9
35 – Halloween
"Auntie Dani! Auntie Dani!" Twin strawberry curls dressed in full Halloween garb dashed down the hallway to greet me as I slipped the black, hooded cloak from my shoulders.
"Guess what I am?" they chimed in concert, spinning to display their costumes.
"Hmm, let me guess," I smiled while examining the homemade attires. Emily had done a wonderful job piecing the outfits together, but I was at a loss to figure out what they were. Speculating, I asked, "Are you cartoon characters?"
"Nnooo," the eldest drawled in indignation. "I'm a troll. Can't you tell?"
"And, I'm a goblin! Grrrr," his brother added, scrunching up his face and growling loudly.
"I'm so sorry," I chuckled softly, trying not to offend them further. "I'm not acquainted with any trolls or goblins. I didn't recognize you. You're very frightening." I tried to appease their injured egos while sounding duly impressed. It must have worked, because the boys trotted off proudly to gather their loot bags from the living room. It was funny to see what Muggles thought of trolls and goblins. The boys looked nothing like the real things.
After a moment, Emily descended from the bedrooms upstairs with a very fussy Adrianne tugging at her costume.
"No!" The little girl screamed, stomping her feet and pulling a funny pointed hat from her head. "No witchy!"
Emily rolled her eyes at me and bent to pick the hat up from the floor. "But sweetie, that's what witches wear."
"No!" the toddler bellowed again. "Yucky!"
"You don't think witches wear hats like this?" I asked taking the hat from Emily's hand and placing it on my head. It was far too small and looked silly, making Adrianne laugh.
"Dani, witchy," she reached for me to pick her up.
"You think so?" I asked, lifting the child into my arms. She nodded as she reached to grasp the hat and toss it to the floor once again. "I take it, you don't like the hat?" I added sardonically as I tried to grab the falling headpiece.
She crumpled her face and shook her head. "No witchy hat."
"What do you think a witch should wear then?" I was curious to see what she would come up with.
She wiggled out of my arms and headed straight to where my cloak hung over the back of a chair. Emily had invited me on the "Trick or Treating" rounds tonight, as Colin was on shift at the hospital, and I wore my cloak as a means of blending into the spirit of the evening. She pulled it down, draping the abundant material around her, nearly getting lost in the black fabric as it pooled on the floor.
"Witchy," she announced proudly, her little face beaming from under the huge hood, while her hand gripped a pencil from beside the telephone and waved it gracefully in the air.
"You think?" I asked trying to hide my surprise at her instinctive actions.
She nodded absently, lost in her "wand-waving".
"I don't have time to make her a cape," Emily fretted, looking at the clock on the wall.
"The boys will be fussing to go soon. Six-year olds have absolutely no patience."
"Do you have any material left?" I asked, an idea brewing in my mind. She nodded and led me to her small, spare room off the main hall that held a mass of arts and crafts supplies, a sewing machine on an old desk, files and old research papers on a scattering of shelves, and a full laundry basket on the floor. The room was the epitome of organized chaos.
"We don't have time," she reiterated, glancing over her shoulder as one of the boys let out a yell.
"Give me ten minutes," I insisted. "It won't be perfect, but it may satisfy your little witch. You keep them occupied, and I'll be out shortly."
Emily nodded reluctantly and scooped Adrianne into her arms while retreating to the living room to the shouts and calls from the wound up twins. I closed the door and turned my attention to the yard of black fabric in my hands. Focusing on the vision of a miniature witch's cloak, the material transfigured into the exact image I had in mind, but it looked like something bought from a store rather than thrown together at the last minute. Focusing again, I removed all of the hemming, leaving the edges rough, then replaced the toggle tie with an odd piece of ribbon. Making the machine hum for a few minutes, I pretended to sew the creation together. When I was "done", I opened the door and headed to where the family was waiting.
"Are we going yet?" the boys complained loudly.
"I think so. Adrianne, is this what you wanted?" I knelt to her level and held up the cloak for her investigation. Her eyes widened with excitement as she clutched the costume and nodded vigorously. I wrapped the cloak around her shoulders and magically adjusted the fit while Emily's back was turned, preparing the boys to leave. Placing the hat firmly on her head, I gave her a "leave it there" look.
Adrianne tilted her head close to mine, our foreheads almost touching, and whispered, "An'i Dani, witchy. Shhhh." She smiled a knowing smile as her hazel eyes bore into mine. How could she know? I thought uneasily. She's just a child.
