Chapter Twelve
Parents
The sky was cloudless as they headed back towards the castle. Harry had never noticed that before, but then again, he never noticed a lot of things until he stopped to look long enough. The stars seemed to twinkle brightly, except for Mars of course, which glowed a dim red. He glanced over at Ginny whom, like the others, was still digesting all the info they had gotten tonight.
It was hard to understand most of it; none of the members had back-tracked about the previous meetings, so all they understood was that some creatures called Furies were attacking humans, and that it was a great concern for Kaine. They did, however, understand that Harry was now Kaine's trainee; Ron and Hermione represented the 'human breed,' as they had been dubbed; Ginny was placed with a creature that looked a lot like an angel; and Lord Dracus had taken Draco to his side.
HURK!
The sudden sound of vomit tore everyone from his or her thoughts, only to see Kaine leaning over a bush.
"God damn. HURK," Kaine muttered as she emptied her stomach. "I hate these meetings..."
"Professor?" Ron asked, looking nervously at Kaine's back. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, Mr. Weasley," Kaine answered as she rested against a tree.
She looked over-worked, ill, and tired as she wiped the vomit from her lips, her face painted in disgust from both the smell and taste.
"What is it with vomit and it needing company? It's like bloody sneezing..." Kaine thought out loud.
"Professor," Draco asked; he had been quiet most of the night, but something was bugging him. "Are you drunk?"
'WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT?' Harry thought, as they all looked at Draco, as if he were mad.
"As a matter of fact, yes, Mr. Malfoy," Kaine replied with a soft smile. The alcohol was being to wane from her blood system and her mind was beginning to think for itself again. "It's necessary for me to drink before the meetings..."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked only to see Kaine's face pale.
'Maybe I'm not that sober,' Kaine thought before straightening up. "Let's get the castle, shall we?"
Once they had entered the castle, Kaine signaled for all of them to be silent. It was early in the morning, but thankfully the weekend, so none of them would need to get up early; however, Kaine still couldn't cover for all of them being out past hours. They snuck down the hall until they heard Filch's voice nearing them.
"Shit!" Kaine hissed as she turned to all of them. "Hide!"
Within seconds, Ron and Hermione raced behind the long curtains and covered themselves. Draco grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her behind a covered table to hide, while Kaine yanked Harry into a nearby broom closet. No sooner had the door clicked shut, Kaine felt a sense of foreboding in her gut and a slight case of deja vu.
"This seems familiar somehow," Kaine muttered under her breath.
"What did you say...?" Harry asked, only to have Kaine turn and slam her hand over his mouth as Filch's voice got louder.
However, no sooner had Kaine done that, than her foot snagged in a robe and sent her crashing into Harry.
"Who's there!" Filch yelled. Everyone's hearts stopped. "Oh Professor Snape. What are you doing up at this hour?"
"I had trouble sleeping and decided on a walk."
'Oh, yeah,' Kaine thought as her eyes locked on the door. 'Fourth year, wasn't it?'
Kaine forced the heavy doors open as the wind whipped hair into her face. Her breath was heavy and ragged, and once the door was closed, she gently nursed her injured arm. The target had been prepared for her this time, something she wasn't ready for. Her left arm was dislocated at the shoulder and a long gash ran up it. The mini skirt she was wearing had a good, large tear in it, which made it hang lop-sided on her hips, and revealed a good part of her undergarments. Several places on the white school blouse had been ripped off, and a good deal of blood covered the front of it. The back was worse, though, her skin still raw from the silver whip. Even if it couldn't kill her, the residue was enough to prevent healing until she could wash it off.
"If I can get to the Gryffindor common room without being seen..." Kaine muttered.
Her steps were sluggish and unstable, due to a bad sprain in her ankle, caused by the lace-up thigh-high boots she was wearing. She had never broken in the leather, so it was still stiff. It wasn't long before she collapsed in the hallway with a small cry of pain. Her will and strength to work for the Ministry was wearing thin.
Fifty years.
Fifty, thankless and ungodly, years she had been working for the Ministry to get the Sinner's Cross, and still, that bastard of a Minister of Magic – Marvello Brown – wouldn't give her, or the others, a break. As far as he was concerned, they were tools—expendable assets to be sent to do all the dirty work that the Aurors couldn't. He was bleeding her dry, looking for an excuse to send for Moody to exterminate her.
"Sonna bitch," Kaine muttered as she watched the crimson liquid pool onto the floor and soak into the carpet. "This is gonna be impossible to explain to the Headmaster."
"Kaine?"
