My Eternal Curse

My Eternal Curse

By Mara456

Chapter Thirty Eight

The Learning Curve: Part Nine - Unfinished Business

Both Severus and Zachary watched Dumbledore leave as they continued their efforts to keep the Auror restrained. Severus still felt sick to his stomach from the mental... violation they had just been subjected to, knowing that Zachary felt the same. He got the distinct feeling that the old man knew something about them that they didn't know, a thought that disturbed him greatly. They understood so little about their connection, about the extent of what they could accomplish together. They needed to explore it more thoroughly- Cries of frustration from the insane Auror broke into his thoughts, forcing him to deal with the moment.

"Rest now, Mr. Weasley," Severus whispered, planting the suggestion as deeply as he could in Arthur's subconscious. "The answers you require will be awaiting when you awaken."

Arthur immediately lost consciousness, becoming dead weight in their arms.

"You're going to have to show me that one later," Zachary thought. "You know, we could've let Mr. Weasley do it. No jury in the Wizarding World would have convicted him under these circumstances."

"That thought had occurred to me," he mentally replied. "Dumbledore has no idea how close he just came to death."

Zachary cast a variety of enchantments around them to conceal their presence. The last thing they wanted was for the students to see them dragging an unconscious Auror through the halls. They began moving Virginia's father toward the nearest classroom.

"Now Albus knows about you," his friend warned him silently.

"And now, I know about him," Severus rejoined, remembering the old wizard's mental touch. "How long have you known that he has The Sight?"

"A long time," Zachary answered. "It doesn't matter. His gift has become useless to him. Trust me, there is nothing in his Seer arsenal that he can use against us, beyond what he's already done."

"You hope," Severus mentally drawled.

"I don't hope - I know," Zachary insisted, completely sure of himself.

Surprised, Severus persisted. "What do you know?"

As much as he trusted his friend's judgement, he had to know the full truth. The Headmaster was too volatile a variable to let anything slip. Zachary hesitated, only confirming his fears that, whatever it was, it wasn't good. The longer the silence stretched out between them, the more taut the tension grew. His friend stubbornly remained totally silent. Reaching an empty classroom, they used the floo to get to his office. Zachary conjured a couch to lay Arthur on, then for their protection his friend placed several restraint charms on Virginia's father, while Severus cast silencing and locking charms on the room.

"You want to know the truth," Zachary finally thought to him. "Dumbledore may not forgive me for doing this but, I think you deserve to know, and he needs your help... For some time now the Headmaster has been very ill. I don't actually know what is wrong with him, all I know is what I saw when I first laid eyes on him after I returned. His illness, whatever it is, has sapped most of his powers, including his gift in The Sight. Every time Dumbledore attempts to use The Sight, it weakens him further. He's lived in a state of denial for a long time now, too long. I don't think he would've told me if I hadn't discovered it on my own. Dumbledore says that he's treating it sufficiently, but I doubt it. He hasn't gone to Poppy, and he's afraid to come to you. Personally, I suspect... I suspect that his time is near. Many of Dumbledore's actions of late have been born of desperation. Before you say anything, I know that it's no excuse, but these are things we must take into account. Dumbledore wasn't always like this. There was a time, when he was everything people believed him to be, and more. He's just... lost his way, lost himself. You know, I always thought of him as invincible, but now... now I know better. Our beloved Headmaster is ultimately human, and we must never forget that."

Severus knew that he should be feeling shocked, disturbed, surprised, something - anything, not just numb. After everything the old man had done, right and wrong, he expected more from himself than quiet acceptance. Somehow, it just wasn't right. Putting his lack of an emotional response aside, he had to consider how this would affect their plans. It was obvious that they couldn't count on the Headmaster to be anything more than as a tool to influence both sides. They needed to know more about his condition, and he knew the perfect person to help him find out.

"You're right, Dumbledore needs help and we still need him," he agreed. "I'm sending for a doctor from the Order of Salus to evaluate Filius' and my children. Perhaps, while we're at it we can arrange for her to do a complete examination of the Headmaster, and discover what he's taken such great pains to hide."

Zach sensed what he had done to Severus' emotional state, knowing full-well that his acceptance was only a defense mechanism. The truth had dealt his friend a serious emotional blow, one that might take some time to settle in, and until it does, no one, not even Severus himself, will know what the full impact will be. His friend must still care about their old mentor to react like this.

"It isn't true numbness you're feeling, it's a form of shock," he thought to Severus. "This is why I didn't want to tell you, especially when I first discovered the truth. I knew it would be difficult to take in. I still believe that it's a bad idea to inform Minerva at this juncture. She's currently watching her house self-destruct, she won't be able to handle hearing this as well."

"I agree," his friend concurred, pulling himself together. "Everything else we have to cover can wait. I think it's time to awaken Arthur and deal with this complication before something else occurs."

Severus revived Arthur. Hermione's guard tried to move, promptly discovering that only his head and neck were free of confinement.

"You can release me now," Arthur said, pretending to be calm. "Gryffindor Tower's not influencing me any longer. It let go of me when you knocked me out. Now please, remove these restraints so I can go... apologize to the Headmaster properly."

"Go terminate him before we have another chance to detain you, you mean," Severus impugned his claim. "I think not. You're going to remain right where you are until I'm satisfied that you are once more amongst the ranks of the sane and rational. Perhaps then we might go and pay your daughter a little visit, but you're not going anywhere near hexing distance of Dumbledore without appropriate supervision."

In an instant, Arthur's demeanor switched back to that of the emotionally enraged parent.

"You said you had answers for me," Arthur cried. "Well, answer me this, why in Merlin's name did you stop me? I was so close, why didn't you let me finish it?"

"You have no idea how close," his friend thought.

"Believe me, Arthur, I know how you feel," Severus replied aloud, thinking about his previous confrontations with the old wizard. "I have been where you've been. I know what it is to have my hands wrapped around the neck of my enemy. I know what it's like to deny that bloodlust for a greater purpose. We don't have time for revenge. We need to keep the Dark Lord and the Ministry occupied while we prepare, and the Headmaster is the only individual capable of adequately doing the job. You have no idea how delicate a thread we hang by! Without Dumbledore, this situation will disintegrate. How many more will die then? How much safer have you made your daughter, by taking that protection away from the school? Think on that, and tell me that your revenge is worth it!"

He could feel the Auror realize the implications of what Severus was talking about, that taking revenge could very well result in the deaths of his children and countless others. But, something still felt off about this, something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Has anything else happened to Virginia that I should know about?" Arthur asked.

"That is not Arthur Weasley," Severus silently realized. "He's still possessed by whatever malevolent spirit the tower has evolved into."

"The last time I checked, a place can't possess someone," he thought back.

"A normal place can't tell tales either, but this one can," Severus pointed out. "Its been feeding off every person foolish enough to enter its domain, and now it has found the perfect way to strike out. Keep it distracted - there is something I have to do."

Severus walked to the other side of the room as Zach moved to block the Auror's view.

"What aren't you two telling me?" Arthur reiterated.

He began stalling for time, reluctantly filling in some pieces of the puzzle, as he noticed the temperature of the room starting to drop. The longer the Divination teacher spoke to the man, the more he had to agree with Severus. Just as he realized what Severus was doing, so did Hermione's guard.

"There's nothing wrong with me," Arthur insisted. "You don't have to do this!"

"I'm afraid we do, Mr. Weasley," Zach replied. "That is, if you are Mr. Weasley."

