Disclaimer: As we all know, I do now own or claim to own any rights to the people, places and situations of the Harry Potter universe, which belong to J.K. Rowling, AOL Time Warner, and various publishers, included but not limited to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc and Scholastic Books. I am making no money and intend no copyright infringement.
Sources of Quotes: "I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it." - Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus in the Warner Brothers film, The Matrix, released in 1999 and directed/written by Andy and Larry Wachowski.
"The Prince of Darkness is a gentleman" - William Shakespeare, King Lear, act III, scene 4, line 146.
All other quotes are from William Shakespeare, with their locations given in the text.
Author's Note: This is just a quick note to thank everyone who's taken the time to review. This is a hard story to write because at times I passionately hate some of the main characters, and your feedback has kept me going when it was driving me to distraction. Thank you. Please continue to give me your thoughts, questions and criticisms.
The usual thanks must go to the lovely Elanor Gamgee, my beta reader, and TQ my sister and sounding board. (TQ, incidentally, has found Maxwell Vellian in the Harry Potter movie. So I dared her to find Antony Bond. ;-P)
Morpheus, The Matrix
After dismissing her somewhat bemused (an improvement on the sheer terror they had entered the room with) Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw first years, Merlin sighed and turned to the board. She slowly wiped the chalk from it in large, sweeping circles to allow herself a quiet moment in which to think before adjourning to the Defence Against the Dark Arts office, where she had been invited for a cup of tea with her colleague.
In a leisurely way, she began packing away her books, images of the haunting faces of the day floating before her eyes. Tears of reminiscence and a pain which had still not gone away even after fourteen years blurred her vision, and she gave a weak grin at her own sentimentality before swiping a robe arm across her moistened face.
She shook her head at her own foolishness as she shut the classroom door behind her. Fond memories would not bring back the dead, nor would tears. And neither would they correct the mistakes and evils of the past, or clear an innocent man.
Since her time at Hogwarts, both she and the world had seen a great deal of pain. Neither of them had coped well; they still suffered from the after effects. And now it was all happening again. And would continue to happen again, again, and again, the vicious circle continuing to play out its path until the scourge of prejudice and the Slytherin psyche was eradicated.
When Merlin reached the Defence office she pulled herself from her thoughts, rapped quietly on the door, and waited.
It opened slightly, and Merlin was greeted by Nouvelle's pale face and shy smile.
"Ah, Merlin," Nouvelle said, gesturing for her companion to enter the room. "Do come in. Tea?"
Merlin nodded, and Nouvelle handed her a cup as she took her seat.
"You haven't lost your knack for quick tea making," Merlin commented, taking a sip of the warm liquid and giving a contented smile. "Ah. You still remember how I like it!"
"Of course," Nouvelle replied, lowering herself into the chair behind her desk. "You don't forget what your best friend likes so soon. No matter how far you travel." There was a touch of misty reminiscence in Nouvelle's clear blue eyes, and a brief silence crept over the two women, heavy with poignant memories as they both sat, minds far distant from the small office, in a painful past. With friends long dead.
"So, Merlin," Nouvelle finally said, with a small, wistful sigh, "How was your first day?"
"Hmm?" Merlin drifted gently from her reminiscences. She shook her head slightly, then took a sip form the cup grasped between her hands. "Sorry. I was miles away. Well, it was interestin' at least. I'll give it that."
Nouvelle smiled gently at her over the rim of her teacup, understanding in her gaze.
"Yes. Mine was rather like that. Were the Slytherins any trouble?"
"Oh, yes," Merlin replied, rolling her eyes as a small grin crept across her face. "I never doubted they would be. I had, shall we say, the audacity, or at least that's what they'd call it, to reorganise Severus' horrible decor." She gave a small shudder. "Have you been in there recently? It was all black. And slimy. Urgh." Another shiver swept over her, and she screwed up her face in an ugly grimace, forcing Nouvelle to smile. "I honestly don't know how any of the students could work there.
"My fifth years helped me redecorate." She said the last words with a glint of mischief in her green eyes. Nouvelle gave a short snort of laughter. "I bet young Master Malfoy was impressed with that."
"Oh, Draco," Merlin said, rolling her eyes again. "All the nastiness of his father, and none of the cunning."
Nouvelle nodded thoughtfully.
"You know, that's a very good summary of him. He's an absolute nightmare to teach Defence to. He has absolutely no respect. I pity our poor Defence professor, having to teach his father.
"And," she added, her voice barely audible. "I think he knows who I am."
"No matter how hard you try, you can't hide your past forever," Merlin said gently, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder and gazing sympathetically into her eyes. "Lucius probably figured it out and told him."
