Chapter 22: Reconciliation in the Midst of Terror.
"You look terrible," said Remus as Accalia opened the door to him the next morning.
"Thanks!" murmured Accalia sarcastically.
"I didn't mean it like that! Did you sleep at all?" asked Remus concernedly.
"Couple of hours," yawned Accalia as Remus followed her into her room.
"Accalia, you should have stayed with me last night," whispered Remus pushing a strand of hair from Accalia's face.
"I just needed to be on my own," whispered Accalia disappearing into the bathroom.
Accalia splashed water on to her face trying to wake herself up. As she stood up she saw Remus in the mirror, standing in the doorway.
"You can't teach today. You'll be falling asleep in class," said Remus.
"Who will teach my class?" asked Accalia turning to Remus.
"I will," said Remus.
"Remus, are you sure?" said Accalia walking up to Remus.
"Of course," smiled Remus.
Without warning Remus scooped Accalia up into his arms and carried Accalia over to the bed.
"What are you doing?" laughed Accalia.
"Putting you to bed," smiled Remus pulling the covers over her.
Remus kissed Accalia on the forehead. Accalia, on the other hand, had other ideas and pulled Remus down to kiss her straight on the lips.
"Accalia I need to get some breakfast," protested Remus as Accalia pushed him back onto the bed. Accalia ignored him and straddled his hips.
"Accalia I'll be late for class," exclaimed Remus not protesting as much as he was.
"Then be late," purred Accalia into Remus's ear.
--
"Sorry I'm late," apologised Remus rushing into the DADA classroom, "I was unexpectedly delayed!"
Hermione's hand shot up as soon as Remus sat down at his desk.
"Yes Hermione?" enquired Remus.
"Is Accalia okay? After last night I mean," asked Hermione.
"She's fine. Just tired," smiled Remus, "I'll be teaching all her classes today as well."
"Oh and Remus? You've got lipstick on your cheek!" sniggered Hermione pointing to her left cheek.
"Oh! Thank you for pointing that out," smiled Remus embarrassed rubbing his cheek.
"Unexpectedly delayed, Remus?" laughed Ron.
"Yes Ron, delayed!" said Remus who couldn't help but smile. He was rather glad he had missed breakfast.
--
Accalia couldn't bear to see her brother the week after the ball. Remus had been great. He had got some of Hogwarts house elf to bring her meals to her room.
But even Accalia knew she couldn't live like this. She was only leaving her room for lessons. It was so stupid, it was like she was scared of her own brother.
That evening there was a knock on her door.
"Hagrid?" exclaimed Accalia surprised, "What you doing down here? Come in!"
"Sorry, 'ccalia thanks but I can't stop. I was jus' visiting Dumbledore. He wants to see you in 'is office," smiled Hagrid.
"Oh okay," smiled Accalia reaching back to get her robe from the hook next to the door.
"'Ccalia? I just want you to know. What your brother has done, 'e was out of order. Everybody can see you and Remus are meant for each other," smiled Hagrid.
"Thank you Hagrid," smiled Accalia, "That means a lot."
--
"You wanted to see…" began Accalia as she entered the office before trailing off as she saw her brother sitting in the chair in front of her.
Snape automatically stood up.
"I'm leaving!" exclaimed Accalia and Snape simultaneously.
"Both of you sit down. NOW!" ordered Dumbledore raising his voice.
Accalia had never heard Dumbledore raise his voice before. Both she and Snape sat down straight away in surprise.
"I have never met anybody as stubborn as you two! Both of you are not leaving until you sort of this out," Dumbledore made clear.
Dumbledore sat back in his seat and looked at the pair through his half-moon spectacles.
Accalia not daring to look at her brother spoke first,
"Why did you make me choose?"
"I don't know," murmured Snape.
"Why did you make me choose Severus?!" exclaimed Accalia.
"I didn't want to lose you…" sighed Snape "And now I have…"
They didn't notice Dumbledore disappear into his second office.
"You haven't lost me! I'm right here!" said Accalia feeling slight tears sting her eyes, "You didn't have to make me choose! I only made a choice because you made me! Please don't tell me you still hold a grudge for a stupid prank that happened twenty years ago!"
"Lupin told you about that?" murmured Snape.
"Of course he did! We tell each other everything. It wasn't his fault! Even Remus admits it was for the most part Sirius and James's mistake! Please Severus, don't punish Remus and me for it!" implored Accalia.
"I've been a complete idiot haven't I?" said Snape.
"Yes. A complete idiot!" sniffed Accalia wiping a tear away.
