Chapter 7 (last): Something to Fight For
Dumbledore thought it unnecesary for Stella to remain hidden any longer, so the following morning she entered the Great Hall and everybody looked at her in amazement.
'It's her! Lady Raven!', said Harry to his friends.
Ron looked shocked.
'She's really beautiful!'
'Definitely', said Hermione. 'I can't discuss that but…'
Stella was introduced to the students by Dumbledore.
'I hope you all will be kind to Miss Rageard, he will be helping some of your teachers. Eastern magic is her speciality, and perhaps the older students could learn something new from her.
She took a seat next to Snape at the teacher's table, and looked around. Draco Malfoy was giving her his most threatening glare, but she smiled. A simple boy wouldn't dare to bother her.
Harry, Ron and Hermione met her in a corridor at lunchtime.
'Hello, Harry'.
'Hello, Lady Rav…Er…I mean, Miss Rageard'.
'That sounds terrible. Please call me Stella'.
'Why do you let everybody see you now?', asked Hermione quietly.
'We are all afraid of the same thing. Now that he knows I'm alive, I can't hide. I suppose you understand me pretty well, Harry'.
He nodded.
'Lady…er…are you really Snape's girlfriend?, Ron asked in a sheepish voice.
His friends looked at him in reprobation, but Stella smiled a little.
'I don't know'.
* * *
Some days went by. Stella started giving some Asian spells classes to a big group of fascinated students. Her arm healed soon and she felt capable of transforming again, but she decided not to do it until she really needed it.
Snape's eyes had suddenly opened and he could appreciate the value of the woman who now slept in the next dungeon. He felt that the right time to forget his nightmares and pains had come. Of course he had loved James more than anything in the world, but he needed a new partner, someone who fought evil by his side.
'Perhaps what I did fifteen years ago was wrong after all', he muttered when he entered the next room to look at Stella's sleeping visage.
She opened her eyes slowly and gazed at him.
'Why?', she asked.
'Because I should have left with you'.
'Don't think it's too late'.
Stella sat up and made their lips meet for the first time. When they breathed again, she made him sit by her side.
'But don't go anywhere now. Stay here for the night', she whispered.
Obviously, he'd already decided that. Human heat made the professor come back to life, and it made Stella dream again, after having lost all hope of finding true love… "Who was to know that you had been here all this time?", she thought.
Difficult times were to come, and perhaps a love-story between two fugitives in a period of horror and uncertainty couldn't have a future. But now Snape had a soul-mate to fight for, a person to share his life with when the chaos and darkness had been gone forever…
^The End^
Final Notes: Thanks to the few of you who have read this and for your support!! See you soon! ^o^ Dedicated to all my nice friends, you rock my world!!