Chapter 20
That next week in Care of Magical creatures to the Slytherins horror Hagrid was back.
"We're working in here today. Bit more sheltered! Anyways, they prefer the dark." Hagrid said leading everyone into the forest.
"What prefers the dark. What did he say prefers the dark-did you hear." Draco ask slightly panicked.
"Oh. Grow a pair Draco." Brianna hissed rolling her eyes.
"Ready? Right well, I've been saving a trip in to the forest fer yer fifth year. Thought we'd go an' see these creatures in their natural habitat. Now, what we're studying' today is pretty rare, I reckon I'm probably the only person in Britain who's managed ter train 'em." Hagrid told everyone.
"And you're sure they're trained, are you? Only it wouldn't be the first time you'd brought wild stuff to class, would it?" Draco said and all the Slytherins and most the Gryffindor's agreed.
"Course they're trained." Hagrid said picking up a dead cow and throwing it over his shoulder.
"So what happened to your face then?" Draco demanded.
"Mind yer business. Now if your finished asking stupid questions, follow me." Hagrid said and everyone slowly followed.
They walked about ten minutes before Hagrid stopped them throwing the cow on the ground.
"Gather round, gather round. Now, they'll be attracted by the smell of the meat but I'm going ter give 'em a call anyway, cause they'll like ter know it's me." Hagrid explained.
"He's such a joke." Brianna whispered as Hagrid gave a shrieking cry though the woods. Neville and Harry was staring at something in the woods that no one else could see.
"Oh and here come's another one. Now put your hand up if you can see them." he ask and only Neville and Harry put there's up.
"Yeah, Yeah, I knew you'd be able ter Harry. And you too Neville?" Hagrid ask.
"Excuse me. But what exactly are we supposed to be seeing?" Draco sneered. Hagrid pointed to the cow as an answer and everyone looked to see pieces of it being eaten off. Half the class gasp in shock. Brianna knew what is was just couldn't see them. Yet.
"What's doing that. What's eating it." Patil screamed.
"Thestrals, Patil." Brianna sneered and Hagrid and everyone looked at her.
"How do you know if you cant see them." Hagrid ask.
"I may not be able to see them but I can read. There in our books." Brianna sneered condescendingly and Hagrid just nodded.
"Hogwarts has got a whole heard of them here." Hagrid told everyone.
"But there suppose to bring all sorts of horrible misfortune on people who see them. Professor Trelawney told me once." Patil cried.
"No, No, No, That's just superstitions that is, that aren't unlucky, there dead clever and useful. Course this lot don't get a lot of work it's mainly just pulling the school carriages unless Dumbledore's taking a long journey and don't want ter apperate." Hagrid told them.
"I think I felt something, I think it's near me." Patil shivered.
"Don't worry it wont hurt yeh. Right now who can tell me why some can see them and some can't." He ask and Brianna raised her hand.
"Go on." he pointed to her.
"The only people who can see them are those who have seen death." Brianna said.
"That's exactly right ten points to Slytherin. Now." he said but was interrupted.
"Hem. Hem." Everyone heard and turned around.
"Oh hello." Hagrid said smiling.
"You received the note I sent to your cabin this morning? Telling you that I would be inspecting your lesson?" Umbridge ask him.
"Oh yeah glad yeh found the place all right. Well as you can see-or maybe you cant were doing Thestrals today." he told her.
"I'm sorry what did you say." she ask cupping her hand around her ear.
"Er-Thestrals. Big-er-winged horses, yeh know." Hagrid said loudly flapping his arms.
"Has..to..resort..to..crude..sign..language." Umbridge murmured as she wrote it down.
"Well anyways what was I saying." Hagrid ask flustered.
"Appears..to..have..short..term..memory.." Umbridge murmured again. Draco and Brianna laughed.
"Oh yeah. Yeah I was gonna tell yeh how come we got a herd. Yeh so we started out with a male and five females and." he started.
"Are you aware that the Ministry of Magic classified Thestrals as dangerous." Umbridge ask him.
