-MIRROR MIRROR
By: Perselus
CHAPTER 7
Dumbeldore had called them both to his office after dinner. They both took seats that were the farthest from each other.
"How are things going?" he asked.
"GREAT!" said Hydra enthusiastically. Tethys only grunted.
"I take it you're not too pleased with Hogwarts my dear," he said as he looked at Tethys.
"It's not that headmaster. I just have a few personal grudges to take care of." At that the two women looked at each other then looked away.
"Ah, I see, the two of you are not getting along."
Tethys grunted again as a reply. Hydra only nodded sadly.
"Well there are some things I think we need to talk about. But I need you two to be a team first. I need the two of you working together, because everything relies on it.
Tethys leaned forward in her chair. He always held off on telling them why they were really here. Now she felt he was going to tell them something important.
There was a knock on the door and Dumbeldore asked them to come in. The two women looked back to see Snape walk into the room.
"Ah, Severus, the man I wanted to talk to. What do you have to report on their progress?"
Snape walked into the room looking at the headmaster as if he was the only one there. "Well Miss Hydra is better at potions than Miss Tethys, but she is better than Miss Hydra at charms. They're both quick learners."
"My, my Severus. That was a cold report even by your standards," said Dumbledore kindly.
"Well Headmaster, there are some things I have found out that make me quite nervous about Tethys being here. I'm not sure I trust her," Snape replied coldly.
"That's funny!" Said Hydra laughing.
"Why is that?" asked the Headmaster.
"Because that's what Tethys and I are fighting about." She laughed at their faces. "You see Tethys doesn't trust Snape. She keeps telling me not to trust him either, but I do. I don't see why I shouldn't trust him? I don't feel bad in him, darkness yes, but not evil."
Tethys gave her an evil look and Hydra only stuck her tongue out at her.
"Well, now that we got that cleared up," said Dumbeldore, "Severus why do you not trust Miss Tethys?"
"Well yesterday at lunch I noticed Tethys had received a letter. I knew she knows no one here so it seemed odd that she would be getting a letter. I watched her face go pale, when she left the table, I followed." He ignored the daggers Tethys was shooting at him with her eyes. He knew he was striding in deep water on this.
Dumbeldore nodded for him to continue. Snape took a deep breath and told an abbreviated version of the events. He wanted to talk to Tethys on the personal aspects in private.
"So," said Dumbeldore, "You know the man that was brought over?" Tethys nodded. "And my dear when were you going to tell me this?"
"This was something personal headmaster. You don't tell us everything we need to know. I guess you can say you were playing a need to know basis. So was I and I didn't think you needed to know. Just as you don't think we do."
Tethys was angry with Snape following her. And she knew she wasn't being fair taking it out on Dumbeldore. But in her own right she was mad at him too. Hell! she was mad at everyone at this point. She leaned back in her chair taking a devil may care attitude. She knew she was letting her darkness show but at this point she really didn't care.
Snape crossed his arms and looked at her with one long eloquent eyebrow up, her sister sitting there hiding her face in her hand, and had the grace to blush in embarrassment on her sister's mannerisms.
Dumbeldore looked at her, "So much like Severus" he thought. So much anger, so much hurt, so much darkness, yet underneath so much heart.
"I take it you are angry with me for not telling you everything from the start. That is understandable. You had tried to corner me several times, and in my defense I would like to say I only wanted you two to be more settled before I had to get into this."
Tethys only nodded. Hydra felt left out of the conversation, and Snape just stared at Tethys. He had never seen her take this kind of stance before.
He took a deep breath and jumped in. "well the man they had brought in, is an elemental just like you Tethys." She only nodded. "And when I found out where they came from I already knew about you two. So I thought, fight fire with fire. I see that sometimes I'm more right then even I am aware of. For I didn't see any connection, between you and the other man."
"Hunter," said Tethys
"Excuse me?" the Headmaster exclaimed.
"His name is Cerebus Hunter, Yes he is an elemental like myself. Whom do you think taught him?" she said still in her devil may care mood.
"YOU!" the other three yelled in unison. "HOW! WHEN! WERE! Why didn't I know this!!" Tethys only stared them all down. All there questions stilled at the look in her eyes.