The streets were crowded with miniature ghosts and goblins, fairies and witches, comic book characters, and chatting parents. I had never experienced "trick or treating" before, although I had heard of the event, and I watched in amusement as the children raced from house to house, demanding sweets. Within an hour, the loot bags were almost full, and the children wanted to taste their cache. Emily, though, had a strict rule: no eating anything without her checking it first. However, on the way home, she gave in and allowed each child to have a cellophane-sealed lollipop.
As the full moon rested over the tops of the houses, the wind began to pick up, gusting in small whirlwinds at the street corners. It was comfortably cool, and the thought of a hot cup of tea when we got back to the house made me smile. A tired Adrianne held tightly to my hand as the boys excitedly dashed around their mother. I wondered how Emily would get them to sleep without a good, strong Valerian Potion to knock them out. Crossing in front of a closed shop, a gust of wind lifted Adrianne's hat from her head and blew it into the alley. The child ripped from my grip to chase after it, and I chased after her. Entering the narrow lane, I spied Adrianne as she bounced off an unseen entity, landing squarely on her backside. Her lower lip quivered as she tentatively reached out to feel what was…or wasn't… there. The hair on the back of my neck prickled, and my projective hand instinctively shot out. "Respingere!" Whatever it was flew backward a good six feet at my Italian command, crashing into the dustbins, as I quickly cast a protective shield over the child and myself and dashed from the alley. Adrianne began to cry as Emily took firm hold of the boys and scolded the small child for running off. An odd sensation overcame me, and I instructed Emily to take the children and return home, I would follow shortly. My excuse was that Adrianne's hat was still in the alley. Stealthily re-entering the narrow lane, I cast "Finite Incantatum", and the Disillusionment Charm vanished from the entity that was rising and dusting off.
"What in bloody blue blazes do you think you're doing?" I hissed trying to keep my voice down as the last of the "trick or treaters" and their parents headed home.
"You didn't have a shield up. I could have easily harmed you."
"You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"
"That's a different question." He cantankerously folded his arms over his chest.
"Argg. I don't have time for this. What do you want?"
"Are you going to Callanish tonight?"
Funny how he could remember my annual pilgrimage to the Isle of Lewis every Samhain, but couldn't think to send an owl when he couldn't show up to a rendezvous.
"Yes, are you planning to follow me there?" I asked testily.
"No. Albus needs to meet with us. Tomorrow afternoon. You know the place."
My brows furrowed, and Severus watched coolly. It was odd for Albus to call the three of us together. He could see Severus anytime and made arrangements with me separately. I wondered what he wanted.
"I heard that your guests arrived last night, and wasn't the choosing of the champions tonight?" My lips twisted upward slightly. It was all the talk at the Ministry these days. After the events at the World Cup, the Triwizard Tournament seemed to be just the thing to get everyone's minds off of the shock. "Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Interesting combination. Hormones must be running rampant."
Severus snorted derisively. "You have no idea." We stood silently for a moment, the tension like static in the air. We hadn't had a chance to "talk" since the incident in the summer, although, he had finally sent a brief message of regret with the opening line; "I suppose you heard". Yes, I'd heard, but only after several days of aggravation and my return to England. The Ministry was up in arms, and here I thought it had been chaotic when Black had escaped. That was nothing compared to this. The Dark Mark had struck terror at all levels.
"Tomorrow," he repeated dispassionately with a concise nod, and with a "pop", he was gone.
Retrieving Adrianne's hat from the ground, I headed to Emily's. By the time I got there, she had managed to, at least, get the children into bed, the baby falling asleep almost instantly while the boys wanted to continue the revelry. She had put the kettle on, and it was whistling when I entered the house. Removing the pot from the burner, I made the tea and headed upstairs to tell the children "good night". Once the boys were down, Emily and I took our tea to the living room and flopped onto the sofa with weary sighs. Our silence was comfortable, but her eyes fluttered as she struggled to stay awake. With a compassionate smile, I bid my friend "good night" and headed back to my apartment to prepare for the ritual in Callanish.
The monolith circle of Callanish, on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, had always been my special place when I was in England. It was a place that I retreated to once a year, on Samhain, to experience the most powerful night in the magical realm. Unfortunately, tonight, with the moon being full, several others had the same idea. The quiet island community hosted a fairly large coven that had decided to hold a rather raucous ritual directly in the centre of the circle that I usually used. Several other individuals and couples scattered through the remaining stones in various stages of ceremony and celebration.
So much for peace and quiet, I sighed scornfully as I wandered the meadow, heading toward the bay.