"Thestrals aren't dangerous! All right they might take a bite outta you if yeh really annoy them." he chuckled.
"Shows..signs..of..pleasure..at..idea..of..violenc e." Umbridge whispered as she wrote.
"No-come one! I mean a dog'll bite if yeh bait it wont it-but Thestrals have just got a bad reputation. People used to think they were bad omens." Hagrid said anxious.
"Please continue teaching as usual. I am going to walk among the students and ask questions." she said imitating all the motions for him as if he were a toddler. Brianna and Draco were silently laughing.
"Erm..anyways so. Yeah there's loads of good stuff about them" Hagrid said as Umbridge walked over to Draco and Brianna.
"Do you find that you are able to understand Professor Hagrid when he talks?" she ask them and Brianna and Draco struggled not to laugh as they answered.
"No because well it sounds like grunting a lot of the time." Draco told her and she wrote it done.
"So how do you like his teaching." Umbridge ask.
"Terrible and freighting at times. He brings in some of the most dangerous creatures." Brianna said and Umbridge thank them for there help.
"Er..yeah..good stuff about them. Well, once there tamed like this lot, yeh'll never be lost again. Mazin' senses of direction, just tell 'em where yeh want ter go." Hagrid said.
"Assuming they can understand you of course." Draco said and Brianna and Pansy giggled out loud.
"You can see the Thestrals, Longbottom, can you?" Umbridge ask him and he nodded.
"Whom did you see die?" she ask.
"My granddad." he told her.
"And what do you think of them?" she ask. He glanced at Hagrid before answering.
"Erm. Well…they're …er…okay." he stuttered.
"Students…are…too…intimidated…to…admit…they…are…fr ightened." Umbridge whispered.
"No! No I'm not saying that." Neville said upset.
"It's quite all right. Well, Hagrid. I think I've got enough to be getting along with. You will receive the results within ten days." she said again acting like he was a child. Draco and Brianna were in fits of laughter. Class ended shortly after that.
December arrived bring with it lots of snow and tons of homework for the fifth years. The night before Brianna and Draco were set to go home for Christmas Brianna woke up from a dream that she realized was her father showing her what he was doing. But there was someone else in his head at the time and she knew it was Potter. He was seeing her fathers thoughts she had to tell Snape.
She threw on a robe and dashed to Snape's private rooms. Knocking loudly and quickly. 5 minutes later the door snapped open showing an irritated Snape finishing the buttons on his robes. He's demeanor softened when he saw her and ushered her in.
"What's wrong." he ask as she sat on his couch. He took in her appearance and knew she just got out of bed.
"I was having a dream or more like my father pulled me into his mind again to show me what he was doing. He was in Nagini's mind attacking Arthur Weasley." she said quickly.
"So." Snape ask not caring about Weasley or seeing the problem.
"It's not that, while I was watching there was someone else watching too. Someone else in his mind seeing what he was doing." she said voice getting higher.
"Who was it." he ask now seeing the problem.
"Potter." Brianna growled out.
"Shit." Snape cursed.
"Yeah so you see the issue." she said. "How are we going to tell him." she ask him.
"This isn't good he needs to know now. Can you try and contact him with your mind." he ask looking at her.
"I can try I haven't initiated it on my own the first time was by mistake and painful and this time he did it while I was asleep." she told him.
"See if you can as least try." he told her and she nodded closing her eyes and concentrating. Snape sat next to her and waited. A few minutes later her eyes flew open and they were far away and red.
"Father can you here me this is urgent." she said and she felt her father open his mind.
"Yes my daughter I am here what is it." he ask.
"It's about the vision you just showed me of the attack on Weasley." she started.
"Yes what about it I thought you'd like to see it." he told her.
"Yes I did but while I was watching I felt someone else there as well. It was Potter he was in your mind he saw what happened." she told him and he was silent for a moment.
