A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers of the last two chapters! And again, thanks to my sister for editing this chapter.
I hope you enjoy this chapter- it took a long time to edit so there likely won't be another chapter coming till tomorrow.
Note: As I've said in some of my replies, I will be going away on Friday for 2 and a half weeks so there will be a 2 week break in the story.
Disclaimer: Besides Kalissa and Natalie, I own nothing of the wizarding world.
Chapter 14- A Christmas Surprise
"Wow. This looks absolutely delicious, Kalissa," exclaimed Natalie in awe at the vast spread of dishes her guardian had prepared for Christmas supper.
On the day before the end of the school term, Natalie had apparated alongside Professor McGonagall into the forest just outside of Kalissa's very new and secretive home where she now gaped at the thick, juicy turkey in front of her. The secluded and almost paranoid nature of the house, that included over two dozen security, invisible, repellant and shield charms as well as the forest that wrapped around the house, gave Natalie the constant impression that she was living within a hidden corner of a closed box. Kalissa's presence, however, made such an isolated life seem inconsequential. Natalie felt in a state of pure comfort and bliss. It was a different type of exhilaration, one of familiarity, than the exciting and intimate moments she and Harry had shared prior to the holidays.
"Not any different than any other previous Christmas," said Kalissa modestly.
"You really have outdone yourself. I don't think the House Elves at Hogwarts could top this," remarked Minerva McGonagall admirably. She had come to Kalissa's new home two days ago to stay till the end of the Christmas holdiay. The company of her best friend only placed Kalissa in an even cheerier, more exuberant mood. For Natalie, the last few evenings, with the other two's fond memories and reminiscences resembled a very relaxed, undisturbed family reunion.
"Minerva, you did help, you know. Please don't make me seem like sort of goddess."
"I don't think preparing the potatoes and yams constitutes as help," said Minerva disparagingly.
"So Natalie, I still haven't heard about what's going on between you and Harry Potter," asked Kalissa, catching Minerva's eye and grinning mischievously.
Natalie shook her head. She had been daftly evading that topic. Kalissa knew that she and Harry had become friends, but she had yet to know the full extent of their relationship. However, Natalie suspected that Minerva may have been filling in the cracks for Kalissa.
"Nothing. We're just friends and I'm happy about that. He's much nicer than anyone at Durmstrang."
As they began to dish the food onto each other's plates, Kalissa turned toward Natalie. "So, did you two go to Professor Slughorn's Christmas Party as friends? Because from what I remember of his parties, nobody went to them as friends," said Kalissa with that condescending, all knowing and slightly sarcastic air that Natalie often found very annoying.
"How did you know about Slughorn's party?" asked Natalie sharply though she already knew the answer.
"Oh, I have my contacts, my dear. Don't think I've been living in isolation these past few months," said Kalissa, again with that airy, mocking tone.
Natalie glared at Minerva who merely laughed. "Ok, we are, er –"
"Going out?" offered Kalissa waspishly.
"Please don't interrupt me. But yes, we are, but, er, I'd like to keep it a secret," stated Natalie, her cheek becoming increasingly redder.
"You and Harry Potter, eh? I'd never thought of it," remarked Kalissa casually, but her look of eagerness belied the feigned indifference.
Natalie stared down at her food, her face radiating heat. "Me either."
Kalissa laughed. "Natalie, there's no need to be embarrassed. Almost half the wizarding world would like to be in your position."
"The crowd Potter attracts in the school, you'd be stupid to be prancing about like Brown and Weasley," said Minerva amusedly.
"I'd imagine he'd get quite a fan club."
"Trust me, he does. Last year, he was the school nut and now he's the savior of our world."
Kalissa shook her head. "Teenagers. It was worse when we were in school. But Natalie, judging by Minerva's news, you might have made some girls very jealous."
"That's why I want to keep it as inconspicuous as possible."
"Wait, isn't Molly's daughter one of Potter's friends and didn't you –"
Minerva looked reproachfully at Natalie. "Yes it was, on the first night of school, none the least. That was a very foolish thing to do, Natalie."
