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Chapter 8
In the kitchen the four still sat; Rafael absorbing what he had just learned about his daughter; Remus, Herimone and Severus trying to understand what they had just learned out their friend. For all that Remus and Severus had know Kalila since the beginning of the school year they had just learned as much about her as Herimone. Shortly after Cian's departure Rafael got up and left, leaving the three to themselves.
"Severus how long have you know Kalila? I just met her today when I ran into her in the bookstore."
"Since the first week when some of her Slytherine students were giving her trouble. half smile She dragged them down to the dungeons behind her and then proceeded to lecture the students and I until the student's knees were wobbling. Only then did she leave them in my care. I must say I was surprised by her, I had no idea that she had such force of personality."
"Her personality is surprising, but from the stories she told me earlier I had no idea that she could be so cold towards a person, she is always so wonderful with her students and the others who ask her for help. Even the fact that most of her students are just a few years younger than she is seems to bother her."
"She doesn't notice their ages just their personalities, strengths and weaknesses. Within weeks of school starting she knew what each student would be best at and knowing that she assigns a majority of the work depending upon the student's strengths. It creates a great deal more work for her, but she doesn't seem to mind. It amazes me how much the students enjoy her class. Even the sixth and seventh year Slytherines admire her and want to learn what she had to teach. How about you Remus, what do you think of her?"
"I'm sorry what did you say Severus?"
"I asked what you thought of Kalila."
"Oh, I think she is a wonderful teacher and a nice person. glances at his watch I had no idea that is was getting so late, I had best be going to see of any students are waiting for me. Thank you for this afternoon Herimone I enjoyed exchanging stories with you and Kalila a great deal. Good night to you both."
Standing Remus snagged a roll from the basket on the table and walked out into the corridor. Having both watched Remus walk out of the kitchen Severus and Herimone turned to look at each other.
"What do you think Miss Granger is there something odd about the way Remus and Kalila act around each other?"
"No odder than the way you used to act around me. How long did it take the two of us to find some common ground on which to start first a friendship and then a romantic relationship? Maybe they are attracted to each other, but have yet to find their common ground. And if you call me Miss Granger again Severus I am liable to strangle you or to shock the House Elves by braining you with one of the frying pans."
"chuckles As you wish Herimone. Now then, would you care to join me for a walk around the gardens?"
"You know I would. smiles And we have plenty of time before we have to go looking for students out after curfew. stands Who would have thought when I first started here at Hogworts or even seven years ago at graduation that we would grow so close and all because of this war. It is unbelievable, in a way, that of all the people you could have worked with on the project you chose me."
"For forcing us together I could almost thank Voldemort, but I think I shall refrain on the grounds that it would have a negative effect on my health. stands After you Mi Lady."
Meanwhile Remus was wandering the corridors trying to figure out his feelings for Kalila. He liked her, respected her, but did he feel more for her? As he wandered he didn't keep track of where he was going and ended up in the corridor housing his room and Kalila's room. Unsure of what to do Remus allowed his instincts to lead him. Before he knew it he was knocking on Kalila's door. While he waited he assured himself that he was just there to check on her to make sure that Rafael hadn't upset her too badly. When the door opened he found Cian behind it not Kalila.
"Is Kalila ok? I came to make sure that Rafael hadn't upset her too badly."
"She was alright when she left to speak with the headmaster Dumbledore. At least she seemed to be all right when I got here, nothing was broken. But I didn't have a chance to speak with her, she was walking out as I came in."
"Cian can you tell me something, can you tell me why you dislike Rafael and Arturo?"