"You really do love him don't you?" sighed Snape.
At that moment Accalia couldn't find the words to describe what she felt for Remus, she just nodded and smiled.
"And he loves you?" stated Snape.
"He said so didn't he?" said Accalia.
"I'm sorry," whispered Snape.
Accalia looked at her brother in total surprise.
"You're what?" breathed Accalia in disbelief. Severus never apologised… for anything!
"I'm sorry Accalia, I'm so sorry," breathed Snape who looked like he was going to cry, "I shouldn't have made you choose. I've been such a fool. You must hate me!"
"I don't hate you. You're my brother, I don't think I could ever hate you. I'm just disappointed, that's all," smiled Accalia pulling her brother into her arms.
"Can you forgive me?" whispered Snape.
"Yes. But really…I'm not happy about what you did to Remus. He didn't fight you back but if he had…He could have killed you Severus, with one punch. But you know he's not like that and you used that to your advantage," said Accalia pulling away to look at her brother
"You're right. And I feel so ashamed for doing that. I shouldn't have done that to him," admitted Snape in earnest.
"I need to know though…" began Accalia, "If you see how happy he makes me…how he makes me feel. Can you accept mine and Remus's relationship?"
"I guess I'll have to," said Snape.
"But…can you accept Remus? You're not seventeen anymore. Just forgive and forget. Please?" whispered Accalia.
"I'll try… I will try… For you Accalia," said Snape sincerely.
"For me," whispered Accalia smiling properly for the first time in a week and pulling Snape back into an embrace.
"Ah I see you two have resolved your differences. Good, good," smiled Dumbledore returning to the room.
Suddenly an echoing shot resonated from the other side of the castle.
Accalia looked at Snape then at Dumbledore and then back at Snape.
"What was that?" whispered Snape.
"I'm not sure," said Accalia standing up.
As Accalia left the office Snape and Dumbledore quickly followed her.
"Accalia! Wait!" called Snape after her as they rushed down the hallway.
But Accalia wasn't listening she didn't exactly know why but she had a bad feeling about this. All she could hear was her own heart beating in her head and footsteps.
Her brothers, Dumbledore's, hers and…there was another set… just about to come round the corner, fast.
"Hermione?" whispered Accalia as she turned the corner to see the teenager racing towards her down the corridor.
"Accalia!" breathed Hermione as she ran up to her.
"Hermione, what is it? What's happened?" questioned Accalia.
"Accalia…" sniffed Hermione, her eyes stinging with tears.
"Spit it out Miss Granger!" exclaimed Snape.
"Severus," warned Dumbledore.
"Hermione, please, you're scaring me!" whispered Accalia.
"It's Draco Malfoy…" whimpered Hermione, "He's shot Remus!"
Accalia stopped breathing and looked straight at Hermione.
"Where are they?" whispered Accalia.
"In the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom," answered Hermione.
And with that Accalia took off down the corridor.
--
When Accalia arrived outside the classroom a crowd had gathered.
"Move out of my way!" exclaimed Accalia, "Let me through!"
People quickly moved out of the way for her.
Accalia entered the room and mindlessly surveyed the scene.
Malfoy was unconscious on the floor ropes wrapped around his arms and legs. Harry and Ron were standing over Malfoy, their wands and gaze never wavering from him. That was until Harry saw Accalia.
"Accalia," whispered Harry as she moved passed him.
Accalia breathed in sharply as she saw Madame Pomfrey kneeling in front of Remus, pressing dressing onto the bleeding wound on his stomach.
"Accalia…" murmured Remus.
Accalia kneeled down next to Remus and brushed the hair from his forehead.
"I'm here," whispered Accalia.
"I'm sorry," whispered Remus.
"What?" asked Accalia ignoring the tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I knew… something like this would happen," struggled Remus.
"How could you have known?" whispered Accalia.
"He told me… He told me he'd make me pay for…" gasped Remus as Madame Pomfrey pressed down harder onto his stomach.
"Pay for what?" whispered Accalia.
"For what happened to his father. The Ministry was stupid to think that…Lucius wouldn't get…news to Draco about who was on the jury…I should have told you. I was stupid," breathed Remus.
"It's not your fault," whispered Accalia still stroking his hair.
"Accalia," came Madame Pomfrey's voice, "Please can you hold this down for me. I need to talk to Albus."
"Of course Poppy," said Accalia taking over the role.
