-Chapter two-
Coriolan and Canter
The sky was starry and the moon's reflection was glittering on the lake's surface. In its beams you could distinguish the silhouette of a superb animal.
"Coriolan!" called Dumbledore, "Come here!"
Coriolan came,
as quickly and as lightly as the wind, and he stopped at Dumbledore's
right hand. Dumbledore patted his neck gently, then he waved his wand
and the stallion appeared in a bath of light. He was a bay colt, his
hair was brown with tawny gleams; his mane and tail were black and
untidy. Snape was full of admiration; Coriolan had a beautiful neck,
powerful legs, dark and shining eyes.
"He is wonderful,
Headmaster."
"He knows cold, storms, fire and pain, but he
has not a very big experience. He is just four years old, after
all..." Dumbledore stroked Coriolan's head. "Coriolan, you will
have to go with Severus, do you understand?" Coriolan gave a
clever glance to Snape. "When he tells you, you will have to
come back ... "
Coriolan went straight to Snape who stroked
him.
"He is in a hurry to go ... He does not know what
expects him ..."Sighed Dumbledore, when Coriolan posed his head
on Snape's shoulder.
"Yes ... he does not ... "Snape
answered dreamily. Suddenly, something-- a noise-- awoke Snape's
attention.
"Who is there?" he asked.
"It is
perhaps Canter," answered Dumbledore. "Canter!"
Canter
came; it was a horse, not as beautiful as Coriolan, but not bad at
all.
"It is Coriolan's brother, he likes him very much. There
is a link between them I cannot explain."
"It was not
him, Headmaster."
"It is probably a student going for a
little walk before going to bed..."
Dumbledore glanced
around. "Harry, come here, please."
Harry came, rather
troubled.
"Harry, Professor Snape is leaving to help the
Order."
"Yes..." answered Harry, and he felt wrong
not to have apologised, it was not going to be possible during
several days.
"He is going to a very dangerous place,
Harry."
Harry felt still worse; what if Snape was never
coming back, as he was guilty towards him? But Harry was not able to
apologise now, that is why he kept his eyes on the grass.
Snape
had meant to tell Dumbledore he was a bit worried about Harry, but
now Harry was there, it was no more possible. "It does not
matter," thought Snape "there is nothing I can be
reproached with now; I did as I had to."
"I will have to
tie Canter," said Dumbledore thoughtfully "until you are
back, he would do everything to follow Coriolan, and he would always
be able to find him, but I shall need him, so... "
"Yes
..." answered Snape.
They exchanged a deep look.
"Be
patient with Coriolan, even if he is sometimes... a bit annoying...
"
"Do not worry, I will be patient." answered Snape
heavily. He knew it was time to go.
Dumbledore untied Coriolan and
tied Canter in his place.
"Good-bye, Harry," said Snape
quietly.
"Good-bye, Professor," answered Harry
politely.
"Good luck, Severus." Dumbledore watched
Snape, and he felt reassured to see daring and determination on his
face.
They shook hands.
"Good-bye, Headmaster."
"Good-bye,
Severus."
Snape mounted on his horse, as easily as if he had
done it during his whole life. He pressed his legs against Coriolan's
body to make him move, and he noticed he was going towards Hogwarts;
as he meant to leave it, he resisted with his hands and the horse
stepped back. Snape made him step back a few yards, just to watch
Hogwarts as he left it; then, he made him take such a narrow turn, in
such a fast way that Coriolan leant dangerously. Snape slowed down
and Coriolan contented himself trotting. When he was trotting,
Coriolan was impressive enough. He was holding up his neck and
lowering his head in such a way that the slightly in-curved line
which was going from his forehead to his muzzle was nearly vertical.
Then Snape gave Coriolan such an impulse ahead that he took a great
gallop, and they vanished in the distance...
"Good night,
Harry." Dumbledore went his way.
"'Night,"
answered Harry. When he was sure Dumbledore had left, Harry went to
Canter, untied him and mounted on his back.
"Ahead,
Canter!"
And Canter gave all his speed...
Harry stopped
just a few minutes to pass in Hagrid's cabin and borrow a few things
he would need. Hagrid was not there, he was probably in the Forbidden
Forest. But when Harry tried to mount Canter again, he reared
up.
