16. Old friendship
(May 26th, 1996)
The sun was setting. Dumbledore was walking up and down his office segregating the piles of papers put on the table and chairs. For the dozens of years a lot of them accumulated but the wizard oriented himself perfectly in the paper chaos. Whistling silently a melancholic melody he was systematically looking through the papers and directed them to the proper piles. He usually started to set his papers in order when he had to think something over.
And it was much to think about. Harry was still in the hospital wing. His wounds were healing fast and Madam Pomfrey assured that in a month only scars would be left. But Harry was very wasted by all the potions he has been fed for weeks. And he still couldn't recover from the shock of the unexpected gargoyles' attack.
Fortunately, he was not alone. Ron and Hermione would stay with him day and night if Dumbledore hadn't forbidden them to miss their lessons. But every day they spend several hours in the hospital wing trying to cheer up Harry and divert his attention from the gloomy thoughts.
Also Sirius has been in Hogwart for three weeks. Dumbledore called him since he thought that nowadays Harry should have with him some very close friend, somebody who could be like a parent for him. And so a great, black dog appeared in the castle what made Snape really angry.
Dumbledore looked at the next paper and he stirred. It was a letter or rather two letters clipped together. The wizard was staring at them for a moment with a strange musing as if they rose some sad memories. He sighed, sat in the armchair and began to read the first one.
'29.11.1973
Dear Professor Dumbledore
I would give everything not to write to you in that matter but the fate wanted differently. A great tragedy affected our family. Yesterday my sister Annie died. We have been worrying about her for months, she was very weak and she seemed to be afraid of something but nobody expected the worst. She just didn't wake up... I wrote to my son. It would be better if he tells Vega about it, they always understood each other so well. I ask you also to release them from Hogwart for a week. The funeral will be on Thursday. Yours faithfully
Rose Black'
Dumbledore sighed and stared at the purple-gold evening glow. Annie Starlight... From depths of memory loomed a picture of a young woman with fair, wavy hair and thoughtful, a bit sad look of the grey eyes.
He reached for the second piece of parchment. It was very crumpled. The handwriting was crabbed and blurred as if the author wrote it in a great haste. The wizard read:
'Professor Dumbledore! I beg you to guard my daughter. I cannot protect her any longer. Don't let...'
The last word was very crabbed and finished with a long streak of ink as if Annie couldn't hold a quill.
Dumbledore put both letters aside and rubbed his eyes. They expressed weariness and a bitter irony.
'Forgive me, Annie' he whispered 'But I cannot either.'
. . .
Vega leant against a wall of the northern tower staring intently at the darkness. The sky was full of stars. She could feel a soft breath of air on her face and a silent rippling of water was coming from the lake below.
The night was quiet and still but Vega couldn't share those feelings. Not now when everything seemed to indicate that the storm was coming. The curse of Draco Malfoy, the gargoyles' attack, the Devilson's disappearance. She was sure that Voldemort would assail soon.
Special Forces have been ready. And additional squad has been sent to Azkaban. Dumbledore didn't trust Dementors and he suspected that Voldemort would like to free his most faithful servants.
Even in the Ministry they started to worry. Vega couldn't believe her eyes when Cornelius Fudge himself had come to Hogwart four days ago. He was nervous and ready to forget all disagreements as long as Vega sends on of the Aurors' squad to protect the Ministry.
There was also information provided by Snape. Voldemort didn't tell him much about his plans but even from those misty hints it appeared clearly that the Dark Lord was preparing himself to the final battle.
Vega frowned. Snape... She has been thinking a lot of him lately. She knew how much he risked playing his double play. She appreciated that. She always set a high value on courage and character. She also admired his talent and erudition. He impressed her when he solved the riddle of the gargoyles' behaviour.
Yes, Remus was right, they used to be very close to each other. And it wasn't only because of the common interests...
***(December 25th, 1973)
The Christmas morning was beautiful. There was no cloud on the blue sky and fresh snow covered the school grounds with a flaky, shimmering coat.
