*walks in again with Snape, sharing Daquiris* Snape insisted on making
them. You don't cross Snape. heh.
It seems that FF.net won't accept my italics, and that makes some of my scenes a TEENY TINY bit less legible. I will try to make them into italics again, but in case they are not, know that s indicate them. Alright?
Now on with the story. Chapter 10. ---------------------------------------
~~~~ Severus Snape ~~~~
Minerva has called us all in her office, including Potter, his wife and Lupin. This time I waste no time in pleasantries or dramatic pauses.
"It's certain now, Potter. I know at least part of what is going on with your daughter." "Let us have it," Harry says, his eyes grave. He feels my distress, and he knows that I am not going to tell him anything pleasant. Lupin fidgets, discerning the same simply because I don't dilly dally this time.
Minerva nods for me to speak.
"Potter. Virginia, you have a very talented daughter. I am sorry to say this is not entirely good, in this case." I address both parents. "Whatever do you mean, Severus? Do start at the beginning," Minerva says irritably. Her interruption in turn irritates me, too.
"That is exactly what I am trying to do here, Headmistress, so if you wouldn't mind interrupting," I tell her with sarcastic politeness. Virginia shifts in her chair. "Please tell us what is going on with my girl," she says quickly, worriedly like any mother would. "Why is she targeted?" Harry asks, controlling himself although I can sense his terrible fear lurking deep inside him. That mental link does not allow us to actually hide from each other.
Even more annoying when I want to keep up a front, and I know that so does he.
"She is targeted, because she is charistrega. I found out an hour ago."
The room grows cold -- I am positive that there is an actual drop in the temperature when that particular word leaves my lips.
"But. but how?" Lupin stutters, white as chalk. Harry is puzzled, and so is Virginia. "What exactly is that, Professor?" Minerva is holding a tartan handkerchief tightly against her mouth, but on Virginia's question she speaks up instead of me.
"A charistrega, Mrs. Potter, is a very powerful witch, capable of extreme levels of wandless magic."
"And not only that, which in itself is very rare," I hear myself tell the red-headed mother, "but her magic has a very specific quality. Which is why she is a chari-strega, as opposed to a simple strega, as witches capable of strong wandless magic are called." "What kind of specific quality exactly?" Potter asks cautiously, and I know that he is bracing to hear what I have to tell him. However, Lupin finds his voice and answers instead of me, which is annoying and relieving for me in the same time.
"She does not have to think of specific spell words, Harry. She can perform magic without learning to chant their words. In short, she is open to the Ancient Art."
Harry almost grabs Virginia's hand in some search of support as the significance of his daughter's extremely rare capacity. There is a pause, making heavy silence reign in the office. In any other circumstance, there would have been an amount of pride and joy. Now, although there is some pride that I can sense in the father's heart, there is no joy-- only extreme anxiety. Finally, he speaks.
"Can she be leeched?" "Her power can be absorbed by a more knowledgeable source, yes," I force myself to admit. I wish I could have denied the possibility. "Then, the Midgard Serpent that appeared on her arm." Virginia says as her voice falters and breaks before she can finish her rather insightful comment. Harry strokes her hand which he has been holding, saying 'We'll face it together, Ginny, don't worry,' or something to that effect. He manages to pacify Virginia somewhat.
Lupin swallows hard and nods affirmatively. "I think you are right, Ginny. The Midgard Serpent was meant to be used as an agent of channelling. or leeching, is a more appropriate word," Lupin cringes as he uses the term.
Harry looks up in hope, discerning something particular in the werewolf's words. "But that failed. How?" "It appears Lily resisted, and turned the Serpent to her own control. The Hogwarts magic wards and her desire to stay living and healthy, as well as our quick tending to the girl helped her overpower the influence. Still, it was no little feat, which I think is quite obvious that Lily did unknowingly," I tell Potter, and I feel rather glad as I finally get to the good part of the news. I do not speak it out loud, but it shines in the eyes of all listening.
If Lily thwarted off the evil targeting her unconsciously, Merlin knows what she can do when she actually, deliberately wills it. The possibilities are endless.
Of course, like all Potters ever to pass through this castle, she will require special treatment.
If anyone had ever told me a few decades ago that I would be glad of the fact I just stated, I would have cursed them into the next century.
"One more question." Virginia distracts me from my thoughts. I arch an eyebrow to indicate that I am listening.