"You ..." said Harry fiercely.
Five minutes
later, he was riding away.
The morning came...
Dumbledore arrived in the dungeons.
"Good-morning to you
all."
Students were worried. Why was Dumbledore there? What
was the matter with Snape? But, as they had been taught to do it,
they answered:
"Good morning, Professor."
Dumbledore
glanced around.
"I am afraid Professor Snape will not teach
you during a few days, I shall take his place."
The students
nodded.
"Where is Harry?" asked Dumbledore.
Hermione
and Ron exchanged a look.
"I did not see Harry this morning,"
Hermione whispered, "did you?"
"No, I did not,"
Ron answered.
"Did you see him yesterday evening?"
"I
did not."
Hermione looked rather worried. Perhaps Dumbledore
was, but he did not let it to be guessed; He looked as calm as
usual.
"Let us begin the lesson," he said peacefully.
The bell rang.
"Good-bye everyone!" and Dumbledore
swept out...
"Canter!"
He knew Canter was not going
to come, he knew Harry had left with him...
"Minerva?"
"Yes?"
"Will
you please tell Dedalus Diggle to teach Potions in Professor Snape's
place? I am going."
"Dedalus Diggle?" repeated
McGonagall "Do you think he is suitable for the post?"
"Yes,
I do, Minerva, but if you prefer Mundungus Fletcher... "
"Why
are you leaving?" she asked worryingly.
"Harry ran away
with Canter."
"Where?"
"You know it,"
answered Dumbledore, "he is following Professor
Snape."
Professor McGonagall went pale.
"Why?"
she asked.
"He had not been invited, but he invited
himself."
"You may not leave, Albus."
"Of
course I can. I trust you; you will take care of everything, will not
you?"
"Of course, I will," she answered heavily,
understanding Dumbledore had to do something about Harry.
"Good-bye,
Minerva."
"Good-bye." And Dumbledore strode
off.
"Thunderhead!"
Thunderhead came. He was a large
white horse, nearly as superb as Coriolan. Dumbledore mounted on his
back.
"Ahead, Thunderhead!"
Thunderhead broke into a
fast gallop.
After riding Coriolan a few hours, Snape stopped him and jumped
down. Coriolan was tired enough, though he was not half as much tired
as a normal horse should have been after four hours of gallop. Snape
patted him on the neck. "Good boy," he said at mid voice,
"I have never seen such a wonderful horse before."
Now
Snape was lying in his hammock Fawkes came to perch on a close
branch. Snape stretched his arm and stroked him gently. Fawkes gave a
sweet sound to mean he was glad.
"I am happy to be with you,
Fawkes," said Snape quietly. And he fell asleep.
When Snape
awoke, Fawkes was no longer there. "Fawkes!" he called at
mid-voice, "come here if you please." But Fawkes did not
come.
Snape harnessed Coriolan, untied him and decided to go. He
felt something as frustration and perhaps a hint of anger.
"A
faithful animal," he mused, "I wonder if ... "
Coriolan
watched him in a friendly way. Snape felt his anger fall.
"He
will come back soon, will he not?"
The horse gave him a
clever glance.
"He will always be able to find me,"
thought Snape, "let us go."
He rode the whole day.
The
evening came, Coriolan's body was covered with sweat. He was
breathing in a way which made Snape worry. He slowed him down and
made the reins longer. He enjoyed a few minutes to see him walking
slowly, his head so low that it was nearly touching the grass. They
both felt calm and happy. Snape was stroking Coriolan whispering kind
things:
"You are superb, Coriolan."
They arrived in a
stony stream, Coriolan walked in and drank as the clear water was
running to his foot.
Soon, Snape pressed his legs against
Coriolan's body.
"Ahead, Coriolan!"
But Coriolan did
not begin to trot. He stopped walking.
"Come on!" and
Snape pressed his legs again, but Coriolan did not budge. Snape meant
to hit him, to punish him. Then he remembered he had been told: "Be
patient with Coriolan," that is why he changed his mind. But in
any case he could not let Coriolan disobey his orders. He wished him
to trot and he was going to. Snape insisted, but Coriolan did not
move.
"Very well," said Snape sharply, and he got down.
