"You know, curiosity killed the cat." Remarked an amused voice that made Harry jump. He had waited until he was sure everyone had left the room before leaving his hideout. He had taken two steps out of the room before he heard Choice's voice. Harry turned slowly and met Choice's smile.
They had met once before, during Silent Night, and what little Harry knew about Choice came from Kaiya and Dumbledore. Choice had been one of the Death Eaters that had attacked Hogwarts. He had also saved Kaiya and Snape from another's curse. He worked indirectly for Dumbledore, but owed his only loyalty to Snape and Kaiya. Choice and Kaiya had been raised by Voldemort and his Death Eaters but while Choice had decided to take an active role in the role, Kaiya had wanted a more remote role.
Harry always got the impression the war and Kaiya's role in it scared her. She wasn't sure of her abilities and the mere thought of the war frightened her. But she was bound to the war. She had been reared for the distinct purpose of aiding Voldemort and sometimes, Harry wondered if she ever regretted her life. She seemed to be living her whole life in her father's shadow. In her eyes, Severus Snape was the great warrior, wizard and spy; and Kaiya had none of his skill, conviction or savvy. Harry knew how she felt.
His parents had died heroes and it was their sacrifice that first fell Voldemort, not anything on his part. Still, everyone viewed him as some great hero. He was supposed to be the savior of the world when all he wanted to be was Harry Potter.
Kaiya smiled at him. "Coming in?"
Harry nodded and stepped inside the empty classroom that now held three. Three people, none of them over the age of twenty-one, whose biggest problem a couple of years ago was making sure that special member of the opposite sex noticed them in the school hall. There was Choice, whose biggest hope and dream was that at the end of the day, Kaiya would be his and she'd be happy. There was Kaiya, whose biggest hope and dream was that at the end of the day, Choice could forgive her and raise their son like his own. And then there was Harry, whose biggest hope and dream was just to be a sixteen-year-old boy who wasn't failing Potions. Simple dreams, ones conjured but held close to their hearts. The three sat together, not really friends but not at all strangers. They were all united under one simple code: there was a war going on that their parents had left for them.
Harry watched Kaiya recline against Choice's firm shoulder. So, that's what soul mates look like, Harry thought to himself. He was surprised how old they looked apart. They looked incomplete without the other one near. Choice's eyes seemed to dim without Kaiya, his face seemed to age. When she was near him, she made him look young and innocent. She made him look happy. Kaiya, apart from Choice, looked incomplete as well. But she appeared to know how to hide it better. She could mask all her fears under a visage of cold, trained disgust. She looked like her father when she was apart from him. She looked like someone cold, unfeeling and inhuman. But with Choice, she appeared womanly, faithfully devoted to him. They needed each other to equal a whole human.
But she had another look, one reserved for Remus Lupin. Harry couldn't ignore the look in her eyes when she saw him. There was something there too, maybe not as strong, maybe not as deep but it existed. That love had something tangible and real: it had a son named Reiner Lupin. Harry knew someone would get hurt, he just didn't know which.
Harry found himself wondering if he'd ever find something like Kaiya was torn between because for however imperfect it was: it was still love.
It was Choice who broke the silence first. "So…have you seen the Wasps?"
"Didn't they have to replace the Head coach because of a money dispute? Something about him breaking contract to head Scotland's team?" Kaiya asked.
Harry nodded. "Yeah, they finally released him and made Inman the new head coach."
"Inman!" Kaiya exclaimed, annoyed. "That man couldn't coach a mermaid to swim!"
"Hey Inman was on the Irish Coaching Staff my fourth year. Not only did they make it to the World Cup but they won."
"Because of the great Chasers."
"Screw both of ya." Choice interjected. "Inman is good but not good enough to bring the Wasps out of that ditch they got themselves into when they let Kara Kidd sign with the Cannons. She's going to carry the team next year. The Cannons are going to clean up this year."
"Kidd is an egotistical schizoid who's going to get injured early on and sit out the season." Kaiya said smugly. "Betcha twenty Galleons on it."
"Deal." Choice said.
Kaiya was just about to make another snide remark when they heard Snape's voice, terse and angry over the regular sounds of the day.
"I told you, I have no idea who the Dark Prince is and I don't appreciate the insinuations!" Snape seemed annoyed and deeply enraged. Snape was a man of deep passions and dark intentions. But he had never raised his voice to Albus Dumbledore.
"Severus," Dumbledore's voice sounded taxed as well. "You know I trust you more then anyone else alive, however…"
"You won't be happy until the Dark Prince has my head eh?" Snape said bitterly. "Fine, Headmaster. I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you."
A long pause before Snape's voice again, this time softer. "Do you know what I've done without knowing it, Headmaster?"
"You've just put your life in my hands."
"Take care of it." Snape snapped. "I've become very fond of it."
Choice shook his head, stood and kissed Kaiya goodbye. "I better go catch him, Alchemy. I need to get back to the others anyway."
"Be safe."
"Always." Choice smirked. He turned to Harry. "See you around, Potter."
"Bye."
Harry watched Choice leave and then turned to Kaiya. She had reverted back under her cool exterior. "Come on, Mr. Potter." She mused. "Lets get you to class."
"Yes Madam."
"Leaving for the night, Ambassador Kahle?"
