you further," said Sam Ascalon, the French Ministry wizard who had insisted upon Veritaserum the last time they spoke.

"Last time we met, Mr. Ascalon, you seemed quite convinced I was lying about my recollection of the events that night. What has changed?"

"The Dementor incident at Hogwarts a few weeks ago was very interesting to me. Unless you're planning on taking over the wizarding world, there doesn't appear to be any motive for setting up both Albus Dumbledore and Voldemort."

"I see. And what if that is my motive?" she asked.

"I've done some research and I know that not to be the case," he smiled at her capriciously, winked, and rose from the chair. "I'm sure I will be seeing you again sometime Ms. Lynch. Do take care."

The man then tipped his hat and walked out of the Headmaster's office. When Kara looked over at Snape he had his hands steepled beneath his chin, thinking to himself.

"What do you suppose he meant by research?" she asked.

"Any of a hundred things. If I were to make a wager on my guess, however, I'd say he knows about the Order of the Phoenix."

Kara heard a few of Snape's thoughts on this matter. Mr. Ascalon's perfect English despite the subtle Parisian accent threw him off. Then there was the Contrification, his all-knowing manner and apparent calm around two very powerful wizards (Kara and Snape). A few theories on his true identity floated around in Snape's mind but he quickly pushed them aside and they headed down for lunch.

- - -

Harry was sulking, and it wasn't the first time Kara had noticed him doing this in the past few weeks. It wasn't rare for him to be quiet, introspective or solemn, but even his friends were beginning to give him sideways glances that he didn't notice and then look at each other or make subtle nods with their heads. She had witnessed Ginny in the halls attempting to cheer him up with magic tricks or jokes, but he always just gave her placating smile and kept walking along side her in silence. Sometimes he would wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her in close as if she were in danger. In potions Kara would see Harry perform his class work as if it were routine, taking notes without looking up, chopping and weighing ingredients with the most casual of movements, and flipping his hourglass without hardly noticing the Hungarian Horntail timer had just come up and swatted him in the nose with its prickly tail. He avoided conversation and the Slytherin sniggering. It was as if he were in another world, daydreaming of some place other than Hogwarts.

She mentioned it to Snape, who answered with rhetorical questions like "How am I supposed to know what goes on in the little brat's mind?" Sirius was more helpful and promised to talk to his godson, but Kara knew almost instinctively that it wouldn't help. Direct action was required.

"Meet me at the Quidditch Pitch at 10pm," she told Harry one afternoon before dinner one night in October. "We have some important things to go over that the chamber will not be suitable for." He had given her a curious look but nodded his head in agreement.

So here she stood on the pitch. It was a rather chilly night and Kara had thrown on a heavy woolen cloak. When Harry approached, he was wearing his school uniform and his black cloak over top. He looked tired, and for a moment Kara wondered if it was wise to try him like this. But she needed to know what was wrong and knew his barriers could only be broken down by fatigue and stress. He approached silently, but she could feel him behind her and when he was less than ten feet away, she turned quickly.

"We are here for a duel, Mr. Potter. To make it fair, I will restrict the spells I cast to only use those tested during O.W.L.S and I will not use my Inner Focus. The only thing I ask is that you not cast the killing curse. Everything else is fair game, and anything that happens here will be kept here. I give you my word."

She let the words sink in hoping her subtle hint about using the other Unforgivables would be interpreted. When his lips twitched she thought he understood, but whether he would actually try to cast them was another issue. It was what Kara was hoping for, not that she was in any mood for pain, but it would tire him easily, and the pull of the Dark Magic would turn his moods so sharply that he would be confused and eager to talk.

"I will give you a few minutes to prepare and I will let you go first."

"What if people see?" he asked.

"I have asked Professor Snape to ensure the pitch is ours alone tonight. I will be back in a few minutes. Be ready." With that Kara walked out of the Quidditch stadium to see if Snape was nearby. She could see him lurking in the shadows nearest the north entrance to the castle. He had a piece of parchment in hand, which she concluded was the Marauders Map.

When Kara returned, Harry looked more prepared than she had seen him in a long time. His wand was clutched firmly in hand and he was standing in a confident position with his feet spread shoulder width apart. His eyes were turned up towards the sky where a bright moon was hanging, illuminating the field with rays of white light. Kara stepped in front of him, bowed, and stood up. She then turned and walked a few paces. When she turned around he was poised to strike already.

She wondered what he would prepare for his first offensive. Normally, the goal was to attempt to disarm the other opponent as a first step, but since Kara needed no wand, the goal was to disable her completely. So she wasn't at all shocked when the first words out of his mouth were a series of spells aimed at distracting her.