The Great Hall was the most beautiful place in the castle. Four long tables disappeared. Twelve high, spreading, decorated Christmas trees stood under the walls. One tree, the highest and the most proud of all, had been put in the middle of the room.
At the common table teachers and students were sitting who decided to spend holidays at Hogwart. There were only eight of them. Next to Dumbledore sat professor McGonagall wearing emerald robes. On her left Hagrid was filling a huge goblet with golden liquor. Three students were Ravenclaws. Absorbed in conversation they didn't pay attention to the youngest participants of the breakfast.
On Dumbledore's right hand side Vega Starlight was sitting, her head lowered. She was very pale and seemed not to be aware what was going on around her. Dumbledore tried to talk to her but since she kept answering in monosyllables without even rising her eyes he finally left her alone.
Opposite the girl sat a slim boy with a pale, sallow face and long, dark, greasy hair. Every now and then he his black, piercing eyes rested on Vega and then they twinkled with something like compassion.
The breakfast elapsed in a nice, domestic atmosphere. When everybody had already eaten their fill Dumbledore wished them Merry Christmas and gave a sing that the official part was over. The Ravenclaws run out from the Hall immediately and after several minutes their laughter came from the yard.
Dumbledore smiled to the dark-hair boy who was also just about to leave.
'What are your plans for such a beautiful day, Severus?' he asked heartily 'But don't tell me that you're going to spend it in the library.'
'I just intended to do that,' answered the boy seriously.
He bowed to the professors and moved towards the door. Dumbledore looked at Vega and a deep concern filled his eyes. He put gently a hand on her arm.
'Vega, maybe we will walk to Hogsmead?' he asked softly.
The girl shook her head not taking her eyes off the table-top.
'I...I think I will go to dormitory' she whispered, she stood up and left the Hall.
Professor McGonagall followed her with her eyes and sighed.
'I'm worry about her, Albus,' she said 'She shrinks into herself more and more. Hardly ever talks to anybody. Sirius says she can sit in the armchair endlessly, staring at the fire.'
'I also don't know what to do,' said Dumbledore sadly 'She stifles everything in herself. Well, time is the healer of all ills. Let's hope that it will allay Vega's pain.'
. . .
After leaving the Great Hall Vega went to the Gryffindor dormitory. The fire was burning merrily in the fireplace filling the common room with a warm, yellow light.
Vega passed the room and climbed up the winding stairs leading to the bedroom. She stood for a while at the door, undecided, as if she didn't know what to do. At last she approached the window and sat on the parapet. After a nice morning the day turned out cloudy and it was snowing. Vega was staring at the whirling flakes, her grey eyes full of infinite grief and hopelessness. She leant head on the window and fell asleep.
She was woken up by a soft clatter at the glass. She looked sleepily through the window and saw a large, brown owl. The bird was flapping its wings heavily, fighting against the strong wind to remain on the same height.
'Hermes!'
Vega opened the window and let the owl inside. The bird sat on the parapet and fluffed its feathers from the snow. After tiding itself up it approached the girl, stroked her gently with its beak and rose its left leg. Vega detached the letter and caressed the owl's head.
'You must be hungry,' she said ' Go down. There are cakes on the table.'
Hermes stroked her again and silently flew out from the room. Vega opened the white envelope and started to read mechanically. Aunt Rose wished her Marry Christmas and repeated for the hundredth time that if only Vega wanted they would take her from Hogwart at once. On a separate sheet of paper she recognised Sirius' scrawls. She put the letters into the drawer with a bitter smile and she sank on the bed with eyes fixed on the ceiling.
For a while she was remembering old, happy times. But the memory of her mother was so painful that she forced herself to thing about something else. And she decided to do her homework.
She got up and pulled out from the drawer a few empty parchments, a quill and several books and went down to the common room. She drew a table near the fireplace and began to write an essay about the Magical Assemblies in the XVth century. When she had finished she opened a Potion textbook. She read the chapter about the Insensibilizing Potions and remembered that wanted to check something in the library. She left the room and moved through the empty, silent corridors. Now, when most of the students had left for the holidays, the castle seemed to be completely deserted. Even the ghost visited their friends in the other parts of the country and Peeves didn't give sign of life.
