The Keeper

Chapter 36

At the end of Christmas lunch, Moody and Mundungus arrived to help Lupin escort the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione to St. Mungo's. Yulisa, too, wanted to visit Mr. Weasley, but Victoria insisted with only Sirius, Kreacher, and Tonks in the house, it would be a great time to work with the opes'. With a heavy heart she went ahead and told her friends the truth, while Victoria came up with some excuse for the adults.

"But that's great, Yulisa!" Harry exclaimed.

She glanced at him a bit shocked. "What?"

"Yeah, with you learning how to use... whatever that is, one day you could heal all of us." Ron concurred, they all speaking in hushed voices.

"I have to agree with the boys, Yulisa. I know you care about Mr. Weasley, but this does seem more important." Hermione added.

"But won't your dad be offended I didn't want to go?" She asked, still worried the others would perceive her the same way as Percy.

"Dad? Nah. Personally, I'm not sure he'll even notice. He should be home soon anyways." Ron explained.

"I'm sure Victoria will come up with a very reasonable explanation." Hermione reassured her.

Apparently Victoria's reasonable explanation was that after both of her parent's deaths, Yulisa was terrified of hospitals. When her guardian told her this, she looked on, mortified that she had been "too scared" to support her friends family during a crisis. When Victoria saw the look on Yulisa's face, she quickly clarified that it was her who insisted Yulisa not go. For as Yulisa was trying her best to be brave, Victoria was concerned about the stress the situation was causing. According to her, Mrs. Weasley had been extremely understanding. Still, Yulisa wished they could have come up with something different.

"This room should work nicely." Victoria stated, shutting the door and casting her charms to keep Kreacher out. "I know it's not as comfortable as if we were still on Spinner's End, but it'll have to do."

"This is safer though, isn't it?" Yulisa asked, stroking the leaves of one of the plants in the corner. A flower swayed towards her hand affectionately.

"After the Azkaban break outs, unfortunately, yes." Victoria sighed. She had wanted to postpone moving in with Order as long as possible; but just as Yulisa had suspected, the opes' secrets could not be protected if they, themselves, were no longer safe. Victoria didn't seem too worried, though, with most of the Order's members. She was weary of Kreacher the most, not trusting him after his years of devotion to the Black family. Him, and Mundungus. From the warning Victoria had given her, Mundugus was known as a bit of a thief and might steal the necklace, not realizing what it really was. The thought immediately distilled a sense of dislike for the man with Yulisa. After all, he wouldn't be the first to try to steal it.

For the rest of the day, while the others were out, Yulisa trained with her necklace. Her healing abilities were maturing nicely, yet Victoria had a look of disappointment in her eyes. Sophia, as Victoria remembered, had been quite adept with the stone and Yulisa was still far below the stone's full potential. What was disappointing was that Victoria didn't know what else to do. They could, of course, continue with her energy coursework, which would lead to improvement; but Victoria's intuition told her they were missing something.

As the older woman played with her own stone around her neck, she sighed. "Yulisa, remember how I said every stone is unique and has abilities known only to its respective Keeper?"

"Yes." she answered.

"I'm afraid I don't know how to help you reach the level you wish to obtain." Victoria started, sounding defeated. "You see, every stone has its own internal workings; which is what makes the stones 'incompatible' with certain people. One cannot simply pick up an opes and start using it, you have to find its trigger. The secret of the stone itself that will unlock it completely..."

Yulisa listened confused. "But I was able to use it..."

"You were born the next Keeper for this stone. It would be a rare situation if you turned out to be incompatible with it; but you're still not fully accessing it... Sometimes the stones almost have a consciousness of their own. When you were five, you were too young to activate the opes by yourself. Especially during that type of situation; but I think you didn't have to. Your mother gave you the necklace because she wanted to protect you. The opes, being connected to its Keeper's emotions and thoughts, would have known this. I think the stone acted on its own that day, saving you because it knew that was its masters intention." Victoria explained.

"So it only obeys me because my mother wanted it to?" Yulisa asked, feeling a surge of panic.

"No. You are its Keeper, trust me! You wouldn't have been able to come this far if you weren't. I'm just trying to explain why you could use it before you should have been able to; but now... you've guarded the necklace for years. That's created a bond, but it's still not as deep as it could be... The level of mastery that you're searching for... I can't get you there. I'm sorry... I don't know its secret."

When the others returned from St. Mungo's, Yulisa's spirits were low. The news that Mr. Weasley was still doing fine was nice to hear, but unfortunately they also had something not so pleasant to report. At the Hospital they had run into Neville Longbottom visiting his parents. Yulisa's spirits dropped even lower as her friends told her what Bellatrix Lestrange had done. That night, she laid restless in her bed. She couldn't sleep and found herself tossing and turning, much like her dismayed mind. Her thoughts returned to the opes, how she didn't know where to go from there. Her energy curriculum would still be completed, but it wouldn't bring her where she wanted. She strained through her memories, feeling angry that her mother wouldn't have left her some clue, and the fear started to build that she would never become a full powered Keeper, that the stone, somehow, was not truly hers. Just then, the necklace glowed a deep blue, the same way it had on the Knight Bus. Looking down at it, a sense of calm ran through her. As if again, it responded to her, reminding her of the night she had found her new determination. Instantly a new thought appeared in her head. Victoria was right, she was born as a Keeper, and a Keeper she would be.