Finding a quiet patch of grass near the edge of the cliff, overlooking a narrow inlet, I could see the estuary to the North Atlantic in the distant, inky night. The breeze howled off the water and up the rocky face, lifting the heavy cloak away from my body, whirling its way up my legs. I let the fresh air fill my lungs, then closed my eyes, drew my wand, and cast the circle. Candles wouldn't have stayed lit in the blustery breeze, but the glow from the circle's aura illuminated my chosen space. Slipping the cloak from my shoulders, I stood naked to the wind, arms and legs outstretched, welcoming the power and the spirits of the night. It was definitely cold but warmth from the ritual filled my soul.
Gracious Goddess of the night,
Join me in this circle site,
Praises to the stars and moon,
Join me in the circle soon.
Power and spirit energy flow,
Teach me Goddess what you know.
The aura rose around me, glowing brilliant white at the base but turning pale blue as it rose: the aura of healing, tranquility, comfort. She knew what I needed.
I stood upright, reaching to the moon and stars, praying to the Goddess, allowing the energy from the spirits to enter my soul. It felt good. Balance was being restored.
Finally, spreading the cloak on the ground, I lay on my back, arms and legs equal distance apart, "Vitruvian man" style, and stared at the celestial sky, allowing the sound of the water against the shore and the wind over the ocean to lull me to sleep: the Goddess keeping a protective watch with Her loving aura.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, I thought while pouring a dose of Pepper Up Potion into a glass and drinking it down. The night had indeed turned cold, and the salt air had soaked into my lungs while I slept wrapped in my cloak. I woke in the early dawn with a wet cough deep in my chest. Wonderful, I chastised myself, gazing at my heavy expression in the bathroom mirror, and me meeting "the boys" this afternoon.
I had gathered my belongingsin the misty meadow and Apparated to my London flat as the sun rose over the bay. Now, I was preparing to stand under a steaming shower to let the vapours infiltrate my rapidly congesting sinuses. Feeling the heat hit my body, I turned my face to the spray, and as the minutes ticked by, my skin began to prune. Turning off the tap, I quickly cast a Warming Charm, towelled off, and wrapped myself in a cozy robe. Eucalyptus was burning in a small, iron cauldron in the bedroom, and with the door closed; the fumes filled the chamber. This would help loosen the congestion as well. Tumbling under the soft covers of the bed, I hoped that a couple of hours of sleep in the scented room would help relieve the building pressure.
Feeling marginally better as I woke around lunch, I dressed in a thick, cable-knit sweater and favourite black jeans, gathered a few items from the pantry and prepared to leave again, this time to the well-used Cumberland safe house.
The frosty grass in the yard crunched under my feet as I made my way up the path to the heavy, wooden backdoor. The stone house was empty, so I lit the kitchen stove and put the kettle on to boil. Wandering into the study, "Incendio" had a blazing fire in the grate to stave off the dampness and chill. As I examined the collection of books on the shelves (there was always something of interest here) the creak of the back door announced new arrivals. Returning to the kitchen, a deafening sneeze shook the rafters and greeted the men in my life. Both were removing their cloaks, Albus handing his to Severus who dropped it as the shockwave hit. They spun to face a watery-eyed, red-nosed me.
"You were fine last night. What happened?" Severus snapped, finally hanging Albus' cloak on the wrought iron hook behind the door.
"Callanish happened," I responded with an elephant-like blow produced from heavy sinuses.
"Oh dear," Albus' eyes were twinkling. "You didn't do the ritual sky clad, did you?"
My left eyebrow rose in pure Snape fashion, which made Albus chuckle lightly. "Ah, poor Severus. You missed it. It was quite chill last night, wasn't it, dear?" His final statement was directed to me but aimed to attract Severus' attention.
"I was fine until I fell asleep. Damn North Atlantic breeze." I blew my nose again to the renewed chuckle of the old man.
The kettle began to boil, and Severus insisted on making the tea, lest I contaminate the pot. He carried the tray into the study, and we settled into our seats. Albus looked nearly lost in the large, fan-backed armchair, while Severus sat comfortably in its twin. I "Accio"d a wing chair from the corner of the room, and we sat, watching each other, in a semi-circle in front of the fire. Small talk was over, and it was time to get to business.
"So, what's this all about?" I was the first to break the silence.
"You know that the Triwizard Tournament is being held at Hogwarts," Albus began. It was more a statement than a question.
I nodded, expressionless, waiting for more.
"And, you know that Alastor Moody is the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."
An old contact. Ex-Auror. A bit paranoid but understandable considering what he had been through. Over all, a good choice for the DADA post. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Severus fuming from the depths of his chair at Alastor's name.
"The champions were chosen last night. There are supposed to be three, one from each school represented," the patriarch continued watching me carefully.
