E Pluribus Unum

A/N - Bit of a cliffie, but it\'ll be posted tommorrow as usual. Thanks to my beta Kate for making me laugh so hard yesterday. Kate, who wrote Single Magical Male is working on a new fic, pester her with e-mails till she finishes it. Go Kate!

Len - Good to have you back, we\'ll work on getting you a satelite hookup! :)

Deblovesdragon - There is a very good reason why Minuet is in Slytherin and it isn\'t because she\'s a pureblood. lol

RaquelGreenleaf - Welcome to the madness that is the Sub Rosa universe. :) If ou have questions feel free to e-mail me with them and I promise to do my best to answer them. As for Minuet and Harry, well as I tell everyone else, patience is a virtue and only time will tell. Sorry.

Chapter 26 – Phoenix in Flight

Kathryn rubbed her eyes wearily and stared at the mirror in aggravation. She was scheduled to teach double defense to the seventh year Gryffindors and Slytherins tomorrow bright and early but due to the scheduling inefficiencies of the Order of the Phoenix, she was stuck here monitoring the Watch Mirror all night.

Somehow, despite Fudge, the system had been installed in the houses of Muggleborn wizards’ and witches’ families. It had been a long process, requiring subtlety and discretion, something the Order was short on. This meant, of course, that Mundugus Fletcher, Tonks and Moody were not included in the installation, since none of them could be subtle to save their lives.

Kathryn and Severus could not either, since their loyalty was assumed to be with Voldemort, at least by Voldemort and several of the teaching staff. Kathryn pushed her hair out of her face with aggravation; Vector had been at least friendly last year and even at the start of this year. Ever since Pince’s outburst though, she had been eyeing the couple wiuspiuspicion. The real problem was that Kathryn couldn’t ease the Arithmancy Professor’s suspicions without endangering Severus and herself; besides, the other woman’s suspicions were adding verisimilitude to their deception. It was necessary for the greater good, she reminded herself, but she had never been undercover for so long before. How did Severus do it?

She was missing him. He was off to a Death Eater meeting she she was stuck here for Merlin knows how long, watching a mirror that remained resolutely blank. Which was good, of course; the alternative was terrible, but it was also mind-numbingly dull.

Her mind drifted back to the afternoon. After her last class she had met up with Harry in the Room of Requirement for sword practice. She was never quite sure how he found out about it but Draco had shown up moments later and Harry had just let him in without question.

Kathryn suspected Minuet’sthertherin hand in the proceedings but remained nt. nt. They had taken stances and fenced, Draco watching from the sidelines, following the thrust and parry with eyes half closed.

The image of the blonde boy, hair glinting silver in the sunlight as he watched them with sleepy gray eyes, his Slytherin uniform perfectly pressed and his tie undone had struck her with an understanding she hadn’t had before. His father, once safely ensconced in Azkaban, was roaming loose out there somewhere. His father, who, unlike his mother, would expect greater obedience to Voldemort and for him to take the Dark Mark. Narcissa might shield him if only because he was her possession and she would not share him, but Lucius would have no such thought; he would use his son with the same ruthlessness he showed with everyone and everything else.

She had to keep her mind on Harry though; he was getting better with the sword. She parried his blow and chuckled at his look of frustration. He had yet to get a hit in on her and his adolescent ego was taking a beating. She just had too many years on him, as well as a sword that didn’t keep up a running commentary.
Lady Freddy had convinced Backbiter to ease down but the sword still had a lot of personality and the truce Harry had come to with it did not include keeping quiet during practices.

Kathryn whirled and brought her katana down in a slashing cut and felt the blade slide off of the practice gear. Harry looked down at what would have been a fatal disembowelment and groaned.

“Yes, I know I am hopeless, no need to rub it in.” Harry muttered to his sword, which was vibrating in a manner strangely reminiscent of laughter.

“You are not hopeless, Harry.” Kathryn soothed.