"Fuck!" Kaine swore. Normally she would not swear, as Marcus was always close and more the ready to 'correct' any foul language, but working with Seth, Cheshire, Razziel, and the Aurors had its costs. 'Not now. Don't let him see...'
"Kaine! Bloody hell, what happened to you?" Severus Prince-Snape, a Slytherin twice her superior in school years, rushed to her side with wide eyes.
'God damn it!' Kaine growled in her head. "It's nothing."
"Nothing!" Snape gaped at her. It wasn't a secret that he respected her, and she him, as well. They studied and spoke together whenever Potter and his goons weren't pestering her or bullying him. "The bruise last week was nothing, but you're bloody bleeding on the floor."
"I think 'gushing blood' would be more fitting," Kaine remarked sarcastically. She wasn't much for humor, but who said she needed to be.
"This is serious Kaine," Severus muttered as he pulled her to unsteady feet by her good arm. However, Kaine crouched for a second and placed her arm between her legs. "What are you doing?"
"Give me a second, Susan," Kaine answered, using the new pet name she had given him.
It wasn't out of cruelty that she called him that, she did it to everyone who hadn't won her respect, which was just about everyone at the school. With a hard yank and a sickeningly deep pop, Kaine reset her arm and hissed out her pain.
"I can't believe you just did that," Severus replied as he led her towards the Hospital Wing. "Madam Hostly can help you..."
"I'd rather go to my dorm..." Kaine replied with a shallow smile. "I don't like doctors."
"She's a nurse."
"Nurse, doctor, same thing," Kaine muttered when they heard voice down the hall. "Someone's coming."
"What do we do?" Snape whispered back.
"Hide," Kaine pointed towards a nearby door. "In there."
"The broom closet?"
"Just go!" Kaine pushed Severus in and closed the door.
"Kaine, I don't..." Severus stated, as he became nervous. It wasn't everyday that your school crush hid with you in a closet; especially one with so little space.
"SHHH!" Kaine clasped her hand over his mouth, only to get a harsh reminder from her ankle that it was sprained. "AH!"
If anyone had been leaving the hallway, they sure as hell were going to come back to check it out. As Kaine fell onto Snape, they both knocked over several brooms, a few tin buckets, and unhinged the shelf filled with tin and copper cans of cleaning solution; resulting in a cacophony of noise. An eerie silence spread through the air.
'Maybe no one heard that...' Kaine thought, only to have the closet door swing open.
"What the bloody hell…"James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew stood in the doorway with looks of horror and disbelief on their faces. Kaine was lying on top of Snape, whose arm was around her waist and the other resting on her rear, the skirt having folded itself high on her back. Their faces inches apart, and Kaine's hair was overly mussed from the wind – not that they knew that. Her blouse was also slightly open and Snape's clothing looked very ruffled. It all equaled only one thing in their minds.
Sirius let out a scream that sounded close to a sonic boom.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO OUR KAINIE!" James cried out, as he yanked Kaine off Severus and glared at him. Kaine screamed out in pain as his hand accidentally grasped the gash. "What the... HOLY FUCK! Kaine what happened to you?"
"What did you do to her, Snape!" Lupin growled. He was normally against violence, but he had looked out for Kaine since she first came to Hogwarts, even if she didn't want him to.
"Nothing!" Kaine gasped as her nursed the pain away. "Remus, he didn't do anything. I... I slipped."
That... had to be the worst crappy lie she had ever told them, but they didn't get a chance to press her for an answer, because Professor Slughorn busted them all for being out of their dorms in the middle of the night.
A sudden click and turning of the knob called Kaine back from her reminiscence. The door opened and a very deadpan and neutral-faced Potions Master stood before them, with the others behind him. Kaine noticed that Filch wasn't present, meaning, Snape had gotten rid of him but had found the others.
"This is soo not what it looks like," Kaine stated as the dying adrenaline rush that came from worrying about being found by Filch, killed any buzz she might have had.
"I know..." Snape muttered as he rubbed the brim of his nose. "I was there once too, remember? Everyone, just go back to your rooms. It's too damn early to be wreaking havoc."
The next morning, Kaine didn't even make it to the staff table. In fact, unlike the children who somehow found the strength to pull themselves to their tables, Kaine was instantly and successfully stopped at the doors to the great hall. She pushed and pushed with all the strength and energy she had in her body, only to find the doors refusing to budge an inch. In the end, Kaine leaned against the door and panted.
"Bloody … doors... (Gasp)," Kaine muttered between breaths as Snape stopped next to her. "Stupid (gasp) bloody … castle..."
'Just like back in the day...' Snape thought as he looked at her. 'Except I'm not holding a crap load of books anymore...'
