My Eternal Curse

My Eternal Curse

By Mara456

Chapter Thirty

The Learning Curve: Part One - The Morning After

Severus stormed through the corridors of the Dungeons, heading toward his class. For him, today was anything but an average day; today he and his apprentice returned to work. He was certain that he had done everything in his power to prepare them to this day. Their plans, everything they had set into motion would either succeed or, if they weren't up for the task fail. Severus glanced at the students he passed, but something in the way they peered at him was off. He pushed aside the ridiculous notion as he burst into the Potions classroom, determined to make a dramatic entrance.

"Don't think just because I was out sick for a few days, that the illness has somehow addled my mind," he sneered menacingly at the Gryffindor - Slytherin class. "Place your essays on my desk in an orderly fashion now, and if any of you dunderhead fools have forgotten to bring yours in, then you will receive detention with Filch and myself tonight!"

None of the class moved. Every single student watched him, acting as if there was something they wanted to say, but were too afraid to do so. Studying the crowd, he noticed that Miss Granger sat in the back of the class with Arthur Weasley, but that wasn't the only strange thing. Black sat at Ron's feet in dog form. Ron smiled maliciously as he patted the mutt on the head. Severus turned his gaze to the Slytherin side of the class. In the front row Virginia sat next to a strange, raven-haired, teenage boy, who seemed familiar, but whom he couldn't quite place. Looking down, he saw that their hands were clasped, and that Ix Chel encircled their arms, joining them together.

"What's wrong with you people?" he yelled. "What are you gawking at?"

"You, Severus..." Ron replied.

"Me...?" he whispered as he looked down at himself.

Severus saw that he was starkers.

"No!" Severus yelled, awakening with a start. He saw that he was still lying in his darkened bedchambers, and breathed a sigh of relief. It was only a nightmare... The last one like that he'd had seemed to be a lifetime ago. With a word the candles and the fireplace were lit, filling the room with reassuring light. As full awareness returned to him, he sat up and noticed that something rested in his lap. It was the tome of Initium, open to the prophecy. That couldn't be right. He had left it shut on the nightstand, the night before. First the nightmare, and now this?

"Someone is trying to tell me something..." Severus said, studying the book again. He carefully read the prophecy, trying to see if he could recognize anyone in it. Looking at it now, he could see himself, Mr. Potter, and Virginia in parts of it. He couldn't understand, when he had read the bloody thing hundreds of times, why he hadn't noticed any of this before. Why was this becoming clear to him now? Was he right about his place in the prophecy?

"The Second will be forged of extremes," Severus started reading the third paragraph aloud. "...creating one of all and none."

He had lived his whole life going from one extreme to another. From being one of Voldemort's favorites - to reducing himself to one of Dumbledore's trophies. From becoming the odd man out, ready to flee from both sides with his apprentice - to taking on the role as the head of the Light with Minerva, their decisions shaping the outcome of the war. It was a war that he knew might be their last, if the prophecy was fulfilled.

"A Master of multiple mysteries," he continued. "...whose wisdom will bring forth hope for the past, and give sanctuary to fates' outcasts."

He worked with the Light for mutual survival while, in truth, he belonged to neither side. His ability to see a good thing when it slapped him in the face allowed him to see the merit in Ix Chel's deal, thus he agreed to learn Gray magic with Virginia. A decision that saved countless lives, when he had assisted her in stopping the storm. Severus had taken in both Virginia and Ix Chel when they became outcasts, and they weren't alone. There was an ever-increasing list of people who actively lived under his care. It ranged from the Slytherins, who genuinely required his protection from the Dark Lord, to The-Boy-Who-Lived, who had lost faith Dumbledore, but not in the Light. Severus snorted at the thought. The boy had handled the disillusionment far better than he had. Severus reminded himself that Mr. Potter had one thing he didn't, when he was younger. The boy has the rare advantage of trustworthy allies.

Merlin, how could he, Severus Snape, former Death Eater and current spy for the Light, be destined to be so much, for so many? He had always craved recognition, to be something greater, but not like this... For years now Severus had believed that he would end up dead, long before he could truly make a difference. Then it hit him. He wasn't a mere spy anymore, he was something else altogether...

Because of recent events, he and Minerva had wrested power from the Headmaster, and now headed the Light in their opposition to Voldemort, while Dumbledore himself had been reduced to a mere figurehead, little more than a puppet in the great scheme of things. He was even training a new generation of spies against the Dark. But he also discovered that his role as spy had blinded him to his Slytherin students' dilemma, who now believed they had no one left to turn to. Some Head of Slytherin he had become, when he couldn't even take care of his own. It would take time, but he would make it up to them... someday. Severus had become one of the only two Gray wizards alive today. A type of wizard that hadn't existed for a millennium, until Ix Chel had, unknowingly, become the catalyst for the old Gray magicians' insidious plot. In addition he discovered just yesterday that he had The Sight. The discovery itself had almost driven him to murder Zachary! It had taken every ounce of his self-control, just to keep him from snapping the Divination teacher's neck, and he didn't even know why. And, ever since he became Virginia's advocate, she had evoked powerful emotions in him, forcing him to take action when Dumbledore had gone too far. Through her, Severus was rediscovering a heart that he thought he had successfully buried long ago, when he had joined the Death Eaters. Everything, somehow, went back to Virginia, including the dream, which he knew was a very bad sign.

He went over the dream in his mind, attempting to understand. The symbols reminded him of what his apprentice described when she had told him about her dream of Ron being the Dark Lord. Something about that fact disturbed him, it felt like he would need to look into. Normally, he would discount such things, but now... he wasn't so sure. On the other hand, the overall message of the dream was obvious. Severus was getting sloppy. More than mere circumstances were changing now; he was changing as well. He had allowed his cold, unfeeling mask to slip while he was ill, and all but missed an important implication that would have destroyed them. Damn it, Zachary had been right! He had been in no condition to carry on the way he did! He needed to pull himself together, if they were going to do this.

