Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potterish
Slash Goddess Conla: thanks for the review. Glad you liked the chapter
Ceyxa: It probably wouldn't let you review chapter 23 because I had already loaded a chapter 23, but when 18 was deleted, they all moved forward one. Or ff could've been just ballsed up. I don't know. Thankyou for the review. I'm glad that you liked the duelling scenes. I weren't sure that they would be o.k. but they were, so thanks.
CrazyPsycho: thanks for the review. Read on.
Dante Lewis: Lets just say that PockMarked only joined the fight at the very end. Maybe half an hour later, so he had time to recover. Maybe Amaya should have scrubbed her hands. I got the idea from when I did that to a boy in my year during our last year at high school who was picking on my younger sister. Knob head didn't do it again. The stripes on the robes were to mark the squadron leaders of the Aurors. As Kingsley, James and Sirius are chief Aurors, then they would be leading their squadron. Bit daft on hindsight really, because then the Death Eaters know which ones to attack, but there you go. The reason I wrote James and Sirius duelling togetheris because we would never see it happen in the books, and I wanted them to fight together at least once in a Harry Potter story. I've been reading the Harry Potter books because the sixth one is out soon, and I was devastated to read Prisoner of Azkaban, especially "Ooh they used to make me laugh, quite the double act Sirius Black and James Potter" by Madame Rosmerta and also "Prongs rode again" by Dumbledore, because they are just so bittersweet. As for the Slytherin students, just imagine that they had hoods on, and masks as well so no one would know that they were fighting. Also imagine that they were the ones who tortured Harry.
Eric2: No, her werewolf strength will not save her. But something will. Just read on to find out.
Hebinekojin: Wow. Thanks for reading. You are the first reviewer (that I am aware of) that has reviewed because I reviewed. Groovy. Love your story "The Sale". Thanks for your e-mail. This chapter is dedicated to you.
Zippyfox: Glad that you liked the chapter.
Jessi: glad that you like the story. I might and up writing it as Amaya/Harry as a sort of Lily/James remake. what do you think?
A.N. I am sooooooo sorry that it has taken this long for me to update, but I have my AS Level exams in two weeks, so I have to revise, so I am only writing in my breaks (and there is only so much you can do in 15 minutes) sorry. Oh and by the way, thankyou for the person who reviewed by e-mail, but my dad went on my account and deleted all of the old ones, as it would take up less space on the hard drive or something like that, so I can't thank you personally or leave a note, but thankyou anyway.
Enjoy:
James got a sense of déjà vu as he stood, after Madame Pomphrey had healed him, among those gathered at the foot of the hospital bed. On it lay Amaya, one shade paler than the crisp white linen of the bed sheets kept alive only by the breathing charms that kept her lungs functioning and the beating charms that tried to work for her ruined heart. Remus, sitting at the top of the bed across from a grim faced Sirius, had bitten through his lip to muffle his sobs when Madame Pomphrey told his mind what his heart refused to acknowledge, what the Carbon Copy of the girl showed with its crushed bones, ruptured organs and heart pierced by the roof spire. Amaya was dying and no amount of enchantments could save her.
Lily stood silently crying on James' shoulder. Never before had she felt so useless. Never before had her skills as a healer come to so little use, not even when in the First War, a street had exploded outside St Mungo's and a muggle car had crushed Crouch's son. She buried her head in the joint where his shoulder met his neck and James squeezed her arm gently as Madame Pomphrey stepped forward to remove the spells, to end the charms that were giving the girl artificial life.
'STOP!' Remus screamed as he lurched to his feet, hand outstretched to halt the shocked nurse. He looked down and once again felt the feather-light brush, the almost insubstantial increase of pressure upon his fingertips. A bell sounded as the copy announced to the audience that somehow, Amaya's heart had miraculously healed.
'Amaya. Santhe, please answer me. Santhe.' The faintest gleam of silvery blue shone between fluttering, sooty lashes, before her eyes fully closed once more. Emboldened by this inexplicable feat, Lily strode forwards and began to cast several spells to help Amaya.
