"Are sure this is exact?" Dumbledore asked, with a hint of nervousness in his voice. "It just seems like you rushed it."
"Dumbledore, I followed the instructions perfectly," Severus told him. Severus cleared his throat and said, "Just as a reminder, this isn't a hundred percent accurate. There still chance this person still won't understand English."
"I know, but we still have to try," Dumbledore told him.
"So where is this person, and do they have a name?" Severus asked.
"Yes, her name is Kyla O'Connor and she's at the Burrow," Dumbledore told him.
"But isn't she that-" Severus stated.
"Yes," Dumbledore told him, cutting him off.
"But, what is she doing there?" Severus asked.
"I'm hoping this potion can tell us," Dumbledore explained.
Kyla and Ron sat on the couch waiting for Dumbledore to show up with the potion. Kyla sat up straight, and lightly tapped her forefingers on her lap. Ron slouched back in the couch and watched Kyla. She was sitting up straight, and Ron could tell she was nervous. When she wasn't drumming on her legs, she had her fingers interlocked and placed her hand on her lap. Ron also noticed that her ankles were crossed, and she was sitting perfectly still. Ron tried sitting with good posture, but gave up soon after. He watched as Kyla brought her nails up to her mouth, but then quickly brought them down again. She went to fiddle with her hair, but then quickly stopped. She leaned back to slouch, waited a couple seconds, and then sat up straight again. She would start to do some things, then stop and sit proper again. Ron found these movements funny, and tried his best not to laugh at her.
Kyla turned to him and asked, "Qué?"
Ron thought about the word he wanted to use, and said, "Tú estas puta."
Kyla's mouth dropped in horror, and she glared at him. He looked at her confused, and she started to giggle. She took the Spanish-English dictionary and showed him the word puta. Ron looked it over and saw it meant hooker. He gasped and gave her an apologetic look, mixed with horror. He tried to say something, but all he made was gasping noises. Kyla kept laughing at him and tried to tell him that it was all right. Ron felt bad so he tried to complement her by saying, "Tú estas muy barata."
Kyla started to laugh even harder. She took the book again, and showed him the word barata. Ron looked at it and realized it meant cheap. Ron started hitting his forehead with the dictionary and said, "I should just stop talking."
Kyla placed her hand on his shoulder and tried to say something, but was laughing too hard. She eventually got out, "Yo no puedo creer que tú me llamó una puta barata." Ron grimaced, and Kyla gave him a smile instead of a slap he was expecting. She laughed again and said, "Gracias."
Just then two consecutive figures came out of the fireplace, causing the soot from the fireplace to rise in a puff. The cloud of soot soon found its way over to Ron and Kyla. Ron and Kyla started coughing and when the cloud disparate they were covered in black soot. Kyla look over herself with dismay, and then looked at Ron. The corner of her lips started to twitch, and then she broke out into a smile. She wiped away some of the soot from Ron's nose, revealing freckles. She started laughing, and soon Ron joined in with her. They laughed so hard that Kyla got the hiccups. She slummed back in the couch, laughing and then hiccupping and then laughing again. Ron tried to ask if she wanted some water, but he was laughing too hard.
Molly came over to see what all the laughter. As she saw the mess, she took her apron, spit on it and started wiping Ron's face. Ron tried to pull away and said, "Hey, stop it Mum."
Kyla started laughing even harder, until Molly did the same thing to her. When Molly was satisfied that Kyla and Ron's faces were clean enough, she went over to greeted Albus and Severus. Albus shook her hand and said, "So sorry for the mess. Here, let me help with it." Albus pointed his wand at the couch and said, "Sucrify."
With a quick blue flash, the entire room was free of soot and Ron and Kyla were fully clean. Ron and Kyla looked up at Albus and Snape. As Ron eyes fell on Severus, they narrowed and Kyla could have sworn she heard a low growl. Kyla also stared at Severus, who was staring back at her intently. Kyla could feel his eyes burn into hers. She turned away from him, but could still the heat from his fiery gaze. Finally, Albus said, "Severus, I think it is time we give her the potion."
"Right Headmaster," Severus said, finally tearing his eyes away from her. He poured out some of the potion he brought with him, into a silver flask. He handed it to her, and waited for to take it. She glanced from the foaming flask, to Severus, to Dumbledore, and finally, to Ron. She looked at Ron pleadingly, and he understood.
"Um, headmaster," Ron started, and everyone except Severus looked at him. He cleared his throat and asked, "How do you know this won't hurt her, or make her lose her voice?"
"It's completely safe," Dumbledore told him.
Ron turned his head to Kyla and nodded. Kyla took the flask from Severus, and gave it a questioning look. Ron held her hand and gave it a small squeeze. She took a deep breath and took a small sip. Oddly enough, it tasted like apple and cranberry juice combined. She smiled and took a larger sip this time. The second time it tasted like gym socks. Kyla started coughing, but still took another, smaller sip. The smaller the sips, the better it taste, and after a couple small sips, Kyla was done.
Severus took the flask back and asked, "I think another cup full should do it, don't you?"
"Half a cup," Albus told him.
Severus nodded, and measured out the amount and gave it back to Kyla. She drank it, and put the flask down. They all stared at her, waiting for a reaction. She looked at them and shrugged. Then she licked her lips, and started to feel light headed. She blinked a couple times, and could have sworn she heard a little girl crying out for her grandparents. In fact, she could see a little girl, with lots of freckles, curled up in a ball crying. The girl was clutching a silver charm on a silver chain, and cried out for her grandfather. A little boy came over to her, called her a name and laughed. The little girl stopped crying and punched the boy. Kyla smiled at this imaged and could feel her eyelids dropping. She let sleep over come her.
