These Dreams
More than a month had passed since Lucius Malfoy and his cohorts had escaped Azkaban prison. There had been no word since and the quiet waiting was agonizing. The majority of Hogwarts' students had left for the Christmas holiday, causing an unspoken anxiety to circulate amongst the staff. Narnia had felt obligated to see them off and as she watched each one board the Express, she hoped when they arrived back to the platform in a few weeks time that all would be well. After the train had left the Hogsmeade station, she traded worried glances with Hagrid and the two made their way out of the cold, back to the warmth of the castle.
Despite her concerns for her students, she had eagerly awaited the time off. The amount of class work before the break had demanded her attentions, keeping her away from other leisures. In addition, her inability to sleep more than a few hours a night rendered her unable to do much else. Her dreams were increasingly more vivid, and if not for this newest development, she may have swallowed her pride and sought out Professor Snape for more sleeping draught. She desperately desired the rest, but she felt as though she was perhaps coming nearer to figuring out this mystery and she didn't want to jeopardize any progress she may be making.
With the rooms she frequently occupied being within the main levels of the castle and Snape's being in the dungeons, she only saw him at meals. He had to be as immersed in work as she had been, but part of his isolation was to avoid her, of this, she was sure. They had rarely spoken in the past month and only then when Narnia initiated, but it was never any more than a "good afternoon" or "hello". She would have guessed their situation to be much different right now, but it had taken a twist, leaving them in possibly a worse condition than when they had first become acquainted. Surprisingly, she preferred his biting remarks to this outright disregard he had adopted towards her.
Two days into the Christmas holiday, after having written Gran and watching the snow fall gracefully to form a blanket over the grounds, Narnia grew restless. Leaving her rooms, she decided to pay a visit to her uncle, an idea beginning to form in her mind.
Saying the password and then being beckoned into his office, she found her uncle affectionately attending to Fawkes, who was looking rather ill.
"I'm afraid it's that time for him again, but necessary, of course," Dumbledore stated and then turned to face his niece, appearing pleased to have gained her company, motioning for her to take a seat.
Reflecting on Fawkes, Narnia offered her thoughts. "We should all be so lucky as to get a fresh start every so often."
"We do, my dear. It's all in how we perceive those opportunities," her uncle replied taking his own seat. "The Christmas holidays, for example, are an excellent time to recharge and prepare for a new term."
Narnia smiled in response, appreciating yet again how muich she enjoyed her uncle's company and his likeness to her grandmother.
"I do hope you are taking full advantage of the time off. I value your efforts, but also your well-being. You've been working yourself rather hard, Narnia."
"I won't deny the need from some rest, but I feel caged already." With no desire to indulge in her distractions of late, she pushed forward with her initial reasons for visiting the Headmaster. "I was thinking of rallying the remaining students and staff for a snowball fight, before dinner this evening." She didn't have to wait long for her uncle's response.
"I wouldn't see why not. Things of this nature usually find their way of happening regardless. Someone always brings forth the idea. It seems to be one of our more casual traditions," he stated with a grin.
"Good, Well, then, I'll speak with each Head of House right away." As Narnia began to stand up, her uncle spoke.
"Professor Sprout has already left to visit her family for the holidays and Professor Snape is gone as well."
Narnia's mind went blank and she felt the color drain from her face. She stared at her uncle momentarily before regaining her thoughts. Clearing her throat, she replied, "Very well. I'll ask Minverva to speak with any Hufflepuffs, while I gather any Slytherins."
Turning to leave, she stopped at the door when Dumbledore spoke once more. "Severus will be back at Hogwarts in a few days time." Meeting her uncle's eyes, looking for a trace of reassurance, she only saw his own concern. Shaking her head in acknowledgement, she left the Headmaster's office with a heavy heart.
Out on the grounds, Narnia stood, catching her breath, bent over with her hands placed on her knees. Looking around at the group gathered, she was pleased to see that everyone's defining differences had been laid aside for an afternoon. After all, her purpose for getting everyone together had not been to maim each other with balls of snow and ice, but to work on the camaraderie between the houses. When everyone had arrived outside, she had taken charge and divided the ten students into two teams, not according to house. She and Hagrid served as team captains, while the other teachers had voiced their wishes to remain on the sidelines and they watches as, in the end, Hagrid's team took the victory.
Exhausted, the group made their way back into the castle, chattering to one another about the afternoon's event. Arriving inside, they were greeted by Professor Dumbldore who ushered them into the Great Hall for some hot chocolate. Alloweing everyone to pass, he placed a hand on Narnia's shoulder.
