Book Three-The White Haired Prophecy
By Fuujin Kushikaze, Death's Angel
Beta Read by Katameran
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimers: I do not own Harry Potter.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As Maia entered the lunch room, the first thing she saw was a rather frantic Snape talking to a worried looking Dumbledore. What they were discussing she couldn't tell, because they were at the other side of the room. But one thing was for certain: it didn't look good.
She studied them, then briefly wondered what on earth they were talking about. She pushed it from her mind to the best of her ability, telling herself it was none of her business, but as she sat down, she couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with the strange tattoo he had.
The conversation continued on for several more moments, ending with both Snape and Dumbledore casting a curious glance at Maia and then exchanging several more words. Then, the two teachers took their places at the faculty table, and lunch began. Though throughout the meal both men returned their gaze to her for a second before tearing it away.
She shifted a bit uncomfortably under their gazes. She didn't like people taking an interest in her or her affairs. She finished her lunch quickly, then managed to slip out of the room and started toward the Slytherin common room. She still had almost an hour, since she ate rather light lunches she didn't spend much time in the dining hall.
Though as she entered things became a little more clear as to why they had been staring at her.
Painted in blazing green letters above the fireplace in the Slytherin common room was, "Enemies of the heir, beware. The Dark Lord returns." And strangely enough, there was no one in the room who could have put that there...
She froze in place, before opening her mouth to scream. Just in time she caught herself, and she turned tail and fled. Running back into the dining room, she touched Professor Snape on the shoulder. "P-professor.... The... the common room..." She couldn't talk to well, breathing as heavy as she was, and she was shaking. It had truly scared her.
A raised eyebrow was the only response she received from Snape for a second. Then finally, he asked, "What about it, Ms. Cooper?"
She tried to catch her breath, then she looked him in the eyes. "Professor Snape, in the common room, above the fireplace, there... it says 'enemies to the heir beware.' ... 'The Dark Lord returns.' Sir, there was no one in there." A scream from the common room shook her from her thoughts.
His black eyes flashed wildly in the direction of the scream, and he stood. Casting a quick glance at the snowy-haired headmaster, he returned his attention to Maia. "I suggest you take me there, Ms. Cooper, and show me where it is. There is more than one fireplace in the common room, and I doubt I have time to search them all."
She nodded, then led him back to the common room. It turned out to be another girl in the common room, she was shaking and had a hand over her mouth. The green letters had turned blood red and was dripping though nothing was on the tiles in front of it.
"I see," Snape replied, the expression in his eyes a cold sort of determination. "I'll send Filch around to clean it up." He turned on his heels to exit the common room, his cloak billowing due to his rapid motion, but as he got close to the door he paused.
"Tell me, Ms. Cooper. What do you know about Voldemort?"
Maia looked up. "Voldemort? ..." She bit her lip, thinking, "Wasn't he the one that killed Harry's parents?" She bit her lip a little more.
A nod. "And is that all you know?"
She nodded, "Yes, I'm sorry. But... Should I know more?"
"I don't believe so. Not yet, anyway." The was a pause that seemed to span years and he finally said, "Ms. Cooper, will you follow me to my office - I think there's something we must discuss."
She followed, wringing her hands a bit nervously. Snape scared her slightly. Not really fear as in breaking out in sweat and just dreading him, but the air that hung around him... That was what scared her more than anything.
Entering his office swiftly, the door slammed behind Maia as followed him in. Then, the Potions Master took a seat in the chair opposite the door, and he motioned for Maia to do the same. "Please, sit. I have no idea how long this is going to take."
She did so, then glanced at her watch. "Sir, you will write me a note if I am late for my next class though, correct?"
Snape nodded. "Of course, because this is far more important than some silly lesson. Now, how much have you heard about the circumstances of Potter's parents unfortunate demise?"
She cocked her head to one side. "Voldemort showed up at their home and killed them one night. Harry escaped with his life because his mother had given hers to save him."
"Correct. And you realize that to kill any witch or wizard, Voldemort had to have followers, right?" he questioned, leaning onto his desk, and watching her like the crow he so much resembled.
She nodded. "Of course. I don't know what they were called though."
A sardonic smile graced Snape's lips. "Death-Eaters. And each of them was given a special mark, his mark to ensure loyalty. Because with this mark he could call one of his Death-Eaters to him at any given time, and therefore dish out rewards... or great suffering. Do you have any idea what the dark mark looks like, Ms. Cooper?"
"I have no-" She suddenly realized what he was talking about. "Oh Dark Goddess.... A skull with a serpent in its mouth..." Her voice was soft, and her body was as though on auto-pilot. She couldn't understand what she was saying as a million thoughts raced through her brain.
Snape looked genuinely impressed. "Right in one. Now tell me, do you believe the divination is reliable?"
"To an extent. Not to be used to give exact dates but yes, to an extent." She didn't realize she was talking at all.
"Then you would believe in prophecies? Not the years they are said to happen, persay, but the fact that they will eventually happen?"
"Yes."
The Potions Master nodded resolutely. "Then allow me to tell you this. It was once foretold that a girl with no mother and father would come to Hogwarts. She would be sorted into the vilest of Houses - Slytherin -, and bring the dark House into the light with her deed. It is said, however that to do so, she must fight a monster of lies and trickery - Lord Voldemort - but she cannot do so alone. To defeat him, she must join forces with a brave child with the mark of the monster, and a man who once worked for him. Both Dumbledore and I agree that this prophecy is coming to a head..." He trailed off suddenly, allowing her to make her own conclusion.