“Actually, you’re not half bad, Potter.” Draco admitted grudgingly from his sill. He still had that sleepy look but Kathryn could see the glitter of hunger in his eyes. She grinned aalkealked to the wall. She took down another swond tnd tossed it at Draco. He caught it wrong handed and with a look of shock.

“Show us how it’s done, Mr. Malfoy.” She invited with a smile and he returned her a savage grin and went to face Harry on the mats.

Watching the two young men fence was interesting. She had the opportunity to observe them both while they were occupied with each other, and she could evaluate Harry far better against a live opponent than against the simulacra she had used before. She could see the boy’s muscles responding to his mind and the slight hesitation brought on by the sword’s argument -- she could see where it was happening. The sword wanted the perfect cut, the correct angle, and Harry was content to just keep breathing and fighting as long as possible. It was a matter of degree and training. She would have to increase his practice time.

She watched Draco who was dancing out of Potter’s reach, using his superior height to best advantage. He was clearly well trained – not a surprise, he was a Malfoy after all – and he also clearly loved to fence. The fact that he was using a short sword even though his style screamed ‘rapier’ made his facility with the blade all the more impressive. It occurred to her that she had a teaching assistant ready-made and standing before her, his school robes flapping as he twirled away from Backbiter’s lunge.

She brought her mind back to the present, staring at the mirror and swinging her legs under her chair with boredom.

A flicker across the mirror’s surface and the flap of black cloaks passing, one black cloak paused to check itself in the mirror and adjust the silver mask it was wearing.

Kathryn grabbed her wand and touched it to the small coin on the desk.

“Alarum.” She spoke and the coin heated up. She knew that across England the pockets of several disparate people were warming in response and the address of the Muggle residence was now inscribed on the coins. She mentally thanked Hermione again for the inspiration. She watched with bated breath as the Death Eaters moved through the hall; she caught only glimpses of movement and the faint light of hexes.

A shape rushed past the mirror and Kathryn saw the green light of a killing curse flash by. It was frustrating not being able to either see what was happening or to go to fight. She held herself in her chair by sheer will and saw as another figure appeared in the mirror. The girl, sporting purple hair and a beaky nose, gave her a cheeky wink through the mirror that let Kathryn know Tonks, at least, had arrived.

Hoping that the girl would show some sense and caution was probably futile but Kathryn sent a few prayers anyway, it couldn’t hurt. Shadows on the wall and flashes of image in the mirror told her that things were happening there but it wasn’t clear enough for her to see any details.

She swore quietly as she watched Tonks fly past the mirror’s surface and hit a wall sharply. She would have been dead but one of the Death Eaters became tangled in his robes and ruined another Deaaterater’s shot at the clumsy Auror. The girl was incredibly lucky or... oh God. Death Eaters began to disapparate as more Aurors showed up and Kathryn kept her vigil by the mirror.

A few minutes later, Severus, still in the long black robes, kicked open the parlor door and staggered in with the unconscious Tonks in his arms. Kathryn wp inp in an instant and helping him with the girl.

A few quick diagnostic spells and a counter-curse later, Tonks was looking up at them groggily.

“Did we save them?” She asked weakly.

“Yes, Miss Tonks.” Severus answered and then swept Kathryn into a quick embrace before heading out again. His eyes on her face were dull and she shivered in fear as he left.

“Where is he going?” Tonks asked in confusion.

“To take his punishment for saving your life.” Kathryn responded with far more gentleness than she was feeling. The sound of the front door closing was very loud in the sudden silence.

“I don’t understand.” Tonks whispered.

“I know, Tonks.” She replied suddenly terribly weary. “Get some sleep. I still have two more hours of vigil to keep.”

“Surely they won’t do anything more tonight?” Tonks asked as her eyes began to close.

“Do you want to take that chance, Tonks?” Kathryn slumped down in front of the mirror and tried not to think about what Volrt wrt was doing to her beloved.