Kalissa laughed. "Minerva, I don't think you need to be the teacher here. So what does that girl think?"
Natalie took a rather large gulp of her pumpkin juice. She did not know whether she should tell Kalissa about Ginny and specifically, about her suspicions regarding Ginny's attitude towards Harry. She could give a condensed version. "Er, well, she and I don't get along so well. And she knows about me and Harry. I don't think her view of me improved that much with that news."
Suddenly, Kalissa's body stiffened. Minerva also tensed.
"What's wrong?" asked Natalie, slightly alarmed. Almost immediately after she asked the question, Natalie heard a rustling of the branches in the forest and the thudded sounds of ill disguised footsteps. Her body too went rigid. There was only one implication.
"How?" asked a shocked Minerva.
Kalissa took a deep breath. Her face hardened into an image of grim resolve. "I don't know, but Natalie, go upstairs into the office. Minerva and I will join you soon. We'll have to signal for Dumbledore."
Natalie gaped at Kalissa dumbly. The office. That confirmed that Death Eaters had found them.
"Natalie, go now. I don't know how many of them there are. We may have only a few minutes."
Natalie slowly nodded. She then rushed out of her chair, up the stairs and into the only room in the house where they could apparate from. Her body was paralyzed with fear and terror. She had the sickening and defeating impression that she was watching herself and Kalissa approach the inevitable end they had both tried desperately to avoid. Tears welled in her eyes. She hoped with all her strength that both of them would come to join her soon.
Natalie's body relaxed immensely when both came running through the door, grabbed her and then proceeded to twist in the act of apparation. To Natalie's horror, they did not vanish, but rather, they seemed to be rebounded by an invisible wall.
"They know about this room," whispered a stunned Minerva.
Kalissa inhaled deeply. She looked at Minerva. "You know what to do." She then turned towards Natalie, a tinge of fear in her eyes despite the pure determination that had etched itself on her face. "I'm sorry, Natalie, but remember what I taught you, during the summer. We're going have to employ those spells tonight."
Natalie nodded, barely registering Kalissa's words. She did not need to be told twice. A smaller, but deeper part of her knew that they could not escape the twisted, oppressive set of circumstances they had encountered. They would have to fight for their lives.
Natalie followed Kalissa and Minerva to the front of the stairs. All three crouched on opposing corners, shielded by the banister. The door burst open with a jet of green light. At least ten black hooded figures ran in, their wands pointed all around the entrance hall. Natalie silently gasped, but she focused on quelling the storm of emotions threatening to overcome her. She would not survive that way.
Kalissa nodded at the other two, mouthing 'Water'.
All three pointed their wands at bottom of the stairs and whispered, "Aquaono!"
An extremely massive and thunderous wave of water appeared at the bottom of the stairs and rolled across the entrance hall, carrying many of the Death Eaters across the house. Others ran as the wave hurtled towards them.
Minerva then, with a complex and graceful loop of her wand, silently transfigured one of the portraits in the Entrance hall into a large Great White shark that attacked several of the nearby hooded figures.
From her position behind the door leading upstairs, Natalie saw one of the Death Eaters take off his mask. Instantly, she recognized the face to be that of Antonin Dolohov. Her stomach took an agonizing and painful lurch. He waved his wand in the reverse motion of Minerva's spell, changing the shark back into a portrait. With another loop of his wand, the wave stopped thundering across the house, turning into a benign pool of water.
"They're upstairs!" yelled Dolohov in a deep, commanding voice. "Mulciber said they tried to apparate from that room there!"
Both Kalissa and Minerva quickly waved their wands in long, complicated patterns, muttering fervently under their breath. A loud, resonating boom pervaded the house, sending a few Death Eaters flying into the walls. The banister then coiled itself into a giant ring that started rapidly spinning, heading straight for the mass of black hoods. It thrust aside the four that were beginning to climb the stairs and then at the bottom of stairs, transformed into a dense wall.
"That was brilliant!" shouted Natalie in amazement.
"Come on! We might be able to lock ourselves in the broom closet before the Aurors come. They can get through that," urged Kalissa anxiously.
