A/N Thabk you for reading!

Chapter 3: Yule

Another couple weeks passed, and to everyone's delight the Beauxbatons were asked to put on an exhibition of sorts, and such a grand event was put together. Many of the students attending Beauxbaton and Durmstrang were proficient duelists, and this was the perfect chance to show off a touch. Durmstang had also had an exhibition the week prior. They showcased their strength and aggression and as a special treat; had their champion Krum fly on the quidditch pitch using all kinds of evasive maneuvers.

They decided the great hall would be best set up as a dueling room. The grand room was transformed into a duelling stage with enough chairs for the remainder of the students to watch. And the ceiling was bewitched to mirror the flashes of the spells used. It was truly magnificent.

Almost every student attended, Hogwarts and Durnstrang alike. Every Beauxbaton duelled, some worked in duos and trios. Others did solos. Ètoile was paired against a boy, Gustav, who was a seventh year. She had been working on non-verbal spells as well as had been studying spell masking (saying one spell but casting another) she had been somewhat successful thus far, she wasn't very proficient in either but it was enough to impress the Hogwarts students. They ooood and aaaaahd, as the blue clad French students flung spells back and forth at each other. Sparks and jets of different colours were flung between them. Finally Ètoile prevailed as she sent a particularly nasty leg-locking curse followed in quick succession by a disarming spell, that she created herself, and depulso. The poor boy's wand was launched into the air and snatched by Ètoile, as he was blown back at least 7 metres. It took madam pomfrey and a couple students to get him back on his feet.

Her eye caught Professor Snapes. His face was blank and he was too far away for her to sense what he was feeling. The next day; however, she found out… When she walked into the dungeon after dinner the classroom had been emptied, she saw a small stack of shrunken tables and chairs in the far corner. "Today." he began in his monotone voice "We will duel. I was impressed by the exhibition, though your casting is advanced, your form and concept need work. A very nice disarming spell. Is it something you created?"

"It is." a big grin broke out on her face, she had been waiting to use that spell. The best part is no one else could learn it as it had no verbal component. "It's a wordless spell."

"Show me." he motioned for her to stand on her end of the classroom. Ètoile set down her rucksack and took her duelling stance. It was just as he remembered, as it was his own adoptive stance. It was an older form but still accepted as a proper duelling stance. Left arm extended in front; wand hand arched above head. "Bend your elbow in front" she adjusted her arm as he suggested. "Loosen your wand hand. It should not be rigid, keeping it at a slight angle will allow you to have a fluidity in motion." she angled her wrist.

"I feel in this posture I have lost my control over my wand. I can be easily disarmed."

He huffed with annoyance. "Attack me." she nodded and stepped forward with a disarming spell, she did notice an ease in motion she did not have before. "Good, again." She stepped with another attack only to be hit by the knockback jinx. She was knocked flat on her arse. Snape offered his hand to help her to her feet, she swiped his hand away and stood. She felt a burst of pride come from him but it was quickly squelched.

They bowed and he counted to three. This time she swung protego around herself as he tossed a nasty curse. In a swift motion she continued her movement and cast stupify, bombarda, and expelliarmus in quick succession. She stepped forward with every spell as he was forced to take several back. "Protego" she barely was able to get the shield up before his rain of spells hit her. She had noticed his wand wobble just the slightest when she hit him with the disarming before and she tried a different sequence, this time he did not wait for her to retaliate, she managed to fling a spell before he lunged forward with a cutting curse. Her shield deflected, and she sidestepped to dodge his following spell. She spun into her next step, winging a particularly nasty engorgio. She missed where she was aiming, his face, but she clipped the tip of his ear and watched it rapidly double in size. Now he was livid. She noticed he fidny supress this emotion like he did his others. She retook her stance and he took the first step.

"Expelliarmus." his voice even, despite him breathing a touch harder than when he began. She blocked but she couldn't block the 6 more that he flung at her. The fifth one caused her to stumble as she stepped back and the last disarmed her. Professor Snape caught her wand and had his wand pointed between her eyes "concede?" she nodded. He handed Ètoile her wand back as well as offered her help up. She declined and pushed herself back up to her feet.

"That was acceptable. You held your ground well." he walked to an empty wall behind his desk and transfigured one of the stones into a mirror as he shrunk the tip of his ear back to the normal size. She watched in awe. He was by far one of the most powerful wizards of his time and yet he never portrayed himself that way.

"I see what you mean about fluidity. I was able to continue into my next movement into my following spell instead of having even a second of hesitation." by the time he had turned back around to address her she was furiously scribbling notes onto a parchment.

