Chapter 38

I sat, quite frozen, scarcely believing my eyes. Zita Snape…

I opened my mouth in horror as the meaning of this came crashing into my mind. How long had she been impersonating Ruby Parkes? Was this recent or had I been sharing a dormitory with my former governess, the wife of my father, for months and months?

I shuddered. The girl in there, apparently taking a long shower, was a criminal on many counts. And it was Rougier who was responsible for the ghostly Merle. It had to be her. I couldn't call her Zita in my mind and certainly not Zita Snape.

And where was the real Ruby Parkes?

Anger swept through me as I thought of what trouble the painted old hag had caused. My magic had been erratic all year thanks to her and I was lucky to have what magic I had left. She had control of some of my magic as it was caught up in that curse. The curse that no one else could see.

I shook my head. Very clever. Had Rougier thought of this all on her own or had she had help?

But what to do now? I could go into the bathroom and confront her, but a nagging feeling told me that was not the sensible course of action. True, I could probably catch her off guard, but this was something that needed to be handled quietly. The other Ravenclaws did not know about what had been happening all year, except for Lisa and Terry.

To be truthful, I was a little apprehensive about an open attack. This was the person storing some of my magic with her own magic. Surely her own magic must have been affected by it? What if a simple stupefy from me led my magic to recognise more of my magic within her? Would the spell complete itself correctly if such a thing happened? Would my magic be willing to stupefy the person concealing more of my magic?

Of course, nothing might happen at all. I might be able to stun her without any mishap. But was I willing to risk it? Suppose it backfired? Suppose something terrible happened? What if my magic latched onto hers?

I looked down at the map again, hoping that Severus might be back. No such luck.

Making a decision, I took out my chocolate frog card and activated it. I immediately composed a message to my brother.

I have found out that Zita Rougier is here at Hogwarts. She has been impersonating Ruby Parkes and I'm almost certain that she's the cause of the ghostly Merle. I saw Arian Bletchley earlier this evening and he said that it's been Rougier's goal to take away my magic. Ruby is in the bathroom at the moment, but I do not want to confront her as I am not sure how my magic will react to her. I am going to go to Professor Flitwick and ask his advice. I'll take Lisa and Terry with me.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out again, I opened the drapes around my bed. Lisa was sealing her letter and Mandy was getting ready for bed. I couldn't yet hear the shower running and this made me smile grimly. I assumed the Zita Rougier was every bit as vain as I remembered at Father's house, even in another body. Come to think of it, I hadn't much liked Ruby for ages now. She had gone from being a studious, quiet and friendly student to a trouble-making gossip rather quickly. After having Mandy become moody during Sixth Year, I had just assumed that this was Ruby's version of growing up.

"I hope Terry is still down in the common room," I said to Lisa, thankful that Mandy wasn't looking in our direction. I jerked my head at the door, causing Lisa to give me a confused look. "I forgot to give him back that Charms homework we borrowed last week." I held the now folded Marauders Map in my hand.

I walked to the door as Lisa jumped up. "Well, he's still got mine too," she said, following me. "I'll ask for it back."

We didn't speak until we were halfway down the stairs to the common room.

"What was that all about?" Lisa hissed. "What Charms homework? What's the matter?"

"Never mind," I whispered back. "Please trust me for now."

"But-"

"Please," I said earnestly, turning back to look at her. Lisa now looked worried. "This is important."

We reached the common room and nearly bumped into Terry, who was about to climb the stairs.

"Evening," he said cheerfully.

"Terry, come with us," I said quietly, pulling him away from the stairs.

"What? Why?" he said, looking surprised. "Where are we going?"

"Never mind."

There were still people about, either studying or chatting. Thankfully, no one paid us any notice as we headed to the door.

"Come on," I said, opening the door and looking behind me. "Quickly."

Once we were two corridors away from Ravenclaw Tower, I filled my friends in about Harry's map and what I had seen. Their faces had steadily become more and more horrified.

"Thank you for not acting Gryffindor about it," said Terry, looking stricken. "Some people would have gone straight in and confronted her."

"And you're right," Lisa added, almost jogging to keep up with me, "your magic may not react well if it recognised it's own kind within Ruby – I mean Rougier. Oh Armilla, we've been sleeping in the same room all year!"

