CHAPTER FIVE
WARM FEELINGS AND COLD LIPSHer head was the only thing she could move. It shot up like a cannon.
"What the hell are you doing here? UGH! Get away from me!" she screamed as she noticed that Severus had been holding her hand.
"Calm down Miss Avery, I have no unnecessary intentions, I was merely tending to your hand wound."
"Isn't that Poppy's job?"
"She's out at the moment. She unfortunately ran into me in the hall as she was leaving and asked if I would come watch over you. I would have refused, but she probably would have killed me."
"You should have refused." It wasn't blind hatred. Both Severus and Orion had their reasons. It would have seemed childish had anyone else witnessed their conversation.
"Why do you despise me so?"
"Because you are an insecure, cowardly, cruel bastard who doesn't deserve the boots you walk around in." Orion's eyes were once again ablaze.
"More than you know," he whispered, referring to her cursing.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"No really, please Professor. Anything you have to say to me should be said straight to my face."
"Well if you really want to know, Miss Avery, I believe you have the largest ego of anyone I have ever had the unfortunate pleasure of knowing." Orion stared, rather dumbfounded. She pulled out her dagger from her side and placed it under his chin.
"You of all people should not criticize me for thinking I am 'better than everyone'." Severus glared at her. Without Orion knowing what was happening, he plucked the dagger from her hand. As he was placing it back in it's hilt, he 'accidentally' cut her forearm. "You bastard!" she shouted as she placed her sheets over the bleeding wound.
"I'm sorry," he said remorsefully, "but don't you know it's dangerous to play with knives?" His eyes laughed at her.
"Get out." Severus got up and with one graceful swish of his robes, was gone.
***
Three horrific hours later Orion was finally released from Madam Pomfrey's ridiculous rule. Her wounds were healed, but her eyes still burned, her chest still felt heavy, and she now had a bandage over the cut that Snape had given her. She returned to her chambers, showered, dressed, and made her way to the Great Hall in preparation for the arriving students. As she approached the staff table, Albus spoke.
"Orion, good to see you again. Feeling better I hope?"
"Much. Thank you," she said as she turned to walk to her seat. She scrutinized Severus--he shot a glare right back at her.
Orion took her seat between Albus and Madam Hooch just as Professor McGonagall got up to welcome the new first years. Sirius was in his room, hidden from the students prying eyes. It was just a matter of minutes after she left before the rest of the student body began to file in. Orion watched them as they made their way to their respected tables and took their seats. She was searching, searching...for him. And then she saw him. Taller, broader than she expected him to look, but she never really imagined how he would appear. When she saw the scar, she new she had found Harry Potter.
Just as she found him he locked eyes with her. A very warm feeling came over both of them, and he continued to stare well after he sat down. Ron Weasley noticed he seemed to be far away. "Harry? What's the matter with you?" he asked as he followed Harry's eyes up to the staff table. "Whoa," was all that came out of his mouth, which was hanging on the floor. Harry punched him and both looked away from Orion's watchful study.
"Who is she?" Ron asked.
"I don't know. Obviously a new teacher."
"Obviously. She's beautiful. I hope she's not the new Dark Arts teacher. It'd be a shame to lose a thing like that."
"Ron, honestly, what are you going on about?" demanded Hermione Granger from the other side of Harry. She too followed Ron and Harry's gaze up to Orion, who was engaged in conversation with Madam Hooch.
"Boys," she sighed.
***
"Severus, a word if you please," Albus stepped into the dungeon classroom of the Professor.
"Of course. Is something wrong?"
"Well I would like to know what happened to my goddaughter's arm. As I remember, it was not one of the original injuries she received." Severus sighed, but his face turned red. Here it is, he thought, the moment has finally come. I'm going to get fired because of that damned girl.