"Rigidness is, in some styles of duel, helpful, to those who have an aggressive form, or to those who use a defensive style. both of those require a type of unmoving strength or a stiffness in form to support their spells. But you will find speed is your ally. Remain flexible, remain adaptable to what style your opponent uses. It is not always necessary to use a shield, sometimes it will be more convenient to dodge and use a curse of your own in response. And your wand will appreciate it too. Cherry if I'm not mistaken dragon heart sting. A very fine wand indeed. Fitting of its owner" She nodded as she wrote down everything he said " and sometimes it is useless to write down practical information." He quipped.

She looked up from her note, "Yes sir, I find when I write things down I don't forget them, even if I don't ever read what I write." He nodded, clearly annoyed as she finished writing. Muttering "don't write notes." With a large flourish and a smug look on her face.

"Now for non verbal spells and even spell masking. Where you struggle is intention. Your skills comparative to your age is impressive; however, there is room to improve greatly." he added extra annunciation to the last sentence. "Though the practice is uncommon and in many cases difficult, it offers some element of surprise when one's opponent does not know what spell is being used." he wordlessly shot a yellow jet of light from his wand. "And even more uncommon and difficult is the masking of one's spells." he paused "Expeliarmus!" the same yellow jet came from the tip of his wand instead of the red of the disarming spell. Ètoile scribbled some notes on her parchment. "Intention." he drew out every syllable, intending to grab her attention. "Is the foundation for both of these techniques… stand."

Ètoile stood. "Picture the spell in your mind." she saw the red jet of light shooting out of her wand and hitting her opponent. "Put your intention in the spell, and say meaningless words."

"Difindo!" she shouted as the disarming spells red light pierced the dungeon. "That was way easier than last time!"

"Good… again" she practised until the end of her class. Where he dismissed her and she returned to the carriage Fleur was sitting on Ètoile's bed giggling when she walked into the dorm

"Ètoile! You are back! I have a surprise for you. For the yule ball!" As Ètoile set her rucksack down Fleur darted under her own bed and pulled out a large box. "As a thank you for calming me before the first task. I am not so great with transfiguration but I asked one of the other girls to help, but I was the one who charmed the stars to shimmer." She opened the box and pulled out a beautiful a-line lavender gown. Covering the skirt and fading into the bodice were silver appliques that resembled small 12 pointed stars, they seemed to twinkle on their own. "Try it on.!" The draped sleeves began off her shoulders, hugging her upper arm and split at the elbow, continuing to drape to her knees and revealed a silver shimmering lace that went to her wrist. The lace seemed to melt into her skin, not even seeming as a sleeve, but a second skin. She teared up at the sight of herself in the mirror, she felt like a princess.

No one had asked her to the dance, she was too tall, typically the same height or taller then all of the boys at 175cm. At only 14 she towered over all the other girls as well, she was tall and awkward not to mention covered in freckles and glasses perched at the end of her nose. Constantly being pushed up when Ètoile was in deep concentration. Especially after their exhibition the week prior she figured they would be too intimidated to ask. So she had asked Luna to go as her friend, Luna was a year behind and wouldn't have been able to go on her own. Neville had asked Ginny, a gryffindor in Lunas year, and they all agreed to go in somewhat of a group.

The remainder of the school week passed in a flash. Her classes with Professor Snape focusing on dueling, he gave her exercises to complete over the holidays. The following week went by even faster, the dance being that very night. Ètoile, Gabby and Fleur helped each other get ready. Fleur managed to tame Ètoile's curls and placed more stars in her hair. "Silver stars for our silver star" she winked and went back to work. When she was done Ètoile was paraded around the carriage for all to see and approve. Lastly she placed her mothers locket around her neck. Her grandfather had given it to her grandmother who in turn had given it to her son to give to his future wife, who had given it to Ètoile. The family secret was; the locket was empty. It was meant to hold the gifter's heart. So the wearer would forever have a piece of their love with them always.

Once they reached the great hall Fleur was whisked away leaving the silver trio, now the silver quartet, to enter. More than a few eyes were drawn to her and her face to the tips of her ears turned bright red. She felt some with jealousy and others with lust. But she felt her own giddiness bubble up drowning out the rest of the noise. It was hard for ger to pinpoint emotion in a crowd.

