JKR owns the people and places, I own Karista and the dream
All i want to do, is get up early in the morning, all I want to say, is that you're extraordinary, baby... - Better than Ezra
**********************************
Chapter 30: Bloodstone potion
"Smoking bananas, eh?" Harry laughed, bracing himself for the hearty punch in the arm from Karista.
"Yeah, seriously," Karista giggled lying back on the bed.
Harry grabbed her hand in his as Madame Pomfrey entered from behind the curtains.
"It's for a dreamless sleep dear," she murmured, brushing away Karista's hair from her face. Karista took the goblet in her hands. "Harry, your time is up."
"No…please let him stay," Karista said, gazing into Harry's eyes.
"Oh alright…drink it all," Pomfrey sighed, walking away.
"Good night," Harry murmured, brushing his fingers against her face. She drank the contents in one gulp and swallowed, passing out instantly.
***
It was approaching the end of June, and it seemed ages ago that Karista had met with her 'beloved uncle' and Harry, Ron and Hermione still mentioned the bananas. But now, as school drew to an end, and finals (which they all passed, by the way) ended, Karista found herself enjoying freedom, that is, until one day when she was called out of Charms and sent to see Dumbledore.
"Ah, Karista," Dumbledore smiled, rising from his chair and ushering Karista to sit in front of him. "We have some important matters to discuss."
Karista sat down, and heard another knock on the door, turning to see Snape and McGonagall enter.
"Sirius is watching transfiguration," McGonagall said, already answering Dumbledore's question while Snape simply sat down.
"First, we must discuss where you will stay for the summer," Dumbledore smiled, twiddling his thumbs. "Where do you want to go?"
Karista sat and remembered a letter she had received from her friend Raquel.
"New York, for at least a week…to visit friends," Karista mumbled, turning a bright pink.
"Well, I think that can be arranged," Dumbledore smiled. "Now, what about after New York?"
"I haven't a clue."
Dumbledore sat deep in thought for a minute, then raised his hand to his chin and clicked his fingers.
"The Weasleys."
"You mean, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George?" Karista asked, a wide grin on her face.
"Yes, I am sure Molly and Arthur would be more than happy to help with this…er…situation. Of course, I will have to write them," Dumbledore chuckled, thinking for a minute more. He then turned to Snape. "Did you bring it with you?"
Snape nodded his head and reached his hand into his pocket to pull out a burlap sack, which carried a rather small and round object. Karista looked at it curiously.
"Karista, have you ever heard of a bloodstone amulet?" Dumbledore asked, taking the sack into his hands.
Karsita vaguely remembered hearing about it once in potions, yet had never seen or heard of one. She nodded her head slowly.
"Then you know what it is, I presume?"
"No, actually, I honestly don't," Karista muttered, wanting to take hold of the sack. Dumbledore turned it upside down in his hand and out fell a blood-red stone, about the size and shape of a tennis ball. It was glowing in the light as mist swirled inside of it.
"Well, Severus, please explain then," Dumbledore smiled, leaning back in his chair. McGonagall took a seat and watched Snape closely.
"You see, a bloodstone is an object that carries the souls, characteristics and personalities of those that a very, very powerful wizard, such as the dark lord, has killed," Snape smiled, and handed the glowing ball to Karista. "If it is put in a special potion, those people can come back to life, the same person they were before they died, but will not remember anything from the time they were killed to the time that they were woken."
Karista's eyes grew wide as she rolled the ball gently in her hand.
"But it won't work on my mom, aunt and Uncle, will it?" Karista whispered.
"No. Your mom was poisoned while death eaters killed your aunt and uncle. Only people who died by Voldemort's wand," Snape murmured, gently taking the ball back from Karista.
"Now, you see…the thing is, only people related to Voldemort can make the potion…and that is where you come in," Dumbledore said, a serious look crossing his face. "And Severus has already tried, yet failed."
A look of disgust flashed on Snape's face as he glared at the ball.
"Tomorrow night is the full moon. Therefore, you will be taken out of classes in the morning to make the potion and tomorrow night, we will put the stone in it," Snape answered icily, placing the stone back in its burlap sack.
"Harry, Ron, Hermione, Sirius, Lupin and everyone else cannot know about this," Dumbledore said strictly, glancing at the door.
"Why?"
"Because we do not want to bring peoples hopes up…including Harry's," McGonagall answered, a deep sadness in her voice.