"Supposed to be". Those words caught my attention, and I glanced briefly at the stony-faced Potions Master. I think my left eyebrow had now receded into my hairline. Wiping my nose again, I calmly prompted, "And…what happened?"
"The goblet spewed forth an additional name…Potter?" Severus nearly spat the Potter boy's name onto the rug. "I don't know how he did it, but he's now contracted to compete in the tournament."
My eyes shifted from a sallow-faced Severus to a very concerned Albus.
"Now, Severus," Albus began. "I understand your feelings in this matter…and toward the boy, however, I truly do not believe that he had anything to do with it. Alastor was right. It would take a skilled wizard to have confused such a powerfully magical object such as the goblet. Harry has not yet acquired those skills. I believe that your…dislike…for the boy has clouded your judgement."
Severus huffed and sank further into his seat.
Albus continued. "I believe that someone put Harry's name in with the intent of having him…not finishing… the tournament. What better way to get rid of an adversary? I have asked Alastor to keep a close eye on Harry this year. This will free Severus to do some investigations outside of the school. I need you, my dear, to keep your eyes and ears open at the Ministry. As you know, a Ministry employee went missing in Albania during the summer. Her connection to Voldemort is unknown. I also need you and Severus to work together. If necessary, shadow him. You two have been…partners…for many years. You're bonded. The link between you is strong and could be vital."
I smiled realising the possibility of spending more time with Severus this year, even though it was "professional". Looking over to my mate, I was met with a scowl fit for an errant first year.
"What?" I demanded. "Does it not please you that we may actually spend some time together?"
"I am against this partnership," he measured carefully. "To shadow me would mean to put you in the utmost of danger. If you were caught, those involved would not hesitate to torture and kill you. You do remember what that feels like, don't you?" He leaned forward, elbows placed on his knees, a scowl deeply etched in his features. " I do not wish to have any part of your being harmed. Albus knows my view, yet insists on the pairing anyway."
"She is the best candidate. It has always been the three of us, and you two are linked. Try it in less volatile circumstances first and see what happens. Daniella is highly skilled in covertness, as you are. Severus, without her, we would know nothing of Voldemort's change or his movements."
"Ah, yes," he sneered. "And, where is the Dark Lord now?" He eyed me with derision.
"I don't know," I whispered, wiping my nose again, a hacking cough beginning to rise from my chest.
"And, no one will hear you coming with such a cough? Did you at least take something for it before coming here to infect us?" he belittled.
"What is your problem?" I finally bellowed, rising to my feet. "I didn't call this meeting. Albus did. Yes, I got sick. Shame on me. I'm human! I…" The irritated cough took over, and my face turned purple, eyes watering, as I struggled to breath. A glass of water was thrust into my fist as large hands spanned across my back, loosening the tight muscles, allowing the bronchioles to relax. Inhaling with a painful wheeze, I could feel the air rush to my deprived lungs, and I took a sip of the water.
"Thank you," I gasped as the back of a hand moved to my forehead.
"You have a fever. You should be in bed." Severus moved to stand before me, feeling my cheeks and looking into my eyes.
"We had a meeting. If Albus called the three of us together, it must have been important. I had to come." The fight had left me.
Severus softened, a look of concern flickering on his hardened face. The back of his long fingers stroked my warm cheek as his obsidian eyes bore into mine. "I left, so many years ago, in order to protect you. Now, I'm asked to invite you to the devil's dinner table. Who knows who will join him? I know that you are capable. I know that you are skilled, but I cannot help but worry. I do not wish to be party to you being injured, and if you are caught, that is sure to happen."
I reached up to gently cup Severus' cheek. "Then we should do what Albus suggested. When you go on lesser…outings, like with those in the lower circle, I could shadow you, be able to see things from a different perspective. That way, if or when you do need me, I'll be prepared and know who the players are."
Severus sighed deeply, knowing that he was fighting a loosing battle and nodded almost imperceptibly.
I smiled lovingly at him.
"Well." Albus clapped his hands together, bringing us back to the moment like an ice cube running down our backs. "Now that that's settled, I suppose I should take my leave and return to our guests. I agree with Severus, my dear, you should be in bed. You do not look at all well. Severus, I expect you to make sure she gets there, and I'll see you at dinner tonight."
Severus nodded his agreement as Albus exited the study. Hearing the backdoor click shut, Severus silently turned to me and led me to the bedroom. Casting "Incendio" in the grate, he pulled the covers of the bed down and ushered me in, tucking the edges of the comforter around my ailing body.
"I'm going to see what potions are in the medicine cabinet. I'll be right back," he stated as long fingers brushed my forehead once again.
My eyes drooped with the warmth of the room and the fever in my body. I never heard him return.