"Not (gasp) a bloody (gasp) word, Susan," Kaine growled as she glared as his amused face. "Not a single (pant) one..."
"You don't remember, do you?" Snape stated happily as Kaine gave him a bewildered look. "You have to pull the doors, not push."
'Smart ass...' Kaine muttered in her head as Snape led her into the hall. Once seated Kaine numbly poked at the food before taking a bite. "This tastes disgusting..."
"It should," Snape stated bluntly.
"Professor Nighttrod?" Professor Sinistra asked from down the table.
"Yath?" Kaine replied with a stuffed mouth. Normally, her up-bringing kept her from speaking with her mouth full, but today she was too tired to give a damn.
"Why are you eating your napkin?" she asked as all eyes fell on Kaine.
"Wha'?" Kaine blinked and her eyes focused on the moist piece of bright orange cloth that was in her mouth. 'I hate my life...'
"Might I suggest Mini-Wheats, Professor Nighttrod?" Snape asked with a sarcastic tone, which told Kaine that he was biting back a laugh. He held in front of her a bowl of the crunchy cereal. "If you really think you need more fiber in your diet."
"If it wasn't a health code violation, Susan," Kaine growled as she snatched the bowl from him, trying to give him the best drop-dead-you-prick glare she could give in her sleepy state. "I would bite your nose off."
"It's too damn early," Kaine growled, only to get rapped hard on the head by Albus. "Oww!"
"Language, Ms. Kaine," he chided.
"Eat me, Albus," Kaine muttered under her breath so he wouldn't hear. "Eat my soul."
"He would get food poisoning if he did," Snape joked back. Kaine shot him an ugly look and was about to say something when Albus stood up. "Shhh!"
"If I may have your attention students," Albus called as the hall fell thankfully silent, much to Kaine's hangover's pleasure. "As you all know, the end of October is merely a week away, and with it comes our age-long tradition of the Pupil-Teacher Banquet."
'Oh fuck no...' Kaine and Snape thought in unison. Neither of them had ever liked that event. Snape, mainly because parents would corner him and ask personal questions about their children, and Kaine had had a traumatic experience, thanks to James, Sirius, and Mikeal. 'This can't be good...'
"...So we have sent invitations informing your parents and guardians that they may come to meet your teachers, see the classrooms, and dormitories..."
"I hate my life," Kaine muttered as her head–not as quietly–collided with the hard table, sending the bowl of Mini-Wheats flipping on top of her head. "Susan, honey?"
"Yes?" Snape rose an eyebrow at the 'honey' comment.
"Can you be a dear and shoot me with liquid silver?" Kaine muttered into the table.
"If I have to suffer through this, so do you."
'Bastard!' Kaine thought angrily, but remained unmoving.
Harry once again found himself in that strange dream he had had a few weeks ago. It was amazing how much could happen in less three months.
It was raining hard that night and lightning cut across the sky. In the dimming of the flash he could just make out a symbol in the sky; he wasn't sure what it was, but it was moving and bright green.
Harry was slowly beginning to freeze as an ominous gust of wind whipped around him, making the rain hit him hard in his face. He was wrapped in something, a blanket most likely, because it had absorbed as much water as possible and now clung to him, sucking the warmth from his body. He felt so alone, so abandoned, as the silence continued to the point where it was ringing in his ears.
It hurt listening to it and he began to cry out.
Splish Splash Splish Splish Splash Splish Splish Splash Splish
He could hear footsteps running through the rain and the heavy splashing echoed in spite of the storm.
'Help me,' Harry cried, but only wails left his mouth. 'Help me.'
"LILY! JAMES!" a desperate voice cried out. It sounded so familiar but he couldn't place a face to it. "LILY! JAMES! ARE YOU THERE! LILY!"
'Help me please,' Harry tried harder to call out, but instead, water began to run down his throat and into his lungs, making him cough. 'I'm going to drown! Please help me!'
"LILY!" the voice was becoming more frantic, and the steps seemed louder and closer. "JAMES! ANSWER ME! LILY! JAMES!"
Splish Splash Splish Splash Splish Splish Splash Splish Splash Splish Splish Splash Splish Splash Splish
The keeper of the footsteps was yelling into the night, her voice hoarse.
"LILY! JAMES!" she cried as loud as she could. "LIL-"
Then the footsteps stopped and were followed by a louder splash, signifying that she had tripped.
"No," her voice was only a whisper, but it held sorrow and self-hate. "God please no..."
Suddenly a dark, fuzzy figure stood over him, shielding him from the rain. Strong hands gently picked him up and held him close, giving him warmth. Through the blur of rain, Harry could make out messy black hair hidden under a cloak.
