Chapter 4 : The Forbidden Forest
"In case you failed to notice
In case you failed to see
This is my heart, bleeding before you
This is me down on my knees
this foolish games are tearing me apart." Foolish Games, by Jewel.
Spring 1995Spring came early, although very few had the presence of spirit to enjoy it.
Arien knew it was a bad time to be at that particular world. She talked to Dumbledore often, and he told her the tale of the modern Wizarding Wars. Seemingly lots of wizards these days were into 'conquer the world'. Voldemort was the more recent – and one of the most powerful as well. The previous had been some Grindewald, whom Dumbledore had defeated personally.
But she was feeling well, the sun was rising in the sky and Spring was burning in her veins. The golden rays of light invaded the room and the sight beyond her windows was enthralling. Arien felt the longing, standing alone in her room with her other three female classmates.
The Forbidden Forest.
The elfling ached for it so badly. From the moment Arien arrived in that weird world, she had been in noisy cities and trapped inside the solid stone walls of the castle she was growing fond of. But the child missed the woods, however dark they might be. The silent talk of the trees, real trees. She missed the wild. Without thinking too much about it, Arien left the tower. She was going to spend some glorious hours in the woods.
Severus woke up with a piercing pain in his left arm. He was being summoned. Again. At six o'clock in the morning. Voldemort was changing his habits and hell was freezing. He pulled his uniform behind his school robes and wrote a quick note to his friend, Albus Dumbledore
He had gone through his list. He had 'arranged' the death of over a dozen people, planning it carefully with the Headmaster in the dead hours of night. He spared as many lives as he could, without getting attention to himself – not that he gave a damn, even when the prospect of a painful death was not dear to him; but he wanted to be useful to Dumbledore in all ways possible. And that meant spying, investigating plans, anticipating targets, getting names. To save lives, he had to kill some.
He had seen it coming from miles, Severus Snape. He was a powerful wizard, and a very intelligent one. Damn, he was brilliant. His one mistake, the one that had cursed all his life and ruined the lives of everyone around him, was that he had once joined Voldemort. And how dearly had he paid for it.
He sent the message through a house elf, who would get it to Dumbledore within seconds. The whole staff had been warned: Hogwarts would be attacked anytime. A few hours time was all he had before the actual strike. This was the one day in which his loyalty would lay bare in the open, he knew it. Voldemort did too, the bastard. after today, he would have to officially leave the Death Eaters, for they would know he was not one of them.
He left the castle through his very own secret passage and strode to the Forbidden Forest.
Showtime.
Hermione Granger woke up feeling a sense of peace she had missed for long. She stared at the ceiling, which had golden clouds in a glorious sky and decided this was the day she was going to work hard in getting over her grieve.
The pain was still there, but she had to stop whining and do something about it. Start making plans, strategies, and fight back. She didn't want to be hiding forever.
She was a logical person, she knew she would eventually get out of Hogwarts one day.
She was a Muggleborn, and best friend of Harry Potter.
She was a target; the attack to her parents hadn't been for free.
Even if she could back down, she wouldn't. She had never had friends before she became one-third of the famous Trio. They had been through too much together, saved each other's lives more than once. She couldn't turn her back to that. And she was a Gryffindor, after all. "Their courage, nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart." The hat sang when she was sorted. Hermione didn't foresee the implications of that then, she only thought it would be cool to have McGonagall as her Head of House. But now, she was proud of being a Gryffindor.
She wouldn't grieve anymore. Crying wouldn't do her anything. It was time to move on in life. It was time to do something about her situation, analyse, plan, and act. She was good at that. Her parents wouldn't want her wandering like a zombie. They would like her to be happy. And they would like her to do what was right.
She walked resolutely to her dorm's bathroom, singing.
'These woods are so dark,' Arien thought, caressing a huge sycamore tree. There was a magical quality to the woods that fascinated her. She got the glimpse of a unicorn running – it had been so fast, a human wouldn't have noticed. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.
The trees were reluctant to let her in. It was as if they resented company of anything, even hers. She worked hard on making herself accepted. She used all the patience she got, breathing slowly and sending friendly waves of energy around. After a good ten minutes, they were less hostile.
And then something hit her. A threat. The animals of the forest run away, with little care and great hurry. Something was approaching quickly from Northeast. Arien climbed the sycamore and searched for her wand, grasping it tightly.