Arthur struggled to free himself, shouting at the top of his lungs. He took a step backward, bringing his wand to bear again, just in case his charms didn't hold. As a blinding flash of light hit them, abruptly cutting off all outside influences, Arthur let out an agonized wail. Severus returned to his side while Arthur looked around the room, his mind flooded with confusion and anger.

"What is going on here?" Arthur demanded. "Why did you put me in restraints?"

"You don't know?" Zach asked in a calm voice. "Think hard, Mr. Weasley, what's the last thing you remember?"

"Know what? The last thing I remember was standing in Gryffindor Tower," Arthur recalled. "It showed me what those monsters did to my little girl, making me feel every moment of it, then it showed me... Dumbledore. Let me out! I need to 'confront' that cowardly bastard!"

"You already have," Severus explained. "It showed you what it knew to convince you that murdering the Headmaster was the only way to protect your child. Then, once it had manipulated you into believing the threat to Virginia, it had the perfect way to possess you without any resistance, making sure that you carried out its will."

"I remember wanting to stop Dumbledore, a-and that I-I wasn't alone," Arthur stammered, letting out a deep sigh. "Miss Granger wasn't exaggerating - that place is cursed. Severus, you knew what the Headmaster did to Ginny, and still you stopped me. She is going through hell because of him and she's your apprentice! I'm surprised you weren't cheering me on. I know you; you don't do anything without cause. Give me one good reason why you haven't acted. Give me one honest justification of why he should get away with what he's done. I-I swear I will hear you out."

"Since you didn't hear it the first time around let's try this again," his friend began. "Trust me, Arthur, I've been where you are now. I know how it feels to have my hands around the throat of my enemy, to realize that all I have to do is squeeze to rid myself of that menace, and with it all the complications he represents. I know what it's like to deny that bloodlust for a higher cause. We don't have time for petty nonsense like recriminations. Dumbledore must keep both Voldemort and the Ministry occupied, while we prepare for the real battle ahead of us. The Headmaster is the only wizard able to properly do the job. The Light is hanging by a very delicate, very dangerous thread! Without Dumbledore, our current circumstances will erode. How many innocents will die then? How many of these children are you prepared to lose, when Voldemort decides to attack Hogwarts because the Light Lord is out of the picture? How much safer have you made your little girl by taking that protection away from Hogwarts? Think on these consequences and tell me again that our vengeance is worth it!"

Realizing the grisly truth Arthur broke down into tears. Zach's heart went out to the man. He understood just how difficult it was to not act. Deciding that Virginia's father was no longer a danger to them, he released him from confinement. Arthur sat up, placing his feet on the floor. Zach sat down beside him as Arthur put his head in his hands, hiding his pain from view. Zach put a supportive and comforting gloved hand on his shoulder, reminding him that they understood what he was going through.

"Most of my children would be at the heart of the carnage," Arthur mumbled softly, his tone quivering with raw emotion. "Ginny faced that same moment with Creevy, but she relented because doing the right thing was more important than how she felt." Virginia's father bit back a sob. "It's a terrible thing to know that you've shared such an awful trait as bloodlust with your child." Arthur forced himself to meet Severus' sympathetic gaze. "They look to me for strength and guidance. When faced with the same choice, how can I do any less? I will give you what you need, time, even if it kills me. If there's more to this than what you've told me, I don't want to know, unless Ginny decides to tell me herself. I promise you, Severus, I won't go after Dumbledore!"

Looking into his eyes, Zach believed him. Zach and Severus shared a glance, silently agreeing that they could trust Arthur again.

"Thank you, Arthur," Severus affirmed. "I will continue to do everything in my power to watch over your daughter."

"You care for my child as if she were your own," Arthur observed, understanding. "I'm glad she has you. She couldn't be in better hands."

Severus stared at the Auror, completely taken off guard by that statement. The only thing that surprised Zach was that the concept hadn't crossed his friend's mind sooner. Severus opened his mouth to speak, but stopped, then tried again to no effect. Arthur smiled weakly at the Potions master's obvious bewilderment. Watching them, Zach got the feeling that things had just taken a turn for the better.

*~*~*

Argus and his familiar watched Severus leave, running up the steps at an amazing speed.

"What sort of emergency is he off fixing now?" Argus wondered aloud as he looked down at Mrs. Norris. "I guess we should do what he says."

They walked to the Weasley girl's quarters. He knocked persistently on the door until he got an answer.

"Come in," Miss Weasley called through the door.

Argus and Mrs. Norris entered the room. As they entered the room he felt the various magical signatures in the corridor practically vanish, confronting him with whole new magics in the process. Much of the place, from the very fabric of the room itself to the Potions book on the nightstand, held some innate power in it. Miss Weasley and her familiar sat on the sofa together, hard at work. The magic coming off of them caught his attention in a way nothing else around him had. Even though he knew so little about magical... auras? Yes, that was it! He didn't know much about magical auras yet, but he knew that theirs was amazingly potent and so interconnected that he couldn't distinguish one from the other. He noticed two very different looking piles of notes set up on the coffee table. Severus' apprentice worked on one set with a sense of deep concentration, but for some reason, she kept glancing at the other set. He thought it was for reference until he spotted a muggle fountain pen writing on its own. He could feel the Weasley girl influencing the pen, directing it to write whatever she told it to. Argus was about to speak but she beat him to it.

"Sorry about the mess, but I wasn't expecting company," the girl apologized, stopping to look up for the first time. Argus noticed that the other pen was still going. "Please make yourself at home. I'll be with you as soon as these are done."

Miss Weasley returned to her work, apparently oblivious to her surroundings once more. Argus dropped his bags next to the girl's bed and took a seat on the edge of it. Mrs. Norris curled up on his lap, purring in contentment. He petted his cat, regarding the strange witch across from them. Miss Weasley didn't look up again until she stopped working. The girl gazed at him for a moment, then suddenly gazed beyond him, seeing something he couldn't.

"Daddy?" she called out like a frightened child. "Something's very wrong, I can feel it in the air."

"That's why Severus behaved the way he did," Argus thought. "He must have gone off to handle it."

"You think so?" Miss Weasley asked, responding to his thought.

"It makes sense," he replied. "Why else would he have sent me here? Don't worry too much about it. Professor Snape is very capable. I'm sure he's taking care of the problem as we speak."

Argus quickly tried to come up with a way to take her mind off it.

"Your master and I visited Ollivander's this evening," Argus said, saying the first thing that came to mind.

"Great! Do you want to know how old your wand is? I could ask it," she offered, looking more composed.

"You talk to objects and they talk back to you?" he asked, having trouble believing that she would so readily admit to hearing voices.

"Yes, most of them are very talkative," answered Miss Weasley. "Through the Gray I've discovered that everything has a voice of its own. You may hear something similar when your equilibrium is set."

Argus pulled out his wand, showing it to the strange witch.

"How old are you, wand?" Miss Weasley asked. She stared at as if listening, and then spoke. "It says that it's the oldest of the remaining ones, almost two thousand, five hundred years of age."

"Wands can last that long?" he wondered.

"The old ones could, I don't know about now," Miss Weasley replied.

"I wonder who owned this wand last," Argus mused.

"An ancient pure Gray wizard, as the extreme Gray often called themselves, named Magnus," she translated. "He was from the Vabalsky clan. His name sounds kind of familiar to me, like I know him from someplace..."

"What did your wand tell you?" he asked, putting his own away.

"It's one thousand, eight hundred years old, and it spent most of that time in storage," Miss Weasley answered.

"Who owned it last?" Argus inquired.

"It never occurred to me to ask it," she replied, removing her wand from her robes and relaying the question. The girl gasped.

