AN/- Hi! I want to thank the person who nominated my story over-so a big thank you over there-and do review. period.
Chapter 25
If she was going to fail again in manifesting that charm, then she would just give up. Audrey did not understand the purpose of learning these spells and even though they were termed to be useful for day to day activities, she could not see herself befriending them soon. She could hear Snape groan in annoyance once again, they had been practicing charms since that morning and every time Audrey got close to accomplishing anything she'd fail, this was getting on to Severus's nerves.
"Didn't they teach you hand movements! Up down—sway!" he said pulling her hand into his and then moving it as if trying to accustom her hand to the motion. Audrey slumped as she practiced the movement again. Her eyes darted to Patricia who was laughing in the other side of the backyard where she was levitating her uncle and showing of her skills.
"Bloody show off," muttered Audrey under her breath as she practiced what Snape had just shown her.
"No, No, No!" bellowed Snape as he pushed his hand through his hair and got up.
"Adams! I'm going to lose patience with you now!" he said showing her the movement again as Audrey sighed and pushed her wand down.
"Come on!" he ordered as she slumped even further.
"I can't ok! I suck at it! I am a bloody failure," she complained as Snape closed his eyes, he sucked at motivation, but he knew how to use reverse psychology.
"Yes, you can say that again," he said as he twirled his wand in his hand. Audrey glared at him and then began practicing her movement, he smirked, it had been an hour since they were doing this and she had finally got it after he called her a failure.
"Try it with the spell," he said as she looked at him without confidence, but she tried the spell on the tin can that was in front of her.
"Locomotor can," she announced as the can came towards her and stopped in front of her, she moved a bit and the can followed, unlike before where it didn't move at all. She grinned at him as he raised his eyebrows.
"Still think you're a failure?" he asked as she shook her head and they continued, he taught her movements and she mastered them quickly, he was thankful of the fact that she was a quick learner, if he had got Potter he'd be banging his head with the wall or worse Weasley.
"Think you're up for another one?" he asked her as she nodded in response, they'd mastered almost all the charms that were taught till the fourth year level, she even knew most of the hands movements by now and he decided to show her something not in the textbooks.
"I'm going to show you something that could be useful but you must promise never to use it before your—friends," he said pausing as she frowned a little but then nodded as he pulled out his wand.
"It is a lot like the impedimenta—but different," he said as he pulled out his wand.
"Stand opposite," he said as he turned his wand masterfully and muttered 'levicorpus' as a small squeal escaped the girls mouth as she was hanging upside down in the air laughing.
"Why are you laughing?" he asked amused himself as she couldn't stop laughing.
"I don't know-I just—find this amusing!" she replied between giggles as Severus put her down carefully with a nonverbal counter jinx.
"I know we're doing charms but—can I tell you a secret?" she asked as he looked at her, they had been walking back to the kitchen for lunch as he turned to look at her.
"What?" he asked his voice still a little agitated.
"That spell you used against Jean last year—the banger jinx—I learnt how to do that," she beamed at him, hoping to please him as he looked at her curiously.
"I thought you weren't supposed to be practicing spells this summer," he said as he opened the back door for her to go through.
"Whatever gave you that idea?" she asked smirking at him just like he had few moments ago, as he raised an eyebrow at her, she took her customary seat next to Potter as she busied him in a conversation. Severus noticed Jean enter with that infernal girl that reminded him too much of a young Narcissa only she was way more annoying that Narcissa could ever be.
"Hi, Harry," she said as she broke the train of enjoyable conversation Potter seemed to be having with Adams, Adams threw her a glare and then turned to her plate of potatoes glaring at them as she played with them with the help of her fork.
"You're supposed to eat it Adams!" called Jean from somewhere near Sirius as Severus noticed Audrey's head snap up and look at Jean and then turn to glare at her aunt sharply as the woman looked at her like she agreed.
"He's right you know—my Ginny used to play too much with her food—she never puts on any flesh," commented Mrs. Weasley huffing in agitation as Ginny rolled her eyes and tried to get Fred's hands off her cheeks.