In that moment she saw them – still distant – a group of twenty, walking as fast as humans could. They were all dressed alike, black everything- robes, cloaks, hoods and masks. Arien scanned the trees around her, calculating the probable escape routes.
Curses flew from all directions, and the wizards were falling dead on the ground. Very few were stunned, most were killed.
"Adava Kedavra!"
"Adava Kedavra!"
"Stupefy!"
"Adava Kedavra!"
The struggle was fierce but brief. Shortly there was only one man in black still standing up- Snape.
"That was close, Albus."
"Indeed it was, my friend, indeed it was. Who was here today?" the elderly wizard replied.
"Nobody really important. I think Voldemort didn't want to risk them with a very likely traitor."
"Oh, yes. That reminds me of something... Arien, could you please come down? It's safe now."
The elfling gasped in her canopy hiding place and took a deep breath, before obliging. She landed on the ground making absolutely no noise, although she was up in a very tall tree.
"What were you doing here, child?" he said, his voice suddenly tired.
"I was just strolling..."
"because we all know the Forbiden forest is just the place for morning jogging," Snape sneered.
"The woods were calling." She replied calmly. Then, she went to Dumbledore so he would be the only one to listen. "you know I would come here sooner or later. I needed to, Albus."
"The calling of the woods! What are you, some godforsaken Celtic priestess?" Snape hissed.
"It's okay, Severus. The girl had enough for today." The headmaster said in a sad tone. "Next time, you'll call me before, won't you?"
"Alright."
"Let's go back inside. We have plenty to talk," Albus said. The Aurors went to carry – magically- the what living prisoners they had back to the castle.
"I fail to see what's so fun about this situation, Dumbledore!" Snape cried. In some dark place of his mind, he had the conviction he had lost his composure far too many times that day, but he didn't care. He had no class till after lunch, and he was anxious to settle things with
"But I am not being funny at all. What will be your situation, Severus?"
Dumbledore sat down on his armchair, Snape took the seat before him.
"He will know I've betrayed him. He was suspicious, but now he is sure. There's no way I could have been the only survivor. It's just impossible."
"But you could have died, Severus..."Dumbledore said, his old twinkling back in his eyes.
"What's your plan this time, Dumbledore?"
"What if you had, indeed, died this morning? What if I had killed you for your betrayal?"
"There is polyjuice."
"Think about it, Severus. You have done all you could. We are very thankful. But now that your disguise have been blown up, there's no use for you to go back there. Actually, you'd be killed. And I promised you that I wouldn't let that happen."
"Yes, Dumbledore. But without me getting information from inside, the war is going to be even worse than it already is. We won't know what their plan is till they strike."
"That's a given, yes. But you cannot go back, Severus. It's over, and you know it."
"I could use polyjuice to get inside again..."
"They would see it in no time. It's a scheme they have tried already. I don't want you to come to harm, old friend. If there was a chance, I'd have to say 'go for it' even if I didn't like it. But there's no way."
Dumbledore's eyes were full of concern and acceptance, just like that other night so many years ago. had it really been so long? When Snape's whole world had been upside down, and he had come to him expecting nothing but a life-sentence in Azkaban or worse. But he was accepted back. He had been given a chance. And he tried hard to make up to him, to all of them – in his own way.
"It's going to get worse, Albus. It's going to be hellish."
"And we'll be ready. I need you alive, Snape. I need someone to teach and protect these children. They are going to leave, at some point. They are going to leave this sanctuary and enter straight into a battlefield, and I want them to stand a chance." The headmaster was very serious, now.
"What will I do, then?"
"Seems that you'll be our new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Severus. I'll be busy most the time with the order of Phoenix, in any case. By the way, we have to think of another name for you. And with this..." With a wink, the headmaster took a time-turner out of his pocket "you'll be able to 'arrive' at England a little before 'Snape' dies. Then you'll just come to Hogwarts invited by Professor McGonagall, to fill in the position."
At the Common Room, the Tenacious Trio were discussing the newest attack on Howarts school of wizardry and witchcraft. The Death Eater's attempt to break into the school was highly confidential and therefore, as Dumbledore had once pointed out, the whole school knew about it.
"I can't believe I missed that!" said Hermione.
