Chapter 11 The Ladies of Beauxbatons
Time had passed on and now it was the fourth year for Draco and his friends and Harry along with his friends. The boys had never become friends, and more than likely never would, though they had more in common than they knew in regards to a certain Guardian Angel. Severus was as harsh and as strict as usual, but this year would bring challenges that he would never expect. Now the Headmaster was making his announcement after Mad-eye-Moody had arrived making everyone gasp in fear. Severus rolled his eyes and looked down to his empty plate as his stomach growled hungrily.
He clapped along with the other professors as the announcement was brought forward to the students and rolled his eyes at their excitement knowing that this only meant more work for him. Classes were a dull repetition of teaching idiot students how to brew without blowing themselves and half of the castle off of the map. "As I was saying , we have the Honor of hosting an exciting even to over the school year. We will be playing host to the Triwizard tournament this year," Headmaster Dumbledore announced. Severus zoned out as the Headmaster droned on about the Tournament, thinking that he'd very much like to get his duties over with and retire to his bed.
The months passed by excruciatingly slowly for everyone until the Evening of October thirtieth when the visiting Schools Durmstrangs and Beauxbatons would be arriving. The students all were grouped into lines by house and year and were led out to the front of the school as the other schools arrived with their students and Headmistress and headmaster along with at least one other professor to act as chaperone to the students. The Boys of Durmstrangs institute of Magic arrived first in their large ship with several sails and red flags flying upon the Black Lake, and then made their approach preforming dazzling spells and feats of acrobatics with large staffs made of wood that sparked as they hit the cobbled stone ground .
Professor Dumbledore greeted Headmaster Igor Karkarov as the students all whispered in shock over the fact that Quiddiitch star and seeker for the Bulgarian National team Victor Krum was a student of Durmstrangs. The students of Durmstrangs moved aside and stood at attention then, as Hagrid had to duck the massive powder blue carriage that flew from the sky towards the ground pulled by six massive Abraxan winged horses. All of the male students jaws dropped then, as the girls of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic stepped from the carriage and danced and twirled toward the school casting nonverbal and wandless magic as they moved.
Then came two last girls dancing together in a complicated routine before stopping and bowing with respect as the other girls all stood at attention shivering in the cold as Their Giant Headmistress Madam Olymp Maxine exited the carriage followed by an extremely pale skinned woman who was dressed from head to toe in flowing white robes with a delicate looking cloak of feathers wrapped around her shoulders with the hood of her cloak blocking the view of her face above the nose and lips. Harry and Draco's jaws dropped at the sight of the second woman, who looked so familiar, and Severus felt warm and strangely at peace.
It was almost as if the part of him that was missing had suddenly just popped back into place and he gaped like a fish as the witch in white removed her hood to reveal familiar silver eyes and a delicate face that was reminiscent of someone who he had not seen for years. "Thank you for the warm Welcome Eadmaster Dumbledore. Zis Iz my Potions Mistress and the best Ealer that Beauxbatons az ever ad. May I present Lady Angelic Windsong," said the large headmistress as she beckoned her potions mistress to her side?
"Welcome to Hogwarts ladies, please make yourselves at home, if there is anything that you will need it is at your disposal," Albus said as he kissed the hands of both women before escorting the heads of the school into the building.
"Venir avec mes petites dames," Lady Angelic called to the students who all filed into line behind her and seemed to float into the warmth of the school. Severus's eyes followed the graceful woman into the building as did the eyes of every boy in the school as the girls all moved out of their line of sight. Once the students had all reentered the great hall for the feast, the Girls from Beauxbatons and the boys from Durmstrangs took seats at the Slytherin table and the Ravenclaw table. The teachers then entered and took their seats followed by The headmaster of Durmstrangs and the Headmistress of Beauxbatons who followed Dumbledore.
Severus admired the discipline of the girls as they instantly stood at attention when their Headmistress and there Potions Mistress who Severus found himself dyeing to speak to for some reason entered the room and remained standing until both ladies had taken their seats. Lady Angelic stepped to the empty seat to Severus's left side and remained standing until the Headmistress had seated herself before she also took her seat. Upon closer inspection of the woman in white, Severus found that her robes were made exactly like his own but in white and fitted to a woman's body. He watched in a daze as the woman by his side listened to the Headmaster's speech and clapped along with her students softly .