"I suppose Audrey's going with the new size zero muggle fashion—I think it's horrible to be so thin—what do you think Harry?" said Patricia, this was it for Audrey, she stood up from the table rudely as she glared at Patricia, she knew if she said anything she would be in trouble with her mother, after all Patricia was more precious.
"Excuse me—I don't think I am hungry anymore," said Audrey sharply as people looked at the evident anger on her face, her face had gone stone cold and she looked deadly serious as if she was going to murder the next person who spoke.
"Well—I am so sorry did I hurt your feelings?" said Patricia sarcastically, Audrey pursed her lips as her nostrils flared in anger just like her Grandmother's did.
"No, excuse me," she said pushing the chair behind rashly as she walked towards the backdoor in sheer anger.
"Maybe she's angry because she doesn't eat—she really needs to put on some weight aunt Rachel," commented Patricia tartly as she waited for Audrey to storm off, she knew she'd look like she had the last say in things, but Severus noticed Audrey turn with resentment in her eyes as she smirked, Merlin was it evil, her mouth was twisted at the corners, she spoke sharply and she sneered out in anger.
"Like you'd know Potty! You won't even fit into a size 800—and they don't even make that—no wonder all you wear are those ghastly tailored robes—cause even muggles aren't as fat as you—so sad they don't make clothes for whales!" snarled Audrey as Patricia looked at Audrey in horror, she had done it, she had used the nickname her housemates used to tease her with all because of a stupid incident in her first year.
Patricia could hear the Weasley twins laughing, like Audrey was the funniest comedian in the entire world. Tears sprang into Patricia's eyes as she sobbed. Audrey rolled her eyes and then stormed out of the backdoor, Severus noticed Rachel looking very cross as she followed Audrey into the backyard and they could hear them arguing as Jean walked over to Patricia and pull her away from Potter's shoulder, the boy obviously didn't know how to react. Severus couldn't help but smirk as the Weasley twins didn't stop laughing even though Jean shot them several glares.
"Audrey you're going to apologise to Patricia this minute!" snarled Rachel was Audrey stood by the pool her back to her mother.
"No, I didn't ask her to butt in-so she deserved it" said Audrey turning, her tone was similar to that her mother had used.
"Why must you always defy me?" asked Rachel defeated.
"Because you never make sense-when was the last time you believed me-when was the last time you agreed to what I had to say!" said Audrey as Rachel did not have an answer for her questions.
"Audrey just go apologise to the girl, she's sobbing buckets," said Rachel pleadingly as Audrey crossed her hand on her chest and looked a lot like the woman standing front of her.
"No!" Audrey replied stubbornly, she knew all Patricia wanted was sympathy and to look like she had been victimised, hell, she already did. Audrey knew that if she apologised to the girl it would seem as if she was agreeing to her mistake, like she was taking back what she had said and Audrey had a zero percent inclination to do that.
"Audrey please, please, please!" said her mother as the begging ended in some sort of a command or an order as Audrey squinted her eyes.
"You can't make me!" she growled as she kicked the grass under her red worn out converse as her mother stood there trying to reason with her. The only way Rachel knew she was going to be getting anything was by using bribery as her defence, she'd have to give something to Audrey in exchange for the apology.
"What do you want?" said Rachel finally as Audrey got to listening closer, but she did not reply.
"Fine, spinning—I'll give you permission to pursue spinning," said Rachel looking at Audrey who turned to look at her.
"Your conditions?" Audrey asked cautiously trying to find the catch.
"It's a simple apology-no glitches I promise" said Rachel as Audrey considered her offer thoroughly and then sighed. She made her way into the kitchen where she stood in front of Patricia grinding her jaw as she waited for the annoying girl to look at her through the obvious crocodile tears.
"I am sorry pot-Patricia!" said Audrey through gritted teeth as every moment she kept reminding herself about her career as a spinner.
"I shouldn't have said those things to you-I am sorry to have hurt your feelings," said Audrey forcing herself to speak, Fred and George she noticed where still sniggering, she was pleased with the damage she had done.