Severus wondered when 'I' became 'we'. Since when did he sacrifice his own individualism, in favor of his pact with Virginia? Virginia... He was using her first name now, something he never did with children, and rarely practiced with his apprentices. He couldn't even tell what their relationship was any longer. They were on a more equal footing than he was used to, which felt... unnerving. He had always kept a professional distance from his apprentices, except when the need required otherwise. With her, things were... different. What they had wasn't a romantic attraction. It was more of a bond... a bond that he felt compelled to protect. Impossibly, he was even growing to care for her as well.

Severus wisely knew that there was no stopping the alterations in his heart. He had learned the hard way, a long time ago that emotions weren't something that came with an 'off' switch... They were there to stay, whether he liked it or not. Worse still, he wasn't sure yet what to make of it. As he continued his introspection he got ready for work.

Two months ago, he knew who he was and what he wanted out of life, or at least that's what he believed. Somehow, in retrospect... he felt like he had been deluding himself. If that was true, then was his new state of mind any better? Severus combed his memory, searching for the defining moment, the point when he became fully committed to this path, which now lay before him. What first drew his attention to Virginia Weasley, and the intrigue that surrounded her? He was sure that it wasn't his exchange with Virginia and Ix Chel that had originally lured him. This 'fascination' with her plight had begun long before that... Then, he remembered the moment that had started it all. It happened on a perfectly dull, ordinary day, not long before the girl's first vision actually occurred. Virginia had come to him about her grades in Potions, even though they were more than adequate to pass. That was the first time he had taken notice of her. The first time he'd glimpsed her quiet, yet ambitious nature. It was amazing that so much could come out of that one, little, incident... The idea that it had begun with something so trivial would be laughable, if it weren't so serious. He finished getting ready, and then thoroughly inspected himself in the full-length mirror.

Severus noticed changes in his appearance and the way he carried himself. He looked a little younger and healthier than he remembered, like his new equilibrium agreed with him. He stood straighter, and now carried himself with a more dominating, omniscient air. But there was more to it than that. It was as though his every move naturally radiated tightly controlled power, and was enacted with a greater sense of purpose. His eyes had lost part of their cold edge, but in its place was an echo of power and fire that he hardly recognized as his own. He knew that any observant person would know that much more than his appearance had changed. But if he worked with his new persona instead of against it, he could use it to his advantage, increasing the air of mystery that he wore about him like a cloak. Yes, it would take a great deal of care, but he could handle it. They could do this... Severus allowed himself a small smile and checked the time. He had plenty of time before breakfast began.

There was a knock at the door. He walked through his living room and opened it. It was his best friend Argus, with Mrs. Norris sitting at their feet. He noticed that Argus had brought them breakfast. He sensed that there was something on Argus' mind, but that he was planning to bring it up later.

"Hello, Argus," welcomed Severus. "Come in."

"Since you and Minerva will be making the announcement about your apprentice this morning, I figured that you wouldn't be able to stomach anything in front of the brats," Argus explained, wheeling in their meal. "So, I thought this might help."

"You're a life-saver, Argus," he replied. "What would I ever do without you?"

"Pray you never have to find out," his friend answered. They sat down on the sofa and ate in silence. He felt much better finishing his meal. He noticed Mrs. Norris, fast asleep on her favorite chair. He thought about his last familiar, missing him suddenly. Perhaps, one of these days he could find another one he was compatible with...

"What's on your mind?" Argus asked, shaking him out of his musings.

"Nothing in particular," Severus responded. He finished his coffee and put the ceramic cup down on the coffee table.

"How is your apprentice faring?" Argus asked, watching the photo of Black, which sat on the mantle-piece.

"She's recovered physically, however, mentally... may turn out to be a different story," he replied.

"You're afraid that she's not ready to face the bastards who ostracized her," said Argus.

"Am I becoming that transparent?" Severus sneered.

"No, not at all," Argus assured him. "But it's how I would feel, if I was in your place."

"I see," he responded. "Well, that is one of my concerns. Miss Weasley has accomplished a great deal in a short period of time. My real concern is at the rate she is progressing, she's bound to have a setback or two along the way, and how dangerous the setbacks might be."

"Don't worry about it too much," Argus said. "If Weasleys are anything, it's resilient. Mark my words, the girl will be back on her feet, pestering you in no time!"

"Let's hope you're right," Severus replied.

Argus pulled a photo out of his robes, and handed it to Severus.

"I confiscated this from one of the Ravenclaw twerps last night," his friend explained. " Since you seem to like the idea of tormenting Remus' dog so much, I thought you might want to have this."

He looked down at the picture and smirked. The Slytherins and Ravenclaws were teasing a very mournful Black, only now there was a Hufflepuff yellow ribbon tied into a bow on the mutt's head.

"Thank you," Severus said. He stood and conjured a second, matching picture-frame, and put the picture in it, then placed it next to the first one.

"Minerva told me that Patil and Brown will be out of the hospital wing in four days," Argus informed him. "Their punishment will start as soon as they're out."

"Have you thought about my suggestion?" Severus inquired, turning to face Argus.

"Yeah, and I think you're right," Argus answered. "I should see this girl who's captured your sense of devotion. Maybe she can answer my questions about the tower... Is Minerva still thinking about reclaiming the cursed place?"

"No," he answered. "She's finally come to her senses about that. Minerva and Dumbledore have decided to mark the area off-limits to all students."

"Good," Argus said.

"The next forty-eight hours are bound to be pivotal for Miss Weasley," Severus said. "She may not be capable of handling the meeting during that time, but I'll try to arrange it for as soon as she can."

"Very well," his friend said. "What are you two planning to say at breakfast?"

*~*~*

Zach knocked on the door to Virginia's chamber. After his ill-fated visit with Albus last night, he had returned to his new office and found the most unexpected thing, a present from Virginia Weasley. One of her friends had left his favorite tapestry, folded on his desk, with a note attached to it.

"Come in," she called through the door. Zach entered the room. Virginia stood in front of the full-length mirror brushing her hair, while her pet sat on the bed, watching him.

"Good morning, Professor," she said, turning to face him. "How is Trelawney doing?"

