"I'm sorry, My Lord. She caught me. I'll try again."
"Fool! She was eavesdropping on you questioning her friend!" Voldermort exclaimed angrily. His eyes, more like slits, Snape often thought, were narrowed if that was possible.
"I'm sorry, My Lord. I will be more careful in the future."
"In the near future."
"Yes, my lord." There was a definite note of boredom in Snape's voice now. Voldermort drew his wand out and pointed it right at Snape's chest. Snape merely observed Voldermort's anger rise within him. So what was he going to do now? Kill him? Snape fought to keep his smirk from appearing.
"Is there a particular reason for that, My Lord?" Snape asked silkily, knowing full well that if he were killed, there would be much to cover up for; Dumbledore would suspect something. However, that was not the only reason. He was the ideal spy... His skills in Dark Arts had impressed Voldermort but more importantly, Dumbledore did not know about his initiation of being a Death Eater. Voldermort had much to lose if he was killed.
"I had better return, My Lord. My presence will be missed." Snape's words sliced through Voldermorts thoughts cutting through the wintry silence.
Voldermort looked into Snapes stormy gray ones. That stormy gray puzzled Voldermort. In the magical world, it was uncommon for anyone to have such eyes as he had. Was he an oracle? They were very old, and very few in the magical community knew the exact story of the first Sorceress and Oracle, or of the powers they possessed. But one thing that they did know was that they were extremely powerful. Not even the Richly Talented or, better known as the Gifteds could ever attain one half of their ancient powers. Gifteds were rarely made, and Lord Voldermort had always prided himself as one. Until he learned that Dumbledore, that stupid Mudblood-Muggle loving fool was a Gifted like himself. Voldermort could not stand the stench of cesspit that Dumbledore carried. Four long years had he waited. A few more months did not really matter. He remembered the day he had made a deal with Snape. He knew that Snape had not needed him. It was he that needed Snape.
Outside, a fork of lightning flashed, illuminating Snape's sharp features from under his hood for a brief second. How symbolic, Snape thought as the rain outside grew steadily heavier, the raindrops beating against one of the many windows of the Malfoy Manor.
They were in the Malfoy Manor. Snape had met Voldermort out of curiosity. What did he want? How did he know of him? He did not have time to waste. But Voldermort's story had interested Snape. A Sorceress eh? Snape had never met a Sorceress before. Voldermort did not know he was an oracle. He was sure of it. Maybe it was going to be worth it after all... That night, they had made a deal, Voldermort would act as a spy for him, and as a reward, he would be let into Voldermort's inner circle of Death Eaters. The plan was put into action, and Snape entered Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as an exchange student.
She knew she had to go see Dumbledore that night. Éclair walked briskly to the Great Hall, bumping into someone.
"Hey! Watch- oh it's you Éclair."
"Hmm..."
"Where were you in Charms?"
"Did Flitwick give any homework?"
"Yea. Loads. Five whole parchments on Truth and Lie Detection and their relation. To be handed in a week from today."
"Hmm... thanks Lily."
"Hey, listen. I'm doing my essay tonight. You and Gina can come along."
"Great. Come to my study. It's opposite the Dilys portrait on the second floor. Just knock ok? See you at seven?"
"Hm.... Thanks Lily." Lily smiled in response.
Éclair met Gina in the Entrance Hall and had dinner (lamb chops, stew and mashed potatoes!), where Éclair told Gina of their plan tonight.
"Hey Lily. Thanks for doing this."
"Oh. It's no problem. And umm... James Potter and ..."
"It's ok. The more the merrier right?" Good. She was sure Snape had no idea where they were. And James and Sirius were pretty good at dueling. Lily was sure and quick at charms. Éclair was pretty confident that Snape would be no match for all 4 of them, excluding Peter. Unless he was an oracle.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Éclair asked tentatively. She looked around only to find Dumbledore's office empty.
"Hello Fawkes."
Fawkes was Dumbledore's pet phoenix. Éclair stroked his fiery plumage and looked around. Nothing much had changed since she was first in here. She watched Dumbledore's mysterious ornaments and whizzing around her. She wondered where Professor Dumbledore had gone. She hoped he would not be gone for long.