"Oh! Audrey—I just wanted to be your friend," said Patricia through tears that melted Jean's heart in an instant. Bah! She was definitely his daughter—bloody piss off! The whole Claude family was retarded!
"Yes—I am not that great a friend," said Audrey muttering under her breadth as her pursed lips now revealed her agitated canines that wanted to bite Patricia's head off.
"I suppose, but we can still try right? I mean you wouldn't hate me because I'm fat right?" said Patricia as Audrey balled her hands into fist hoping that one would work its way to Patricia's pig nose as her own nostrils flared in anger. Audrey had never had a problem with people being fat, she didn't give a shit about people's sizes, she was not shallow, but when people spoke against her, she was going to snap back, she was bound to; after all she had been gifted in the department of sarcasm.
"No, Patricia I do not hate anyone because their fat, that would make me as low as—never mind," said Audrey as Patricia now smiled at her but her tears didn't stop.
"I suppose—but maybe you need to get you temper in place—snapping at people like that you hurt their feelings," said Patricia, as Audrey raised her eyebrows at her, she looked so menacing it hurt Fred and George not to laugh.
"What did you say!" snarled Audrey accusingly as Patricia smirked, Jean got the feeling this was not going to end well as he tried to step in between the two girls.
"I said your temper is foul—just like the clothes you wear—I mean you need to learn to dress like a lady—people might start thinking—" but Patricia couldn't complete her sentence, her face was meet with a neat blow as she could feel blood making its way through her nose, the pain came in after the numbness.
Audrey looked at Patricia dumbstruck, she had never used her karate skills on anyone before; she wondered why all of a sudden Patricia had gotten the better of her. Audrey noticed blood making its way out of the girl's nose as it looked rather deformed, tears now rolled down her fat cheeks. Audrey noticed Sirius snigger but act like was clearing his throat instead as Harry looked at her a little frightened, Fred and George though seemed to be enjoying themselves thoroughly.
In the spur of the moment Patricia jumped on Audrey in violence, she started to scratch the girl's face out. Audrey already had bloody bruises around her face one scratch on her left cheek and the scar from summer that had almost healed was opened again it began to bleed profusely along with certain other parts of her face.
Jean tried his best to pull Patricia off Audrey as Patricia's weight almost suffocated the girl under her, when Audrey fumbled below Patricia's blows and scratches she came across the girl's wand in her butt pocket, she took the opportunity and pulled it out. She thrust it into her attacker's throat and gleamed as Patricia's eyes went wide, her own wand on her throat—she had obviously underestimated the girl.
"Levicorpus!" shouted Audrey as Patricia's heavy body was pulled away from her and was hanging upside down from the ceiling as Sirius burst out laughing and almost fell of his seat, Patricia's knee length skirt almost showing off her inners.
"Get her down, now!" snarled Jean, as he pulled Audrey by the scuff and shook her. Truth was she didn't know how, she looked at Sirius who was busy laughing like a mad man.
"Liberacorpus," said Snape coolly from the background, Audrey turned her bruised face at him; he did not look pleased in the least. Audrey noticed her mother walk over to her and snatch Patricia's wand out of her hand, she too looked rather distraught as Patricia fell from the ceiling and hurt her head was now being helped by Jean
"Up to your room now—And you're so grounded—in for so much trouble!" shouted Rachel as Audrey left the kitchen again, fuming and she murderously commented.
"When the bloody fu- am I not!" snarled Audrey as she stormed out the room her magic leaving with her, Remus sighed and held his head in hand as his potato salad got cold.
"She has a temper—like someone we know," commented Sirius as Remus hit his shin with his foot as he glared at him and then continued to eat his lunch.
"I wanted a cat fight," said George a little sadly as Ginny giggled at him.
Someone apparated into the house as the loud crack was heard. Maxine had landed into the kitchen gracefully as her robes twirled around her tall body; another crack and Hagrid was seen in the kitchen as the normally large kitchen looked rather full now.
"Olypme," greeted Rachel as Jean nodded at her while making Patricia drink some water as she still sobbed while her uncle fixed her nose in two seconds with his wand and a simple charm.