Relashio

Locomotor Mortis

Rictusempra

Each spell, she saw coming, and easily blocked. Harry was forced to dive to the side or duck under the rebounds. He was even casting half with his wand, and half without. Kara saw numerous green sparks shooting at her that had no words to accompany them. Dive, cast, cast, roll, cast, and dive again. It was a sequence of events that was tiring him and Kara was able to block each one. She didn't even need to hurl spells at him. He was doing a fine enough job at that. When he paused, Kara thought he was going to pass out. He was kneeling on the ground with his hands perched on the ground in front of him.

And then she felt a violent invasion of magic within her body and a soft feeling of nothingness; it was familiar. The Imperius Curse. He had cast it without his wand, and since it didn't emit any sort of sparks she hadn't seen it. Kara was no stranger to this curse as it had been used on her many times by Nabokov during training, but not even the wise old wizard's tests were as strong as this one. She even entertained the idea that it wasn't Harry who had cast it until he looked up into her eyes.

It wasn't impossible to fight, but Kara had never been capable of completely blocking the Imperius curse's affects. She couldn't resist Harry, that much was clear, but her thoughts were still hers.

Harry stood, walked towards her and looked her in the eyes. He realized the spell had succeeded.

"Sit on the ground," he ordered. Kara felt her muscles move even though she was internally fighting them. The next thing she knew Harry's legs were in front of her and she heard him speaking.

"I didn't think it would work," he said unbelievingly.

Kara looked up and began blinking very slowly and taking deep breaths in an attempt to curb the magic that was still flowing through her body. Did he realize how strongly he had been able to cast that spell? Hours later when reflecting on the events with Snape they would remark on not only the significance of his progress, but the horrifying thought that the sixteen year old wizard could control people that were trained way beyond his years. Was it yet another after affect of his encounter with Voldemort?

"Are you still under the spell?"

Kara quirked an eyebrow, wondering if he realized how ridiculous the question sounded. What if she were lying?

"Yes," she replied. "But I could probably lie if I wanted to."

He seemed to understand.

"I order you to tell me the truth. Are you still under the spell?"

"Yes. You should also know that I am for the most part in possession of all my mental faculties, which includes my ability to cast. But I will give you the benefit of this experience and not do so."

"Oh," he replied, somehow feeling that the victory was less rewarding. "I guess you could still be lying to me then too."

"Ask me something you do not think I would answer then," she instructed.

He stood there for a moment thinking, stopping a few times to begin asking questions and then thinking twice about it. He mumbled a few times to himself and then seemed to come to a conclusion on a question.

"Promise me you won't punish me later for this?" he asked.

"I said what we do here, stays here, Potter."

"Truthfully then, why did you take Hermione to Durmstrang?"

Kara felt the apprehension rise within her. She was in no position to resist answering, but for a moment she considered violating her self-imposed cease-fire in order to break the Imperius curse. She settled on a slightly censored version of the truth instead.

"To make a potion that I needed an extra pair of hands with."

Harry seemed satisfied with this and continued his questioning.

"Why does it hurt?"

"The Imperius Curse you mean?" He nodded positively in response. "The Unforgivables always hurt a little bit, even more so if you cast without your wand. It takes a lot of energy and focus. Focus, in fact, that most wizards never possess. You, of course have it because of the training we've been doing and I suspect for other reasons as well. If you think hard enough you might figure that one out on your own." She saw a somewhat haunted and sad look come over his face.

"Does it have to be sustained? I mean will it wear off?"

"Yes, in time. The stronger the opponent the more quickly it will wear off. It really does depend; sometimes it will last minutes, with others it can last days or months. I would say you have about five minutes before I recover."

She could hear the deadpan voice coming out of her mouth. It was monotone and uncaring, one of the characteristics of the curse. He sat down across from her, obviously feeling safe, and began to think. After what seemed like an eternity to Kara where her mind wandered, she came to a moment of clarity where she remembered the point of the exercise.

"There is something on your mind Potter."

He looked up into her eyes quickly, checking to see if she was still under the spell.

"I don't want you to bring Draco here," he said. Kara wondered if he had phrased that carefully so that it did not sound like a command.

"Is that what all of your moping has been about for the last few weeks?" He looked surprised at the question.

"I've just been thinking. I can't trust him. I can't trust any of them." Them no doubt being Death Eaters.

"Do you trust Severus?"

He blinked at few times at the use of his Snape's first name as if he had to think twice about whom she was referring to.

"It's different with Snape. He hates me and I know that, but I trust him. He's... I don't know. Different."

"How so?"

"His past makes sense to me. Draco's doesn't."

