7. Avada Kedavra

(December 13th, 1995)

The Christmas atmosphere could be felt at every step. Along the Diagon Alley there rose a double row of trees, decorated with the colourful glass balls. In chilly, evening air the small stars were flying, singing softly in sweet, high voices.

Severus pushed his way through the crowd of witches and wizard, gathered in front of the entrance to the illuminated gallery. A murmur of voices was coming from the inside mixed with the sounds of the Arabic music and an inscription over the door read: "SESAM - a paradise for everyone."

Without any look at the window-dressing, Severus went towards the white walls the Gringotts Bank. It wasn't his aim, however. He passed a sweet shop, full of the yelling children and teenagers, he stopped and, looking quickly around, he turned into a narrow, dark street.

In a split second all the noise grew quiet and the lights diminished, as if the whole Diagon Alley had been suddenly separated by a thick, grey fog. An icy wind blew. Severus put on his hood and started to climb down, to the heart of the Knockturn Alley.

The street seemed to be completely deserted. No sound could be heard except the snow crunching under the boots of the Potion Master. All shops were closed and the windows were dark but Snape was sure that he was still observed by the watchful, unfriendly eyes. Several times he thought he saw in the darkness a faint, bent figure who stopped for a while, as for watching the wizard, and than vanished noiselessly in the mist.

Severus stopped in front of the one of the abandoned shops and knocked at the door, three times loudly, once softly. Nobody answered. He knocked again, much louder. No response. He swore and has just reached for the wand when he heard the stealthy steps and somebody stood at the opposite side of the door.

'Master Snape...?' a shrill voice whispered with disbelief.

'Can't you see?' snarled Severus 'Open up, Goldfang !'

The door creaked and in a thin crack appeared a bold head of a small, thin man. In his gnarled fingers he held a sooty lamp. Man's half-closed eyes were staring at Snape suspiciously.

'How long are you going you keep me outside?' growled Severus impatiently.

Goldfang smiled apologetically and stepped back, letting Snape inside.

'Forgive me, sir' he said with a nasty grimace, which made his wrinkled face similar to a wooden mask 'But nowadays you must be very careful, who are you going to open.'

'What happened?' asked Severus, taking off the hood and shaking down the snow.

'Aurors !' spat Goldfang angrily 'They came here, a week ago. Searched whole the shop, every damned corner. They said they would keep a sharp eye on me.'

'Did they find anything interesting?' asked Snape lazily.

Goldfang smiled cunningly.

'No...why should they ? My business is clean, no Dark Arts' his eyes flashed like the cat's lights 'But at Borgin they made a pretty big mess. Seized some precious stuff...' he sighed with a false sympathy.

Everybody who visited Knockturn Alley knew that Borgin and Goldfang didn't like each other.

'I heard,' proceeded Goldfang, glad that he could tell such a recent story 'that those Aurors don't have assent of the Ministry. But they know, damned mudbloods, that no one from the Kncoturn Alley would go to protest at Fudge's office.'

'Instead of complaining you should be glad they didn't find anything here.' said coldly Severus, already bored with the wizard chatter.

'But they frightened my clients !' moaned Goldfang 'Anyway, you will see, sir.'

He led Snape into a cellar, full of the huge, wooden boxes. Picking his way between them, Goldfang approach to the opposite wall, covered with a thick coat of dust and cobwebs. He took out his wand, touched on of the brick and murmured some words. Without any sound the stones disappeared, revealing a massive door.

'Welcome, sir !'

First time this evening Goldfang smiled broadly, showing his crooked teeth, with one, golden fang among them.

He opened the door and a hot, stuffy air came out from the inside. A large room was dim, only three weakly smouldering lamps were hanging from the ceiling. Near the walls there were several long tables with some shady figures at them. Behind the huge counter stood a stout, ruddy witch. From time to time she shrieked something to the guests and then an old raven, slipping at her arm, raised its head and echoed her with a horse scream.

