She looked around the classroom and felt the beginnings of panic,
all Hermoine had said was that this was to be a practical lesson.
Practical, she watched as Hermoine removed her wand from the sleeve of
her robe and rubbed it against her side, the others were doing the same.
She watched and waited and felt like a prickling of her senses
the energy released as their teacher entered the room. She managed not
to turn to follow his advance but was surprised when she looked at
him. He wasn't shabby, but it was almost as if he was living in anticipation
of change, he looked up and caught her eyes and she could see the moon
shining in the back of them.
He smiled up at her, eyes welcoming in a way she hadn't thought
possible by someone so haunted.
"You must be Amaris, I'm glad you decided to attend"
Then he turned back to the rest of the class.
"Now, you wretched children, your essays to the front in an orderly queue"
In surprise she listened to this easy teasing and watched as
rolls of parchment worked their way towards the front and piled neatly
on his desk, he counted quickly and nodded.
"An attempt from everybody, good, now today is bolt deflection. Part of
your homework was to place shields around yourselves, so lets see them
visible please"
She could feel the shielding that suddenly snapped into place
around her and was content that her shields could hold out, she hadn't
taken them down since she reached maturity at fourteen.
"Good, perfect all of you, now, we have odd numbers so some of my other
students who had free time now have agreed to partner up with you so
that hits will be unexpected"
A chorus of groans sounded from around her and she couldn't help
the little smile that crept onto her mouth, this was a nice introduction
to shielding. She remembered hers all too well.
"Amaris, would you partner up with Hermoine please, just let her shoot at
you"
She raised an eyebrow, and suddenly grinned liking the sense of
humour that had invested that statement.
"What if she misses?"
There was some laughter around her at that and a small smile
crept onto professor Lupins face
"Then try not to let her toast any of the young Slytherins that have
agreed to help"
She nodded her face serious, control of her own instincts
would be the test of this class not to fight back to let herself merely
stand passive.
Walking with the rest into the cavernous area she noticed
Serverus standing by the near wall, he saw her enter and raised an
eyebrow. Shaking her head she took a defensive posture, feet shoulder
width apart head down and her hands braced forming a visible portion of
her shielding that she could use to bounce back volleys.
"Keep your shields up whether you're firing or receiving, and begin"
Hermoines first shot was almost laughable, she looked up from
the floor and grinned.
"You do that worse than a first year, put some passion into it"
She saw Hermoines eyes flash, the girl obviously wasn't used to
being bad at anything, but then it seemed as if most people weren't that
good at the combat magic's.
Then she felt it, someone was doing something twisty, the tall
stupid looking boy who was working with Harry had done something not
at all stupid, he had twisted a curse into his next shot. She doubted
anyone would have noticed it without looking and she blessed being
over trained for the first time in her life.
Pulling in her air she dropped her own shielding and threw it
over Harry's with a low moan of pain as Hermoines volley hit her in her
side. The curse dissipated against her shields with a noxious hiss. And
the air around Harry turned black.
The fact that she was still standing would have been a plus count
in any other school she thought as all activity came to a halt. She
looked up and caught Serverus's eyes, at his nod she dropped the shields
she was holding showing an unharmed Harry Potter, Hermoine was at her
side, asking all sorts of questions she couldn't answer at the moment.
"Ama, come on"
She felt Serverus's arm slip around her and he lifted her onto
the desk without a second thought, sitting she recovered. Faster than she
should have, but then it was close.
Looking up she saw confused faces and half smiled at a worried,
Hermoine.
"No harm done Hermoine, I shouldn't have done quite so much, it was
overkill"
Hermoine blinked and then nodded, looking up again she met
Serverus's worried eyes and smiled,
"As I said, no harm done, except to my anonymity perhaps"
He shook his head before placing his hand against her skin,
he was cool to the touch and his eyes were still worried as he drew back
she looked out again to see Professor Lupin looking at her, and next
to him Harry.
***
When he'd been paired up with Crabbe he'd known he was in for a
real beating but he hadn't expected the sudden influx of shielding from
Ama. When the world had returned to normal colours again he saw Professor
Lupins worried face and smiled in answer to the question he saw
written in his eyes.
"it was an impellor curse Harry, it would have hurt you badly."
He looked over at Ama to find her looking at him, with her hands
still perfectly empty.
"You don't have a wand"
It was a stupid thing to say but it moved around the class in
a whisper and he saw the pain dawn in her eyes as she looked at
Professor Lupin.
"What does it say about that Professor"
Looking at the man at his side he could see a glint of something
in his eyes and it wasn't amused.
"I have to quote Magical History, but I believe it was said thusly"
He deepened his voice almost theatrically, but it was a serious
tone.
"Only those taught in the arts of sorcery could cast spells
without the aid of a creature of magic or a conducting influence, and
they were marked bodily in name and nature so that the could move
the wildness of magic through the naked flesh without feeling the
embrace of death"
Ama looked impressed, but her eyes were still dark, even as
Hermoine spoke from near her side.