"Say that again," the strange witch directed. Listening to something he couldn't hear, she shook her head in disbelief.

"What did it say to you?" Argus asked, bewildered by her reaction.

"It said that its first and only other owner was Taleen of clan Weasley, first Guardian and final leader of the old Gray," Miss Weasley recited, seeing some hidden meaning in the odd title. "It can't be a coincidence that she was a member of my family... but what good does that do me now?"

"For one thing it tells you your family is far older than most," he supplied.

"That's one way to interpret it," Miss Weasley reflected. Suddenly she smiled brightly, her mood shifting in the blink of an eye. "Tell me, how do you feel you're progressing in the Gray. I want to hear everything!"

He raised an eyebrow at her unnatural shift. Severus was right to fear that the strange young witch would become unstable in more ways than one. She needs guarding. It was a task he knew he wasn't ready for, but nevertheless, he would do his best to safeguard the young witch who had discovered his gift.

"Going outside was strange," Argus recalled. "I could see all the different magics around me, like auras over anything with even a hint of magic to it. If I close my eyes, I can see the magic inside this room. I think it's normal, but right now everything feels so strange to me, I can't be sure."

"These days I can't be sure of much either, but I'm sure seeing magical auras isn't a common gift," she replied. "When I was a normal witch, I couldn't feel magic unless it was very powerful. Not being in touch with your gift for so long might explain some of your sensitivity, but not all of it. Do you find it disturbing?"

"No, just distracting," he answered.

"I can show you a good blocking spell for when it becomes too intrusive," Miss Weasley offered. "But I must warn you that, if you're this sensitive now, your next jump in power and sensitivity is going to be immense. Is master Snape giving you a few days to adjust before taking you to the next level?"

"Yes," Argus replied. "If I use this spell of yours before my next session, won't it count as my second usage?"

"No, it'll take another energy draw or an equivalent event to complete the equilibrium shift," she told him after glancing at her familiar. "Did you drop by the bookstore while you were in Diagon Alley?"

"Not particularly, no," he answered.

"Then you're going to need a book or two on Potions to help get you started," the strange witch decided, turning her gaze to the tome on the nightstand. "Hex, do you think you can get along with Mr. Filch for awhile?"

The tome on the nightstand floated into the air, letting out chattering sounds. Argus nearly jumped when he saw it come to life.

"I'll be fine," Miss Weasley conversed with the book. It chattered again. "You can be good for Mr. Filch, right?"

The book nodded.

"Great," she said to the tome, then returned her gaze to him. "Hex says that it'll help you where it can."

The tome landed on the bed next to him.

"That book's still a bit advanced for you," the girl muttered to herself, her eyes losing focus as she spoke. "I know what else we can add!"

For an instant Argus felt odd magic coming from the witch's trunk, then in a pulse of blue-white light, two books appeared next to the living one. He saw her surprised smile and knew she had somehow transported the objects.

"Wow..." Miss Weasley intoned.

"I may be new to using magic, but I know it's impossible to do any form of Apparition inside Hogwarts grounds," he pointed out.

"You're right," she confirmed, getting up to inspect the books. "But that definitely wasn't Apparition. I just wanted to take them out of my trunk and put them on the bed, now here they are."

She put the books back down and returned to her seat, looking thoughtful.

"Can you do that again?" Argus wanted to know.

"Probably," Miss Weasley said. "But right now there are more important things we need to worry about. I should show you that blocking spell before we forget."

Snape's apprentice took him through the steps of the spell slowly, making certain that he understood each step prior to making the attempt. The spell worked perfectly, and made his perception of the world feel less peculiar.

"You've been inside Gryffindor Tower," Miss Weasley stated suddenly. "You know what lives there and, deep down, you know that master Snape's plan to seal it off isn't the answer."

"No matter how much I want it be, something tells me it isn't," he defensively admitted. "It doesn't matter anymore if it's right. Every attempt the teachers made to fix that place failed miserably and they're out of options."

"What if I told you, there was another way?" she proposed, an enigmatic quality creeping into her tone. "What if I told you, that it can be done only with your help? That, if we do this properly, the only thing the Professors will have to worry about is repairing the physical damage?"

Despite his reservations, he let the girl explain her plan to him in detail. By the time she had finished with her little surprise lesson in magical physics, Argus knew enough to fear the consequences of failure. Her little plan sounded just crazy enough to work, but there was no way Severus could know about this. If he knew, he would certainly forbid it.

"That's why I can't tell him," Miss Weasley asserted. "Every participant must want to heal the space. I need a Gray counterpart to make this work, and it can't be him. He hates the Gryffindors who harmed me, too much to ever have the necessary intent. Please, help me remove the pain ingrained in that place, to put that horrible night behind me for good."

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Argus asked.

She answered without hesitation. "Yes! Please try to understand, I hate the people who attacked me but all the Gryffindors weren't at fault. They shouldn't be punished anymore than I should have been. How can I live with the knowledge that I didn't do everything I could to make things right? Once we're finished, I know I can make master Snape understand and I'll accept any punishment he gives me. I wish I could give you some time to think it over, but I need your answer now. If you have any doubts, now is the time to tell me."

"What do you think, my dear?" Argus whispered to his familiar, gently scratching the cat's neck.

Mrs. Norris purred contently as he sensed her reaction to their discussion.

Severus is going to kill us before this is over, he thought, sighing deeply.

"I'll do it," Argus agreed, determined to see his dangerous choice through.

*~*~*

Neville sat in the Divination classroom with his friends, Annika, Rebecca, and Macdonald waiting in uncomfortable silence for Professor Montgomery. Trying to think about anything but what the Professor had come up with to protect them, Neville continued reading the oddest book he'd ever been assigned in Divination. He had trouble seeing how magical physics related to anything that was happening to him. Professor Montgomery told him that it would help him understand the nature of his talent, but he didn't get how it could.

"We're missing dinner," Rebecca complained, checking her funny-looking muggle watch again. "Where do you think the Professor is?"

"Good question," Annika said. "He told us to wait here for him. Perhaps, so much was going on that it slipped his mind."

"Not likely," Rebecca replied. "Think about how he responded to our distress. He wouldn't just forget. Professor Montgomery really wants to help."

"Rebecca's right," Neville agreed. "He's probably just dealing with an emergency or something."

At his assertion, Professor Montgomery entered the room. Behind him several house-elves came in, wheeling in carts with food and drink on them.

"I'm sorry I made you wait so long, but it couldn't be helped," Professor Montgomery apologized, while the house-elves expanded the size of a table. "I figured that since I was making you miss dinner anyway we might as well dine together."

The elves set up five place settings, then put the trays and a couple of cold pitchers at the center of it before leaving. Montgomery pulled up a chair and joined them. Everyone dished themselves up and began eating while they waited for the teacher to begin. When Montgomery didn't right away, Neville started worrying about how bad the news really was.

Halfway into the meal Rebecca asked. "What are you planning to do with us?"

"Direct and to the point, aren't we?" Macdonald thought.

For a couple of tense seconds the only noise that filled the void was their breathing as the room went completely silent at Rebecca's query.