"Interesting. I had heard his scar is painful when I'm angry or close. It seems that I can also send him visions. That could be both useful and dangerous. No doubt he has told Dumbledore about this by now and he will want Snape to teach him Occlumency. Tell Snape that if he does he is not to teach him that but to open his mind up more make it easier for me to manipulate." he told.
"Alright I will tell him now." she said.
"Good. You did well for letting me know. Now get some rest the holiday is soon." he told her and she pulled out.
She opened her eyes and saw she was laying with her head in Snape's lap.
"Um what happened." she ask looking up at him.
"You blacked out so I laid you down. Did it work." he ask helping her sit up.
"Yes I told him. He said it could be useful and dangerous at the same time. He thinks Dumbledore will make you teach Potter Occlumency and said to tell you not to really teach him but to open his mind up worse so he can use it to manipulate him." Brianna told him and he nodded. Just them someone knocked on the door.
Brianna stood and retreated to the corner making herself invisible before he opened the door and Dumbledore came in. Brianna held her breath so not to get caught.
"Can I help you Headmaster." Snape ask.
"Yes we have a problem Severus. Harry entered Voldemorts mind tonight and witnessed Arthur Weasley get attacked by his Snake. I have sent them all to Sirius's place. I need you to teach him Occlumency when the Holiday's are over." Dumbledore ordered.
"Why me." Snape ask not happy.
"You're the best and if you don't he will be in danger as will the rest of us." Dumbledore urged. Snape sighed before replying.
"Fine but on two conditions." he said. And Dumbledore nodded.
"You let me use your Pensieve during the lessons and let me bring in one of my students to assist. In case things get out of hand." he told him.
"Yes to the first. Who would you have to assist you." Dumbledore ask.
"Brianna LeStrange. She is good with mind magic and can help keep the peace between Potter and myself. Or she can try." Snape replied.
"Alright but stress to her the importance of this remaining secret. Also go during the holiday and tell Harry what is going on. You might as well take Miss. LeStrange with you since she will be helping." he said and Snape nodded.
"If Potter refuses to listen to me I will stop the lessons." Snape said and Dumbledore nodded before leaving. Once he was gone Brianna came out.
"Why me." she ask him.
"Because I am less likely to kill Potter with you there to help me control myself and you can help me open his mind. Your Leglimency skills are better than my own." he told her.
"Ok I'm in, just another way for me to torture Potter it should be fun. So when are we going to tell him." she ask.
"Right before Holiday is over I will take you there. I will no doubt be at Malfoy Manor during most of the holidays." he said caressing her cheek.
"Good. Well I better get back." she told him smiling. He nodded then kissed her deeply before sending her on her way.
Christmas was enjoyable she got tons of stuff. Brianna spent some time with her father who called her later on Christmas day. Snape took her and dropped her off. They spent hours talking and he gave her very, very rare, very dark books which she loved and couldn't wait to read. Snape came back later that day and took her back to Malfoy Manor where they had a great feast.
Snape gave her in addition to the book he got her gave her something later that evening in private. It was a ring that had been in his mothers family for years-with her father's permission of course-. It had jewels of onyx and green and had some of the same magical properties that her necklace had. It partnered with a family onyx ring that he wore. He would be able to find her no matter what and know if she was in trouble and vise versa. It also gave her entrance to is private home at Spinner's end. She loved it and slipped it on her right hand. (Snape had told her that is the hand it's made for just as his. It fit perfect.) He told her the next ring he gives her will be a wedding ring when the time was right, but for now he wanted her to have this one for extra protection and for her to know she belonged to him in everyway. She almost cried. There rings were slightly different so know one unless they were really looking could tell they matched. He said it also told other wizards that she was taken by someone. To that she laughed at him staking his claim. She thought it was cute.
Snape reported that Mr. Weasley was healing in St. Mungo's and should be released soon.
The last day of Holiday Snape came to her in the library where she was reading and playing with her new ring that like her necklace she would never take off.
"We need to go see Potter about his new lesson's today." he told her kissing her cheek. He got where if they were along he always kissed her somewhere or held her someway. She really like this. He was cold and mean with everyone else but with her he treated her like a queen.
