TITLE: Candidates for Power.
RATING: PG
KEYWORDS: HP/SM - SM/HP
PAIRINGS: Read and find out.
SUMMARY: What if Albus calls in an old favour? One wizard can gain power necessary to fight and weaken Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Who will it be?
AUTHOR: Sarhea
EMAIL: sarhea2020@yahoo.com
DISCLAIMER: Major characters in this story are owned by their respective creators/companies. I do not make money off writing!!
NOTE: Post OotP. Things aren't going so well.
NOTE: Usagi and Mamoru break up after Galaxia when she comes into her full powers.
============================================================
Winnowing The Candidates
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Usagi Tsukino started the interview process slow and easy before rolling into the heavy hitters. She made them question every single ethic and belief they had about themselves, their work, their world. She questioned their judgment, their choice, their decision. Sometimes she asked for an explanation, for others she simply nodded and noted their comments in a Muggle style clipboard and fountain pen. The wizards soon realised she was no pushover; Usagi Tsukino was determined to turn them inside out, examine every nook and cranny for flaws and weakness, to hammer on weak spots, to push them to their limits.
One by one the candidates dropped out when he couldn't speak the truth, to make a choice, to go on. Many were shocked when Harry Potter was one of the first Candidates to step back, refusing to make a choice. Each of them chose to sit in the audience and watch the process from the outside.
To everyones surprise the Slytherins were most comfortable with the types of questions asked and with making a choice and defending it since it was how most of them lived, serving and defending themselves.
The questioning became more ruthless as she presented hypothetical situations. Which innocent to save if you could only choose one to live. Making deals with enemies, when, where, why, how. Extent to which one would go to meet the goal, to complete the mission. The extent to which one would go to protect ones' charge from death. Then she asked a last question to the two candidates remaining: Potion Master Severus Snape and Unspeakable Karim Rashid.
"You have a charge, a person you have protected for years, you have killed to protect this person. Now you are required to kill your charge. Will you?"
The Arabian Unspeakable frowned. "No. As long as there is life there is the potential for hope, for escape, for recovery."
Severus Snape closed his eyes for a brief moment. "Yes. If I killed to protect my charge in the past and now am required to kill who I have killed to protect there must be a reason. Such an order will not be given lightly and so I will obey." His eyes hardened. "We are in a war and wars require sacrifice and death."
The blonde smiled and looked to the Headmaster.
"I have made my choice Albus; Severus Snape will suit me nicely."
Dumbledore rose frowning slightly.
"Usagi, are you sure? Severus has been under a great deal of strain for more than fifteen years now. I am afraid any more responsibility will break him."
Severus was taken aback by the Headmaster's words. Did Albus have so little faith in him?
Usagi frowned. "I've made my choice Albus." She spoke in low dangerous tones that only a female or an individual trained to notice such body cues recognized.
"But Usagi..."
Usagi Tsukino, Her Royal Highness Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, Sailor Cosmos, Fighter of Justice, Star of Mystery lost it. She exploded as she rose from her chair in a rush.
"Shut up Albus!" She roared. The ghost spirit of Cosmos, the Warrior, dominated her aura. A slim female form in an abbreviated uniform, of skirt armored bodice and boots, holding a long staff hovered above the raging Moon Princess. "I've had it up to here with people who think they know what is best for me! You and Setsuna screwed up by allowing events to progress to this point. Now I will clean up the mess... My way! Remember, I sealed the Gates so don't tempt me to place a chaos ward and fragment events further."
Her stance softened when she saw the dismay on the Headmaster's face.
"I need someone who can and will kill when necessary but not wantonly! A person capable of personal sacrifice to the Higher Cause. Someone who will be loyal to me. I cannot use the full extent of my personal power unless I have a Champion I respect and trust to guard my back." Her expression hardened. "I allowed Setsuna to choose that bastard Endymion using her goddamned infinite wisdom as the Senshi of Time and he screwed up! He was an absolute fuck up who couldn't stand his ground against a bunny rabbit! I died too many times thanks to that fool! I am not going to see the pearly gates a fifth time because some stranger thinks he knows what is best for me."
Harry frowned and stood up.