"But Sorcerers and Sorceresses died out even before Voldemort came
around"
He watched Ama's smile arrive at the corner of her mouth.
"Then it seems I'm history and legend and Dark Art all in one, because
I was trained in the arts of sorcery"
He took a deep breath and walking over lay a hand on her arm
feeling the flesh under his hand almost crawling with heat, and
remembering the explosion on the day of her arrival.
"And you're my friend, thanks Ama"
She looked at Professor Lupin while leaning almost unconsciously
into Snape's shoulder.
"I could do a little history come dark arts lesson if you'll give me a
few seconds?"
He saw Professor Lupins smile, he commended bravery and then
he nodded. Ama slid down from the desk and clapped her wrists together,
there was a small puff of smoke and she was standing before them again.
Dressed very differently.
Her clothing was more Mugglefied than wizarding robes, she wore
a pair of what looked to be velvet trousers that reached down to knee
high black leather boots, her top was halter necked and of a moulded silk
material, all of it was in matte black.
"This is a basic uniform"
Her voice was quiet and she began to move her fingers as she
spoke
"Poisons belt"
One appeared around her waist
"Duels won"
Her finger skimmed along the line of notches edged in silver
lining the belt.
"Numbers under your personal sovereignty"
Notches in gold he counted twenty seven.
"Knives both enchanted and for workings"
She showed them the lining of the boots and the long one tucked
into the belt.
Turning in an oddly graceful gesture she showed them her back
covered by a waterfall of silver hair.
"And the mark that shows both name and nature"
Sweeping the hair aside the tattoo was revealed. It was a thing
of sinuous deadly beauty in black and silver its wings mantled and its
head turned up towards her neck as if looking towards the farthest star.
It had to be an artists impression of a dragon because it looked
nothing like any of the dragons he'd ever seen before, beautiful and
intelligent, but professor Lupin looked at it with unabashed curiosity
"Draco Malyfantus, the Fantasy Dragon"
She turned her robes returning and with it her slight smile,
"Yes, that's very good, only a true scholar would remember the oldest of
dragon kind"
Lupin smiled, his eyes were far away
"I met one once, fascinating creature"
Ama met his smile with her own but her eyes were slightly bitter
"I only ever met one once, and she was dying, the closest I've come is
in heraldry"
The Professors eyebrows rose, and his head tilted at a
questioning angle.
"Oh, where?"
Her eyes were far away but the chill in them stole Harry's breath
"A Black Draco Malyfantus is part of the arms of the Malfoy family"
The silence that followed could have cut glass
all Hermoine had said was that this was to be a practical lesson.
Practical, she watched as Hermoine removed her wand from the sleeve of
her robe and rubbed it against her side, the others were doing the same.
She watched and waited and felt like a prickling of her senses
the energy released as their teacher entered the room. She managed not
to turn to follow his advance but was surprised when she looked at
him. He wasn't shabby, but it was almost as if he was living in anticipation
of change, he looked up and caught her eyes and she could see the moon
shining in the back of them.
He smiled up at her, eyes welcoming in a way she hadn't thought
possible by someone so haunted.
"You must be Amaris, I'm glad you decided to attend"
Then he turned back to the rest of the class.
"Now, you wretched children, your essays to the front in an orderly queue"
In surprise she listened to this easy teasing and watched as
rolls of parchment worked their way towards the front and piled neatly
on his desk, he counted quickly and nodded.
"An attempt from everybody, good, now today is bolt deflection. Part of
your homework was to place shields around yourselves, so lets see them
visible please"
She could feel the shielding that suddenly snapped into place
around her and was content that her shields could hold out, she hadn't
taken them down since she reached maturity at fourteen.
"Good, perfect all of you, now, we have odd numbers so some of my other
students who had free time now have agreed to partner up with you so
that hits will be unexpected"
A chorus of groans sounded from around her and she couldn't help
the little smile that crept onto her mouth, this was a nice introduction
to shielding. She remembered hers all too well.
"Amaris, would you partner up with Hermoine please, just let her shoot at
you"
She raised an eyebrow, and suddenly grinned liking the sense of
humour that had invested that statement.
"What if she misses?"
There was some laughter around her at that and a small smile
crept onto professor Lupins face
"Then try not to let her toast any of the young Slytherins that have
agreed to help"
She nodded her face serious, control of her own instincts
would be the test of this class not to fight back to let herself merely
stand passive.
Walking with the rest into the cavernous area she noticed
Serverus standing by the near wall, he saw her enter and raised an
eyebrow. Shaking her head she took a defensive posture, feet shoulder
width apart head down and her hands braced forming a visible portion of
her shielding that she could use to bounce back volleys.
"Keep your shields up whether you're firing or receiving, and begin"
Hermoines first shot was almost laughable, she looked up from
the floor and grinned.
"You do that worse than a first year, put some passion into it"
She saw Hermoines eyes flash, the girl obviously wasn't used to
being bad at anything, but then it seemed as if most people weren't that
good at the combat magic's.