"It seems our young Gryffindors and Slytherins are finally learning to get along, "he stated.
Narnia followed his gaze, her own resting upon Harry Potter and Ron Weasley speaking with two second year Slytherins.
"Let's hope this new 'friendship' endures."
"Well, it is a place to begin. Shall we?" Dumbledore ushered his niece into the Great Hall, where students and professors alike were enjoying Hogwarts' finest hot chocolate.
The afternoon's recreation had served as a suitable distraction for Narnia. While freshening up before dinner, her mind now freed up from all else, focused only on one thing.
Her uncle did not need to indulge the details of Severus' whereabouts. She knew he was potentially in harm's way. Apparently, he had been at this routine for some time, prior to Narnia's knowing him, and if had walked away unscathed for this long, he was capable of looking out for himself.
Dinner was quiet this evening, despite the intimate setting of one round table seating the castle's occupants. Narnia dreaded the stiffness she would undoubtedly experience in her body tomorrow morning, but the exercise was welcomed and the exhaustion, she hoped, would provide her with a full night's rest. After finishing her meal, she made to leave the table, noticing her two sixth year Gryffindors departing as well. Wishing to speak with them, she decided to exit through the main doors.
"You, Mr. Weasley, I still say I hit you, twice, this afternoon, placing our teams at a tie," Narnia said, approaching Harry and Ron. They stopped, allowing her to join them, before continuing their stride.
"You missed Professor and we won. Perhaps you should work on your aim," Ron teased.
Narnia raised her eyebrows, grinning. "Oh really. Well, perhaps next time we will use wands and see what the outcome is."
"In that case, it may be best for me to watch," Ron stated.
Narnia chuckled and then continued, "I wanted to thank both of you and tell you now very proud I am of you for what you did today."
Ron looked confused, but Harry chimed in before he could inquire. "I'm sure once the holiday is over, things will go back to normal though."
"Everyone is aware of the enmity between Gryffindor House and Slytherin, but don't be discouraged with small steps, Harry. You've moved forward today and you may move backwards, then forward again. Just be patient. Undoubtedly, it will be awkward when the new term begins, but don't give up. Try to keep in mind the big picture."
"Trust me, Professor, I can't escape the big picture," Harry stated bitterly.
Harry's statement rendered Narnia speechless and she found they had arrived at their departing point. Stopping to turn and face them both, she placed her hand on Harry's shoulder and gently squeezed. Dropping her hand back to her side, she bid them goodnight and returned to her rooms.
Inside her quarters at last, she plopped down into the chair facing the hearth. Dazedly staring at the flames erupting within it, Harry's statement echoed through her mind. Though, by coming to Hogwarts, she had taken on a more active and important role in this war against Voldemort, her part was nothing compared to the one that Harry was playing. She willed herself to believe the outcome of it all would only be for the side of good and then, hopefully, Haryy oculd work on some sort of normal existence.
Unaware of the time spent in front of the fire, she let out a resigned sigh and stood to go to bed. Pulling the blankets snuggly around her and turning on her side, a mental image of Severus formed on the backs of her eyelids once she had closed them. He was gazing back at her with no definite expression and to the darkness of her room, she whispered, "Be safe."
Chill hung in the night air with Narnia's vision being fogged by her own breath. Realizing the familiar nature of the situation, she dropped her shoulders and without taking a moment to look around at the surrounding forest, she ran for the clearing where she knew he was receiving his death sentence. As she grew closer, she ignored caution, noticing the others standing amongst the tree line. They had become more apparent only weeks ago, but seemed as unaware of her presence as all the others. They were all hooded and standing in the shadows. Arriving at the clearing, she again saw the three men, one of them, him. He was kneeling before them as always, apparently beaten and nearly lifeless. His back was towards her and she glanced away from him, looking to the figures standing above him. One of them, the man who always raised his wand to perform the murder, was completely cloaked and Narnia was unable to make any observations of him. Before she could see anything else, a cloud passed over the moon above, shadowing all that lay below it. In the darkness, Narnia was blinded, but when the moon revealed itself again, she gasped at the sight before her. The flash of silvery white caught her eye and as the second man raised his head, she was looking into the face of Lucius Malfoy. He did not meet her eyes, but sneered at the man kneeling before him, triumphant in stature. Noticing the cloaked man reaching for his wand, she ran forward, falling to her knees, reaching out in desperation. The man kneeling, whom she had seen in her visions for nearly her entire life, lifted his head to her and her heart almost ceased beating.
