He was staring blindly out of the window towards the
rising moon. His hair was crumpled by having his hand run
through it what felt like a thousand times.
She was here.
It should have been impossible, more than that, but it wasn't
it was incredible. He wasn't sure yet whether Dumbledore would
be pleased or shocked.
It was a coup of the highest order, and it shook him to the
soul.
He remembered her as a child as light boned and bright eyed
as himself. He had seen her in all of her dark glory when
her temper had snapped and she had been sent away from his
home when she had been nine.
He had served.
His hands ran through his hair again almost automatically.
feeling the night breezes following his fingers path.
It was a longing and a pain he felt now, to be close or to
run as far as possible.
Storm coloured eyes closed in pained comprehension, there
was no where to run. She would always be there, as she had
been since he was a child.
Turning he headed down the corridor, not towards the great
hall but towards the outside. For now he needed peace.
***
In the doorway of the great hall stood the missing
Professors, Dumbledore and McGonnagal walking straight to
their seats. And Snape, last in, his hand resting on the
shoulder of the girl from earlier.
She was slender and fine boned, that waist length tumble of
metallic hair burning like magnesium against the black of
the school robes. Her eyes were wide and the oddest shade of
purple black, like a bruise.
He could hear Ron's low whistle almost in his ear in the
silence of the hall. To his surprise she had moved closer to
Snape, almost for protection, someone would have to tell her
that that was not the place to be.
Dumbledore's throat clearing cough pulled his attention from
the girl and to the headmasters blue eyes the normal twinkle
almost extinguished.
"Today we have gained a new student under exceptional
circumstances"
He paused for a moment almost as if searching for the right
words.
"Most of you were hear for my announcement during the year
of the Tri Wizard tournament, some of you have arrived
solely because of that offer"
A deep breath
"Our new student has been followed by the forces of darkness almost to
our very gate, I would ask you to give her time before you ask questions
and then to respect her privacy."
Holding out his hand in an opening gesture Dumbledore showed the girl to
the hall, as if no one would have noticed them coming in.
"May I Present Amaris Nic Draconis"
For a moment something leapt into the girls eyes, it looked like,
surprise. Then it was gone.
Her mouth crept up at one side into an almost smile at the lack of
response and he could hear Hermoine muttering about Celtic naming styles
but he was still watching Dumbledore, he had walked to the girl and had
motioned to their table.
Snape's hand tightened on her shoulder until his knuckles went white
before she placed one white hand over it and then he released her. She
nodded at Dumbledore before walking over to join them.
***
Conversation rejoined as she moved towards a table, she was glad, but she
still had Dumbledore's final words ringing in her ears.
"There can be no betrayal here, Amaris, the people I place you with are
loyal. Otherwise I would leave you in Serverus's care. But I must watch
you"
There had been an unconscious plea in his eyes for understanding, he was
not naturally mistrustful and didn't want to hurt her. That had been
what got her moving.
She looked at the table, the people of her own age eighteen or so, were
sitting at the end of the table nearest her, interspersed were younger
children. Two red heads sitting together. Probably family, and a dark
haired green eyed boy, with a scar.
A chill flashed through her.
Bitterness held her for a second, of course, she would be safe here. The
bloody Boy Who Lived would be watching her. He crooked a black eyebrow at
her and edged up leaving her a seat between himself and a curly haired
brunette.
There was no malice in him, she realised quietly and then moved towards
the space, flashing him a small smile, grateful at being saved from the
eyes she could feel on her back.
A she slid into the space he returned her smile.
"Hi, I'm Harry"
She could feel the laughter in her eyes.
"I guessed, as you heard, I'm Amaris, some people call me Ama, I think
you may be one of them"
For a moment green eyes were perplexed and then the mists cleared and a
light laugh escaped him.
"Thanks, to your left if Hermoine Granger a good friend of mine and to my
right is Ron Weasley and his sister Ginny, also good friends."
She nodded almost a bow and then looked at the food, feeling a greenish
tide moving in her stomach. Meat, and quite a bit of it.
"Could I have some of that"
She pointed to the vegetables near Ron. He looked up and meeting her eyes
blushed. She had to wonder why, perhaps it was a redhead thing? He
passed the plate down but she only picked. Almost too tired to move, and
then it was over and they were moving again.
rising moon. His hair was crumpled by having his hand run
through it what felt like a thousand times.
