Vulnera Sanentur

The quidditch game between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff ended on a draw, one hundred eighty for each team. The scarlet and gold team was much better in all areas, but Hufflepuff got the golden snitch. Ethan tried his best, but his broom wasn't fast enough to get it first. However, the team was more united than ever, that was already a small victory to see them playing like this together. And Kate was happy by that result, so neither she and Katie nor Alec and Kyle would be celebrating while the others were disappointed.

They walked back together to the castle and parted ways in the Great Hall. Once in the Common Room, Katie and Kate sat down together and chatted until the team came back. The twins, Alicia and Angelina went immediately sitting with the two first year girls and the rest of the team followed. They were talking together, relaxed, until Emma came taunting them.

- 'I hope you're happy now,' she squeaked. 'You're not able to defeat Hufflepuff without me. See what happens when you follow the advice of a stupid little girl.'

- 'Oh, shut up, Emma!' answered Ainsworth.

- 'Yeah,' smiled Kate, 'maybe if you had agreed to play seeker, they would have won, because your broom is faster than Ethan's. But the whole team played superbly, they were a hundred and fifty points ahead without you, playing together, enjoying doing so. That was a team. Nothing like when you were still playing after Charlie left.'

- 'Right, try to make it sound less lame. Maybe that's all you can do to keep your conscience clear after making us lose our best player and then getting rid of me. Today was ridicule.'

- 'My conscience is clear and I really didn't care if you were in the team or not. But if you had stayed, probably you would have played without beaters and no other player motivated to give their best for the team, because that would imply giving their best for you, a spoiled cry-baby.'

- 'Shut your mouth you little –' she bellowed, pulling out her wand.

Ainsworth, Wood and Ethan stood up and walked to the blond girl, Kate used that moment of distraction to summon Emma's wand. Fred and George had stepped in front of Kate to shield her. The three older boys were trying to calm down the last year witch, but to no avail. It seemed to get out of hand, so Kate went inside McGonagall's mind and asked her to come in the Common Room. A few minutes later, the Transfiguration professor arrived and saw three boys trying to prevent Emma from rushing to Kate, who was sitting calmly in her armchair.

- 'What is happening here?' she asked sternly.

- 'Emma came taunting the team and accused Kate to be responsible for how terrible we were, how better that would have been with her,…' explained Angelina. 'Kate answered, that upset Emma, she pulled out her wand, the boys went to stop her, Kate summoned her wand to avoid a fight, but since then she wants to have a physical fight, that's why the guys try to restrain her.'

- 'Spalding, will you please calm down, now?'

- 'I'm going to kill this little b–' the last year girl screamed.

- 'Spalding! This kind of behaviour is in no way tolerable. You're an adult and you want to fight a twelve years old because you hold her responsible for the consequences of your behaviour. If you are not willing to learn how to take responsibility for your actions, I believe you have nothing to do in this school any more.'

- 'But she did everything to get me out of the team, it's her fault!'

- 'You know this isn't true. I was wondering when Wood would see that it was the only move to save the team. We all saw today there was a huge improvement in the team's motivation and pleasure to play with each other, all what was in danger because of your attitude. Do you think I do not pay attention to what our team is doing? I dream of seeing us winning the cup again, I can't hear Professor Snape nagging me every year any more. But I already see it as a victory that they enjoy playing together again. It's a bit sad that Wood needed the advice of a first year to come to this ine-vitable conclusion. If you can't see that your behaviour was poisoning the team, I'm sorry for you, really. Because that means you will make the same mistakes again.'

Emma didn't answer. She was looking at her feet, not saying anything. Kate went to McGonagall and gave her Emma's wand. She didn't want to go close to the last year witch and risk to aggravate her. Then she sat again, Fred and George sitting on each of the armchair's arms. McGonagall gave Emma three Sunday afternoons of detention and gave her back her wand. But as the Transfiguration professor turned around to leave, Emma faced Kate, ready to strike. The first year pushed Fred out of the way, stood up while freeing her wand. The room was lit by flashes of light, Kate's armchair had a smoking hole in the back, and Emma had been disarmed and projected in the armchairs behind her. Fred was sitting on the ground, looking at Kate, who's robe on the left shoulder was ripped, one could see she was bleeding. The young witch was blemish, teeth clenched, trying not to scream under the pain. McGonagall, who seemed rather shocked by what just happe-ned, picked up Emma's wand, then she flicked her own.