"Sometimes the direct approach is the best one," Professor Montgomery observed aloud. "I've spoken with your Head of House and I've managed to impress upon her the severity of your situations. Mr. Longbottom, Miss Knight, the Deputy Headmistress and I both agree that you can't remain near your housemates. We are currently arranging permanent quarters for each of you in this tower, but it'll take several days before they're ready. Miss Weasley has graciously offered to share her quarters with you until they are prepared. As we speak, your belongings are being moved to her chamber. If anything specific is missing, don't retrieve it yourself, but rather, inform me or the house-elves and someone will fetch it for you. Hopefully, lessening your contact with Ronald's group will be enough of a stopgap. If it isn't, we'll consider taking stronger measures. I plan to extend the same offer to any student who requires it, whether they have The Sight or not. Miss Macdonald, Miss Morden, you will remain in your house for the time being. If the situation deteriorates further, similar steps may have to be taken. Any questions, or thoughts, perhaps?"

As the news slowly sank in, Neville wasn't sure what to feel. When he was first sorted into Gryffindor, he didn't think he would ever fit in. Luckily, with the help of his friends, he eventually got past that. He still didn't think of himself as terribly brave or anything, but Gryffindor was his home at Hogwarts. He couldn't picture himself anywhere else. He felt that by trying this they were losing something, something important. Thanks to his ex-friend, Ron, and his goons, there was nothing he could do but accept the teacher's arrangement.

He looked at Macdonald's uncomfortably inquisitive face, knowing instantly that she was wondering what strings the teacher was pulling to do this. To the teacher's right, Rebecca was trying to pretend that losing two of her new supporters wasn't a frightening prospect.

"Doing this doesn't mean that you won't be able to support one another," their Professor insisted, responding to their growing panic. "This won't change most of your daily routine. You'll still be in the same classes and dining in the Great Hall, unless that becomes impossible. I promise you, no matter what happens you can still be there for each other."

Neville noticed that the Professor's words made them all feel a little better, except Annika who was still afraid, but for a completely different reason. She feared Ginny's motives for taking her in, when not that long ago, Annika was just another one of their housemates that Ron had managed to fool. He placed his hand on hers, wanting to calm his friend. Suddenly, an eerie tranquility filled Annika, chasing away her unfounded doubts and fears.

"Don't worry, Annika. Everything is going to be fine," whispered Neville. "Ginny isn't like that. She'll understand that you were misled."

Annika slowly nodded, believing his every word. Neville let go of her hand, returning his attention to the Divination teacher, who was gazing at him strangely. He wondered what his Professor was thinking.

"I'll need a word with you in my office later, Mr. Longbottom," Professor Montgomery thought to him.

He nodded in reply.

"I've heard of special accommodations for individual students, but not for a whole section of the population," Macdonald pointed out. "How does this fit in with the school guidelines?"

"Normally, with problems like yours, Harborage would have to be invoked. Unfortunately, Harborage was never meant to be used often, or with a group as large as the Seers and those trapped in Gryffindor," the Divination teacher explained. "If we started moving a segment of the population around like checker pieces, it would cause chaos. So, we are creating a measure that will allow your Head of House and me to tend to your unique needs, without relinquishing the Gryffindor name. This option is called Departmental Harborage, and you four are going to be the first to see it in action."

"But Divination isn't a House, it's a subject," Rebecca protested.

"That is true, and officially your House affiliations won't change," Professor Montgomery clarified. "Think of it as a loophole, or as a way of holding onto your convictions without losing who you are. I know it isn't the perfect win-win scenario, but, it's the best alternative we can come up with."

"So we lose, then," Neville concluded, downcast. "We're just going to hand Gryffindor House over without a fight."

"This is truly a dark day for Gryffindor," Macdonald bemoaned.

"Why would Professor McGonagall agree to this? Doesn't she care about the honor of our house anymore?" Rebecca wondered, defeated.

"She cares more about your lives," Professor Montgomery answered. "The Deputy Headmistress understands that there is little point to worrying about house honor, if there is no one left alive to uphold it. She appreciates your loyalty, but she won't let you suffer further for her sake."

"Don't worry, things have a way of working themselves out," Annika asserted, still totally relaxed in spite of their conversation. "As long as we don't let go of our values, Ron can't win."

Everyone stared at Annika, finding it unbelievable that she had just said that.

"Mr. Longbottom, my office, now," Professor Montgomery ordered, standing. "Ladies, if you will excuse us..."

Neville got the feeling that for some reason, he was in trouble, as he stood and followed the Professor to his office. Just after they left the classroom he noticed whispering, just beyond his range of hearing. He turned around, but no one was there.

"Are you alright, Mr. Longbottom?" Professor Montgomery asked with concern.

"I'm fine, it was just my imagination," he replied, turning back toward the teacher.

"Not likely," his Professor thought.

They went up to his teacher's office.

"What is this about, Professor?" Neville asked.

"Do you even know what you did to Miss Knight?" Professor Montgomery inquired.

"Did to her?" he asked in return confused. "What are you- You mean when I calmed her down? I felt Annika's fear of Ginny's motives, so I told her that Ginny wouldn't blame her for being duped by Ron. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You may not know it, but when you told Miss Knight to relax, you were actually manipulating her emotional state, making her feel what you wanted her to feel," Professor Montgomery explained. "Also, from what I can tell, you put her in quite a pliable state."

"Pliable state?" Neville asked. "What does that mean?"

"It means that Miss Knight was easier to sway then she would have been under normal circumstances," Professor Montgomery elaborated.

"I was making her act like that?" he asked, bewildered. "How could I do something like that and not even know I was doing it?"

"Perhaps, because Miss Knight trusts you," suggested the Divination teacher. "Her guard was down because she knew you wouldn't harm her, allowing you to alter her mental state without any resistance. It would certainly be more difficult to convince a person of something contrary to their nature. Now, a power such as yours should never be flaunted. It's a tool that must be respected, as much for its power to help, as it is for its power to cause harm. Be careful of how and when you use your gifts. These are dangerous times, Mr. Longbottom. The other students and Professors may not be as understanding as the resident Seers."

"I-I'll try to keep that in mind, sir," Neville stammered, nervously. "Wait, aren't you going to punish me?"

"No, of course not," Professor Montgomery said, smiling kindly at him. "You were only trying to help and, I don't think you did any permanent damage. Hopefully, your... trick will wear off, but, if Miss Knight isn't back to normal by morning, I want you to bring her straight to me."

"Yes, Professor," he agreed.

*~*~*

Trying to reign in his thoughts before seeing Virginia, Severus couldn't help but think about how eventful, even by Hogwarts standards, this past week has been. He was quite sure that he wasn't the only one happy to see it come to a close. Severus tried again to put things he couldn't change out of his mind, as he knocked on the door to her chamber. Virginia answered wearing Ix Chel on her shoulders, immediately giving him leave to enter. He saw Argus sitting on the sofa reading a Potions book for beginners. He also noticed Mrs. Norris resting on the young woman's bed, and that on the coffee table lay a large pile of muggle pads and several scrolls of parchment.

"How is my father, master?" Virginia asked, worried. "Earlier I felt that something was wrong, but I couldn't tell more than that."

"Your father went up to Gryffindor Tower to investigate," Severus informed her.

"How much did he see?" she asked in a hollow voice.

"Everything," he answered, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"I see," Virginia rasped softly. "I guess we couldn't avoid that."

Seeing the sadness and fear in her eyes, Severus promised himself that Arthur would be the tower's last victim.

"I have something to show you," Virginia declared, obviously pushing her worries aside, as she led him to the coffee table. She picked up a large muggle pad and handed it to him. Taking a look, he saw it was filled with carefully constructed notes and diagrams. Only part of it was Potions formulae, the rest seemed to be Transfiguration, but they were intricately blended together. "Beautiful, isn't it? I know you didn't ask for it, since we were interrupted during class, but I compiled all the necessary information for the process I used to transfigure potions. Then, it occurred to me that it wouldn't be truly complete without the other half of the process, so I came up with the data necessary to create potions with transfiguration properties."