The hall was stunning. Immaculately decorated in whites and silvers. Icicles hung magically from the walls not melting despite the rooms heat. The ceiling was equally festive it looked like snow was falling from the clear night sky. The silver dust that covered the tables and decorations only made the stars in Ètoiles hair shimmer more. All eyes were seemingly fixed on her.

After the champions entered she danced with Luna before a Durmstrang boy drew enough courage and asked Ètoile to dance. She agreed only after Luna gave her two thumbs up. One dance turned into three and soon she had to sit to catch her breath. The entire time her wide smile never fell from her face. She was walking on clouds. The durmstsng boy, Konstantin, she had found out, danced with her the rest of the night. His own unnatural height distracting from hers. They were a storm of red and lavender, spinning throughout the night. And at the end he gave her a chaste kiss on the lips, Making Ètoile blush wildly; and escorted her back to the Beauxbatons.

Severus watched her, his breath was nearly stolen from him when she had entered. He had seen this memory, from when they practised occlumency and legilimency all those years ago. The scene had always flickered in his dreams, when he had pleasant dreams that is. Yet It made him sad and remnicient of all their stolen moments together. he was playing a dangerous game. Though it seemed he had not lost her after all. She was true to her word. She said she would see him again. And here she was. Did this mean she had not returned to her time.

He watched her dance with that Lovegood girl and then a Durmstrang boy, and every spin, every flick of her gown reminded him she was gone from him, this was not the same girl he loved. This was a stranger.

The long night finally ended and he watched the boy escort Ètoile to the carriage with Fleur and several other Beauxbatons, dancing all the way. With silent strides he found his own way to his chambers in the dungeons, only stopping once to deduct points from two students he found snogging on a bench and to bless them with detention. He stormed into his rooms and upon ensuring the door was locked and a silencing charm placed he sunk to the floor his back to the wall, and grasping at his locked he let a single tear fall. He was alone now, he thought he had gotten over it. She was gone and he was alone. But she wasn't gone, she was here, at least a shadow of her. And in a way that seemed worse. He remembered her and she had no clue who he was. It was a cruel torture no doubt the universe punishing him for his many sins. More tears fell as he slammed the back of his head into the stony wall.

For hours it seems he sat there in silence remembering how she smiled at him, how she lit up a room, how she changed him. And those happy memories turned sour as he remembered her leaving and him turning into the very thing she refused to see him as. A monster. She had just wanted to spend one last day with him but his pride interfered. By the time he realized he needed her still, it was too late. She was gone. His self hatred turned stronger as he recalled his actions after, his hand, out of habit clasped his left forearm, he felt it burn. He lifted his sleeve in a blind panic, his dark mark was changing, getting darker, more defined right before his eyes. He knew his time to be a spy once again was nearing, and he would have to comply, for the sake of Lily's son, for the sake of Etti. She wanted him to be a better man, even showed him he could be if he just had the confidence to do so. Did he now?

Soon his eyes grew heavy but he did not move, he just closed his eyes and slept where he sat against the wall believing himself to be unworthy to rest in comfort tonight, or any night. When he awoke the next morning it was noon. His back and neck were stiff. And silently he got up, changed into a fresh set of robes and sat in his arm chair with an old potions book; reading and re reading until it was time for the christmas feast. He put on his over robes and made his way to his chair on the upper dias.

However he was stopped by none other than Karkaroff. "It's happening again, like before. And soon neither you or anyone else will be able to deny it." Karkaroff's voice strained, there was an urgency, a fear.

"I told you already, Igor, I see no reason to discuss it." his face was neutral, he needed to end this conversation before Igor dragged him in again. Severus knew what he was saying was true, as his dark mark was darkening.

"It's a sign,Severus! You know it is!"

"Sorry, I don't know what you are talking about." he pushed his way past but was stopped by Karkaroff grabbing his arm.

"Really, then perhaps you wouldn't mind rolling up your sleeve, huh?" he made to roll up his left arm and he wrenched it away. "You don't fool me, Severus. You. are scared. Admit it!"

Igor was right, he was scared, he had something to lose now, nothing to gain. He was scared to lose her.. He was scared to lose himself. "I have nothing to be scared of Karkaroff… Can you say the same?" he put malice in his tone, ending the conversation. Karkaroff turned and scampered away. Just like the coward he was

He reached out with his mind, he knew someone was listening and he heard the shuffle of shoes. Potter. Great. And… mad eye. Even better. He needed to watch his step, he was being watched now.

It was well into the feast before he saw her amber eyes tearing up, watching his every move. Quickly he cleared his emotions and steeled his face, hoping he didn't look as drained as he felt.