"Sigh This could take a while, you might want to sit down. I guess you could say this all started the day I followed Kalila home, she was about six at the time. Fae was surprised when I walked in behind Kalila, but took it all in stride. Rafael on the other hand yelled and criticized Kalila for having an "over active" imagination and bringing home a dangerous wild animal in her imaginative delusion. She was only six years old but she was very powerful, she barely avoided blasting him in her distress. She had amazing control for one so young but not even that was good enough for him. At the last moment Arturo walked into the room and through up a shield just as Kalila managed to pull the power back inside herself. The moment Kalila had control again Arturo yelled at her till she broke down in tears and then Rafael joined in. I didn't understand what was happening at the time so I tried to aid her. The moment I moved Rafael pointed his wand at me and cast some sort of curse on me, it would have gone on but Fae walked in at that moment and made Rafael stop. Kalila ran to her sobbing but Fae wouldn't believe her, she automatically believed Rafael and Arturo about what had happened, that Rafael had reminded her it was time for lessons and enraged she had attacked him with Arturo walking in at the right time to protect his step father, and it was left at that. Worried about Kalila I stayed as close to her as I could over the following two years, following her as she ran free where she wanted and teaching her what I could. Then came the day that Fae took her to face the Death Eaters after Voldemort had breached the Isles outer wards. They left Rafael and Arturo in the city in case further wards fell and they along with others all over the Isles went out searching. We found them, half a dozen death eaters on the beach ready for a fight. Fae marched in leaving Kalila and I behind to prevent them from going any farther. She would have been fine, but right then Rafael showed up and distracted Fae for and instant, just long enough for one of the death eaters to catch her with a killing curse. From that moment he was useless, it was Kalila who had to defeat the death eaters. An eight year old had to take on six grown men with far more training than she. Rafael stayed around about a month after that and then he and Arturo left for places unknown in the wizarding world. But the damage had been done; both of them had convinced Kalila that it was her fault that her mother had died and that it would have been better if she had died. So she ran, she ran to her mother's friend in Ireland, whom she called Auntie Annie, and there she stayed for eight years. Neither Rafael nor Arturo tried to contact her until they found out that she had become an Auror. For that alone I could hate them, Kalila didn't deserve to have her sense of self shattered by them. sigh But unfortunately there is a bit more. When Rafael found out that Kalila had become and Auror he paid her a visit. It started out just fine; he gave her a new wand and a set of protection-charmed robes. From there things went downhill. Kalila's Aunt Naomi offered him a drink, he accepted and while she was out of the room getting it he proceeded to destroy Kalila's self-esteem again in a matter of moments. When she went to Arturo for the comfort a big brother is supposed to give he only added to the damage. She left the Isles that day and now will only go back when the council calls her. Despite what Rafael and Arturo may say the people do not doubt Kalila, even in they did it wouldn't matter the "Queen" of the Isles is just a figure head, it is the council who truly rules."
"shocked The war changed Rafael far greater than I had thought. He is almost nothing like the person who was my friend in school."
"War changes everyone, rarely for the better. Good people see too much and try to change to justify what they have seen or to block it out. Some survive and change little, others change beyond the point of recognition."
"Kalila!"
"Maybe my father was different when you knew him and maybe he is different now, I cannot say. All I know is that it will soon be time to find out how much of the old Rafael is left."
"Kalila what is going on? What is wrong?"
With a sigh Kalila sank into the armchair across from Remus, hooking her legs over the edge.
"Nothing is wrong exactly, I just have a feeling that something is going to happen soon. It's why I went to speak with the Headmaster. tapping her finger on the chair edge I just wish I could figure out what my instincts are trying to tell me, hopefully it will hit me soon enough."
"Kalila what did Dumbledore say?"
"Nothing much, but he did help me see what I can do about my father and Arturo, other than charming them both mute and putting them in the middle of the ocean on a small raft that is. I finally have to grow up when it comes to them."
"Now why do I have a feeling that you are making this sound easier than it is going to be?"
"Because I have twelve years of resentment and worse to get over and maybe I'll get lucky and it will be easier than I think it will. Speaking of easier I have something that should help you with your transformation."
With a slight twitch of her fingers Kalila called to her a larger bottle of blue green glass. Which she then gave to Remus after checking the label.
"A pinch of that is the Wolfsbane potion and the transformation won't hurt. I already checked, it won't disrupt the potion in any way."
"Thank you, but how did you know? I never told you about my condition."
"I knew when I met you. I can sense it, shrugs I can't think of any other way to explain it. Just as I know where a Pixie or Leprechaun or other magical being is near. I guess I've always been able to do it, since it is what lead me to Cian."
"It must be amazing to have an ability like that."
"Amazing yes, but often scary. Not all-magical creature want to be found. For every creature that will let you near there are three that won't. Cian used to have to haul me out of situations that could have easily gotten me killed."
"Sounds like the two of you had many adventures."
"We did, not all of them good, that maybe why I never got along with Arturo and my Father, I was always off with Cian and never had a need to go on adventure with them."
"Kalila you are not to blame for the mistakes they've made. You were a child, it is their own fault that they didn't have the time for you."
"Maybe. Remus you were close friends with my father right? Can you tell me what he was like when you were in school?"
And so Remus told Kalila every story of every escapade that Rafael had gotten into in the time he had know him. He told her about the man she had never known until the clock upon her mantle chimed twelve and it became difficult to talk around yawns, only then did they day good night.
