Chapter 7
"Um, Kiersten?" Hermione called out hesitantly around an hour later, poking her bushy head inside the room. "I'm to tell you that I'll be your new partner for your potions experiment with the Felix Felicis potion." She stepped in, hearing the other girl crying. "Kiersten, is…everything okay?"
"No, nothing is okay." She stated between quiet sobs, clutching her pillow even tighter to her chest. "When is it due?" She asked, slowly sitting up, wiping her pathetic tears away. She wanted to focus on something else besides her father, Harry; anything besides those two would suffice.
"Next month, this is good because that's how long it'll take to brew. You already have the supplies in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom." Hermione said kindly, procuring a handkerchief and passing it to Kiersten. She had a feeling she knew what the tears were for, but didn't say anything, knowing better then to push.
"That's actually a project Potter and I was supposed to do together, but we can use them. I don't care." She slowly stood up from the bed, wiping her tears away, and pulled her robes on as the tears just kept falling. "Come on, let's start it since we don't have much time to waste." With that, she walked out of the room.
"I know." Hermione admitted, following her. "Harry is the one who suggested I take his place since you two are…on the outs." She said delicately, wringing her hands nervously. "You were making the lucky potion together, now you and I are. Snape has already given his consent on it."
"Oh-yeah right." She sounded distant, not really focused on the matter, and raked a hand through her hair. "Hermione, just do it on your own if you wish. I don't need the extra credit. Just…stay away from me." She advised and walked away, tearing a hand through her hair this time as more tears fell. This was going to be harder than she thought.
"Well I would," Hermione began quietly. "But Professor Snape is expecting us both to do it, not just one." She stared at Kiersten's retreating back and frowned. "Kiersten, did you hear me?"
She didn't listen to Hermione and simply walked away, knowing she'd either get Harry or force Ron to do it. She couldn't be partnered with anyone, not wanting to get too closet o them to where her father could use them against her as leverage. She sighed, her head beginning to throb, and decided a nice walk is what she needed. 'Maybe I should switch houses.' She thought, groaning when she realized that was impossible. "I'm screwed."
"Cho's out of the hospital ward." Luna announced to Kiersten the following morning as they walked towards their respective classes, ignoring Kiersten's demands that she be left alone. "She swears up and down that you somehow stole Harry from her. She's really angry." For once, Luna wasn't acting loony.
"She can have him." Kiersten muttered, not really interested in hearing about Cho at the moment, and kept walking even when Luna stopped. Why couldn't people just leave her alone? That's what she wanted was to be left completely alone so her father couldn't hurt anyone. She was protecting them, didn't they understand that? With a sigh, Kiersten headed off to her next class, ignoring Cho as they passed each other in the halls of Hogwarts.
Smirking, Cho turned around and walked up to Kiersten. "I'm really sorry to hear about you and Harry." She said, patting Kiersten on the shoulder. Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction and triumph before she walked away again, joining her crowd of friends and disappeared.
Eyes glistening with tears, Kiersten just turned and ran down the hallways, allowing them to flow down her cheeks, not believing what was happening. Her and Harry didn't break up because they were never together! Why did everyone insist on torturing her about this? 'Maybe it's time I just run.' She thought miserably and headed to her next class, wanting to get this day done and over with.
Professor Snape was waiting at the door for her and held out his arm, preventing her from entering his classroom. "Miss Riddle, tonight you will join Mr. Potter and myself for your Remedial Potions class." He said firmly, staring down at her. He leaned down so they were almost nose to nose. "The Headmaster is away for the evening and has asked that I begin your new lessons."
Kiersten looked back at him through tear-filled eyes and stepped away from him. "No, I'm not doing it." She stated defiantly, squaring her shoulders, knowing it would hurt worse with Snape as her teacher. "I'll just wait for the Headmaster to return, sir." She wasn't about to let this happen, no bloody way in Hell!
"You don't have a choice, Miss Riddle." Snape said in a dangerous tone of voice. "That'll be ten points from Gryffindor and detention on Saturday. Now find your seat before I make it twenty points and a month of detention."
Harry damn near walked into Kiersten at that moment. "Sorry!"
Something suddenly snapped inside Kiersten as she clenched her fists at her sides. "FINE, DO IT, YOU EGOTISTICAL BASTARD!" She exploded, her face reddened, her entire body trembling with anger, not even caring if Harry just bumped into her. She wasn't about to be forced into doing something she wasn't prepared for and had heard personally exactly how Snape treated his so called "special" students.