Vega pushed the wooden door of the library and stopped, unpleasantly surprised. She didn't expect to meet anybody here. Even Madam Pince, the witch who administered the library, had left closing with a powerful Blocking Spell the entrance to the Restricted Book section. But at the table near the window Severus Snape was sitting. A huge, old, black covered book was lying in front of him.
At the sound of the opening door he rose his head and fixed his piercing eyes on Vega. The girl ignored him and went to the high shelf in the Potions section. She pulled out a thick volume of the 'Insensibilizing Potions' and burrowed at the small table in the corner of the room. From that place she couldn't see Snape and she was very glad of it.
She began to study the chapter about the mixtures that allowed to suppress fear. The recipes were extremely complex and the preparing of the brew seemed very complicated. Absorbed in lecture she didn't hear the approaching steps and almost jumped when suddenly somebody put a huge book on her table. Vega rose her eyes and saw Severus Snape. The boy was tapping his fingers at the volume and a mysterious smile was playing on his thin lips.
'What do you want?' asked Vega hostilely in a very impatient voice.
She didn't want any company and most of all she didn't want to talk with that Slytherin who was the greatest enemy of Sirius.
Severus didn't stop smiling. He looked at the Vega's book.
'Insensibilizing Potions...' he said 'I heard that the most interesting ones they didn't teach in Hogwart. Too much Dark Arts,' he added significantly.
In Vega's eyes, though still full of antipathy, an interest shone.
'How do you know it? she asked trying to sound indifferently.
Severus brought the chair and sat at the opposite side of the table.
'Well, I know quite lot about the Dark Arts,' he said lazily.
Vega was staring at him with a growing curiosity. Snape was known for his fascination of the darkest side of magic. At his first-year he had already known many hexes and curses that had been taught at Hogwart at the last year. Vega believed he had to learn them at home. But nobody knew anything about Snape's family beside the fact his parents was wizards.
Severus stared to glance through his book.
'I read something about the Insensibilizers,' he muttered 'Here! Many of them are the advanced Dark Arts. Of course, they don't give recipes,' he smiled sourly.
'What book is it?' asked Vega inclining over the table.
'The Dark Arts in Outline.' said Severus proudly 'Everything I know I read here. It's a real knowledge, not that rubbish they teach us at the Defence,' he snorted scornfully.
'Are the curses described here?' Vega was looking hypnotised at the book.
'Only the simplest ones. But even those you will never learn at Hogwart. Some of them are really interesting...' he smiled mysteriously.
'Can you cast them?' asked Vega silently.
Snape nodded.
'And not only those. I saw several books with much more complicated curses. Most of them very extremely difficult but I managed to master a few. If you want,' he looked piercingly at Vega 'I can teach you them.'
The girl stared at him totally bewildered. She expected Snape to burst out laughing but he was very serious.
'But before you have to swear you will not tell anybody,' he said firmly 'Dumbledore forbade me to use Dark Arts at Hogwart. That book I can read only in the library.'
Vega was still staring at him and could hardly believe her ears.
'So, do you want?' asked the boy impatiently.
Vega nodded but she couldn't say a word.
'Remember, don't tell anybody,' repeated Severus 'Especially your dear brother,' hatred glinted in his black eyes 'Let's meet at midnight in the Charms classroom.' he looked at Vega and smiled ironically 'Or maybe you are afraid of walking through the castle at night?'
Vega snorted.
'No, I don't' she said firmly 'I will come, for sure.'
'See you at midnight, then' said Severus, he closed 'The Dark Arts in Outline' and moved towards the door.
'Wait!' called Vega.
Severus turned round.
'I wanted to ask you something,' said the girl resolutely 'Why...Why do you want to teach me Dark Arts?'
The pale face of Snape didn't change its expression but somewhere in his black, fathomless eyes a grief twinkled. He looked at Vega, hesitated.
'Because I know how it is when you don't have mother,' he said finally and left the room.***
Vega sighed. They were so close to each other...
'Why did you destroy everything, Severus?' she whispered bitterly.