Virginia gave him a second pad filled with her work.

"I also had an idea which I knew you would want me to run by you first," Virginia pressed on. "I want to add more space to my room and I've figured out several ways to do it. One, I can use an advanced charm to add space to the overall room without changing its physical dimensions, a lot like the pocket I used to keep Ix Chel in."

She placed a third pad on top of the first two.

"Two, I could use transfiguration to alter the fabric of the stones a little and hollow out extra rooms. I asked the room, and it tells me that only stone foundation lays beyond the wall, but you might want to check the castle's plans to make sure it'll work," she continued, pilling on a fourth pad. "Three, I can use Arithmancy to alter the properties of all forty two dimensions, and make the room dimensionally transcendental." Virginia glanced at Argus as she added a fifth pad to the stack in his arms, noticing the confusion on their faces. "Make it bigger on the inside than on the outside. That might end up being the most difficult of the three to implement, but it's nothing compared to this..."

She dumped yet another pad on top of the rest.

"Out of curiosity, I combined the three methods, and together they extend the space far beyond what any of the individual magics could achieve. What do you think?" Virginia concluded.

Severus stared at the stack in his hands. Most wizards would consider each of these pads a life's work. He looked to Argus, and the untrained wizard shrugged helplessly. An obvious question sprang to mind as he returned his gaze to his apprentice, who was still waiting for his approval. "You wrote everything here in the space of a day?"

"Not exactly," she replied. "I did the first in the library and the rest when I returned to my room."

"You didn't have to create this... proposal," he pointed out to her. "If you require more space, you can always request to be moved elsewhere."

"True," Virginia acknowledged. "But I like my room and it likes me too. Besides that, it's used to me, so it isn't so noisy anymore. If I moved, the room would be lonely again, and in a different room I would be stuck with more noise and on top of that, have to create new wards for myself. In my opinion, my proposal's far simpler than trying to do that."

Severus seriously wondered to what level Ix Chel's knowledge and ancient perceptions of reality had brought his apprentice. In more ways than he could count, the Dark and Light really have backslid over the millennia. What he could do with knowledge like that. It made the concept of bonding seem more than worth the inherent drawbacks. He got the feeling that there was more to her expediency than she was telling him.

"Why did you work this out so swiftly, when there was no need?" Severus asked.

"Because I had nothing better to do," Virginia answered, surprising him. "I didn't have any homework. Professor Montgomery brought me back here because, with Parvati and Lavender are out of the hospital wing, he couldn't leave me unguarded. I can't roam the grounds, like a normal student, for the same reason. I only took three tomes out of the library, which won't take me long to read. My friends are too busy with their own problems to visit me right now, and while staring at the tapestries and defocusing is nice, it's not very mentally stimulating."

"You were bored," Severus replied, realizing that he should have foreseen this complication, instead of allowing it to catch him unawares. "Montgomery tells me that you will be having houseguests over the next few days. Perhaps, they can help entertain you. I'll have to examine the options you've presented to me, and get back to you with the results. What are you planning to do until your roommates get here?"

"I'm tired, so I'm going to defocus for awhile," Virginia answered. "Maybe I'll finish reading the books I took out later on, but that's about it."

"Good. One of the Professors may be by later to check on you," Severus let her know, turning to his friend. "Argus, if you will follow me..."

Argus stood, picking up his supplies. Then, leaving his apprentice, they walked to his office.

"I hope your time with Virginia was productive," he commented, closing the door behind them.

"You could say that," Argus began, too agitated to take a seat. "I've discovered something... troubling. While I can't tell you what to do with your apprentice, I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't give you my honest opinion. You took her out of isolation too soon. That girl is emotionally unstable. I am warning you, Severus, if you add any more pressure, she's going to snap. You believe watching me fall apart would be dangerous, imagine what havoc Weasley's mental breakdown would cause."

"I know-" Severus tried to assure him, putting the stack Virginia had given him onto his desk and taking a seat.

"Do you really?" Argus argued, cutting him off sharply. "I saw that girl writing two totally different things at the same time. I watched her emotional state shift radically in a matter of seconds. I know people like her. Something is eating at her. There's a reason Weasley is pushing herself. Maybe to bury herself so deeply in work, that she forgets something is missing. But, in any case, it is something that only you can bring to a close-"

"I have eyes, Argus, I can see the truth just as well as anyone," Severus snapped suddenly.

"Then why are you hiding from it?" Argus snapped back, leaning onto his desk. "I saw the way you acted, or rather, didn't act towards her. You wanted to get closer, but instead you distanced yourself from the moment. What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," Severus declared angrily, glaring at him. He could feel Argus stiffen, but his friend's resolve didn't waver.

"My mistake, you're not afraid... you're terrified," Argus accused. "And when it comes to her, you're letting that terror paralyze you. You've pledged your life to her, why are you hesitating now? What is stopping you from giving the girl the support she needs?"

"Nothing is stopping me," Severus growled, getting to his feet again.

"You're deceiving yourself, and you know it," Argus countered. "Admit it, here and now, before you lose control of things for good."

"I am in perfect control!" Severus yelled, starting to tremble.

"Not from where I'm standing," Argus scoffed. "The old Severus would knock some sense into you - this Severus, what you've become, has the full emotional compliment, but you have no idea what to do with it. You confided in me before, don't make now any different."

"There are some things you would not want to know," held Severus, regaining a bit of his composure.

"That may be true, but you need to tell someone, and if not me, then who?" Argus persisted.

"Let's start with something small then, and we'll see if you're as ready as you say you are," Severus challenged, sitting back down. "When Voldemort reappeared, I returned to my work as Dumbledore's spy. The reason I've kept you out of it is that, until now, you were defenseless against the Dark Lord's minions. I've done well in this traitorous war of misinformation. By some wild miracle, I've kept Voldemort happy and away from Hogwarts, thus far."

"You call that small?" Argus asked, shocked. "If Voldemort believes that you're still his loyal servant, then you're now grooming your apprentice... It's no wonder she's so unstable! Do you have any idea what you're doing to that girl?"

"I'm doing the equivalent of rolling up a snowball, and tossing it into hell. I know, Merlin help me, I know..." Severus whispered emotionally. "The truth only continues downhill from here. If you want to preserve what little illusion of security you have, you know where the door is."

He watched as Argus let the revelation sink in, fully expecting his friend to turn around and leave. But, to his astonishment, Argus sat down in the chair across from him, mentally preparing himself for the next onslaught.

"I was more right than I could've guessed," Argus affirmed. "You shouldn't face these dilemmas by yourself. For better or worse, I'm staying, Severus. I refuse to let a thing like 'the truth' stop me."

Severus wrote a note for the house-elves, and used his wand to charm it to find them, then opened the door long enough for it to leave.

"What are you doing?" Argus asked.

"Ordering provisions," he answered. "If I'm doing this, I want one comforting influence I can rely upon."

His friend sighed. Things were so complicated that Severus didn't know where to begin. He decided that the only thing to do was speak, and see where his confessions took them. A nagging part of him kept insisting that this was going to be their last real conversation, that once everything was said that needed to be, their long-standing friendship would crumble, leaving him alone again. If that was the case, Severus was going to make the best of it.