Severus walked down three steps and walked firmly toward the table in the darkest corner of the room. Somebody was sitting there wrapped in a grey cloak. Snape cast him a cold glance and without a word sat at the other side of the table, waving away the ruddy barmaid.

The person sitting opposite Snape raised his head. He was in fact she, an old witch with a long, grey, matted hair. When she saw Severus she chortled squeakily and grabbed his hand with her clawed, bony palm.

'So you came, my dear!' she chattered coaxingly, revealing her almost toothless gums 'You kept me waiting for a long time. But your Milagros could wait for you to the end of the world....' she fluttered her false eyelashes skittishly and stuck her claws harder in the rigid Snape's palm 'For you, my pretty laddie...'

'Have you got it?!' Snape interrupted her roughly, wrenching his hand from the grasping clasp.

Milagros blew her mouth like an offended school-girl and cast down her eyes.

'Maybe I have, maybe not.' she said carelessly watching with the great interest a spider running across the table.

She raised one of her long nails and impetuously spiked a hairy body. The spider quivered several times convulsively and ceased moving. The witch reached for a small box, opened it and threw the spider inside.

'Have you got it?!' repeated Snape, murderous glints flashing in his black eyes.

'You are very impolite for Milagros, my dear' said the witch, winking at Snape 'It wasn't easy. I had to go very far, I had to take a great risk...'

'That's what I pay you for !' snarled Snape, pulling out a large money-bag 'Three thousands galleons, as we had agreed.'

He cast the money on the table. Milagros' eyes shone like two coins, she stretched her hands greedily.

'First, show it.' growled Snape, pushing the bag away.

With her eyes fixed at the money, the witch bent and from under the table she took out a small bundle. She unpacked it and put on the table a bottle filled with a blue, muddy liquid. Snape's eyes glittered triumphantly. He reached for his wand, whispered: Lumos and moved the wand tip closer to the bottle. In one moment the fluid shone like an azure crystal, revealing its inside.

'Are you happy, my dear?' asked sweetly Milagros, bringing her claws closer and closer to the money-bag 'Heart of a young manticore. Fresh, it ceased beating only a few hours ago...' she smiled dreamily.

Snape quickly put the bottle into his pocket and stood up.

'It looks good' he said dryly 'But if you're trying to cheat me...'

The witch fluttered her eyelashes with disbelief.

'My dear, how could I try to cheat you ?!' she screeched 'Milagros will do everything for you...' she revealed her gums in a tempting smile 'Any new orders?'

'I'll let you know' said briefly Snape and moved quickly towards the door.

He was in the middle of the room when a wizard, sitting at the nearby table, turned around to call the barmaid.

'Severus ?!' Lucius Malfoy, with an empty jug in one hand, looked completely astonished 'What, the hell, you're doing here?!'

Snape, no less surprised, sat at the opposite side.

'I had something to deal with' he said vaguely.

Malfoy caught his glance, understood, shook his head.

'Such a duty' he muttered.

The ruddy witch brought a cup for Snape and a new jug of wine. She put it on the table, bowed to Malfoy with esteem and returned to the counter.

Lucius filled his mug without saying a word and drained it at one gulp.

'He called me yesterday' he whispered hoarsely, reaching again for the jug; several drops fell on the table 'He demands a lot from me...'

Severus was watching him carefully. He has never seen Lucius before in such a gloomy mood. But he knew also, that there's no sense to ask him about that. Lucius was not a man who would confide in anybody.

The old raven shrieked. Lucius shuddered, as if poured with a cold water. He shook his head and pushed away the mug.

'Do you know, who he asked me about yesterday?' Malfoy looked at Snape piercingly and quite consciously 'About that viper Starlight.'

Severus shrugged his shoulders.

'No wonder' he said indifferently 'Since she came back the problems have appeared. The DADS, the Aurors...'

'That's not the point !' interrupted Malfoy 'Lord worries about something else.'

Snape was looking at him attentively, his black eyes gleaming. Malfoy lent over the table.