"Much better, since I brought back to her old rooms," he replied, still feeling guilty over the whole thing.

"Don't despair, Professor Montgomery," Virginia advised him, coming closer. "You did a very brave thing, facing your fears like that. Don't discount your achievements, just because of 'what ifs'."

"Yes, well... I wanted to thank you for the tapestry," Zach said. "How did you know it was my favorite?"

"I didn't," she answered. "It missed you. I just thought it would be happier living with you, than with me."

"I like your new tapestry," he commented, admiring the detail-work on the Slytherin green tapestry, across from her bed.

"Yeah, Alexis got it for me," she agreed, glancing at it. "Not many people have seen it over the years..."

"I've got to go," said Zach. "Don't forget your Charms session with Professor Flitwick and me this morning."

"I won't," she replied.

Zach headed to the Great Hall, starting to feel better already.

*~*~*

Finally prepared for this moment, Severus headed towards the Great Hall. He walked through the teachers' entrance in the back, feeling some discomfort from being in a room with so many at once. He studied the other Professors and noticed that half of them hadn't yet arrived. He quickly sized them up, before turning his penetrating gaze on the students. When he saw the Gryffindors, Severus couldn't believe his eyes. He closed them and shook his head trying to clear it, but when he opened them again nothing had changed.

"I see that Fred and George have paid their sister a little visit," Dumbledore stated amused, coming up from behind him.

"Their parting gift seems a bit... extreme," Minerva commented, entering the room with Zachary.

"I think it's an appropriate calling card, don't you agree, Severus?" Zachary asked, equally amused.

"Perhaps it will serve to remind the little blighters that there are consequences to their actions," he replied.

"And that those twins know where they sleep at night," Zachary added.

Severus stifled the urge to snicker at the sea of Weasley-red-haired Gryffindors. He watched as Mr. Potter spoke to several of his remaining Gryffindor allies, and observed that their hair was normal. The Weasleys'... message was blatant and selective enough, that even the most idiotic among them would get it. He watched as Ron entered the Great Hall with florescent-yellow hair, ready to tear someone's throat out. Severus couldn't help but smirk at the sight, The Dark Lord marked as a coward... He was beginning to see the value in having additional Weasleys around, every once in a while. Severus took a seat to Dumbledore's right, at the center of the high table, while Minerva sat to the old man's left. Zachary reluctantly took the empty chair next to the Potions master. He could feel the Divination teacher's fear and distress, despite his valiant efforts to hide it.

"How are you holding up?" Severus whispered, discreetly.

"I'll survive..." Zachary whispered back.

He patiently waited for the others to arrive. Remus sat next to Zachary. Severus noticed how edgy the werewolf was, and remembered that his next transformation would occur soon. He felt a familiar presence approaching, just before Arthur Weasley dramatically entered the Great Hall, wearing worn, but well cared for Auror's robes. He got a flash of Arthur sitting with Miss Granger in back of the Potions classroom and felt the urge, the undeniable need to tell Zachary, and soon. He pushed the thought out of his mind. When his enhanced senses picked up the various whispered comments, he knew that his apprentice's second prediction about Miss Granger was no longer a secret. He watched Arthur turn his eyes to the Gryffindor table for a moment, and Severus knew that they now shared equal disdain for what had once been a venerable house. Then Arthur walked over to the Ravenclaw table, and had a quick word with Miss Granger and Mr. Potter. Once the man was finished with his little chat, Arthur joined them at the high table.

"Good morning, Professors," Arthur said. "Reporting for my new assignment as Miss Granger's guard, Headmaster Dumbledore."

"Ah, Arthur, I've been expecting you," Dumbledore replied, with that irritating, all knowing twinkle in his eyes. "Take a seat, and Minerva can bring you up to date on the happenings in Hogwarts."

Severus sensed that the old wizard was just as surprised by Arthur's appearance as everyone else. He turned to Zachary and perceived that the Divination teacher sensed the same. So Dumbledore wasn't quite as all knowing as he appeared to be. Severus wondered how many times the old man had gotten away with that; probably more than he could count...

"Sure, Headmaster," Arthur replied. The Auror sat between Minerva and Filius, and they fell into quiet discussion, as they ate. The hall gradually returned to normal. He wished that his apprentice was here to see this, but he knew as well as Zachary did, how dangerous that would be both for them and her. There was no way they could take such a risk so soon... Severus listened as Arthur asked polite, yet not obviously cautious questions, trying to discover the true atmosphere the Auror was stepping into. When Severus entered the discussion he crafted his replies with even greater care, tentatively testing Arthur's reactions and defenses. This Weasley wasn't quite as brash and blundering as he remembered. Good, they would be able to put that to good use, later on. The time finally came for the announcements. Severus steeled himself, hoping to get this out of the way quickly, so he could get on with the rest of his day. The Headmaster stood, then he and Minerva followed suit.

"May I have your attention please!" Dumbledore began, "We have a few important announcements to make."

Dumbledore waited for the students to quiet down before continuing. The Gryffindors and Slytherins suddenly silenced themselves, as if muted. Severus knew what they were expecting. Merlin, were they going to be surprised... The Ravenclaws, and at last the Hufflepuffs, fell silent. Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"Thank you," Dumbledore continued. "First, our new Divination teacher has arrived, and will be starting classes soon." Zachary stood on cue with an empowered, omniscient expression that hid his true feelings. "Please, treat Professor Montgomery with as much respect-" Zachary coughed. "-more respect than you gave Professor Trelawney." Zachary took his seat, and then Arthur stood. "Second, the Ministry has kindly sent us Mr. Weasley to help guard Miss Granger and the school from-"

"From Ginny's prediction about Skeeter?" Justin Fitch-Fletchley asked, as he stood from his seat at the center of the Hufflepuff table.