Nouvelle sighed.
"That's a horrible topic, Merlin. Be a good girl now, and change the subject. Finish telling me about your day."
Merlin smiled and emptied her teacup with a final gulp. With a gentle chink, she replaced it on the saucer, then sat back in her chair, staring at a point just past Nouvelle's ear.
"My first ever lesson, and I had the fifth years. So many memories stared at me from those faces. Sitting before me, I saw Arthur Weasley, Lucius Malfoy, and ... James. Nothing could ever have prepared me for the sight of Harry Potter's face." She shook her head slowly, taking a deep breath, and blinking madly at the tears which threatened to burst forth from her eyes, hoping she could restrain them.
"And he has Lily's eyes," Nouvelle whispered. She had become skilled at hiding her emotions after long years of practise. Merlin knew Lily and James' deaths still hurt her friend greatly, but Nouvelle's face was a guarded mask.
"And then the shock I got in the next class. Well, not really then. It was actually the instant I arrived. Do you know who met me at the door of the castle when I arrived? The Head Boy and Girl."
At the mention of Antony Bond, Nouvelle's face became a little too controlled. Merlin knew she was hurting, and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Why him?" she whispered. "Why Head Boy?
"You know, he looks so like his cousins. He has the Malfoy face, but the colouring ..." Her voice faded, and she shook her head apologetically. "Sorry."
She use the awkward moment to refill her and Nouvelle's cups, then sat back in her seat, and said in a louder voice, "If you'd told me a week ago I'd be teaching Jorman Bond's son, I'd have laughed at you. One, I never expected to be a teacher. Two, why on earth is he here, and not at Durmstrang?" She spat the last words with a potent venom in her voice, loathing and disgust written on her features.
"And," Nouvelle breathed, "If you'd said the same to me, I'd have said you were insane."
Merlin spat out her mouthful of tea, leaping to her feet.
"He does DEFENCE?"
Nouvelle nodded grimly, her expression fixed.
"Who the hell would recommend him for Advanced Defence?"
Nouvelle's reply was quiet, but Merlin heard a bitter, angry edge in her tone.
"One guess."
"No! Not ..."
Nouvelle nodded confirmation.
"Remus."
"But ..." Merlin's voice was faint with shock, and filled with her confusion. "Why?"
Nouvelle shook her head sadly and placed her cup back on its saucer. The faraway look of memory was back in her eyes as she spoke.
"Have you heard anything from him?"
Merlin sank back into her seat with a sigh, leaning back and staring at the ceiling.
"No. If Albus hadn't said he was working for the Order of the Phoenix, and had taught here, I wouldn't know if he were alive or dead." A note of bitterness had crept into her voice. Nouvelle seemed decidedly uncomfortable, and after yet another forced silence, Merlin stood, thanking Nouvelle for the tea, and, muttering a few words about marking work, left.
Oughtn't you have told her? You were so close to mentioning his name, when you talked about Bond's cousins... Merlin couldn't help thinking as she wove through the twisted ants' nest of corridors.
She shook her head and hurried on, but the nagging doubt still plagued her, along with a familiar face, much changed by the years.
At half past eleven that night, Raylene groggily dragged herself from her bed, fumbling in the darkness for her robe, cloak, bag, and glasses, and earning a muffled exclamation of displeasure from Melissa.
Some people, like Feena, when confronted with a practical Astronomy lesson at midnight, stayed awake in the common room, while others like Raylene went to bed early, took a precious few hours' sleep, and awoke in time to slip on a robe, organise their hair, grab their bag, and be down in the common room with enough spare time to make it to the lesson before the teacher's "Good morning, class" in Sinistra's case, or "Please take your places" when the teacher was Vellian. It was a fine art, and Raylene had perfected it.
Astronomy was unique among Hogwarts' subjects, as it was the only one where two teachers were necessary. The unusual and tiring hours of practical Astronomy classes, as well as the large amount of time they took to prepare and pack up, meant that teachers found it tiring at best, and sometimes almost impossible to teach at midnight, then be awake enough to teach theory classes during the day.
The department consisted of Stella Sinistra and Maxwell Vellian. Sinistra taught days Tuesday and Thursday, and nights on the mornings of Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday (with seven years of students and only seven nights in a week, practical lessons took place every night), while Vellian, the junior member of the department, had theory lessons on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and practical Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Sinistra had been at the school many years, and was an ex-Ravenclaw Prefect, well liked by most students. Vellian, however, was a Slytehrin, who had during his school days been considered somewhat of a failure among his house mates, because his ambitions tended more towards astronomical discoveries rather than the acclaim or widespread success desired by the other members of Slytherin.
