Fire and Water

They meet up again. Thanks for reviews guys!



Chapter Twenty Seven



Harry groaned out loud as he blocked a Stunner. He had been getting attacked by Krystal for about an hour now, deflecting spells that kept coming with little or no pause. This was their third full day of lessons, and in the past three days, she’d made him throw hex after hex at her, showing him different blocking techniques, how to duel properly and some really cool spells he‘d never learnt at school. Harry watched Krystal as she spun to dodge a spell he’d deflected, and promptly shot another back at him, trying to get around his shield.



She had softened over the past few days, opening up to him and letting him see a little of who she really was. He had learned more about her relationship with Dumbledore, startled to realise just how close the two were. He apologised for his blunt remarks on his first day with her, and she waved it off.



’It’s fine, Harry,’ she insisted. ’Albus had very definite ideas on how his plans should unfold and….’ At that point, a tongue tie hex kicked in, leaving her choking on her words.

She looked inexplicably cheerful after this, puzzling Harry. But Krystal knew that if Albus had cursed that information, she was correct in her earlier assumptions: Sev had killed Albus at the old man’s request. It didn’t make his death much easier to accept, but at least she knew her old friend really had been loyal to Albus to the end.



Krystal also told him of a little of her childhood, but found it hard to talk about her parents and she refused to talk about Lily or Severus, both of whom she’d known before school. She shared information about her life in Australia, telling him about how different it was and how much she enjoyed living there.



’Everything is fresher; cleaner,’ she said, surprising both Harry and herself with how emotional she became. ’You can actually see the stars. There’s no smog, no noise, no hurry. Just space - lots of space.’

Until then, she hadn’t realised how she’d come to think of her adopted country as home, and how much she missed her life there. Although at first she’d hated the quiet, she now craved it. And after so much time alone, she never felt lonely now - solitude had grown on her; changed her; made her calmer, steadier. Something that, in the past, only Remus had been able to do.



But she had steadfastly refused to discuss his parents, Sirius or Lupin, changing the subject quickly when it arose, her face tensing again.

“Harry, please,‘ she said, after he refused to drop the subject on his second day with her. ‘I know you want to know more, but I can’t…..’

Her face was distressed. ’I can’t talk about it. Please. Try to understand. Some things are too…..”

“Too what?’ he asked, concerned that she was upset, but he pressed her, having finally broken through her silence.



She shook her head. “Some things are better left in the past, Harry.”

Harry frowned, and said, “I didn’t get the chance to get to know my parents, and there aren’t many people left who can tell me about them.”

She looked at him, her eyes narrowing. “Perhaps it’s better that way. That you didn’t know them. At least you don’t remember how much you’ve lost.”

Harry lost the power of speech at her words. She turned and left the house, leaving him alone with his thoughts.



When she returned an hour later, she apologised. “I’m sorry, Harry. That was an awful thing to say to you,’ she said, her voice full of regret. ‘I…I lost my parents when I was eighteen. They were murdered…’

She stopped, unable to continue her thought. ‘I sometimes think it would be easier not to care, not to love. There’s less to lose then.’

He looked at her, wondering what had made her so bitter, but understanding her confliction, having had similar thoughts in the past himself.

“Please don’t ask me about them again,’ she asked quietly.

Harry nodded, disturbed by her words.



Her reluctance to tell him what he wanted to know frustrated him, but his mood always altered quickly once they started lessons again. Krystal was an incredible fighter. He gained more and more respect for her as the days wore on, and he could see why Dumbledore had sent him to her. She made duelling look so simple, so graceful. She knew all about each spell she used, telling Harry all the uses and effects, as well as making sure he knew how to heal any damage caused by it, before giving him the chance to use it and become proficient. And she took training seriously; she didn’t go easy on him or patronise him because of his age or inexperience.



‘Being treated as an adult has its good and bad points,’ thought Harry as he blocked a Body Bind hex and felt his leg cramp.

He didn‘t have time to stop to stretch; Krystal immediately sent another Stunner flying towards him. He’d been hit by several hexes at the beginning of the lesson and been soundly abused for his carelessness. Not one of his spells had gotten through her defences - even when, in desperation, he’d tried to catch her with her guard down. His stomach growled as he stopped her disarming him, loud enough this time for Krystal to hear.