Everyone in class just gaped at her in shock.
Snape drew himself up to his full height, aware everyone was now waiting to see what he would do. "Miss Riddle, kindly place yourself at the front of the class. You will stand there during the duration of lessons- and might I remind you, this is a double class- then tonight you will begin your DETENTION. Fifty points from Gryffindor and you'll be spending every night for the rest of the term doing the most unpleasant things, I can assure you. Be ready to disembowel toads."
"GO SCREW YOURSELF, SNAPE!" She spat hatefully in return and rushed out of the classroom, not caring at the moment. She just wanted out as the tears spilled down her cheeks, wondering what was going on with her.
That's my girl. That's a VERY good girl. Now get on your broom and come to me, Beautiful One.
The voice crooned to her, causing her to shake her head, refusing to do as it beckoned. She knew she was probably going to be expelled for what she just pulled and it was all because of this damn voice in her head. "STOP IT!" She cried out once she arrived alone in the woods, dropping to her knees, and started sobbing violently.
"Nobody so much as twitch or you'll all share the same fate as Miss Riddle." Snape snarled, storming out of the dungeons, where his classroom was located.
"She's lost her bloody mind!" Ron said, sounding half in awe, half in worry.
"If that isn't the truth of it." Harry murmured, tempted to chase after her. He looked down to find Hermione's hand on his wrist, as if she knew what was going through his head, and sighed.
Kiersten shook her head as she ran further into the woods, needing to get away from everything, and finally stopped when the voice just intensified in her mind as she curled up in a fetal position. She breathed in and out heavily, trying to get the pain to stop, hearing footsteps. "Please just stop, father. I can't take it anymore." She pleaded, squeezing her hands around her head, and gripped her hair tightly in her hands. "You already got me in trouble with Professor Snape. Just leave me alone!" She cried out harder, trembling as she could feel him stab further inside her mind.
"You realize, Miss Riddle that it is not safe to be out here." Snape said slowly, approaching her. He frowned, crouching down and pressed his wand against her forehead, sighing before murmuring an incantation. "Is that any better?"
The pain had stopped as the tears flowed from her eyes, causing her to slowly open them, and stared up at him, nodding as she burst out in a fit of sobs. "I-I'm sorry…I-It w-wasn't m-me…I-I w-would never…" She was crying so hard she was hiccupping, wrapping her arms around her legs, and shook her head back and forth, wondering what was happening to her.
Sighing, Snape helped her up, looking mildly disgusted with her tears, but didn't say anything. "Come on, back to the castle. You need bed rest. And tonight, we'll start your lessons. You need them desperately." He sounded actually concerned, which he was. He had never seen a possession this bad in a very, very long time.
"Please don't punish the Gryffindor's for what happened. It was out of my control." She pleaded with him softly as he guided her back to the castle, not able to stop trembling, feeling the voice lurking in the back of her mind. He was there. She could feel it and cried harder, burying her face in her hands. This was the reason why she was keeping everyone, especially Harry, away from her.
"Blocking people out will only make it worse. If he can't use you, he'll seek to bring you to him." Snape said briskly, his hand wrapped firmly around Kiersten's upper arm as he guided her to the castle. "You'll have to associate with someone. Perhaps your friend Miss Lovegood? There's nothing in her mind that would interest the Dark Lord I'm sure."
"But I don't want to hurt her." She murmured softly, the tears finally subsiding as they walked upstairs to her chambers, and knew she was going to get doused with a sleeping potion. She sat down on her bed, her wand in her lap, and felt the Professor feeling around in her mind. "I don't want anyone hurt because of me, Professor." She said, trying not to start crying again, but knew it was inevitable. "Especially Harry Potter."
"Potter is more then capable of taking care of himself, Miss Riddle." Snape said, waving his wand and with a pop his black potions bag appeared on her dresser. His profile to her, he took out several vials and began to mix them in a beaker. "I'm mixing you something similar to a Draught of Peace. It'll calm you down, then we'll talk before you sleep." He explained, finally holding it out to her.
"T-talk?" She questioned, taking the vile he handed her, and with a deep breath downed it, coughing as it burned down her esophagus. "Bloody Hell, what is that?" She demanded, coughing more, and slowly laid down, the potion already working wonders as she looked straight up at the ceiling. "Harry…" She whispered before her eyes closed, allowing the potion to work its magic.