'Not since today hints could be heard' he said in a low voice 'that Starlight experimented with Avada Kedavra. Lord wants to know if that is true' he fixed his cold, grey eyes at Snape 'You know her well. That your strange friendship...'

'I know nothing more than you do' said Snape, putting away the cup 'And I also heard rumours about those experiments. Well, as far as I know Vega, it can be true. She likes challenges. But it's lost labour' he smiled sourly 'Everybody knows there is no counter curse against Avada.'

'Who knows...' muttered Malfoy thoughtfully 'Do you remember how Rosier died? And what Madcap had said during his trial...before he went completely mad? He swore that Rosier had been killed with Avada reflected by Starlight.'

'Madcap !' snorted Snape 'What can he remember ? He was hit in his head at the very beginning of the fight. Aurors found him unconscious.'

'I have never believed this story, too' admitted Malfoy.

He ceased talking and fixed his eyes at some distant point over the Snape's head. The room became empty. The barmaid was drowsing leant on the counter, the raven soaked its beak in a tequila bottle.

It's impossible' whispered Malfoy suddenly, he reached desperately for a mug and drained it 'But he wants to know... And there is only one way to be sure... Only one...'
. . .

Snape was standing on the top of the Northern Tower, looking down at the Hogwarts wall covered with snow. It was bitterly cold. Icy wind was howling gloomily among the turrets. The black cloak of the Potion Master was fluttered madly with every stronger blow.

The pale starlight was reflecting in Snape's black eyes.

'So many years have passed' he thought 'So many years...'


***(May 20th, 1978)

'I still don't think it's a good idea' whispered Severus, looking out carefully from behind the corner.

The corridor was empty.

'Turn coward ?' sneered Vega and went quickly towards the stairs.

'You know what I mean' snarled Snape, catching up with the girl 'No one has ever done it. It's simply impossible.'

'I don't believe there exists a spell or a curse that cannot be blocked' hissed Vega passionately and next second she stopped abruptly, staring at darkness 'Peeves...' she whispered 'Damned Poltergeist!'

At the top of the stairs loomed a faint figure. Peeves was flying close over the floor, cackling malevolently and pouring on the steps some sticky substance from a small bucket. Vega and Severus pressed against the wall.

'He didn't see us' said Vega with relief 'But we will not pass this way.'

'You should have taken Potter's Invisibility Cloak.' muttered Snape.

'Oh, really ?!' Vega snorted angrily 'Sirius would start to ask me questions at once. Beside, James also needed the Cloak tonight.'

'Right, a full moon...' admitted Severus.

'Of course. How do you think I choose exactly this night? I told them I would not go because I wanted to learn...'

She stopped talking abruptly. Peeves raised his head and looked down suspiciously. He soared slowly along the stairs, observing piercingly the empty corridors.

'Somebody is there' he was murmuring squeakily 'I know somebody is there. Wait...' he giggled 'I will find you.'

'The tapestry...' whispered Severus and pulled Vega's sleeve.

Still pressed to the wall, they began to move noiselessly towards the large tapestry. They reached it unnoticed and slipped quickly in the hidden corridor, one of the many secret passages of Hogwart. They climbed up the steep stairs. The night was hot and the air in the narrow passage very stuffy. They breathed with relief when they finally reached a broad corridor at the third floor. There were no sign of Peeves.

'I think we lost him' said Severus looking down.

'And also found a nice shortcut' muttered Vega, pointing the nearest door 'This is Transfiguration classroom.'

She approached the door and gently pressed a handle. To her surprise the door opened.

'I would never expect that McGonagall leaves the classroom opened' she said with amazement.

'Who would like to visit the Transfiguration room by night?' murmured Snape sneeringly, following the girl.

'Somebody who needs a huge mirror' answered Vega soberly.

The room was dark and only through the window a pale moonlight was falling and reflecting in the mirror, situated behind the professor desk. No one in Hogwart knew what purpose should it serve but Vega had for it her own application. She waved her wand and the massive desk flew in the other corner of the room. Vega stood several meters from the mirror and smiled with satisfaction.

'It's perfect' she said, pointing the wand at the glimmering surface.