“I’m so sorry Harry,” Krystal said as she checked her watch and saw it was late afternoon. “I guess I‘m still not used to having to think of anyone other than myself.“

She flicked her hand and the protective ‘bubble’ in which they had been practicing disappeared. Krystal set up the barrier on the first day to protect her belongings after one of Harry’s wayward hexes smashed a vase. She waved her hand at the couch, which they had pushed out of the way to create more space, and it slid back into place next to the rug.



“Gee, it’s hot still isn’t it?‘ she said, pulling at her t-shirt, trying to cool herself.

Harry tried not to watch as the damp shirt tightened over her breasts. For someone who was old enough to be his mother, she was inspiring very unmotherly images in his head. He brushed his sweaty hair away from his face.

‘She’s right though,’ he thought. It was the end of June and hot and sticky.



‘You did well pretty well towards the end there,“ Krystal commented, throwing him a can of drink as she pushed open the pantry and looked inside, her nose wrinkling.

“God, I am so sick of soup and sandwiches,” she complained, slamming the door shut, then cracking open her own drink.

She turned and looked at Harry thoughtfully, as she drank. Lowering the can, the corner of her mouth turning up impishly.

“You have your dad’s Invisibility Cloak, right?”



“Are you sure we should be doing this?” Harry whispered fifteen minutes later as he followed Krystal down the aisle of a small grocery store.

“Shh!” she whispered back. ‘No one can see you, although if you keep bellowing like that they’ll be sure to hear you. I put an unplottable spell on you. They won‘t find you. Let‘s face it - this isn‘t the first place they‘re going to look.”

She threw a few more boxes into the cart. “Just got to get some bread and we are done.”

Krystal paid for the groceries and when she got outside, she shrunk them and put them in her pocket.

“Ok, are you ready?” she asked Harry as they prepared to Apparate. She grabbed his hand and they spun on the spot.



Harry was slowly getting used to the awful sensation of Apparition as darkness squeezed them and left them breathless. Then the stars reappeared as they arrived back at the field they had left from a short time ago.

“Let’s get some food into you or you won‘t be fit to fight anyone, let alone Voldemort,” said Krystal as Harry’s stomach let out a particularly loud complaint.

He started to remove the Invisibility Cloak, but stopped when Krystal said “Leave it on until we are in the house - just to be sure.”



They had nearly reached the tree line when several loud pops startled them. Krystal and Harry spun around in time to see four masked Death Eaters raise their wands. Red lights shot out at them from all sides. Harry hadn’t even had time to raise his wand when Krystal stepped in front of him and threw her hands up.



A large wall of white light appeared between them and the Death Eaters; the jets of red light rebounding off it, and their attackers ducked. One Death Eater went down as his own Stunner hit him. His companions raised their wands again as the white light faded. A stream of silver light from Krystal’s right hand hit one of the Death Eaters who collapsed. At the same time, she cast another protective spell with her left hand.



“Move Harry!” she said, her voice low and harsh. “Get to the house - and keep that cloak on!”

Walking carefully backwards with Harry leading Krystal, they edged into the clump of trees, closer and closer to the protection of the house. Hexes flew towards them, but bounced off the white wall of light Krystal held in front of them. She shot a Stunner at one of the two remaining Death Eaters and hit him in the face. He fell into his fellow attacker, knocking his mask and hood off.



Harry saw the white light fade while they were still a few feet from the house‘s protection. He turned to see Krystal staring at the remaining Death Eater. Harry looked past her to see the unmasked attacker.

“You!” he screamed, pulling his own hood away from his face and raising his wand. Severus Snape looked at him briefly, not looking at all surprised to see him, before returning his eyes to Krystal, who pushed Harry’s now exposed arm down and held it.



“How?” she asked him, her voice urgent, as Harry struggled against her.

“It’s the name,” he replied, his voice low. “Only those associated with the Order use it.” Krystal‘s face showed a look of comprehension. Harry stopped fighting her and looked from Krystal to Snape in confusion.