"I know," I said, disgusted. I pulled out the Marauders Map and had another look. Zita Rougier was now in our dormitory, her dot hovering near Mandy.

"Flitwick had better be in his office," Terry said.

"He is," I said, checking the map, seeing that the dot labelled Filius Flitwick was right nearby.

We reached Flitwick's office door a few seconds later and I knocked on it rapidly.

A moment later the door opened to reveal our Head of House. He frowned when he saw the three of us at his office door.

"My goodness," he said, looking up at us, "it's after curfew. What has happened?"

"Professor," I said, "I need your help. It's about Ruby Parkes. It's not really her."

Flitwick's frown deepened. "What are you talking about, Miss Snape?"

"It must be Polyjuice Potion, sir," Lisa said earnestly. "What else could it be?"

"Look, Professor," I said, showing him the map.

"What in Merlin's name is this?" Flitwick squeaked, his eyes bulging slightly as he took in the contents of the map. "Now this is an impressive example of advanced Charms work."

"Severus is back!" I said suddenly, seeing the dot labelled with my brother's name in the grounds near the gates. The dot was moving rather quickly. He must have gotten my message.

"My goodness!" Flitwick said again, spotting my brother's dot. "Amazing."

"Zita Rougier, my old governess, is impersonating Ruby Parkes," I said hastily, trying to find Ravenclaw Tower again. "Look she's…"

Her dot wasn't there in the dormitory.

"Where is she?" Terry asked, leaning over Lisa's shoulder for a better look.

"Stupefy!"

A jet of red light burst between Lisa and I, hitting Flitwick squarely in the chest. He stumbled backwards to the floor, completely frozen.

Dropping the map, I whirled around, whipping out my wand, as did Lisa and Terry.

There stood who we thought had been Ruby Parkes, wand in hand. How had she managed to move so quickly?

"Stupefy!" Rougier yelled.

I managed to block the spell just in time. A strange, magnetic like force seemed to hit my wand, making it tremble in my hand.

"Expelliarmus!" Lisa and Terry both shouted, but both of their spells were swiftly blocked.

"Petrificus Totallus!" I yelled.

"Child's play," Rougier sang, blocking the spell. Again, my wand trembled as it came into contact with Rougier's magic. I felt my magic surging within me. Something felt strangely unsettled.

"Stupefy!" we shrieked, but Rougier was too good. Who knew she knew how to duel so well?

Rougier flicked her wand, casting non-verbal magic this time and I swiftly blocked it, using the shield rebound charm Severus had taught me. I pushed it back with all my might, only to have it blocked once more. I could feel magical power thumping through my veins.

A sudden shriek was heard from Lisa and she collapsed to the floor, blood gushing from her arm.

"Noooooo!" Terry yelled, as I cast my own non-verbal hex at Rougier, delivering it with force I had not felt in a long time.

Rougier actually staggered this time, surprise evident on her face, but she cackled at she blocked it. "Our big brother has been teaching us, has he?" she simpered.

I threw another hex at her, bringing up a mentally cast shield to block anything she might retaliate with.

Rougier blocked it again, baring her teeth, as my wand shook in my hand. It looked most unsettling to see the insane grin on Ruby's face. "Playing with the grownups now!"

I swiftly piled curses into a bubble hex, a spell courtesy of Severus, and hurled it at Rougier, who screamed as she blocked it.

"Stupefy!" Terry shouted, as I cast another bubble hex.

Rougier only just managed to block the two of us before throwing a severing charm at Terry, who wasn't quick enough this time. He yelled in pain as the poorly aimed hex pierced the side of his face, making him stagger backwards, hitting the back of his head.

All of a sudden, Merle was standing between Rougier and I, hurling hexes of her own at me. I blocked them as best I could, but the magnitude of her hexes made a strange power run through me and it was all I could do to stay upright.

"What the hell?!" I heard Terry shriek in reaction to Merle's appearance.

Rougier began casting more hexes of her own and I didn't think I'd be able to block both her and Merle for much longer, no matter how powerful I felt with the magic surging through me. It felt strangely constricted.

Merle suddenly opened her mouth and let out a high laugh, which repulsed me to the core and made my blood boil. I hurled two hexes with as much force as I could muster, one at each of them. It made both Rougier and I stagger and caused Merle to fade momentarily.