She was here.
It should have been impossible, more than that, but it wasn't
it was incredible. He wasn't sure yet whether Dumbledore would
be pleased or shocked.
It was a coup of the highest order, and it shook him to the
soul.
He remembered her as a child as light boned and bright eyed
as himself. He had seen her in all of her dark glory when
her temper had snapped and she had been sent away from his
home when she had been nine.
He had served.
His hands ran through his hair again almost automatically.
feeling the night breezes following his fingers path.
It was a longing and a pain he felt now, to be close or to
run as far as possible.
Storm coloured eyes closed in pained comprehension, there
was no where to run. She would always be there, as she had
been since he was a child.
Turning he headed down the corridor, not towards the great
hall but towards the outside. For now he needed peace.
***
In the doorway of the great hall stood the missing
Professors, Dumbledore and McGonnagal walking straight to
their seats. And Snape, last in, his hand resting on the
shoulder of the girl from earlier.
She was slender and fine boned, that waist length tumble of
metallic hair burning like magnesium against the black of
the school robes. Her eyes were wide and the oddest shade of
purple black, like a bruise.
He could hear Ron's low whistle almost in his ear in the
silence of the hall. To his surprise she had moved closer to
Snape, almost for protection, someone would have to tell her
that that was not the place to be.
Dumbledore's throat clearing cough pulled his attention from
the girl and to the headmasters blue eyes the normal twinkle
almost extinguished.
"Today we have gained a new student under exceptional
circumstances"
He paused for a moment almost as if searching for the right
words.
"Most of you were hear for my announcement during the year
of the Tri Wizard tournament, some of you have arrived
solely because of that offer"
A deep breath
"Our new student has been followed by the forces of darkness almost to
our very gate, I would ask you to give her time before you ask questions
and then to respect her privacy."
Holding out his hand in an opening gesture Dumbledore showed the girl to
the hall, as if no one would have noticed them coming in.
"May I Present Amaris Nic Draconis"
For a moment something leapt into the girls eyes, it looked like,
surprise. Then it was gone.
Her mouth crept up at one side into an almost smile at the lack of
response and he could hear Hermoine muttering about Celtic naming styles
but he was still watching Dumbledore, he had walked to the girl and had
motioned to their table.
Snape's hand tightened on her shoulder until his knuckles went white
before she placed one white hand over it and then he released her. She
nodded at Dumbledore before walking over to join them.
***
Conversation rejoined as she moved towards a table, she was glad, but she
still had Dumbledore's final words ringing in her ears.
"There can be no betrayal here, Amaris, the people I place you with are
loyal. Otherwise I would leave you in Serverus's care. But I must watch
you"
There had been an unconscious plea in his eyes for understanding, he was
not naturally mistrustful and didn't want to hurt her. That had been
what got her moving.
She looked at the table, the people of her own age eighteen or so, were
sitting at the end of the table nearest her, interspersed were younger
children. Two red heads sitting together. Probably family, and a dark
haired green eyed boy, with a scar.
A chill flashed through her.
Bitterness held her for a second, of course, she would be safe here. The
bloody Boy Who Lived would be watching her. He crooked a black eyebrow at
her and edged up leaving her a seat between himself and a curly haired
brunette.
There was no malice in him, she realised quietly and then moved towards
the space, flashing him a small smile, grateful at being saved from the
eyes she could feel on her back.
A she slid into the space he returned her smile.
"Hi, I'm Harry"
She could feel the laughter in her eyes.
"I guessed, as you heard, I'm Amaris, some people call me Ama, I think
you may be one of them"
For a moment green eyes were perplexed and then the mists cleared and a
light laugh escaped him.
"Thanks, to your left if Hermoine Granger a good friend of mine and to my
right is Ron Weasley and his sister Ginny, also good friends."
She nodded almost a bow and then looked at the food, feeling a greenish
tide moving in her stomach. Meat, and quite a bit of it.
"Could I have some of that"
She pointed to the vegetables near Ron. He looked up and meeting her eyes
blushed. She had to wonder why, perhaps it was a redhead thing? He
passed the plate down but she only picked. Almost too tired to move, and
then it was over and they were moving again.
