A/Ns
Inca- First, thank you so much for your positive feedback. I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and rest assured it says AD/MM at the beginning for a very good reason. Although I've never posted Harry Potter, and never on FF.net, I have posted on quite a few yahoo groups and I'm notorious for giving the characters a substantial "push." Also as for Minerva's age, I don't think it's ever said in the book, so I went off the assumption that wizard ages aren't all that different from Muggle ages and based on the appearances of Richard Harris and Maggie Smith in the movies, I estimated Dumbldore at about eighty-something and McGonagall at about sixty- something, which means if Riddle was a student fifty odd years before Harry, then he and Minerva went to school together. Otherwise, just consider it creative license.
Stephanie- I LOVE YOU!!! And I miss you. Thanks for reading chica
Xela, im so innocent, and insaneflautist- thanks you guys for reviewing. I hope this story continues to be enjoyable for each of you.
Chapter 7- The Countdown begins
It took every bit of self control Snape possessed not to run through the castle to the Headmaster's office. As a matter of fact, he still made it there in about the half the time it usually took. He snarled the password and barged in to the office. Dumbledore looked up, for once unable to mask the surprise on his face, at the sight of his completely frazzled potions master. "Headmaster, call Minerva and Isis. It is imperative."
Dumbledore nodded and followed the instructions, then he helped Snape sit in chair and placed a cup of tea in his hands. When Isis and Minerva made their way in the room was thick with tension, but at least Snape seemed to have calmed himself.
Even so, the unspoken was so thick that it shook Isis's insides. These pregnant silences had always preceded thing she hadn't wanted to see, or hear at home, and in a moment of panic she slipped her hand into McGonagall's and moved to stand a little closer to her.
After a moment of staring at the two women he was supposed to all but kill, Snape began. "I was summoned tonight." He announced in a soft voice.
Isis couldn't stop the cry that started in her throat, and his gaze searched hers for a moment. "I was alright. Voldemort has given me quite a task, I'm afraid."
"What is it you have to do?" Albus asked.
"I have two tasks. The first is to bring Isis to him. He knows about her animagi talents."
A strangled cry erupted from the youngest Professor. "He can't!" She backed herself into a corner and shook her head. "He can't get me."
A look passed between headmaster and deputy headmistress. Then she crossed over to the shaking girl and put her gentle hands on her shoulders. "Isis, you'll be alright. I promise."
"No. You don't understand. If he gets a hold of me, if he gets veritaserum in me, we're all doomed." She looked imploringly at Dumbledore. "No one knows the extent of my powers, except me. Not my father, not Lucius."
Isis sank into the high backed chair by the fireplace and stared into the flames, trying to use the warmth and the dance to calm her. "My mother wasn't a witch, she was a druid."
Someone drew in a surprised breath, but Isis couldn't tell who. She did know why however. Druids weren't like normal wizards, or even like muggles. Magic wasn't inside them. They were magic. They were like other magic creatures, but they were technically human. Because they were magic however they're powers were often wandless and far greater than any other wizard or witch. They had all but died out, but those who remained were hidden from the world, even more so than the wizarding world. Not even Voldemort had been able to find them, even at the height of his power.
"I am not like a normal animagus." She continued after letting her revelation sink in. "Most animagi take on the appearance of an animal. Not only do I take on the appearance of any creature I wish, I can also communicate with them, in their own tongue, and remember it in English when I return to my normal state."
The implications waited down on the room. "If anyone passes by so much as mesquito, I could tell. Even a secret keeper couldn't hide their charge from me." The flames weren't helping, if anything, the sight was causing her more distress. She was reminded of chaos and dark revels and her forced initiation into the dark arts, and the destruction Voldemort caused. But she couldn't look away.
"Nothing will happen to you my child." The headmaster promised her. Then he turned to Snape, who was staring at Isis, watching her watch the flames. "You said you had another task Severus."
With a start, he turned away from the object of his observation. "Yes." His black eyes held pity as he looked back to McGonagall. "It seems Voldemort was quite an admirer of yours in your school days Minerva. And he's decided that he still wants you. I am to bring you both back with me by the first of the year."
Minerva swallowed nervously, but she had to be strong and she knew it. So she picked her head up and gave what she hoped was an optemisstic smile. "Well that gives us till after the winter holiday to come up with a solution."
Isis and Snape shook their heads. "Not the start of the real year." Severus told her regretfully. "The start of the dark year."
"Halloween." The Defense against the Dark Arts professor supplied.
McGonagall felt her courage falter. "That's only a month away."
Dumbledore nodded. "It appears we have a lot to do in a very short amount of time. But for tonight, it's late and we all need to rest. We'll meet again tomorrow."
They all knew they were dismissed and so one by one the three professors left the room, knowing there would be no sleeping tonight. Unfortunately for them, they didn't notice the small rat that scampered out of Snape's robes and being racing towards the doors.