"Harry's the one with the mark, you once worked for him, ... and I'm the one with no mother or father?" She raised an eyebrow. "It all fits perfectly... But... Me? I beg your pardon, sir, but I'm not the best of witches... I mean.... I could never fight with Lord Voldemort... I'd be killed within only a few moments..."
Snape shrugged, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers. "Certain things fall together as they do for a reason. And," he paused for a moment, looking mildly suspicious, "what makes you think I used to work for Lord Voldemort?"
She shrugged. "The tattoo thing, am I wrong? I assumed you were a spy for Dumbledore..." She looked up, her eyes wide and innocent.
"You're right," he replied, a hint of sadness in his voice. "And I doubt that with a quick mind like that, that Voldemort would find you to easy to get rid of."
She blinked. "I thank you sir, but I'm not that quick..."
Snape raised a single eyebrow gently. "You give yourself far less credit then the truth demands. However, quick or not, Dumbledore and I are not going to let the girl mentioned in the prophecy slip through our fingers. And as such, you will learn to defeat Voldemort... if you are willing. I warn you now, it will not be an easy road."
She smiled slightly, a smile that was not a happy one. "I really have no choice, now do I? I can't abandon my house, I have to bring a little fame to it."
"Everyone has a choice," he stated, his voice raising slightly.
Maia shook her head. "Not always. I may as well do this anyway… if I pose any sort of threat at all, he'll come after me, so I have to know how to fight him."
"Excellent. We'll start training tomorrow if you're ready... and perhaps I can coax Potter down to join us." At the mention of that, Snape didn't look too happy, because everyone knew he hated Harry Potter. But what the Potions Master hated more was Voldemort, and in this case it simply came down to who he hated more.
She nodded. "Thank you, sir, now may I have a note for my next class?" Her mask had slid back into place, and now it was locked in with pure determination.
Pulling a piece of parchment out of his desk, he quickly scribbled a note down, and then handed it to her. "Here you are Ms. Cooper."
"Thank you, sir." She took the note from him and turned to leave. "Sir," she suddenly called out, not turning to look at him. "Is Voldemort really as powerful as they say?"
Snape locked eyes with her, his glistening black ones showing something that came as close to fear as the Potions Master at Hogwarts knew how to come. "More."
She closed her eyes slowly, and then shook her head. "Thank you, sir... I have one more question... But it can wait." She walked out, and broke into a run. She didn't stop until she was right outside Professor McGonagall's door. She stood until she had caught her breath, then walked in. She ignored the looks she got from her classmates, and handed Professor McGonagall the note.
"Professor Snape wished to see me, ma'am."
McGonagall took the note and gazed at it skeptically over her square-rimmed glasses for a moment. Then she returned her gaze to Maia. "All right, Ms. Cooper, take your seat. I was just about to show the class my transformation."
She nodded, then took a seat near to Ron. He gave her a worried glance, but she ignored it. Maia had no idea what was happening, all she heard was the conversation she had had with Professor Snape repeating in her head.
Transfigurations - aside from Professor McGonagall's transformation - was rather boring. It happened to be a focused lecture on animagi, and no one was really listening. Especially not Ron, who kept shooting worried glances in Maia's direction; he was terrified that Snape had said something to her that was far from pleasant from the far off look she was wearing. Finally, the bell that sounded the end of the period rang, and the redheaded Weasley boy walked over to Maia.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked, his brow furrowed in a concerned expression. "I mean, after lunch you and Snape rushed off... and I heard a scream, and..." Ron's voice trailed off nervously.
Maia shook her head. "No, someone was playing a prank in the Slytherin common room, Snape just wanted to know if I had any idea who had done it." She smiled.
"Sounds like one heck of a prank," he muttered, knowing all too well that something like that would probably happen in the Slytherin common room. And that Snape probably would have freaked out about it, all but expelling anyone who was involved. Shrugging it off, he smiled back at her - no reason to be rude about the Slytherin house, after all Maia had thus far proved that all students from the serpent house weren't bad.
"So what do you have next? Anything? My schedule's free for the rest of the day... well until midnight that is." Ron's smile faded back into a frown - it was Wednesday, and that meant astrology at midnight in one of the school's higher towers. And if there was one thing he hated, it was the late night lessons that he had to struggle to stay awake through.
Maia pulled her schedule from her bag. "No, nothing but Astronomy at midnight." She smiled at him. "So, what you planning on doing for the rest of the day? Tell me you aren't one of those who go and sit in the common room until next class."
Ron grinned. "Are you kidding me? No way. I've got better things to do then sit around and do nothing." He paused, blushing from head to toe suddenly. "What those better things are, I don't know right now, but... How about you?"
Maia giggled softly at his blush. "Well, for starters, how about we go and drop off our bags, then you can give me the grand tour? I mean, it's not exactly a good thing for a third year not to know the lay of the castle."
"Sounds like a plan," he agreed, eagerly moving towards the door of the class room.
"I'll meet you over near the dining hall, okay?"
"See you then." And with that, the redheaded boy slipped out of the room, excited.
Maia grinned as she slipped off down the hall, ignoring the glare Malfoy had shot her. She walked down to the common room and into the girls' side of the dorms. She dropped her bag on her bed and took a sip of the water in the glass on her nightstand. It was a fresh as it had been earlier, and she downed the glass.
Suddenly her head began to swim. Maia frowned as colors began to float in front of her. She had to get to Madame Pomfrey, she had to. Stumbling, she fell, and her eyes slid shut. She fought it all as long as she could, then she yelped, and passed out.