"Yes, Justin," Dumbledore replied. "With Miss Weasley's tendency to be correct in this area-" Zachary snorted. "-we thought we should take every precaution. Professor McGonagall..." Arthur returned to his seat but, much to Severus' dismay, Dumbledore remained standing.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I thought it might be better coming from me..." Minerva began, heavy-heartedly. "Despite our many efforts, Gryffindor Tower has been rendered permanently uninhabitable. We have tried everything within our power, but have thus far failed to restore the tower to its original state. My Gryffindors, I know that many of you were hoping that our relocation would only be a temporary measure, but that is simply not the case. I am sorry..."

Time slowed for Severus as he studied the students' reactions. A wave of anger, hatred, sadness, and even guilt came from the Gryffindor table, as they struggled to absorb the news. He listened intently with all of his senses, trying to make sense of the quiet maelstrom. Many were angry and wanted revenge on his apprentice, but the majority of them wouldn't dare lay a finger on her, as long as she was under his protection. However, that still left far too many, in Severus' opinion, who were stupid or crazy enough to try. There was a surprisingly large minority who believed Mr. Potter and Miss Granger's version of the events, and didn't blame Virginia for defending herself, although they would have preferred her to have handled things more quietly. A smaller minority of students who were apathetic, or hadn't yet taken sides in the conflict.

He studied Virginia's friends at the Ravenclaw table. Mr. Potter and Miss Granger were devastated, but not shocked by the news; Mr. Dippet and Miss Levine were not surprised, but were concerned by the news, and its effects on the populace. They knew first-hand just what the Gryffindors had foolishly unleashed the night of the storm. Severus observed that the Ravenclaws' concerns were tempered by undertones of respect, greater understanding of the implications, and hints of fear and admiration. The Hufflepuffs were worried and afraid of what this would do to the status quo, but he could sense other, more complex meanings and attitudes from them. At least some of the Hufflepuffs weren't as dumb as they looked, even if they were too cowardly to stand apart from their housemates. Finally, the majority of the Slytherins seemed to find some twisted humor in whole thing, but were discreet enough not to voice it in such a charged atmosphere, while others were intrigued by what Minerva wasn't admitting, as much as by what she was. A select few didn't care, or at least excellently pretended not to. Suddenly he was happy that Virginia wasn't here to witness this. Severus and Zachary shared a mutual glance, and each knew that the other was thinking the same. He turned his attention back to the crowd, as time regained its sync with him.

"Gryffindor tower is now off-limits to all students," Minerva continued, after a brief pause. "And we are working on sealing off the location... permanently. Professor Snape..."

"Because of recent events, we have felt it necessary to re-sort Miss Weasley, and put to rest the debate of where she stands," said Severus. "A course of action that has not been taken for more than a century. However... something unprecedented occurred."

"The Sorting Hat discovered that she is currently unique in our world... as the first holder of a long forgotten art known as Gray magic," Minerva explained. "The Sorting Hat's response was to form a new House, called House Gray."

"We have checked the school bylaws, and there can be no mistake," said Dumbledore. "The Sorting Hat can create a new House when the situation warrants it-"

"The situation warranted it, and because the judgement came up on a re-sorting, it cannot be altered," Severus cut in, not trusting Dumbledore to do anything but make things harder for them. "My apprentice may be in a House of one, but she is still a student of Hogwarts, just as you are. I expect you to treat her with the proper respect, and if I discover that any of you are doing otherwise, then you will have to answer to me!"

"In these troubled times, it may be hard to distinguish friend from foe, but please, take time to consider the definition of those positions," Minerva said. "You may discover that your aggression has been misdirected."

"If you take the time to look closer before you judge, and don't blind yourselves by foolish, useless prejudices, you may find that not everything is as it seems," he cautioned, subtlety hinting to his Slytherin students to remain careful, but aware, in their dealings with others.

"Always remember that our differences can make us stronger," Filius added, standing on his chair. "Because Miss Weasley is alone in House Gray, I have suggested that she be given access to the other common rooms, so she isn't completely isolated."

"Professor McGonagall and I have agreed to it," Severus declared. "Miss Weasley will be free to come and go in Houses Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Unfortunately, Professor Sprout did not see it that way, so she will not allow my apprentice near Hufflepuff Tower."

"You're all expected to treat her, as you would any other member of your own house," Minerva stated.

"But remember that your House is still your family-" Dumbledore tried to conclude. Severus pulled on Dumbledore's beard, discreetly stopping him from continuing, and ruining what they were trying to impart to the children.

"Enjoy the rest of your meal," Severus finished.

Amidst the unusual silence of the Great Hall, the Professors returned to their seats. Severus studied the students and knew that each of them was interpreting the Professors' messages differently. The Gryffindors were taking their words with a muggle grain of salt, but remained subdued by their Head of House's stern resolve. Ron seemed unaffected, but he could feel the monster's puzzlement and curiosity. The Dark Lord had been taken off guard by the news, and was already coming up with a new strategy. The Ravenclaws were processing the speech, trying to decide what to make of it. The Hufflepuffs were torn between taking their words to heart, or their Head of House's obvious stance in this case. The Slytherins had taken the warnings in the speech seriously, and they each were deciding their next course of action. They were acting just as he thought they would. He only hoped that their next step in reintegrating Virginia would go as smoothly.

*~*~*

Zach accompanied Filius, Virginia and Ix Chel through the halls, heading outside for the girl's second Charms session. For the sake of expediency Filius had decided to use a levitation charm on himself. Zach had told Virginia about Trelawney's prophecy earlier, but she hadn't been able to make any sense of the signs either. It looked like they would have to just wait and-

"Why do they have red hair?" Virginia asked, shaking Zach out of his own thoughts. He saw what she was talking about as they passed a class.

"Your brothers left the Gryffindors a little parting gift," Filius explained to her. "When the Gryffindors woke up their hair was like that, except for Mr. Potter and a few others. You didn't know?"

"No," she replied.

"They also made that Ron boy's hair yellow, and, according to Madam Pomfrey, they even got to Brown and Patil in the hospital wing," Zach supplied.

Virginia laughed. They walked in silence until they exited the school. Virginia stopped for a moment overwhelmed by something before her. Then she shook it off and continued unabated.

"What did you just see?" Zach asked, once the girl had caught up with them.