Inca- First, thank you so much for your positive feedback. I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and rest assured it says AD/MM at the beginning for a very good reason. Although I've never posted Harry Potter, and never on FF.net, I have posted on quite a few yahoo groups and I'm notorious for giving the characters a substantial "push." Also as for Minerva's age, I don't think it's ever said in the book, so I went off the assumption that wizard ages aren't all that different from Muggle ages and based on the appearances of Richard Harris and Maggie Smith in the movies, I estimated Dumbldore at about eighty-something and McGonagall at about sixty- something, which means if Riddle was a student fifty odd years before Harry, then he and Minerva went to school together. Otherwise, just consider it creative license.
Stephanie- I LOVE YOU!!! And I miss you. Thanks for reading chica
Xela, im so innocent, and insaneflautist- thanks you guys for reviewing. I hope this story continues to be enjoyable for each of you.
Chapter 7- The Countdown begins
It took every bit of self control Snape possessed not to run through the castle to the Headmaster's office. As a matter of fact, he still made it there in about the half the time it usually took. He snarled the password and barged in to the office. Dumbledore looked up, for once unable to mask the surprise on his face, at the sight of his completely frazzled potions master. "Headmaster, call Minerva and Isis. It is imperative."
Dumbledore nodded and followed the instructions, then he helped Snape sit in chair and placed a cup of tea in his hands. When Isis and Minerva made their way in the room was thick with tension, but at least Snape seemed to have calmed himself.
Even so, the unspoken was so thick that it shook Isis's insides. These pregnant silences had always preceded thing she hadn't wanted to see, or hear at home, and in a moment of panic she slipped her hand into McGonagall's and moved to stand a little closer to her.
After a moment of staring at the two women he was supposed to all but kill, Snape began. "I was summoned tonight." He announced in a soft voice.
Isis couldn't stop the cry that started in her throat, and his gaze searched hers for a moment. "I was alright. Voldemort has given me quite a task, I'm afraid."
"What is it you have to do?" Albus asked.
"I have two tasks. The first is to bring Isis to him. He knows about her animagi talents."
A strangled cry erupted from the youngest Professor. "He can't!" She backed herself into a corner and shook her head. "He can't get me."
A look passed between headmaster and deputy headmistress. Then she crossed over to the shaking girl and put her gentle hands on her shoulders. "Isis, you'll be alright. I promise."
"No. You don't understand. If he gets a hold of me, if he gets veritaserum in me, we're all doomed." She looked imploringly at Dumbledore. "No one knows the extent of my powers, except me. Not my father, not Lucius."
Isis sank into the high backed chair by the fireplace and stared into the flames, trying to use the warmth and the dance to calm her. "My mother wasn't a witch, she was a druid."
Someone drew in a surprised breath, but Isis couldn't tell who. She did know why however. Druids weren't like normal wizards, or even like muggles. Magic wasn't inside them. They were magic. They were like other magic creatures, but they were technically human. Because they were magic however they're powers were often wandless and far greater than any other wizard or witch. They had all but died out, but those who remained were hidden from the world, even more so than the wizarding world. Not even Voldemort had been able to find them, even at the height of his power.
"I am not like a normal animagus." She continued after letting her revelation sink in. "Most animagi take on the appearance of an animal. Not only do I take on the appearance of any creature I wish, I can also communicate with them, in their own tongue, and remember it in English when I return to my normal state."
The implications waited down on the room. "If anyone passes by so much as mesquito, I could tell. Even a secret keeper couldn't hide their charge from me." The flames weren't helping, if anything, the sight was causing her more distress. She was reminded of chaos and dark revels and her forced initiation into the dark arts, and the destruction Voldemort caused. But she couldn't look away.
"Nothing will happen to you my child." The headmaster promised her. Then he turned to Snape, who was staring at Isis, watching her watch the flames. "You said you had another task Severus."
With a start, he turned away from the object of his observation. "Yes." His black eyes held pity as he looked back to McGonagall. "It seems Voldemort was quite an admirer of yours in your school days Minerva. And he's decided that he still wants you. I am to bring you both back with me by the first of the year."
Minerva swallowed nervously, but she had to be strong and she knew it. So she picked her head up and gave what she hoped was an optemisstic smile. "Well that gives us till after the winter holiday to come up with a solution."
Isis and Snape shook their heads. "Not the start of the real year." Severus told her regretfully. "The start of the dark year."
"Halloween." The Defense against the Dark Arts professor supplied.
McGonagall felt her courage falter. "That's only a month away."
Dumbledore nodded. "It appears we have a lot to do in a very short amount of time. But for tonight, it's late and we all need to rest. We'll meet again tomorrow."
They all knew they were dismissed and so one by one the three professors left the room, knowing there would be no sleeping tonight. Unfortunately for them, they didn't notice the small rat that scampered out of Snape's robes and being racing towards the doors.