Her cat sat on her bed watching her, a strange gleam in its eyes.
Half an hour later, Ron waited in the dining hall for Maia. Thus far he had been there for nearly fifteen minutes, and she hadn't come. And he was beginning to feel like he had been stood up, even though it hadn't been a date. For a moment or two more, he lingered in the empty hall, and then he headed back in the direction of the Gryffindor common room feeling rather put out.
"Guess Slytherins are all like they say," he muttered, staring at the ground as he moved along the more or less deserted halls.
"And what do they say Slytherins are like, Mr. Weasley?" a voice demanded, sharp and sarcastic as they cut through his thoughts. And as Ron looked up, he immediately regretted waking up this morning even more then he had when he realized Maia had stood him up. Oh damn. It was Snape, and the greasy-haired Potions Master had heard what he had said.
"Uh... I didn't mean it, sir," Ron said, praying that Snape wouldn't deduct points from his house.
"I'm sure you didn't Mr. Weasley - and that's five points from Gryffindor." Ron looked furious, but before he could say or do anything that would lose him further points, a girl he recognized as a Slytherin came running down the hall, fear on her face.
"Professor Snape!" she cried as she reached them. "Professor, it's Maia."
"What about her, Ms. Fiori?" he asked, his brows arched in what Ron could have sworn was concern. And come to think of it, Ron's own face was one of concern; so there was something wrong with Maia? Maybe that's why she hadn't shown up...
"She... she won't wake up, sir. I went in to our room after Professor McGonagall's class, and found her sprawled on the floor of our room. I shook her and she wouldn't wake up... I think there's something wrong with her..."
Snape's features hardened over suddenly. "Take me to your room, Ms. Fiori."
Fiori nodded, and began to run back to the Slytherin common room. The group had begun to form in the common room and she had to shove her way to the room. Finally, she made it, and she pointed. The other two girls were standing, looking utterly helpless.
"She was like this when we all walked in. We've managed to keep all the other girls out of here though."
"Out of the way," Snape barked, shooting sharp glances at both the girls. Then, without further words, the Potions Master knelt beside Maia and studied her for a moment. And then he noticed the water glass that had fallen near her head. Picking it up gingerly, the dark-haired male lifted it to his nose and sniffed it.
For a moment, distant confusion registered on Snape's face and then his eyes went wide with shock. The glass had the faintest scent of cinnamon to it, and of all the herbs the Potions Master knew that smelt like cinnamon, only one could do what looked like had happened. Reaching forward, he gently peeled back one of her eyelids, and his suspicion was confirmed. She had been poisoned with the very thing he had taken points off of Gryffindor for Potter answering wrong - a mix of black root and Adonis.
Dipping a hand into the folds of his cloak, he removed a vial of black liquid and forced it down Maia's lips. Then, turning to the blonde-haired Slytherin who had come to find him, he said, "If her breathing starts to slow, come and find me immediately. I'll be back as soon as I can." Then, Snape stood sharply, and glided out of the room.
Fiori nodded, and turned to the other two girls. "Hey, you two watch her okay? I'll be back." She slipped out after Snape, and ran to find Ron Weasley. She had seen the concerned look on his face when she'd told Professor Snape about Maia.
And as it turned out, Ron was lurking near the concealed entrance to the Slytherin common room when Fiori exited. Having been in there once disguised as one of Malfoy's goons, the redheaded boy had a good idea where the entrance was. But since he didn't hang out with the Slytherins on a regular basis, he wasn't quite sure where it was.
Noticing Fiori he shouted, "Hey! What happened to Maia?"
She shook her head. "We don't know. Professor Snape told us to watch her until he gets back, and if her breathing slows, to come get him immediately. But, from the look on his face, I think she was poisoned."
Poisoned? Ron's expression turned dark. "Ten galleons says Malfoy did it," he muttered, knowing all too well that the Slytherin boy and Maia hadn't exactly gotten around. "Think she'll be ok?"
Fiori nodded. "Yes. I think so; Professor Snape went to get the antidote probably. And Malfoy couldn't have done it, because of the lock on the girls' side of the dorm. The painting won't let boys in. And her cat was the only one in the room though."
"Well, if it wasn't Malfoy, who do you think it was then?" he asked, his voice edging on pointed. "I don't know anyone besides Malfoy who would want her dead..."
Fiori shook her head. "I don't know. She's really nice and sweet." She shrugged. "Professor Snape'll find out though. He's partial to anyone in Slytherin."
Ron was about to mutter something less than nice about Snape when the Potions Master came sweeping around the corner. Pausing, he eyed the redheaded Weasley boy coldly for a moment, and then continued over to the dungeon wall, which concealed the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Then whispering the phrase that allowed admittance to anyone knowing it, he slid gracefully into the wall which had opened to reveal a door.
And as he passed, Ron returned the nasty glance. "I hope so."
Leimomi checked Maia's pulse again. She didn't want anything to happen to her. A sudden chill cast over her and she stood. "Professor Snape. She's remained stable since you left."
Snape nodded. "Thank you Ms. Leimomi, I'll handle it from here." Waving her away, the dark-haired Professor knelt beside Maia's fallen form once more. And as he had before, he reached into the folds of his robe and removed a small vial, this one the faintest blue where the last had been black. Uncorking it, he poured the contents down her throat, and waited.
If her condition was as good as she appeared, she'd be waking up any moment now... And he already had a headful of questions he wanted to ask her.
Her eyelids fluttered gently, and she sneezed. "Bless me." Sitting up slowly, she became aware that she was on the floor. "Oh no... I didn't meet Ron!!" She attempted to stand, only for her legs to give out under her. "What happened?" She noticed professor Snape and frowned. "What did I do wrong this time?"