"In my dealings with the Dark Lord, Dumbledore had always been my only confidant, at least he was until he betrayed me," Severus continued. "At this point, I've all but taken the Headmaster's place, and they're coming to me of all people for guidance." He snorted derisively. "A year ago, they wouldn't listen to a word I had to say, now most of the staff, with the exception of the Headmaster's core supporters, are looking at me to make things right. As if I even know what right is, much less how to rectify anyone else's mistakes. I've been a Death Eater. I've switched sides several times in the course my short, morally ambiguous existence. I am not much of a guiding hand in anything."

His friend was about to speak, but paused when a house-elf showed up, carrying a tray with chocolate cake and a pot of strong coffee. The elf placed the tray on the table and left.

"It sounds like they're looking to you, because of the way you've been conducting yourself, more than anything," Argus observed. "I always thought that Dumbledore only became a larger than life figure because he acted like it. You want my advice, fake it, they'll never notice the difference."

"As if it were that easy," rejoined Severus, pouring himself a cup of coffee and adding excessive amounts of sugar to it.

"I never said it would be easy," Argus pointed out. "These days, I doubt anybody knows what's right. Deep down, they know that you're just as lost as they are. What makes you different is that you know what's wrong. You've seen what power and obsession can do to people and you're still here. So pretend to be wise all you want, and let them decide whether or not to fool themselves into believing it."

Severus let out a little laugh at the honest direct statement, remembering again why they used to talk about the mutual difficulties they had with the outside world. In his experience, the only people who had ever seriously understood outsiders had been ones at some point. He listened to Argus silently wonder, if in all of Severus' meetings with the Headmaster, the old man had ever made him genuinely laugh.

"Once, long ago, when I first turned myself in to Albus," Severus answered his friend's unspoken question, staring into his cup while dwelling on the vivid memory. Patiently waiting for him to continue, Argus remained respectfully silent. "For some reason, he's never again had quite the same effect on me. Oh, how Albus used to endeavor to recapture that spirit which he had seen that one time. I was never quite sure why..."

Severus trailed off as his mind started to drift, wishing that he could share these thoughts with Zachary, but the idea of doing so terrified him. He didn't want to scare away his new companion; nevertheless he felt that, in the long run, keeping secrets was going to hurt them more.

"I'm sure you've noticed how close Zachary and I have become since he arrived," Severus moved on. "It happened while I was sick from the overdose of Gray magic saturating my body after Virginia's magical fever. During that time Zachary had been determined to care for me, and I was too weakened to stop him."

"Gray magic can be toxic?" Argus asked with concern.

"To my knowledge, only in amounts that can't be readily dissipated," Severus explained, cutting himself a piece of chocolate cake and slowly began consuming it. He noticed Argus' discomfort over his conditional phrasing. "Remember, the three of us are an experiment. No human alive has any experience with the talents we now possess." Severus decided to continue his monologue before he convinced himself otherwise.

"As I was saying, nothing I did discouraged Zachary. If anything, my feeble attempts to stop him only made me an even more irresistible puzzle. I don't know how it happened, but we have grown attached to one another. It feels like... I've always known him, like Zachary is somehow a part of me that I didn't know was missing, or even existed for that matter. When I'm with him, I feel... I don't know what I feel. I just know I don't want it to stop. I want- no, I need him by my side. Of course, Dumbledore knows more about our connection than we do. So what else is new? Unfortunately for both of us, he's a Past Seer. The only way to ensure that he'll never discover my ugly history the hard way is to expose him to it myself. I've reached the point where I'm unhinged enough to actually want to do it. And yet, I doubt I could bear it if showing Zachary the truth drove him to forsake me."

Severus took in an unsteady breath, scarcely recognizing as his own, the emotion creeping into his tone. Thinking about his revelation, he didn't know what force had possessed him to utter something so... dangerous. Argus seemed just as surprised at his words as he was. It didn't take someone with The Sight to see that the man was dying to comment.

"Go on," Severus urged. "You know you want to say it."

"Are you sure you want to hear it?" Argus asked.

"Just tell me what you think it means," he replied irritably, drinking the remainder of his coffee.

"I hate to break it to you, Severus, but it sounds like you're falling in love," Argus announced, candidly.

Severus choked on his drink. Just by looking at his friend's expression, he could tell that Argus was serious. Having trouble grasping the direct statement, Severus considered it. He actually believes that I'm falling in love with Zachary Montgomery, who, as the universe's cruel sense of humor would have it, just happens to be a Malfoy.

"That's a rather strong term," Severus sputtered, coughing.

"But an apt one," Argus maintained.

"I think you've been inhaling that magic floor cleaner you're so fond of too often," Severus responded defensively.

Argus laughed.

"I fail to see what's so amusing," Severus protested coldly.

"Get your head out of the gutter, man, not all love expresses itself physically," Argus admonished him. "Over the years you haven't had much in the way of emotional attachments but, if you keep going the way you have been, you're going to discover that there are a lot of different ways to connect with somebody. For example, the parental connection you hold with your precious Virginia."

"So you know about that?" Severus muttered.

"By now, everyone does," Argus chuckled. "Face it, you haven't made your caring for the girl much of a secret, and in your position, that puts you at a disadvantage. Your enemies know they can use her to get to you, which makes your continued vigilance paramount."

"Yes, it does," sighed Severus, cutting himself a second slice of cake. "I can understand now why Dumbledore was so afraid of relinquishing his position in any way. It's a great responsibility to bear, more than any one person should try to handle without assistance. Minerva, Zachary, Remus, Filius, even Hagrid have been helping me shoulder the burden. And I know that, no matter what I do, they will have to vanquish the Dark Lord without me."

"You make it sound like you know you're not going to make it," said Argus, cautiously, as Severus got himself more coffee.

"According to one of Virginia's visions, I won't," revealed Severus, refusing to look his friend in the eye. He knew what Argus' reaction would be, because it was the same as the one he had when first learning of it. Severus cut off the stream of questions and refusals with a raise of his hand. "Virginia showed me the vision herself. In a few months' time I will be found out, probably by one of Lucius' agents, lured into a trap at Malfoy Manor, tortured for information, and then executed by Voldemort. My apprentice insists that there is still time, but if she hasn't seen a way out of it by now..."

"Then you aren't training the girl as your accomplice, you're training her as your replacement," Argus realized. "No wonder you're terrified of allowing her to depend on you too much. You want Weasley to be able to stand on her own. That is the noblest... and the stupidest thing I have ever heard! What kind of example do you think you're setting, acting like that? Even if you are going to croak later, she needs your support in the present. This..." Argus shook his head. "This isn't you. You can't go on doubting your choices like this. Just waiting to die won't do anyone any good, Severus, you least of all. If there is no escaping it, then give your remaining days your all. Show your apprentice what it is to fight and, if necessary, to die the way you live. The Severus Snape I knew wouldn't give in to the supposed inevitable lightly. He would fight death every step of the way, spitting and cursing, making the Reaper pay for every inch of space. Why make now any different?"

"I am no longer that man," he admitted. "I've changed."

"Join the club," Argus scoffed. "Over time we all change. And, while you may not have much control over who you are, you do have power over who you will become. You are a survivor and that never has to change!"

Argus' response felt like being doused with a bucket of ice water. As the words sunk in he came to the realization that his old friend had a point. Severus hadn't even been aware that he was permitting the possibilities to get to him. He had spent the week merely lurching from one disaster to the next, barely taking time to catch his breath before dealing with the next problem. By refusing to delegate more, he was falling into the same trap as Dumbledore. Taking responsibility for others, as well as himself, was truly a treacherous affair, one that was going to take some getting used to.

"Perhaps, hearing a fresh perspective on the sordid state of things isn't such a terrible idea after all," remarked Severus. "Speaking of ideas, Virginia has come up with more breakthroughs in a week, than the whole wizarding world has in decades..."

