Destiny of Souls

Chapter 20: The Revelation

Kara and Harry used a temporary Floo connection in one of the castle's many fireplaces to travel to the Weasley's the next morning before breakfast, as Mrs. Weasley had requested. When they arrived, Mrs. Weasley was standing in the center of a small room that was unmistakably the family's sitting area. There were several chairs in various states of disrepair scattered against the wall. Despite the humble nature of the Weasley household, Kara noticed Harry's eyes light up instantly at the prospect of spending an entire day here.

"Harry, it is so good to see you again," Mrs. Weasley said as she rushed forward to hug him. "Professor thank you so much for allowing him to come visit."

"My pleasure Mrs. Weasley,"

"Oh dear. Please call me Molly."

"Where is everyone Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked in an excited manner.

"Still asleep. I didn't tell them you were coming. I wanted it to be a surprise." She still had an arm around Harry.

"Harry sit down and let me make you your favorite. You look like you haven't eaten in days! You're so thin!"

"Trust me Mrs. Weasley. I eat three meals a day," he said and gave Kara a knowing smile.

Harry and Kara sat down at the large table in the Weasley living room. Kara figured the family must be larger than she imagined. There were more chairs around the table than she could account for. Mrs. Weasley piled eggs, sausages and toast on the table with practiced ease. Harry helped himself to large quantities of food and began eating hurriedly.

"Hermione will be delighted to see you dear. Her parents let her come visit for a few weeks so she and Ron could see one another," Mrs. Weasley said nonchalantly.

Harry's mouth nearly fell open as he looked at the red-haired woman. The pairing of Ron and Hermione was obviously news to Harry despite the fact that they spent all their free time together and had attended the Yule ball with one another. Mrs. Weasley merely chuckled at him.

"Close your mouth dear. You don't want those eggs to fall out now do you?"

A few minutes later the pitter-patter of feet on the staircase that led to the kitchen announced the arrival of one of the Weasley children. Kara heard a frightened gasp and she turned around quickly enough to see a freshly-awoken Ginny Weasley run back upstairs. Her hair had been a mess and she was still in her tattered pajamas. Harry and Mrs. Weasley laughed.

"Some things never change, do they Harry?" she said as she playfully patted him on the back.

When Ginny returned a few minutes later she was wearing fresh clothes and had tamed her hair. She was wearing a huge smile and plopped down next to Harry. Kara could immediately see why Dumbledore had wanted him to visit. The attachment between Harry and Ginny Weasley was undeniable, and the tired boy she had been training instantly turned into a delighted young man with a reason to smile. She watched the pair for several minutes as they both ate their breakfasts in silence. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about this scene brought warm feelings to her body. There was something instrically perfect about Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley.

Kara's thought process was interrupted when Hermione traipsed down the shortly afterwards in her pajamas and messy hair. She clearly felt comfortable around the Weasley household to be dressed in this manner. It showed Kara that there was closeness between Hermione, Harry and Ron that she had never imagined. It was like the Weasleys had taken Hermione and Harry in as their own children. Kara was beginning to piece things together in her mind subconsciously.

"Harry what are you doing here? You should be at Hogwarts where it's safe!"

"Professor Lynch has come with me Hermione, don't worry. I'm fine," Harry protested as he scooped a large pile of eggs into his mouth.

"Where's Ron?" he asked.

"Oh still sleeping I bet. I'll go wake him," Ginny said as she sprinted back up the stairs.

She returned a few minutes later with a very disheveled Ron Weasley, who was apparently not afraid to look this way in front of his girlfriend. Curious, Kara thought.

"Harry! Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" Ron said as he sat beside Hermione and yawned.

"I didn't know. It was a surprise."

"Obviously," Ginny said as she snagged a piece of toast off of Harry's plate. He didn't seem to mind as he returned the gesture by stealing the last sausage off of her plate. Kara saw Ginny blush slightly and Hermione smiled at her. In fact both Ron and Hermione seemed amused by the flirtatious behavior of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. Ron looked as if he was about to burst out into a fit of laughter.