The seventh year elective Astronomy class had Vellian, as their lessons fell on Wednesday and Friday for theory, and the dim hours of Tuesday morning for practical.
Raylene stumbled, bleary eyed, into the common room, where Feena awaited her, along with Christine Dwyer, another stay-up-late astronomer.
When the groups was joined by Darren Royce, who staggered down the boys' staircase a few minutes after Raylene arrived, they silently arose and made their way to the Astronomy Tower.
They knew the way easily, having studied Astronomy all of their Hogwarts careers. They also knew from memory who was in the class.
But there was one thing they were not prepared for, nor expecting. That was the change in atmosphere that began the instant Vellian stepped into the room, and grew throughout the lesson.
The junior Astronomy professor was young - so young that the skin around his eyes was unmarked by lines, and his hair unflecked with grey. He had been at the school for less time than the seventh years, joining the staff in their third year. This lack of years and experience had never caused a problem before.
That morning, however, brought a change. When the Ravenclaws arrived, the class members from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff were already at their places by the windows, telescopes ready, and as the Ravenclaws took their seats, Vanitra Ridley, Alexander von Senff, and Juliette Lisegna of Slytherin sauntered in.
Raylene rolled her eyes. There were supposed to be six Slytherins in the class. With Vellian now their Head of House, they should surely be paying him the respect of at least arriving at his classes on time.
She still had an expression of displeasure fixed on her face when Vellian strode into the room, a smile on his face, which on closer inspection looked strained and tired. The Slytherins sneered at him as he walked in, and there was an almost palpable tension in the air.
"Please take your places," he told the Slytherins in a sharper tone than he normally used. He eyed the assembled students, seeming to take careful note of the two absentees. Raylene saw in the light of the torches, which were lit each lesson before the students commenced their scrutiny of the night sky, that his eyes held more fatigue than normal, and his face was grey and stressed.
It was at that moment that, with their usual impeccable timing, Antony Bond and Vincent Edwards chose to enter. Antony gave an insolent look around the classroom, nodded ever so slightly (and Raylene thought, rather sarcastically) to Vellian, then swept to his seat, Edwards never far behind. The tension was now crescendoing.
"Can anyone say obnoxious?" Feena hissed, leaning over so Raylene could hear her. Raylene shook her head in disgust.
"Yes."
"Ah. Mr Edwards and Mr Bond. Lovely of you to join us," Vellian said in a strained voice. He could obviously feel the acidic, icy gaze Antony had fixed on him. He looked decidedly uncomfortable.
"Just plain 'Bond', thank you, Vellian," Antony said in a lazy voice. "I am, as you are aware, sixteen, not seventeen."
Feena muttered something unpleasant under her breath, which sounded to Raylene like something she had learned from Melissa, who, above any of the other Ravenclaws, despised Antony Bond. There was no apparent reason behind this; their personalities were simply not compatible. Although, Raylene reflected, his personality's not really compatible with anyone's ...
"He was only trying to be as polite as possible!" Feena mouthed at Raylene, who nodded, rolling her eyes, indicating that she already knew that, and turned back to Vellian.
"How are your essays going for Wednesday?" Vellian asked, taking a seat at his desk and toying with a stick of chalk.
"Horribly," Alicia Spinnet said. "Can we have some help?"
"If you don't learn it by yourself, you won't learn it at all."
"Of course," Raylene heard Antony whispering to Alexander von Senff, "that is why it's so important to help your fellow Slytherins. Because there are some," he eyed Vellian with disgust, "who find it difficult to display proper Slytherin spirit."
"Exactly," Vincent Edwards said. The other Slytherins were nodding. Vellian raised an eyebrow at them, but Antony gave a sarcastic smile and he returned his gaze to the rest of the class.
"You should find most of the information you need in your textbooks and the library," Vellian added. "Now, if no-one has any further questions, we shall begin the lesson."
Raylene could see Antony leaning toward von Senff, taking a piece of parchment from him.
"Ah, Alexander. Not quite. I think you'll find it's a binary. Other than that, it seems well done. I'm glad you found my help worthwhile."
Why, Raylene wondered to herself, when Vellian specifically said not to seek help, as you'll learn better on your own, is he helping the other Slytherins?
"Bond," Vellian said coolly, "what is so important it need be discussed in class?"
Antony did not answer, but instead stared past the teacher's shoulder in what Raylene felt must be a very disconcerting way, and was certainly making Vellian look decidedly uncomfortable.
"Five points from Slytherin. Please don't make me take more."