- 'Spalding, your belongings are awaiting in Professor Dumbledore's office. You will not have to come back here, let's go. Misters Weasley, would you mind bringing Labelle to the Hospital Wing? I think Madam Pomfrey should look at her shoulder,' she said before leaving with Emma.
The whole Common Room was silent. Kate looked at her shoulder. It was bleeding profusely, the wound was quite big and deep, it was feeling as if it was burning. She couldn't heal herself, so she agreed to go to the Hospital Wing. Fred and George led her out of the Common Room, and to Kate's surprise, the whole team and Katie followed them. The young witch was hold-ing her left arm, as the tension caused by its weight was adding to the pain. George was walking with a hand on Kate's right shoulder, Fred was on the other side, he was awfully quiet. The others were walking just behind. Half-way, they met Snape, who asked disdainfully what a group of Gryf-findor was doing wandering in the corridors.

- 'Kate had been injured, we're bringing her to the Hospital Wing,' said George.

- 'I don't think you need to be that many to do so, do you?'he said, staring at Kate.

She showed him briefly what happened, he answered mentally that probably Madam Pomfrey would not be able to do much but he could. Kate told him to stay away and keep his character as the insufferable Head of Slytherin who's happy when something bad happens to Gryffindors. If Madam Pomfrey needed help, she would ask for it.

- 'We just want to show our support,' said Wood.

Kate thought he probably felt responsible for what happened. Snape eventually let them go, just giving another sneaky comment. When the group entered the ward, Madam Pomfrey rushed towards them.

- 'Oh, dear Lord, what happened to you?' she asked, seeing Kate's bleeding shoulder.

The group explained briefly the situation, and that a non verbal spell had been shot and hit Kate.

- 'All right. I know Kate is your friend, but I cannot let that many people in here,' said Madam Pomfrey, then turning to Kate, 'who would you like to stay with you?'

- 'Fred and George, of course. But maybe Fred needs something as well, I've never seen him that quiet,' she answered, a bit worried.

Fred tried to smile, but it wasn't convincing at all. The rest of the group left, wishing Kate to get better soon. Madam Pomfrey led the girl to a bed, she closed the curtains around it and asked her to remove her clothes, so she could examine the wound. Kate did as she was told.

- 'It looks like a curse to me. Do you know what spell it was?'

- 'No, she cast non-verbally. It mainly hit the armchair, though, it created a big round and fuming hole in it.'

- 'All right, I will see what I can do. Just go into bed, cover yourself with the sheets, I'm coming.'

Once she was installed and covered, Kate asked the twins to come around.

- 'What's up, Fred?' she asked when they walked through the curtains.

- 'It's just…' he seemed hesitant to continue.

- 'What?'

- 'You wouldn't be hurt if you hadn't push me aside.'

- 'Are you trying to imply that it's your fault?' she asked, he nodded. 'Of course I pushed you aside, otherwise you would have been hit by that curse, and not lightly on your shoulder like me. Have you seen the armchair? I'm a bit injured, but you're alive. That was an easy choice. And the only person responsible is Emma. She's the one who cast that spell.'

- 'Sure, but if I –'

- 'Stop that!' she cut sharply. 'I don't need your guilt. The only reason you're alive is because I saw she would attack. And that's the point, we're both alive. I'm wounded, yes, but nothing unbearable and hopefully Madam Pomfrey will find something to heal me. I can tell you Oliver feels guilty as well, because he told Emma I gave him the idea to get her out the team. And McGonagall for not having felt that Emma was not done. None of you is responsible for that. It was her decision to react this way. I'm not angry at any of you. Stop feeling bad, please. I need some fun, that helps against pain,' she finished in a smile.

He was staring at her, but it didn't seem like he could let this feeling go.

- 'George, can you hug your brother for me? I would do so myself, but I obviously can't use both my arms as I'd like.'

George gladly went to his twin and hugged him just as Kate would have done.

- 'Listen, both of you. I'd give my life if it meant it would save yours. I hadn't even a second of hesitation for pushing Fred away, and I knew perfectly I'll get injured. What happened happened, we can't change it, and it ended as good as it could. I'm extremely happy nothing happened to you. Please remember what my Boggart was.'