They began to run towards the broom closet but Natalie suddenly pulled both of them, screaming, "Watch out!"
Hundreds of little darts of red light crashed into the wall in front of them, burning a thick hole in it. Five more Death Eaters were coming out of what used to be Natalie's room.
All of three of them aimed their wands at the incoming group, yelling, "Stupefy!"
Three of the Death Eaters expertly leaped out of the way but the fourth and fifth were hurtling through Natalie's window by the three jets of red light.
One of the Death Eaters hissed in a delighted tone, "Malkae, what a pleasure! Avada Kedavra!" The curse was directed towards Kalissa.
Minerva pulled Kalissa out of the way of the green light. Natalie sent a well aimed jinx that launched him straight back into Natalie's room.
"You filthy little scum!" snarled one of the other Death Eaters.
Natalie blocked his stunning spell. Kalissa quickly waved her wand at the desk in the passage. It came zooming towards the remaining pair. They both dodged out of the way as it crashed into the wall with a resounding thud. Minerva then muttered, "Wiregio!"
Rope flowed out of her wand, wrapping itself around the two distracted Death Eaters. With a flick of her wand, the two were thrown out of Natalie's window. The Death Eater that Natalie had stunned picked himself up. Before he could raise his wand, Natalie quickly shouted, "Aeronaugio!" He followed his counterpart outside, screaming at the top of his lungs.
Kalissa circled her wand around all the rooms. "Ok, there, they won't be able to climb back up at least for a little while."
Suddenly, the wall downstairs exploded with a destructive burst of fire. Death Eaters came rushing through.
"Go to the broom closet!" screamed Kalissa to Natalie.
Natalie shook her head stubbornly. "I'm fighting too."
"No, Natalie," said Kalissa, trying to grab her arm.
Natalie pulled herself from her grasp. "You don't think they'll find me in that broom closet? I'm not leaving you."
Kalissa gritted her teeth, but did not say anything. "Ok. Follow our lead."
Within a few seconds, all three were slashing their wands at the oncoming mass. A vast onslaught of red, green and blue light, as well as fire, chandeliers, chairs and beds tore through the Death Eaters.
As a haze of green light came their way, all three jumped to the sides. Kalissa quickly lifted herself, sending another boom of sound that hit the frontrunners of the pack.
Minerva shouted to Kalissa, "They're too many of them. We can't hold them forever."
Kalissa shook her head. "They've got the entire house covered. There's no way we'll survive outside."
Natalie sent another ball of fire rolling towards the Death Eaters. To her dismay, one of them, who had obviously expected the spell, transfigured the fire into a harmless ice cube. She knew that despite the considerable magical talent of Kalissa and Minerva, they were simply overwhelmed.
Then to her surprise, Natalie heard some of the Death Eaters downstairs shout in panic.
"He's here! Get out of the way!"
A blinding silver flash of light pervaded the outside darkness.
Kalissa smiled. "Dumbledore."
A powerful, all consuming wave of happiness washed over Natalie. She also noticed with surprise that many of the Death Eaters, who had tried to climb the stairs, were retreating at the call of their comrades. She did not think that all of them would be foolish enough to leave these three to fight Dumbledore.
Minerva also saw the backing crowd. "Looks like the Order's here as well." As if to confirm her statement, Natalie began to hear a myriad of shrieks, roars and screams coming from outside.
Despite the relief on both Minerva and Natalie's faces, Kalissa had not lost her glare of utter concentration. "I think it will be safer downstairs. The Order must have been able to apparate outside. The anti-apparation charm in the office will take far too long to dispel. Natalie, you'll have to come with us. There's only a few of them by the stairs. But remember, get out of the way of any green light and don't be timid."
Natalie nodded, slightly irritated that Kalissa had still thought to treat her like an ignorant child.
Minerva pointed her wand at the small group of masked figures looking nervously around the house. Immediately, the group were thrown violently into the kitchen. Natalie, Kalissa and Minerva quickly ran out of the backdoor that was now open. In front of them, a huge battle was occurring. Most of the Death Eaters were maliciously dueling an Auror or a member of the Order who reciprocated the furious fervor. Some bodies lay on the floor, unconscious or to Natalie's sickening terror, dead. A few others, who were injured, were crawling on the grass, scrambling for their wands. The still darkness of the evening was now being bombarded with blue, green, orange and red beams of light.
