9. Shadow of the past

Harry couldn't sleep. He tossed in his bed and still saw the faces of his relatives under his eyelids. Finally he turned on the light and for the fifth time this day he reached for the album. And once again his parents were waving at him but Persesus Potter didn't even rise his head.

Harry felt hungry. He got up and silently, not to wake up Hedwig which was sleeping on a perch with head under her wing, he left the room. The corridor was plunged in darkness but somewhere at the ground floor a faint light was visible. Harry thought that obviously Vega was still working and he started to walk down carefully not to make noise. In the kitchen he took a piece of cake and a jug of milk from the table and was about to come back to his room, when he noticed that the study door were slightly opened and the voices of two people could be heard inside.

Harry hesitated but curiosity was too strong. Creeping on his tiptoes he approached the door and through a narrow gap peeped into the room. Near the dimmed fireplace he saw the outlines of two persons.

'Vega, you can't still ponder over the past...' somebody said gently.

Harry recognised Remus's voice. The Auror moved passionately.

'You want me to forget?' she asked sneeringly 'To pretend that nothing happened and Severus Snape has never been a Death Eater?'

'You don't have to forget in order to forgive' said Remus softly.

'Yes, you have,' snarled Vega 'The memory is like an open sore.'

In every overheard word Harry felt more awkwardly. He realised that he was a witness of a very private conversation and though he was dying to know what Snape's sins were, he wouldn't feel comfortable if he would hear it spying. But he couldn't withdraw now. In the deep silence every movement would disclosed his presence.

Remus looked at Vega.

'You were so close to each other...' he said gently 'Don't ruin this. Everybody can make a mistake. And deserves to be given another chance.'

'You talk like Dumbledore !' snorted Vega angrily 'He keeps repeating me to forgive Snape. But I can't...'

'I forgave him...'

Even in a dim light of the fireplace Vega's eyes shone like two stars.

'So that means I also have to be so generous' she drawled icily 'Because forgave YOU, though they were YOUR parents?'

Remus was silent. Vega took one step towards him.

'And haven't you ever thought' she whispered with a hiss 'That after all it was easier for you? You don't remember this !' she shouted 'But me, every time I look at them,' she pointed desperately the picture on the shelf 'I see everything as clear as if it happened yesterday !'

She turned impetuously towards the fireplace. Remus was watching her silently with a deep tenderness in his eyes. He silently approached the woman and embraced her.

'Vega...' he whispered, stroking gently her dark hair 'Don't stifle it inside. It kills you. And I can't bear when you suffer.'

One of the glowing logs cracked loudly. Harry immediately leapt to his feet and run towards the stairs. He was listening for a moment but the house was silent. He heaved a sigh of relief and carefully climbed the stars, turned left and came up against Sirius, who hardly dropped a thin sheaf of papers.

'Harry!' Black sounded surprised 'What are you doing here? Can't sleep?'

'Yeah...' muttered Harry, glad that in the darkness Sirius cannot see his confused face 'I felt hungry and went to get some food' he showed a bit crushed piece of cake.

Sirius pat on his shoulder.

'So, good appetite! And good-night.' he said briskly and disappeared behind the door of his room.

. . .

Vega stood near the window, looking with unseeing eyes at the inky black sky. She could still hear Remus's words :'You loved him...' She sat on a broad parapet and reclined her head on the window. The wind was tossing steadily the branches of a high tree. Vega stared at the waving leaves and not knowing when she fell asleep.

***(July 25th, 1980)

The fire in the hearth hissed and the bright flames raised higher. Vega took her eyes off a large, black covered volume 'The Dark Arts - how to defend yourself' and jumped up to her feet. From the midst of the flame stared at her bright, cold eyes of Lucius Malfoy, his face twisted in a cruel smile.

'Starlight,' he hissed 'If I were you I wouldn't sit so quietly over the Auror's handbook.'

'What ?!'

'The werewolf hunting is about to begin!' laughed shrilly the head in the fire.