Ron watched as Kyla kept blinking, and eventually her eyelids closed as her face lit up with a smile. Ron smiled back at her even though she couldn't see it. Kyla's body started to sway back and fourth until she fell on top of Ron. Ron jumped as Kyla's head landed on his shoulder, but he soon relaxed and let her sleep on him.
Ron was too busy with Kyla to notice that Severus had pulled Albus over to the corner. Severus said, in a low coarse whisper, "That's her! She is so young."
"Yes, she just turned the legal age," Albus informed him.
"But… but," Severus stuttered. He paused took a deep breath and said, "What will happen after this potion, if it works?"
"We can't send her back," Albus told him. "I was thinking, Hogwarts."
"We can't have her at the castle," Severus remarked angrily.
"But we can, and we will if this works," Albus told him.
"What ever you think is best, Headmaster," Severus replied with a plastered smile.
"If you want to leave and go back to you wife, you can," Albus told him.
"I'll wait till she wakes up," Severus told him.
"Can I offer either of you two coffee or tea?" Molly asked, coming out of the kitchen.
"Yes, that would be great," Albus told her following her into the kitchen.
Severus paused for a second, and watched Kyla. Ron knew that look, it was a look he had seen Snape give Harry many times before. It was a look of extreme hate, a look that said he loathed the person. Ron wrapped his arms around Kyla and gave her a gentle squeeze. She smiled and moaned softly, but repositioned herself and let out a sigh. Ron soon found his eyelids also start to droop. He let out a yawn and closed his eyes.
A high pitch buzz woke up Kyla. She opened her eyes and saw it was late at night. She kept her head perfectly still, and looked around with her eyes. There were four figures sitting in chairs surrounding her. One of them appeared to be asleep. The other three were chatting away. Kyla felt at peace and closed her eyes again. She still heard a faint high pitch ringing in ears, but it soon died down and she heard the conversation of the three figures.
"Aw, don't they make such a cute couple," a female voice said.
"Molly, don't give them any ideas," said a male, light-hearted voice.
"I think they are adorable together," the female voice defended.
"Molly, I wouldn't get to attached to this picture, she will eventually have to go home," a new, quite, soothing voice said.
"Dumbledore, how did you know her grandfather?" the male voice asked.
"We went to school together," the person, Kyla assumed was Dumbledore, said. Kyla could just envision this man stroking his chin with a smile."He andI became best friends, and both of us fell in love with the same girl. He got her, but we still managed to stay friends. Then the days of Voldemort came, and Danniel told me he would be a spy for me. He was the first double agent, and almost succeeded. He was found out a week before Voldemort's downfall. We never found out if he escaped alive, but I've heard rumors that he did."
Kyla felt tears forming at her eyes, and tried her best not to let them escape. The female voice asked, "Dumbledore, what happen to all the information that Danniel collected?"
"Another rumor," Albus said. "Some said that his memory was wiped clean, other said that he never found out any secrets worth while. I know he knew something, but I just don't know what."
"Where would he had put his secrets?" the female voice asked.
"No one knows," Albus told her. "He mention something to me about a lucky charm, but I never found it."
Kyla turned her head to the other side, hiding the tears that streamed down her face. She silently sobbed, not making any noise. She felt something under her head start to stir. She lifted up her head and saw she had collapse on Ron. Ron woke up, revealing dazzling blue eyes. He smiled when he saw she was awake. Kyla felt a sudden rush of blood to her face. She sat up quickly and turned away, wiping the away her tears. Ron moaned and said softly, "Morning."
The three figures quickly turned and looked at the couch. Albus went over to Kyla and asked, "Tú está bien?" Kyla gave him a look of confusion, and Albus asked, "Entiende tú lo que digo?"
Kyla shook her head. Molly smiled and asked, "You don't understand Spanish?"
Kyla shook her head and Molly, Arthur, and Albus sighed in relief. Kyla gave them a bewildered look and asked, "Qué pasa?"
"The potion worked, you can hear and understand English," Molly told her.
Kyla smiled and Molly hugged her. Kyla gasped as Molly hugged her, but soon she smiled even broader then before. As Molly pulled away, she noticed Kyla had been crying. Molly wiped a tear away and asked, "Honey, why were you crying?"
Kyla smile at Molly's kindness and told her, "Mi papa, yo lo pierdo."
"You miss Danniel," Albus clarified. Kyla nodded, and Albus walked over to a sleeping Severus. Albus shook him lightly and said, "Severus, she's up."
Severus woke with a jolt, and then looked at Kyla. He cleared his throat and asked, "Can you understand what I'm saying?" Kyla nodded, and then he asked, "Can you say anything in English?"
Kyla tried to say something, but found out she couldn't. She said shook her head. He got up and said, "Ok, I have to go now. I'll come back an check on her in about a week."
He bided goodbye to them and then left. After he left Molly suggested, "Ron, why don't you show Kyla a room she can sleep in."
Ron nodded, and motioned her to follow him. As they walked up the stairs he said, "There is Percy's old room; he never used it." Kyla giggled at that comment and Ron smiled. As they reached the door Ron said, "Well, here it is. It is kind of small, but it private."
Kyla shrugged and said, "Gracias."
"Well, good night, see you in the morning," Ron told her.
"Beuno noches," she told him with a smile. "Y gracias para todo."
Ron nodded, even though he only had a slight clue what she said, it was worth it to see that smile.
A/N: What up? thanks to everyone who review! I would list your name but it is 11:54 pm at night, so I'm going to bed after I post this chapter. However, you know what would make me happy? waking up with some reviews (even if they are flames!). ok, nighty-nighty! thanks for reading!