"Alright just let me get ready." she told him jumping off the chair and running to her room. 15 minutes later she was dressed very sexy and ready to go.
"Where do you think your going wearing that." he ask looking at her black pants and dark green corset like shirt she wore as a top. A black cloak thrown over for travel. His ring on her right hand. Her hair hanging long and dark down her back eyes dark with make-up. She looked like sin. The good kind.
"To Potter's why what's wrong with it." she ask twirling around and looking over her shoulder at him before facing him again. He couldn't take his eyes off her.
"Nothing. It's. I mean. you look great but. I don't want anyone seeing you dressed like that." he said voice thick.
"don't be silly it's meant to be worn out. Aunt Narcissa got it for me for Christmas. Now come on lets go ruin Potters day." she said grabbing his hand and dragging him out the door. He relented really liking the outfit. Grabbed her around the waist.
"You look very sinfully sexy." he told her before appreating them to the front door of Sirius Blacks place. He knocked on the door and Molly Weasley opened it.
"Severus how are you." she ask smiling.
"I've been better. I need to speak with Potter." he said flatly.
"Of course wait in the kitchen I will get him." she said eyeing Brianna strangely as she let them in. Snape pulled Brianna towards the kitchen. Sitting at the table was Sirius Black and Remus Lupin having a conversation.
"Black. Lupin." Snape spat causing both men to jump up.
"What are you doing here Snape." Sirius spat back.
"I have come to talk with Potter on Dumbledore's orders." she said moving around the table to sit pulling a chair out for Brianna first. She sat and glared at Lupin who was about to drool.
"Well you wont mind if I sit in the meeting with you." Black said taking a seat.
"What are you staring at." Brianna snapped at Lupin causing him to turn his head but not before getting a nasty glare from Snape.
"Sorry I'll step out so you can talk." Lupin mumbled before running out.
"What's she doing here." Sirius said looking at Brianna.
"She is here because this concerns her to Black. You're the only one it doesn't concern." Snape told him and they went to glaring at opposite sides of the room in silence.
Potter came in a few moments later looking thoroughly confused and nervous looking at the three sitting at the table.
"Er." Harry said to announce his presence.
"Sit down Potter." Snape said. And he did next to Sirius.
"You know," Sirius said leaning back on two legs of his chair staring at the ceiling. "I think I'd prefer it if you didn't give orders here, Snape. It's my house, you see." he told him and Snape glared at him before turning that glare on Potter.
"We were suppose to see you alone, Potter. But Black here." Snape said lip curling.
"I'm his godfather." Sirius said proudly and Brianna rolled her eyes. Potter saw her and stared.
"I am here on Dumbledore's orders but by all means, Black stay. I know you like to feel…involved." Snape drawled and Brianna suppressed a snort.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Sirius ask chair falling back on four legs with a bang.
"Merely that I am sure you must feel-ah-frustrated buy the fact that you can do nothing useful for the order." Snape stressed and Sirius paled. Snape's lip curled in triumph as he turned to Harry.
"The headmaster has sent me to tell you, Potter, that it is his wish for you to study Occlumency this term." Snape told him.
"Study what?" Potter ask blankly.
"Idiot." Brianna whispered and Snape's sneer began more pronounced. Black and Potter heard her and glared.
"Occlumency, Potter." Brianna said slowly.
"The magical defense of the mind against external penetration. An obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful one." Snape cut in. Potter still clearly didn't understand.
"Why do I have to study Occlu-thing." he ask like a retard.
"Because the headmaster thinks it's a good idea. You will receive private lessons once a week maybe more, but you will not tell anybody what your doing, least of all Dolores Umbridge. You understand?" Snape said smoothly.
"Yes. Who's going to teach me." Harry ask.
Snape raised an eye brow.
"I am." he said. And Potter paled Brianna was loving this.
"What is she here for then." Harry ask nodding to Brianna.
"She is here due to the fact she will be assisting me in teaching you." Snape said.
"Why." Harry ask.
