All disclaimers are in place. Refer to the Prologue section for details.
PART SIXTEEN: RESOLUTION"So… how have you been?" Oliver stammered.
He'd shown up about an hour later, as promised. The boy was shaking, he looked as though he thought he'd be slapped across the face any second. He'd shoved his hands into the pockets of his khaki trousers, he hoped, to avert some of the obvious trembling of his fingers. She has no reason to accept me, not after what I did…
"I've been better," she answered honestly.
Oliver nodded dumbly, not sure what to say. Come on you prat, just say it. Just ask…
His eyes latched onto her face, so unsure of his next words. "Halo, please… I've been awful. To myself, but even more to you, who I want nothing more from than to be with me. Please, give me another chance…"
There. He said it.
"Olli, do you…" Please say yes… please say yes…
"What is it?"
"Do you love me?"
Oliver Wood had never been so stunned in his life. His heart spoke where his brain couldn't.
"Yes, Halo. I do."
And when he took her in his arms, she didn't think to ask him why. Why he loved her. Why he wanted to be with her. Why he didn't ask for her love in return. And then she knew why.
She loved him too.
And she told him so.
He pulled her so close, she could feel his heart pounding frantically in his chest. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling the light smell of her shampoo, the warmth of her radiating into his chilled body. "I've missed you," he told her. He pulled back slightly, sighing as he looked longingly at her face. "I'm about to kiss you…" he let her know, then inched his face closer to hers.
She felt his warm breath against her cheek first, then his lips brushed hers. She closed her eyes and allowed her mouth to press softly against his. He responded by gently drawing her closer, running his fingers through her hair, and all he could think about was the feel of her untouched and inexperienced mouth, and slowly he moved his lips to encourage hers to respond to his caresses.
Halo was growing weak with the flood of raw passion and fumbled awkwardly at his shoulders to steady herself. Sensing her weakened state, Oliver broke the kiss gently and guided her to sit down on her bed, never taking his eyes off her. "Are you all right? Do you need anything?"
It took a few deep breaths to reclaim her composure before she could answer him honestly. "I'm all right… I've just never done that before."
Oliver chuckled lightly. "I guessed as much." He held her in his arms.
"Mew!" Tap wandered into the bedroom again after venturing into the bathroom some thirty minutes before and doing battle with a spider underneath the claw-footed bathtub. The spider was now dangling lifelessly from her mouth.
"There's my girl," Oliver happily picked up the kitten and snatched the dead spider from her mouth, tossing it on the floor where the young feline hopefully wouldn't find it. The kitten batted at his face when he held her up to cuddle her. "How do you like your new home?" he asked the little calico, who answered with a claw-sheathed swipe at his nose. He turned to Halo. "I hope she wasn't too much of a shock… my mum told me to pick another one but she was the only one who reminded me of you."
"Oh no, Olli, I love her… your mother helped you pick her out?"
"My mum's cat is this one's mother… she was the runt, but she had the most spark. Mum wasn't sure she'd live when she was born, but now she's the liveliest of the bunch."
And my father had thought you'd spent Galleons on her, Halo told herself silently.
"She's wonderful."
"Are you sure?" By then, Tap had retreated to Halo's trunk at the foot of the bed and curled up for a thorough cleansing.
"Yes. I've never had a real pet before, and I doubt a Sentinel owl or a retired racehorse count as a familiar."
"Racehorse?" Anything that had to do with any type of sport had Oliver Wood's complete attention.
"My family in America bought him for me at the end of last summer, with the intention that he'd be re-trained as a show horse by this coming summer…" her voice trailed off.
Oliver didn't know what to say. A lump rose in his throat, and he fought to keep it down by taking her hand and giving it a firm squeeze. "Is there anything you want me to do?" he whispered.
Halo shook her head. She wasn't going to burden herself on him, not if she could help it.
He prodded at her silence. "Halo… anything in my ability to give is yours… anything that will make you happy, it's all I ever want."
She looked up at him, his eyes searching hers for acceptance. "It means a lot… but all I wanted was you, and now that you're here, I can't think of a single thing, short of the obvious, that I will ever want more than what you've already given me."
Oliver brought a hand to her face, brushing his fingertips against her skin, almost to prove to himself that she was truly there next to him. After a few long moments he was satisfied to spend the next hour with her in his arms, kissing her, memorizing her, simply being with her.
And deeper into the dungeons, Severus Snape sat at his desk, gazing into a pensieve that overlooked his daughter's room. Part of him wanted to march straight up there and tear the three-years-older student from his daughter's embrace, the other part wished he could give his responsibility over to the young man whom he now knew had the ability to save her. And then he cursed a string of expletives at himself for having told Halo he'd stay out of it.