"Who are you to the Headmaster like that! Besides you are lying! You can't have died and be here standing!"
Severus Snape winced. Minerva McGonogall groaned and covered her eyes. Rosa Sprout folded her hands in silent prayer.
Usagi stared at the teenage boy her temper building.
"Who am I? Who am I?" Her low deadly tone escalated. "Who am I!? I am Serenity and Cosmos. Fighter of Justice. Star of Mystery. I have lived lifetimes and I remember every damned one! I have fought evil in its purest form and survived! I have died too many times been revived to fight thanks to people like him!" One stabbing finger pointed at the Headmaster. "I have been a pawn to move, to use, to sacrifice... No more! I Am Queen!" The spirit of the Warrior shimmered into the visage of a glorious form in a slim long strapless dress a delicate crown and a pair of flimsy fairy wings at the base of her back dominating but not subsuding the Muggle clad female.
As she stalked down the steps of the dais the Muggle clothes and gray robe transmutated into the clothing of the Princess spirit. A longing clinging gown made of violet and grey shot white silk that floated in a shimmering cloud around her feet and forming a small train behind. Silver and gold embroidery covering the breasts. Veils of shimmering light gathered around her front and at the base of her bare back. Two pairs of full sized angel wings at her back added to the compelling picture. Her gold hair was shot with silver and her eyes had purple and gray shards with the blue. A long silvery staff formed in one hand with the crystal orb of power and energy floating at the top with no visible restraints. There was an overwhelming aura of serenity, love, strength and power about her that compelled the eye to follow as she walked with measured grace.
She made her way down the steps to the Potions Professor until she stood in front of him with only the table between them. A brief gesture and the horseshoe table vanished allowing her to take another step to get closer to him.
Usagi Tsukino looked up into opaque black eyes and the carefully neutral expression. She looked beyond the harshly planed visage, dour features, unsmiling visage, thin mouth, over-large nose. She looked deep within and saw someone she liked, someone truly worthy of her friendship and trust, someone who had been alone as she had been for so long, someone who wouldn't lie and hide the facts to protect her.
"Severus Snape, will you become my Champion, my Protector?" She asked him in formal ringing tones that nearly drove everyone else down to their knees. "Will you accept this trust to do what is required when it is required?"
Blue-violet eyes met onyx black orbs squarely not flinching at his neutral expression and unattractive appearance.
Harry Potter pushed himself to his feet and through the staff, and other Candidates.
"Do you know who he is? What he is?" Harry asked the blindingly beautiful angel standing beside the demon of his nightmares, the target of his hatred and anger. "He is a Death Eater!"
Usagi raised a brow. "Once." She corrected in cool tones. "He renounced his allegiance to Voldemort."
Several individuals flinched at the use of the Dark Lord's name.
"He killed!" Harry cried out. "He tortured Muggles before. He doesn't do anything to stop the Death Eaters."
"And you have been missing the point of my questions!" Usagi roared as she moved around the Hogwarts' Potion Master to stand in front of him protectively. "Sacrifice is required! You cannot get something from nothing! You cannot make the ills of the world disappear like magic!" She spoke in mocking sarcastic tones. "I live as what you would call Muggle. I do not give a damn about the past! It is dead! If I cared so I would have allowed Setsuna to manipulate me into resurrecting a millenia dead empire that spanned across the Solar System! I do not use the past as a crutch!
"I forgave the warriors who fought for the demon who tore down my soul mothers' empire and destroyed ten thousand years of peace and culture killing billions. I forgave souls who were only looking for a place of their own even though they killed me in the process. I forgave people who turned to Darkness and killed in a moment of weakness. I have killed myself, with my own two hands. I know what it costs to deal out death and to watch someone die, knowing that I could have prevented it with my powers, knowing that it is required. I will not allow someone who has faced the same despair to be dishonored by a child!"
The last few words were a roar that drove Harry back. Satisfied Usagi turned to the bemused Slytherin Head.
"He is right you know." Severus spoke in slow slightly rusty tones. "You should chose someone else. Someone younger."
Usagi shook her head. "Avatars have long lifespans and those I accept as my Own will share my longevity and the gifts I choose to bestow upon you. If you accept." She looked at him closely. "Do you accept this burden Severus Snape? Long life is more of a curse than a blessing. You will see things you wish you never had. You will have to do things you hate and stand apart when you wish to speak."