My eye suddenly caught the flashing of the emerald on my bracelet and acting purely on instinct, I quickly transferred my wand to my right hand and raised my left wrist, verbally instructing the emerald to protect my magic. As I hurled yet another hex at Rougier, a green beam shot out from the emerald and hit Merle, piercing her. She let out a high-pitched scream that echoed up and down the corridor.

Rougier and I kept duelling, both intent on seeing it to the end. Likewise, the ghostly Merle kept up her own tirade of spells. Rougier kept casting enraged glances at Merle. The beam had not moved from where it had pierced the ghostly figure, but all of a sudden, jets of greenish light burst from Merle and completely encased the three of us in a triangle. Rougier looked as surprised as I was. Merle looked as strong as ever, despite being pierced. The string-like jets of green that surrounded us were still attached to her. The beam from my bracelet was as strong as ever.

It was then that I heard thundering footsteps at the end of the corridor behind me. As Rougier and I continued to throw hex after hex at each other, causing us both to stagger, I felt more pressure as outside spells rebounded off the triangular encasement. It made the magic surging within me shake in a most unsettling way, like it was being attacked. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dumbledore, McGonagall and Severus hurling spells at the encasement, only to have them bounce off.

As they tried harder, Rougier and I both staggered. Merle screamed, once again echoing all around us.

"Stop!" I shrieked at them. "You're making it worse!"

At first they didn't listen to me; all three kept trying to break their way in. Severus' focus was trained on the green encasement, his face full of fury, matched only by Dumbledore's expression.

I panted, feeling winded as my wand hand shook. The green beam from my emerald flashed.

"Stop!" I screamed at them. "That's my magic you're attacking!"

They halted immediately and Rougier, who now looked a little faint, immediately resumed throwing hexes. I blocked them with a rebound shield, this time causing them to return with twofold power, causing Rougier to scream again as she blocked them.

"Armilla!" I heard Severus shout and his voice sounded stricken.

"You cannot interfere with that sort of magic, Severus!" Dumbledore shouted. "Lower your wand! Harry! I told you to stay behind us!"

"Armilla!" I heard Merle scream. "Armilla! Come and join me!"

I pushed a mental blocking shield up, blocking Rougier but casting no hexes as I instead pushed the remainder of my concentration into the emerald on my bracelet.

I control you, I thought, looking at Merle as the beam from the emerald got stronger. The power within you comes from me. Release the dark magic binding you and return to me.

The beam became brighter and wider and Merle hovered closer to me, but Rougier was not letting go without a fight. Her hexes suddenly became stronger and I doubled the force of my mental shield.

I ignored the shouts I heard around me and an idea suddenly came to me. After blocking another two hexes, I disconnected the beam from the emerald to Merle.

Separate us! I thought. Shield us from her!

Green light burst from my bracelet again and I quickly used my wand to guide it around Merle and I, thus securing us in our own circle inside the triangle.

Rougier screamed in anger as her hexes rebounded off the barrier. I heard gasps come from people outside the triangle.

"That's it, Armilla!" Dumbledore called, though his voice sounded muffled. I swayed on the spot, exhausted from directing the shield. My limbs now felt like jelly and my wand arm, also my bracelet arm, was shaking worse than ever.

"Stay focused!" Severus shouted. "Don't let go!"

The ghostly Merle now seemed confused. Without Rougier having direct access to her, she couldn't cast hexes of her own.

I ensured the barrier around us was going to remain sealed before I directed my wand away and pointed my wand at Merle instead.

Smother the enemy, I instructed the emerald as it hit Merle. Take back what is mine and return it to me. I immediately forced Merle to burst forward, attaching herself to our circular barrier as if by means of a sticking charm. The barrier immediately stretched forward from the impact, just like elastic. Merle and the barrier lunged at Rougier and immediately had her smothered; the barrier changed shape and twisted itself around her as I directed it with my wand and Merle, letting out a high cackle, disappeared inside her.

Rougier let out an almighty scream and suddenly looked like she was possessed. There was a split second where she froze, mid-scream, a look of horror in her eyes. The magic inside me was frantic, making me shake worse than ever.

"Maintain control, Armilla!" I heard my brother's voice shout. "Keep going!"

Now, I yelled in my head and the beam from the emerald suddenly grew the largest I had ever seen it, seeming the rush backwards.