Severus was watching her with a strange anxiety.

'Vega, drop it!' he said categorically 'You will not repel Avada.'

'I know what I'm doing !' snarled the girl.

'You got completely mad !' almost yelled Snape 'It's a Killing Curse !'

Vega looked at him and waved her hand impatiently.

'Sev, I told you hundreds times that if I first reflect Avada from the mirror it won't be so dangerous.'

'A spider we practised it on died after a minute' reminded Severus.

'Oh, it was because it was too small' bridled up Vega 'As for a spider it was quite long. Anyway,' her eyes glittered 'There is only one way to find out.'

'You are stubborn as a mule !' said Snape sharply 'You will not block Avada. But if you must kill yourself to get convinced, I'm not going to disturb you.'

Vega looked at him, snorted angrily and pointed wand towards the mirror. For a moment she stood motionless, her face was tense and concentrated but the grey eyes were burning hectically. Severus held his breath. Suddenly Vega cried:

'Avada Kedavra !'

From the wand tip a green ray shot, hit the mirror and reflected towards Vega. The girl waved his wand and screamed: Reflectio ! Before Severus could understand what had happened, the ray hit the mirror again and turned back. Snape noticed that Vega was staggering, the wand slept from her shaking hand. Without thinking he rushed forward and in the last second he pushed the girl from the green ray trajectory. The curse whizzed over his head and hit the wall, showering the classroom by the rain of the green sparks.

Severus raised his head and for a while his eyes had to accustom to the fallen darkness. Suddenly he realised that his hands were coated with a warm, thick fluid. He kneeled, reached for his wand, whispered: Lumos and nearly screamed. He was stained in blood. Feeling his heart in his mouth he looked at lying Vega. She didn't move, her eyes were closed and the blood was running from her nose and mouth.

'Vega!' cried terrified Severus, shaking the girl 'Vega ! Damn it! Look at me !'

The witch didn't give any sign of life. Severus seized her wrist trying to find the pulse. Without result.

'It's impossible...' he whispered 'Vega...you can't...'

He sprang impetuously to his feet, lifted the girl from the floor and run out from the classroom. He rushed along the corridor towards to main stairs. But he had hardly reached the second floor when a sharp voice called:

'Snape ! What are you doing here in the middle of the night !'

Severus stopped abruptly. Her recognised this voice at once. He turned around and saw professor McGonagall, approaching him swiftly. She looked furious.

'Snape ! You will pay dearly for it!' she growled 'Your beha...'

She broke off suddenly, her eyes widened in horror. Slowly she moved her eyes from blood-stained Vega to the deadly pale face of Snape.

'What...does it all mean...' she whispered, pointing at the girl with shaking hand.

Severus desperately took a step forward.

'An accident' he said in a muffled voice, as if the words got stuck in his throat 'I must immediately...'

Suddenly a sound of the steps could be heard, somebody was quickly climbing the stairs. No more than two second passed and at the end of the corridor Dumbledore appeared, wearing his navy blue dressing-gown.

'Albus !' shrieked McGonagall with panic 'For havens sake ! Hurry up !'

'Calm down, Minerva.'

Dumbledore cast them a piercing glance. He shuddered when he saw Snape carrying unconscious Vega. He run to the boy, took the girl from him and moved quickly toward the hospital wing.

Snape felt he lost all his strength. He dragged himself slowly after Dumbledore, accompanied by totally shocked professor McGonagall.

When they reached the hospital room, Madame Pomfrey was just leaning over Vega, pouring a blue mixture into her throat. Dumbledore was walking nervously along the bed.

'How is she, Albus ?' asked softly McGonagall.

The old wizard raised his head and looked piercingly at Snape.

'She is still alive' he said, not taking his eyes off him 'But Reviving Potions don't work. Severus !' he said sternly 'How did it happen ?'

Snape turned his eyes from Vega and stared at Dumbledore as if he wasn't sure he really saw him.

'For Merlin's Beard ! Severus, tell me!' cried Headmaster ' It's about her life !'