More than a month had passed since Lucius Malfoy and his cohorts had escaped Azkaban prison. There had been no word since and the quiet waiting was agonizing. The majority of Hogwarts' students had left for the Christmas holiday, causing an unspoken anxiety to circulate amongst the staff. Narnia had felt obligated to see them off and as she watched each one board the Express, she hoped when they arrived back to the platform in a few weeks time that all would be well. After the train had left the Hogsmeade station, she traded worried glances with Hagrid and the two made their way out of the cold, back to the warmth of the castle.
Despite her concerns for her students, she had eagerly awaited the time off. The amount of class work before the break had demanded her attentions, keeping her away from other leisures. In addition, her inability to sleep more than a few hours a night rendered her unable to do much else. Her dreams were increasingly more vivid, and if not for this newest development, she may have swallowed her pride and sought out Professor Snape for more sleeping draught. She desperately desired the rest, but she felt as though she was perhaps coming nearer to figuring out this mystery and she didn't want to jeopardize any progress she may be making.
With the rooms she frequently occupied being within the main levels of the castle and Snape's being in the dungeons, she only saw him at meals. He had to be as immersed in work as she had been, but part of his isolation was to avoid her, of this, she was sure. They had rarely spoken in the past month and only then when Narnia initiated, but it was never any more than a "good afternoon" or "hello". She would have guessed their situation to be much different right now, but it had taken a twist, leaving them in possibly a worse condition than when they had first become acquainted. Surprisingly, she preferred his biting remarks to this outright disregard he had adopted towards her.
Two days into the Christmas holiday, after having written Gran and watching the snow fall gracefully to form a blanket over the grounds, Narnia grew restless. Leaving her rooms, she decided to pay a visit to her uncle, an idea beginning to form in her mind.
Saying the password and then being beckoned into his office, she found her uncle affectionately attending to Fawkes, who was looking rather ill.
"I'm afraid it's that time for him again, but necessary, of course," Dumbledore stated and then turned to face his niece, appearing pleased to have gained her company, motioning for her to take a seat.
Reflecting on Fawkes, Narnia offered her thoughts. "We should all be so lucky as to get a fresh start every so often."
"We do, my dear. It's all in how we perceive those opportunities," her uncle replied taking his own seat. "The Christmas holidays, for example, are an excellent time to recharge and prepare for a new term."
Narnia smiled in response, appreciating yet again how muich she enjoyed her uncle's company and his likeness to her grandmother.
"I do hope you are taking full advantage of the time off. I value your efforts, but also your well-being. You've been working yourself rather hard, Narnia."
"I won't deny the need from some rest, but I feel caged already." With no desire to indulge in her distractions of late, she pushed forward with her initial reasons for visiting the Headmaster. "I was thinking of rallying the remaining students and staff for a snowball fight, before dinner this evening." She didn't have to wait long for her uncle's response.
"I wouldn't see why not. Things of this nature usually find their way of happening regardless. Someone always brings forth the idea. It seems to be one of our more casual traditions," he stated with a grin.
"Good, Well, then, I'll speak with each Head of House right away." As Narnia began to stand up, her uncle spoke.
"Professor Sprout has already left to visit her family for the holidays and Professor Snape is gone as well."
Narnia's mind went blank and she felt the color drain from her face. She stared at her uncle momentarily before regaining her thoughts. Clearing her throat, she replied, "Very well. I'll ask Minverva to speak with any Hufflepuffs, while I gather any Slytherins."
Turning to leave, she stopped at the door when Dumbledore spoke once more. "Severus will be back at Hogwarts in a few days time." Meeting her uncle's eyes, looking for a trace of reassurance, she only saw his own concern. Shaking her head in acknowledgement, she left the Headmaster's office with a heavy heart.
Out on the grounds, Narnia stood, catching her breath, bent over with her hands placed on her knees. Looking around at the group gathered, she was pleased to see that everyone's defining differences had been laid aside for an afternoon. After all, her purpose for getting everyone together had not been to maim each other with balls of snow and ice, but to work on the camaraderie between the houses. When everyone had arrived outside, she had taken charge and divided the ten students into two teams, not according to house. She and Hagrid served as team captains, while the other teachers had voiced their wishes to remain on the sidelines and they watches as, in the end, Hagrid's team took the victory.
Exhausted, the group made their way back into the castle, chattering to one another about the afternoon's event. Arriving inside, they were greeted by Professor Dumbldore who ushered them into the Great Hall for some hot chocolate. Alloweing everyone to pass, he placed a hand on Narnia's shoulder.
