MAELSTROM

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE-CARRIE'S DOWNFALL

JENNA.

Hermione, Harry and I had been in the library trying to get through all of our extra work.

Professor McGonagall had come and got Dad.

I had hoped nothing was wrong.

Hagrid had come by and asked us to see him later. He looked a bit shifty and we began wondering what on earth he was hiding under his moleskin overcoat.

We agreed.

Just then, Dad came back into the library looking extremely upset.

"Dad? What is it?" I asked alarmed.

Hermione and Harry looked up as well.

"Your mother," Dad choked out. "Someone hit her with a Memory Eraser potion in a dart. She was in Snape's office."

"Oh no," Hermione said looking crestfallen.

"It was Snape," Dad continued looking enraged.

Hermione, Harry and I looked at each other.

"I don't think so," Hermione said slowly. "That Potion is extremely hard to make…not to mention about 50 of the ingredients used in it Snape doesn't have."

"I know it was him," Dad growled.

At that moment, Snape appeared in the library.

"Get away from me," Dad snarled his eyes flashing.

"I just want to make sure they heard about Carrie," Snape said stiffly gesturing to the three of us.

"You did this," Dad spat.

"Why on earth would I want to hurt Carrie?" Snape shot back. "What motive would I have? You forget Lupin; we all went to school together."

"Don't remind me," Dad said nastily.

"Dad," I scolded as I got up.

Dad didn't seem to hear me.

"Professor Snape?" Hermione said in a shaky voice. "What exactly happened in the office? If I may ask."

Snape turned his dark eyes onto hers.

"Carrie and I were talking about Quirrell. He's acting oddly and I think he's up to something. Then, she cried out and the dart was embedded in her neck," Snape said slowly, but it wasn't in a nasty tone.

"That's because he put it there," Dad rasped.

"I would never hurt her!" Snape retorted back angrily. "I care about her just as much as you do!"

This came as a bit of a shock to us, but we quickly got over it.

Dad ignored him and lunged for him.

"DAD NO!" I screamed.

Harry was out of his seat in a flash and managed to grab Dad around his waist and retrained him.

Harry was pretty strong for his size.

"You're not thinking rationally!" I said stepping in-between Dad and Snape. "Why would he want to hurt Mom now even after helping her with the wolf end of the situation? Huh? It doesn't make sense!"

"Because he was once on Voldemort's side!" Dad hissed. "I don't trust him like your mother does."

"Dad," I said in softer tone. "Mum's judgment is usually right? Right? I've come to trust Mum fully and her feelings. I'm surprised you haven't yet."

Dad broke free of Harry's grip and absentmindedly shoved me out of the way.

I landed hard on my arm and side. I heard a sickening crack and sharp pain shoot up my arm. I cried out and sat on the floor, cradling my arm.

Snape's eyes moved from Dad to me, back to Dad.

"You do know that you just hurt your daughter," Snape said quietly.

"If Carrie doesn't get better I'm coming after you…no doubt about it," Dad hissed and brushed past Snape, jostling him.

Hermione and Harry crouched down beside me.

To our surprise, so did Snape.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

"My elbow," I sobbed. "It hurts badly."

"Let me see," he said.

He gently took it and examined it.

"It's broken," he said quietly. "Come on you three…I'll take you to Madam Pomfrey. She can talk to you more about your Mum, Jenna."

He gently helped me to my feet and kept an arm around my shoulders. From the looks on Harry and Hermione's faces, I gathered they weren't used to seeing this 'human' side of Snape.

Madam Pomfrey came to the conclusion that Carrie's memory would return. It was apparently a 'warning' of some sort.

Relief flooded over us.

Dad was still pissed at Snape…but Hermione, Harry and I believed Snape didn't do it.

The next day, Carrie's memory returned fully. She gave Snape a hug much to our surprise and reassured him that she knew it wasn't him that poisoned her. We had completely forgotten to see Hagrid. When we told him the next day, he understood but still seemed shifty whenever we asked him what he wanted to show us. That was later answered by Malfoy…a baby dragon.