Fred stepped closer, he kissed Kate on the forehead and whispered 'thank you.' George was nodding approvingly. Madam Pomfrey came back with a few different potions. She put them on the night table. She first gave a filled cup to Fred and told him to drink it to help him get over the shock. Then she turned to Kate. She let a few drops of the first potion fall on the wound, it had no effect. She then took a second one, and tried as well a few drops. The burning sensation increased tremendously.

- 'I don't think it's working,' Kate said through clenched teeth, trying not to scream. 'It's like you turned it on fire.'

Kate was now livid. She tried her best to look as normal as possible to not show the twins how much pain she was experiencing.

- 'All right, I will not try the third one, then,' said Pomfrey. Then looking at the boys, she added 'can you please go tell Professor Snape that I need his knowledge here?'

Fred and George agreed and ran out of the ward.

- 'It's not always easy to find the cure for a curse you don't know, I'm sorry you have to go through more pain now. I'm afraid the next potion would make things even worse. Professor Snape's know-ledge of the Dark Arts and Potions is much greater than mine, he will probably know what to do. You're really brave, I know many who would be screaming in agony right now.'

- 'That would be no help at all,' mumbled Kate.

She was keeping her eyes closed, trying to cut away from her mind the pain she was feeling. Now it felt like someone was stabbing her with a knife that had been heated on the fire. Kate's hands were clinging to the sheets, her knuckles were white, she was grimacing with each new feeling of being stabbed. Every second was feeling like a minute, she was wondering why Fred and George weren't yet back with Snape, but they just left. Madam Pomfrey was talking, but Kate wasn't listening any more. She was entirely focused on controlling her reaction to the pain. After what seemed like an hour, she finally heard the ward's door open and close and the steps of three people approaching. Madam Pomfrey joined them, Kate heard them talking briefly, then someone approached her. She opened her eyes again.

It was Snape. Kate thought he seemed paler than usual, but it was probably the pain messing up her perceptions, he surely wasn't worried for her. She went in his mind, that was easier than talking at that point. She showed him the intent of Emma's spell, thinking it might help him find a way to heal her. He asked her how painful it was, she gave him the feeling. He bended under the pain.

- 'Sorry,' she thought.

- 'How can you stay quiet?' he asked her silently.

- 'Except worrying my friends, what would it change if I screamed?'

Snape stepped closer, took out his wand, he pointed it at the wound, his other hand beside, and he muttered an incantation. Slowly, the blood stopped flowing and the wound seemed to close. The edges were getting closer and closer. Kate's face started to relax, the pain was going away. When he was done with the incantation, he added a few drops of essence of Dittany and a moment later, Kate's shoulder was completely healed. She took the Potions Master's free hand before he stepped back and whispered 'thank you.'

- 'You should try to be careful now,' he muttered.

- 'I was careful. I saved Fred's life and I didn't show I can do wand-less magic,' she said in his mind. 'If I didn't had to keep that ability secret, nothing would have happened.'

- 'Maybe. Anyway, don't do anything reckless. We have a lot of work to do for Dumbledore.'

Kate nodded. He walked back to Madam Pomfrey. He told her Kate should stay there for the night and take some blood-replenishing potion because she lost quite a lot of it. The matron thanked him, she picked up the potions she had brought to try to take care of the wound and left the ward. Fred and George joined Kate behind her curtains.

- 'Wow, that's awesome, we can't see anything any more,' said George enthusiastically.

- 'Except the blood on the bedsheets,' added Fred.

- 'Yeah, Snape is really good at healing. I guess I'll try to ask him during my next detention what incantation he used. It seemed super efficient,' she said.

- 'I'm happy he agreed to come,' said Fred. 'He doesn't really like us.'

- 'True, but he saw you with me before, and I guess he doesn't want to lose the most promising student he has in Potions,' Kate answered in a smile. 'But seriously, he probably just had to. He's a professor here, I'm not sure he would keep his job if he wasn't taking care of something like this when he's the most qualified to help.'

Madam Pomfrey came back with a new potion. She gave Kate a cup of it.

- 'Here, drink this,' she said. 'I'll give you some again after dinner. Your friends are allowed to stay here if they stay quiet. You need to rest.'