"It's alright Harry," a gruff voice soothed, but it held pent up pain. "It's alright. I'm here for you, shh, it'll be fine."
'Sirius?' Harry thought, as he instantly recognized the voice.
Suddenly the steps returned, more rushed than before. Sirius stiffened and drew out his wand but the other must have beat him to it, because the same voice screamed through the air.
"LET HIM GO!"
"Harry," Harry jolted awake with Kaine's hand on his shoulder. She had looked better than she was at the moment, but all-in-all she looked concerned. "Are you alright? You don't look too well ..."
"Yeah," Harry gasped as he tried to calm his heart. "Just a... just a dream. That's all."
"Has it got anything to do with that Parent-Teacher thingy?" Kaine asked, as she took the seat next to Harry and spun it around so she could use the back as a head rest. "Anything you wish to talk about?"
If Harry hadn't known better, he would have said that he was hanging out with a classmate in the library. Kaine looked so much younger sitting in front of him; it was only her eyes that gave her away. The same old, ancient sapphire eyes that looked tiredly at him. Other than that, he had to fight the urge to push the chair backwards and see what would happen.
"I've been having this dream lately..." Harry started, thinking about how he should word it.
"Please don't say 'is this for real or not'," Kaine cut quickly.
"What?"
"Kingdom Hearts joke," she smiled sweetly. "Never mind, as you were saying..."
"In this dream... I can't see much but it's raining," Harry started, trying hard to recall the dream. "And I'm trapped or something. And there are these footsteps running in the rain and some woman calling out for my parents... this sounds pretty stupid doesn't Professor? Professor?"
Kaine looked wanly at Harry, her body ridged as if she had been reminded of something, before she slipped on her 'happy' mask again.
"Maybe you ate something bad," she suggested. "Bad food causes weird dreams. I should know, your father got me good a few times..."
"Maybe..." Harry wasn't quite sure whether Kaine was assuring him, or herself, with that statement. "Wait! You knew my dad?"
"Of course," Kaine smiled with a soft grin on her face. "In fact, he and his three goons seemed to have this unexplainable need to..."
"Befriend you?" Harry offered. It was rare for him to hear anything about his father, other than that he looked similar to him.
Kaine grinned at Harry's shocked face. "I'll tell you some other time Harry. Another time."
The week more or less disappeared faster than Harry could under his invisibility cloak. Kaine had seemed fairly calm through the whole ordeal, minus the few arguments between Professor McGonagall and Kaine about her wearing a gown or something formal.
In the end, Kaine won the battle for her clothing, using the excuse that she had no idea what her size was and that the clothing had sentimental value; however she didn't escape from helping set up for the banquet and greeting the parents as they arrived.
As Harry turned the corner, he spotted Kaine waving her wand lazily to direct a decoration to hang on the left wall, as Kuro played with an orange left behind from lunch. Kaine seemed rather peeved about the whole ordeal, not that Harry was any happier. He, after all, didn't have any family that would come and see him. The Dursleys would never show up, unless the Order of the Phoenix forced them to.
"Harry?" a voice asked.
He jumped at the voice, only to find that Ginny and Cho were next to him. Ginny was bending down a little, in order to look Harry in the face with a concerned expression on her face; Cho just looked at him.
"Oh, hi Ginny," Harry smiled and then nodded at Cho. "Cho. How are you guys?"
"Fine," Cho replied as she looked away from Harry. Things had gotten awkward between them ever since their disastrous date. "You?"
"Just great," Harry replied, as Ginny looked at him more closely. "You, Ginny? Both of your parents are coming right?"
"Ah ha," Ginny nodded as she straightened up. She waved a quick goodbye to Cho who continued on her way, before looking nervously at him. "Errr, Harry? Are you sure you are alright?"
"Yeah," Harry smiled sweetly at Ginny. "Why?"
"Because you... well..." Ginny started, as she thought about how to word her question. "Harry? You DO know that mum and dad consider you family, right?"
"Of course," Harry smiled when Ginny's name was called from down the hall. "See you Ginny."
"Bye Harry," Ginny yelled as she ran off, although she wasn't convinced.
"Harry?" a voice gently asked behind him. Turning, he saw Kaine had moved behind him. "Care to join me in my office?"
"Alright," Harry agreed as he followed her, with Kuro trailing behind them. "Errrr... Professor?"
"Yes?" Kaine replied as she turned the corner.
"When I first met you, you said Kuro wasn't a normal dog..." Harry started. Thinking about it, hadn't she said he was a demon wolf?
"When did I say that?" Kaine stopped in a hallway and looked around.