"Everything..." Virginia whispered, humbled. Zach sighed, knowing that she couldn't give him a straight answer. Filius led them to a clearing off the beaten track, so they could work undisturbed.

"Let's get started," Filius said.

"Why don't we start with the repellent charm you were having trouble with last time," Zach suggested. "You can show us exactly what you did, and we'll take it from there."

"I don't know..." Virginia hesitated. "That sounds dangerous."

"We should be fine as long as we move out of range first," Filius replied, thoughtfully.

"Are you up to the task, Miss Weasley?" Zach asked.

"I guess so," she answered.

"Good," said Zach. "Now wait here, and activate the charm when I give you the signal."

"Yes, sir," Virginia nodded.

Zach worked out the distance for twice the circumference of Virginia's room, which he surmised would be more than enough, and backed up. However, when the Charms Professor finished with his own calculations, Filius floated passed him and kept going.

"Where are you going?" Zach asked.

"Minimum safe distance!" yelled Filius. Zach shook his head at the obvious over-kill, and waited for Filius to stop before signaling the girl. The other Professor didn't stop until he was more than fifty feet away. Filius waved and Zach turned around. It was time.

"Now, Miss Weasley!" Zach ordered.

The girl cast the spell and lime green light flew out of her wand, enveloping her. That's not right! You shouldn't be able to see the spell- Suddenly, Zach was thrown across the clearing by an invisible force, and landed with a painful, dull thud at Filius' feet. He struggled to get his breath back, as he checked to see if anything was broken.

"I told you that this was minimum safe distance, but you always have to discover things the hard way!" Filius said, worried. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine in a minute," Zach said, finally able to speak. "That was a great estimate. What did you base it on?"

"The force I was hit with her last session," Filius answered. "And you?"

"Twice the circumference of the room." he replied, getting to his feet.

"I see," Filius commented politely, trying not to laugh.

"What is it?" Zach asked.

"Nothing... It just occurred to me that you've taken on the only person more dangerous in Charms than you were," the old teacher answered.

"You've got a point," Zach admitted. "She's as dangerous with her normal charms, as her snake is with its lost ones."

"Lost charms?" Filius asked, intrigued.

"I'll tell you about it later," Zach replied. They took down the repellent charm and returned to Miss Weasley.

"Are you okay, Professor Montgomery?" Virginia asked, concerned. "When I saw you thrown by the spell-"

"Only a little bruised, Miss Weasley," said Zach. "Don't worry, I didn't break anything important."

"What would happen if I tried to pour power into the spell?" she asked.

"Don't!" Zach and Filius yelled in unison.

"What I mean to say is, it wouldn't be advisable in a public area," Filius quickly corrected himself.

"Like the school," Zach added his two cents.

"Okay," Virginia replied slowly. "What's next?"

"Let's try something a little simpler," Filius suggested. "How about a rudimentary skill, like levitation?"

"That could work," Zach concurred, searching for something to work with in his pockets. He found the perfect thing and placed it on the ground. It was a blue rubber ball, roughly the size of his fist.

"Just try the first easy charm that comes to mind," Filius instructed.

"Alright," Virginia said, pointing her wand at the ball. "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The ball shot up at high-speed and disappeared from sight. Zach shielded his eyes from the sun as he vainly searched for any sign of it. Virginia stopped the spell, bewildered by the ball's total disappearance.

"Where did it go?" she asked.

"The upper-stratosphere?" Zach lightheartedly suggested.

"The ball reached escape velocity?" Virginia asked, incredulously. "There's got to be some reliable way to reduce the power I'm using! The last thing I want to do is try an Accio spell in this state. I doubt I'd be able to duck fast enough!"

"Definitely don't try that any time soon," Zach said, searching for something to work with. He found a stick and placed it between them. "Try the same spell again. Only this time, put as little power into it as possible."

Virginia sighed and whispering, she tried again. The stick ascended two feet, before dropping gracelessly to the ground. They worked with Virginia, getting her to dial-up the power. A few minutes later they heard an odd whistling sound. Zach, realizing where it was coming from looked up. Something was falling towards them, very fast.

"Run!" Zach shouted and they ducked beneath the nearest tree. The object impacted where they had just been standing, creating a small smoking crater. Zach warily approached the crater and crouched down to inspect it. In the hole were remains of the rubber ball. Virginia and Filius came out of their hiding place to take a look.

"It looks like the ball didn't reach orbit, after all," Virginia commented.

"It just took all this time to come back down," Filius added, poking the shattered remains with a stick.

"Let's get back to work..." Zach said. "We have a long way to go before we lick this problem."

Zach and Virginia moved on.

"Agreed," Filius said, examining what was left of the ball, for a few moments more, before joining them.

*~*~*

Severus watched the Potions classroom fill with students, listening to their petty expectations and fears, as each of them took a seat and set up. He could sense intense fear from the majority of the Gryffindors, adding to the complexly interwoven tensions in the room. He watched Longbottom sit between Thomas and Finnigan, in his normal, apprehensive state, and noticed that his hair was unchanged. Why had Fred and George spared him? Severus delved further into the boy's mind, searching for the answer. The Gryffindor bore no ill will toward Virginia and was, in fact, one of the friends who still supported her.

Then, he perceived something he would have never imagined. Longbottom wasn't incompetent; the boy was just too frightened of Severus to concentrate properly. He knew that he intimidated the boy, but he never thought the terror he instilled could be the cause of such accidents. Severus hated Longbottom's blundering, and would give almost anything to make the brat learn something right. Could encouragement be the only thing Longbottom required to do better, thus keeping Severus' class in one piece? The solution was so ludicrously simple that Severus nearly laughed aloud at the thought. First Mr. Potter's speech problems, and now this? Perhaps it was time for a modification or two in his technique. This should be... fun. He continued studying the students until they were ready to begin.

"Good morning, class," Severus said, standing. "From now on we are going to be doing things a little differently." He slowly and deliberately stalked through the classroom, forcing the class to focus their total attention on him. "I know that some of you have been using the current seating arrangements to cheat, in addition to hampering your housemates' ability to concentrate. This nonsense will stop as of now! I will not have cheating or mindless prattle in my class! I will start correcting this problem by altering seating arrangements..."