CARRIE.

Poor Snape. I felt awful for him. Remus was still accusing him of poisoning me. Remus would avoid him at all costs.

And Remus felt even worse for breaking Jenna's arm, which hung in a sling and her left arm was cradled against her body. The sling was magical…it was slowly mending the bones back together.

Malfoy had seen Hagrid's 'pet'…a baby dragon which was sent off to Romania.

Jenna, Hermione, Harry and I were talking to Snape that night in his office. Harry kept watch out in the corridor for anyone walking around at that hour.

"I don't understand why Remus is so quick to blame you," I said sadly.

Snape sighed.

"I know I'm not exactly 'cheery' or 'trustworthy' but maybe he just feels I have reason to harm you. And I know the students despise me."

He looked at Jenna, Hermione and Harry, who went pale and lowered their eyes.

"You are too, trustworthy," I said shocked. "And why would you harm me?"

Snape shrugged.

"I wouldn't that's the thing,"

Suddenly, my eyes slid out of focus and I went rigid.

SNAPE.

Carrie was having another vision. We waited patiently for her to come out of it.

When she came out of it, she gasped and shook herself.

"What did you see?" I demanded leaning forward.

She raised her eyes to mine.

"You're right," she said quietly. "It is…"

"Mr. Lupin is coming!" Harry whispered.

"You three get back to the common room," Carrie said.

They tore from the office and we heard them running down the corridor.

"Who is it?" I prodded.

"Quirrell," she whispered.

"Let's go head him off then," I said getting up from my desk.

She nodded.

Just as we stepped out of my office, we bumped into Remus.

"Hi Carrie, Severus," he said.

"Hi!" Carrie said brightly. "We're just going for a walk. Care to join us?"

"No," Remus said firmly, but then his tone changed and softened. "I just want to apologize to Severus. I should've known he wouldn't harm you."

"It's okay," Carrie said as she gave Remus a hug and kiss.

Remus and I shook hands.

"I'm heading down to the kitchen…a bit hungry," Remus said.

"See you later," Carrie beamed.

Remus headed off down the corridor.

"Let's go,"

We hurried up the corridor, which were dark with shadows and a blast of cold air rattled through making us shiver.

Quirrell's office was down the other end.

Just as Carrie was about to knock on the door, the door burst open and something shot out at her like a dagger.

She remained standing. I stepped beside her and looked at her in horror.

A long, blade was lodged in her chest. Blood began staining the light blue peasant style blouse she had on.

A figure dressed in a black cape with heavily hooded eyes streaked out of Quirrell's office and disappeared into the darkness.

Quirrell wasn't in his office.

Carrie grabbed my arm in reflex.

"Oh no," I said as she began sinking to her knees.

"Don't tell the kids about Quirrell…he might go after them," Carrie choked out as she laid down on her back. I kept one arm under her neck for support.

I felt a lump rising in the back of my throat.

"I won't,"

"Tell Remus, Jenna, Hermione and Harry that I love them," she began coughing up blood, which flowed onto the sleeve of my robe.

I nodded that I would and forced back tears.

Her head lolled to the left on my arm and the light went out in her eyes. She was motionless.

Just then, Professor Quirrell arrived.

"O-oh, n-no," he stuttered looking pale and sick. "W-what h-happened?"

"Get Mr. Lupin and Professor Dumbledore!" I snapped.

He took off.

But I felt the tears sliding down my cheeks.

JENNA.

Mum didn't come back to the common room that night. The next morning though, we met a grave looking Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape in the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione and Harry stood on either side of me.

"What's going on?" I demanded anxiously.

"Sit," Professor Dumbledore said quietly. "All three of you."

Bemused, Hermione, Harry and I sat down on the couch.

"I have some rather distressing news," Dumbledore continued in the same quiet tone. "I'm afraid that Carrie is dead."