"Kalissa Malkae. What a pleasure," growled a familiar voice behind them.
Kalissa hissed, "Dolohov!" She abruptly turned around, blocking his stunning spell and aiming a spell at him which barely missed him. Natalie barely had time to notice Kalissa engage this man in a duel and Minerva start to fight another one before she dodged a blue jet of light shot at her from Dolohov's companion.
Natalie pointed her wand at him, silently focusing, " Aeronaugio!" He expertly flicked the spell away before grinning at her cruelly.
"You must be Malkae's daughter. Very pretty to be born from such filthy scum," snarled the man. He dodged both of Natalie's stunning spells. Natalie realized, with a pang of horror, that they were both rapidly moving away from the intense duel occurring between Kalissa and Dolohov.
The man then turned his wand upon her. "Obviously, Mommy is too worried about saving her own life now. Crucio!"
Natalie leapt sideways as a torrential rush of air brushed her clothing. She knew what she needed to do. This man was far too confident.
Natalie, focusing on her and Kalissa safely back together, whispered, "Expecto Patronum!"
A large, grey wolf streamed out of her wand, lunging at the man in front of her. His sneer disappeared to be replaced by a confused look. Directing his wand at the wolf, he snarled, "Stupefy!"
Natalie used the distracted moment to move over the side to get a clear view of the man. Focusing all her energy on blasting him into the forest, she yelled, "Impedimenta!"
He flew above the battling crowd back into the house. Natalie felt rather pleased with herself, but with a sharp pang, she realized she needed to find Kalissa.
"Ah, very good little Natalie, though Mulciber is quite an idiot. Obviously, Kalissa has imparted some of that wonderful knowledge," hissed a woman behind her. It was a voice containing pure maniacal desire and hunger.
Natalie turned around immediately, ready to stun another person. The woman, who the hiss belonged to, had no mask but Natalie's insides froze at the sight of the contorted and sickening smile of Bellatrix Lestrange.
Natalie went rigid. She felt her face solidify into a look of numb emptiness. No fear or anger entered her conscience. Everything else became muted, hazy and somehow very distant and detached. She could only focus on the image of that hideous, insidious woman who had manifested herself in Natalie's dreams. Now the dreams would merge into reality. She waited with mild curiosity and a restrained trepidation for the unavoidable meeting with her mother.
"My, my, what's wrong, dear Natalie? Mummy never told you me about me?" jeered Bellatrix, looking eagerly at Natalie. Her wand was not pointed at Natalie, but rather held at her side.
"No response? Shocked, aren't we? You do look quite familiar, though. Not that much like your filthy little scumbag of a mother, I'll have to say."
Bellatrix was slowly prowling towards her with a hungry expression on her face. Natalie could not move her muscles. Bellatrix must suspect that she may not be Kalissa's daughter. This notion sparked a slight jolt of excitement within her.
"How do you fancy a nice chat with me?" hissed Bellatrix, her eyes gleaming. Before Natalie could even try to raise her wand, Bellatrix grabbed her waist, dragging her behind the shed. Natalie never resisted her, a completely unexpected desire springing within her to let her mother take her. She shivered under the icy, stinging touch, staring blankly at the wild delight on the woman's face. Her thoughts and memories seemed to evaporate, her senses paralyzed as the shouts and roars of the battle behind them blurred together, fading into a stream of trivial noises.
She barely noticed her mother drop her onto the grassy bank of the river surrounding the cottage. Natalie feebly registered they were outside of the view of the rest of the battle. Bellatrix lowered her face to Natalie's level, using a long, pale finger to tilt her chin upwards so that their eyes met. Natalie could feel herself drawn into those piercing black depths. A brutal force thrust itself into her mind and suddenly, the image of short, mousy haired man with warm, brown eyes and a cheerful expression filled her entire conscience.