What could only be called a flicker of a smile touched Snape's lips for an instant. "Well, if you are capable of poisoning yourself, I think I'd be so pleased that a third year could concoct such a advanced potion that I'd forget to punish you. However, since I don't think that's possible - and since I doubt you're stupid enough to poison yourself - I'd say you did nothing wrong." Standing sharply, he offered her a hand to help her up, his eyes going back to their usual cruel expression as he thought.
"Though, Ms. Cooper, someone here -is- in quite a bit of trouble."
Maia gripped his hand and pulled herself up slowly. "Great, just my luck. What a first day." She sighed, and after she could stand without her head swimming, she looked up at him. "So... What do you want to ask me?"
Snape arched his eyebrows at the question. "I thought you'd know what I wanted to know, Ms. Cooper. But since you apparently don't, I'll make it clear. Do you know who did this to you? Or who would attempt to?"
Maia shook her head. "At first I'd say Malfoy, but I don't think he could've made a potion if it is, as you say, advanced magic." She bit her lip thoughtfully. "And it must not have been a boy... They couldn't have gotten in here..." Finally, she slowly shook her head. "No."
A frown edging on a sneer touched the Potion Master's face. "Was there anyone in the room with you when you drank the glass that had been laced with poison?"
Maia sighed. "No! There wasn't. Don't get angry with me. There was no one here but Slash."
"I'm not angry with you, Ms. Cooper," Snape responded, trying his hardest to keep the malice out of his voice. True, he was angry, but it was simply due to the fact that his mind - one of the sharpest in all of Hogwarts - was failing him miserably. And the only time he could remember that happening before was when Dumbledore talked him out of Voldemort's service, and into the job of a double agent.
Letting out a harsh sigh, he asked, "Who is Slash?"
Maia pointed at the small silver back tabby sitting on her bed. "That's Slash."
Snape nodded, a careful eye trained on the cat. "Well, I doubt very highly that a simple house cat could have poisoned you. Though," pausing in mid-sentence, his glistening eyes narrowed on the animal, "we have had problems with unregistered animagi and the like before." This time the Potion Master's face split into an all-out sneer, as he remembered when he had caught James Potter and his group of friends transforming to go run around with their werewolf companion. And the thought still sickened him.
Turning back to Maia, he attempted to push his bitter thoughts aside, and said softly, "You're quite lucky Ms. Fiori found you."
She nodded, then turned to Fiori, "Thank you for finding me." Then she turned back to Professor Snape. "Is there anything else you wanted to speak with me about?"
There was a moment of silence and finally the Professor shook his head, his greasy black locks bobbing about his face as he did. "No, Ms. Cooper. I believe we're through. You can return to your room, or do whatever you were going to before you so rudely passed out. Though I daresay you could be cautious about what you eat or drink from now on - it seems someone isn't too fond of you."
Turning, the Potions Master slid from the room, leaving the three Slytherin girls - Cooper, Fiori, and Leimomi - alone in the room.
Maia frowned as she remembered something Malfoy had told her, 'You amaze me. If I were you, making enemies as fast as you do, I'd be almost afraid to eat that food.' She shook her head. He was not trying to kill her.
Suddenly, she ran from the room and sprinted outside the portrait hole in the wall. "Ron? Are you out here?"
In the time between when Snape had returned with the antidote for Maia and now, Ron had taken a seat on the floor of the dungeon, near the entrance to the Slytherin common room. He had been expecting the Slytherin girl to come looking for him after she had recovered - assuming she did - and he had obviously been right. And when she called for him, his eyes immediately snapped up from the floor to meet hers.
"Maia! You're all right," he stated dumbly, pushing himself up from the floor with one hand. "Karen Fiori told me you had been poisoned."
Maia nodded. "Yes. You remember that question Snape asked Harry in class and Harry lost five points for not knowing? It was that potion." She suddenly threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I'm so sorry for getting poisoned like that..." She leaned back, blushing furiously.
Ron too found himself blushing. "What are you sorry for? It's not like you went into Snape's closet, pulled out the most lethal thing you could think of and drank it." At the end of the Weasley boy's statement there was a second or two of silence, and then after a sharp inhale Ron asked, "Are you still up for the tour of the school?"
Maia smiled. "Why not?"
And so it began.
Ron spent the better part of the day leading the white-haired Slytherin girl about the ancient castle. Every now and then, he'd stop and point out something that he remembered Hermione telling him she read in 'Hogwarts: A History' or something about the castle he had learned to avoid from personal experience. And on rare occasion, he told her about one adventure or another he and Harry had gotten into that was related to a certain spot on the tour route. Though he kept the latter to a minimum, still unsure as to how she would react to mentioning of the famous Potter boy.
Finally, the tour ended just outside of the dining hall somewhere close to dinner. "And there you have it," he said beaming, as though his tour was a major accomplishment. "I hope I helped."
Maia giggled, then hugged him again. "Yes... you were a great help." She hesitated, then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and darted into the dining hall, blushing hotly.
For a moment afterwards, Ron did not follow. Instead, he stood in the hallway looking rather lovesick, and he probably would have stayed that way if it wasn't for a voice behind him. One he wasn't happy to hear - Snape's.