They faced a few seconds. Coriolan showed something as wonder, then
self satisfaction.
"You're proud, aren't you?" snarled
Snape.
He took Coriolan's reins and gave a good tug. Coriolan
moved a bit. Snape walked swiftly and pulled the reins in such a way
that Coriolan was able to do nothing but to follow him. Snape watched
Coriolan with deep self satisfaction, and quickened his pace.
"That
is better now."
Snape took longer strides. Soon Coriolan had
to trot in order to follow him.
When they stopped and that Snape
tied Coriolan for the night, the horse gave him a furious look and
began to browse. He clearly did not want to watch Snape any
more.
"Sulky boy," Snape muttered, annoyed. Ten minutes
later, he fell asleep...
He was in a large dungeons, the walls
were dimly lit by torches, far in the darkness there were shadowy
faces, many of them, but he had never been so alone for long. He was
feeling his courage vacillate. He was closing his mind to pain,
sadness and fear. He was on the point to go to Azkaban, but it did
not matter, he would overcome this horror, he would bear it; he had
been defending himself for hours, but nobody had listened to him. It
was lost; there was nothing else he could do.
There stood
Dumbledore. His calm voice resounded in the whole room:
"I
vouch for him."
Gratitude rushed in Snape's soul. Great
expectations filled his mind... Now happiness was boiling in him...
He was shaking Dumbledore's hand and Dumbledore was beaming at him;
that is at this very moment he knew that he would always be faithful
towards him. Dumbledore was his Master.
Snape awoke and glanced
around. Strangely he was far from home, but he did not feel alone at
all. He would never feel that alone again. He would never feel again
the emptiness and the despair he had felt, because Dumbledore would
wait for him, and because he was a member of the Order of the
Phoenix. Then he thought of Fawkes who was not at his sides, and of
Coriolan who was angry with him.
"Fawkes will come back,"
he thought, "at the very moment I shall stop waiting for him."
Then he remembered Coriolan. He jumped on his foot.
"Coriolan...
"
He rubbed Coriolan's withers and the horse stretched his
neck with pleasure.
"Today you had to gallop very much,
perhaps too much, but tomorrow will be less hard for you."
Coriolan
looked at him.
"I promise, mate," said Snape gently, and
he patted Coriolan's neck, then he put off his halter to stroke his
head.
Snape
was aroused from his sleep by Coriolan's fresh muzzle.
"Leave
me alone ..."
But Coriolan did not mean to.
"All
right... "
Coriolan insisted.
"... It is time to
go."
Snape got down. He heard a very nice sound.
"Fawkes!"
he called, "Fawkes, come here!"
He was happy to see
Fawkes, but he was cross to have had to wait him for so long, that is
why, when the bird perched on his forearm, he told him
sharply:
"Where have you been, Fawkes?"
Fawkes
answered with a sweet tune, then he left Snape. Snape called
him:
"Come here, if you please, we are leaving."
Fawkes
came back, this time, someone followed him. It was a beautiful female
phoenix; her eyes were blue, and her feathers tawny with glint of
gold. When Fawkes perched on Snape's arm, she settled to his side
without any fear, and gave a soft cooing noise, as a dove would have
done.
"She is darling," Snape told Fawkes, stretching
his hand to stroke her," she counts among the fairest creatures
on the earth," he added gently. "Congratulations,
Fawkes."
Snape was particularly nice with Coriolan
that day, but Coriolan eventually understood why: He was going to
send him back at home. Coriolan did not want to go back. He liked
Snape too much. Snape had great presence, he was calm and powerful as
a "Master" had to be; and, in the same time, something
wonderful was boiling in him -something Coriolan loved without being
able to identify it. It was more than courage; it was a spiritual
substance which was beyond what Coriolan could catch. Coriolan
thought that, when his narrow horse's mind would stop being filled
with this precious strength, he would die. So, when Snape patted his
neck for the tenth time, he reared up. He was furious with Snape for
sending him away.
Snape got angry with Coriolan for the first
time. He jumped down.
"Away," he snarled, "you are
fed up with me, just go away!"
Coriolan stared at him. Snape
went straight to him and gave him a cuff.
"Away!" he
repeated.
Coriolan looked offended, but Snape did not care about
it. He slapped the horse on the head.