Her father's picture jerked her from her glazed state. She realized with a sharp lurch what Bellatrix was doing. She could not allow her to see further. Despite Natalie's conviction, the same hungry, urgent longing infested her, numbing her movements.
"Recognize him, don't you?" said Bellatrix, her smile twisting. "You shouldn't resist me, my dear. It's what we both want."
And, she could feel her thoughts and memories slipping out of her grasp, viciously being pulled towards a thick, billowing black cloud. They hit the cloud with a horribly painful, cacophonous thud. Natalie could feel the blackness surrounding and enveloping her, throwing her thoughts and memories all over the darkness. Flashes passed through her: Kalissa hugging and holding her, sleeping next to Kalissa as a child, receiving her entrance letter from Durmstrang, arriving at Hogwarts and lastly, meeting Harry, laughing with him, tickling him and then kissing him.
"Potter's friend, are you?" screamed Bellatrix, the scream reverberating through both their minds. A malicious, scorching anger suddenly cut through her thoughts, pushing away the rippling blackness enveloping Natalie.
And suddenly, her mother's mind unsheathed itself to her. Bellatrix's face reappeared, her emotions washing over Natalie. Natalie finally realized what she exactly saw in her mother's expression. It was not the pure, uninhibited concern and joy of Kalissa, but a hungry, devouring possessiveness. A desire for Natalie gripped the mind, spurred not by affection, but rather an insatiable urge to satisfy. With a startle, Natalie realized an obsession with something and someone truly majestic and powerful consumed these thoughts, leading to a selfless, yet malignant devotion. Natalie could almost feel the devotion, underlined by a vigorous, contorted sense of lust, creeping into her mind. And then, she saw the target of this devotion; a tall, handsome man with a cruel smile. All her mother's wisps and strands of thought and memory, all the little threads of emotion and all the waves of desire funneled into that one man.
And with a surge of crushing despair, Natalie instantly realized who this man was. Within her mother, there was no love, no simple, familiar reservations for her, but a cruel possessiveness stretching and expanding itself for the sole use of Lord Voldemort.
"You like what you see?" spat Bellatrix, the words echoing across both of their minds. "The Dark Lord is great, is he not?"
Natalie wanted to firmly say "no", but she could not summon the energy to utter that one declaration. For once, the heavy, burdensome anger towards her mother remained locked and suppressed. A blank hollowness pervaded her at the thought that she had always been right; her mother never bore any warmth towards her, never once considered her as her child.
"You are very different than I expected," hissed Bellatrix, disgust dripping from her voice. "But powerful, and the Dark Lord rewards power."
Before Bellatrix could deepen the connection and show other parts of her mind Natalie desperately did not want to see, a searing, white light rushed into both their minds. Bellatrix's emotions and thoughts retreated quickly from her as she felt the connection break, finding herself invigorated with the pure, refreshing energy of this white light. Natalie could feel herself resurface, the shock disappearing and her senses returning with an abrupt jolt.
"Dumbledore!" snarled Bellatrix, stepping backward. Before she could raise her wand, a silver flash of light sent her sprawling onto the grass floor, unconscious.
As if on a drawstring, Dumbledore appeared. She had never seen anyone so powerful and intimidating. The twinkle in his eyes, the radiant smile on his face and his infectious exuberance had vanished. He looked now more terrifying and angry than she had ever seen him. Every single line of his face seemed to emanate cold, relentless fury and determination.
He gestured to a young woman with bright pink hair who had suddenly appeared at his side. Natalie recognized the woman to be one of the Aurors on patrol at Hogwarts. "Natalie, Nymphadora will take you to the shed where you can apparate with her from there. I have to help the others," stated Dumbledore in an unquestionable and authoritative tone.
"But Kalissa –"
Dumbledore placed a hand on Natalie's shoulder, a warm twinkle appearing in his eye. "Do not worry about either Kalissa or Minerva. I will ensure that they remain safe."
Natalie did not doubt the absolute conviction in his voice. She nodded towards Nymphadora who smiled reassuredly at her before grabbing her waist, lifting her off the bank and running towards the shed.