*~*~*

Neville walked along with Rebecca and Annika as Professor Montgomery escorted them to Ginny's chamber. Neville knew that Annika was bound to be angry with him in the morning, assuming that she was back to normal by then. The Professor knocked on Ginny's door but didn't get an answer. Just as he was about to knock again, she opened it.

"Sorry I kept you waiting, I was defocusing," apologized Ginny, letting them in.

Ginny's weird familiar watched them as they entered the room. He noticed that each of their trunks had been placed at the foot of cots set up for them next to Ginny's bed.

"That's quite alright, Miss Weasley," Professor Montgomery said, quickly introducing the girls.

"Defocusing?" Rebecca wondered.

Ginny tried to explain what she meant to the other Gryffindor, while Neville and Annika checked to see if all their stuff was there.

"Do you have everything?" the teacher asked.

"Doesn't look like anything's missing," Annika reported.

"Yeah, me too," Neville agreed.

"Good, then I'll leave you to get better aquatinted," Professor Montgomery said. They bid the teacher good night as he left, closing the door behind him. Annika sat on her cot, and began pulling schoolbooks out of her backpack.

"Did the Professor seem a little tense to you?" Annika inquired.

"Of course he's tense, Annika!" Rebecca blurted out. "Montgomery's been teaching here for less than a week and already he's dealing with serious problems. What's wrong? You've been acting odd since dinner."

"I am not behaving oddly," Annika insisted, smiling pleasantly at her. "Relax, there is nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?" Ginny echoed, gazing at him funny. "Neville, something tells me that she doesn't normally act like this. What happened?"

"Before the magical storm, Annika had bought into Ron's lies," Neville explained. "But after the truth came out, she came to her senses and she's been helping Harry and me ever since. Annika was kinda afraid of meeting you, so I, sort of, made her calm. Now, nothing bothers her. I guess I overdid it."

Both Ginny and Rebecca laughed.

"She is gonna kill you when she gets back to normal," Rebecca giggled.

"I would never hurt you for wanting to cheer me up, and I'm feeling much better now," Annika assured him. "After all, you're my friend, Neville, you would never hurt me."

"You made her emotional state the exact opposite of what it was," Ginny surmised, watching Annika. "Professor Montgomery was right, she'll be back to normal in a couple of hours."

"How do you know what the Professor told me?" Neville asked, startled.

Ginny shrugged, joining them as Rebecca and Neville sat down together on the sofa. They talked about anything and everything but their present situation. Annika chimed in on and off, amusing them to no end, and even Ix Chel spoke up when a topic caught her interest. It felt like old times for him, like they were just some friends and housemates sharing stories in the Gryffindor common room. For a little while, he was able to forget that Ginny wasn't in Gryffindor anymore, and that the common room was gone. It was nice to feel normal again. Some time later, Annika finished her homework.

"You guys better get started with your homework, if you want to finish it tonight," Annika suggested.

Checking the time, Rebecca agreed. "She's right. I guess I should be going now. I just don't know how I'm going to get through all that Arithmancy homework."

"My magic's been weird and stuff, but I could help you," Ginny offered. "I'm good at Arithmancy."

"Would you?" Rebecca pleaded. "Oh, I left my backpack in my room. I'll go get it."

"No need to," Ginny stopped her. "Can you visualize where you left it?"

"Sure, why?" the third year wondered.

"You'll see," Ginny claimed, closing her eyes. "There, found it!"

Rebecca's bag appeared on the table in a pulse of blue-white light.

"Amazing," Rebecca gasped. "But I thought you couldn't Apparate things inside of Hogwarts."

"That wasn't Apparition," attested Neville, as she opened her eyes again. "Ginny, what did you do?"

"For a moment I made the two spaces become one," Ginny cryptically answered.

"Okay," Neville said slowly, deciding to give up while he was ahead.

"That sounds like a Merlin quote," Rebecca recognized. "Have you been studying him?"

"People keep saying that," Ginny griped. "Look, I just talk like this. Why don't we get started?"

"Don't you have any homework, Ginny?" Neville asked.

"No, The Professors haven't given me any yet," she replied.

"You think you could help me with mine?" Neville requested.

"Sure," Ginny said.

As they got to work, he watched Ginny make beginning Arithmancy look like child's play. By the time she was done helping Rebecca, even Neville understood what she was talking about. Oddly, he found the overall subject incredibly interesting, and somehow, fun. Seeing how many ways it could be applied, he now knew why Hermione loved the subject. Ginny read his mind and smiled.

"Maybe you should try taking on Arithmancy as an elective," Ginny suggested.

"I'll think about it," Neville decided. He noticed that Ix Chel had nodded off some time during the course of the discussion. "Now, I don't quite get how this spell is pronounced."

While Ginny explained what he was doing wrong, he saw her create a cylinder of blue-white energy, drawing the air molecules into it. Then, she transfigured the gathered mass into a glass of ice water. Stunned by what she did, he openly gaped at her. Ginny stared back at him quizzically.

"Amazing," Neville whispered in awe.

"What exactly did you see?" Ginny wanted to know.

Neville described it to her.

"You could see all of that?" Ginny pressed, surprised at him.

"Yeah," Neville replied sheepishly.

"Must have something to do with your Sight," Ginny murmured.

"Professor Montgomery gave me this tome to study, but I don't understand why," Neville said, handing her the book.

Ginny started to read at an astounding speed until she finished and the handed it back to him.

"I can see why he would assign this," Ginny considered. "With this, you could learn to hone your talent. If you want I could help you understand it."

"I would like that," Neville agreed.

"Hey, what do you know about Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Annika asked.

The three Gryffindors shared equally surprised expressions.

"I've been having trouble with the subject," she added quickly.

*~*~*

Melinda Mulciber tread soundlessly through the deserted corridors of the school, bound for the library, wearing an assortment of enchantments to conceal her presence. By now, the school's inhabitants were safely tucked away sound asleep in their dorms. Except for the fools just begging to be caught, playing in arenas they had no business entering, and students like her, who knew how to correctly play the games of the endlessly restless. The Professors thought they were so clever, that they were actually catching the majority of their delinquent children, but, in reality, all they did was weed out the unlucky, the inexperienced, and the stupid. Even the Slytherin and Ravenclaw Professors, who'd probably played these games themselves, at one point or another, often missed them. Although, she was never sure whether the chosen few from those houses, which Dumbledore had so magnanimously employed, merely played along to keep the students on their toes. She wouldn't dare put anything past them. Melinda had a fair idea of what hoops they had to jump through, on a daily basis, for the Headbastard's benefit.

She entered the library. Just inside, she stopped long enough to survey her surroundings. The place seemed empty, but something told her to remain on guard. Not trusting anything in these unpredictable times, Melinda drew her wand before continuing on her errand to the Restricted Section. She found the book she had been working on without difficulty, then proceeded towards the back, where she could study in peace. Melinda stopped when she realized that she wasn't alone, noticing a light from a small lantern in the distance just as the proximity charm went off. She carefully blended in with the shadows of the bookshelves before her fellow intruder noticed that anything was amiss. This intruder had to be bold to use that setup. Should she allow her curiosity to rule her in this instance, and stay, or would it be better to play it safe and retreat? Her mother always told her that, when in doubt about acting, to go ahead. It was better to do something and be wrong than to let fear rule you and do nothing.