"At the Leaky Cauldron..." Harry stated only to see her blank expression. "You... honestly don't remember do you?"
"Well you see...I... that is..." Kaine seemed to scramble for an explanation. "I was... no. No, I do not."
"Well, what did you mean?" Harry asked as Kuro pressed his nose into Harry's hand. "Hi boy..."
"He touched you," Kaine stated in a surprised voice. "He can see you?"
"Of course he can," Harry replied. He didn't see the point. "He's got eyes..."
"Harry, Kuro is blind," Kaine replied. "His kind aren't born with the ability to see. Most of them never see anything their whole lives."
"What is he then..." Harry blinked. How could the dog see and be blind at the same time?
"Arcbus lupus," Kaine replied as she thumped her leg to call Kuro over. "It's Latin for dark wolf."
"Oh..." Harry was still lost over it, but pushed it aside when he noticed Kaine looking about the hallway again. "Professor..."
"Yes Harry?" Kaine answered as she continued the scan the hallway.
"Aren't we going to go to your office?" Harry watched her stiffen. "Don't tell me that you're..."
"Don't say it, I am not..." Kaine warned as she looked at him. No sooner had she said that than the Bloody Baron appeared. "Oh, hi Paul."
"Greetings, Lady Nosfurala," The Baron stated, as he gave a deep bow. Harry blinked as he stared at the ghost. That was the first time the man had said anything. "Pray tell, my lady. Art thou lost within the halls of this cas..."
"For the last time!" Kaine yelled. "I'M NOT LOST!"
Kaine's office was different from the other professors' offices that Harry had seen. Not that he had seen many, but McGonagall's had been very old fashioned and Snape's... well let's say that it gave Harry chills just thinking about it. Kaine's was much more... homely-like.
Instead of just a desk and chair, there were two couches set up in front of a fireplace as well. Her desk resided facing the window and her chair was large and very comfortable-looking. The couches were of a deep, dark colored oak with green cushioning, and a matching coffee table was between them. Near the fireplace was a large dog's pillow with a few chew toys laying near it. As Harry stepped into the room, Kuro ran past him and jumped onto the nearest couch. He barked happily as Kaine made a gesture for Harry to sit down.
"Care for anything Harry?" Kaine asked. "Scotch? Whiskey? Snaps?"
"Professor, I'm underage..." Harry started but Kaine brushed him off.
"If you're old enough to save the Wizarding world and join the Order, you're old enough to drink," she stated, as she watched him with even eyes. Harry just shook his head. "Alright, how about some pop instead?"
"That would be nice," Harry replied as Kaine left the room.
Looking at her walls, Harry found them covered with photos and pictures. The pictures were drawn in charcoal and crayons. It was clear that some of them were done by one child, a little girl, and the others by, what Harry guessed to be, a small boy. Stepping closer, he could make out a small child dressed continuously in black, with a mop of black hair that covered most of his face and red eyes. It almost reminded Harry of the girl Samara, from the Japanese horror movie "The Ring". The background was always different, showing a figure dressed in a light brown dress and red hair, either holding him or playing with him; one even showed her helping him in a dark, cold-looking room.
"Admiring the art?" Kaine asked behind him. Harry turned and saw Kaine had placed the glasses on the table and gestured for him to join her.
"Yeah, who made them?" Harry asked, as he sipped the soda in front of him.
"Children I've met in my time..." Kaine replied as she pet Kuro. She fell silent for a moment, before sighing. "Harry, you do realize that the path you have chosen is a twisted and long one; do you not?"
"Professor?" Harry blinked, unsure as to what she was referring to. "Oh, you mean the Order. I..."
"People die working for them," Kaine looked at him with dead eyes. She was serious. "The Dark Order is a last line defense. It owns you until it deems your services useless, and then they toss you aside like a rag doll. It does not care for your thoughts, hopes, dreams, or morals."
"I..." Harry was taken aback. For something that Kaine worked for, she apparently held no fond memories of it.
"If they deem it necessary, they will order you to kill someone close to you," Kaine sighed as she leaned back in her seat. "In a cruel twist of irony, they are much like that of your Ministry. Working for either will turn you cold and cruel. They both force you to cover your hands with blood..."
A long silence fell between the two. Harry noticed that Kaine's eyes looked glazed and distant, like she was no longer with him. In the distance he could hear music playing softly.
2
AM and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake, ' Cause you can't
jump the track, we're like cars on a cable
'Can you help me
unravel my latest mistake?
I don't love him. Winter just wasn't my
season.'
Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their
eyes
Like they have any right at all to criticize,
Hypocrites.