(May 26th, 1996)
The sun was setting. Dumbledore was walking up and down his office segregating the piles of papers put on the table and chairs. For the dozens of years a lot of them accumulated but the wizard oriented himself perfectly in the paper chaos. Whistling silently a melancholic melody he was systematically looking through the papers and directed them to the proper piles. He usually started to set his papers in order when he had to think something over.
And it was much to think about. Harry was still in the hospital wing. His wounds were healing fast and Madam Pomfrey assured that in a month only scars would be left. But Harry was very wasted by all the potions he has been fed for weeks. And he still couldn't recover from the shock of the unexpected gargoyles' attack.
Fortunately, he was not alone. Ron and Hermione would stay with him day and night if Dumbledore hadn't forbidden them to miss their lessons. But every day they spend several hours in the hospital wing trying to cheer up Harry and divert his attention from the gloomy thoughts.
Also Sirius has been in Hogwart for three weeks. Dumbledore called him since he thought that nowadays Harry should have with him some very close friend, somebody who could be like a parent for him. And so a great, black dog appeared in the castle what made Snape really angry.
Dumbledore looked at the next paper and he stirred. It was a letter or rather two letters clipped together. The wizard was staring at them for a moment with a strange musing as if they rose some sad memories. He sighed, sat in the armchair and began to read the first one.
'29.11.1973
Dear Professor Dumbledore
I would give everything not to write to you in that matter but the fate wanted differently. A great tragedy affected our family. Yesterday my sister Annie died. We have been worrying about her for months, she was very weak and she seemed to be afraid of something but nobody expected the worst. She just didn't wake up... I wrote to my son. It would be better if he tells Vega about it, they always understood each other so well. I ask you also to release them from Hogwart for a week. The funeral will be on Thursday. Yours faithfully
Rose Black'
Dumbledore sighed and stared at the purple-gold evening glow. Annie Starlight... From depths of memory loomed a picture of a young woman with fair, wavy hair and thoughtful, a bit sad look of the grey eyes.
He reached for the second piece of parchment. It was very crumpled. The handwriting was crabbed and blurred as if the author wrote it in a great haste. The wizard read:
'Professor Dumbledore! I beg you to guard my daughter. I cannot protect her any longer. Don't let...'
The last word was very crabbed and finished with a long streak of ink as if Annie couldn't hold a quill.
Dumbledore put both letters aside and rubbed his eyes. They expressed weariness and a bitter irony.
'Forgive me, Annie' he whispered 'But I cannot either.'
Vega leant against a wall of the northern tower staring intently at the darkness. The sky was full of stars. She could feel a soft breath of air on her face and a silent rippling of water was coming from the lake below.
The night was quiet and still but Vega couldn't share those feelings. Not now when everything seemed to indicate that the storm was coming. The curse of Draco Malfoy, the gargoyles' attack, the Devilson's disappearance. She was sure that Voldemort would assail soon.
Special Forces have been ready. And additional squad has been sent to Azkaban. Dumbledore didn't trust Dementors and he suspected that Voldemort would like to free his most faithful servants.
Even in the Ministry they started to worry. Vega couldn't believe her eyes when Cornelius Fudge himself had come to Hogwart four days ago. He was nervous and ready to forget all disagreements as long as Vega sends on of the Aurors' squad to protect the Ministry.
There was also information provided by Snape. Voldemort didn't tell him much about his plans but even from those misty hints it appeared clearly that the Dark Lord was preparing himself to the final battle.
Vega frowned. Snape... She has been thinking a lot of him lately. She knew how much he risked playing his double play. She appreciated that. She always set a high value on courage and character. She also admired his talent and erudition. He impressed her when he solved the riddle of the gargoyles' behaviour.
Yes, Remus was right, they used to be very close to each other. And it wasn't only because of the common interests...
***(December 25th, 1973)
The Christmas morning was beautiful. There was no cloud on the blue sky and fresh snow covered the school grounds with a flaky, shimmering coat.