"Go away.
Now!"
Coriolan ran away. Snape watched him to go. His wrath
fell, but he thought he had acted for the best. Coriolan was wrong;
though Snape had been kind with him, he had tried to throw him. "He's
ill-bred," Snape muttered. Then he remembered Coriolan had been
brought up by Dumbledore. "He is young," he thought,"
let us wait till he gets older and wiser."
He watched the two
phoenixes playing together.
"But I will not see him for days
and days ..."he mused.
Snape squatted down and stroked both
phoenixes.
"Soon, we shall leave the forest... "
It
meant he was going to face the darkness soon. But he was not afraid
at all. He had spiritual strengths...
Coriolan was wandering alone. He was sad, he did
not want to go back at Hogwarts. He knew that if he was coming back,
Dumbledore would stroke him, and he would be free to go where he felt
as going. Dumbledore would ride him only a few hours in the week,
and, during the time left he could browse and caper in the fields.
Sometimes, he would come up to Dumbledore to be given some hay. He
had liked this life, but now, when he was thinking about it, he was
finding it stupid and boring. He had no wish at all to go back at
Hogwarts; he missed Snape, his beloved master. He felt unhappier than
ever. He was going to die because he was a poor alone and bored
horse. He did not mean to die. "Don't die, then," he
thought, "go back to Snape."
He began to run, but he
remembered Snape's wrath. Snape did not mean him to go back; he was
going to hit him and to scold him. Then he thought to the sadness he
was going to feel if he was not joining his master, and it became
clear that it did not matter to be chidden; as long as he would be
with Snape he would be happy.
He felt an impulse ahead and began
to gallop.
Dumbledore stopped Thunderhead. It had suddenly occurred to him that the place he should be was the one he had just left. There was something wrong at Hogwarts, lives were threatened. He had to go back. He turned back, his horse running faster than ever. Soon, when he would reach Hogwarts, he would be sorry not to have trusted Snape enough, not to have understood nothing could happen to Harry because, when Harry would join Snape in the darkness, Snape would protect him. He would do everything to keep him safe from harm, he would be ready to die for him, even if he had never liked him.
Coriolan came back to his master. He
kept his eyes on the earth and awaited his reaction. Snape did not
speak to him. Coriolan had been unbearable, to be ignored was serving
him right. Coriolan came closer and gave a soft groan.
"Away!"
said Snape coldly, looking at him scornfully.
Coriolan gave him
the frightened look of the guilty child who is going to be punished,
but he dared come closer and put his head on his shoulder in a tender
way.
"Bad boy!" said Snape on a scolding tone. Coriolan
shivered slightly but he did not move.
"Very well," said
Snape sharply, and, without any other glance at Coriolan, he began to
walk swiftly. Coriolan followed him, his head lower than ever.
Suddenly, Snape turned round. Coriolan stopped walking. They stood
face to face.
"Still there, aren't you?" asked Snape
coldly. Coriolan looked at him sadly with something as a hint of
hope. It was his way to beg Snape's pardon.
"All right,"
said Snape gently and quietly,"... All right..."He held out
his hand and stroked Coriolan's head. "I forgive you,
Coriolan."
The horse watched him in awe.
They both walked
peacefully for a few minutes, then Snape stopped and mounted on
Coriolan's back. As soon as Snape was on his back, the horse gave all
his speed. Snape pressed his legs against his body and Coriolan
stretched his neck immediately in order to go still faster.
"Ahead,
Coriolan!"
He galloped an hour, then he felt Snape meant him
to stop running, but he did not want to obey because he did not wish
to go back at home. Then he remembered Snape's anger. He stopped
resisting to his hand. Snape jumped down. Coriolan was breathing
especially quickly.
"Out of breath, are you, mate?"
asked Snape gently. He leaned against a tree and watched his
companion getting his breath back. Then he understood; he touched
Coriolan's hair. It was perfectly dry.
"Oh," he said,
"you are a little cheat!"
As a matter of fact Coriolan
was pretending to be out of breath.
"Usually, you don't get
that tired so quickly."
Coriolan did not mean to be sent
back, and he was ready to do everything in order to stay with Snape a
few minutes more. He had guessed Snape would wait for him to get his
breath back before sending him back at Hogwarts.