Severus began moving the students around, working out a safer dynamic, far more conducive for instruction. When he was done, Mr. Potter sat between Miss Granger and Longbottom in the third row, so Miss Granger couldn't help Longbottom cheat, but Mr. Potter would be able to spot any obvious problems, and correct them, discreetly, before a crisis developed. He placed Ron between Thomas and Finnigan, moving them toward the back, away from the more promising students. Now, they couldn't cheat. They would learn proper potions brewing the hard way, or not at all...

On the Slytherin side, Mr. Malfoy was kept with Crabbe and Goyle, so that the boy could continue to assist his inept friends, while protecting the Slytherins from being harmed in a disaster caused by those two. He made it a point to move Perkinson far away from Mr. Malfoy, so she couldn't cheat off him anymore, and would learn to function as an individual in this class. Severus glanced at Arthur standing in back of the classroom, for the first time since he had arrived with Miss Granger, and saw a curious, bemused expression on the Auror's face.

"Where you are sitting now is where you will remain for the rest of the school year," he continued, returning to the front of the classroom. "Unless you are being paired off for an assignment, so get used to it. Today we will be working on a fire-repellent draught, which you will be brewing alone, but first... It is time to hand in your papers on growth potions, which I assigned to you before my illness. I swear that the consequences will be dire for anyone who fails to turn it in!"

Severus watched as all the Slytherins got up and stacked their parchments into a neat pile on his desk. But the only Gryffindors who handed their papers in were Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Longbottom; the rest of the prats remained in their seats avoiding his intense gaze, utterly terrified. He sneered menacingly at the offending Gryffindors. They must be suicidal to think that they would get away this, especially after everything they've done! It was time to remind the little bastards of who they were dealing with!

"So... the majority of vaunted House Gryffindor were too busy torturing innocents, and planning petty revenge to be bothered with something so trivial as their Potions homework!" Severus began ominously in a low voice, letting each syllable drip with loathing and anger. As anticipated, the Gryffindors flinched, cowering pathetically before him. He saw Longbottom trembling, along with how tense Mr. Potter and Miss Granger were, and knew what he needed to do. "You will pay for your latest bout of feeble-mindedness! Ten points off Gryffindor for each fool who didn't turn in their essay!" Several students groaned. "One more outburst, and you will be receiving detention as well!" Silence. "That's better." Severus softened his expression when he turned his gaze on Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Longbottom. He didn't take his eyes off of them as he continued in a calmer, less threatening tone. "However, not all of you are at fault. Two points to each student who did turn in their essay, including Granger, Longbottom, and Potter. Let Longbottom's and the others' serve as a reminder to you. While you're in my class, I expect nothing less than your best!"

He watched the three Gryffindors relax, and felt Longbottom gain some confidence at his statement. This might actually work... After giving his students a few moments to let his words sink in he had them begin. Severus observed the pressures in the classroom, carefully tending to his little behavioral experiment in teaching. He soundlessly crept up behind Longbottom to see how he was faring. The boy began to tremble visibly, just as he felt Longbottom sense his presence. That was surprising, Longbottom's natural awareness of his environment had to be very acute to have detected him at all. Severus took a quick look at the potion and saw that its color, viscosity, and tint were well within expected parameters.

"Good work, Longbottom," he whispered in the boy's ear, just loud enough for Mr. Potter and Miss Granger to hear, then quickly moved on. He noticed Longbottom relax, and begin working even harder on his potion. Severus sat at his desk and waited until the students were working on the last third of the potion, which was the most volatile point in the process. He inspected the Gryffindor side first, commenting on each of them as he went. When he got to Miss Granger's, Mr. Potter's, and Longbottom's potions, he was surprised by their results so far.

"Excellent work, Miss Granger," Severus said. She smiled, overjoyed that he had recognized her hard work, just this once. Merlin, the girl really was attention-starved! No wonder she showed off to such an irritating extent. Miss Granger's merely been dying to get him to acknowledge her existence for the last six years. He inspected Mr. Potter's and saw that The-Boy-Who-Lived had done a much better job than usual. If he didn't know better, he would have thought Mr. Potter was cheating.

"Not too bad, Potter," Severus commented. He felt that Mr. Potter was just glad that the Potions master didn't bring up his fame or his house affiliation, like he normally did. Strange... The boy just wanted to be treated like everyone else. Once again, Mr. Potter was demonstrating that the boy wasn't as egotistical as he thought. Then Severus saw Longbottom's work, pleasantly surprised for a change.

"Acceptable work, Longbottom," said Severus. "Just remember to add in your lacewings more slowly to compensate for your minor viscosity problem."

"Yes, Professor," Longbottom replied, much less fearfully than usual. When properly prodded, the boy wasn't as hazardous to work around. Perhaps, once Longbottom knew that he wasn't a complete failure, it would be easier for him to handle the pressures Severus applied to the students to toughen them. It would take work and time, but there was a glimmer of potential there. He understood now why Remus coddled Longbottom the way he did. It was the only way teach the boy to cope. Severus moved on to the next student.

He evaluated his Slytherins, refusing to go easy on them either. Severus discovered that Mr. Malfoy thrived most when under pressure, which forced the boy to push trivialities out of his mind, and further devote himself to his work, in addition to keeping Crabbe and Goyle out of trouble. Just as Severus had figured out that Perkinson also needed more pressure in order to work harder, he heard someone outside normal earshot whispering his name. He listened closer, curious to know what the Gryffindors were saying behind his back.

"...out of earshot," Thomas whispered. "I can't believe he called my potion 'a soup that had been on for too long'!"

"You see the way that greasy bastard is favoring Harry, Hermione, and Neville?" Finnigan asked.

"The bloody traitors..." Ron hissed. "It's all Ginny's doing. She destroys everything she touches!"

"You're not really going to kick Harry off the team, are you?" Finnigan asked, as Severus heard the boy carelessly drop in an ingredient.

