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Chapter 7 – Friends or foes?

December 24th 1977, Tuesday, Hogwarts, Edge of the Forbidden Forest, by the lake

Narrator

As Christine sat on a thick oak tree branch, a favourite of hers, seven feet above the ground, and took a not-so-little-nap, time passed by rather quickly. It was already past dinner time, but curiously the night was of a nearly full moon, and it was beautiful. Christine woke up starved, yawned, and looked at the nearby lake, awed at its beauty – it looked as if it was day. Water spirits played in the lake's surface, dancing in the golden moonlight. Then all stood still. An ethereal song, a duet. cracked through the air, full of joy, sad and hopeful longing. Hermione felt her heart beating strong in her chest, already glowing gold, and in the very same moment two beautiful phoenixes appeared out of nowhere and landed of her tree branch, she felt her agitated heart skip a hearbeat.

"Fawkes!" she squealed, "what are you doing here? Who is your friend?"

Then she took some time observing the other phoenix. It seemed to be made of the same stuff as the sun in the sky, bright as a Light God. Her heart's location could be easily guessed by a every so often glowing light, as clear as crystal. Hermione tried to approach her, and successfully petted her, causing the phoenix to emanate warmth and a musical soft sigh. Then she perched on Hermione's shoulder. She continued caressing her and Fawkes, all silent, contemplating the moonlight for hours.

It was probably already eleven in the night when the strange phoenix squealed at Hermione and flew towards some trees. Hermione followed her through the thick bushes as silently as possible. She stopped and hid not far away from a pair of Death Eaters who were finishing spanking a youngster. There was also another man, unmasked, whose face she could not see. He said something she couldn't quite understand and then left. Hermione approached the bloody fallen person.

"Oh my God," she yelled "Severus!"

December 25th 1977, House of Slytherin, 09:00 AM

Severus Snape

When I woke up I wasn't bleeding, and I laid in a comfortable bed, in the Slytherin dormitories. Christine had taken care of me, apparently, busy nearby with a cauldron, with her back on me. Fawkes, the Headmaster's phoenix was tending to his feathers over another four poster bed, and faced me every now and then. Christine suddenly turned at me and approached me. Her face showed resignation.

"You're not mad.", I stated. The surprise showed in my voice. She smiled a bit.

"Of course not. What is done, is done. Now we should make the best of it. You have to be trained." I snorted. "Oh, really? So why have you reached such a low state of grace in front of his Lordship" she spit that final word, "last night?" I did not answer. "Let me guess. He crucioed you. And you asked him to stop." I could only nod and she sighed. "You cannot do that, Severus. With the Dark Lord one must NEVER grovel. If he decides to punish you, you must act as if it is (A) a reward you should not thank for, and (B) something unavoidable. If you're lucky you'll only get a more or less short Crucio."

"How do you know all of this?" she seemed to know a lot about the Dark Lord. "I thought only the Death Eaters called him Dark Lord."

"I once knew a Death Eater. That's why I know so much."

"A spy?" she smiled sadly, it was a spy. "Christine, you must tell me."

"Severus... you were the spy." she whispered.

"I beg your pardon?"

(AN – I'm going to spare you the "I'm from the future bla bla bla I knew you bla bla bla you must believe me bla bla" talk okay?...)

Hours later – Severus Snape

I walked through the snow, near the lake, thinking about what Christine had told me. I still thought it was incredible, she had me under an Unbreakable Vow for secrecy all the while we talked. In the beginning I hardly believed her. Until I had to surrender to the obvious. Christine truly was not who I thought – daughter of a Soul Healer. Lily would marry that obnoxious Potter and their son would defeat the Dark Lord – so I had no choice but to help her in matchmaking, if needed be. But I wasn't worried about them, but about Christine, Hermione, and today I had already voiced my concern. Despite her powers she was a potential target. Especially considering not only her powers and brain brilliance but also the possibility of a link between her mother and the Dark Lord.

It return, as if I was doing it for that – she is my only true friend, for Merlin's sake! - she is going to teach me Occlumency and Legillimency. She assured me I would need it.

Now... what was it about that voice coach?... Erik?... Perhaps the Headmaster could help me with that...