"The first thing we need to do is learn our pack's strong points." Pansy said as she and her sister sat with their uncle and Severus over dinner. "See who works best with who."
Carina nodded her agreement. "How do you want to go about that? I mean, the whole point of this is to stay under the radar, we can't just take weeks out of school to put together some kind of boot camp."
"I'll leave it to you, Carina." Pansy said. "You have the option to test out of the rest of your time at school, remember?"
"You trust me with that?" Carina gasped.
"You are just as much Alpha as I am. We are a unit, and you are not a child anymore. It's time to take your leadership seriously. You're brilliant. I know you can do this, and you will have the others to help you. We all help each other, don't forget."
"She's right." Severus offered. "You are the most logical choice. And in the meantime, might I suggest that your uncle John take up a teaching position in Hogwarts? Then, as your legal guardian, Pansy, you would also be able to test out."
"What do you say, Uncle?" Pansy asked.
"It would be good to have two sets of eyes in that place. Severus is so closely connected to the darker students and their parents, it might be good to have another pack member on the opposite side of things. After all, with three players on the board, it's not just the bad guy we have to worry about. Having unknowns are always a risk."
Pansy nodded. "It's settled then, Carina you will organize a way to train and test the wolves until I can leave Hogwarts, then we will restructure together, based on what you've discovered."
Carina nodded. "What about Draco? He has duties under Voldemort, doesn't he? He'll be expected to be there with you, dad. How will he also do his duties as a general when I'm not there for him to protect?"
"I can move him into your room, Carina, where he can use my floo to come here. You'll be with Dante and the pack all day and clearly you can take care of yourself, so I'm not worried about that. He can come over after classes to learn how to be a proper general from Cainis." Everyone nodded.
"So we have the makings of a plan then. Good." Pansy declared. "Uncle, have Cainis get with the rest of the pack and see that they get to a safe pausing point in their missions. Duties will be on hold once Carina is out of school. They have until then to finish up." He nodded. "Severus, see what you can do to convince the current Runes professor to retire. Make him believe he must leave for a family emergency or something. He must leave tonight without anyone suspecting anything. Uncle you need to apply for that position first thing in the morning."
"Yes, Miss." They answered.
"Carina, spend tonight and tomorrow with Avantes and Strega mapping out a training plan and learning the packs talents, and speak with Dumbledore about your testing. We need to move as quickly as possible."
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"I'm sorry, Miss Gra-Snape. As a student with such high promise and determination, I'm finding it difficult to understand why you'd want to test out of your time here." Dumbledore said as he looked at her suspiciously.
Putting on her best act, Carina stumbled through the Headmaster's office, purposefully bumping into his desk and chairs. Dante played his part beautifully, nudging her around most of the obstacles as a 'seeing eye dog'.
"It's not that I don't want to learn, Sir." She said tiredly. "You know I do, it's just.. I can't read. I can't study. Pansy has tried to help me, so has my dad, and even a few other students, but as it turns out.." She hung her head in mock shame. "I don't retain information very well that way, and it hurts my head so bad. It hurts my heart to try to be the student I was before the accident when I know I can never be that way again. I just want to move on."
"I see. How did it happen, by the way? As the Headmaster of this school it's my duty to look after all of my students, and I'm quite ashamed to not even know how one of my best students became blind."
Her mind raced. She'd never thought to have to come up with a reasonable explanation for her blindness. "Well, Sir," She said quietly. "I'd rather not say. It was a careless mistake and it's rather humiliating."
"I see." He said again. Carina's heart pounded in the few minutes of silence that followed. Dante nudged her hand with his nose. "Very well," Dumbledore finally answered. "I'll schedule your test for tomorrow during Minerva's free period. She'll be administering your test."
"Thank you, Sir!" Carina turned to leave.
"If you do not do your very best, Miss Snape," He called after her. "Then I'm afraid you'll be expected to finish your schooling."
"Yes, Sir, I understand." She smiled and left.
Having her Godmother administer her test was good for two reasons. Minerva would do her best to make the process as painless as possible. Even though she could see quite clearly now in various shades of red and yellow, as promised, ink held no heat. Therefor, she could not read, or write, and Minerva would take this into account. Minerva was also privy to certain pack secrets and knew the importance of Carina leaving school as soon as possible. An added bonus was that Dumbledore had no idea of Minerva's connection to the pack, Severus, and Carina.
For the sake of appearances, Carina let Dante nudge and guide Carina through the castle, which was a slow process. On the stairs, he took one step in front of Carina at a time. As she took the next step down, Dante would take one more step below her. Going up, he would nudge her bum and let out a small bark until she reached the top. The trip was painfully slow indeed, but soon she was in her own room telling her father and sister about the conversation with Dumbledore.
"Good," Pansy said. "Everything is moving right along. "Professor Parkinson starts teaching Runes tomorrow morning. Is Draco set to move once Carina leaves the castle?" She asked Severus.