"I would think it would be the opposite. Knowing what I know, even I don't completely understand why Severus went to Voldemort or why he left. I do understand those things about Draco," she responded.

Harry gave her an even look but didn't speak.

"I wish I could read minds," he said out of nowhere.

"It isn't the gift it seems to be," she replied honestly. "I often find myself knowing things I shouldn't and I have to restrain myself from punishing students for small infractions. There is also the guilt. Guilt over hearing very intimate thoughts such as those from your friends Ron and Hermione after their private moments." Harry smiled and blushed but he quickly became serious again.

"It just seems that it would make it easier to know if he was being truthful."

"He is," she replied

Kara felt the spell lift as Harry muttered Finite Incantatum. She gave him a questioning look.

"I can't stand hearing you talk like that. Besides, Snape is coming and I figured he'd freak if he saw you like that." Harry nodded his head to something behind her. Kara wasn't sure what she was astonished most at, Harry's understanding of Snape's protectiveness, or his ability to let his guard down around her so easily.

When Kara turned, she saw the dark wizard walking quickly towards them on the pitch. She rose gracefully, feeling Harry do the same beside her. Snape walked right up to them, stared into her eyes and said quietly.

"It's time."

Kara heard 'Draco' in his mind.

- - -

The three walked quickly back to the castle, where Harry was sent straight to his dorm room and Snape and Kara walked quickly towards his office. Kara was highly confused. She had no idea that this was going to happen tonight. When they reached the gargoyle, he stopped them.

"He is still in his Animagus form."

"When did he get here? Did you plan this? If I had known I would have chosen another night for the duel training."

"It wasn't planned. Apparently, he was sent on an unexpected mission this evening that required him to deliver something in Hogsmeade. He found me standing outside. It seems pointless to turn him back now that he's here."

"What is your plan?" she asked, hoping he had one. It wasn't the first question that came to her, though. What was Draco delivering in Hogsmeade?

"I don't have one," he said, somewhat embarrassed. Kara could read it in his mind.

"Well how did it happen when you came to Dumbledore?"

"I don't really remember. One minute I was sitting there, the next Fawkes was on my knee and a searing pain was shooting up my arm. I was convinced the Dark Lord knew what was happening, but then I felt the link drop."

"Well then maybe that's all we need to do now."

"There is no guaranteeing that Alcaeus is going to do the same." He ran his hand through his white hair. Kara thought kindly on the loving green Phoenix that had come to share Snape's office, and to Kara's intrigue their rooms as well.

"Well then we'll leave a back out plan whereby Draco can return to Durmstrang. We should just avoid saying anything out loud."

Snape nodded and muttered the password that opened the gargoyle. It sprang aside and they got on the moving staircase. When the door opened, they saw Draco in human form, sprawled out on his back. He appeared to have passed out and his Death Eater mask was lying on the floor next to him. Alcaeus, whose falcon-like head was perched over Draco's left arm, was peering curiously down at the black tattoo there.

They froze when the little bird peered up at them and jumped slightly when Draco began screaming. Alcaeus hopped up onto his chest and stared at his face as if to wonder why the human was making so much noise. He nudged Draco's chin with his sharp beak to wake the boy. But instead of waking, Draco squirmed on the floor, whimpering in pain. Kara wanted to go shake him awake, but as soon as she made a move, Snape raised his arm and kept her back. He reached down and took her hand in his as if to calm the motherly instincts rising in her.

Alcaeus then rubbed his head against Draco's chin and when the boy didn't wake he began screeching. It was ear splitting, but the boy beneath him didn't wake up and Kara began to see a magnificent silver liquid dripping onto the dark black cloak Draco was wearing. She thought at first that it might be blood, but when the bird hopped off of Draco and began walking around his body from head to foot, dripping the liquid everywhere including on the floor, she realized it was tears. By the time Alcaeus had walked all the way back to Draco's left arm, there were silvery tears everywhere. It covered Draco's hair, barely standing out his blond hair and had stained his dark cloak and shoes.

Smoke rose off of the Dark Mark when the tears hit it and the pain was obvious in Draco's face as he screamed loudly. His eyes remained shut and it was as if he were having a bad dream. He rolled over and Alcaeus was forced to walk backwards while Draco cradled the arm underneath him. He was then very still and quiet, the rise and fall of his chest being the only apparent sign of life. The Phoenix raised its eyes to Kara and Snape and then walked around Draco and nuzzled itself behind his neck, resting his head next to the boy's.

Kara turned to Snape in wonder. He had a look of absolute terror on his face; it was clear he wasn't expecting that. She closed the door and spoke in a whisper.

"Should we just leave him there?"