There was a pause in all conversation as the six Slytherins
simultaneously fixed him with their nastiest glares. Vellian seemed
to wilt under the twelve cold eyes, but he did not restore the
points. He reminded Raylene of a cat, which, after displaying
its superior cunning on a small
mouse, had just been bitten nastily.
He had only been doing his job. And what a job it was.
Poor man, Raylene thought as the class proceeded, watching the hostility of the Slytherins towards their Head of House under Antony Bond's leadership. I wouldn't wish having to control them on anyone. Not even Vellian.
No, wait a moment. Especially not Vellian.
Merlin Talisen was surprised at how easily she managed to settle into the life and routine of a Hogwarts professor. The other staff members were pleasant and helpful, even the Head of Slytherin, Maxwell Vellian. She had met him several times as he hurried between the dungeons and his office in the Astronomy Tower. He had to be the teacher who had furthest to go from his office to the Slytherin dungeons, but he was the only Slytherin on staff after Snape's disappearance.
Merlin gazed out the windows onto the snowy grounds as she meandered through the corridors on her way to the dungeon from the staff room one cool, frosty morning near the end of term. Life was definitely improving, with the kindness of the staff and the quick acceptance of most of the students making her feel very welcome and helping her settle.
Her classes had been getting better. The Gryffindors adored her, but whether this was because of her teaching style, or simply because she wasn't Severus Snape, she couldn't be certain. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs seemed to like her quite well, but the Slytherins were different.
They despised her. But that was, perhaps, understandable. It had been a long time since there had been a Potions master who was not Head of Slytherin, but Dumbledore was always one to vary from tradition. Who else would appoint a werewolf as a Defence teacher, good as Lupin had been?
She couldn't really complain, she reflected as she descended into the dank, damp stone corridors that led into the dungeons. While she had never really considered teaching as a career, she had always thought it might be nice to try it. Now she could, and she was enjoying herself, despite the Slytherins.
So ha to you, Antony Bond! she thought gleefully as she entered her classroom and saw her seventh years assembled before her. Antony was not there. He seemed, from what she had heard, to make a habit of appearing late to the lessons of teachers he did not like. He constantly did it to Maxwell Vellian, and had been known to try it on a few others.
The thing was that he always had a good reason.
What was surprising was that while Antony was not there, Vincent Edwards was. The two were normally not seen out of each other's company. Did Antony have a Head Boy meeting with the headmaster? Dumbledore hadn't mentioned one to her ...
She shook her head, put her bag on her desk, and pulled out her textbook.
"Does everyone have their essays for me?" she asked sternly. The class nodded. "Please bring them up the front."
As the students milled around in the various stages of bringing her their essays, Alexander von Senff slipped into the room.
"Ah, Mr von Senff," Merlin said once the class were seated again. "Do you have an essay for me?"
"No," the Slytherin replied insolently. Merlin paused, fixing him with a harsh stare and raising one eyebrow.
"No? Detention!"
"It's not finished. I'll have it to you tomorrow ..."
"Yes, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow!"
" 'Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time'," a soft voice said
behind Merlin. "Macbeth, act V, scene 5, line 24."
She spun around. That voice was familiar, but it wasn't possible ...
There was no-one behind her. All the students had been in their seats. Except one, who was only now taking a seat beside Vincent Edwards, tossing his bag on the ground and scowling.
"A petty pace you set indeed, Antony Bond," Merlin murmured, half to herself. "I'd like to see you after class regarding your lateness," she added in a more confident voice.
She sank into her seat, feeling suddenly weak at the knees and rather light-headed.
"Macbeth?" she whispered to herself, staring at Antony. "Where the hell did he learn that one?"
"You wanted to see me, professor?" Antony said quietly as the last students filed out. He dismissed Vincent with a look, and walked up to stand in front of Merlin's desk.
" 'Yet who would have thought the old man'," Merlin began.
" 'To have had so much blood in him?' Macbeth, act V, scene 1, line 18," Antony replied without a moment of hesitation.
"All right. Umm ... 'Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane,'" Merlin stammered, feeling she was in a situation nothing had prepared her for.
"'I cannot taint with fear. Macbeth, act V, scene 3, line'"
"But anyone may have studied Macbeth to see how Muggles view our kind. ' To be, or not to be, that is the question'"
"'Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them.' Hamlet, act III, scene 3, line
64. Did you call me here to bandy in Shakespeare with me?"
he added in a bored tone.
"You must admit, it's not a normal thing for a Slytherin to be able to do. Or any wizard, for that matter. I certainly can't name the scenes and lines of any quote thrown at me."