"How did you find out all these things?" "I suspected ever since I saw the Serpent on her arm. But everything was verified this morning, when I was about to take her to Professor Vector's private Arithmancy tower. I wanted to have an arithmantic rune equation system to be done on Miss Potter so that what I was suspecting would be double-checked. Miss Potter seems to have suffered another attack just as we entered the turret. Her eyes shifted multiple colours, the Serpent started to bleed and the blood that came from there was acidic enough to make the flagstone smoke. All these are manifestations of great magical flow."
"But this could be signs of her just being a strega, like her grandmother had," Lupin said. I scowl at him as Potter looks in surprise at the revelation of this side of his mother's identity. Lily Evans had been strega. It was partly the reason Voldemort feared any descendant that would come of her and any strong wizard.
Much as I HATE to admit it, James Potter had been quite strong a wizard.
"That was not all that transpired, obviously," I snap at him, rather scathingly. I hate interruptions, especially if they hold the danger of a discussion side-tracking to another subject. "Get on with it, then!" Harry exclaims impatiently, the need to know more about his daughter surpassing the need to know more about his mother.
"Don't get me started now, Potter!" I growl at him, but Minerva shoots me a rather warning glare, so I conform, and continue.
"She also raised her hands over her head and created a power shield that aurors are taught in their first year of training. No words were uttered to create it. It was strong enough to throw me backwards when I tried to touch her. She was also addressing the entity that was, apparently, attacking her."
Lupin does not contradict me anymore on my evaluation. Harry rubs his scar unconsciously. "Do we have any more indications as to WHO that .. that thing is?" he says, but I know he only wants to hear the answer from me.
"You remember your scar hurting when Lily was being treated, the day she got the Serpent on her arm. You also felt it sting today, when you entered the castle."
Potter looks at me surprised, then his eyes fill with the recollection that I share some of his sensations just as he does some of mine, and he does not ask me how I know something he never mentioned. I continue my ruminations.
"I think that this is a good indicator that what is plaguing Miss Potter is what had plagued you in your senior year here." "It is acting on its threat." Harry said to nobody in particular.
"There is also one more thing. I think I know what body it is inhabiting this time."
I can't deny that my voice is permeated with smug triumph.
I love it when I know the answer.
~~~~ Lily Potter ~~~~
I wake up with a humongous headache. Not the infirmary again I groan to myself tiredly, but when I open my eyes I realise that I am not in the infirmary at all. I am in a small circular room with a small bed, and my mum is stroking my hair, while my dad and Professor Snape are discussing between themselves.
As soon as mum sees that I am awake, she wordlessly kisses my forehead and nods to someone behind me. A muttered word and a spell hits me before I can even ask what is going on. I feel oddly rejuvenated. My body feels replenished in energy and I sit up immediately. I realise it was Uncle Remus that had casted whatever it was he had casted.
"Glad you are back with us, Miss Potter," Professor Snape says silkily. I watch them all, my parents, my godfather and the Potions Master, and I simply -know- that something has changed, and they are all here waiting for me for a reason.
Mum strokes my hair at the base of the skull as I am sitting up. "My honeycomb, there are a lot of things that we have to tell you. You have to listen very closely, and take it all very seriously."
My dad approaches and sits on the other side of the bed, just as Professor Snape and Uncle Remus take chairs. They all are serious, but my father smiles at me reassuringly.
"Don't be scared, snapdragon. Whatever happens, we are all here for you, to help and protect you, alright?"
I nod uncertainly, and glance at them all again. Is something terribly wrong with me? I realise that now, I can feel my blood pumping in my veins, and my heart beat strongly, and the Serpent throbbing in my arm.
The flaming tail won't scare me, and you cannot touch me! You will not succeed! Get off of me!
I remember the tower. The recollection hits me like the Hogwarts Express in full speed. Professor Snape nods, as if he understands what has just gone through my mind, and says lazily, matter of factly, as if he is drilling me on the ingredients of a potion.
"Now then, Miss Potter, why don't you share with us what you saw when I took you to the turret?"
I swallow, looking down at my hands.
"It's alright, Lily. We are here to help you. You have done nothing wrong," my mum continues stroking me. I am thankful, because it relaxes me and gives me the nerve to take a deep breath and start narrating.