Days passed and the four not three champions had been chosen, This year was going to be hell, and Severus dreaded what would come next. He felt as if he wanted to explode while on evening patrol, and suddenly smiled at the thought of catching a student out of bounds as the soft strings of violin music reached his ears. It seemed to be coming from the Astronomy tower, but when he slammed open the door and leapt out prepared to frighten whatever student was out of bed and out of bounds the tower was empty. He ran to the window and looked down again finding nothing, except for the music that seemed to flow over the school grounds bringing a sense of warmth and peace to him the longer that he listened to it.
Angel Stood at the top of the pointed roof of the astronomy tower with her wings outstretched playing her violin as if she could go to sleep. She could feel the presence of the one who was her other half, and smiled as she played a soothing tune filled with emotion hoping that it would help him to awaken and remember her. She had been surprised that he hadn't questioned her as to if they had met before now. Perhaps he had thought her dead and had forgotten her.. She played his favorite violin piece hoping that it would make him remember, and smiled as she could sense his heart rate pick up noticeably upon hearing the strings of Bittersweet Symphony as she danced around letting the music take control of her.
Severus turned again looking for the player of the music and suddenly felt light as air as if he wanted to dance. Knowing that nobody would see him prance around like a fool, he danced alone around the tower not knowing that he was moving in perfect rhythm and time with Angel's movements on the roof of the tower. What was this power that the music had over him? It was strange and familiar at the same time, and he suddenly found memories of Angel Miracle Hope Malfoy flooding into his mind lighting the darkness and making him feel hole and complete. The music stopped and he stood there shocked before shaking his head and returning to his patrol before returning to his bed and dreaming about her for the first time in years.
It was now two weeks before the first task of the Triwizard tournament, and Severus found himself drawn down to the dungeon classroom where Lady Angelic Windsong had set up her class room for her students. It was late and he could see the silvery fumes of her many brewing and simmering potions as she prepared for the next day's classes or perhaps brewed for herself. He knocked at the door lightly and waited for her to bid him enter before he stepped inside of what had become her domain. She brewed with the same grace and efficient motions that he himself moved with and he found himself staring at the sky blue ribbon that held her braided hair away from the potions that she brewed.
He stepped over to peer into the cauldron nearest to him and looked in at the perfectly brewed batch of Angels Trumpet draught that was now cooling. "Touch nothing, please, Potions Master. I've got everything exactly how I like it to be and need no assistance," she said in a soft French accent that wasn't as thick as Madam Maxine's as she worked without even looking away from her brewing.
"How did you know that it was me, Professor Windsong," he asked as he stepped around to where she could see him without turning away from what she was doing?
"Your robes smell of potions fumes, I can hear the rustle of your robes, and you've been wishing to speak with me since I arrived at this school. It isn't hard to now a fellow potions master, when they are near," she said looking up into his black eyes with a serene smile upon her face.
"So, I remind you of an old friend from your school days," she said as his thoughts swam easily before her silver eyes without his notice.
"You're a Ligilimense," he asked with a guarded expression darkening his face?
"Yes, and no. I can hear peoples thoughts as if they are my own. Yours are very clear to me. Clearer than any have ever been. You wish to ask me something do you not," Angelic asked with a smirk upon her face as she extinguished the flames under her cauldron for it to cool and moved to check upon the other two that she had brewing?
"Yes, I feel like we've met before, but I know that I've never met anyone named Windsong before now. Is Windsong your true name or are you hiding something from everyone," Severus asked with suspicion lacing his voice?
"I'm not a death eater spy, Potions Master, and I'm not dangerous. Can you say the same about yourself and headmaster Kakorov," she said as she unbuttoned her tight sleeve cuff and rolled it up to reveal her white blemish and mark free arm? Severus didn't know what to say to her comment and he frowned as she turned away from him and started to ladle her finished potions into crystal phials. "May I suggest that if you find me threatening that you take your leave as I have other things to do. I need healing potions and salves incase my schools champion is in need of them and I trust none that aren't brewed personally by myself. As a fellow potions master, I'm certain that you feel the same about your own potions. Good evening Potions Master," she said waving her hand making the door open giving him a very clear cue to leave.
Every night Severus could hear the strings of the violin playing and he felt at peace just sitting for as long as it played into the night listening. He had even gone as far as to step outside and stare up to the top of the tower, but he saw nothing. The music continued to play and each time that he summoned a broom and flew up to the roof of the tower the music seemed louder there but he saw nothing. The first time that he did this, the music had abruptly stopped and his eyes fell as the happy melody had made him feel joyful and free from his worries while it played. He tried to get closer to the player of the music and even tried to cancel any disillusionment charms upon anyone who would be hiding there only for the music to stop and the feeling of depression would sink back in.