"I don't know." He looked shaken.

"Are you all right?"

Snape looked at her, and in a moment of surprise, she saw a single tear drip down his cheek. He was on the verge of breakdown. She reached over and put her hand inside his robes to pull out his handkerchief. She handed it to him and gave him a loving touch on the cheek.

"We'll leave him here for the night," she said. "Let me go make sure the House Elves won't come in."

Kara opened the door and transfigured one of the chairs into a long sofa, wide enough to accommodate both Draco and Alcaeus. She levitated them both off the ground and onto it. She extinguished all the torches in the room save one, warded the fireplace so the House Elves wouldn't enter and closed the door behind her. Snape was already at the bottom of the stairs and so she followed him down. He was slightly more composed.

"We should check back in a few hours I imagine." He nodded in response.

- - -

Perverse curiosity kept the both of them up all night. Kara graded papers and Snape sat in a chair drinking tea. Just before dawn, they headed towards Snape's office. Draco was awake, sitting up and staring at the fire. He looked at them and Kara could tell he had been crying. Alcaeus was still sitting beside him. The red eyes combined with the silver stains all over his clothes, hair and face made him quite a sight to look at. No one was quite sure what to say, so Kara walked in silently and made tea.

The big question still needed to be answered, and everyone knew only Draco could do that. He looked over at the clock on Snape's desk.

"By now they'll know I'm gone, and the Dark Lord will have felt the Dark Mark..." He wasn't sure how to phrase it, but everyone in the room understood. Kara handed him some tea.

"I wasn't aware you were coming in last night. I don't have your school things prepared," Snape said. "I will need at least a day to do so."

"I wasn't aware either. Polishnikov gave me a vial and told me to deliver it to Hogsmeade. It was very last minute."

Kara and Snape gave each other a look. Had Polishnikov planned the timing? And if so, was there some underlying reason for it?

"We should at the very least arrange your disguise now, and during breakfast I will instruct the House Elves to prepare a room for you for the day. We'll decide on your permanent arrangements while you get some sleep."

"Thank you, Professor," he said meekly.

Snape took out his wand and without any notice at all changed Draco's appearance. He then conjured a mirror and handed it to Draco, who cringed when he saw the crooked nose, beady eyes and pimple pocketed face that stared back at him. Kara thought it cruel to bestow such a look on the once handsome Draco Malfoy, but was in no position to argue with Snape. She knew the reason for it already, to ensure he didn't draw any attention to himself.

Snape then threw some Floo powder in the fireplace and ordered breakfast for Draco.

- - -

By afternoon, Draco's new identity had been introduced to the other students in Ravenclaw. They had taken one look at him curiously, keeping their questions to themselves, and accepted him. At dinner, Kara spotted him talking casually with the Ravenclaw prefect, Ian, and a few of his friends. It was the first sign that this was going to work out all right. Now she was sitting in the Headmaster's office with Draco in his normal form and Snape. They were waiting for Sirius Black to arrive with his godson.

When they walked in the door Harry and Draco looked at each other and simply stared for a few minutes. Kara was instantly reminded of the conversation she had had with her apprentice the night before. His desire for mind reading was written all over his face, and he was substituting careful observation for the power. Draco was the first to look away though as if Potter had accused him of something dreadful and he was now feeling guilt over it. It was the second sign, to Kara, that this was going to go as planned.

"I have only a few things to say to the two of you, and then we will leave you alone to talk," Snape began once Harry had sat in the chair next to Draco. He walked towards them like a prowling cat.

"Draco is here because he has expressed the desire to be something other than what he has become. Potter, you are to accept that at whatever cost and I will not permit you undermining his attempts to change. We are going to leave you two alone to sort this out. Whatever bad blood you have you'd better decide what to do with it here, because it will not be acceptable to discuss it outside of this room for the entire world to know. Do I make myself clear?"

The two boys nodded.

"Wands, then. Hand them over."

Harry pulled his wand out from the special pocket inside his robes. Draco had his up his left sleeve.

"And no funny business, Potter," Snape added as he moved towards the door. "We'll be downstairs when you're finished." The three professors left the room and waited outside in the hall by the gargoyle.

"I'm not sure this is wise," was the first thing out of Sirius's mouth.

"It's necessary. The last thing in the world we need is them getting into a scuffle in the hallways or in class. It would compromise Draco's identity," she added quietly.

"A shame. Really."

Snape shot Sirius a warning look in response to the sarcastic comment. They waited there for nearly a half hour before Harry appeared and ushered them back upstairs. He had somehow acquired a bloody nose and swollen eye that was quickly turning into a black one. Sirius gave her a dirty look.