"Because Potter. She is excellent in mind magic and it might make it easier for you to learn." he explained.
"So she can already do this thing." Harry ask.
"Yes I can and more Potter." Brianna said rising her brow now. Potter looked to Sirius for help.
"Why cant Dumbledore teach Harry? Why the two of you?" Sirius ask aggressively.
"I suppose because it is a headmaster's privilege to delegate less enjoyable task. I assure you I did not beg for the job. I will expect you at 6:00 on Monday evening, Potter. My office. If anybody ask, you are taking Remedial Potions. Nobody who has seen you in my class could deny you need them." Snape said.
"Got that right." Brianna added as they stood to leave.
"Wait a moment." Sirius stopped them. Snape and Brianna turned back around Snape sneering.
"I am in rather a hurry, Black. Unlike you, I do not have unlimited leisure time." Snape said.
"I'll get to the point then." he said standing. Both men and Brianna hand there hands on there wands. "If I hear you're using the Occlumency lessons to give Harry a hard time, you'll have me to answer to." this time Brianna did snort at that and Sirius glared at her.
"How touching. But surely you have noticed that Potter is very like his father." Snape sneered.
"Yes. I have." Sirius said proudly.
"Well then, you'll know he's so arrogant that criticism simply bounces off him." Snape said sleekly. Brianna's ring heated up letting her know Snape was in danger. Sirius threw his chair aside pulling out his wand but Snape was faster and already had is out moving to slightly shield Brianna. Brianna to pulled hers.
"Sirius." Harry yelled but everyone ignored him.
"I've warned you Snivellus. I don't care if Dumbledore thinks you've reformed, I know better." Sirius said not a foot from Snape.
"Oh, but why don't you tell him so? Or are you afraid he might not take the advise of a convicted murder who has been hiding inside his mother's house for 6 months very seriously?" Whispered Snape.
"Tell me, how is Lucius Malfoy these days? I expect he's delighted his lapdog's working at Hogwarts, isn't he?" Sirius said and Brianna gasp pointing her wand in Sirius's face looking dangerous. Anyone would say at that moment she look just like her mother. And Sirius was thinking that as well. Snape saw his fear when glancing at Brianna and smiled slightly.
"Speaking of dogs, did you know that Lucius Malfoy recognized you last time you risked a little jaunt outside. Clever Black, getting yourself seen on a safe station platform…give you cast-iron excuse not to leave your hidey-hole in the future, didn't it." Snape said softly. Sirius raised his wand higher as did Snape and Brianna. Brianna stepping out from behind Snape to stand at his side.
"I wouldn't do that Sirius." Brianna laughed. The laugh that came out sent shivers down everyone's spine. It was her mothers deranged laugh.
"No. Sirius don't." Harry yelled jumping up and running to try and get in between them.
"Are you calling me a coward?" Roared Sirius trying to push Harry out of the way.
"Why, yes, I suppose I am." Snape said.
"Harry-get-out-of-it." Sirius snarled pushing him out of the way with his free hand. Brianna and Snape both braced for a duel. Brianna laughing again in that same laugh.
"Show us what you got Cousin." she said taunting him.
The kitchen door opened and everyone came running in. Mr. Weasley included they all stopped at the scene. Harry in the middle fighting to push Sirius back as he faced off with both Snape and Brianna who both look very scary.
"Merlin's beard. What's going on here?" Mr. Weasley ask.
"Sirius lower your wand." Remus warned.
"Yeah Sirius lower your wand like a good boy." Brianna taunted him. Snape smirked and everyone else glared as they shivered at her dangerous look and Bellatrix laugh.
Sirius glared but lowered his wand and stepped back. Snape and Brianna finally lowered there's.
"Six o'clock Monday evening, Potter. Don't be late we will be waiting." Snape said grabbing Brianna's hand and they both swept out of the kitchen past the others robes blowing behind them.
When they got outside Snape apperated them back to Malfoy Manor. Where they spent the evening filling in the Malfoy's and laughing about what happened.