Snape watched as Kiersten relaxed under the potion, quirking an eyebrow. "Harry? What about him?" He asked, moving to mix the sleeping potion. "You're afraid for Harry." He had a hard time saying Potter's given name, but forced himself to do it.
"Yes. I'm afraid of what my…father…will do to him through me." She softly answered, feeling more relaxed than she had in ages, and remained laying there. "I-I don't want him to get hurt and I know my father is planning something to get to him through me. Does that make any sense?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, not really caring if it did or not, but didn't want to sound like a complete idiot.
"It does." Snape said quietly, lighting a contained fire under the beaker and letting it simmer, turning to face Kiersten. "Harry has taken your…father, on before, many times and won. The Dark Lord has even tried to possess him, did you know that?" He studied her face intently.
"No, I didn't." She answered softly, slowly sitting up, and looked back at Professor Snape with an incredulous look on her face. "Just like this?" She questioned, not believing Harry wouldn't tell her. How could he let her go through this and not tell her that he'd gone through the exact same thing? The thought made fresh tears sting her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "He didn't tell me a thing about it."
"I would imagine there's a lot Potter hasn't told you." Snape was trying his hardest not to be biased because the girl needed honesty right now, not his hatred for Potter. "He's…He tries to keep quiet about his life because he gets enough attention as it is. That and I would assume he doesn't want to worry you anymore then you already are."
"That only worries me further though." She said angrily, though she was still calm due to the potion, and raked a hand through her hair hastily. "If he's gone through this exact same thing, then he could've helped me prevent this before it got so out of hand." She sighed bitterly, clenching her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms.
"I believe Mr. Potter has tried to help you." Snape said, checking his potion. "He urged you to seek Dumbledore the minute you discovered something was wrong." He eyed her shrewdly. "How do you expect him to trust you when you don't obviously trust him?"
"How can I trust someone who clearly wants to keep things form me, such as what you just told me, Professor? I have Voldemort's blood running through me and he's trying to use me to get to Harry. I can't trust anyone right now to be blunt." She stated, crossing her arms in front of her chest, and raked a hand through her hair. "My trust for him didn't exactly soar when he refused to tell me about his past with Voldemort either so this isn't just my fault." She was being brutally honest, due to the potion, and refused to meet Snape's eyes.
Snape nodded, making a clucking noise with his tongue. "Maybe he hasn't revealed all that much information to you, Miss Riddle, because he knows the Dark Lord is trying to use you to get to him? Maybe he's trying not to give you the-pardon the phrase-ammo the Dark Lord needs? Have you considered this?"
She nodded, understanding that, but Voldemort couldn't use the fact that Harry had gone through the same thing she was! She sighed heavily and leaned back against the wall, folding her hands in her lap. "Thank you…for whatever you did in the woods. You're not as bad as people say you are." She said with a small smile and yawned, suddenly feeling exhausted from the potion. "Is there anything else you wanted to talk about, Professor?"
Snape was mixing the brew now. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I had one more question for you." He said slowly. "When the Dark Lord is in your mind, what does he tell you to do? What does he make you feel?" He turned back to her, the potion clasped firmly in one hand, his eyes meeting hers.
She looked up to meet his eyes directly, knowing she couldn't pull away, and took a deep breath. "He calls me Beautiful One, tells me to do things, and it's almost as if I can't control my own body at times, such as using the Cruciatus Curse on Cho Chang. That was him and then when I exploded in your classroom earlier, that was him as well. He knows you're going to try to help me and he told me that I was a very good girl for doing his bidding." She teared up at the mere memory and lowered her head. "I'm deeply sorry, Professor, I would never do such a thing…"
"Most students wouldn't." Snape said dryly. "Here Miss Riddle, drink this. It will put you to sleep for a good twenty-four hours, by which time, the Headmaster will be back. Then you will begin working directly with him to cut this connection." Snape got a wondering gleam in his eyes, suddenly looking curious.
"Thank you, sir." She murmured softly, taking the potion from him, and downed it, trying not to feel sick at the taste. She slowly laid back down, the potion working wonders, and before her eyes closed, she pressed her hand to her heart, murmuring one name. "Harry…" With that, she fell into unconsciousness, into darkness.