Jamie Kahle rubbed the sleep from her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, Christine. I'm gone for the night. What about you? Still hard at work?"
"The German Ambassador is coming in to talk to the Hungarians about the restrictions regarding Werewolf and Vampire migration."
"Don't remind me." Jamie shouted. "I've been refreshing my German for the past two weeks."
"How's it coming?"
"Nicht gut." She hissed with a smile. Christine offered her a sympathetic smile before waving her off.
Jamie Kahle pulled closed the door of her office and walked down the carpeted halls with the same feeling of smugness she always got. She was the chief advisor to the President of the International Confederation of Wizards, making her one of the most powerful women in the Magical world.
Not bad for the first Slytherin in a family of Hufflepuffs.
Jamie looked outside the glass doors and cursed. It had begun to snow, again. Sometimes she hated Sweden. Remembering some last minute notes for Christine, she rummaged through her coat for them. She pulled out an article from a magazine of apothecaries and smiled at the headline.
Hogwarts Potion Master hailed for Creation
England- Hogwarts own Severus Snape was finally given credit for his part in creating the Wolfbanes Potion, the revolutionary potion that has aided people suffering from Lycanthropy worldwide. This recognition comes after almost two decades of neglect. Professor Snape had been working at Holms College when he developed the potion with colleague Nicanora Vargas but was arrested in regards to his ties to certain Death Eaters during the Dark Times.
He was cleared of all charges.
Jamie Kahle, aid to the President of the ICW and life long friend of Snape, was quoted as saying. "Its high time this brilliant mind got his credit."
Professor Snape declined to comment.
"You deserved it, Alex." Jamie whispered to the paper before tucking it back into her coat pocket. She pulled out another paper, this one a letter she still needed to mail to Severus.
They had been best friends at Hogwarts. She had shared his bed for almost seven years she liked to tease. Although, she hadn't spoken or seen him in almost a decade, she still considered herself his closest friend. She had been the leading force behind getting his name cleared among the circle of apothecaries he so loved to be involved with. She wrote him twice, sometimes three, times a week and never got back a reply. But occasionally, however, she received little gifts at irregular periods of time sent to her office with a card signed with one of her many nicknames for him.
She smiled at the letter and tucked it close to her heart before pushing open the door. She tugged on her collar to fight against the biting cold. She hated nights like this. It was nights like this she wished she had stayed with Santiago in Latin America.
No, she thought, she couldn't have done that to Tory. She was in love with another man.
"Madam Ambassador?"
Jamie turned and regarded the figure behind her. It was a man's voice and very familiar but she couldn't place it. The man was wearing a dark cloak that blew around him like some dark wave crashing against the rocky shore. "Yes, who are you?"
"My name isn't important, Madam Ambassador, my message is."
"Are you an advocate or activist? If you are, there are channels you have go through to get your concerns addressed. If you would come by my office tomorrow morning…"
"I assure you I am not here concerning any foolish cause, Madam. I am here to address a greater cause."
"Such as?" Jamie said, reaching for her wand.
"Revenge Madam Ambassador." He said, reaching out. "Accio wand."
Jamie felt her wand fly from her hand to his. She looked up, shocked. She began to back into the building, maybe if someone heard her scream. The only problem was, she couldn't scream. "What do you want?"
"The people perish for lack of knowledge. They die for their father's sins. They bleed for them. I want to end that." The man was closing in on her. She pressed against the wall, shivering. "Do you know who our fathers are, Madam Ambassador?"
"No." She murmured. Whatever it took to keep him talking…dear God, why isn't someone seeing this…
"Our fathers are the brothers grim: night and day. Our fathers were the sun and moon themselves." The man underneath the cloak chuckled. "Judas and James, the brothers of God: one the betrayer and one betrayed but which one was which?"
Where was everyone? Jamie inhaled deeply. "I don't understand…"
"The Dark Prince and his brother James." The man hissed, a little angry with her. "They sired this new generation where people worship the boy who lived and pray each night against the man who made nations tremble. But who was the true evil?" He laughed again. "I shall show them, show them all. I am going to rip away our father's guises…and show the world the true traitor…"
He had walked straight up to her, pushing against her. She could smell his scent and see locks of hair in the dim light. She didn't have the courage to look into his eyes.
"So milady." He purred. "I am afraid it's time I've begun my quest and as with all worth while schemes: someone has to be the first to die." She felt him grabbed her throat and begin to squeeze. She began to scramble for air. His grip was over powering. She felt herself blacking out. As her eyes slid shut, she heard him whisper, "Let's start with the one who gave the star his name, eh?"
Author's Note: Sorry it took so long for me to update but my laptop suffered from a Dementor's Kiss so now it is a over glorified type writer. But have no fear: the updates should be regular as always. Oh yeah, many thanks to my muses: Megan, Amissa, Babbitt, Saerry and my roommate who made an appearance in this chapter: Kara Kidd. Please read and review.
Also, I am conducting a poll: Is there any character you'd like to see in upcoming chapters or stories? It could be one of Rowlings' characters like Hagrid and Sirius but I'd prefer if it was one of mine like Jacqueline, Chastity or Gideon Mallory. Also if there is anyone's story you'd like to read please review or email me at Adame_Jinn@yahoo.com.