"Well, Mr. Weasley? Are you going to stand there all night, or do you intend on taking dinner like the rest of us." The Potion Master's gaze lingered on Ron's back for a moment, as the redheaded boy was too terrified to move, and then he swept past him and into the dining room.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Fuujin Kushikaze, Death's Angel
Beta Read by Katameran
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimers: I do not own Harry Potter.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As Maia entered the lunch room, the first thing she saw was a rather frantic Snape talking to a worried looking Dumbledore. What they were discussing she couldn't tell, because they were at the other side of the room. But one thing was for certain: it didn't look good.
She studied them, then briefly wondered what on earth they were talking about. She pushed it from her mind to the best of her ability, telling herself it was none of her business, but as she sat down, she couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with the strange tattoo he had.
The conversation continued on for several more moments, ending with both Snape and Dumbledore casting a curious glance at Maia and then exchanging several more words. Then, the two teachers took their places at the faculty table, and lunch began. Though throughout the meal both men returned their gaze to her for a second before tearing it away.
She shifted a bit uncomfortably under their gazes. She didn't like people taking an interest in her or her affairs. She finished her lunch quickly, then managed to slip out of the room and started toward the Slytherin common room. She still had almost an hour, since she ate rather light lunches she didn't spend much time in the dining hall.
Though as she entered things became a little more clear as to why they had been staring at her.
Painted in blazing green letters above the fireplace in the Slytherin common room was, "Enemies of the heir, beware. The Dark Lord returns." And strangely enough, there was no one in the room who could have put that there...
She froze in place, before opening her mouth to scream. Just in time she caught herself, and she turned tail and fled. Running back into the dining room, she touched Professor Snape on the shoulder. "P-professor.... The... the common room..." She couldn't talk to well, breathing as heavy as she was, and she was shaking. It had truly scared her.
A raised eyebrow was the only response she received from Snape for a second. Then finally, he asked, "What about it, Ms. Cooper?"
She tried to catch her breath, then she looked him in the eyes. "Professor Snape, in the common room, above the fireplace, there... it says 'enemies to the heir beware.' ... 'The Dark Lord returns.' Sir, there was no one in there." A scream from the common room shook her from her thoughts.
His black eyes flashed wildly in the direction of the scream, and he stood. Casting a quick glance at the snowy-haired headmaster, he returned his attention to Maia. "I suggest you take me there, Ms. Cooper, and show me where it is. There is more than one fireplace in the common room, and I doubt I have time to search them all."
She nodded, then led him back to the common room. It turned out to be another girl in the common room, she was shaking and had a hand over her mouth. The green letters had turned blood red and was dripping though nothing was on the tiles in front of it.
"I see," Snape replied, the expression in his eyes a cold sort of determination. "I'll send Filch around to clean it up." He turned on his heels to exit the common room, his cloak billowing due to his rapid motion, but as he got close to the door he paused.
"Tell me, Ms. Cooper. What do you know about Voldemort?"
Maia looked up. "Voldemort? ..." She bit her lip, thinking, "Wasn't he the one that killed Harry's parents?" She bit her lip a little more.
A nod. "And is that all you know?"
She nodded, "Yes, I'm sorry. But... Should I know more?"
"I don't believe so. Not yet, anyway." The was a pause that seemed to span years and he finally said, "Ms. Cooper, will you follow me to my office - I think there's something we must discuss."
She followed, wringing her hands a bit nervously. Snape scared her slightly. Not really fear as in breaking out in sweat and just dreading him, but the air that hung around him... That was what scared her more than anything.
Entering his office swiftly, the door slammed behind Maia as followed him in. Then, the Potions Master took a seat in the chair opposite the door, and he motioned for Maia to do the same. "Please, sit. I have no idea how long this is going to take."
She did so, then glanced at her watch. "Sir, you will write me a note if I am late for my next class though, correct?"
Snape nodded. "Of course, because this is far more important than some silly lesson. Now, how much have you heard about the circumstances of Potter's parents unfortunate demise?"
She cocked her head to one side. "Voldemort showed up at their home and killed them one night. Harry escaped with his life because his mother had given hers to save him."
"Correct. And you realize that to kill any witch or wizard, Voldemort had to have followers, right?" he questioned, leaning onto his desk, and watching her like the crow he so much resembled.
She nodded. "Of course. I don't know what they were called though."
A sardonic smile graced Snape's lips. "Death-Eaters. And each of them was given a special mark, his mark to ensure loyalty. Because with this mark he could call one of his Death-Eaters to him at any given time, and therefore dish out rewards... or great suffering. Do you have any idea what the dark mark looks like, Ms. Cooper?"
"I have no-" She suddenly realized what he was talking about. "Oh Dark Goddess.... A skull with a serpent in its mouth..." Her voice was soft, and her body was as though on auto-pilot. She couldn't understand what she was saying as a million thoughts raced through her brain.
Snape looked genuinely impressed. "Right in one. Now tell me, do you believe the divination is reliable?"
"To an extent. Not to be used to give exact dates but yes, to an extent." She didn't realize she was talking at all.
"Then you would believe in prophecies? Not the years they are said to happen, persay, but the fact that they will eventually happen?"
"Yes."
The Potions Master nodded resolutely. "Then allow me to tell you this. It was once foretold that a girl with no mother and father would come to Hogwarts. She would be sorted into the vilest of Houses - Slytherin -, and bring the dark House into the light with her deed. It is said, however that to do so, she must fight a monster of lies and trickery - Lord Voldemort - but she cannot do so alone. To defeat him, she must join forces with a brave child with the mark of the monster, and a man who once worked for him. Both Dumbledore and I agree that this prophecy is coming to a head..." He trailed off suddenly, allowing her to make her own conclusion.