Then she felt it, someone was doing something twisty, the tall
stupid looking boy who was working with Harry had done something not
at all stupid, he had twisted a curse into his next shot. She doubted
anyone would have noticed it without looking and she blessed being
over trained for the first time in her life.
Pulling in her air she dropped her own shielding and threw it
over Harry's with a low moan of pain as Hermoines volley hit her in her
side. The curse dissipated against her shields with a noxious hiss. And
the air around Harry turned black.
The fact that she was still standing would have been a plus count
in any other school she thought as all activity came to a halt. She
looked up and caught Serverus's eyes, at his nod she dropped the shields
she was holding showing an unharmed Harry Potter, Hermoine was at her
side, asking all sorts of questions she couldn't answer at the moment.
"Ama, come on"
She felt Serverus's arm slip around her and he lifted her onto
the desk without a second thought, sitting she recovered. Faster than she
should have, but then it was close.
Looking up she saw confused faces and half smiled at a worried,
Hermoine.
"No harm done Hermoine, I shouldn't have done quite so much, it was
overkill"
Hermoine blinked and then nodded, looking up again she met
Serverus's worried eyes and smiled,
"As I said, no harm done, except to my anonymity perhaps"
He shook his head before placing his hand against her skin,
he was cool to the touch and his eyes were still worried as he drew back
she looked out again to see Professor Lupin looking at her, and next
to him Harry.
***
When he'd been paired up with Crabbe he'd known he was in for a
real beating but he hadn't expected the sudden influx of shielding from
Ama. When the world had returned to normal colours again he saw Professor
Lupins worried face and smiled in answer to the question he saw
written in his eyes.
"it was an impellor curse Harry, it would have hurt you badly."
He looked over at Ama to find her looking at him, with her hands
still perfectly empty.
"You don't have a wand"
It was a stupid thing to say but it moved around the class in
a whisper and he saw the pain dawn in her eyes as she looked at
Professor Lupin.
"What does it say about that Professor"
Looking at the man at his side he could see a glint of something
in his eyes and it wasn't amused.
"I have to quote Magical History, but I believe it was said thusly"
He deepened his voice almost theatrically, but it was a serious
tone.
"Only those taught in the arts of sorcery could cast spells
without the aid of a creature of magic or a conducting influence, and
they were marked bodily in name and nature so that the could move
the wildness of magic through the naked flesh without feeling the
embrace of death"
Ama looked impressed, but her eyes were still dark, even as
Hermoine spoke from near her side.
"But Sorcerers and Sorceresses died out even before Voldemort came
around"
He watched Ama's smile arrive at the corner of her mouth.
"Then it seems I'm history and legend and Dark Art all in one, because
I was trained in the arts of sorcery"
He took a deep breath and walking over lay a hand on her arm
feeling the flesh under his hand almost crawling with heat, and
remembering the explosion on the day of her arrival.
"And you're my friend, thanks Ama"
She looked at Professor Lupin while leaning almost unconsciously
into Snape's shoulder.
"I could do a little history come dark arts lesson if you'll give me a
few seconds?"
He saw Professor Lupins smile, he commended bravery and then
he nodded. Ama slid down from the desk and clapped her wrists together,
there was a small puff of smoke and she was standing before them again.
Dressed very differently.
Her clothing was more Mugglefied than wizarding robes, she wore
a pair of what looked to be velvet trousers that reached down to knee
high black leather boots, her top was halter necked and of a moulded silk
material, all of it was in matte black.
"This is a basic uniform"
Her voice was quiet and she began to move her fingers as she
spoke
"Poisons belt"
One appeared around her waist
"Duels won"
Her finger skimmed along the line of notches edged in silver
lining the belt.
"Numbers under your personal sovereignty"
Notches in gold he counted twenty seven.
"Knives both enchanted and for workings"
She showed them the lining of the boots and the long one tucked
into the belt.
Turning in an oddly graceful gesture she showed them her back
covered by a waterfall of silver hair.
"And the mark that shows both name and nature"
Sweeping the hair aside the tattoo was revealed. It was a thing
of sinuous deadly beauty in black and silver its wings mantled and its
head turned up towards her neck as if looking towards the farthest star.
It had to be an artists impression of a dragon because it looked
nothing like any of the dragons he'd ever seen before, beautiful and
intelligent, but professor Lupin looked at it with unabashed curiosity
"Draco Malyfantus, the Fantasy Dragon"
She turned her robes returning and with it her slight smile,
"Yes, that's very good, only a true scholar would remember the oldest of
dragon kind"
Lupin smiled, his eyes were far away
"I met one once, fascinating creature"
Ama met his smile with her own but her eyes were slightly bitter
"I only ever met one once, and she was dying, the closest I've come is
in heraldry"
The Professors eyebrows rose, and his head tilted at a
questioning angle.
"Oh, where?"
Her eyes were far away but the chill in them stole Harry's breath
"A Black Draco Malyfantus is part of the arms of the Malfoy family"
The silence that followed could have cut glass