-----------------------------
And that's that! A whole load of explanations, but still lots of 'em to go, don't you think? *chuckles, Snape makes himself a martini, conjures up two olives*
next time we have: Classmates, Creatures, and Training!
and maybe even some more darkies thrown in for taste. Hee hee. Oh, and don't think that all bad thingies are . spiritual in this story. *wink wink*
As for my reviewers:
Tabitha: it was short, but I had to leave it there. *apologises* True enough, you were not SUPPOSED to understand the last scene, because Snape would explain all about it in this chapter. *grins* Is it somewhat clearer now? And yes, the more we advance, the more the fic will get dark. Let's see just how dark it can get. *is not afraid to kill* ooops, shouldn't have said that. *chuckles and runs off*
Samson: Yep, Snape has become far more fair in his student dealings. He has no reason NOT to be now. *winks*
Kemenran: *chuckles* well, she is no seer, as a seer tunes in into other people's minds, whereas Lily has someone else tune into hers. How do you like the new Potter generation? Keeping up tradition properly, do you think? *chuckles*
Tim H. Smith: well well, you discovered this is still alive, didn't you? *chuckles* Charistrega is explained in this chapter, and it is a name fabricated by me (a cross between greek and Italian words). Well, Snape IS non-canon. He has a evolved quite a bit from what the books portray him as (which is why this is quite a BIT of time after Ends and beginnings, where he still had gone quite a bit far on his journey from git to human), but he is not OOC for this sequence of events. Two reasons: First, he has far less reason to be guarded and shielding his true personality than he had when he was a spy. Two, he is linked to Harry AND you can hear his thoughts, whereas the REST of the cast cannot (and he still retains a pokerface, as Lily says). You are right, it was Professor vector that teaches Arithmancy, but I forgot. 8chuckles* I stand corrected. Lily is a little more mature than Harry had been simply because she has lived around adults more than she has around peers-loving, overprotective adults at that. Topped with the fact that she is as powerful as I portray her to be, she needs by definition to be less childish in order to contain the magic itself. She also has heard far too much inside information on what makes Snape tick from a Potter point of view-namely her father. She can't be afraid of a man that has saved her daddy as many times as Snape has. She can be intimidated, but that is different from scared. However, Snape (in case you haven't noticed), has a fondness for her that he tries to hide. somewhat. *foxy grin* 'sides, when I was 11, I thought of people as cupboards, some of them locked, and some of them open. So that is from my experience. As for what I told Kemenran, I didn't lie to him AND I didn't lie in Ends and Beginnings. but then it wouldn't be a mystery if I told you the answer now, would it?
It seems that FF.net won't accept my italics, and that makes some of my scenes a TEENY TINY bit less legible. I will try to make them into italics again, but in case they are not, know that s indicate them. Alright?
Now on with the story. Chapter 10. ---------------------------------------
~~~~ Severus Snape ~~~~
Minerva has called us all in her office, including Potter, his wife and Lupin. This time I waste no time in pleasantries or dramatic pauses.
"It's certain now, Potter. I know at least part of what is going on with your daughter." "Let us have it," Harry says, his eyes grave. He feels my distress, and he knows that I am not going to tell him anything pleasant. Lupin fidgets, discerning the same simply because I don't dilly dally this time.
Minerva nods for me to speak.
"Potter. Virginia, you have a very talented daughter. I am sorry to say this is not entirely good, in this case." I address both parents. "Whatever do you mean, Severus? Do start at the beginning," Minerva says irritably. Her interruption in turn irritates me, too.
"That is exactly what I am trying to do here, Headmistress, so if you wouldn't mind interrupting," I tell her with sarcastic politeness. Virginia shifts in her chair. "Please tell us what is going on with my girl," she says quickly, worriedly like any mother would. "Why is she targeted?" Harry asks, controlling himself although I can sense his terrible fear lurking deep inside him. That mental link does not allow us to actually hide from each other.
Even more annoying when I want to keep up a front, and I know that so does he.
"She is targeted, because she is charistrega. I found out an hour ago."
The room grows cold -- I am positive that there is an actual drop in the temperature when that particular word leaves my lips.
"But. but how?" Lupin stutters, white as chalk. Harry is puzzled, and so is Virginia. "What exactly is that, Professor?" Minerva is holding a tartan handkerchief tightly against her mouth, but on Virginia's question she speaks up instead of me.
"A charistrega, Mrs. Potter, is a very powerful witch, capable of extreme levels of wandless magic."
"And not only that, which in itself is very rare," I hear myself tell the red-headed mother, "but her magic has a very specific quality. Which is why she is a chari-strega, as opposed to a simple strega, as witches capable of strong wandless magic are called." "What kind of specific quality exactly?" Potter asks cautiously, and I know that he is bracing to hear what I have to tell him. However, Lupin finds his voice and answers instead of me, which is annoying and relieving for me in the same time.