When they ran toward the shed, the shed door suddenly opened, ramming straight into Nymphadora's face. She toppled backwards onto the ground. As she lifted herself up, trying to locate their attacker, a dart of purple light struck her, throwing her against the shed's wall. Her limp body nauseatingly slid down the wall with a trail of blood oozing from her head. Natalie tore her gaze from Nymphadora, trying to pinpoint the source of the curse. Before she could even turn her head, a very burly and muscular man emerged out of thin air, punching her in the face, throwing her onto the ground. He swung his foot at her, puncturing her ribs. She moaned in pain as another well aimed kick caused her ribs to crack. She realized with a sickening lurch that he had used the Disilllusionment charm.
"Look who we have here!" spat the man, jeering at her. He then caught sight of Nymphadora's body, grinning in disgusting pleasure. He moved eagerly to her body, placing his wand against the woman's throat.
"Travers, get away from them," ordered a cold, hollow voice with a malicious edge that was strikingly familiar to Natalie's ear. She looked around to find the owner of the voice. Her spirits dropped when she noticed another Death Eater, a mask covering his face.
The man turned his head in bewilderment, but then a nasty and triumphant smile appeared on his face. "Ah, Snape, why don't we have a little fun with her? Very pretty, this one is," hissed Travers, licking his lips. He picked up Nymphadora, running his hand suggestively over her body.
Snape abruptly sent a tree branch violently spinning towards Travers who seemed to have been waiting for the curse. He easily repelled the branch, letting Nymphadora's body drop to the ground in front of him.
"Snape, I see you want to play with the big boys?" shrieked Travers in crazed delight. He thrust his wand towards Snape, hissing, "Crucio!"
Snape sidetracked the curse, immediately sending a beam of red light zooming towards Travers who barely managed to get out of the way. He gestured to the rest of the fighting crowd. "Not the loyal spy, are we Snivellus? I wonder if the Dark Lord can see now."
Natalie saw his eyes flicker eagerly towards the other Death Eaters and she realized the lapse of concentration. Snape too saw the opportunity. He waved his wand and a jet of green light struck a surprised Travers directly in the chest. He fell dead onto the ground alongside Natalie. Natalie barely breathed before she heard Snape running to her. He picked her up, wrapped his arm around Nymphadora and spun on the spot. She felt like she was suffocating in an extremely awkward and narrow tube until at the last second, they landed with a dull thud outside of the train station in Hogsmeade.
Natalie let herself out of Snape's grasp, allowing him to carry Nymphadora's body to the castle. Her ribs were still aching, making walking quite an uncomfortable effort as she trailed behind Snape's brisk walk.
He abruptly jerked his head around, noting her disjointed strides. "What curse did he use on you?" asked Snape, his eyes roaming over her.
Natalie shook her head. "Just kicked me. Think he broke my ribs. I'll be fine, though. Take her to the hospital wing."
Snape arched an eyebrow. "And leave you standing here in the middle of the night in Hogsmeade after what has just happened? Surely, Gryffindor bravado is not so blindingly obtuse."
Natalie's jaw hardened at the sneering edge to his voice. She did not need his cynical and mocking attitude after tonight's events. But before she could fire a witty reply that would surely earn her a detention, he waved his wand and her ribs quickly healed. Natalie slapped her hand against her head. Of course, a simple Episkey would have repaired broken ribs. She shook her head. Her mind was too washed with worries about Kalissa and the numbing experience of meeting her mother for her to remember even the most basic curses.
"In case you haven't noticed Miss Malkae, Nymphadora here does not have the entire night for you to gawk at your own stupidity," snapped Snape.
Natalie glared angrily at him before stomping towards the castle. He quickly overtook her at an urgent pace, levitating Nymphadora's body alongside him. The gates opened immediately with a loop of his wand. Once they reached the entrance hall to the castle, he turned to her with a somber expression on his face. "Follow me to the Hospital Wing."
"I'm not injured –"
"I do not care," said Snape furiously. "Madam Pomfrey will want to check on you regardless of how you feel. Surely, your mind is not that thick?"
Natalie gritted her teeth, nodding. "Of course, sir, I will come."