"What happened?" Maxine asked casually looking at a flustered Patricia.
"Audrey needs to get her head in line—is what needs to happen," snarled Jean as he stroked the girl's head.
"Be strong Patricia—you cannot just break down and cry every time people say things to you—" said Maxine as Patricia looked away from the headmistress.
"She punched my nose," replied Patricia hurt that the headmistress still favoured Audrey over her.
"Well—I am sure with good reason," muttered Maxine under her breadth.
"What?" asked Jean looking cross as Maxine rolled her eyes and brushed his comment away.
"Rachel I just wanted to inform you that we found the replacement for transfiguration," smiled Maxine as Hagrid now sat down in Audrey's empty chair next to Harry and handed him a gift wrapped box.
"Now—where is Adams—I need to tell her zat Leon Bernard has accepted to fill in instead for her for captain—I tell you it is ze big loss to my school," said Maxine grumpily but she beamed as Remus smiled lightly at her. Rachel rolled her eyes as Patricia began to brawl again and she ran out of the room, Jean slumped and muttered something to Rachel in French which made her look helplessly at him as he exited the room.
"I'll tell her Olympe, I am sure you have better things to do," said Rachel calmly as she crossed her hands over her chest as she looked over at Remus who closed his eyes and then stood.
"I'll come with you mate! Need to congratulate for her performance—or not," said Sirius mirthfully as Rachel glared at him sharply and then stood besides Remus.
"You are not to teach her things that are not in the curriculum Snape!" snapped Rachel turning to Severus who looked up from his plate to the angry woman in front of him, Merlin she was beautiful.
"I don't recall any rules in the curriculum that was handed to them," drawled Snape rather bored as he swallowed the food in his mouth.
"Yes, but we all now know how dangerous it is to teach her anything as absurd as this spell—she runs like a crazy wild hippogriff anyway!" said Jean distastefully as the children around the table listened closely to the conversation.
"I think I will teach the girl—the way I would train someone—I do not need to know your concerns about that—she is my responsibility when it comes to these classes—I don't think I need your authorization in carrying forward the way I see fit!" snapped Severus sharply, just like Audrey had a few odd seconds ago, his fits too clenched tightly just like Audrey's, this did not go unnoticed by the twins who moved uncomfortably in their seats.
"Well—then I suppose it is best if you go speak with her," said Remus looking honestly at Severus who frowned at the man, Sirius snorted in the background while Rachel threw him a worried look.
"Fine! I will Lupin seeing that it is obvious that she is not your concern at the minute," said Snape accusingly as Remus paled slightly. Severus walked out of the room and then climbed up the stairs in a hurry.
"Remus!" began Rachel as Remus turned to look at her.
"It's high time Rach" he said shaking his head wisely as everyone looked around confused, it was time for what? They also noticed the obvious slump in Rachel mood as she quietly sat down in her chair and pushed the plate of food away. She was no longer hungry.
Audrey entered her room and shut the door behind her with a large push, she entered the bathroom and looked at her reflection in the slightly worn out sneered and filled the basin with water, she quickly splashed the water on her face cleaning it and then dabbed it with a soft towel, but the blood didn't stop. She heard a knock at the door and decided to ignore it, she did not need Remus's sympathy, she wasn't going to cry into his shoulder over stupid things as such, she examined the cut she had gotten last summer that had opened up again, she wondered if Harry's had healed completely? The knock came again.
"Adams!" snarled someone from outside as she jumped in the bathroom, she walked out and opened the door, her face still seeping blood from different parts.
She opened the door and looked sheepishly at the towering man in the black shirt and dark blue jeans, he was holding something in his hands, she for the first time realised that his shoes were exactly the same as hers except that they were blue and not red.
"May I enter?" he asked rather sharply as she moved away from the door which he closed behind him, he took in her face as he saw the cuts and bruises on her face, he hissed softly looking at the damage.
"Sit," he ordered as he opened up a small glass container and scooped up a jelly like goo into his index finger.
"Look at me," he said softly as she raised her head as he pushed the healing salve into the skin and rubbed smooth concentric circles over the main bruise.