That hit me like a ton of bricks.

My eyes rolled up into my head as I slid off the table. I fainted.

"Jenna?" a voice said from somewhere above me.

I groggily opened my eyes and stared up into the faces of Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Dad, Hermione and Harry.

Hermione had tears in her eyes and they began streaking down her cheeks.

Harry had his arm around her comfortingly.

"Mum's…dead?" I asked blandly blinking.

"I'm afraid so," Professor McGonagall said quietly as tears formed in her eyes as well.

Professor Snape helped me to my feet.

"What happened?" I asked as tears streamed down my cheeks. "I thought everything would be okay!"

"Carrie had another vision," Professor Snape said quietly. "She was in my office. We went to check on something and someone burst out of Professor Quirrell's office with a knife of some sort and it lodged in her chest."

Snape looked at me. To my surprise there was pain his dark eyes and a faint glistening of tears.

"You can blame me if you want," he said quietly. "Your father already did before."

"It's not your fault, Severus," Professor Dumbledore said softly and gently.

I burst into tears. Hermione and Harry rushed forward and gave me a tight group hug.

I pressed my face into Harry's shoulder and cried.

"Your father is very angry right now," Professor McGonagall said to me. "We're going to give him a Calming Draught. He's not thinking rationally and I'm afraid he might do something rash."

"You three will be excused from classes for the week," Professor Dumbledore said gently as he put a hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze before he and McGonagall left, but Snape remained behind.

After it felt like hours that I cried, I turned to Snape.

"I don't blame you," I said choking back tears.

I gave him a quick hug, much to his surprise before the three of us headed down to breakfast.

The Hall was buzzing that morning. Hermione, Harry and I sat down at the Gryffindor table. Immediately, Neville realized something was wrong.

He asked me what happened. I told him.

He put his arm around me comfortingly.

Professor Dumbledore made the announcement about Mum. The Hall immediately fell silent. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs offered their condolences.

We met Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle on the way to back to the common room. They were heading to their classes.

"I bet you're happy now you sick bastard," I snarled at Malfoy as tears streamed down my cheeks.

Both he, Crabbe and Goyle looked at me confused and shocked.

"My Mum's dead. No more mixed blood," I spat.

Malfoy's face drained of all color.

Without waiting for a response, I clenched my fist and punched him in the face.

"Now try picking on someone who gives a shit," I spat.

Malfoy hobbled off clutching his nose which had begun to bleed badly. Goyle and Crabbe helped him to the hospital wing.

Dad was in a state of rage. We bumped into him as he cornered Snape in the corridor. I had wanted to go to the library to get a book on werewolves. Dad had his wand at Snape's throat.

"I bet you set this up you filthy little shit," Dad was snarling at Snape.

"Dad no!" I cried as Hermione, Harry and I rushed forward and I stepped in front of Dad's wand.

"He had nothing to do with it! There's someone else here that's doing everything and that killed Mum!" I cried as I threw my arm out at my side shielding Snape.

Hermione and Harry watched anxiously.

"Think about it!" Dad snapped. "Mum dies in Snape's company…fishy?"

"Dad, it's someone else here doing these things…I know it okay? Trust me…Snape had nothing to do with it!" I said in a pleading tone.

Tears began forming in my eyes.

Dad pressed the tip of his wand tighter against Snape's throat. At that, I reached into my own robe and pulled out my wand, aiming it at Dad.

This was the hardest thing I had to do in my life, but Dad was so distraught over Mum that he clearly wasn't thinking right.

Hermione clutched Harry's arm.

"Dad, lower your wand," I said keeping mine aimed at him. "Snape would never hurt Mum. You guys go way back."

Dad stood for a moment breathing heavily before he began breaking down. He lowered his wand and sank to his knees. He broke down. I lowered mine and threw my arms around him.

We hugged each other for a while.

"I miss Carrie," Dad sobbed.

"Me too," I sobbed.