When they were finished with breakfast, Hermione, Ron and Ginny ran upstairs to get properly dressed and then dragged Harry out back. Kara spent the day sitting with Mrs. Weasley as they watched the four casually from the back window of the house. Ginny and Harry stalked off to be alone for a few hours as they sat underneath a large tree and talked. Kara wondered to herself if Harry would at least tell Ginny he was an Oracle. Her worst fears were confirmed that evening as the six Weasleys, Hermione, Harry and herself sat down for dinner. She looked into Ginny's eyes briefly and heard, "I can't believe he didn't tell me earlier." And Hermione's mind told her shortly after "We have to convince Dumbledore to let us go to Hogwarts and help Harry train."

Ron was unusually silent during the dinner and Kara couldn't find a moment in which to read his mind. Hermione glanced at him a few times during dinner to see if she could understand what he was thinking. Ron just pushed his mashed potatoes around his plate and excused himself from the table before finishing. It appeared as if Ron was the one she needed to worry about having Harry's secret.

When they arrived back at Hogwarts she stopped Harry before he returned to his room.

"That was unwise Harry." Was all she needed to say.

"I didn't tell them. Hermione figured it out."

"What? There is no way she could have figured it out."

"You don't give her enough credit. She's very clever. She said she's been doing all this research about my family - I don't know why. And she couldn't figure out why you and I were spending so much time together. She came right out and asked me, and I couldn't lie to her."

Kara sighed. What could Hermione have discovered about Harry's family? Was it something Voldemort could find out as well?

"Very well. Have a good night then Harry. And remember that we will be starting early in the morning."

She dismissed him and headed straight for the Headmaster's office. He was, as usual, waiting for her and for the first time since she'd met him, he didn't wait for an explanation.

"I have written to Weasleys and the Grangers. The three of them will be arriving tomorrow evening," Dumbledore said as soon as she walked in the door.

She gave him an incredulous look.

"It was inevitable Professor Lynch. Harry has a strong sense of loyalty to his friends, and vice versa."

He didn't continue. At this moment, Harry telling his friends wasn't what she was concerned about. Why did Dumbledore always know what she was coming to him about?

"I trust that with Severus and I away you will be able to look after all four of them on your own?" Dumbledore asked

"Of course. They may be troublesome Gryffindors but I'm sure I will be fine."

"Professor McGonagall and I have been discussing some things about Ms. Granger for some time now, and she will be back in a few weeks. There is some extra work you could assign her to keep her out of Harry's way. Minerva would be more than happy to help."

"That would be excellent. I have some ideas of my own on how to keep them busy."

They made arrangements for the students work for the upcoming summer. If they were going to be pinned up in the castle they would at least make use of the time.

"Did Severus say when he'd be returning?"

"No he did not. Not to me at least," Dumbledore replied. He seemed clearly worried.

She needed Snape. The reality of his absence in her life was becoming apparent to her. She needed him to be close, in her bed, in her arms. He had become a mainstay of her life and no amount of meditation or sleepness nights was going to take it away. Dumbledore seemed to sense her distraction and merely sat in silence as she pondered to herself.

"I trust Severus has told you how to enter his rooms?"

This was becoming annoying. How did the Headmaster always know what she was thinking? Was he goading her by making it so painfully obvious?

"I trust Headmaster, that someday you'll tell me why you're able to do that?" she asked plainly. She really needed to know.

"Someday I might Professor Lynch, however now is not the time for that. For now, I suggest you take over Severus' quarters and make yourself comfortable in his absence. I am positive he would not want you to stress."

"I am positive he would be horrified to come back and find his elegantly decorated rooms clad in purple velvet."

The Headmaster chuckled at the thought.

* * *

When the three arrived via the Floo network the next evening Kara was perched menacingly next to the door of the empty room. When they popped out of the fireplace she met their near excited faces with reproach. Silence followed.