"Might burn a bit—but you'll get better," he said as she did not speak, while he worked around the bruises healing them easily.
"Merlin, that girl must have talons," he commented as he pushed the salve onto the large cut that went across Audrey's face.
"Why are you so nice to me?" asked Audrey abruptly as Severus stopped in his work.
"I'm sorry?" he asked confused.
"No, I mean—everyone else hates you—because you know you're kind of mean—so why do you treat me differently?" she asked him as he looked into her eyes, a split image of his own.
"They think I am big nosed git don't they?" he asked wiping his hand on his shirt a tiny smirk on hs face.
"Yes, but that was not my answer," she replied.
"You ask too many questions," he said looking at her carefully as she looked down as a small red tinge of embarrassment appeared on her cheeks.
"Because you're different," he said simply as he saw her skin filling the cuts with the help of the salve.
"Different?" asked Audrey curiously as Severus slumped, he did not want to talk about this, how could he tell the girl about his doubts about her that he had been having since the first task?
"You aren't like the others—you're different—you remind me a lot of—" he began but did not continue, he could not tell her how much she reminded him of himself and then she looked so much like him, her eyes and everything.
"Of?" she asked her curiosity rising.
"No one—no one," he replied closing the lid of the glass container as Audrey's eyes fell on it, she beamed.
"That's what Harry and I made," she said as Severus was glad she had changed the topic.
"Yes, what you've made—I have taught Potter for four years now—he couldn't have possibly made this," sneered Severus.
"You're really tuff on him," she said as she touched her cheek and then added.
"It works," she said excitedly, this was the first time she had actually used a potion that she had made.
"Oh! Yes—you bet," he said putting the container into his pocket.
"I'm sorry about before," she said as Severus looked at her curiously.
"For what?" he asked calmly.
"You know the levicorpus—I—I—I didn't mean to use it—I just—I couldn't think of anything else but that and a stunner, truth is if I stunned her, my aunt would probably freak out," said Audrey pushing a hair band through her hair.
"You are forgiven," he said getting up from the bed as he looked around the room.
"So we're good right?" she asked him as he looked at her hand in front of him.
"Yes, we're brilliant," he said as the corners of his mouth twitched into the smallest smile as he shook her hand, he was pleased with the beaming smile that she gave him.
Another two days took for the charms curriculum to be perfected as the final charm that Severus had kept to teach the girl was the patronus charm, by now everyone had begun with their course in defence.
"The patronus charm is one of the most difficult charms there is to master, patronus typically means guardian, because that is what it does, it guards you from the greatest of evils, therefore the only way to repel a dementor is through a strong Patronus," said Severus as Audrey nodded as she soaked up all the information, they had begun late after lunch that day and the backyard seemed to be clear except for Hermione and Rachel who were practicing defence spells.
"The patronus, if strong will take the form of the animal that describes you best, therefore the patronus is nothing in reality but your inner spirit guiding you towards light—it might be a myth but ancient text say that after your soul leaves the world your patronus is what guides it towards heaven or hell—although many have debated this." He went on as Audrey stood there listening to him and understanding, she loved the fact that he spoke concrete theory before showing her the actual spell, it helped her immensely and that had made her more thankful of the fact that she had gotten him as her mentor.
"It cannot be said how long it might take to create the Patronus sometimes it comes in the first shot sometimes it doesn't, so don't be disheartened if you fail for the first time, now to create patronus you will need—the incantation which is—Ex-pec-to Pat-ro-num and the only secrecy behind this is a happy memory—a memory so powerful that it can deflect depression and darkness—it will help the patronus breath," he said pronouncing it as clearly as he could, she shook her head in response.
"How do you move the wand?" she asked as he smirked at her.
"You don't—that is why people think it's not really a charm as such but there are theorists who believe otherwise," he said intelligently as Hermione threw a stunner at Rachel who deflected it with a smile she was seemed pleased to know that the girl was learning quickly. Audrey knew the others must be busy with potions or would be enjoying themselves after their sessions in the morning, but she liked this; there was no one really breathing down her neck for time and Snape seemed to be free too.