A corner of his mouth lifted. "I have been doing that all along. This will not be too different." He bowed his head and straightened. "I accept this double-edged blessing, this responsibility."
A slow smile curved her full passionate mouth as she planted the staff between them and let go. It remained standing as though anchored to the stone floor; the crystal orb pulsed quicker. She raised her slim arms bare of any adornments to his shoulders and spoke in an ancient musical tongue.
The stones of Hogwarts began to vibrate, pulsate, resonate with the energy flowing from her, into Severus Snape and down out of the soles of his feet before cycling through the castle and into her.
Snape shuddered and fell to his knees with her hands still on his shoulders, the staff still standing between them.
A sound of raw pain jangled tense nerves.
Draco Malfoy pulled out his wand to stop the strange witch from hurting his House Head.
"Do not Mr Malfoy." Dumbledore spoke sternly. "If you interfere now the consequences could be dire."
So they watched. And waited.
Several long seconds later a flash of light blinded everyone. When it faded the staff with the pulsating orb had vanished. The Potion Master was kneeling on the stones sobbing softly. Usagi Tsukino, still wearing the mantle of Princess, was on her knees in front of him wrapping her arms around him, allowing him to bury his face where the base of her neck met shoulder. The double angel wings fluttered as she brought them to wrap around the black clad form, veiling him from curious eyes.
It was several minutes before Potion Master Severus Snape managed to regain enough control to lift his head and look straight into compassionate blue-violet eyes.
"Miss Tsukino..."
"Usagi." She corrected him as he moved away from her embrace.
He stared at her. "Usagi." He spoke her name deliberately as though tasting each syllable.
She smiled and cupped his face in a pair of small white hands looking straight into bemused black eyes.
"It is all right Severus. You are my friend and I accept you as mine."
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
TBC...
============================================================
Please read and review. (sarhea2020@yahoo.com)
Raves and constructive criticism please.
Flames will be ignored.
Cheers!
Sarhea
RATING: PG
KEYWORDS: HP/SM - SM/HP
PAIRINGS: Read and find out.
SUMMARY: What if Albus calls in an old favour? One wizard can gain power necessary to fight and weaken Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Who will it be?
AUTHOR: Sarhea
EMAIL: sarhea2020@yahoo.com
DISCLAIMER: Major characters in this story are owned by their respective creators/companies. I do not make money off writing!!
NOTE: Post OotP. Things aren't going so well.
NOTE: Usagi and Mamoru break up after Galaxia when she comes into her full powers.
============================================================
Winnowing The Candidates
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Usagi Tsukino started the interview process slow and easy before rolling into the heavy hitters. She made them question every single ethic and belief they had about themselves, their work, their world. She questioned their judgment, their choice, their decision. Sometimes she asked for an explanation, for others she simply nodded and noted their comments in a Muggle style clipboard and fountain pen. The wizards soon realised she was no pushover; Usagi Tsukino was determined to turn them inside out, examine every nook and cranny for flaws and weakness, to hammer on weak spots, to push them to their limits.
One by one the candidates dropped out when he couldn't speak the truth, to make a choice, to go on. Many were shocked when Harry Potter was one of the first Candidates to step back, refusing to make a choice. Each of them chose to sit in the audience and watch the process from the outside.
To everyones surprise the Slytherins were most comfortable with the types of questions asked and with making a choice and defending it since it was how most of them lived, serving and defending themselves.
The questioning became more ruthless as she presented hypothetical situations. Which innocent to save if you could only choose one to live. Making deals with enemies, when, where, why, how. Extent to which one would go to meet the goal, to complete the mission. The extent to which one would go to protect ones' charge from death. Then she asked a last question to the two candidates remaining: Potion Master Severus Snape and Unspeakable Karim Rashid.
"You have a charge, a person you have protected for years, you have killed to protect this person. Now you are required to kill your charge. Will you?"
The Arabian Unspeakable frowned. "No. As long as there is life there is the potential for hope, for escape, for recovery."