The Great Hall was the most beautiful place in the castle. Four long tables disappeared. Twelve high, spreading, decorated Christmas trees stood under the walls. One tree, the highest and the most proud of all, had been put in the middle of the room.
At the common table teachers and students were sitting who decided to spend holidays at Hogwart. There were only eight of them. Next to Dumbledore sat professor McGonagall wearing emerald robes. On her left Hagrid was filling a huge goblet with golden liquor. Three students were Ravenclaws. Absorbed in conversation they didn't pay attention to the youngest participants of the breakfast.
On Dumbledore's right hand side Vega Starlight was sitting, her head lowered. She was very pale and seemed not to be aware what was going on around her. Dumbledore tried to talk to her but since she kept answering in monosyllables without even rising her eyes he finally left her alone.
Opposite the girl sat a slim boy with a pale, sallow face and long, dark, greasy hair. Every now and then he his black, piercing eyes rested on Vega and then they twinkled with something like compassion.
The breakfast elapsed in a nice, domestic atmosphere. When everybody had already eaten their fill Dumbledore wished them Merry Christmas and gave a sing that the official part was over. The Ravenclaws run out from the Hall immediately and after several minutes their laughter came from the yard.
Dumbledore smiled to the dark-hair boy who was also just about to leave.
'What are your plans for such a beautiful day, Severus?' he asked heartily 'But don't tell me that you're going to spend it in the library.'
'I just intended to do that,' answered the boy seriously.
He bowed to the professors and moved towards the door. Dumbledore looked at Vega and a deep concern filled his eyes. He put gently a hand on her arm.
'Vega, maybe we will walk to Hogsmead?' he asked softly.
The girl shook her head not taking her eyes off the table-top.
'I...I think I will go to dormitory' she whispered, she stood up and left the Hall.
Professor McGonagall followed her with her eyes and sighed.
'I'm worry about her, Albus,' she said 'She shrinks into herself more and more. Hardly ever talks to anybody. Sirius says she can sit in the armchair endlessly, staring at the fire.'
'I also don't know what to do,' said Dumbledore sadly 'She stifles everything in herself. Well, time is the healer of all ills. Let's hope that it will allay Vega's pain.'
After leaving the Great Hall Vega went to the Gryffindor dormitory. The fire was burning merrily in the fireplace filling the common room with a warm, yellow light.
Vega passed the room and climbed up the winding stairs leading to the bedroom. She stood for a while at the door, undecided, as if she didn't know what to do. At last she approached the window and sat on the parapet. After a nice morning the day turned out cloudy and it was snowing. Vega was staring at the whirling flakes, her grey eyes full of infinite grief and hopelessness. She leant head on the window and fell asleep.
She was woken up by a soft clatter at the glass. She looked sleepily through the window and saw a large, brown owl. The bird was flapping its wings heavily, fighting against the strong wind to remain on the same height.
'Hermes!'
Vega opened the window and let the owl inside. The bird sat on the parapet and fluffed its feathers from the snow. After tiding itself up it approached the girl, stroked her gently with its beak and rose its left leg. Vega detached the letter and caressed the owl's head.
'You must be hungry,' she said ' Go down. There are cakes on the table.'
Hermes stroked her again and silently flew out from the room. Vega opened the white envelope and started to read mechanically. Aunt Rose wished her Marry Christmas and repeated for the hundredth time that if only Vega wanted they would take her from Hogwart at once. On a separate sheet of paper she recognised Sirius' scrawls. She put the letters into the drawer with a bitter smile and she sank on the bed with eyes fixed on the ceiling.
For a while she was remembering old, happy times. But the memory of her mother was so painful that she forced herself to thing about something else. And she decided to do her homework.
She got up and pulled out from the drawer a few empty parchments, a quill and several books and went down to the common room. She drew a table near the fireplace and began to write an essay about the Magical Assemblies in the XVth century. When she had finished she opened a Potion textbook. She read the chapter about the Insensibilizing Potions and remembered that wanted to check something in the library. She left the room and moved through the empty, silent corridors. Now, when most of the students had left for the holidays, the castle seemed to be completely deserted. Even the ghost visited their friends in the other parts of the country and Peeves didn't give sign of life.