"Yes. I informed the Headmaster that Draco was being targeted in the dorms now that his father is dead. I told him that Draco wants to join the light and work with me as a spy if he can leave the Slytherin dorm. Dumbledore told me that I am responsible for him and it's up to me to make the arrangements. Once they are made I'm to bring Draco to Dumbledore for a meeting."
"Very good. And you believe he can handle the strains of being a double spy while training to be a general?" Pansy asked.
"He is very dedicated, and more than willing to do the job. Lucifer believes he is more than capable."
Pansy nodded. "I suppose he would know."
"He has excellent judgement when it comes to his bloodline."
"If Draco is Lucifer's great grandson," Carina spoke up. "Then what does that make him? Part...demon?"
"Technically, part Angel. Remember your genetics, love. A person's decisions and character are not a part of their genetic make up. An evil person can still have good children."
"I resent that." Lucifer muttered as he and Draco materialized in Carina's room.
"Apologies, Master." Severus said as he turned to face the pair.
"Yes, well, it's true. Draco has a good heart, but also a determination that rivals my own. Draco?" Lucifer said as he pushed the blond forward.
Draco went to Carina and knelt on one knee, holding up two packages. The first was tiny compared to the second, and both were wrapped in brown paper and twine.
Carina smiled. "What's this?" She asked.
"A gift, from the both of us." Lucifer answered. "It was Draco's idea. I merely built on his designs." Carina turned her surprised smile to Draco as she took the larger package first.
She pulled at the twine and the paper fell away. She saw what looked like a pile of black mist in her lap. She touched it gingerly as though it would evaporate. The material felt so soft and so light that it could have been mistaken for warm water. She held it up in awe. She could make out the wispy shape of a cloak.
"What is this material?" She asked in complete awe.
"It's mist from the veil." Lucifer answered. The veil is how I travel from my realm to yours. From Hell to Hogwarts." He grinned.
"I know of the veil." Carina said. Those who pass through it can never come back."
"Well," Lucifer shrugged. "Unless I escort them back through." Carina's head snapped up. "You can do that?"
"Of course, child, it's my veil." He huffed. "Try it on." He beckoned to the cloak in her hands.
She stood up and put the rest of the cloth on her bed. As she wrapped the veil around her, her entire body disappeared in the shadows cast by the fireplace in her room. Pansy gasped and Draco smirked. Carina pulled the material off and a wide grin spread across her face.
"It's perfect for stealth." Draco said. "Better than an invisibility cloak." With an invisibility cloak, others can still hear you breathing and walking. With this you disappear entirely into the shadows!"
Carina smiled broadly. "Thank you! It's brilliant!"
"You are quite welcome, young Miss. I've also taken the liberty of delivering one for each of your pack mates to Parkinson Manor."
Pansy's eyes widened. "Th-thank you!"
"I did say I was at the pack's disposal, did I not?"
Carina turned to the rest of the material on her bed. She flattened it out over her bed. there was a thick silk ribbon that connected two corners of the material together. It was thick and sturdy, but flexible and breathable. Draco stood and tied it around Carina's shoulders. It was beautiful and finely made. It billowed around her as she moved.
"It's beautiful!" She said.
"That's not all!" Draco said, quite pleased with himself. "It's fire resistant! When you are with the fire spirit, it won't burn up!" Carina's eyes widened. "And," He continued. "Watch. Close your eyes and imagine your clothes, like pants and a shirt, or anything!" Carina did as he said and as the image came to her mind, the billowing cloak enveloped her and melded into a black version of the skinny jeans, long t-shirt, and riding boots she'd imagined. She opened her eyes. "It's magnificent!" She gasped. She closed her eyes again and imagined a floor-length sundress. Again, the material changed into the image in her mind. She laughed as she twirled around in it.
"It's also curse resistant." Draco said proudly.
Carina, in her excitement, threw her arms around Draco. "I love them!" She cried.
"I took the liberty of sending along curse resistant cloaks with the veil cloaks to the rest of the pack." Lucifer said. Pansy grinned.
"We'll certainly have the upper hand, won't we?"
Severus bowed. "Thank you, Master."
"You are all quite welcome. Carina, dear, open the other one."
Carina took the small slender package from Draco and took the paper off. Inside was a dark stained wooden box. Inside the box was a thin metal rod. It was cool to the touch and about fourteen inches long. As she ran her fingers along it, she felt a spark of electricity. Where her finger touched it, a red spot appeared and faded as she took her hand away. She stared at it in awe for a moment, running her fingers along the delicate thing. She looked up to Lucifer.
"It's copper with a titanium casing and an angel hair core." Lucifer said.
"It's a wand." Draco added. "To replace the wand that burned. It's indestructible and stronger than the elder wand."
"It's my own hair," Lucifer said. "It will do remarkably with dark magic, as well as holy magic. I am still an angel after all."
A tear fell down Carina's cheeks as she ran to Lucifer and hugged him. Everyone in the room gasped. Carina was hugging the devil. He pat her hair.
"There, there, young one, you are quite welcome."
She turned and threw herself onto Draco again. "I haven't gotten this much affection in my life." he chuckled.
"You gave me my magic back." He hugged her back.
"You never lost it."