Dumbledore stepped forward from where he had stood at the end of the bed. He mentally cursed the Death Eaters and Voldemort for taking advantage of his talks with Egyptian Pygmies, wizards with the ability to control fire and use that ability to perform wandless magic. They could also morph into Furies, eight-foot tall horses that had flames growing along their backs instead of manes and could run faster than sound. They were the basis for rumours of the mythical creatures Helianthropes and it was vital to the Light that they were allies or to at least neutral. His subsequent absence had provided them with the chance to destroy the wards, and as he was so far away, he wouldn't feel it. Seven students, and twenty-nine Aurors had died that day; many more were seriously injured, including the girl who lay on the bed before him. Descriptions of the battle from the staff and several students revealed to him what he had suspected, and what he had just seen himself revealed what he feared. Beckoning Sirius and Remus to follow him, he led the way to his office.
As he sank wearily into his chair, Dumbledore gestured for the mystified men to sit as well. Rubbing his eyes with his long fingers, Dumbledore addressed Remus.
'I wish for you to tell me about Amaya. About your life with her, how she grew up, how you knew she was a witch, he childhood. Everything from when you left us to now.' Remus touched at his torn lip tenderly, before wiping his palms on his trousers. Looking from Sirius, pale faced and bloodied in his still torn robes from the duel to Dumbledore, chin resting on his steepled fingers, he spoke.
'There's not much to tell really. She's had a pretty much muggle upbringing until now.'
'Everything.' Dumbledore placed emphasis on the softly spoken word. Shrugging, Remus began. 'Well. After you suspected me, I apparated to my family's villa in the South of France. Near to Marseille. It was a fairly easy pregnancy, until I fell when I was thirty-eight weeks along. Then I had difficulties. Amaya was two weeks late, and when she was born, didn't cry for a few minutes. Then the nurse smacked her, and she gurgled.'
'Would you say that the smack revived her?' Dumbledore interrupted softly. Remus nodded before continuing. 'Then she grew up healthy. Had her injections. Grew to be a very lively baby. The village people loved her, especially Madamme Matre who ran the corner shop and café where I worked. She let me bring Amaya in, and often gave her buns. I taught her French…'
'Oh so that's where she learnt it.' Sirius mused. Remus looked at him in surprise.
'We had a delightful argument in French. It tested my vocab a bit, but what interested me most was her curses. She has a very shall we say colourful vocabulary and is most imaginative in what she says.' Sirius smirked as Remus flushed.
'There was one man who remembered me from when I went with my parents, and er we got into a few er spats.' Remus cleared his throat; 'Anyway' he flared defensively 'your profanity is far worse than mine, I'm sure she picked up a lot from you.' Dumbledore made a small noise.
'Sorry. Back to the story. One night, on full moon, she stumbled across me, as I was Moony. It appeared that she was woken by my howls and her panic melted a hole in the cellar door. Falling through, she cut her arm and morphed into Cub. Since then she has always accompanied me on full moons. It has made the wolf so much easier to deal with. When she was four, we moved back to England and settled in Lancashire.' At Sirius' puzzled look, Remus elaborated 'I wanted somewhere far away from Wizards. I chose Lancashire because it is roughly half way between Hogwarts and Diagon Alley. I kept in touch with what was happening in the Wizarding world by subscribing to the Prophet under a false name. I knew that Pettigrew had been discovered and that you were looking for me but I didn't show myself because I didn't want to be found. Please Sirius let me finish. Your and James' doubt of me hurt. I didn't want to see you again, not so soon and I didn't want Amaya to see you either. I know it was selfish, but I wanted her to myself. We got along well, and I did mention her to you. She didn't want to know. So, I raised her on my own. I set up an Internet based Joke shop, selling products to muggles that I had manufactured. I did very well, and when Amaya was roughly nine moved to a larger house. I bought her what she wanted, a concert piano, flute, saxophone and violin. I indulged her because she is everything to me. I knew she was a witch because she got into fights sometimes at primary school where she was occasionally teased. If she were in a real fury, she would perform some wandless magic. Once, she set fire to the sports shed. I took her to Diagon Alley, using glamour charms and bought her wand. I taught her magic myself. Then we moved again and she went to high school. There she was bullied.' Tears began to form in his amber eyes, 'the students didn't like her. Maybe it was my fault. Maybe I spoiled her, but she seemed to get along with others. I sent her to a comprehensive near by, because it had the best reputation. I think that maybe some of the students were jealous. She joined everything, all of the sports clubs, music groups. She was in the school band, and I was so proud of her.' A slow tear fell from his eye. 'I think that her trouble was that she took things to heart too easily. She rose to every taunt and that only increased the insults. People bullied her, because they knew that it worked. There was a girl, Shauna Clarke, who isolated her especially. Her father was a rich business man, and people liked to be friends with Shauna.' Remus snorted simultaneously with Sirius over their shallow attitude. 'Shauna disliked Amaya because she was everything Shauna wasn't. Beautiful, intelligent, musically gifted, athletic. And far more pleasant. People were friends with Shauna, but few liked her. People weren't friends with Amaya but several, I suspect many more than let on, liked her. Then Harry came, and it all changed.' Remus, having reached the end of his narrative sighed, and sipped at the tea that a frowning Dumbledore just handed him.