Snape clenched his teeth.

'It was Avada Kedavra' he said dully.

Madam Pomnfrey shrieked with horror. McGonagall, white as a sheet, sat on the bed. Dumbledore's face stiffened.

'The Killing Curse' he whispered heavily 'No counter course, no antidote... What did you...'

'Professor !' Snape interrupted hurriedly 'This curse has been reflected from the mirror.'

Dumbledore looked at him astounded.

'From the mirror? he asked slowly.

Snape nodded.

'So there is still hope' whispered the Headmaster 'Madam Pomfrey ! Give her immediately the Vivimortis potion. Double dose. If the curse had reflected from the mirror it lost more than a half of its power. In that form it doesn't kill at once but causes serious inner injuries that cannot be treated by means of the common medicines. Vivimortis is the most powerful Healing Potion. If it doesn't work...'

Madame Pomfrey disappeared in a small room left of the main door. After a while she was back. In trembling hands she carried a huge goblet, filled with a red liquid. She carefully brought the vessel closer to Vega's mouth. For a moment nothing happened but suddenly a painful grimace twitched girl's face and she clenched fingers on the quilt. Dumbledore observed her with apprehension.

'The potion is working' he said softly 'The nearest two hours will decide. Poppy,' he tuned to the dithering witch 'I leave Vega under your care. I will be at my office. If anything happens call me. Severus,' he turned to the boy 'Come with me.'

Snape, who was staring intently at twisted Vega's face, made a movement as if he wanted to protest but he caught the severe eyes of Dumbledore and followed him without a word.

They were walking silently through the dark corridors. The reached the stone gargoyle and after a while they were in the oval-shaped Headmaster office. Fawkes, drowsing on its perch, raised its head.

'Sit down, Severus' said Dumbledore softy, pointing at the armchair.

He lit a candle on the desk and sat on the opposite side. When Snape saw him in a twinkling light of the candle he realised that the wizard looked really very old at this moment. His eyes were tired and sad.

'Severus,' he said gently but categorically 'Now tell me, what happened that night.'

Snape stared at the table and after a while he started to talk in a flat voice. Dumbledore was listening attentively, without interrupting. Only when the boy reached the moment of the Avada second reflection, the Headmaster sighed heavily.

'You acted very bravely and sensibly, Severus' he said solemnly 'If not you, Vega would be dead. The second hit would have killed her.'

'I did it spontaneously' said Snape softly 'Everything happened so fast... Professor !' he looked at Dumbledore piercingly 'She did it ! She reflected Avada Kedavra !'

Dumbledore shook his head.

'No, Severus' he sighed.

Snape was astonished.

'You told it yourself that the curse first had reflected from the mirror.' proceeded the wizard 'Vega had good idea. She knew that spell cast in that way would lose some of its power and wouldn't be so deadly dangerous. But she didn't take into account that only because of that it was possible to reflect it.'

'But...' Snape sounded disappointed 'It was Avada, anyway...'

Dumbledored smiled with sorrow.

'You're right' he said 'And not everybody would survive such an experiment. Many brilliant witches and wizards died trying to repel Avada Kedavra. But it's impossible. And Vega has to accept this.'

He fell silent, watching Snape from over his glasses.

'You must promise me something, Severus' he said very gravely 'You will never tell anybody about what happened that night.'

Snape nodded. He felt it would be useless to ask: why.

Dumbledore smiled slightly.

'Thank you for your sincerity, Severus' he said 'I'm not going to deny that I'm really alarmed and worried by your interest with the Dark Arts...especially nowadays.' he looked at Snape searchingly.

Severus immediately understood what Dumbledore meant.

'I don't want to be a Death Eater !' he said firmly 'And neither Vega.'

'I hope so...' Dumbledore sighed heavily.***



Slowly, as if led by a starnge impulse, Snape rolled up a left sleeve of his cloak and robes. He looked at the skull, black snake crawling from its mouth. The Dark Mark diminished but Snape knew that every moment it can burn again.