The woman gave Kate some pyjamas, cleaned the bedsheets, then she left. The twins turned their back to Kate while she put the clothes on. Just as she was done, someone entered the ward. Kate asked George to open the curtains to see what was happening. It was Professor Dumbledore, he walked to Kate calmly.

- 'How are you doing, Kate?' he asked.

- 'Much better, thanks to Professor Snape. I didn't know he's that good at healing.'

- 'He is indeed, he always was, as far as I remember. Much like you. You don't have to worry, Miss Spalding has been expelled, her parents have been warned of what happened. They picked her up in my office a few moments ago. They promised me they will take care that something like that won't happen any more.'

- 'I wasn't worried. But thanks for telling me.'

- 'I was thinking about warning Charlie Weasley of your, let's say, accident, should I propose him to come visiting you with Fawkes?'

Kate blushed.

- 'Well, I won't say no to that. But I don't know if it's a good idea.'

- 'Why not?'

- 'Because it might create a correlation in my head between injuries and Charlie, and maybe I'll take more risks than needed in the hope to be injured again, just to see him again,' she said with a little smile.

- 'I see,' answered Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eyes. 'I believe I can trust you won't cause your friend so much worries and you will stay safe to let him have some peace of mind. I will write him, he will decide if he wants to come or not. I'm happy to see you are doing all right.'

- 'Thank you,' she whispered.

Fred and George pulled chairs and sat beside the girl's bed. The group of twins talked together for almost an hour, Fred started joking again, this lifted Kate's spirit. Then the ward's door opened once more, Professor Dumbledore came back, Charlie walking by his side. A broad smile appeared on Kate's face when she saw him rushing to her bed.

- 'How are you doing?' he asked, reaching for her hand, he was anxious.

- 'I'm fine. I just need to get some blood back, but I'm fine.'

- 'What happened? Professor Dumbledore wrote me, I wondered if he was not trying to make it sound less bad than it really was to avoid that I worry. I needed to see by myself, but I had to finish my lesson and ask if I could leave. They gave me one hour when I explained the friend who sends me potion was injured.'

- 'Calm down,' Kate said, lifting her right hand to his face. 'Professor Snape took care of my injury, it's all gone. I lost a lot of blood, so I have to take a blood-replenishing potion and rest until tomorrow.'

Madam Pomfrey came in, asking if everyone was staying there for dinner. Fred and George decided to go eating with the others to give them news, thus letting Kate and Charlie together for the short time they had. They thanked them. Professor Dumbledore and the twins went to the Great Hall and Madam Pomfrey left to fetch two meals.

- 'So, what happened?' asked Charlie, his voice sounded calmer.

Kate showed him all what happened in the Common Room that afternoon.

- 'The reason you were injured was because you saved Fred's life?' he wondered.

- 'Yes. It shouldn't be a surprise, you all saw my Boggart in September. I can't deal with any of them dying. I don't think she was aiming at him, though, he was just in the way, between her and me. But if I hadn't pushed him aside, he'd be dead.'

Madam Pomfrey came back with trays loaded with food. Kate sat up, Charlie sat down, and both started eating. Kate finished explaining all what happened with the team since he left, then she asked him about Romania. He fired up, talking about the dragons and all he learned about them already. Kate was looking at him, a huge smile on her face.

- 'Why are you looking at me like this?' he asked after a moment.

- 'I'm happy I helped you make your decision. You seem so happy about all what you're doing and learning there. It was definitely the right choice for you. Happiness is shining through you.'

- 'True, I'm really happy there, it's all I wanted, all I dreamed of, maybe more. The only thing is, I miss you,' he said, slightly blushing.

- 'I miss you too. All the letters I'm writing, it's each time I need to talk to you. And each time I'm struggling, doubting, I wish so hard you'd be here! I know the moment you would have laid your eyes upon me, I'd have been sure I'll manage, because you give me strength and confidence.'

- 'I'm sorry I let you down.'

- 'Don't be. When I see how happy you are when you talk about Romania, it's worth everything. It's all I wanted for you.'

Charlie put down his tray and went hugging the young witch.