"It seems our young Gryffindors and Slytherins are finally learning to get along, "he stated.
Narnia followed his gaze, her own resting upon Harry Potter and Ron Weasley speaking with two second year Slytherins.
"Let's hope this new 'friendship' endures."
"Well, it is a place to begin. Shall we?" Dumbledore ushered his niece into the Great Hall, where students and professors alike were enjoying Hogwarts' finest hot chocolate.
The afternoon's recreation had served as a suitable distraction for Narnia. While freshening up before dinner, her mind now freed up from all else, focused only on one thing.
Her uncle did not need to indulge the details of Severus' whereabouts. She knew he was potentially in harm's way. Apparently, he had been at this routine for some time, prior to Narnia's knowing him, and if had walked away unscathed for this long, he was capable of looking out for himself.
Dinner was quiet this evening, despite the intimate setting of one round table seating the castle's occupants. Narnia dreaded the stiffness she would undoubtedly experience in her body tomorrow morning, but the exercise was welcomed and the exhaustion, she hoped, would provide her with a full night's rest. After finishing her meal, she made to leave the table, noticing her two sixth year Gryffindors departing as well. Wishing to speak with them, she decided to exit through the main doors.
"You, Mr. Weasley, I still say I hit you, twice, this afternoon, placing our teams at a tie," Narnia said, approaching Harry and Ron. They stopped, allowing her to join them, before continuing their stride.
"You missed Professor and we won. Perhaps you should work on your aim," Ron teased.
Narnia raised her eyebrows, grinning. "Oh really. Well, perhaps next time we will use wands and see what the outcome is."
"In that case, it may be best for me to watch," Ron stated.
Narnia chuckled and then continued, "I wanted to thank both of you and tell you now very proud I am of you for what you did today."
Ron looked confused, but Harry chimed in before he could inquire. "I'm sure once the holiday is over, things will go back to normal though."
"Everyone is aware of the enmity between Gryffindor House and Slytherin, but don't be discouraged with small steps, Harry. You've moved forward today and you may move backwards, then forward again. Just be patient. Undoubtedly, it will be awkward when the new term begins, but don't give up. Try to keep in mind the big picture."
"Trust me, Professor, I can't escape the big picture," Harry stated bitterly.
Harry's statement rendered Narnia speechless and she found they had arrived at their departing point. Stopping to turn and face them both, she placed her hand on Harry's shoulder and gently squeezed. Dropping her hand back to her side, she bid them goodnight and returned to her rooms.
Inside her quarters at last, she plopped down into the chair facing the hearth. Dazedly staring at the flames erupting within it, Harry's statement echoed through her mind. Though, by coming to Hogwarts, she had taken on a more active and important role in this war against Voldemort, her part was nothing compared to the one that Harry was playing. She willed herself to believe the outcome of it all would only be for the side of good and then, hopefully, Haryy oculd work on some sort of normal existence.
Unaware of the time spent in front of the fire, she let out a resigned sigh and stood to go to bed. Pulling the blankets snuggly around her and turning on her side, a mental image of Severus formed on the backs of her eyelids once she had closed them. He was gazing back at her with no definite expression and to the darkness of her room, she whispered, "Be safe."
Chill hung in the night air with Narnia's vision being fogged by her own breath. Realizing the familiar nature of the situation, she dropped her shoulders and without taking a moment to look around at the surrounding forest, she ran for the clearing where she knew he was receiving his death sentence. As she grew closer, she ignored caution, noticing the others standing amongst the tree line. They had become more apparent only weeks ago, but seemed as unaware of her presence as all the others. They were all hooded and standing in the shadows. Arriving at the clearing, she again saw the three men, one of them, him. He was kneeling before them as always, apparently beaten and nearly lifeless. His back was towards her and she glanced away from him, looking to the figures standing above him. One of them, the man who always raised his wand to perform the murder, was completely cloaked and Narnia was unable to make any observations of him. Before she could see anything else, a cloud passed over the moon above, shadowing all that lay below it. In the darkness, Narnia was blinded, but when the moon revealed itself again, she gasped at the sight before her. The flash of silvery white caught her eye and as the second man raised his head, she was looking into the face of Lucius Malfoy. He did not meet her eyes, but sneered at the man kneeling before him, triumphant in stature. Noticing the cloaked man reaching for his wand, she ran forward, falling to her knees, reaching out in desperation. The man kneeling, whom she had seen in her visions for nearly her entire life, lifted his head to her and her heart almost ceased beating.