"He's our only hope against Malfoy," Thomas whispered. "We can't afford to lose him, and let Ginny win..."

Severus ignored Ron's response, feeling an imbalance somewhere. He turned to the chattering Gryffindor boys. Finnigan paid no attention to his potion as it began turning blue, in perfect time with the growing magical imbalance scratching at his senses. He recognized what was about to happen and sprung into action.

"Get down!" Severus shouted. Time slowed for him as he grabbed from Perkinson's desk a handful of the only thing that would stop the chain-reaction. Most of the class ducked underneath their desks in slow motion as he ran across the room. He pushed the three Gryffindor fools aside, knocking them to the floor by the force of his impact. Severus tossed in the substance, catching all three cauldrons. Two of the potions turned black, rendered merely useless, while Finnigan's potion burst into flames, destroying his cauldron. Thanks to his quick action, it didn't explode and cause an unstoppable chain-reaction between the cauldrons. That had been a close call. Merlin, if he hadn't felt the imbalance... He rejoined the normal flow of time, as the class got back to their feet. That power was really going to take some getting used to.

"Do you have any idea what did to yourselves? To your classmates?" Severus shouted angrily, turning on them. He stalked towards them, positively radiating power and fury. Finnigan and Thomas took an involuntary step backward, but Ron held his ground, defiantly glaring at him. "If that potion had exploded, it would have fed off the surrounding cauldrons, initiating a chain-reaction that would have destroyed the classroom! Including you, and any other poor bastard who couldn't get out of the way in time! Miss Granger would've had to spend the next three weeks washing the gore out of her hair, because that's all that would have been left of you! You three are very lucky that I spotted the problem in time! Remember that the next time you're tempted to gossip about my apprentice's exploits in class. Fifty points off Gryffindor for your nearly lethal foolishness, three weeks of detention for each of you, and, I am taking up the matter with your Head of House. I don't have the time to torture you, but I'm sure that she would love to discipline you herself! Now, clean up this mess, then get the hell out of my sight!"

Thomas and Finnigan scrambled to follow his orders, and then Ron followed suit, a tense second later. Severus turned back to the rest of the room, and saw that they were watching him.

"What are you gawking at? Get back to work!" he ordered harshly. They returned to their various tasks. Severus brushed an errant hair out of his face and went back to evaluating the Slytherins' potions. The rest of the class continued smoothly. When everyone else had completed their potions, he made the students test it on themselves. Most of them managed to test it successfully, including Longbottom, who survived the class unscathed for once. A couple ended up reporting to Madam Pomfrey, for minor burns. Then he gave the class their homework assignments, and dismissed them. The Gryffindors almost ran for the exits, while his Slytherins calmly left, talking avidly about the near disaster. One person remained behind for some reason, Neville Longbottom. The Gryffindor walked up to his desk, looking incredibly nervous.

"Sor-sorry to bother you, Professor," Longbottom stuttered. "But I-I was wondering if I could visit Ginny in the Dungeons sometime later. We're good friends and-"

"Yes, Longbottom," Severus answered, cutting off his babbling. "I'm sure she'll be happy to spend time with you again. Ask Granger or Potter, one of them can show you how to get there during lunch."

"Thank you, Professor Snape," Longbottom said, shocked that it had been so easy to convince him.

"You better get going, Longbottom, you don't want to be late," he replied. Longbottom nodded and left. As Severus watched him go, he realized something. Despite Finnigan's carelessness, he had actually enjoyed playing with his students' minds in this manner during the session. He felt he was onto something... Severus allowed himself a twisted smile. He couldn't wait to try this on the rest of the students!

*~*~*

The two Professors continued working diligently with Ginny until she started showing signs of strain.

"I think you've done enough charms for one day," Professor Montgomery said.

"I wish I could do more," replied Ginny.

"Don't worry about it," Professor Flitwick answered, encouragingly. "Our time is nearly up for this session anyway."

She sensed something from Professor Montgomery, and knew that the time was now.

"You still have a lot of work ahead of you, before your first Divination class. Why don't you go on ahead," Ginny suggested. "Professor Flitwick can walk me back to my room."

"Are you sure?" Professor Montgomery asked.

"That's a wonderful idea, my dear," the head of Ravenclaw agreed. "She'll be perfectly safe with me, and you can get on with that project of yours."

"Fine, but just this once." The Divination teacher agreed. "I'll see you both later, Miss Weasley, Professor Flitwick."

"Good luck, Professor," she said. Ginny waited until the past Seer was well out of earshot. She wanted to tell him the truth, but she knew that he would be needed elsewhere when the time came. Ginny turned to Professor Flitwick.

"Have you seen the nightmare in Gryffindor Tower for yourself yet?" Tom asked Flitwick, using Ginny's voice.

*~*~*

Alexis headed to Ginny's chamber with Harry and, much to her concern, Neville Longbottom. Looking at the weak-appearing Gryffindor, Alexis wasn't sure what to make of him, or his true motives for supporting her closest friend. She reminded herself that Ginny's gifts for seeing into people would tell her friend everything they needed to know, but she was afraid that Ginny's hunger to have a segment of Gryffindor House on their side, would cloud her considerable judgement. Alexis hoped that she was wrong. Ginny has had far too many disappointments and hardships in the last several weeks. It would kill her to see her friend go through that again. No, I can't let that happen... our wizarding bond, which was forged when she saved my life wouldn't allow it, and neither will I. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did that...

They arrived at the door to Ginny's chamber. Alexis knocked. Ginny carrying Ix Chel on her shoulders answered, then let them inside. Her friend gazed at the Gryffindor as they entered, with the strangely unfocused look that she had come to associate with Ginny's new gifts. After a moment, Ginny smiled brightly and pulled Neville into a tight embrace.

"You haven't all abandoned me..." Ginny whispered. "I'm so happy I didn't hurt you in the storm."

"Me too," Neville replied in a strained voice. "Ginny... I can't breathe..."

"Oh... sorry," Ginny said sheepishly, as she released him. Neville took in an audible breath.

"You were in Gryffindor Tower that night?" Alexis asked.