- 'I could never have dreamed to have a friend like you. I knew you were someone special for me almost instantly, but the fact that you decided to let me go for my dream, no matter how difficult it is for you, I think it's the biggest act of love someone could have done for me,' he said while straightening up.

- 'You're not here for long, would you mind sitting beside me?' Kate asked, sliding a bit more on the side of the bed.

He smiled, sat beside his friend, put an arm around her shoulder, she rested her head on his chest. It was feeling good to have him so close. She enjoyed this feeling a few seconds before talking again.

- 'I think the work I'm doing with Snape helps. I stayed perfectly calm today with Emma. Not a single draught in the room.'

- 'That's a good thing. I'm happy to hear that, maybe you'll stop worrying you could hurt us now.'

- 'Yeah, I think so,' she smiled.

- 'Is he still taunting you about how you are similar to Grindelwald?'

- 'He stopped because I came to term with that, it wasn't upsetting me any more.'

- 'Good. How did that happen?'

- 'I don't think I should tell you, you won't like it.'

- 'But it's done, even if I don't like it, there's nothing I can change about it. Tell me.'

- 'You won't tell anyone?' she asked, although she used a Fidelius charm to protect the information that she went to Nurmengard, she wasn't sure it would apply to the discussion she had there.

- 'I swear.'

Kate straightened up, looked at him in the eyes and showed him how she went to Nurmen-gard and met the imprisoned Dark wizard. She saw fear on his face, but she kept showing him the whole conversation they had together and why she came back. Then she left his mind, still looking at him. He was really pale.

- 'You're right, I don't like it,' he said, trying to smile. 'Do you realize the risks you took?'

- 'Yes, the only reason Fawkes agreed was because I told him if he feels danger he can bring me back. But I had a feeling Grindelwald wouldn't try anything, and I was right.'

- 'Did it help you?'

- 'Yes. You saw it, he told me I'm not like he was. It was good to talk to him about it. But don't say anything, please, to no one. And definitely not to Dumbledore. He wasn't at school when I did this, that's the main reason why I tried. Fred and George know I went there because they were knocking at the classroom door for twenty minutes when I came back, so I had to tell them. But they just know a fraction of what we talked about.'

- 'You won't do it again?'

- 'I sincerely don't know. I think he might still have answers for me. But not for now anyway.'

- 'Thanks for being honest.'

- 'Fred and George asked me to tell them before if I decide to do it again, so at least someone knows where I am and can call for help if I need too long to come back. I agreed to that.'

- 'That's something, but I don't really see how someone could go to Nurmengard within seconds when Fawkes is with you.'

- 'I agree with you, but I'm sure nothing will happen.'

- 'I don't know if your instinct is really good or if you're just extremely lucky, but I'm happy it worked out fine.'

- 'You know, I wasn't sure it was a good idea to let you come here today,' she said, abruptly changing subject.

- 'Why?'

- 'I thought it might make me feel that, if I get injured, you'll come. Dumbledore pointed out that I won't be able to make you worry that much. He was right, I guess. When I saw you coming in the room, it broke my heart to see how anxious you seemed to be. I'm quite sure now I can't make you worry with reason.'

He attracted her to him again and started stroking her head.

- 'Thank you,' he whispered. 'I really have difficulties when I know you're not doing well, or you're injured. Even if I'm exactly where I always wanted to be, if you are in troubles, it's like a part of my world is about to fall apart,' he said softly. 'There's something I wanted to ask you. Why do you tell me so many things that should stay secret?'

- 'Well, most of them have to stay secret at school. And I think I just want to be as honest as I can with you. When I need to confide, I know you won't betray my trust. I also know how you helped me cope with my guilt and anger in September, how you helped me through that bad moment after the quidditch game,… I know it's safe for me to talk to you. I know you'll hear what I need to say, you won't take it lightly. And I know if you can, you'll help me sorting out the chaos in my mind.'

The door opened again, Fred, George and Dumbledore were coming back.

- 'It's about one hour, now,' stated the Headmaster.

- 'All right, I'm coming,' answered Charlie.

Kate hugged him tightly before letting him stand up.

- 'Do I send you enough potions?' she asked.

- 'Yes, don't worry. If I see I could lack something, I will let you know.'

- 'Take care of you,' she whispered. 'I'm sure you joined them as my Boggart.'

He smiled kindly at her, holding her hand.