"Can you guys speak a little lower? We don't need all Gryffindors to know that!" whispered Ginny. She was seated next to Hermione, across Harry. Colin has started shooting weird glances at them, obviously curious. And in that particular guy, curiosity is something really, really dangerous. "Collin Creevey." She pointed.
"She has a point," said Hermione.
"Bugger, Mione, all Gryffindors already know!" Ron protested, just out of habit. The brunette's scalding look had the same nature.
The trio looked at the High Table, where their professors were. Well, most of them. Hagrid went in a 'secret mission' with Madam Maxime, came back at the beginning of term and then left again. They knew he was trying to make the giants not turn to Voldemort's side. Dumbledore was teaching them Defense Against the Dark Arts personally that year. Snape was not at the table either, but he didn't have all meals in the great hall, anyway. The Aurors were nowhere to be seen.
"They say Snape was killed," whispered Harry.
"The Grey Lady said Arien had seen it," Ron added. Ginny released a small cry of outrage. The four of them looked up to that weird stranger who had come from literally another planet and killed over twenty death eaters without magic. Acting out of impulse, Ginny beckoned Arien to the Gryffindor table, completely ignoring Ron's muffled protestations.
"Hello guys," she said, standing behind Ginny and leisurely running her hand through the other redheaded girl's hair. Ginny was almost- almost- getting used to the elfling's fascination with hair, and so did not squirm too much.
"Hello Arien. How are you doing?" asked Hermione, as if they were not just talking about her.
"I am well, I think." The elf frowned a little. "Is this about the attack still? Dumbledore said we have nothing to worry about now, that the danger has passed."
The four of them exchanged glances.
"Come on!" she said, laughing. "If we cannot trust Dumbledore, whom will we trust?"
"Okay." Harry said. "Is it true Snape was killed?"
"Whomever told you that?"
"That's what the portraits are saying."
"I see," Arien replied, and turned away to return to her own table. "I have to go now. Don't worry too much about this, I think the Headmaster has everything in control now."
Easter 1995.
"Ouch!"
Sarah had thrown Ginny hard on the ground.
"That's it, Sarah. Thanks," Arien said with a smile. "You see, it doesn't matter how big or strong your opponent is. If you know what you're doing, he'll be damned either way."
"Thank you so much," Ginny hissed ill-naturedly. Her back was hurting like hell. And it did nothing to improve her mood that she had been hit by a girl one head shorter and a good deal lighter.
"I do appreciate your effort, Ginny. And that leads us to some other thing..." She scanned the little crowd before her. For a month now, she had trained them what hand-to-hand combat she could remember still. She hadn't had practice or experience enough to be the best of knights, but she could stand her ground, and that was the idea. But soon there would be nothing left to teach, just endless practice.
Unless Dumbledore could find a real teacher.
Fred and George were downright friendly, and they even got serious when it was time to practice. Ginny was fighting like there was no tomorrow, and so was Harry. Ron was still guarded. Hermione, for one, seemed only resigned, although she tried hard to keep up with the others. Warming up, running, and practice with bare hands- they were not ready for weapons yet.
"Falling." She said, solemnly. "There's a technique for that. try to do just like this," she said, leaning forward slowly. She supported her weight on the back of her hand, then on her wrist, arm and shoulder, through a diagonal imaginary line on her back and landed on a half-kneeled fighting position. "From here, you can either stand up, or fight kneeled if needs be. Shall we try this? Go on rolling till the wall, and on the way back, change the side?" Arien allowed a little insecurity show at the end of the sentence. She felt awkward on commanding older wizards, or anyone at all –she'd always been independent, and found this whole team-work talk very complicated.
They went rolling to the wall and back. Then she showed then how to fall leaning backwards, and repeated the process.
"All right. Now, get a pair and let's practice the blocking techniques, all right. Hmm... no, Fred, come here, stay with Harry..." She asked his permission with her eyes. "And Ron with Sarah... George and Carl...Ginny and Hermione... all right, alter attacking and blocking between you. Start now."
'This is ridiculous. They're all halfway to be powerful wizards, and here I am, telling them to roll on their backs and blocks, grip and kick... I must be out of my mind... they actually try so hard.' she chuckled quietly. Harry gripped Fred's wrist, pulling it behind his back – the tall redheaded boy cried to stop now. It was the time in which he should let go and switch places.