“You‘ll have to leave,“ Snape hissed at Krystal. “I don‘t know how much time I can guarantee. You‘ll have to contact……”

Krystal nodded. “I know.“

Snape looked at Harry again. ‘You’ll have to….’ he began but Krystal shook her head. ‘No,’ she said, a stubborn look on her face. ‘I won’t. Now, where do you want it?”

Snape, his dark eyes inscrutable and fixed on Krystal again, said impatiently, “I don’t care, just make it look good. And hurry; there‘ll be others..”

“Alright, alright,” she said, irritably and raised her arm.



She sent a slash of red light across his chest. Harry watched in shock as Snape’s eyes widened and he sank to his knees. Krystal made a motion as if she was going to move towards Snape, before she stopped. Harry was confused to see the look of mingled concern and distaste on her face. As Snape fell to the ground, Krystal rounded on Harry.

“Go!” she yelled. They sprinted into the house and slammed the door behind them.



Tearing off his Invisibility Cloak, Harry grabbed Krystal‘s arm. “What the hell is going on?” he yelled.

Krystal shook him off and moved quickly to the back of the house. She raised her arm and a silver vapour appeared. It swirled and twisted until it took on the form of a small wolf.

“I am an old friend. We are at Campbell Cottage. We need help right now,” she said, urgently to the Patronus.

The silver wolf looked at her, tilting its head. “Find him,” whispered Krystal, her voice shaking a little.



The wolf dissolved into a fine mist, which darted away into the trees. Harry watched as it disappeared into the darkness. Krystal ran back to the front of the house and pulled the curtain aside.

“The defences will hold for now, although when they get hold of Severus…..“ her voice trailed off.

She let out a shaky breath as she turned to Harry.

“What now?” he said, not altogether sure he wanted to hear the answer.

“Now?” she said. “Now we wait.”



Harry sat slumped against the couch and watched as Krystal paced from wall to wall, stopping occasionally to pull the shade aside and peer out the window into the night. It had been several minutes since the attack on them and the cottages’ protection was still holding, despite Krystal’s fears. A short time ago she’d ordered him to get his belongings together and put on his Invisibility Cloak, in case they had to leave quickly. Krystal then raced into her own bedroom and emerged a few seconds later with a knapsack and a large book.



Harry realised that she’d been packed already. Had she suspected this might happen? He looked at his watch again. Why had she been so concerned about Snape? And why hadn’t Krystal tried to kill him; she‘d been given the opportunity? What did he mean - he didn’t know how much time he could give them? Did he know the cottage was here? Why hadn’t he attempted to kill Harry and Krystal - he was a Death Eater?



He had tried to ask Krystal some of the questions that were spinning around in his head, but she’d deflected them with a shake of her head and a curt “Not now Harry!”

She was growing increasingly agitated, her face pale and eyes fearful. She hadn’t stopped moving since they’d gotten back to the house; pacing the room, her half buttoned robes flying out behind her as she moved quickly. Harry had wanted answers and she knew she was going to have to explain herself. Severus had wanted her to Obliviate him, but she wouldn’t do it. She knew what it was like to live with holes in your life, and she refused to be the one to do that to him.



There was a flash of white light outside on the veranda. Harry jumped up, wand held high in his outstretched hand. He looked over at Krystal and was surprised to see that she was frozen, a frightened look on her face, her breathing rapid.



‘Krystal?’ he said. His voice seemed to break through her trance and she took a step forward, gesturing for him to stay under the cloak as she moved towards the door, hands outstretched.

She stopped a few feet from the front door and took a ragged, shaky breath, and Harry saw her eyes clench tightly closed, pain etched through her face. When she opened her eyes, she waved Harry over.



“Stay behind me. DO NOT let yourself be seen until I say it‘s alright, do you understand me?” she whispered fiercely, but her voice betrayed her fear.

He nodded. “What are you going to do?” asked Harry but he soon found out as she raised her hands above her head and brought them down hard, pushing them towards the door.



There was a crash and a white flash as the door was blasted off its hinges. Dust and debris flew everywhere as a jet of red light flashed from the other side of the doorway. Krystal used one hand to cast a protective spell, the stunning curse bouncing off into the wall, and the other to silently call for their visitor’s wand, sending it flying into her own hand.