"She does not have to think of specific spell words, Harry. She can perform magic without learning to chant their words. In short, she is open to the Ancient Art."
Harry almost grabs Virginia's hand in some search of support as the significance of his daughter's extremely rare capacity. There is a pause, making heavy silence reign in the office. In any other circumstance, there would have been an amount of pride and joy. Now, although there is some pride that I can sense in the father's heart, there is no joy-- only extreme anxiety. Finally, he speaks.
"Can she be leeched?" "Her power can be absorbed by a more knowledgeable source, yes," I force myself to admit. I wish I could have denied the possibility. "Then, the Midgard Serpent that appeared on her arm." Virginia says as her voice falters and breaks before she can finish her rather insightful comment. Harry strokes her hand which he has been holding, saying 'We'll face it together, Ginny, don't worry,' or something to that effect. He manages to pacify Virginia somewhat.
Lupin swallows hard and nods affirmatively. "I think you are right, Ginny. The Midgard Serpent was meant to be used as an agent of channelling. or leeching, is a more appropriate word," Lupin cringes as he uses the term.
Harry looks up in hope, discerning something particular in the werewolf's words. "But that failed. How?" "It appears Lily resisted, and turned the Serpent to her own control. The Hogwarts magic wards and her desire to stay living and healthy, as well as our quick tending to the girl helped her overpower the influence. Still, it was no little feat, which I think is quite obvious that Lily did unknowingly," I tell Potter, and I feel rather glad as I finally get to the good part of the news. I do not speak it out loud, but it shines in the eyes of all listening.
If Lily thwarted off the evil targeting her unconsciously, Merlin knows what she can do when she actually, deliberately wills it. The possibilities are endless.
Of course, like all Potters ever to pass through this castle, she will require special treatment.
If anyone had ever told me a few decades ago that I would be glad of the fact I just stated, I would have cursed them into the next century.
"One more question." Virginia distracts me from my thoughts. I arch an eyebrow to indicate that I am listening.
"How did you find out all these things?" "I suspected ever since I saw the Serpent on her arm. But everything was verified this morning, when I was about to take her to Professor Vector's private Arithmancy tower. I wanted to have an arithmantic rune equation system to be done on Miss Potter so that what I was suspecting would be double-checked. Miss Potter seems to have suffered another attack just as we entered the turret. Her eyes shifted multiple colours, the Serpent started to bleed and the blood that came from there was acidic enough to make the flagstone smoke. All these are manifestations of great magical flow."
"But this could be signs of her just being a strega, like her grandmother had," Lupin said. I scowl at him as Potter looks in surprise at the revelation of this side of his mother's identity. Lily Evans had been strega. It was partly the reason Voldemort feared any descendant that would come of her and any strong wizard.
Much as I HATE to admit it, James Potter had been quite strong a wizard.
"That was not all that transpired, obviously," I snap at him, rather scathingly. I hate interruptions, especially if they hold the danger of a discussion side-tracking to another subject. "Get on with it, then!" Harry exclaims impatiently, the need to know more about his daughter surpassing the need to know more about his mother.
"Don't get me started now, Potter!" I growl at him, but Minerva shoots me a rather warning glare, so I conform, and continue.
"She also raised her hands over her head and created a power shield that aurors are taught in their first year of training. No words were uttered to create it. It was strong enough to throw me backwards when I tried to touch her. She was also addressing the entity that was, apparently, attacking her."
Lupin does not contradict me anymore on my evaluation. Harry rubs his scar unconsciously. "Do we have any more indications as to WHO that .. that thing is?" he says, but I know he only wants to hear the answer from me.
"You remember your scar hurting when Lily was being treated, the day she got the Serpent on her arm. You also felt it sting today, when you entered the castle."
Potter looks at me surprised, then his eyes fill with the recollection that I share some of his sensations just as he does some of mine, and he does not ask me how I know something he never mentioned. I continue my ruminations.
"I think that this is a good indicator that what is plaguing Miss Potter is what had plagued you in your senior year here." "It is acting on its threat." Harry said to nobody in particular.
"There is also one more thing. I think I know what body it is inhabiting this time."
I can't deny that my voice is permeated with smug triumph.
I love it when I know the answer.