Brow furrowed as he thought reflectively, Dumbledore spoke to Remus once more.
'You say that she was healthy? How healthy?'
'I'd say immune was more accurate. She would rarely catch any of the school bugs. When Chicken Pox was spreading through her class, Amaya was the only one not to catch it. Once she caught flu, but she recovered quickly.'
'How quickly?'
'A few days. Why?'
Sighing, Dumbledore massaged his temples before answering. 'Many hundreds of years ago, Seers were more common. One, a very famous one called Cassandra Sgombri predicted the birth of 'The One', a child that would be born and be Immortal. All that would affect them would be age. Once, when in the Department of Mysteries, chance happened to cause the globe to burst, and I heard the prophecy.' Retrieving his penseive, Dumbledore drew one silver gossamer strand from his temple and dropped it into the swirling mass already present in the bowl. A ghostly, plump woman in a toga rose up and spoke in a deep, grating voice
The one approaches with a power much sought
By forces evil and pure when battles are fought
This one can conquer the grim barrier door of death
And can bleed dry without suffering a dying breath
This one will be born at a time of war and gloom
And will fight a war to a world's salvation or doom
For while immortality is theirs it can be taken
By force or gift at the ones discretion or breaking
And another prophecy child they will befriend
And battle alongside them until the wars end
But, beware this ally's foe and the dark force he commands
For salvation, the one's ultimate sacrifice will demand
Both men sat gaping. Dumbledore smiled amusedly. The expression was so alike that he couldn't help but chuckle.
'Immortal?' Remus felt so light headed that he was glad that he was sitting.
'What does it mean?' Sirius murmured. 'That Amaya will never die?'
'I believe so. Or at least that no infections or injuries can kill her.'
Sirius scrubbed a hand through his long hair, before pinching the bridge of his nose. 'That's why her heart healed. Because she is immortal.'
'Yes.' Dumbledore leaned forward, his face grave and blue eyes stonily serious. 'No one must know. Voldemort seeks relentlessly to return. I believe that the attack was an attempt to capture Harry. Using his blood, I believe that Voldemort may be able to return. Using Amaya's gift, he will.'
'What, he'll drink Amaya's blood?'
'Possibly. I do not know what it is that makes her immortal. I only know that something does. What you have heard must not go any further than this room. I will inform Amaya myself. If Voldemort discovers that Amaya is The One, all is lost.' Remus weighed the implications for his daughter in his mind. Mouth dry with fear, he asked 'What will happen?'
'Nothing, if I can help it. While you are here, perhaps you can try to find something that will give any clue as to what Amaya possesses.' Remus nodded determinedly
'On a different note, I wish to commend you both on your duelling for us. Thanks to the Order and the Aurors, many fewer students died than would have done without you there.'
Sirius grinned, 'Yeah, well. The older students helped as well.' His smile fell. 'Including Amaya.'
'Out of interest, you say she could perform wandless magic. In which magical areas does she perform best.' Remus frowned as he thought.
'DADA, of course. Then it's transfiguration. She's quite good at charms as well. She excels at Ancient Runes. I think that she has a thing for languages. Why do you ask?'
Smiling, and eyes twinkling once more, Dumbledore replied 'I believe that she is a Fae.'
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