- 'Take care of you too, please. Stay safe.'

He kissed her forehead and left with Dumbledore. Fred and George sat again beside Kate's bed. They told her the others were happy to know her shoulder was all right and that she would be back the next day. They also said Alec and Kyle wanted them to give her a hug from them, they were worried not to see her in the Great Hall, so they asked the twins what happened.

Shortly before ten, Madam Pomfrey came back, asking the twins to go to their Common Room and giving Kate the second part of the blood-replenishing potion. They hugged the girl before leaving, wishing her a good night and to be fit the next morning. Kate drank the cup of potion as Madam Pomfrey closed the curtains around her bed, then she was left alone to sleep.

In the middle of the night, the young witch woke up, having the feeling to be observed. Some diffused light allowed her to see the shadow of someone sitting beside her bed. Her eyes needed some time to adapt to the darkness, but then she recognised who was there.

- 'Professor Snape? What are you doing here?' she asked in a broken voice.

- 'Why aren't you sleeping?'

- 'It's not easy to stay asleep when I have the heavy feeling that someone is observing me after I fell asleep with no one else in the room. Why are you here? What time is it?'

- 'It's one in the morning. I only wanted to make sure you are doing all right.'

- 'You could have done that tomorrow morning,' she said, repressing a yawn.

- 'People would have wondered why I'm checking on you.'

- 'Point taken, but you could have waited for lunch tomorrow, you would have seen me in the Great Hall.'

- 'Was any of your parents a natural healer?' he suddenly asked.

- 'No, that's not something I inherited from them. But I guess it can jump generations. After all, Morgan Le Fay, my ancestor, was also famous for being a healer. This makes me think, I wanted to ask you if you could teach me the incantation you used to heal my shoulder.'

- 'Maybe. We'll see how you're doing on Wednesday.'

- 'I have to thank you for the work we do together. It helps. I was able to stay completely calm in front of Emma. No tension building up in me.'

- 'I'm happy to know I'm not wasting my time, then,' he said in a disdainful way.

- 'Of course not. It's not always easy, but I try my best. I want to progress. And I think I enjoy working with you. I mean, you're really cold, often mean for no reason, putting people down, but in the end, you're still better than my parents.'

- 'Your parents were worse than me?' he wondered.

- 'Well, yeah, I'd say so. I mean, parents are supposed to love their children, to support them. At least it's what I'd have expected. It was better after I learned to protect my mind from my father, but… They were shouting at us, beating us, putting us down all the time, only because we were too kind, too caring. I remember when I was five, a bird with a broken wing was in our garden. I healed it. My mother saw me, she rushed to me, slapped me so hard I fell on the ground, then she killed the bird that was flying away. She said I should stop showing compassion for all what is useless. And she was worse with Sina, who was even kinder. My mother was the first person I tricked into seeing an alternate reality, to protect us. Sina was always asking me to care for injured animals. I'd have done anything for her, so of course I did, but I had to alter what our mother was seeing at the same time to avoid being hit or punished. After Sina was murdered, I played my parent's game, it was more comfortable then, but I never imagined they had any good feelings towards me. They were just less brutal after I made them believe I was finally following their path. I think the only reason why my mother wanted children in the first place was to continue the bloodline, she was so proud to be a Le Fay she asked my father to take her name, but she never acted like a mum. And now… Well, you know. I think it's safe to assume you won't try to kill me, and you do not hit me, so yes, you're better than them.'

Snape didn't answer, nor was he moving.

- 'Did you fall asleep?' Kate asked.

- 'No,' he breathed. 'But I should let you do so.'

- 'It reminds you of your own past, doesn't it?' she whispered. 'The lack of love, of support, the occasional beating,… I had my twin sister to learn what love is. It didn't matter what they tried to force upon us, we were there for each other. But you were alone.' She didn't know where this idea came from, but it struck her at once. It seemed crystal clear. 'I always tried to protect her. Now that I think of it, I wonder if I didn't protect her mind as well as mine, because I know she never tried to learn occlumency, she didn't even know our father was reading our minds. Yet once I managed to avoid his intrusions in my mind, it stops his intrusions in hers as well.'

- 'I shouldn't have come,' he mumbled, 'you have to rest,' he stood up abruptly and left.