"Yes," Neville answered. "Believe me, Ginny. If I'd known..."

"It's okay, Neville," Ginny reassured him. "I understand."

Alexis wasn't convinced, but remained silent. Ginny and Neville sat on the sofa together, while Alexis and Harry took seats in the two chairs she conjured, on the other side of the coffee table. A few minutes later, a house elf delivered lunch. Ginny ate with a vacant expression, oblivious to everything but her meal, while Alexis, Harry, and Neville conversed about trivial matters. She quickly grew bored with the Gryffindors' banter and gradually phased herself out of the conversation.

Alexis found herself studying Harry as they ate. It was amazing how different he was from his reputation. Many Slytherins saw him as a self-promoting, attention grabbing, egomaniac, with delusions of greatness, who when it came down to it, was little more than a puppet of Dumbldore's. She had never thought to question that assessment, until she had gotten to know him better, and saw what he was really like. Harry was an honest, caring, decent person, who would never betray the people he cared about. Loyalty and strength like his were amazingly rare things... It was hard to believe that he could come from a house of deranged fanatics, but so did Ginny and Hermione. Alexis wished that her housemates could put their differences aside, and get to know him the way she did. Maybe then, things would be different-

"...Alexis, were you listening to me?" Ginny asked. Alexis turned back to Ginny, who had finished lunch while she was lost in thought, and saw that she was cognizant again.

"Sorry, Gin, my mind wandered for a moment," Alexis said. "What were you saying?"

"I was asking you for your opinion on the Slytherin/Ravenclaw reactions to the announcement this morning," Ginny replied.

Alexis told her everything she had gathered from her observations.

"Then we don't have much time..." Ginny said, almost to herself.

"Much time for what?" she asked.

"Why are the other houses' opinions so important to you?" Neville asked.

"Never mind that," Ginny replied. "I need to ask you two something important, and if you have any doubts at all about this, I need you to tell me. Because if I can't allay them, I'll have to ask someone else... I want to clean out Gryffindor Tower, and I'll need your help to do it."

"Why?" Alexis asked.

"Because, despite everything, I never wanted to render Gryffindor homeless," Ginny explained. "Alexis, you have to understand that the power I unleashed was in self-defense. I can't leave the tower like that, not for revenge... I can't leave my pain contaminating the tower. If I do, I would be no better than Ron, or the people who ostracized me. If I don't do everything in my power to fix this, they will have won. How can I look at myself in the mirror, knowing what I stole from Hermione and Harry, from my friends?"

Alexis cast Harry a searching look, trying to decide where she stood. As much as she hated to admit it, her friend was right. Ginny would be punishing her friends as well as her enemies, by leaving Gryffindor Tower the way it was.

"What do you want me to do?" Alexis asked.

"I believe that with our combined powers, we will be able to contain and dispel the magical toxic waste trapped in the tower," Ginny said.

"You're talking about forming a magical gestalt," Alexis responded. "Aren't we too young to attempt something like that?"

"A what?" Neville asked, confused.

"Don't you ever read ahead?" Alexis asked Neville.

"No, not really," Neville replied, somewhat sheepishly.

"Well, let me put this in the simplest terms I can," Alexis sneered. "A gestalt is when a bunch of little wizards combine their powers and gifts, acting as one big super-wizard, capable of doing far more than anyone of them can alone. It takes the power of a gestalt to accomplish certain things, like creating wards and other magical feats, feats that would kill lesser wizards otherwise. Do you have it now? Or should I go find a book with large, pretty pictures for you to study?"

"I need a word with you now, Alexis," Harry said, mortified by her explanation. She saw Ginny's equally disturbed expression, and knew that she had gone too far. Harry promptly pulled her back into the hallway, and closed the door behind them.

"What's wrong, Alexis?" Harry asked. "You've been suspicious of Neville ever since he approached us on the way here."

"I don't trust him," she said. "Someone could have sent him here-"

"You're being paranoid," Harry admonished.

"It's not paranoia when they are out to get you!" Alexis whispered. "Everyone wants to get their claws into Ginny, for one reason or another. Don't tell me that it isn't possible for them to send someone to spy on her, someone Ginny was close to. Look me in eye, and tell me that Ginny is infallible. That she wouldn't let her feelings for one of her friends cloud her judgement."

"Good point," Harry conceded. "But Neville would never do that."

"How do you know?" Alexis persisted. "How can you be sure of that?"

"I know him," Harry said. "Neville wouldn't let himself be manipulated like that. No one could bully him into betraying his friends. Trust me on this Alexis, please..."

Maybe Harry was right, maybe Neville wasn't as weak as he seemed. Alexis looked into his innocent, emerald green eyes, and saw a fiery certainty as he beckoned for her trust. He believed it, and in that moment, Alexis found herself believing in him. She nodded, for a moment lost in his compelling, demanding gaze. Alexis looked away after a time, unable to stand it for another moment without some resolution to the plethora of confusing emotions Harry always seemed to incite in her. They returned to Ginny's room and sat back down.

"...still don't see how I can help," Neville was saying. "I mean, I'm not that powerful or anything. I'll probably just screw it up."

"I wouldn't ask you if I didn't think you could do it," Ginny encouraged. "You're more than you think you are... I know it and, deep down, so do you. Please my friend, listen to your heart and tell me where you truly stand."

"You would believe in me that much?" Neville asked, stunned.

"I would stake my life on it," answered Ginny.

"And ours too," Alexis mentally added. She prayed that whatever clever instinct led Ginny had better judgement than her own.

"I'll help you in any way I can," Neville replied.

"Thank you," Ginny said. "I know that I can count on you." Ginny turned to her. "Do you think it will work, Alexis?"

"It's ambitious," said Alexis. "It may work, as long we can find enough compatible wizards, and the dynamic is stable. Have you told Professor Snape of your plan?"

"Ask me that again later," Ginny requested.

"Fine," Alexis said, taking the hint. "Are you sure you can pull this together before the tower is sealed off?"

"No, it'll be a race," Ginny said, "and only time will tell which will happen first."

________

TBC