You're all here for the very same reason.
and life's like an
hourglass, glued to the table,
No one can find the rewind button,
girl.
So cradle your head in your hands,
and breathe... just
breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe.
"Harry," Kaine tore Harry from the music. "You do realize that just because you are the boy who lived... the Order will use you worse than the Ministry would?"
"I kind of guessed that..." Harry sighed, as Kaine once again placed her hand deep into Kuro's fur. "Professor, how did you get involved with the Order?"
"Marcus," Kaine replied a little stiffly. "Marcus use to bring me as a child and I came to take his place when he or Mikeal could not appear for their summons. That was until I worked for the Ministry. Then, I represented the humans as well, in the Order."
Harry wanted to find out more about her work in the Ministry, but from the look on her face, it seemed to be a touchy subject for her. He turned his attention towards the music once again.
May
he turn 21 on the base at Fort Bliss. Cause
you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
' Just today,' he said
down to the flask in his fist,
'Ain't been sober, since maybe
October of last year.'
Here in town you can tell he's been down
for a while,
but, my God, it's so beautiful when the boy
smiles,
wanna hold him. Maybe I'll just sing about it.
and life's
like an hourglass, glued to the table.
No one can find the rewind
button, boys,
so cradle your head in your hands,
and breathe...
just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe
"I swore to your parents you know..." Kaine suddenly started again, as she looked over at one of the many photographs. "I knew them some good years ago. They were... unique, but kind. I promised them that if I could I would never allow you to come to any danger." She suddenly scoffed at the thought. "Some guardian I am."
"What were they like?" Harry asked, hoping to change the mood. Kaine blinked, taken aback by his question. "My parents... what were they like?"
"They were kind, forgiving..." Kaine smiled softly as a memory returned to her. "They were very understanding of my situation. Your father and his friends did everything in their power to..."
"To befriend you?" Kaine snorted. "Make you feel welcomed?"
"Annoy the shit out of me," Kaine replied bluntly. "James and his toadies did everything in their power to make my years at Hogwarts more then a living hell." She suddenly looked grim, covering her ears as if she was reliving some traumatic memory. "The prank wars, the tricks, the being stuffed into a trunk after they hit me with an oar..."
'My dad did what?' Harry thought, only to see Kaine smile.
"They taught me to trust," Kaine said as she took a photo from the wall. "You know, this was taken the day you were born."
She passed him the photo. In it, Harry saw his mother resting in bed, as Sirius laughed at a helpless-looking Kaine, who was holding a baby-version of him. She hadn't changed much over the years; in fact she was still the same young-looking woman in the picture. Remus was making a gesture for Kaine to hand him a screaming Infant-Harry.
"The first thing you did when I held you, was vomit on me," Kaine stated gleefully at Harry's expense.
"Why am I crying in the photo?" Harry asked.
"I yelled," Kaine blushed. "You apparently didn't like that."
"Oh..." Harry fell silent. "Did they... were they..."
"They were good people Harry," Kaine replied as she took the photo back and placed it on the wall. "They didn't deserve what happened to them. Things happen Harry; there is nothing we can do about it. They loved you dearly..."
There's
a light at each end of this tunnel, 2
AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
You shout 'cause you're just
as far in as you'll ever be out.
And these mistakes you've made,
you'll just make them again,
If you only try turning around.
If I get it all down on
paper, it's no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it
belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd.
'
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud,
And I know
that you'll use them, however you want to.
"None of us can really chose our endings, nor what life will throw at us. We can place the outcome in our favor, but it is as the song says," Kaine replied before singing along to the melody in the background.
But
you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's
like an hourglass, glued to the table.
No one can find the rewind
button now,
Sing it if you understand.
And breathe, just
breathe,
woah breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just
breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe.
Harry fell silent as his professor finished her singing and Kaine returned to petting Kuro in silence. It continued for another five minutes, where each of them fell into deep thought.
"Harry, don't worry about no one coming on your behalf," Kaine spoke suddenly. "Your family is not something bound by blood, nor is a home where said family lives. They are the ones who make you feel at peace and wanted; and home is where the warmth lies."
Harry blinked as he thought over her words. It sounded as if she was reciting something and speaking about past experience, while at the same time, it gave Harry a modicum of peace in his heart.
Night soon fell and the conversation between Kaine and Harry had fallen into a low murmur in the back of Harry's mind. More pressing matters were at hand like getting ready for the arrival of the parents. It wasn't that he needed to impress anyone; it was just that he didn't want Malfoy to pick on him anymore than usual.
It was with that thought that Harry stopped fixing his clothing and looked blankly in the mirror. Was Draco really so bad? The night of the meeting, he wasn't the normal, arrogant git that he usually carried himself to be. In fact, he seemed the opposite of himself.