"I am so sorry Albus. It was an accident. She pulled her dagger on me," the old man's eyes grew wide, "because I insulted her. I grabbed the weapon from her and tried to calmly place it back in its holder, but it slipped--"
"Slipped?" Albus asked curiously. A small groan came from the Potions master.
"I'll just get my things--"
"Goodness no man, you're not going to get fired for that," Dumbledore laughed. Snape looked up into the half moon spectacles. "Lord knows she probably deserved it."
"Sir?"
"Ah Severus, I love Orion as if she were my own daughter. But for as long as I've known her, I know that she has a way with playing with people's minds, provoking them until their rage envelops them. Its just part of who she is. Antagonizing, wouldn't you say?"
"Well, yes--"
"I don't blame you for what you did, but nor do I approve of it," Albus sighed a very deep and resentful sigh, "but I am tired of the way you treat each other. I know you have your differences, but these days the fighting between you two seems so insignificant. I would appreciate it greatly if you at least tried to get along."
"But sir, I've already tried. It's her--" Dumbledore put up a hand to silence him.
"I will take care of Orion. Thank you for your time Severus."
***
Several days later, Orion sat at her desk in her new office. It was fairly large for an office, but she liked wide-open spaces. It reminded her a lot of Dumbledore's office, with walls of books and pictures of famous wizards. Two velvet chairs sat in front of her cherry wood desk. There was a fireplace and a dark emerald green rug on the floor in the middle of the room.
"To match your beautiful eyes," Albus had told her. She was now thinking about her decision to let the American take over her job. It was never really officially her job, but now since she was receiving no visitors, she longed to be in a classroom. She decided to go to the door, like an impulse. She opened it, and as she glanced down the corridor, a dark haired, green-eyed boy of sixteen walked up to her.
"Well if it isn't Harry Potter. I'm pleased to finally meet you," she said with a warm smile. Harry returned it.
"Please, come in. Let's chat." She moved aside as Harry entered her office. "So, what's up? Girl trouble?" he smiled and shook his head no.
"Snape trouble?" he laughed.
"Voldemort trouble?" the boy looked into her eyes.
"I feel him everywhere. My scar burns day and night. Mostly though when I'm outside."
"Does it hurt right now?"
"No, I actually, well, feel very warm right now. I know it sounds strange, but ever since I first saw you at the feast at the beginning of the year, I feel as if I've known you forever."
"Well, maybe you have," she said with bright eyes. Harry looked confused. "Whenever you see something you love--chocolate, Quidditch, your parents--this warm feeling you have around me, do you have it then?"
"Yes, I suppose I do."
"Well, love is the purest, most powerful form of magic. It's what saved you so many years ago," she said, looking at Harry's scar. He still didn't understand.
"But I don't love you. I mean, you know, no offense." Orion laughed.
"Of course you don't! Harry, I'm an Enigma. I would explain, but I think a trip to the library would provide a better explanation," she got up to walk Harry to the door. "I want you to know, though, that you and I have a connection. If you ever need me, just call me with your heart. I will hear you. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Try saying it with your heart." Harry looked once more into her eyes. His heart raced.
"Yes."
"Very good Mr. Potter. I think we can expect more wonderful things from you," she said with a smile and pushed him out the door. Always best to leave them hanging, she thought to herself.
***
Harry spent the next six hours in the library looking for anything on Enigmas. Ron thought he was turning into Hermione, and he was scared out of his mind.
"Don't you do this to me, Harry. Don't you dare turn into a book-loving, know-it-all Hermione!"
"Shut up Ron. I told you, this is important to me. If you're not going to help, then get out and stop distracting me." Ron was appalled.
"Fine." And he stormed out. After another full hour of searching Harry had had enough. He threw Magical Creatures of the Fifth Century onto the floor and grabbed his head in pure frustration.
"Shh! Harry, you shouldn't be making so much noise in the library," hissed Colin Creevey, who was snapping various shots of students in the room.
"You shouldn't be taking pictures of students trying to study either," Harry replied. Colin abruptly moved away. When Harry looked up, he had a revelation.