'Malfoy, you bloody Death Eater!' yelled Vega, lunging forward but Malfoy's head disappeared.

Vega was staring at the flames, dozens of thought whirling in her head.

'Werewolf hunting?' she thought feverishly 'What was he talking...'

Suddenly she turned pale and her eyes widened. She stood horror-struck. The fool-moon was looking through an enchanted window of her room in the Ministry of Magic.

'Remus...' she whispered, clenching fits on the ridge of the table 'They want to kill Remus !'

She rushed out of the room, run fifty meters and without knocking she pressed a handle of a door, on which silver letters reads:' Sigismund Lupin, Auror. Adepts training.' But the door was closed. Vega kicked the wall with a helpless fury.

'He has already gone ! The Death Eaters will get them all. I must go there !'

She realised she had left her wand on the table. She ran back. It flashed through her mind to let know to Sirius and James but there was no time. She grabbed her wand, muttered the incantation and Disapparated.

. . .

A large, greenish skull was gloating over the Lupins' house. The Dark Mark, the sign of death. Everything around was very silent.

'To late!' thought Vega in horror, running across the garden.

In the pale moonlight the exotic trees and bushes, pride of Asalia Lupin, looked like some crouched, lurking creatures with long, trembling tentacles. One of the trees, right under the wall, looked like a tall, hooded figure.

'Stupefy!'

In the gloomy silence the cry sounded like a gun-shot. Vega ducked, the spell whizzed over her head and hit the wall. She noticed a movement near the house door and aimed into that direction, screaming: 'Glans igneus!' A fiery ball shot from the wand tip, somebody howled in pain.

'I've got you!' hissed Vega with satisfaction, raising carefully from the ground.

She ran quickly towards the house. The lying man wore a mask which now became turning red around the mouth. He clenched his still hands on a deep, bleeding wound on his chest.

'One Death Eater less.' snorted Vega.

She approached the door carefully and pushed it. It opened. The corridor was plunged in darkness and the only ray of light came from the dinning-room in the end of the hall. Stealing up like a cat Vega reached the second door. She peered inside and shuddered. Five Death eaters stood in a half-circle. In front of them Sigismund Lupin knelt, his robs torn and blood-stained, his head nearly touching the floor. Over the wall laid a slaughtered body of his wife.

Vega felt she was shaking and her despair turned into a wild rage and greed of killing. Without thinking she blew into the room, yelling 'Avada Kedavra!' and pointing at the nearest Death Eater. At the same moment a cold, shrilled voice cried: 'Expelliarmus!' and the wand escaped from Vega's hand. Before she could turn around the other voice, sneering and triumphant, drawled: 'Crucio' and in a second Vega felt only pain, shooting and excruciating the whole body. She fell on the floor, writhing in agony and clenching teeth for not to scream. Suddenly the man who tore her wand said sharply: 'Enough!' and the pain ceased. Vega heard the steps, somebody leant over her, grabbed her robes and lifted her up. She looked straight into the icy, cruel, red eyes of Lord Voldemort.

'You didn't disappoint me' he said softly and an ironic smile twisted his lips 'As I had been expecting, you arrived to save your friend. Very nobly !' he cackled 'I decided to arrange this small meeting, because for a long time I was going to offer you something. You know what I mean...?' he asked silently.

Vega's eyes darkened. She struggled and pulled her cloak out of the Voldemort's grip.

'You want me to become a Death Eater' she hissed 'Yes, your servants have already proposed me this. Do you remember how did I answer ?'

This time the Dark Lord's eyes flashed.

'Oh, yes... But I'm very generous for you and renew my offer.'

'I will never be a Death Eater!' yelled Vega 'Even if you have to kill me !'

'Oh, don't hurry...' laughed Voldemort 'There will be always time for such a definitive solution but it would be a great shame to waste such a talent as yours. Yes, I've been watching you for some time: really impressing. You can be a very good witch. They make you an Auror, but your future is in my army. Join me and you will get the powers you have never dreamed about!' Vega laughed sneeringly.