"FINE! If you want the story, shut up! And let me tell it." Tethys stared all three of them. To which they only nodded for her to continue...
"I really can't believe I'm going to tell you this..." she took several deep breaths to organize her thoughts. "Headmaster, if I tell you, do you promise to tell us all you know about this?"
"I do. If you're honest with me, I will be with you," agreed Dumbeldore. Tethys nodded and started her story.
"It was after our parents died. I stopped feeling, really, just walked thought life. Not caring about people, really didn't want to. People hurt, people are cruel, and people leave! No matter what you do no mater how much you care? People never repay in kind. Finally I gave up caring. I was walking around like in a dream when I met up with some people who were a lot like me.
They introduced me to Cerebus Hunter, he was young, handsome, and strangely attracted to me. I was young and naive at the time. I was stupid, I fell in love with him or so I thought it was love. He was intelligent, perhaps too intelligent. He knew what I was, and what I could do, he used me for my knowledge and my abilities.
It took me a long time to figure everything out. The worst of it, is that I underestimated his lust for power, his need to posses and control everything around him. Everything was fine until I was told to leave.
There was another bigger group that was watching everything we did. They told me that if I didn't dismantle the group, we all would be destroyed. They let me in on what some of the things he was doing. I really didn't think it got as bad as it did, I guess I just closed my mind to it. But when the murders started I could no longer lie to myself.
I realized then that I made the biggest mistake in teaching him how to use his abilities. I knew the world would not be safe with him, and there was only one way to stop him." A tear rolled down her cheek.
Snape wondered if she even realized it. He knew this kind of story; it was remarkably like his own. "What made you leave?" he asked softly. Tethys looked up at him and gave him a sad smile.
"I couldn't stand another howling day inside my empty skin." Their eyes locked. She knew he understood the statement she just made; she was shocked to see not only understanding but a mirror of her own emotion reflected back at her.
"So," said Dumbeldore softly breaking there silent conversation, "What did you do to stop him?" she looked away from Snape and looked at Dumbeldore.
"Took the one thing he relied on. The one thing he drew strength and power from, his generator, his life force, the one thing he needed to succeed in world domination." She stopped talking she didn't know how to precede from here.
"In other words," said Snape for her, "You took away YOURSELF"
"Yes," she said shocked he knew that, "How?"
"Easy," replied Snape, "You taught him, you knew more than him, you gave him what he needed, I know too many men like him. I know how they work. So not only is he here, he knows you're here, and he will stop at nothing to get to you again. You planted a seed in his mind wether you did this knowingly or not, is irrelevant. He will be now and still this final day, obsessed with you. For you ARE his life force, his inspiration, and the key to everything he desires."
Tethys looked down at the floor knowing that his words were true, and her destiny looked bleaker now then it did when she had walked into the room. Snape saw the look, knew she was about to give up again. For some reason he couldn't allow it.
"We can use this to our advantage. He will never hit his full force without you. You are safe here at Hogwarts, but I do believe that this does change the headmaster's plans a bit." Snape looked over at Dumbeldore who was thinking very rapidly.
"This is true Severus," the Headmaster said, looking at all of them, "But all is not lost. I will need time to figure this out. But now I believe it's my turn to tell you what you need to know."
"That was the deal," replied Tethys.
"Well," Dumbledore started, "At first when Severus told me of the two men that came though the gateway Voldemort had created, I thought that we were dealing with people whom we know nothing of their ways. At first it was to have you here so we can try to figure out how their mind will change from that world to this. But now I see that it's much important that it was you two who came through."
"You said two came through on this end?" Tethys asked tensely.
"Yes," Severus replied, "The first to come through was a small man, blond, he wore glasses."
"That would have been Nightshade," Tethys spoke almost to herself, "His right hand man, and trusted sidekick. He's intelligent in his own right and vicious way. Don't let his small size fool you, he's as deadly as they come."
"Ok." Dumbledore put his hands together and rubbed them, as if anticipating something good. "It's good we all got this out in the open. We now have more information than I could dream of having. Now anything else you think of, come to me, Tethys. I need everything to figure this all out."
Tethys nodded her agreement.
..............................................................................................................................................................................................