One night before the first task was to take place, he sat under a disillusionment charm on the roof letting his legs dangle off of the edge as the wind blew and he could smell the sweet scent of Vanilla and Sugar as if filled his nostrils making the memories flood his mind of the girl who had left him in the darkness to face the world alone, the one who he now felt was haunting him for some strange reason. Lucius and Narcissa had admitted to him that they believed that the ghost of Lucius's sister Angel was haunting them and protecting them since Draco's birth. He sighed as the scent seemed to be growing fainter and looked up at the star filled sky and called out hoping that her spirit would hear him.
"Angel, please if you are here, don't leave. I've felt lost without your light in my world. Please if you can hear me, I need to speak to you," he said softly and suddenly the scent seemed stronger and he felt warm as if he was wrapped in a cloak of thick fur. The wind blew and he thought that he could hear a whisper just behind his ear.
"When angels of light and darkness are parted, tis when the first war shall be started. If her virtue he has not taken, His true power shall not awaken. When angels of darkness and light reunite, They're combined strength aid he who must win the fight! Severus, you must remember the Prophecy. I'm here, but you must find the spark of memory. That spark that draws you to where you've always meant to be. That spark that will place your soul bonded back onto your path. The time grows near for you to begin your awakening," whispered Angel's voice into his ear before the music of the violin began to play softly beside him.
The next day, Severus watched the first task with the other professors and couldn't keep his eyes off of the beautiful Professor Windsong as she healed Fleur Delacour's wounds and calmed her instantly with a simple wave of her hand. Then Cedrick exited the Dragon's arena and was healed by Madam Pomfrey. Victor Krum left next, and then all eyes were on Harry. Severus took note that even Lady Angelic Windsong's eyes never left the Potter boy. Severus found himself wondering exactly a forign witch would care, and decided then and there for the vow that he had made upon secretly finding the boy in the crib after his mother's death, that he'd definitely question her about it later.
Now that the first task was over there arose another daunting task for the professors, and the students. In December on Christmas Eve there was to be a Yule ball. This meant that all students fourth year and above were required to have a date, and all of the Professors would also have to attend to at least one dance before patrolling to ensure that none of the students and their raging hormones got out of control. But first came the dancing lessons.
Severus dreaded this chore, but being head of Slytherin he had no choice in the matter. It wasn't that he couldn't dance, it was just that there was only one person who he enjoyed dancing with, and she wasn't around or alive. The other problem was that in his mind it was improper for a male professor to touch a female student in any way. He was pacing the large empty donjon class room with the Girls from Slytherin house lined on one side and the boys on the other, giving them uncertain looks. Some even doubted that he knew what he was doing, but they dared not snigger at their head of house fearing his temper.
Suddenly there was a light tap at the door and all eyes turned as their head of house growled under his breath before ripping open the door to reveal Lady Angelic dressed in her customary white fitted robes with her hair twisted up into an elegant up do on top of her head, and about six girls from Beaux batons accompanying her. "Excuse me, Potions mater. It was not my intention to interrupt your dance class, but I figured that you could use a bit of help as I've noticed that there is at least six more males than females in your house," she said as she allowed her students to pass her.
"That is very generous of you, Lady Windsong. Would you care to aid me in demonstrating to my students in the proper method of dancing, since I find it hard to give them an accurate example on my own," Severus smiled softly holding his hand out to the witch?
"Very well, It will be a pleasure to aid you Potions Master," she said as she gracefully took his hand allowing her warmth to flow into his cold hand as he led her into the class room to stand before the students. The two professors explained the proper posture and positioning of hands upon your dance partner, before Angelic flicked her finger demurely and the gramophone started to play a waltz.
As Severus pulled Professor Windsong into his arms warmth, joy, and something else that he couldn't describe flooded into his every cell, and he felt uplifted. He floated around the room with her effortlessly, feeling more and more at peace for once in a long time. He didn't understand why, but this French beauty just felt right in his arms. As the music stopped he almost forgot about the eyes of the students watching and was almost groaning as he kissed her hand and she slid from his grasp leaving him feeling empty inside once more. As the lesson continued Angelic and he went around the room correcting little things about the students dancing, and a familiar sweet smell filled his nostrils every time that he passed Professor Windsong. As the lesson ended he missed her presence and felt empty inside again until he went on patrol that night and sat and listened to Angel's spirit or whatever it was play the melodic strings of the vary waltz that he had been hearing for most of his Saturday and he smiled then.