"Expecto Patronum," she began as white light shot out of the tip of her wand and then fainted, she had chosen the memory of her Remus gifting her, her faithful guitar. Snape looked at her curiously.
"Not to pry, but what memory have you chosen," he asked as Audrey looked at him.
"When Remus bought me my guitar," she said as she looked at him.
"That's not good enough—not nearly good enough—it has to be strong, the happiest you've got," he said as she looked at him, she didn't seem to remember any happy memory, she thought again, she remembered her trip to Italy three years ago, seeing the leaning tower of Pisa and acting like she was pushing her hand to make it lean, eating pizza and going for scooter rides with her mother.
"Okay," she said nodding as she readied herself to try again, he moved out her way as she focused on the memory.
"Expecto Patronum," she shouted as the light that had previously shot from her wand got brighter and then moved around in the air as it made a ball of light and then it went right through her as the light then died. She looked at Snape who looked as baffled as her.
"Are you alright?" he asked her as she nodded.
"Yes, I feel like I have just been purified," she murmured, he had never read about something like that.
"I have never seen something like that happen before," he said shrugging as she smiled and shrugged.
"Maybe you should focus on another memory," he said and she slumped, where was she supposed to get so many good memories from?
"I can't recall any," she said looking at her feet, she closed her eyes. She didn't have any? What was that supposed to mean, she was fourteen she was supposed to have millions of happy memories, truth was she never did enjoy her childhood so there were no memories as such.
"There must be some," he called looking at the girl, she had closed her eyes as she opened them to look at him.
"There is one—but it's not really a memory—just—just something I keep imagining," she said as he looked at her.
"Is it strong?" he asked her as she nodded with determination in her reply.
"Let's give it a try," he said as she took in a deep breath and focused on the figment of imagination. She was five, running through the mass of trees her little feet crunching the dried leaves and sunlight under them as a man ran behind her laughing and calling out her name his voice was rich, deep, smooth and baritone, she giggled softly as her hair whipped around her face strong arms went around her small body as she was lifted from the ground, as someone buried their face in her hair and laughed tickling her on the stomach, she giggled like a five year old would. She was then flipped and turned as she snuggled into the man's shoulder, there was no face but her voice echoed in her head.
"Daddy,"
"Expecto Patronum!" she said as white light escaped her wand once more, Severus looked at it intently it was almost as if there was a shape, and it came, too soon for a fourteen year old but there it was as a rather large stallion burst from the tip of her wand and clopped around the yard. He blew out air in pride as Audrey opened her eyes to see it. He was beautiful.
She looked at him awestruck, she had never imagined that she could make something so beautiful and powerful; she wondered if it was a stallion because of the memory she chose, because of her father who she always presumed to be strong, loving, caring and masculine.
"A stallion—allusion of power, very difficult to tame—runs wild if set free and has a rather foul temper also a very distinct potrayal of the male ego—I do not understand that bit though," said Snape in his deep voice, so deep that it had made Audrey jump, why had she placed Snape's voice with the man from her imagination. Could he be who she thought he was?
Audrey gawked at him for a bit as he came forward a placed a warm hand on the stallion who breathed out again. She studied him carefully for the first time. He had straight black hair, rather greasy but they would be perfect after a good wash, his skin was as pale as hers and they even had such similar eyes, Audrey had thought nothing of it before, after all there were so many people in the world with similar coloured eyes, but how many of them were so sorely hated by her mother and their friends. This was it—if Snape wasn't her father—she didn't know where else to look for him. She was going to confront him, tell him the truth, he'd understand, he would if he cared when he found out. At least she hoped.
"Something wrong?" Severus asked the gaping girl as she shook her head vigorously, although Audrey was bold, she had no idea how to approach this.
AN/- hey guys-here's a super fast update just for you-now i understand that you might be busy-or reading through the phone and stuff-but seriously-i think your internet is way faster then my sick one over here-so do me a favour and review. It'll make me super happy. Also I want to thank everyone who reviewed and favourated my story.