The next day, Yulisa was once again determined to improve with her opes. She felt a sense of confidence, telling herself she'd eventually succeed. And if she had to go it alone, so be it. In the meantime Victoria helped as the best she could. During most of the break Yulisa continued on her energy coursework, building her abilities and mingling with the flowers in the corner. They seemed quite excited to speak to her, and told her all about what they had heard and witnessed throughout the house. Yet, Victoria had brought them in only a week before her arrival, so she heard nothing new. She discussed the other stones with Victoria, receiving the 'formal' education all the Keepers usually completed before being granted their opes and title. She was particularly interested in the Stone of Knowledge, but as Victoria pointed out, knowledge was pain. Victoria admitted to also being interested in that stone as a child, but now, she knew better than to want it.

"If you could have any opes other than the power stone, which would it be?" Yulisa asked, smiling as they rested in a corner.

"Yours." Victoria revealed.

"Really?" Yulisa asked, slightly shocked.

"With the healing stone, you get to help others. You get to end not just human suffering, but make gardens grow and animals thrive... it's a truly beautiful gift." Victoria explained, looking dreamily over to her pupil. Yulisa just smiled, having to agree with her. "What about you? Your turn."

"Um..." Yulisa thought for a moment. "The time opes."

"Ooooh..." Victoria smiled. "Guarding the gates of time, big responsibility!" They both giggled.

"But I would abuse it." Yulisa admitted.

"Probably I would too, but I guess that's why neither of us have it." Victoria commented. They both smiling at each other. "OK. Which opes would you not want?"

Again Yulisa had to think hard. "I think the Elemental."

"What?" Victoria exclaimed in disbelief.

"I just feel the Elemental stone would have too much in common with this one. If I have to trade, I want something good, something different." She said. Victoria shrugged in agreement.

"I thought you wouldn't want the Stone of Wealth."

"That wouldn't be so bad. I mean, if I was rich then I could give it to charity or use it to better the world." Yulisa explained.

"I just think that stone has so many problems..." Victoria said lowly. Yulisa laughed instantly.

"Says the person carrying the problem child of the family!" She pointed out. Victoria, too, started to laugh.

"My opes is not bad... it's just misunderstood!" Victoria concluded defensively.

"OK... what stone would you least like to have?" Yulisa continued.

"Time..."

The week passed by. Hermione and Yulisa had long finished their homework; and whenever she wasn't in opes training or completing Snape's extra homework, she was joking with the twins, playing Wizard Chess, or helping someone around the house. Wednesday before they were to return to Hogwarts, Yulisa was in the kitchen preparing icing.

"Whatever you're making, it smells good." Remus Lupin commented, standing near the door.

"Thank you, Professor." Yulisa replied.

"Well thank you for the courtesy, but I'm not a professor anymore." he returned, smiling slightly.

"Oh. Sorry, sir." She said, quickly looking up from what she was doing.

"Don't apologize." He said, taking a step closer to better she what she was doing. "Is that a cake?"

"Yes, sir. Italian cream with cream cheese frosting."

Just then the door opened and Sirius Black entered the room. "Did I hear cake?" The other two laughed quietly.

"I've made two... one is for a friend of mine, and the other is for us." She explained. "So don't touch!" She added, quickly looking over to Sirius whom had taken an eager step toward the counter.

"A cake for your friend... that's nice." Lupin said, his face seeming happier now that he knew he'd be getting a piece.

"Special occasion?" Sirius asked, still eying the already finished confection.

"Birthday." She answered, not wanting to go into any details. Given their history she felt it was better if they didn't know it was for him. She didn't trust Sirius to not try and spit on it. The men just nodded their heads.

"What are you two doing down here? Preying on someone else's sweets." Mrs. Weasley said, coming into the Kitchen to start dinner.

"She said we get a piece! She made two!" Sirius explained defensively.

"After dinner!" Mrs. Weasley corrected him, as she ushered them both out.

The next morning when Professor Snape awoke, he found a box with a note waiting for him. Inside was the cake she had baked. While the note read:

Professor Snape,

Thank you for sharing your wisdom. Thank you for spending your time and efforts on the invaluable instruction you give us. And thank you for being there, when we both fail and succeed.

Happy Birthday!

Sunday, the last day before they were to return to Hogwarts, Professor Snape made a visit to the Order; and though he greatly wished to see her, he saw only two of his comrades: Harry Potter and Sirius Black. He had come to inform Harry he would begin Occlumency lessons at the start of term, and after becoming on the brink of a duel with Black, he left; grateful she would be back at school soon, where he could have her to himself.

Monday she was back in Potions, hoping what had happened right before break wouldn't change anything. "Ms. Carmona, please see me after class." He mentioned, as he passed by her cauldron during application.

"Yes, sir." she said quietly. Her heart starting to quicken. When class was over, she hung back, waiting for everyone to leave. As the last student filed out of the room, she made her way down towards his desk.

His eyes made a quick scan of the room, making sure they were alone. "Yulisa, I would rather like it, if you joined me for tea. Is Saturday suitable?" She stared at him, not believing her ears. Waiting for her answer, he raised an eyebrow.

'Yes, sir. Saturday is fine." she almost stammered.

"Immediately after dinner. My office." He said, very businesslike.

"Yes, sir." she nodded, feeling quite confused.

"You are dismissed." He concluded, looking back down to his work. Silently she turned, leaving the classroom. Her mind starting to race at his unusual request.