Everything went quiet. Krystal held her shield as the dust settled. Harry looked around her to see a dark figure standing with hands outstretched on the other side of the doorway.

“Show yourself!” Krystal demanded, taking a step back. Harry noticed her hands were shaking and the white protective light was shimmering. The dark figure stepped over the busted door and into the doorway and the white light faded.

“Remus!” said Harry with relief, recognising the tired, lined face of his former professor. As he stepped out from behind Krystal, he removed his hood.



Remus Lupin had only a moment to glance over at Harry before he was shoved back and slammed against the wall by an unseen hand, grunting at the force of the impact. At the same time, Harry felt an invisible force shove him roughly to the floor and hold him. He struggled against it, but when his eyes flicked upwards to see Krystal’s hand pressing down towards him, he realised she had knocked him over onto his back and was holding him there.



As Krystal stepped forward, Harry was astonished to hear a soft curse fall from Lupin‘s lips. Remus’ face was pale and dazed as he stared disbelievingly at Krystal.

“Krys?” Remus asked hoarsely, his voice shaking. Krystal looked pained as she pinned Remus against the wall.

“Identify yourself,” she demanded, her voice shaking a little but not taking her eyes off the man in front of her.

Remus stared at her, his chest rising and falling so rapidly Harry was concerned for him. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and strained.



“I am Remus John Lupin - werewolf and Marauder. Also known as Moony,’ he said, looking at Krystal as though he could not believe his eyes. ’You are Krystal O‘Connor. You are a ghost.”

Krystal’s lip was shaking, but she shook her head. ‘Not good enough,’ she whispered. ‘If you are Remus Lupin, you’ll know what you gave me for my sixteenth birthday?’

Remus’ jaw clenched before he answered, ‘A crystal butterfly.’



“OK,’ Krystal said, visibly trembling now. ‘It‘s really you.”

She dropped her hand and released Lupin. The man stayed pressed against the wall for a moment, then pushed himself off. Seemingly unable to tear his eyes off Krystal, though, he moved closer to her until they were standing a foot apart. Krystal held his wand out to him. Remus looked at her outstretched hand, then suddenly reached up and grasped it tight, pulling her closer to him, their bodies nearly touching.



“But is it really you?’ Harry heard his former professor say quietly. They stared at each other for a moment, then, his eyes not leaving hers, Remus moved his hands under her partially buttoned robes, and tugged her shirt out of her jeans, holding it up to reveal her stomach. His eyes flicked down and he reached out, pulling the waist band of the jeans down slightly to reveal a V shaped scar on her hip.

‘How did you get that?’ he asked, staring at the scar with a strange glint in his eyes. Harry saw Krystal swallow, then heard her answer in a choked voice, ‘Climbing over a fence when I was nine. The palings tore through my jeans.’



A sharp exhalation coming from his lips, Remus let go of her clothes as if they had suddenly become electrified.

‘It is you, isn’t it?’ he asked, looking back up to her eyes. His hand came up to her head, and he touched her pulled back hair timidly, before both hands rose, cupping her face; running his fingers down her cheeks, as if checking she was solid.

‘Krys,’ he whispered. His lips were shaking and his eyes were glistening, as if filled with tears.



Harry was confused and startled at his reaction to Krystal. She had told him she’d known Remus, but it was now clear that they had been, at least, very good friends. He saw a tear streak down Remus’ cheek, before Krystal grasped his wrists, moving away from him.

It hurt Harry to look at her face. She was bone white and the agony in her eyes was raw, her face wet from her own tears. Harry looked away, feeling like he was intruding on something very private; something he shouldn’t be seeing.

‘Hello Remus,’ she said softly, her voice shaking so much it was hard to hear her.



Krystal let go of his wrists and Remus shook his head. ‘I knew it. I never really believed him,’ he mumbled still unable to look away from her.

Harry looked back up to see his expression changing now: anger and hurt begin to replace the look of shock and relief on Remus’ face.



“What the hell is going on?” he asked angrily. His eyes flicked down to where Harry lay, and he looked startled, as though he’d forgotten Harry was there.