~~~~ Lily Potter ~~~~
I wake up with a humongous headache. Not the infirmary again I groan to myself tiredly, but when I open my eyes I realise that I am not in the infirmary at all. I am in a small circular room with a small bed, and my mum is stroking my hair, while my dad and Professor Snape are discussing between themselves.
As soon as mum sees that I am awake, she wordlessly kisses my forehead and nods to someone behind me. A muttered word and a spell hits me before I can even ask what is going on. I feel oddly rejuvenated. My body feels replenished in energy and I sit up immediately. I realise it was Uncle Remus that had casted whatever it was he had casted.
"Glad you are back with us, Miss Potter," Professor Snape says silkily. I watch them all, my parents, my godfather and the Potions Master, and I simply -know- that something has changed, and they are all here waiting for me for a reason.
Mum strokes my hair at the base of the skull as I am sitting up. "My honeycomb, there are a lot of things that we have to tell you. You have to listen very closely, and take it all very seriously."
My dad approaches and sits on the other side of the bed, just as Professor Snape and Uncle Remus take chairs. They all are serious, but my father smiles at me reassuringly.
"Don't be scared, snapdragon. Whatever happens, we are all here for you, to help and protect you, alright?"
I nod uncertainly, and glance at them all again. Is something terribly wrong with me? I realise that now, I can feel my blood pumping in my veins, and my heart beat strongly, and the Serpent throbbing in my arm.
The flaming tail won't scare me, and you cannot touch me! You will not succeed! Get off of me!
I remember the tower. The recollection hits me like the Hogwarts Express in full speed. Professor Snape nods, as if he understands what has just gone through my mind, and says lazily, matter of factly, as if he is drilling me on the ingredients of a potion.
"Now then, Miss Potter, why don't you share with us what you saw when I took you to the turret?"
I swallow, looking down at my hands.
"It's alright, Lily. We are here to help you. You have done nothing wrong," my mum continues stroking me. I am thankful, because it relaxes me and gives me the nerve to take a deep breath and start narrating.
-----------------------------
And that's that! A whole load of explanations, but still lots of 'em to go, don't you think? *chuckles, Snape makes himself a martini, conjures up two olives*
next time we have: Classmates, Creatures, and Training!
and maybe even some more darkies thrown in for taste. Hee hee. Oh, and don't think that all bad thingies are . spiritual in this story. *wink wink*
As for my reviewers:
Tabitha: it was short, but I had to leave it there. *apologises* True enough, you were not SUPPOSED to understand the last scene, because Snape would explain all about it in this chapter. *grins* Is it somewhat clearer now? And yes, the more we advance, the more the fic will get dark. Let's see just how dark it can get. *is not afraid to kill* ooops, shouldn't have said that. *chuckles and runs off*
Samson: Yep, Snape has become far more fair in his student dealings. He has no reason NOT to be now. *winks*
Kemenran: *chuckles* well, she is no seer, as a seer tunes in into other people's minds, whereas Lily has someone else tune into hers. How do you like the new Potter generation? Keeping up tradition properly, do you think? *chuckles*
Tim H. Smith: well well, you discovered this is still alive, didn't you? *chuckles* Charistrega is explained in this chapter, and it is a name fabricated by me (a cross between greek and Italian words). Well, Snape IS non-canon. He has a evolved quite a bit from what the books portray him as (which is why this is quite a BIT of time after Ends and beginnings, where he still had gone quite a bit far on his journey from git to human), but he is not OOC for this sequence of events. Two reasons: First, he has far less reason to be guarded and shielding his true personality than he had when he was a spy. Two, he is linked to Harry AND you can hear his thoughts, whereas the REST of the cast cannot (and he still retains a pokerface, as Lily says). You are right, it was Professor vector that teaches Arithmancy, but I forgot. 8chuckles* I stand corrected. Lily is a little more mature than Harry had been simply because she has lived around adults more than she has around peers-loving, overprotective adults at that. Topped with the fact that she is as powerful as I portray her to be, she needs by definition to be less childish in order to contain the magic itself. She also has heard far too much inside information on what makes Snape tick from a Potter point of view-namely her father. She can't be afraid of a man that has saved her daddy as many times as Snape has. She can be intimidated, but that is different from scared. However, Snape (in case you haven't noticed), has a fondness for her that he tries to hide. somewhat. *foxy grin* 'sides, when I was 11, I thought of people as cupboards, some of them locked, and some of them open. So that is from my experience. As for what I told Kemenran, I didn't lie to him AND I didn't lie in Ends and Beginnings. but then it wouldn't be a mystery if I told you the answer now, would it?