Severus Snape closed his eyes for a brief moment. "Yes. If I killed to protect my charge in the past and now am required to kill who I have killed to protect there must be a reason. Such an order will not be given lightly and so I will obey." His eyes hardened. "We are in a war and wars require sacrifice and death."
The blonde smiled and looked to the Headmaster.
"I have made my choice Albus; Severus Snape will suit me nicely."
Dumbledore rose frowning slightly.
"Usagi, are you sure? Severus has been under a great deal of strain for more than fifteen years now. I am afraid any more responsibility will break him."
Severus was taken aback by the Headmaster's words. Did Albus have so little faith in him?
Usagi frowned. "I've made my choice Albus." She spoke in low dangerous tones that only a female or an individual trained to notice such body cues recognized.
"But Usagi..."
Usagi Tsukino, Her Royal Highness Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, Sailor Cosmos, Fighter of Justice, Star of Mystery lost it. She exploded as she rose from her chair in a rush.
"Shut up Albus!" She roared. The ghost spirit of Cosmos, the Warrior, dominated her aura. A slim female form in an abbreviated uniform, of skirt armored bodice and boots, holding a long staff hovered above the raging Moon Princess. "I've had it up to here with people who think they know what is best for me! You and Setsuna screwed up by allowing events to progress to this point. Now I will clean up the mess... My way! Remember, I sealed the Gates so don't tempt me to place a chaos ward and fragment events further."
Her stance softened when she saw the dismay on the Headmaster's face.
"I need someone who can and will kill when necessary but not wantonly! A person capable of personal sacrifice to the Higher Cause. Someone who will be loyal to me. I cannot use the full extent of my personal power unless I have a Champion I respect and trust to guard my back." Her expression hardened. "I allowed Setsuna to choose that bastard Endymion using her goddamned infinite wisdom as the Senshi of Time and he screwed up! He was an absolute fuck up who couldn't stand his ground against a bunny rabbit! I died too many times thanks to that fool! I am not going to see the pearly gates a fifth time because some stranger thinks he knows what is best for me."
Harry frowned and stood up.
"Who are you to the Headmaster like that! Besides you are lying! You can't have died and be here standing!"
Severus Snape winced. Minerva McGonogall groaned and covered her eyes. Rosa Sprout folded her hands in silent prayer.
Usagi stared at the teenage boy her temper building.
"Who am I? Who am I?" Her low deadly tone escalated. "Who am I!? I am Serenity and Cosmos. Fighter of Justice. Star of Mystery. I have lived lifetimes and I remember every damned one! I have fought evil in its purest form and survived! I have died too many times been revived to fight thanks to people like him!" One stabbing finger pointed at the Headmaster. "I have been a pawn to move, to use, to sacrifice... No more! I Am Queen!" The spirit of the Warrior shimmered into the visage of a glorious form in a slim long strapless dress a delicate crown and a pair of flimsy fairy wings at the base of her back dominating but not subsuding the Muggle clad female.
As she stalked down the steps of the dais the Muggle clothes and gray robe transmutated into the clothing of the Princess spirit. A longing clinging gown made of violet and grey shot white silk that floated in a shimmering cloud around her feet and forming a small train behind. Silver and gold embroidery covering the breasts. Veils of shimmering light gathered around her front and at the base of her bare back. Two pairs of full sized angel wings at her back added to the compelling picture. Her gold hair was shot with silver and her eyes had purple and gray shards with the blue. A long silvery staff formed in one hand with the crystal orb of power and energy floating at the top with no visible restraints. There was an overwhelming aura of serenity, love, strength and power about her that compelled the eye to follow as she walked with measured grace.
She made her way down the steps to the Potions Professor until she stood in front of him with only the table between them. A brief gesture and the horseshoe table vanished allowing her to take another step to get closer to him.
Usagi Tsukino looked up into opaque black eyes and the carefully neutral expression. She looked beyond the harshly planed visage, dour features, unsmiling visage, thin mouth, over-large nose. She looked deep within and saw someone she liked, someone truly worthy of her friendship and trust, someone who had been alone as she had been for so long, someone who wouldn't lie and hide the facts to protect her.