- 'Good night, Professor,' she said, yawning, before turning around in her bed and falling back asleep.

On Wednesday, Kate was happy to go to her detention with Snape. They started working on emotion control, but the Potions Master stopped after one hour.

- 'I think you don't need me any more with this matter. Professor Dumbledore asked me to give you this,' he said, giving her a long and thin package.

Kate looked at him, perplexed, and opened the package. It was two wands.

- 'What's this? I have a wand already.'

- 'These are Lopez's and Spalding's old wands. Their allegiance changed after you disarmed their previous owner. Lopez did throw hers to my face before leaving for Christmas, I gave it to Profes-sor Dumbledore, not knowing what else to do with it, and Spalding's parents sent back hers today, after many accidents happened at home because the wand didn't agree to do what their daughter wanted.'

- 'What shall I do with three wands? I'm happy with mine.'

- 'Keep them, if one day yours is lost of broken, you will already have other wands willing to work for you. But you should try to use them from time to time, some really don't like to be underused.'

- 'I guess they are both Dragon Heartstring core or they wouldn't have changed allegiance. The white one was Lopez, is that right? Is that Aspen?'

- 'It looks like it. Better ask Ollivander during the summer to be sure. Wand lore is not my best skill.'

- 'Right, if I spend the whole summer at the Leaky Cauldron again, I'll probably spend a lot of time at his shop anyway.'

- 'I thought you would spend the summer at the Weasleys….'

- 'We asked, but their parents didn't give an answer yet.'

- 'If you have to stay at the Leaky Cauldron, you will have to alter your appearance so no one can recognise you, you will have to be extremely careful not to display any ability that might give your identity away. It isn't a good idea. Maybe Dumbledore can contact them…'

- 'Fred and George said they'll agree. They still have three and a half month to give their answer. Don't worry for that. Do you remember what I asked you on Saturday night? Could you teach me the incantation you used for my shoulder?'

- 'Right. This is an incantation I invented. It is most effective when used by people with natural healing abilities, so you should be able to make the most of it.'

- 'Why don't you teach it to Madam Pomfrey?'

- 'She knows it.'

- 'Then why did she call you?'

- 'Madam Pomfrey is not born with healing abilities, she learned them at school and studied hard to be a healer. For her, it will work on most deep wound, she will however struggle to successfully and completely heal cursed wounds with this incantation. Your shoulder was injured by a curse. Add to this that Professor Dumbledore made clear after the duelling club that you were an extremely valuable student and it was of utmost importance that you get back to your full strength and ability. It might have put some pressure on her.'

- 'Professor Dumbledore said that?' wondered Kate.

- 'Indeed. Don't you realise the advantage your mind gifts are giving us? When I will have to take back my role beside the Dark Lord, there will be no need to send owls back and forth that might be intercepted, nor to organise meetings in the hope that no one is following us, … Information can be shared in the safest manner between Professor Dumbledore, you and me.'

- 'All right, but I can still do this with an arm less, or with a huge scar on my shoulder.'

- 'Maybe. Remember you're only twelve and already more powerful than many adult wizards. Possibly he wants to keep you as intact as possible. Do you still want to know the healing incantation?'

- 'Of course.'

- 'It's Vulnera Sanentur. You have to repeat it, most of the time thrice. In the end, the use of Dittany helps preventing scars. With your wand, you should trace over the wounds, or simply point if it is rather small.'

- 'Vulnera Sanentur,' Kate repeated. Snape nodded.

- 'Right. It must be noted that if a body part has been cut off by a curse, it is impossible to regrow it. It will only close the wound. Good, I'm not sure you have to come back next week, you seem to be able to control what you feel now.'

- 'Sure, but you gave me five weeks of detention. Maybe we can use that last time to work on legilimency and occlumency again?'

- 'What could we do more? You can talk to me in my mind, even without being in the same room, and we can discuss there. I can call you in, you hear it and come. So, what else?' he asked rudely.

- 'As I told you on Saturday night, I think I was able to protect my sister's mind. Maybe I can do that with other people. You could get someone else in detention, you try to enter their mind and I try to protect it from your intrusion.'

- 'All right,' he said after a moment of reflection. 'You can leave now.'

- 'Thank you, Professor, have a nice evening.'