Vega pushed the wooden door of the library and stopped, unpleasantly surprised. She didn't expect to meet anybody here. Even Madam Pince, the witch who administered the library, had left closing with a powerful Blocking Spell the entrance to the Restricted Book section. But at the table near the window Severus Snape was sitting. A huge, old, black covered book was lying in front of him.
At the sound of the opening door he rose his head and fixed his piercing eyes on Vega. The girl ignored him and went to the high shelf in the Potions section. She pulled out a thick volume of the 'Insensibilizing Potions' and burrowed at the small table in the corner of the room. From that place she couldn't see Snape and she was very glad of it.
She began to study the chapter about the mixtures that allowed to suppress fear. The recipes were extremely complex and the preparing of the brew seemed very complicated. Absorbed in lecture she didn't hear the approaching steps and almost jumped when suddenly somebody put a huge book on her table. Vega rose her eyes and saw Severus Snape. The boy was tapping his fingers at the volume and a mysterious smile was playing on his thin lips.
'What do you want?' asked Vega hostilely in a very impatient voice.
She didn't want any company and most of all she didn't want to talk with that Slytherin who was the greatest enemy of Sirius.
Severus didn't stop smiling. He looked at the Vega's book.
'Insensibilizing Potions...' he said 'I heard that the most interesting ones they didn't teach in Hogwart. Too much Dark Arts,' he added significantly.
In Vega's eyes, though still full of antipathy, an interest shone.
'How do you know it? she asked trying to sound indifferently.
Severus brought the chair and sat at the opposite side of the table.
'Well, I know quite lot about the Dark Arts,' he said lazily.
Vega was staring at him with a growing curiosity. Snape was known for his fascination of the darkest side of magic. At his first-year he had already known many hexes and curses that had been taught at Hogwart at the last year. Vega believed he had to learn them at home. But nobody knew anything about Snape's family beside the fact his parents was wizards.
Severus stared to glance through his book.
'I read something about the Insensibilizers,' he muttered 'Here! Many of them are the advanced Dark Arts. Of course, they don't give recipes,' he smiled sourly.
'What book is it?' asked Vega inclining over the table.
'The Dark Arts in Outline.' said Severus proudly 'Everything I know I read here. It's a real knowledge, not that rubbish they teach us at the Defence,' he snorted scornfully.
'Are the curses described here?' Vega was looking hypnotised at the book.
'Only the simplest ones. But even those you will never learn at Hogwart. Some of them are really interesting...' he smiled mysteriously.
'Can you cast them?' asked Vega silently.
Snape nodded.
'And not only those. I saw several books with much more complicated curses. Most of them very extremely difficult but I managed to master a few. If you want,' he looked piercingly at Vega 'I can teach you them.'
The girl stared at him totally bewildered. She expected Snape to burst out laughing but he was very serious.
'But before you have to swear you will not tell anybody,' he said firmly 'Dumbledore forbade me to use Dark Arts at Hogwart. That book I can read only in the library.'
Vega was still staring at him and could hardly believe her ears.
'So, do you want?' asked the boy impatiently.
Vega nodded but she couldn't say a word.
'Remember, don't tell anybody,' repeated Severus 'Especially your dear brother,' hatred glinted in his black eyes 'Let's meet at midnight in the Charms classroom.' he looked at Vega and smiled ironically 'Or maybe you are afraid of walking through the castle at night?'
Vega snorted.
'No, I don't' she said firmly 'I will come, for sure.'
'See you at midnight, then' said Severus, he closed 'The Dark Arts in Outline' and moved towards the door.
'Wait!' called Vega.
Severus turned round.
'I wanted to ask you something,' said the girl resolutely 'Why...Why do you want to teach me Dark Arts?'
The pale face of Snape didn't change its expression but somewhere in his black, fathomless eyes a grief twinkled. He looked at Vega, hesitated.
'Because I know how it is when you don't have mother,' he said finally and left the room.***
Vega sighed. They were so close to each other...
'Why did you destroy everything, Severus?' she whispered bitterly.