"That is
enough, stop acting."
Coriolan did as he was told. There was
a silence. The steed was happy because Snape was looking at him
peacefully. He hoped the situation would never stop. But Snape spoke.
He spoke in his calm voice which made Coriolan shiver with awe.
"You
think too much, Coriolan."
That was true.
"Twice
more, at least, than other horses do ..."Coriolan gave a sad
groan. "It could be dangerous for me... That is why you must go
to Hogwarts ... "
Coriolan prickled up his ears. He knew what
"dangerous" and "go to Hogwarts" meant, but he
did not why he had to come back if there was a danger. He thought he
had to protect his master. He watched Snape with the expression of
the one who understand nothing at all about anything.
"Let me
make the thing plain: You, Coriolan, are dangerous for
me."
Coriolan gave an astonished look. He was dangerous for
Snape?
"That is why you must go back to Hogwarts."
Coriolan
did not want to believe him. He was not dangerous. He did not mean to
hurt Snape... Then he remembered when he had reared up and he shook
from head to foot, worried by his own behaviour. When Snape looked at
him, Coriolan felt again the "spiritual presence" which
filled his human's mind and made him above the poor horse he was. He
lowered his head. He was not able to understand why it was dangerous
him to stay with Snape, but he felt Snape had a good reason and he
would never understand it; he was not clever enough; Snape was
clever, he was right and Coriolan had to obey, however he would wait
until Snape would ask him imperatively to leave before to go.
Snape
walked up to the forest's border, Coriolan following him quietly.
There, he turned and took off the horse's bridle; then he passed his
hand in Coriolan's untidy forelock, again and again to make it look
better. Coriolan stayed still. He wondered if he would not move to
mess it up, so Snape would busy himself with him longer, but he
thought Snape could dislike it and he dared not to budge. Now
Coriolan's forelock was done nice. Snape stopped caring about
it.
"You are a faithful animal, Coriolan." he said.
Coriolan shivered with pleasure.
"Go back to Hogwarts, go
back to Dumbledore, go back home, Coriolan."
Coriolan went to
him and posed his head on his shoulder. Snape stroked him gently.
"Go
back home, Coriolan ... Go away … Now ..."
Coriolan
moaned.
"Don't moan, Coriolan, I pray you... "
He
stopped moaning.
"Good-bye, Coriolan."
Snape patted
him for the last time. Coriolan took a narrow turn and flew away, as
he had done the first time Snape had ridden him.
"Good."
Fawkes
went on Snape's shoulder.
"Let us go."
He did three
steps. Now he was out the forest, he was affronting dark and cruel
things, he was going to meet hatred and pain, but he was not afraid
at all because the warm phoenix on his shoulder was now singing
confidently.
Coriolan was thinking. It was dangerous him to be with Snape out the forest, before it was not. Why would he go back home? He just had to wait for Snape in the forest. Then, after longer thinking he reckoned he could leave the forest, as long as he was not going near Snape. He wanted to understand why the place was so dangerous and why it would make him dangerous. He turned back, then, with a last glance around him, he walked out. Now he was three steps out the forest, he felt as he had never felt before. Everything was dark, cold and cruel around him. Despair and fear filled his mind. He remembered the more painful things he had ever lived. He recoiled ... He was again in the forest, his body was covered with sweat, but now, he knew.
Harry wanted to tie Canter and to have some
rest, but he reared up and he resisted more than ever. Harry
understood how near Coriolan was, mounted again on Canter's back and
let him go. Canter galloped, Harry leaned on his neck and grabbed his
mane. Soon they would catch Coriolan...
They reached the forest's
border. Harry felt Canter meant him to get down. He jumped down. It
was wise from him, if he had not Canter would have thrown him. Canter
ran to Coriolan who had been waiting for Snape for three days. He put
his head on Coriolan's withers and sighed with satisfaction. For a
few minutes they exchanged marks of affection, then Coriolan glanced
out the forest, he knew Snape would come back soon...
Harry
understood the horses would not come with him. He stroked Coriolan
and patted Canter's neck.
"Good-bye, Coriolan, good-bye,
Canter."
And he walked out the forest, straight in the
darkness...