"Leave your things. Up to my office. Now," she barked. It was crucial to be stern.

Hermione's curiosity was now threatening Harry's life and his future in regards to thwarting Voldemort.

They followed her and when she had the three of them alone in her office she slammed the door, locked it and put several privacy charms on it.

"The Headmaster is under the impression that it is Harry's decision to let you know what you've managed to discover on your own. However, none of you realize the consequences of having this knowledge."

She sat down in her desk, which purposefully was higher than the chairs they were now sitting in.

"You will not disrupt Harry's training. He will follow the schedule outlined for him. Is that understood?"

They nodded nervously.

"He will sleep for exactly eight hours and he will eat three meals a day. No more, no less. He will not go running about the school and he will not gorge himself with midnight snacks snuck in from the kitchens. Is that understood?"

They nodded again.

"Since you will no doubt have trouble filling your free time during the days and evenings I have prepared work for you."

"Work?" Ron scawfed.

Kara gave him a very dangerous warning stare. She was in no mood for Weasley talk back. She reached down into a desk drawer and pulled out three scrolls and handed them each one.

"This is your syllabus for the summer. I believe you will find it challenging and acceptable."

Hermione nearly fell off her chair as she began reading. Her excitement was clearly uncontained as she gasped. Her mouth opening and closing in silence.

"What is it Hermione?"

"Animagus..." she said in a whisper. "McGonagall... said yes."

"What?" Ginny and Ron said in unison.

"What does yours say?" Hermione asked, obviously curious if she was going to have two study partners for her study.

"Apparation."

"Oh! But Professor... "

Kara held up a hand. She knew what was coming.

"They have special permission. As do you."

After many questions she dismissed Ron and Ginny. Hermione she kept back with the intention of driving more fear into her regarding her careless misuse of information. When the door had closed she paced the room in a menacing manner, keeping quiet but staring at Hermione as she passed her each time. The girl was uneasy and afraid of her Professor. She was almost visibly shaking as she attempted to breathe deeply and calm herself. Kara eventually stopped in front of her chair and stared down at her, penetrating her eyes and her thoughts.

"You realize Ms Granger that you have nearly compromised sixteen years of careful planning?"

Hermione's face was blank and confused.

"No? Well then let me explain it to you. Did you ever stop to think that perhaps the reason you weren't told about Harry was because you didn't need to know? And that if you knew there was a good chance that Voldemort would find out as well?"

Hermione didn't answer.

"You've put Harry's life in grave danger."

"I didn't mean to."

"I'm aware of that Ms Granger. But the fact remains that you did. I will only tell you this once Hermione," she stated as she stared her down from her tall height. "You will keep to yourself this summer. Do you understand?"

Hermione quietly nodded.

"You will leave him to his study, you will leave your speculation about his gift inside your head and you wont presume to understand what he is going through. You are not here to help him train, you are here because you made a foolish mistake and Dumbledore doesn't want you dead as a result of it. If I find that you are distracting Harry, you will find yourself sleeping in the Slytherin dormitories. By yourself."

Hermione was on the brink of tears.

"Do I make myself clear Ms Granger?"

Hermione nodded.

"Very well. Professor McGonagall will be back in two weeks. Until that time I expect to see you daily in my office at 4pm to go over your progress. You are dismissed."

Hermione self-consciously wiped a tear from her face as she turned towards the door to leave. Kara remained in her office in silence, pondering what the poor girl must be thinking. She didn't really have the intention of frightening her so badly, but the move she had made had put Dumbledore's plans in serious jeopardy. Kara would do anything to ensure Hermione kept quiet. Then there was the hurt that she had seen in Ron's eyes at the Weasley house. It had obviously been lectured into quiet revolt by Hermione, but it was still there. He was jealous and it was a jealousy so deep that no amount of coddling could bring him back from it. Ron was clearly the weak link in their friendship at this point. Kara only wondered if Harry sensed it as well.