"Ah... Éclair." Éclair turned around startled. Dumbledore had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "To what do I owe to a meeting with a sorceress?" Éclair smiled at the aged headmaster. But he was more than that. He was a friend, a mentor to Éclair ever since she was told. To her, Dumbledore was a surrogate father.
"Professor..." she sat in the comfortable chintz Dumbledore had conjured and her story started pouring out; how she suspected Snape was an oracle. The hypnotism spell, the scene in the dungeon. Everything. Dumbledore asked little questions of Éclair's story.
"It's just ... I don't know how but I just know... I think he suspects me as one too," she concluded. Éclair pulled her shawl tighter around her. There was a slight pause before Dumbledore finally spoke.
"Éclair. Do you still remember the time when I told you of your lineage?"
"Yes, sir."
"Sorceress and oracles are rarely born. Few rare wizards are given those powers. Not even I, as powerful as some claim me to be can stop sorceresses or oracles. You are an exceptionally powerful one. You possess rare gifts that if not nurtured are wasted."
"I understand, Sir. But then ...if Snape isn't an oracle what is he ?" It was a bold question. But he was clearly not getting the point. She was worried about Gina, ever since the scene in the dungeon.
"I'm afraid I cannot tell you if he is one, Éclair. I do believe however, that he is acting under someone else." Voldermort, Éclair thought instantly.
"Who? Why? To find out if I'm a sorceress?"
"Those are my suspicions, yes." Dumbledore looked at Éclair over the top of his half moon glasses and continued, "Éclair, I understand that you're worried about your best friend. Meanwhile, just make sure ..." Éclair understood perfectly. She respected his reasons, whatever they were. She left Dumbledore's office and returned to Lily's head girl room.
"Hey Éclair. Are you all right? You were gone quite a while."
"I'm fine. Thanks, Gina." She bent down to complete her essay while Lily was laughing animatedly at James' jokes. Somehow Gina wasn't satisfied with her answer.
"You can tell me you know. No one goes to the toilets for twenty minutes."
"Hmm..."
"Why won't you tell me anything Éclair?" Éclair looked up from her essay into Gina's face. Tears were welling up in Gina's eyes and Éclair felt a guilty pang. Maybe it would be safer if she and Gina weren't friends. Maybe then Snape would stop questioning Gina. But she couldn't be sure. She had to come up with a good excuse for Gina and fast.
"Oh... I ran into Peeves halfway back. He was wrecking chaos on the 3rd floor and obviously the new caretaker, Filch doesn't seem to like Peeves. I took the long way ... Sorry for worrying you Gina..."
"I don't trust him much." James cut in. "Something about him..."
"Shady fellow." Sirius immediately added to James' comment.
"Slimy Slytherins" that was from Peter.
Slytherin... they had to be talking about Snape. At that moment a frown creased Éclair's brow. What did he really want? The more Éclair thought about it the more certain she was the he was an oracle. Why had Dumbledore taken it so lightly? Hadn't her opinions always mattered to Dumbledore?
Gina studied her best friend. Recently, since that Sytherin had shown up and cast his first hypnotism spell everything had started going downhill. She checked her timetable. First Friday Potions (SLY) – L. Harold. Gina gripped her timetable until her knuckles turned white.
"Gina, are you all right? You just suddenly tensed up..." Éclair touched her arm softly. Startled, Gina knocked over the ink bottle, and the crumpled timetable fell from the tight clutch.
"Oh no! My essay!"
Éclair immediately fixed it with a casual wave from her wand.
"Thanks, Éclair... I'm fine. Really." Gina was suddenly aware that everyone in the room was watching her. Had it shown that much? "I'm kinda tired Éclair. I'll finish my essay tomorrow or something."
"Yea. Ok. I'll come with you. It's getting kinda late anyway. Goodnight guys," Éclair yawned. She and Gina packed their Charms notes away and headed up to their dorm, wand in her pocket ready for a sign of anything suspicious.