"You probably haven't studied Shakespeare in quite as much depth as I have."
"What is with you, Antony Bond?" Merlin asked quietly, staring into the cold blue eyes, hoping for a hint of humanity.
"What is it with me? I'm a pure Slytherin. Always have been. Nasty, sadistic, and cruel."
"Yes, you are," Merlin said in a reflective tone.
"So?" Antony replied, insolence and sarcasm dripping from his voice.
"Why Shakespeare?"
"It's a hobby. Know your enemy so you can better attack them." He gave a cold grin of malice that sent unpleasant shudders through Merlin's body. The way his lips curled ... This was truly a protégé of Lucius Malfoy. Cold and evil. Taken and twisted by his cousin, just as his father had been before him.
"Don't follow your father, Antony. It will gain you nothing," Merlin said softly.
Antony turned a scathing glare on her.
"Really?" he sneered. "Then just remember this, Professor Merlin Talisen, friend of werewolves and associate of murderers. 'The Prince of Darkness is a gentleman.'"
With that he strode from the room, leaving Merlin stunned and unable to even attempt comprehending the meaning of his parting words. How did one person get so totally twisted? And why did she not hate him for it?
Later that day, Professor Nouvelle also had the seventh years. The class was progressing well. They were working hard on their majors, as well as completing their unit on Death Eaters and Aurors. Everyone seemed happy except Antony Bond. But that was only to be expected, after everything ...
She shook herself. Don't be stupid. It won't solve anything, she thought as she gazed across the ranks of her class. It'll just stir up hatreds. Which are quite stirred up enough, she added to herself almost viciously, averting her eyes from Antony Bond's face.
Perhaps the most annoying thing about him was that while he couldn't genuinely want to use Defence, being the sort to practise the Dark Arts, rather than fight them, he was still coming first in the class. It wasn't right ...
There came a sharp rapping at the door.
"Come in," Nouvelle said automatically, not pausing to wonder who could be disturbing the lesson.
The door burst open with somewhat more force than Nouvelle felt was truly necessary, and Merlin Talisen stood in the doorway, her normally perfect mahogany hair tangled, her eyes wide, and her face flustered. She dashed over to Nouvelle and grabbed her arm.
"Class dismissed!" she panted, hauling on her friend's arm.
"Hang on, Merlin!" Nouvelle cried, aghast. "This is my class. Class not dismissed," she added viciously to a pair of Hufflepuffs who had risen at Merlin's words.
"This is important!" Merlin hissed in Nouvelle's ear.
"No more so than teaching my seventh years to protect themselves."
"Oh, yes it is. You're coming with me." She began dragging Nouvelle to the door, but the woman wouldn't go with her. "Come on! It's life or death!"
"Whose?" Nouvelle whispered, suddenly not so certain.
"I can't tell you here," Merlin replied, inclining her head towards the students and tugging her friend towards the door. "Come on!"
"Merlin! My dignity, please! People will talk!" Nouvelle pleaded, glancing at Antony Bond again.
"This is more important than dignity. Are you coming?"
"Oh, all right!" Merlin dropped her arm and hurried off. "Hang on! Class, take the rest of the lesson off. I'll be expecting essays from you next lesson!"
With that, she ran out the door after Merlin, who was already halfway down the corridor by the time Nouvelle caught up with her.
"What is going on?"
"Wait."
Merlin led her through corridors and up stairways that led to the upper levels of the main part of the school. There were only a few places they could be going. One of the towers, Albus' office, the Gryffindor common room, the hospital wing.
"Merlin!" Nouvelle panted, jogging alongside her friend. "Are we going to the hospital wing?"
But as they turned a corner, her questions were answered. They were in the corridor outside the hospital wing, and waiting there for them was a man Nouvelle had not seen in fourteen years.
He had changed, but not greatly. His face was more lined and troubled, creased with worry, his hair slightly more flecked with grey, the shadows on his skin more pronounced, and there were a few new thin scars across his cheeks, but a kind, compassionate light still shone from his eyes the colour of sea water.
"Remus ..." Nouvelle whispered, but he had hurried over to Merlin.
"Do you have the antidote, Merlin?" he asked pressingly. She gave simple nod, pulling a phial from her robe pocket, and relief flickered onto Remus' face, settling there and easing the worry.
"Good. This way." He turned and led Nouvelle and Merlin into a room, where curtains had been placed around a single, large bed. Merlin took out the phial and shook it, sending the liquid into a frenzy of colour.
"Drink this," she murmured. It was then that Nouvelle saw who was lying on the bed, and let out a furious scream of anger, grief, and betrayal.