"Severus Snape, will you become my Champion, my Protector?" She asked him in formal ringing tones that nearly drove everyone else down to their knees. "Will you accept this trust to do what is required when it is required?"
Blue-violet eyes met onyx black orbs squarely not flinching at his neutral expression and unattractive appearance.
Harry Potter pushed himself to his feet and through the staff, and other Candidates.
"Do you know who he is? What he is?" Harry asked the blindingly beautiful angel standing beside the demon of his nightmares, the target of his hatred and anger. "He is a Death Eater!"
Usagi raised a brow. "Once." She corrected in cool tones. "He renounced his allegiance to Voldemort."
Several individuals flinched at the use of the Dark Lord's name.
"He killed!" Harry cried out. "He tortured Muggles before. He doesn't do anything to stop the Death Eaters."
"And you have been missing the point of my questions!" Usagi roared as she moved around the Hogwarts' Potion Master to stand in front of him protectively. "Sacrifice is required! You cannot get something from nothing! You cannot make the ills of the world disappear like magic!" She spoke in mocking sarcastic tones. "I live as what you would call Muggle. I do not give a damn about the past! It is dead! If I cared so I would have allowed Setsuna to manipulate me into resurrecting a millenia dead empire that spanned across the Solar System! I do not use the past as a crutch!
"I forgave the warriors who fought for the demon who tore down my soul mothers' empire and destroyed ten thousand years of peace and culture killing billions. I forgave souls who were only looking for a place of their own even though they killed me in the process. I forgave people who turned to Darkness and killed in a moment of weakness. I have killed myself, with my own two hands. I know what it costs to deal out death and to watch someone die, knowing that I could have prevented it with my powers, knowing that it is required. I will not allow someone who has faced the same despair to be dishonored by a child!"
The last few words were a roar that drove Harry back. Satisfied Usagi turned to the bemused Slytherin Head.
"He is right you know." Severus spoke in slow slightly rusty tones. "You should chose someone else. Someone younger."
Usagi shook her head. "Avatars have long lifespans and those I accept as my Own will share my longevity and the gifts I choose to bestow upon you. If you accept." She looked at him closely. "Do you accept this burden Severus Snape? Long life is more of a curse than a blessing. You will see things you wish you never had. You will have to do things you hate and stand apart when you wish to speak."
A corner of his mouth lifted. "I have been doing that all along. This will not be too different." He bowed his head and straightened. "I accept this double-edged blessing, this responsibility."
A slow smile curved her full passionate mouth as she planted the staff between them and let go. It remained standing as though anchored to the stone floor; the crystal orb pulsed quicker. She raised her slim arms bare of any adornments to his shoulders and spoke in an ancient musical tongue.
The stones of Hogwarts began to vibrate, pulsate, resonate with the energy flowing from her, into Severus Snape and down out of the soles of his feet before cycling through the castle and into her.
Snape shuddered and fell to his knees with her hands still on his shoulders, the staff still standing between them.
A sound of raw pain jangled tense nerves.
Draco Malfoy pulled out his wand to stop the strange witch from hurting his House Head.
"Do not Mr Malfoy." Dumbledore spoke sternly. "If you interfere now the consequences could be dire."
So they watched. And waited.
Several long seconds later a flash of light blinded everyone. When it faded the staff with the pulsating orb had vanished. The Potion Master was kneeling on the stones sobbing softly. Usagi Tsukino, still wearing the mantle of Princess, was on her knees in front of him wrapping her arms around him, allowing him to bury his face where the base of her neck met shoulder. The double angel wings fluttered as she brought them to wrap around the black clad form, veiling him from curious eyes.
It was several minutes before Potion Master Severus Snape managed to regain enough control to lift his head and look straight into compassionate blue-violet eyes.
"Miss Tsukino..."
"Usagi." She corrected him as he moved away from her embrace.
He stared at her. "Usagi." He spoke her name deliberately as though tasting each syllable.
She smiled and cupped his face in a pair of small white hands looking straight into bemused black eyes.
"It is all right Severus. You are my friend and I accept you as mine."
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
TBC...
============================================================
Please read and review. (sarhea2020@yahoo.com)
Raves and constructive criticism please.
Flames will be ignored.
Cheers!
Sarhea