She crept towards the source of the lamplight, determined to discover what the mysterious visitor was up to. When she was close enough to observe properly, she raised an eyebrow in interest. She recognized the other wanderer, Ginny's little friend, Mark Dippet. She holstered her wand, continuing to observe the Ravenclaw. Mark sat hunched over a large tome, undoubtedly researching something illicit. He adjusted his silver and green-rimmed wire frame glasses, as he wrote in a large journal, bound in an elegant red leather cover. She drew closer to the unhappy Ravenclaw to peer over his shoulder, but quickly returned to the safety of the shadows when he stood and went into the stacks, cursing under his breath. Once she was sure he was gone, she quickly moved to the table where he had been working, put down her own book, and cautiously examined his journal. It was filled with notes on the Dark Arts! What a fascinating surprise... He must be good to have hidden his true nature so well that even she believed he was nothing more than another mindless automaton of the Light. A Dippet who was a Dark Wizard? Who would've thought? Examining his summations in greater detail, she frowned. Mark's been learning without a guide, and, if this is any indication, he sorely needs one. He was stumbling around on a slippery slope, one that will certainly damage him if he isn't careful.

How Mark how reacted after losing a measure of Ginny's trust suddenly had a very interesting context. He's been stewing over the Chimera incident for days now, he practically begged Alexis to talk to Ginny on his behalf, now this. He's been after the unattainable for some time, a girl who isn't even remotely interested in anything beyond friendship or fellowship. Poor, poor, Mark, his crush is angry with him for not trusting her judgement. He is in trouble if he believes that throwing himself into his Dark studies is somehow the answer, as if Dark spells will give him courage he doesn't already possess. She mentally snorted. When will people learn that there is so much more to being Dark than scary tomes and deadly curses? It was wizards like him who snapped and gave in to their own delusions of grandeur. Although, for the uninitiated, he is progressing well... Perhaps, it was time to show Mark the true nature of the Dark. That idea had so many alluring possibilities to it. Melinda heard the sounds of his muffled footsteps returning. Deciding to end this charade and take the plunge, she dispelled all the enchantments surrounding her, except one. Mark froze when he saw her, the ghostly light accenting his startled, angered features.

"If you're looking for courage, you're not going to find it in here," Melinda began, lightly tapping her fingernails against his journal.

Mark's anger noticeably increased, and she could sense a tinge of Darkness in the Ravenclaw's response to her words, confirming her suspicions.

"What do you think you're doing with that?" Mark sneered, an imposing malevolence entering his demeanor.

"It was careless of you to simply leave this lying around, where anyone could find it, even if you thought you were alone," she chided. "Or has Virginia Weasley clouded that great Ravenclaw intellect of yours?"

She noted his initial surprise with satisfaction. But, in a heartbeat, it turned into white-hot anger, mitigated only by the fear that his secrets were in her hands.

Advancing on her, Mark snarled. "Give me that back!"

A sadistic smirk played on Melinda's lips as she backed away at his pace, allowing him to back her into the bookshelves. He grabbed her painfully by the shoulders, opening his mouth to make threats and demands, but she beat him to it.

"I'm not here to expose you, Mark," she attested smoothly. "You would never have seen it coming, if that was what I wanted. I am here to offer my services, as guide in the Dark Arts."

"Guide?" Mark scoffed. "What could I possibly need you for?"

"Many things... for one, someone is coming our way, and I don't think they're a fellow wanderer," Melinda warned him, listening to the proximity charm go off a second time.

Mark turned away, cursing under his breath, when he heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching.

"We have to get out of here," Mark quietly urged, letting go of her.

"Too late," she said in a hush, hastily blowing out the lantern. She took out her wand and used a cooling spell on the lantern to hide how recently it had been used. "Only one way out now..."

Melinda grabbed Mark by the arm and pinned him to a wall, keeping the Ravenclaw's journal between them. She leaned in as closely as she could, casting a small concealment ward around them.

"Don't move, don't even breathe," she ordered into his chest.

They remained absolutely still, hoping to wait out the teacher. Enjoying their close contact, she could feel his heart beating. When their gazes met, sparks flew between them. Taking in all the little details she'd never let herself notice before, she reevaluated the Dark Ravenclaw. At first glance, he seemed so average. But, on close scrutiny, there was something about him, something different. From what she could see in the shadows, Mark's face was still flushed with anger and worry, adding to the fire she had seen when he threatened her.

Melinda silently decided that making the offer was definitely a good idea, for more reasons than one. With some work, she could cultivate him, mold him into something special for the Dark, and who knows what that could lead to... Mark's family is with the Light, but we could always work around that. A Mulciber and Dippet together? Certainly stranger things have happened, not often, but still...

"I think he's gone," Mark whispered, looking around. Melinda nodded, reluctantly pulling away, still holding his journal.

"I think we have overstayed our welcome," Melinda said, glancing in the direction of the door. "But we may have to remain for awhile anyway. If he suspects something, he could be waiting outside the library."

"There's more value to you than I had assumed," he acknowledged, sizing her up. "Tell me, young Mulciber, why do you want to help me?"

"You have Ginny's ear-" she began.

"You mean 'had'," Mark coldly corrected her. "Besides, nothing you can say will ever make me betray her. I've lost face - not my sense of loyalty."

"I wouldn't dream of damaging either of you," Melinda asserted. "From what I've already seen, you do have potential. Is that reason enough for you?"

"It's a start," Mark cautiously replied.

"If you want my opinion on your... situation with Ginny, I think she'll forgive you," Melinda said. "She's too fair-minded not to. At present, Ginny is probably just too busy trying to get through this week alive."

"And, I'm not one of her priorities... again," Mark muttered under his breath.

Melinda drew closer until they were practically touching.

"Face it, Ginny will never see you as anything more than one of the girls," she whispered. "I guess you can't blame a girl for not being interested..."

She leaned in, lightly kissing him on the lips.

"...any more than you can blame a girl for taking an interest," Melinda finished with a low throaty tone.

"You don't know anything about Ginny, about either of us," Mark growled, backing away. "You Dark Slytherins are all the same. You think you can just waltz in and take what you want! If you want my advice, I suggest you get your facts straight before you do something you'll regret. Nothing you do or say will ever undermine my friendship with her. What do you think I am, blind? I know she's not interested, but that doesn't change a thing. If Ginny has taught me anything, it's that nothing is impossible."

"I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry," she apologized, trying to recapture the moment.

"Give me one good reason to believe you, Mulciber," he challenged tersely.

"I swear on the grave of my most honored ancestor, Rowena Ravenclaw, that I will never undermine your relationship with Virginia Weasley," Melinda swore to him, knowing that once she said it, there was no going back. "You have nothing to fear from me, Mark. But, you have everything to fear from what you may become without guidance. If you won't choose me, then, for your own sake, choose someone else. Consider carefully, but don't take too long. We could become a formidable team. When you have an answer, you know where to find me."

She returned his journal to him.

"You are serious," Mark granted.

"Would I make such a dangerous pledge if I weren't?" Melinda reasoned.

She turned to leave.

"Wait," said Mark, somewhat calmer. "I know of a better way out of here, follow me."

He led her to a secret passageway hidden behind a set of bookshelves.

"I guess there are things we can teach each other," Melinda commented, letting him lead the way.

They walked in silence, until they reached the end of the line. Mark stared at her strangely, unquestionably considering the possibilities.

"I'll allow you to assist me in my studies, but never try to make me choose between you and Ginny," Mark warned. "I promise, you will lose."

"Fair enough," Melinda agreed, holding out her hand.

A genuine smile crept on to her face as Mark took her hand. She didn't have a single doubt in her mind that the journey ahead of them was going to be a memorable one.

__________
TBC