"Harry's the one with the mark, you once worked for him, ... and I'm the one with no mother or father?" She raised an eyebrow. "It all fits perfectly... But... Me? I beg your pardon, sir, but I'm not the best of witches... I mean.... I could never fight with Lord Voldemort... I'd be killed within only a few moments..."
Snape shrugged, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers. "Certain things fall together as they do for a reason. And," he paused for a moment, looking mildly suspicious, "what makes you think I used to work for Lord Voldemort?"
She shrugged. "The tattoo thing, am I wrong? I assumed you were a spy for Dumbledore..." She looked up, her eyes wide and innocent.
"You're right," he replied, a hint of sadness in his voice. "And I doubt that with a quick mind like that, that Voldemort would find you to easy to get rid of."
She blinked. "I thank you sir, but I'm not that quick..."
Snape raised a single eyebrow gently. "You give yourself far less credit then the truth demands. However, quick or not, Dumbledore and I are not going to let the girl mentioned in the prophecy slip through our fingers. And as such, you will learn to defeat Voldemort... if you are willing. I warn you now, it will not be an easy road."
She smiled slightly, a smile that was not a happy one. "I really have no choice, now do I? I can't abandon my house, I have to bring a little fame to it."
"Everyone has a choice," he stated, his voice raising slightly.
Maia shook her head. "Not always. I may as well do this anyway… if I pose any sort of threat at all, he'll come after me, so I have to know how to fight him."
"Excellent. We'll start training tomorrow if you're ready... and perhaps I can coax Potter down to join us." At the mention of that, Snape didn't look too happy, because everyone knew he hated Harry Potter. But what the Potions Master hated more was Voldemort, and in this case it simply came down to who he hated more.
She nodded. "Thank you, sir, now may I have a note for my next class?" Her mask had slid back into place, and now it was locked in with pure determination.
Pulling a piece of parchment out of his desk, he quickly scribbled a note down, and then handed it to her. "Here you are Ms. Cooper."
"Thank you, sir." She took the note from him and turned to leave. "Sir," she suddenly called out, not turning to look at him. "Is Voldemort really as powerful as they say?"
Snape locked eyes with her, his glistening black ones showing something that came as close to fear as the Potions Master at Hogwarts knew how to come. "More."
She closed her eyes slowly, and then shook her head. "Thank you, sir... I have one more question... But it can wait." She walked out, and broke into a run. She didn't stop until she was right outside Professor McGonagall's door. She stood until she had caught her breath, then walked in. She ignored the looks she got from her classmates, and handed Professor McGonagall the note.
"Professor Snape wished to see me, ma'am."
McGonagall took the note and gazed at it skeptically over her square-rimmed glasses for a moment. Then she returned her gaze to Maia. "All right, Ms. Cooper, take your seat. I was just about to show the class my transformation."
She nodded, then took a seat near to Ron. He gave her a worried glance, but she ignored it. Maia had no idea what was happening, all she heard was the conversation she had had with Professor Snape repeating in her head.
Transfigurations - aside from Professor McGonagall's transformation - was rather boring. It happened to be a focused lecture on animagi, and no one was really listening. Especially not Ron, who kept shooting worried glances in Maia's direction; he was terrified that Snape had said something to her that was far from pleasant from the far off look she was wearing. Finally, the bell that sounded the end of the period rang, and the redheaded Weasley boy walked over to Maia.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked, his brow furrowed in a concerned expression. "I mean, after lunch you and Snape rushed off... and I heard a scream, and..." Ron's voice trailed off nervously.
Maia shook her head. "No, someone was playing a prank in the Slytherin common room, Snape just wanted to know if I had any idea who had done it." She smiled.
"Sounds like one heck of a prank," he muttered, knowing all too well that something like that would probably happen in the Slytherin common room. And that Snape probably would have freaked out about it, all but expelling anyone who was involved. Shrugging it off, he smiled back at her - no reason to be rude about the Slytherin house, after all Maia had thus far proved that all students from the serpent house weren't bad.
"So what do you have next? Anything? My schedule's free for the rest of the day... well until midnight that is." Ron's smile faded back into a frown - it was Wednesday, and that meant astrology at midnight in one of the school's higher towers. And if there was one thing he hated, it was the late night lessons that he had to struggle to stay awake through.
Maia pulled her schedule from her bag. "No, nothing but Astronomy at midnight." She smiled at him. "So, what you planning on doing for the rest of the day? Tell me you aren't one of those who go and sit in the common room until next class."
Ron grinned. "Are you kidding me? No way. I've got better things to do then sit around and do nothing." He paused, blushing from head to toe suddenly. "What those better things are, I don't know right now, but... How about you?"
Maia giggled softly at his blush. "Well, for starters, how about we go and drop off our bags, then you can give me the grand tour? I mean, it's not exactly a good thing for a third year not to know the lay of the castle."
"Sounds like a plan," he agreed, eagerly moving towards the door of the class room.
"I'll meet you over near the dining hall, okay?"
"See you then." And with that, the redheaded boy slipped out of the room, excited.
Maia grinned as she slipped off down the hall, ignoring the glare Malfoy had shot her. She walked down to the common room and into the girls' side of the dorms. She dropped her bag on her bed and took a sip of the water in the glass on her nightstand. It was a fresh as it had been earlier, and she downed the glass.
Suddenly her head began to swim. Maia frowned as colors began to float in front of her. She had to get to Madame Pomfrey, she had to. Stumbling, she fell, and her eyes slid shut. She fought it all as long as she could, then she yelped, and passed out.
Her cat sat on her bed watching her, a strange gleam in its eyes.