Rougier's feet lifted off the ground as the green light burst out of her, giving her a strange, eerie glow. The light hurled itself at me and hit me like a tidal wave and I felt my own feet lift from the ground and I was thrown backwards at an almighty speed, the triangle stretching around me. I saw stars in my eyes as I hit the wall at the end of the corridor and crashed to the floor, feeling a sickening crack in my knee.

Though feeling extremely dazed, I could feel pressure again as Dumbledore and McGonagall tried getting through the shield once more. Severus was running down the corridor towards me, followed by Terry and Harry.

"Stop!" I rasped. Rougier was lying on the ground where she had landed and her body was twitching. Sparks of her own magic seemed to be emitting from her body. I raised my wand and aimed it at her. "Stupefy!"

That did it. Rougier stopped moving and the triangular barrier around us crashed back towards me and hit me hard as it entered to rejoin my magic. I screamed as I felt my body twitch uncontrollably, magic surging through my veins at an almighty speed. My head felt like it was going to explode.

"Armilla!" Severus came to a halt on his knees beside me and immediately brought his arms under me and moved my twitching body into a sitting position so my head would stop bumping the stone floor. His arms came around me and I leaned into his chest, screaming still from the pain, now mainly concentrated in my head.

"My head!" I shrieked, tears running down my face, as Severus held me tighter. "Make it stop!"

"Professor Dumbledore!" I heard Terry say frantically.

"Severus! I think you'd be more welcome than I would," Dumbledore said, kneeling at my feet, his face anxious. "There's less risk."

I continued to scream. "My head!" I started hitting at my head, feeling like I wasn't really there as the pain became worse and worse.

"Armilla," I heard my brother say softly, but I continued to scream, my magic more erratic than ever. I heard the sudden crack of glass as the window pane above smashed.

Dumbledore quickly flicked his wand and stopped the glass showering over us.

"Stop, Armilla!" I heard Harry say, as I continued to hit my head.

"Armilla." There was Severus' voice again, quiet against my ear.

A moment later, my arms were taken away from my head as Terry reached for my hands to hold. I didn't resist; I was going mad from the pain.

"Look at me," Severus said in my ear. He lifted my chin and then wiped the tears on my face with his hand. With difficulty from twitching, I looked into his black eyes. There was such love there.

"Do not look away," he whispered.

I shuddered, not breaking eye contact.

I suddenly heard his voice inside my head. "You've been very brave, Armilla. I am going to attempt to calm your magic by spreading some of mine through you. Just let it come."

I felt him take my left hand from Terry and he closed his hand over the emerald. Immediately, warmth spread though me, making me shudder. He hadn't touched the emerald in such a long time that I had almost forgotten the warm feeling. The pain dulled slightly and the twitching became a series of small shudders. As I continued to look at him, I felt him focus on the pain in my head and it slowly subsided as the magic slowed down.

"That's right," I heard Severus say in my head, as I felt myself becoming limp from tiredness in his arms. "Just concentrate on the sound of my voice. I'm so proud of you, Armilla."

We continued to look at each other for what felt like several minutes before Severus let go of the emerald. The warmth immediately left, but I still felt his presence in my mind.

"I am going to break eye contact and withdraw my magic," Severus said in my head. "You're alright now."

I slowly nodded and then Severus broke his gaze from mine. He looked over at Dumbledore and nodded.

Now that Severus had controlled my magic, my knee reminded me of its presence.

"My knee," I said softly.

"We know," said Terry, standing up. "It looks pretty gross, Milly,"

"Thank you for your helpful observation, Mr Boot," Severus all but growled at him as Terry ran back down the corridor towards Lisa.

"Lisa," I said suddenly, looking down the corridor. McGonagall was bending over her, tending to her injury. Flitwick, looking a little dazed, had his wand trained on the stunned Rougier, still looking like one of his Ravenclaw students.

"Miss Turpin will be fine, Armilla," Dumbledore said, smiling at me, as he and Harry stood up.

I felt strange suddenly as my peripheral vision went dark.

"Harry," I said, "your map's over there."

"Thanks, Armilla," Harry said quietly.

"Map?" Severus repeated.

"Severus," I said, as my vision became darker, "I need to sleep." And everything went black.

A/N Two chapters in two days! A first for me, I think, at least since the days of the early chapters of the first story. Please, please, please, review! This has been the most traumatic one to write!