"Go on, Harry. Fred, try to break loose." A sly, wicked grin beamed in her face as the boys' surprise. They went on, of course, with lots of cursing. She loved to make them go further, further than even they thought possible. And they were improving. In three months or so they'd be ready to start practicing with blades. She felt inadequate, and very small, but still... it was so much fun!
And it was not as if they didn't make it up to her when they came to teach her wizard duelling at night. Not at all. Her legs were still aching from the 'tantalegro" Hermione had cast on her last week. Maybe she should put her to fight with George... it was definitely a possibility.
"Ginny, you're not concentrating." Came the soft voice before her.
"Sorry. It's just that I had a bad day." she sighed.
"Has the new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts kicked your –what's the words Ron uses?-"
"Please! Don't go around repeating the words Ron uses. Mom would have a heart attack if she heard you. And she'd probably wash your mouth with soap bar."
"Ught."
"Exactly."
"Was he hard on you today?" she smiled slyly. The girl was definitely a child – very much like Fred and George. Just that she didn't play practical jokes on people.
"You know something we don't, do you?"
"Absolutely" that could meant either yes or no.
' Just let it pass, I'm not in the mood today.'
"No, Mr. Leal was just nice. We had a very pleasant class about vampires."
"Wasn't that a third year subject?"
"It's a long story. We had only two decent professors, Professor Lupin and Professor Moody... but Moody was an impostor... geez, the second decent teacher we ever had was an impostor." She laughed, a lifeless laugh. "So we have a lot to catch up."
"Oh." Was the only response.
Ginny lowered her wand. They'd been duelling for nearly two hours, she was tired. Not just because of the physical excercise, but because she felt empty.
"You look terrible. Maybe you should go to bed?" Arien suggested.
"It's just that... oh, never mind, you're so young..."
"I'm very young, but I am still older than you, Ginny."
"Oh... well, I keep forgetting that."
"It's okay... that's the idea, isn't it?"
"Have you ever..."
"Been in love?" Arien completed quietly, "like you are with Harry?"
"How do you know?"
"It's the way you look at him"
"Life is a bitch." She whispered.
"Don't let Molly listen to that," Arien stated solemnly. Both chuckled.
"I've been in love with him before I even liked guys."
"But he doesn't return your feelings, right?"
"No."
"There are other boys in the world, you know?"
"But they're not Harry Potter. They're not him."
"Let's make this a war strategy matter. Do you think this is a fortress you could possibly conquer? Be honest."
"Honest? ... No. This one, I couldn't."
"Then you know what to do."
"Stay at the gate till I starve?"
"Go back to your base, strengthen your army, and choose a fortress you could take down."
"Easier said than done."
"Who said life is easy? But you know, living among humans made me think like them in a way. And the good thing about the humans is that, when they fall, they stand up, clean the dust, and try it again. Elves, for all I heard mom say, would more likely grieve to death."
"Grieve to death?
"Haven't I told you? Elves will not die of illness, they don't age, they don't get sick. They're the bloody perfection incarnated. They only die when they're killed, or when their hearts are broken. Some of them can just grieve for a while, mourning as they feel like, and then go back to life. But plenty die of a broken heart."
"I feel like that."
"But you won't. You're human, Ginny. Humans are resilient. They get over it. Some of these days, you'll wake up and realize it's gone. And then you'll be available again."
"Do you think you could die like that? Of sadness, I mean." Ginny said after a moment's silence.
"I like to think I've inherited the human's strength in this particular field. After all, I've survived my family's death, and it hurt a lot. Still does, actually."
"You survived that. Harry survived losing his parents either, and living with those horrible relatives of his... and here I am, crying because a guy doesn't fancy me. How low could I sink?"
"Hey! We're teenagers, right? We have the right of overreact. You're a really special person, Virginia. Now go back to bed. We get up at four."
"I was at the bottom, and you just remind me of the one thing that could make me worse. Thank you so very much..."
.::('')::..::('')::..::('')::..::('')::..::('')::..::('')::..::('')::..::('')::.
A.N:
Snape's new name is Mr. Leal. It's the Portuguese word for trustworthy, faithful, reliable, loyal.
Ginny is a bit spicy in this chapters. But she's growing up, and therefore getting more mature. I presume that the practice of sports helps one on being more self-assured, confident. And remember Ron said that Ginny was really outspoken (you couldn't make her shut up); getting shy only when Harry was around...