Half an hour later, Ron waited in the dining hall for Maia. Thus far he had been there for nearly fifteen minutes, and she hadn't come. And he was beginning to feel like he had been stood up, even though it hadn't been a date. For a moment or two more, he lingered in the empty hall, and then he headed back in the direction of the Gryffindor common room feeling rather put out.
"Guess Slytherins are all like they say," he muttered, staring at the ground as he moved along the more or less deserted halls.
"And what do they say Slytherins are like, Mr. Weasley?" a voice demanded, sharp and sarcastic as they cut through his thoughts. And as Ron looked up, he immediately regretted waking up this morning even more then he had when he realized Maia had stood him up. Oh damn. It was Snape, and the greasy-haired Potions Master had heard what he had said.
"Uh... I didn't mean it, sir," Ron said, praying that Snape wouldn't deduct points from his house.
"I'm sure you didn't Mr. Weasley - and that's five points from Gryffindor." Ron looked furious, but before he could say or do anything that would lose him further points, a girl he recognized as a Slytherin came running down the hall, fear on her face.
"Professor Snape!" she cried as she reached them. "Professor, it's Maia."
"What about her, Ms. Fiori?" he asked, his brows arched in what Ron could have sworn was concern. And come to think of it, Ron's own face was one of concern; so there was something wrong with Maia? Maybe that's why she hadn't shown up...
"She... she won't wake up, sir. I went in to our room after Professor McGonagall's class, and found her sprawled on the floor of our room. I shook her and she wouldn't wake up... I think there's something wrong with her..."
Snape's features hardened over suddenly. "Take me to your room, Ms. Fiori."
Fiori nodded, and began to run back to the Slytherin common room. The group had begun to form in the common room and she had to shove her way to the room. Finally, she made it, and she pointed. The other two girls were standing, looking utterly helpless.
"She was like this when we all walked in. We've managed to keep all the other girls out of here though."
"Out of the way," Snape barked, shooting sharp glances at both the girls. Then, without further words, the Potions Master knelt beside Maia and studied her for a moment. And then he noticed the water glass that had fallen near her head. Picking it up gingerly, the dark-haired male lifted it to his nose and sniffed it.
For a moment, distant confusion registered on Snape's face and then his eyes went wide with shock. The glass had the faintest scent of cinnamon to it, and of all the herbs the Potions Master knew that smelt like cinnamon, only one could do what looked like had happened. Reaching forward, he gently peeled back one of her eyelids, and his suspicion was confirmed. She had been poisoned with the very thing he had taken points off of Gryffindor for Potter answering wrong - a mix of black root and Adonis.
Dipping a hand into the folds of his cloak, he removed a vial of black liquid and forced it down Maia's lips. Then, turning to the blonde-haired Slytherin who had come to find him, he said, "If her breathing starts to slow, come and find me immediately. I'll be back as soon as I can." Then, Snape stood sharply, and glided out of the room.
Fiori nodded, and turned to the other two girls. "Hey, you two watch her okay? I'll be back." She slipped out after Snape, and ran to find Ron Weasley. She had seen the concerned look on his face when she'd told Professor Snape about Maia.
And as it turned out, Ron was lurking near the concealed entrance to the Slytherin common room when Fiori exited. Having been in there once disguised as one of Malfoy's goons, the redheaded boy had a good idea where the entrance was. But since he didn't hang out with the Slytherins on a regular basis, he wasn't quite sure where it was.
Noticing Fiori he shouted, "Hey! What happened to Maia?"
She shook her head. "We don't know. Professor Snape told us to watch her until he gets back, and if her breathing slows, to come get him immediately. But, from the look on his face, I think she was poisoned."
Poisoned? Ron's expression turned dark. "Ten galleons says Malfoy did it," he muttered, knowing all too well that the Slytherin boy and Maia hadn't exactly gotten around. "Think she'll be ok?"
Fiori nodded. "Yes. I think so; Professor Snape went to get the antidote probably. And Malfoy couldn't have done it, because of the lock on the girls' side of the dorm. The painting won't let boys in. And her cat was the only one in the room though."
"Well, if it wasn't Malfoy, who do you think it was then?" he asked, his voice edging on pointed. "I don't know anyone besides Malfoy who would want her dead..."
Fiori shook her head. "I don't know. She's really nice and sweet." She shrugged. "Professor Snape'll find out though. He's partial to anyone in Slytherin."
Ron was about to mutter something less than nice about Snape when the Potions Master came sweeping around the corner. Pausing, he eyed the redheaded Weasley boy coldly for a moment, and then continued over to the dungeon wall, which concealed the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Then whispering the phrase that allowed admittance to anyone knowing it, he slid gracefully into the wall which had opened to reveal a door.
And as he passed, Ron returned the nasty glance. "I hope so."
Leimomi checked Maia's pulse again. She didn't want anything to happen to her. A sudden chill cast over her and she stood. "Professor Snape. She's remained stable since you left."
Snape nodded. "Thank you Ms. Leimomi, I'll handle it from here." Waving her away, the dark-haired Professor knelt beside Maia's fallen form once more. And as he had before, he reached into the folds of his robe and removed a small vial, this one the faintest blue where the last had been black. Uncorking it, he poured the contents down her throat, and waited.
If her condition was as good as she appeared, she'd be waking up any moment now... And he already had a headful of questions he wanted to ask her.
Her eyelids fluttered gently, and she sneezed. "Bless me." Sitting up slowly, she became aware that she was on the floor. "Oh no... I didn't meet Ron!!" She attempted to stand, only for her legs to give out under her. "What happened?" She noticed professor Snape and frowned. "What did I do wrong this time?"