“Let him up,’ he said brusquely, looking back at Krystal, who also looked down at Harry, her expression changing.



Harry felt the pressure release him and as he stood, Krystal spun to face him, tearing off his Cloak. “You!” she hissed, her face flushed, but furious. “Do you still not understand what’s going on here?”

Harry looked at Krystal stunned. “What?” he said. “It was only Remus……hey!” He felt his legs fly up into the air. His body twisted as he was hung upside down in the middle of the room.



He heard Remus say sharply, “Krystal, go easy. He’s a kid..”

But she interrupted him. “No!” she spat at Remus. “Don’t make excuses for him. You could have been anyone.”

She moved closer to Harry until her face was an inch from his. “Never, NEVER, make yourself vulnerable to an unknown person, Harry. I thought we‘d been through this already.”

Her voice had steel running through it. “I thought you understood - this isn’t a game. This isn’t school. This is real. They will hurt anyone, use anyone to get to you. You have real people’s lives in your hands. I won‘t let you make the same mistakes I did.‘



From his upside down position, he saw Remus’ eyes clench tightly shut at her words.

‘You need to choose, Harry. If you can’t do this, tell me now and we can all stop wasting our time. If you want to continue, then you must swear to NEVER disobey me again.”



She glared at Harry, her eyes glowing hard and silver, ignoring Lupin’s attempt to interrupt. “I’m trying to save your life Harry. But I can’t do it without your cooperation. So, what’s it to be?”

Harry looked into her eyes. He saw the strength and fury there, but he also saw fear. She was scared for… who? Herself? Him? His choice was easy.

“I swear I will never disobey you again” he said quietly. “I’m sorry, Krystal. It won’t happen again.”



He was lowered to the ground; he was half expecting her to let him drop. She looked down at him, her eyes had returned to their usual bright blue.

“It had better not,” she said quietly.

She moved away as Harry stood up and returned a few seconds later with their bags and her book.

She glanced quickly at Remus, who was watching her with an inscrutable expression, then looked away as she handed Harry his bag and said “Put your cloak back on, Harry.” She let out a audible breath and turned reluctantly back to Remus.



“Four Death Eaters found us; They didn‘t see Harry, but they fought me, and they’ll be back. We aren‘t safe here anymore. The enchantments will fall - sooner rather than later,’ she said, not allowing her eyes to meet his, her hands moving to finish buttoning her robes.

Remus frowned. “You fought all four? Are you alright?’ he asked, trying to hide the concern in his gruff voice.

When she nodded at the ground, he asked, “Why are you so sure the enchantments will be breached? Anyone who knew this place is dead. Except for us.’

He stared straight at her, trying to hide the irritation he felt when she wouldn‘t look at him.

“I am certain they will fall tonight. We just need somewhere safe to spend the night: I can figure something else out tomorrow,’ she said, sidestepping his question.



‘Will you look at me?’ he suddenly demanded loudly, reaching the end of his tolerance. Krystal looked up, startled, and Harry also jumped, having never heard Lupin raise his voice before.

Her face was strained when she spoke. “I‘m sorry, Remus. You were never supposed to know that I..….’ She paused and bit her lip.

‘I know this must be hard for you to accept. But I had to contact you. If I‘d had any other choice…...”



He nodded and interrupted her, saying resentfully, “Yeah, I know. If you’d had any other choice, I’d still be wondering……’ He stopped talking abruptly.

Krystal opened her mouth, but he said roughly, “Your timing really sucks, Krystal. Come on then, we’d better go. Get that Cloak on, Harry,’ he ordered sharply.

Harry flung the cloak around his shoulders, confused by the adults’ tense and bitter exchange.



He watched Lupin look around the cottage, his face creasing with pain. After a quick glance at Krystal, he swallowed hard and stretched out his arm, telling them, “Hold on.’

Harry grasped it quickly; Krystal hesitated, then grasped Harry’s wrist.

Harry saw Remus shoot her a look, a mixture of annoyance and hurt, before he muttered, ‘For God’s sake, Krystal,’ and turned on the spot, spinning them out of the room.