"Harry!" Ron yelled from the door, which was a bit redundant, as Harry was only a foot from it. "They're here!"
The Great Hall was covered with banners and streamers of many colors and a buzz of greetings were exchanged between parents, students, and teachers throughout the room. The massive crowd of people in the fairly large room made it warm quickly, and in less than an hour, the doors and windows were pushed open so that everyone could breathe once again. Harry joined Ron and Ginny on their hunt of the Weasleys, as they pushed and 'pardon me'-ed through the large body, until Harry spotted Kaine looking miserable, up against a wall. It seemed that four sets of parents had cornered her and were questioning her deeply.
Molly instantly engulfed Harry into a bone-crushing hug as he reunited with Ginny and Ron; no sooner had he been released, then Fred and George tackled him and begun to use him as a resting stool.
"So, Harry, how are you?" Fred began as George proceeded to rest his head heavily on top of Harry's. "How has the school year been, old chum?"
"I heard that Defense Against the Dark Arts has been pretty..." George added in an airy voice. "How do you say... unique, this year."
"Yes, I do believe that's what Ron wrote," Fred laughed as Kaine walked past them.
"Is that... Kaine?" Arthur blinked as Kaine froze in her spot and glanced at him. "My word, Kaine, how are you?"
'If I don't move...' Kaine thought as she froze in a strange posture. 'He might not see me...damn!' "Arthur! How are you... today?"
"Good, good." Arthur answered, smiling at Kaine, not noticing her displeasure. Or was he just choosing not to? "How have the boys been?"
"Eh?" Kaine blinked as she glanced at the three children before her. "They have been... interesting to work with to say the least. Ron fairs well in his studies and so does Ginny. Harry..." she looked a little pained to talk to them about him. "Harry is doing well in my class. They are all good students."
"Make way!" an arrogant voice yelled as Harry watched heads being pushed aside.
Soon Lucius Malfoy stepped through the sea of people with Narcissa and Draco in tow. Lucius had a strong, over-bearing air about him that could annoy and royally piss off anyone within a three mile radius. He was dressed in a white suit with green linens and vest; Narcissa in a similar outfit, only difference being that it was a dress. Harry almost pitied Draco, due to the fact that he was dressed to match his parents, and looked rather unhappy about it.
"Well!" Lucius looked over Arthur and Molly who were dressed in their normal attire. "If it isn't the Weasleys. Dressed fashionably as always I see..."
"Malfoy," Arthur only gave them the pleasure of his acknowledgment.
"Ah, if it isn't little Kainie," Lucius began, but Kaine didn't react to him.
Her eyes were looking over at Hermione, whose family had brought her cousin with them. They were causing a ruckus because Hermione's cousin had taken her wand and was trying to do magic with it. The child, a boy who was about eleven, began to throw a tantrum when the wand refused to do anything.
"WHY WON'T IT WORK!" the boy screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Donny!" Hermione cried as Donny flailed the wand about, hitting it against a nearby table which threatened to break it. "Donny stop! You'll break it!"
"It's a piece of HEY!" Donny yelped, as the wand ripped from his hands, and looked over to Kaine, who was highly annoyed.
"How bothersome," Kaine muttered as she stepped forward and gave Hermione her wand. "In my time, children were meant to be seen, never heard. Marcus would never have allowed such behavior in public. Granger, your wand."
"Thank you."
"Who are you?" Donny demanded, only to have Kaine flick her fingers sharply across his nose. "HEY!"
"Consider yourself fortunate of your time, child," Kaine warned sternly. "If you were in my time, your aunt and uncle would have taken you outside..."
"So?" the boy retorted before Kaine knelt down to his level.
"Outside, there are no witnesses," Kaine answered in a harsh voice. There was a long silence through the entire hall. "Besides, of course it would never work for you. You're a Muggle..."
"Your point being?" the boy huffed angrily. It was impossible for him and Hermione to be related.
"Magic is an enzyme in the blood stream," Kaine replied as if this were a known fact of life. "All beings have them, but it matters on how much rests inside the body. Too little, and a child is born bearing no magical abilities is born; a Muggle child..."
"Filthy Mudbloods..." Lucius sneered. "By keeping the blood pure, you ensure that more of the element is kept inside the children..."
"Wrong!" Kaine turned and glared at him. "The enzyme is fragile, easy to be over taken and easy to destroy. If a child is born through controlled breeding and too much enzyme resides within the child, the life that is made, becomes a hostile environment, and shuts down the enzyme by itself. As a result, a Squib is born. You must find the perfect center for ultimate power to be made."