What could only be called a flicker of a smile touched Snape's lips for an instant. "Well, if you are capable of poisoning yourself, I think I'd be so pleased that a third year could concoct such a advanced potion that I'd forget to punish you. However, since I don't think that's possible - and since I doubt you're stupid enough to poison yourself - I'd say you did nothing wrong." Standing sharply, he offered her a hand to help her up, his eyes going back to their usual cruel expression as he thought.
"Though, Ms. Cooper, someone here -is- in quite a bit of trouble."
Maia gripped his hand and pulled herself up slowly. "Great, just my luck. What a first day." She sighed, and after she could stand without her head swimming, she looked up at him. "So... What do you want to ask me?"
Snape arched his eyebrows at the question. "I thought you'd know what I wanted to know, Ms. Cooper. But since you apparently don't, I'll make it clear. Do you know who did this to you? Or who would attempt to?"
Maia shook her head. "At first I'd say Malfoy, but I don't think he could've made a potion if it is, as you say, advanced magic." She bit her lip thoughtfully. "And it must not have been a boy... They couldn't have gotten in here..." Finally, she slowly shook her head. "No."
A frown edging on a sneer touched the Potion Master's face. "Was there anyone in the room with you when you drank the glass that had been laced with poison?"
Maia sighed. "No! There wasn't. Don't get angry with me. There was no one here but Slash."
"I'm not angry with you, Ms. Cooper," Snape responded, trying his hardest to keep the malice out of his voice. True, he was angry, but it was simply due to the fact that his mind - one of the sharpest in all of Hogwarts - was failing him miserably. And the only time he could remember that happening before was when Dumbledore talked him out of Voldemort's service, and into the job of a double agent.
Letting out a harsh sigh, he asked, "Who is Slash?"
Maia pointed at the small silver back tabby sitting on her bed. "That's Slash."
Snape nodded, a careful eye trained on the cat. "Well, I doubt very highly that a simple house cat could have poisoned you. Though," pausing in mid-sentence, his glistening eyes narrowed on the animal, "we have had problems with unregistered animagi and the like before." This time the Potion Master's face split into an all-out sneer, as he remembered when he had caught James Potter and his group of friends transforming to go run around with their werewolf companion. And the thought still sickened him.
Turning back to Maia, he attempted to push his bitter thoughts aside, and said softly, "You're quite lucky Ms. Fiori found you."
She nodded, then turned to Fiori, "Thank you for finding me." Then she turned back to Professor Snape. "Is there anything else you wanted to speak with me about?"
There was a moment of silence and finally the Professor shook his head, his greasy black locks bobbing about his face as he did. "No, Ms. Cooper. I believe we're through. You can return to your room, or do whatever you were going to before you so rudely passed out. Though I daresay you could be cautious about what you eat or drink from now on - it seems someone isn't too fond of you."
Turning, the Potions Master slid from the room, leaving the three Slytherin girls - Cooper, Fiori, and Leimomi - alone in the room.
Maia frowned as she remembered something Malfoy had told her, 'You amaze me. If I were you, making enemies as fast as you do, I'd be almost afraid to eat that food.' She shook her head. He was not trying to kill her.
Suddenly, she ran from the room and sprinted outside the portrait hole in the wall. "Ron? Are you out here?"
In the time between when Snape had returned with the antidote for Maia and now, Ron had taken a seat on the floor of the dungeon, near the entrance to the Slytherin common room. He had been expecting the Slytherin girl to come looking for him after she had recovered - assuming she did - and he had obviously been right. And when she called for him, his eyes immediately snapped up from the floor to meet hers.
"Maia! You're all right," he stated dumbly, pushing himself up from the floor with one hand. "Karen Fiori told me you had been poisoned."
Maia nodded. "Yes. You remember that question Snape asked Harry in class and Harry lost five points for not knowing? It was that potion." She suddenly threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I'm so sorry for getting poisoned like that..." She leaned back, blushing furiously.
Ron too found himself blushing. "What are you sorry for? It's not like you went into Snape's closet, pulled out the most lethal thing you could think of and drank it." At the end of the Weasley boy's statement there was a second or two of silence, and then after a sharp inhale Ron asked, "Are you still up for the tour of the school?"
Maia smiled. "Why not?"
And so it began.
Ron spent the better part of the day leading the white-haired Slytherin girl about the ancient castle. Every now and then, he'd stop and point out something that he remembered Hermione telling him she read in 'Hogwarts: A History' or something about the castle he had learned to avoid from personal experience. And on rare occasion, he told her about one adventure or another he and Harry had gotten into that was related to a certain spot on the tour route. Though he kept the latter to a minimum, still unsure as to how she would react to mentioning of the famous Potter boy.
Finally, the tour ended just outside of the dining hall somewhere close to dinner. "And there you have it," he said beaming, as though his tour was a major accomplishment. "I hope I helped."
Maia giggled, then hugged him again. "Yes... you were a great help." She hesitated, then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and darted into the dining hall, blushing hotly.
For a moment afterwards, Ron did not follow. Instead, he stood in the hallway looking rather lovesick, and he probably would have stayed that way if it wasn't for a voice behind him. One he wasn't happy to hear - Snape's.
"Well, Mr. Weasley? Are you going to stand there all night, or do you intend on taking dinner like the rest of us." The Potion Master's gaze lingered on Ron's back for a moment, as the redheaded boy was too terrified to move, and then he swept past him and into the dining room.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