"So…only I can make the potion?" Karista asked, looking at her lap. Her insides seemed to be churning at a sickening pace, almost as though she couldn't breathe. It was very, very important, therefore, she knew it had to be done. "Tomorrow morning then."
Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape smiled as she rose from her seat.
"Tomorrow at six I will come and wake you up," McGonagall said, ushering Karista out the door. "and remember, not a word to anyone."
Karista, with a heavy heart, walked into the great hall for dinner, an iron fist clenched heavily around her.
***
The dungeons were freezing cold, as usual as it was 7 AM, and Karista was still asleep. How she managed to walk down there even she didn't know. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape were sitting in a far corner, talking amongst themselves when Karsita walked in.
"Ah, Karista, are you ready to get started?" Dumbledore asked, looking tired yet smiling.
"yeah," Karsita yawned, placing down her books and slowly starting to cut and gather her ingredients. Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore simply watched, once in a while speaking silently to each other. The sun danced through the bars on the windows, casting a faint glow at different places on the tables. Karista seemed to gain her focus more towards the end of the night, when finally, the stone remained to be added.
"I think…we have to sit in a circle around the cauldron after we add the stone. Then, we think about the people who Voldie," Karista paused, a smile trickling across her face. Voldie…that is my uncle's new nickname. "killed."
Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall sat cross-legged around the cauldron while Karista unwrapped the stone.
"Please work," She whispered to the stone, releasing the stone into the cauldron. She could hear the thump of it against the bottom and joined the others sitting on the floor. It was utterly silent except for the boiling of the potion. Yet the color was rapidly changing. It was yellow, then went to a rather ugly shade of pink. Finally it turned the same color as the stone when an eerie silver mist formed.
"Who calls forth the power of the stone?" A cold, deep voice beckoned from the potion. Karista jumped, and was quite sure Snape and McGonagall had also. The voice rang out again, sounding more impatient. "WHO CALLS ME FORTH?"
"I do," Karista said, her voice trembling slightly. Suddenly, a form, which looked a lot like Voldemort, stood in the potion, although it was transparent.
"A sorceress of fire," the voice murmured, an amused expression on its face. "Very well then."
"We want the people in the stone to come back," Karista said, her voice now like normal, though a bit edgy. "Let them be released."
"Very well. However, because of your lateness of answering me, you will have to find the victims. Good luck," the voice laughed, slowly disappearing. A howling broke through the room as wind whipped around the professor's and Karista's robes. Wailing voices could be heard in the distance, growing steadily louder until it was over as soon as it began. Karista sat their, scared and confused as Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall rose, looking slightly flustered.
"Only time will tell if it worked," Dumbledore murmured, helping Karista up. "Spirits are very, very tricky to deal with."
Karista nodded her head and sat down on one of the stools in the classroom. She had never felt so drained, emotionally or physically. All that she wanted to do was cry. What if Harry could never meet his parents again? It would be something that rested on her shoulders for an eternity.
"I think I am going to go up to bed," Karista yawned, looking at the magical clock on the wall which read 3:30 AM. "figures, right?"
she trudged out of the room, trying not to make much noise as her feet felt like lead. Once inside the common room, she noticed a figure sitting in front of the fire. Their hair was a mess and they were wrapped up in a blanket.
"Where have you been?" Harry asked, turning his face to meet her eyes. She was tired, no doubt about that. Her eyes were dark with slight bags forming. Not to mention she was walking as if she were about to faint. She crossed the room and fell next to Harry.
"Discussing my fate," Karista murmured. She didn't dare tell him what she really had been doing. Harry sat thinking about it. Would it really take about 18 hours to discuss what you will do over the summer?
"Seriously?" Harry murmured, wrapping Karista in his blanket and pulling her close. She felt slightly cold, not to mention limp.
"Seriously," Karista said groggily, leaning her head against Harry's chest. She was getting that safe feeling again, and she knew that she would never want to leave.
"I have to go to bed," Harry whispered, gently picking up Karista and helping her to her dormitory. "I'll see you in the morning?"
"Probably not, for I will be passed out in my bed," Karista yawned, a weak smile crossing her face as she kissed Harry on the cheek. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Harry said, heading through his door and trudging up the stairs.
"If only you could know what happened tonight, Harry," Karista said, turning and heading up to her dormitory, falling asleep before her head hit the pillow.