"And where did you get that foolishness from Kaine?" Lucius retorted.
"Some strange girl on a bus, Nadine or something like that..." Kaine answered as she tried to remember. "Either way, the foolish child can't perform magic even if he wished for it."
"AH! Nandini! That was her name..." Kaine replied before looking at Lucius. "Anyways, Lucy, you wouldn't understand the theory. You failed that subject, if I remember correctly."
Harry sighed. It seemed like today was the official random-long-silence-moments-abuse day. Lucius exploded into a fiery column of rage.
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!" He roared so loudly, that Kaine's hair almost waved in the sound wave.
"So loud..." Kaine muttered, as she wiggled her pinky in her ear as if to clean it. Then she smirked. "Heeee? Could it be that I hit a nerve there, Luuucccychan?"
"YOU COW!" Lucius barked at her, when Kaine turned and gave him an ugly face.
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME, YOU INBREED?" shouted Kaine
"INBREED!" Lucius yelled, equally as loud. "LOOK WHO'S TALKING, CORPSE!"
"CORPSE!" Kaine shrieked. "OH THATS IT YOU...YOU... REDNECK OF THE WIZARDING WORLD!"
"REDNECK?" Lucius yelled, only to stop and blink. "What's a redneck? My neck is not red!"
"Never mind, Lucy," Kaine muttered. "You're too enclosed to understand the meaning..."
"DON'T CALL ME LUCY!" he roared.
"Lucius, don't go to her le..." Snape tried to intervene, but...
"STAY OUT OF IT, BECKIE!" Kaine and Lucius yelled at the same time.
"Lucy?" Harry muttered, as he glanced at Draco, who looked like he was about to bust a gut holding back his laughter. "Wait a minute..."
"Ms. Kaine Nighttrod!" barked a voice that sent Kaine jumping a meter in the air, slamming her head into the overhead baggage shelf, and finally standing straight up stiffly.
"I didn't do it! Lucy did it!" she cried, only to have the students roar with laughter. She then looked to see the old treat-cart witch scowling at her.
"So that's who she was talking about on the train..." Harry grinned. 'Interesting.'
"LUCY! LOLO! LULU! POPPY! LILLY!" Kaine yelled back, in what was now long past childish actions. "JESSIE! ZOEY! MOLLY! NARCISSA! ALICE!"
"SHUT UP, YOU REJECT OF A VAMPIRE!" Lucius yelled, as loud as he could.
The world became completely frozen. No one moved. No one spoke. Students gaped, as Kaine stood wide-eyed in front of Lucius, shocked and unable to say anything. Parents gasped in horror, looking at Kaine as if she were about to attack someone, like a rabid dog.
"Hey? Lucy..." Kaine stood a little more upright, her hair covering her eyes for view, never the less it reminded everyone of the silence before the storm.
"Errr..." Lucius wasn't sure what to say or do, until a fist hit him square in the jaw. Then, he knew to fall over.
"You're a real bastard, you know that?" Kaine replied, as she turned and walked away. Dumbledore made a move to stop her, but the murderous air about her flared. "PISS OFF!"
"It safe now, she's gone Lucius," Snape stated as he looked over to Lucius, who was slowly rising from the floor. "Well, you were lucky..."
"Lucky?" Narcissa shrieked. "How was he lucky?"
"She could have killed him," Snape stated in a matter of fact tone. "In fact, first time he did this, he only lived because Mad-Eye and Razziel jumped her and held her down. You had to go into hiding for a week after that, right?"
"Severus," Lucius growled, as he nursed what he was sure to be a broken jaw. "Do us a favor and shut up."
AN: Special thanks to my beta for the magical theory. Thanks to her it made more sense than what I had the first time. Also, sorry for the long wait but I'm was moving from USA to the DK on the 19th and it was hell. HELL, I TELL YOU, HELL! That and my email broke down. Nuts... Anyway, if you want to see pictures of the different characters, like Kuro, the werewolf Razziel, and some of Kaine herself, go to my deviantart account. It's my link page on my bio. Thank you!
Also, Sorry Nan for the long wait and the freakishly long chapter. Also, despite I'm going to started colleage on the 14th, I'm still going to try and update the story and finish it before I start on any other storys. Promise. The song by the way belongs to Anna Nalick and is called Breathe (2AM) pretty song.
B/N: Eh, no problem. I must say, I was surprised you actually included what I told you…. Thanks! The chapter isn't so long, and it was fun to read. Don't worry about it. Just be glad that this is summer vacation… J (Sorry, some of the wait was my fault- college finals. Yuck!)