By: Perselus
CHAPTER 7
Dumbeldore had called them both to his office after dinner. They both took seats that were the farthest from each other.
"How are things going?" he asked.
"GREAT!" said Hydra enthusiastically. Tethys only grunted.
"I take it you're not too pleased with Hogwarts my dear," he said as he looked at Tethys.
"It's not that headmaster. I just have a few personal grudges to take care of." At that the two women looked at each other then looked away.
"Ah, I see, the two of you are not getting along."
Tethys grunted again as a reply. Hydra only nodded sadly.
"Well there are some things I think we need to talk about. But I need you two to be a team first. I need the two of you working together, because everything relies on it.
Tethys leaned forward in her chair. He always held off on telling them why they were really here. Now she felt he was going to tell them something important.
There was a knock on the door and Dumbeldore asked them to come in. The two women looked back to see Snape walk into the room.
"Ah, Severus, the man I wanted to talk to. What do you have to report on their progress?"
Snape walked into the room looking at the headmaster as if he was the only one there. "Well Miss Hydra is better at potions than Miss Tethys, but she is better than Miss Hydra at charms. They're both quick learners."
"My, my Severus. That was a cold report even by your standards," said Dumbledore kindly.
"Well Headmaster, there are some things I have found out that make me quite nervous about Tethys being here. I'm not sure I trust her," Snape replied coldly.
"That's funny!" Said Hydra laughing.
"Why is that?" asked the Headmaster.
"Because that's what Tethys and I are fighting about." She laughed at their faces. "You see Tethys doesn't trust Snape. She keeps telling me not to trust him either, but I do. I don't see why I shouldn't trust him? I don't feel bad in him, darkness yes, but not evil."
Tethys gave her an evil look and Hydra only stuck her tongue out at her.
"Well, now that we got that cleared up," said Dumbeldore, "Severus why do you not trust Miss Tethys?"
"Well yesterday at lunch I noticed Tethys had received a letter. I knew she knows no one here so it seemed odd that she would be getting a letter. I watched her face go pale, when she left the table, I followed." He ignored the daggers Tethys was shooting at him with her eyes. He knew he was striding in deep water on this.
Dumbeldore nodded for him to continue. Snape took a deep breath and told an abbreviated version of the events. He wanted to talk to Tethys on the personal aspects in private.
"So," said Dumbeldore, "You know the man that was brought over?" Tethys nodded. "And my dear when were you going to tell me this?"
"This was something personal headmaster. You don't tell us everything we need to know. I guess you can say you were playing a need to know basis. So was I and I didn't think you needed to know. Just as you don't think we do."
Tethys was angry with Snape following her. And she knew she wasn't being fair taking it out on Dumbeldore. But in her own right she was mad at him too. Hell! she was mad at everyone at this point. She leaned back in her chair taking a devil may care attitude. She knew she was letting her darkness show but at this point she really didn't care.
Snape crossed his arms and looked at her with one long eloquent eyebrow up, her sister sitting there hiding her face in her hand, and had the grace to blush in embarrassment on her sister's mannerisms.
Dumbeldore looked at her, "So much like Severus" he thought. So much anger, so much hurt, so much darkness, yet underneath so much heart.
"I take it you are angry with me for not telling you everything from the start. That is understandable. You had tried to corner me several times, and in my defense I would like to say I only wanted you two to be more settled before I had to get into this."
Tethys only nodded. Hydra felt left out of the conversation, and Snape just stared at Tethys. He had never seen her take this kind of stance before.
He took a deep breath and jumped in. "well the man they had brought in, is an elemental just like you Tethys." She only nodded. "And when I found out where they came from I already knew about you two. So I thought, fight fire with fire. I see that sometimes I'm more right then even I am aware of. For I didn't see any connection, between you and the other man."
"Hunter," said Tethys
"Excuse me?" the Headmaster exclaimed.
"His name is Cerebus Hunter, Yes he is an elemental like myself. Whom do you think taught him?" she said still in her devil may care mood.
"YOU!" the other three yelled in unison. "HOW! WHEN! WERE! Why didn't I know this!!" Tethys only stared them all down. All there questions stilled at the look in her eyes.