All i want to do, is get up early in the morning, all I want to say, is that you're extraordinary, baby... - Better than Ezra
**********************************
Chapter 30: Bloodstone potion
"Smoking bananas, eh?" Harry laughed, bracing himself for the hearty punch in the arm from Karista.
"Yeah, seriously," Karista giggled lying back on the bed.
Harry grabbed her hand in his as Madame Pomfrey entered from behind the curtains.
"It's for a dreamless sleep dear," she murmured, brushing away Karista's hair from her face. Karista took the goblet in her hands. "Harry, your time is up."
"No…please let him stay," Karista said, gazing into Harry's eyes.
"Oh alright…drink it all," Pomfrey sighed, walking away.
"Good night," Harry murmured, brushing his fingers against her face. She drank the contents in one gulp and swallowed, passing out instantly.
***
It was approaching the end of June, and it seemed ages ago that Karista had met with her 'beloved uncle' and Harry, Ron and Hermione still mentioned the bananas. But now, as school drew to an end, and finals (which they all passed, by the way) ended, Karista found herself enjoying freedom, that is, until one day when she was called out of Charms and sent to see Dumbledore.
"Ah, Karista," Dumbledore smiled, rising from his chair and ushering Karista to sit in front of him. "We have some important matters to discuss."
Karista sat down, and heard another knock on the door, turning to see Snape and McGonagall enter.
"Sirius is watching transfiguration," McGonagall said, already answering Dumbledore's question while Snape simply sat down.
"First, we must discuss where you will stay for the summer," Dumbledore smiled, twiddling his thumbs. "Where do you want to go?"
Karista sat and remembered a letter she had received from her friend Raquel.
"New York, for at least a week…to visit friends," Karista mumbled, turning a bright pink.
"Well, I think that can be arranged," Dumbledore smiled. "Now, what about after New York?"
"I haven't a clue."
Dumbledore sat deep in thought for a minute, then raised his hand to his chin and clicked his fingers.
"The Weasleys."
"You mean, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George?" Karista asked, a wide grin on her face.
"Yes, I am sure Molly and Arthur would be more than happy to help with this…er…situation. Of course, I will have to write them," Dumbledore chuckled, thinking for a minute more. He then turned to Snape. "Did you bring it with you?"
Snape nodded his head and reached his hand into his pocket to pull out a burlap sack, which carried a rather small and round object. Karista looked at it curiously.
"Karista, have you ever heard of a bloodstone amulet?" Dumbledore asked, taking the sack into his hands.
Karsita vaguely remembered hearing about it once in potions, yet had never seen or heard of one. She nodded her head slowly.
"Then you know what it is, I presume?"
"No, actually, I honestly don't," Karista muttered, wanting to take hold of the sack. Dumbledore turned it upside down in his hand and out fell a blood-red stone, about the size and shape of a tennis ball. It was glowing in the light as mist swirled inside of it.
"Well, Severus, please explain then," Dumbledore smiled, leaning back in his chair. McGonagall took a seat and watched Snape closely.
"You see, a bloodstone is an object that carries the souls, characteristics and personalities of those that a very, very powerful wizard, such as the dark lord, has killed," Snape smiled, and handed the glowing ball to Karista. "If it is put in a special potion, those people can come back to life, the same person they were before they died, but will not remember anything from the time they were killed to the time that they were woken."
Karista's eyes grew wide as she rolled the ball gently in her hand.
"But it won't work on my mom, aunt and Uncle, will it?" Karista whispered.
"No. Your mom was poisoned while death eaters killed your aunt and uncle. Only people who died by Voldemort's wand," Snape murmured, gently taking the ball back from Karista.
"Now, you see…the thing is, only people related to Voldemort can make the potion…and that is where you come in," Dumbledore said, a serious look crossing his face. "And Severus has already tried, yet failed."
A look of disgust flashed on Snape's face as he glared at the ball.
"Tomorrow night is the full moon. Therefore, you will be taken out of classes in the morning to make the potion and tomorrow night, we will put the stone in it," Snape answered icily, placing the stone back in its burlap sack.
"Harry, Ron, Hermione, Sirius, Lupin and everyone else cannot know about this," Dumbledore said strictly, glancing at the door.
"Why?"
"Because we do not want to bring peoples hopes up…including Harry's," McGonagall answered, a deep sadness in her voice.