"What was that?"
Snape's heart leapt to his throat in a wave of ice that threw him into a momentary panic. He brought a hand to his chest.
It happened at least once a week, being interrupted by an unreasonably stealthy intruder. "Don't sneak up on me, Albus," he breathed as he tried to get his pulse back under his control.
"Once again, my friend, I apologize for startling you, but surely you could improve your choice of language, even when you think no one is listening." Dumbledore took a seat in one of the leather chairs. "May I intrude on your thoughts as well?"
Snape sat back in his chair once more and waved his hand over the pensieve. "That is what's bothering me."
"They look fine to me."
"He's three years older than her!"
"And still quite young for his age, as she's more adult for hers."
"It still isn't right."
"Then why aren't you doing the fatherly thing and putting them in their places?"
"Because… because I promised Halo that I wouldn't interfere, giving that she has so little time left. I want her to be happy."
"Are you sure that's wise, Severus?"
"No!" Snape tore himself from his chair and prowled the room. "I'm not sure of anything anymore! Especially how I feel about all this… if she hadn't been forced into my life in the first place, my feelings for her might be different, more willing… but that isn't the case, and I'll tell you, Albus, it scares the hell out of me. There you have it. Your infamous Potions Master is frightened. Does that content you?"
Dumbledore sighed one of his trademark, 'I'm-about-to-begin-one-of-my-famous-enlightening-speeches' sighs. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. Somewhere between perfect bliss and insipid trepidation exists a realm of feelings, sensations and emotions. It is the most rewarding gift there is, and though it does not come without its tribulations, it is, in one definition, infinite. It's called love, Severus. And it's far from perfect, but you have the ability, just as everyone else does, to feel it."
Snape slumped into his chair. "I don't know how."
"Don't know, or won't try?" Dumbledore stood, patted the younger wizard on the shoulder, and left the younger man to his thoughts, but not before turning in the doorway. "I'll see you at the feast." It was not a suggestion.
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Oliver Wood sat facing the dormitory window at midnight. It was New Years Day, now, and for what it was worth, he cast his Resolution spell. He thought long and hard what he most wanted, and for whom he wanted it. In the end, he could only think of one thing.
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It was March. It was still cold out, even at noon, as a chill air blew through the open window of the Headmaster's office, where a distraught Professor Snape ranted.
"Talking to her is like herding cats, Albus! I simply cannot make her listen to reason!"
"Calm yourself, Severus. Now, should I speak to her about it or should you?"
They were having another meeting. About her. Halo had taken it upon herself in a fit of self-piteous rage to demolish the trophy room after the morning Transfiguration lesson. She was currently under house arrest in her room, awaiting their verdict and her sentence.
There was a long silence, in which Snape considered letting the old man take care of it for once. But no, it was his responsibility, and as usual, the Headmaster was waiting for him to admit it.
"I'll take care of it."
Albus nodded his approval. "She still needs guidance from you. Whatever you've decided as to her future, as her father, she still requires it of you."
Leaving Dumbledore's office with a terse nod, Snape spun on his heel and strode past the gargoyle toward the dungeons, his robes flapping behind him.
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It truly was like herding cats. Like the felines, her mind scattered at his each attempt to corral it into a very specific subject. She'd have the dispute on a tangent before he even finished a sentence, and every attempt to pull her back to the matter at hand had her shifting the tracks, so the oncoming train that was his line of reasoning had no time to stop before rolling past the junction. And his anger wasn't helping; it only served to fuel the locomotive's fire and trigger a severe headache. The fact was simple… she just wouldn't stand to reason. And it was his fault.
And he knew it.
"You'll stay in here until you can behave like a normal human being!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!" And he stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Bang!
Halo crossed her arms. "Hmmph." Then she called Draco Malfoy to her room.
"I could get in a lot of trouble if my father finds out that I have this, let alone gave it to you," he told her.
"Then you need to make sure that he doesn't find out," she tucked the parchment into her pocket. "So what does Dumbledore say?"
"He says he'll protect me as much as he can, and he just wants me to keep an ear out for anything that could help him. I'm supposed to act as though everything is as it was. I suppose it won't be too hard; I know how I'll get treated if anyone finds out I've gone soft," he practiced a sneer.
"Well it's too late to tell you not to give people that look or it'll freeze that way."
"What… hey!"
"Just keeping you on your toes, Malfoy."