"Of course! How could I be so foolish!" he said as he ran from the library. Colin looked up from his camera.
'I used to think he was so awesome,' he said to himself, 'now I think his cheese has slid off his cracker.'
***
It was eleven thirty when Orion woke up in bed, sweating and panting. 'What a horrible dream.' Her surroundings seemed so unfamiliar and she didn't dare lie back down to try and sleep. So she grabbed her novel off her nightstand and proceeded to walk the halls of Hogwarts, making rounds of her own. As she passed a rather dark area on the third floor, she saw Harry pressed desperately against the wall. He looked as if he didn't want to be seen.
"Harry? What brings you out of bed this late at night?" she asked as she put her book down and placed it in her robes. The boy stepped out of the shadows.
"You can see me?"
"Of course I can see you! I'm not blind..." both looked confused. "Oh wait, I know. You're wearing an Invisibility Cloak aren't you?"
"Yes, at least, it's supposed to make me invisible. It seems as though its been failing on me these past few years."
"Oh nonsense. These things are guaranteed for all eternity," she said as Harry pulled it off and she took it, letting the shear magical fabric flow between her hands. "Amazing things, these are--and very useful. What were you using it for tonight?"
"The restricted section of the library. I know what an Enigma is now. They listed most of your powers, but I must have skipped the part about being able to see through an Invisibility Cloak. You're bloody amazing." Orion gave a hearty laugh.
"Well, thank you. I apologize though. I didn't think I'd be in a restricted book. Nor did I think it would take you so long to find. You were obviously passionate about finding out about me. Passion is a very good trait," she said as she handed Harry his cloak. "You'd better put this back on, I believe we have a visitor." They had just enough time for the boy to pull on his cloak and Orion to pull out her book before Professor Snape rounded the corner.
"Miss Avery! What are you doing here?"
"Remembering," she said as she stroked the walls of the hall, "And reading. I can't sleep. What brings you here?"
"Making my rounds of course. Have you seen anything...unusual?" he sneered, peering around Orion as she stepped in front of Harry.
"Well, nothing unusual until you came 'round," she smiled. He stared her down with the dark tunnels he had in place of eyes.
"How utterly charming of you Miss Avery. And you wonder why I still treat you as if you were eleven."
Orion lost control. She pushed him up against the wall, and he caught her and held tight.
"I suggest you go to bed," he said, just as Harry saw his opportunity to slip by. But he wasn't quick enough, and as Snape released his grip on Orion and stepped back, Harry's foot caught his calf and he fell.
"POTTER!" he screamed. Severus started snatching wildly at every inch of air around the hall, hoping to catch hold of Harry's cloak. But the boy he was searching for was on the ground. The woman watched all the commotion with amusement.
"Professor, honestly, you look like a mad man."
"I know he's here. The dunderhead nearly tripped me. POTTER! SHOW YOURSELF!" He started dancing around the hall, hoping to run into Harry unexpectedly. Orion grabbed him before he stepped on Potter, who lay frozen still on the ground.
"Let go of me!" he screamed. "You're helping him, aren't you?"
"So what if I am?" she smirked. Just then there was a rather loud scuffle of feet as Harry leapt off the floor and started to run down the hall. Severus heard him and tried to break free of Orion's grasp. 'He bloody wants to kill him,' she thought. So she did the only thing a respectable woman would do in her situation. She pushed Severus up against the wall and kissed him. His lips were cold and hard. His eyes widened and he fell victim to her soft warm lips. When Harry got to the end of the corridor, he noticed the silence and looked back to see the disgusting sight. 'Wow, she really is amazing,' he thought as he turned and ran the rest of the way back to Gryffindor Tower.
When Orion saw Harry was gone, she released Severus. "Well," she said as she gathered her book that had fallen during their kiss, "goodnight." Severus watched her in astonishment as she walked slowly back to her chambers.