"So…only I can make the potion?" Karista asked, looking at her lap. Her insides seemed to be churning at a sickening pace, almost as though she couldn't breathe. It was very, very important, therefore, she knew it had to be done. "Tomorrow morning then."
Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape smiled as she rose from her seat.
"Tomorrow at six I will come and wake you up," McGonagall said, ushering Karista out the door. "and remember, not a word to anyone."
Karista, with a heavy heart, walked into the great hall for dinner, an iron fist clenched heavily around her.
***
The dungeons were freezing cold, as usual as it was 7 AM, and Karista was still asleep. How she managed to walk down there even she didn't know. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape were sitting in a far corner, talking amongst themselves when Karsita walked in.
"Ah, Karista, are you ready to get started?" Dumbledore asked, looking tired yet smiling.
"yeah," Karsita yawned, placing down her books and slowly starting to cut and gather her ingredients. Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore simply watched, once in a while speaking silently to each other. The sun danced through the bars on the windows, casting a faint glow at different places on the tables. Karista seemed to gain her focus more towards the end of the night, when finally, the stone remained to be added.
"I think…we have to sit in a circle around the cauldron after we add the stone. Then, we think about the people who Voldie," Karista paused, a smile trickling across her face. Voldie…that is my uncle's new nickname. "killed."
Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall sat cross-legged around the cauldron while Karista unwrapped the stone.
"Please work," She whispered to the stone, releasing the stone into the cauldron. She could hear the thump of it against the bottom and joined the others sitting on the floor. It was utterly silent except for the boiling of the potion. Yet the color was rapidly changing. It was yellow, then went to a rather ugly shade of pink. Finally it turned the same color as the stone when an eerie silver mist formed.
"Who calls forth the power of the stone?" A cold, deep voice beckoned from the potion. Karista jumped, and was quite sure Snape and McGonagall had also. The voice rang out again, sounding more impatient. "WHO CALLS ME FORTH?"
"I do," Karista said, her voice trembling slightly. Suddenly, a form, which looked a lot like Voldemort, stood in the potion, although it was transparent.
"A sorceress of fire," the voice murmured, an amused expression on its face. "Very well then."
"We want the people in the stone to come back," Karista said, her voice now like normal, though a bit edgy. "Let them be released."
"Very well. However, because of your lateness of answering me, you will have to find the victims. Good luck," the voice laughed, slowly disappearing. A howling broke through the room as wind whipped around the professor's and Karista's robes. Wailing voices could be heard in the distance, growing steadily louder until it was over as soon as it began. Karista sat their, scared and confused as Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall rose, looking slightly flustered.
"Only time will tell if it worked," Dumbledore murmured, helping Karista up. "Spirits are very, very tricky to deal with."
Karista nodded her head and sat down on one of the stools in the classroom. She had never felt so drained, emotionally or physically. All that she wanted to do was cry. What if Harry could never meet his parents again? It would be something that rested on her shoulders for an eternity.
"I think I am going to go up to bed," Karista yawned, looking at the magical clock on the wall which read 3:30 AM. "figures, right?"
she trudged out of the room, trying not to make much noise as her feet felt like lead. Once inside the common room, she noticed a figure sitting in front of the fire. Their hair was a mess and they were wrapped up in a blanket.
"Where have you been?" Harry asked, turning his face to meet her eyes. She was tired, no doubt about that. Her eyes were dark with slight bags forming. Not to mention she was walking as if she were about to faint. She crossed the room and fell next to Harry.
"Discussing my fate," Karista murmured. She didn't dare tell him what she really had been doing. Harry sat thinking about it. Would it really take about 18 hours to discuss what you will do over the summer?
"Seriously?" Harry murmured, wrapping Karista in his blanket and pulling her close. She felt slightly cold, not to mention limp.
"Seriously," Karista said groggily, leaning her head against Harry's chest. She was getting that safe feeling again, and she knew that she would never want to leave.
"I have to go to bed," Harry whispered, gently picking up Karista and helping her to her dormitory. "I'll see you in the morning?"
"Probably not, for I will be passed out in my bed," Karista yawned, a weak smile crossing her face as she kissed Harry on the cheek. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Harry said, heading through his door and trudging up the stairs.
"If only you could know what happened tonight, Harry," Karista said, turning and heading up to her dormitory, falling asleep before her head hit the pillow.