""Ahhh… you're good at that," he told her, moving a little closer. "In fact, there are some things I'm sure you're very good at…" he stared at her.
Halo's blood ran instantly sour. She went rigid… her eyelids closed and reopened suddenly, and in that second her eyes flashed suddenly crimson. In an instant she had taken on the appearance of a demon possessed.
"Touch me and die."
Her voice had taken on an almighty resonance. She could have become a Goddess incarnate, as far as Draco Malfoy was concerned. His eyes were fixed on hers, and not by his own will. "I understand… I'm sorry milady," his voice droned, as though he were a puppet having his voice thrown for him.
Halo returned to her normal appearance and slumped down into a chair, holding onto the arms for stability. "Now go."
Draco bowed, still dazed, and left her alone.
What the hell is happening to me? she thought, shoving aside her plans in an attempt to make light of the event with Draco, then shook it off. No… I can't be thinking about that now… if my plan works, and it will, he won't have any choice but to love me. It just has to work. And with that, she crawled into bed and fell asleep.
She slept past dark, and woke just as the castle had become silent. Dormitories were full; corridors, classrooms and communal areas were deserted. Not a creature was stirring, not even Mrs. Norris, nor a single House Elf.
On one hand, it was unlikely she could maintain the silence. On the other hand, it was a difficult task to sustain that calm in bypassing the locked door to the Potions classroom, and then an impossibility to break into the restricted Potions storage and then into a lockbox containing a small number of items, any one of which would earn its owner a life sentence in Azkaban simply for its possession. She drew out an unlabeled vial of thick, translucent amber liquid and stashed it in her robes. At the fireplace in the currently uninhabited adjoining office she took a handful of Floo powder and went to stand in the pile of ashes in the hearth. In calling for her destination, she was sure she'd be heard, but by the time anyone moved to investigate, she'd be long gone.
And if her father had been in his room, he would have discovered her long before this. But he wasn't. Not until just after she'd Flooed out did he Floo in. He dusted off the ash from his trousers and exited the hearth, moving swiftly toward his office. He stopped short when he saw the door to his cabinet left open, and upon further examination found the tampered lockbox.
He nearly screamed with rage. "POTTER!"
Then his mind stopped him… No, he's not smart enough… Perhaps Miss Granger? Sirius Black? No, it couldn't be… could it? He rummaged in the select items of the box until he discovered which was missing. Now what would the criminal want with that? Unless… He strode purposefully to the Headmaster's private room to report the burglary, his previous situation completely forgotten.
He was still stewing in his pissed-off state when his first class arrived for Advanced Potions the next morning. As he had allowed their relationship to continue, Halo and Oliver had sat together religiously, but when young Mr. Wood showed up for class, she wasn't with him. He swept over to the concerned young man, ignoring the rest of his students. "And just where is Miss Mandelor this morning?"
"I don't know sir, she wasn't in her room."
His mind visibly put two and two together. "Class dismissed!" He stabbed a finger at Oliver. "You will follow me."
Albus Dumbledore was in his office when Snape charged into it, followed timidly but concernedly by Oliver Wood.
"It was Halo," Snape announced to the old man.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Where is she?"
"No one knows."
"Sir, if I may…" Oliver chimed in. "She's been pretty quiet this past week, but she did talk to Draco Malfoy last Wednesday, perhaps that has something to do with it." he gulped, seeing the two older wizards exchange a furtive glance. "Is she in trouble?"
"Stay here," Snape hissed to the young man.
"But…"
"I SAID STAY HERE!" He shouted, nearly knocking Oliver into a chair when he swept out of the office.
He pulled Draco out of his Transfiguration class, shooting a glare of warning at Professor McGonagall, who looked ready to object to such abrupt treatment of his student. He then glared at the Potter clan, almost disappointed that he couldn't nail the trio with blame for what was stolen from his office this time. Pulling Draco into the hall, he held him at arms length against a stone wall.
"Where is she?"
"Who?"
"Don't toy with me, Draco, or I swear you'll lose a valued body part!"
"Halo?"
"Yes! Now I ask you once again, where is she?"
"She's…"
"TELL ME!"
"… intercepting a Death Eater meeting… this morning… it already happened… she says she wanted… to do it for you…" Draco choked out.
Snape's face went from sallow to white. He released Malfoy and swept down the hall at a dead run, vowing to deal with the boy when he returned… if he returned…
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…and as Halo moved stealthily through the trees toward her destination, she made a vow of her own… to leave this world by making her father proud of her. And then she downed the contents of the forbidden vial.