"FINE! If you want the story, shut up! And let me tell it." Tethys stared all three of them. To which they only nodded for her to continue...
"I really can't believe I'm going to tell you this..." she took several deep breaths to organize her thoughts. "Headmaster, if I tell you, do you promise to tell us all you know about this?"
"I do. If you're honest with me, I will be with you," agreed Dumbeldore. Tethys nodded and started her story.
"It was after our parents died. I stopped feeling, really, just walked thought life. Not caring about people, really didn't want to. People hurt, people are cruel, and people leave! No matter what you do no mater how much you care? People never repay in kind. Finally I gave up caring. I was walking around like in a dream when I met up with some people who were a lot like me.
They introduced me to Cerebus Hunter, he was young, handsome, and strangely attracted to me. I was young and naive at the time. I was stupid, I fell in love with him or so I thought it was love. He was intelligent, perhaps too intelligent. He knew what I was, and what I could do, he used me for my knowledge and my abilities.
It took me a long time to figure everything out. The worst of it, is that I underestimated his lust for power, his need to posses and control everything around him. Everything was fine until I was told to leave.
There was another bigger group that was watching everything we did. They told me that if I didn't dismantle the group, we all would be destroyed. They let me in on what some of the things he was doing. I really didn't think it got as bad as it did, I guess I just closed my mind to it. But when the murders started I could no longer lie to myself.
I realized then that I made the biggest mistake in teaching him how to use his abilities. I knew the world would not be safe with him, and there was only one way to stop him." A tear rolled down her cheek.
Snape wondered if she even realized it. He knew this kind of story; it was remarkably like his own. "What made you leave?" he asked softly. Tethys looked up at him and gave him a sad smile.
"I couldn't stand another howling day inside my empty skin." Their eyes locked. She knew he understood the statement she just made; she was shocked to see not only understanding but a mirror of her own emotion reflected back at her.
"So," said Dumbeldore softly breaking there silent conversation, "What did you do to stop him?" she looked away from Snape and looked at Dumbeldore.
"Took the one thing he relied on. The one thing he drew strength and power from, his generator, his life force, the one thing he needed to succeed in world domination." She stopped talking she didn't know how to precede from here.
"In other words," said Snape for her, "You took away YOURSELF"
"Yes," she said shocked he knew that, "How?"
"Easy," replied Snape, "You taught him, you knew more than him, you gave him what he needed, I know too many men like him. I know how they work. So not only is he here, he knows you're here, and he will stop at nothing to get to you again. You planted a seed in his mind wether you did this knowingly or not, is irrelevant. He will be now and still this final day, obsessed with you. For you ARE his life force, his inspiration, and the key to everything he desires."
Tethys looked down at the floor knowing that his words were true, and her destiny looked bleaker now then it did when she had walked into the room. Snape saw the look, knew she was about to give up again. For some reason he couldn't allow it.
"We can use this to our advantage. He will never hit his full force without you. You are safe here at Hogwarts, but I do believe that this does change the headmaster's plans a bit." Snape looked over at Dumbeldore who was thinking very rapidly.
"This is true Severus," the Headmaster said, looking at all of them, "But all is not lost. I will need time to figure this out. But now I believe it's my turn to tell you what you need to know."
"That was the deal," replied Tethys.
"Well," Dumbledore started, "At first when Severus told me of the two men that came though the gateway Voldemort had created, I thought that we were dealing with people whom we know nothing of their ways. At first it was to have you here so we can try to figure out how their mind will change from that world to this. But now I see that it's much important that it was you two who came through."
"You said two came through on this end?" Tethys asked tensely.
"Yes," Severus replied, "The first to come through was a small man, blond, he wore glasses."
"That would have been Nightshade," Tethys spoke almost to herself, "His right hand man, and trusted sidekick. He's intelligent in his own right and vicious way. Don't let his small size fool you, he's as deadly as they come."
"Ok." Dumbledore put his hands together and rubbed them, as if anticipating something good. "It's good we all got this out in the open. We now have more information than I could dream of having. Now anything else you think of, come to me, Tethys. I need everything to figure this all out."
Tethys nodded her agreement.
..............................................................................................................................................................................................