Accalia couldn't help but lift the blood sodden dressing. The wound was bleeding heavily as though it would never stop. Suddenly she knew it wouldn't as she saw a flash of silver in the wound. She quickly replaced the dressing back.
"Accalia? What is it?" whispered Remus seeing her reaction.
Accalia sobbed. She didn't look at him.
"It's silver," whispered Accalia, "The bullet is silver."
"I know," gulped Remus closing his eyes.
"Remus?" exclaimed Accalia, "Remus!"
"I'm so sorry," whispered Remus through hooded eyes.
"There's nothing to be sorry about. Listen Remus, you can't leave me," sobbed Accalia, "Not now, not ever."
"The wound…won't heal Accalia," swallowed Remus, "Not now the silver is in my bloodstream."
"Don't give up on me," wept Accalia, "Please Remus, you're so much stronger than that."
"I love you Accalia," whispered Remus, "More than you'll ever know. Never forget that."
"I love you. I'll tell you that every day because I'm not going to let you die," whispered Accalia.
"There's nothing you can do Accalia," swallowed Remus.
Accalia breath caught in her throat for a moment,
"There's one thing…" she whispered.
Remus knew what she meant. What it meant for him, and for her.
"Accalia, you can't! It could kill you… then I'd lose you. I couldn't bear that," whispered Remus.
"You won't lose me. If you're strong with me…" whispered Accalia.
"You're mad," murmured Remus.
"You wouldn't have me any other way," whispered Accalia pressing her lips on Remus's, "That won't be the last kiss, I promise."
Accalia slid her hand over shot wound on Remus's side. A sharp intake of breath escaped Remus's mouth. Accalia felt Remus slip his hand over hers.
"I love you," whispered Remus.
"I love you too," smiled Accalia.
"Albus… What is she doing?" asked Madame Pomfrey.
"I do believe it's the silextortinum incantation," said Dumbledore.
Snape, ready to stop Accalia on hearing this was stopped himself by Dumbledore's arm.
"Don't!" said Dumbledore, "Accalia knows what she is doing."
"Albus, she could kill herself!" protested Snape.
"No…I don't think so," said Dumbledore astutely.
Accalia began whispering the incantation,
"Commodo vindico poena ex is somes. Take is alienus inscribo ex is incuratus vulnus. Permissum is obduco per quod ex is vita vitualamen. Parco is alio pro is non suum vices."
Accalia felt the blazing pain through the hand on Remus, through her body and into her left hand. She felt Remus's hand clasp harder around her. Accalia knew she had to time the next part just right or they would both die.
"Capio tergum is vita vitualamen pro is est non meus vicis morior. A diligo partis super vox mo of argentum ut has obduco per illa duos validus bodies. Absum!"
Accalia head shot up as she spoke that last word. Her eyes were pure silver. As she closed her eyes again there was a massive wave of white light which burst through the room blinding everyone watching.
The light began dissipating as Accalia opened her eyes that had returned to normal.
Remus lay on the floor not moving except for slow rising and falling of his chest.
Accalia suddenly felt a searing pain in her closed left hand. Opening her hand she found a bead of silver slowly burning her palm. Accalia quickly threw the silver from her hand as the skin began to blister.
The silver hit Snape's foot and he picked it up.
"She did it, Albus, she did it!" exclaimed Snape handing the silver bead to Dumbledore as he made his way over to Accalia.
Accalia's heart nearly leapt out of her throat as Remus stirred.
"Accalia…Did you…" whispered Remus slowly opening his eyes.
"We both did it," she whispered as Remus raised his hand up to stroke her cheek.
Remus sat up gingerly. The wound had already started to heal as werewolves healed pretty fast. Accalia didn't know where Remus found the strength as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her firmly. Accalia stunned for a moment, kissed him back.
"I told you it wouldn't be the last," breathed Accalia staring back into those amber eyes that she had nearly lost forever.
"Can everybody please move?! These two need to get to the hospital wing now!" exclaimed Madame Pomfrey conjuring two stretchers.
Remus and Accalia held hands all the way. They weren't about to let each other go. Not now, not ever.
-- Don't know why but that last line makes it sound like the last chapter but it's not! Believe me it's not! Ugh, well, I was on the verge of crying when I wrote this! Next chapters will be much happier and…well… you'll see! Here's a translation of the Latin I used in that spell --
-- Please deliver the pain from this body. Take this alien entity from this unhealing wound. Let it pass through and out of this life offering. Spare this person for it not their time. --
-- I take back this life offering for it is not my time to die. The love shared over powers the will of the silver that has passed through these two strong bodies. Be gone! --
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