'Keep those fairy-tales for the fools who serve you' she drawled 'You will not buy me like this. I will never betray Dumbledore!' she cried and moved back under the wall.

'Oh, never it's very, very long...' said Voldemort thoughtfully 'You shouldn't make such long-term promises. I'm sure that sooner or later I will convince you...'

Suddenly a painful squeal was heard in the cellar, then the silence fell and footsteps sounded on the stairs. Vega was staring at the door, panting heavily. She knew what she would see in a moment. A masked man entered the room, dragging a tied body of a great wolf. He threw it at Voldemort's feet, looked and saw the witch standing near the wall. He stiffened for a moment but he controlled himself well. He turned back and joined the Death Eaters standing around Sigismund Lupin. Voldemort smiled savagely.

'And here is your friend Remus' he said viciously, kicking the wolf.

The beast whined. Vega gasped.

'He is still alive, maybe not everything is lost...' she thought.

Voldemort laughed coldly.

'Of course he is alive' he said as if reading in Vega'a mind 'Dead would be completely useless.'

Vega shook with rage, she was ready to kill Lord with bare hands.

'What do you want ?!' she yelled.

'Join me and you will save his live' said Voldemort coldly 'His and his father's.'

Vega's eyes widened.

'You can't!' she cried harshly 'You will not force me...'

Voldemort was observing her with a cruel curiosity, his red eyes burning. Suddenly he smiled devilishly.

'Of course not' he said and pointing at Sigismund he shouted 'Avada Kedavra!'

The limp body fell on the ground. Vega suppressed a groan. The Dark Lord looked at her again.

'Of course I didn't expect that I would force you to cooperation that way.' he said lazily 'There are better methods, the tested ones. I invited you here to put the Cruciatus Curse on you. Simple and effective. And all these' he waved his hand around indifferently 'Such a small entertainment for my Death Eaters.'

Vega was watching as Voldemort rose his wand and she couldn't move.

'It's over...' she thought feverishly 'He is too powerful I could fight against his curse. If he orders me to kill Dumbledore...'

She felt helpless fury once more. The Dark Lord pointed his wand at the woman but suddenly, as if he had remembered something, he turned to the Death Eaters and spoke to the one who brought the werewolf.

'Finish him!'

The Death Eater stirred as if poured with icy water. Slowly, hesitating, he lifted his wand and pointed at Remus Lupin.

'What are you waiting for ?!' Voldemort's eyes flashed dangerously 'I told you to kill him !'

The Death Eater shuddered and grasped the wand harder. He was breathing heavily.

'Avada...!' he shouted desperately but the further words stuck in his throat.

At the sound of this voice Vega stirred and fixed her burning eyes at the wizard. This voice, this posture - that must have been him!

'Snape, you bastard !!!' she shrieked and, overcome with rage, she sprang at the death Eater, knocking him down to the ground and strangling 'TRAITOR !!!' she howled 'I knew you betrayed us ! I'll KILL YOU!!!'

Suddenly her frantic eyes rested at the wand lying on the floor. She grabbed it and pointed at the transfixed Voldmeort. At the same moment one of the Death Eaters cried: 'Avada Kedeavr!' The green light flashed. Shouted somebody else. Vega felt a powerful force casting her on the wall. Losing consciousness she heard people running and calling 'Aurors!' and then she fainted.***


Vega woke up bathed in cold sweat and looked around madly. The wind abated, the crescent of the moon was peering through the window. The fields, covered with snow, looked like a vast, silver lake.

Vega lit the candle. From the trunk she pulled out a small box, touched the lock with her wand and muttered the incantation. The lid lifted with a silent grind. Inside there was a black plate the size of a chocolate bar. Hundreds of subtle, glittering lines of different colours and intensities crossed on its lustrous surface. The witch put the plate on the table and began to study the colourful tangle.

She was also disturbed by the news that Magnus Devilson visited Hogwart.