The Legacy of the Dark Lord

A Snake in the Heart of a Lion
By Meech

The next morning, I woke to find myself still in my robes from the previous day. I could not remember much about the day before yet, except that none of it could possibly be real. It may have been due partly to the fact that my dreams were strange and not really about me.

Professor Snape had gotten into my dreams and somehow I was absent for most of it. The first thing I could recall was that he ran out of the castle and into the Dark Forest. He seemed preoccupied and fumbled with his neck a great deal. He looked awkward—as if he were lost in thought and nervous. In addition, the sleeve of his white shirt was stained with dry blood and the same hand bore a terrible cut. I knew I should remember why the cut was there but I could not.

He veered through the woods until he reached a clearing. The clearing had been pre-designated and he would be meeting… someone. I could not remember whom. He stopped and drew his wand. “Lumos” he muttered. The trees lit in a terrible green light, casting odd shadows where shadows should not be.

A man walked out of the set of trees to the left of Professor Snape. The man was cloaked and his hood shadowed his face but I remembered who he was. He was Voldemort.

The scene faded and another appeared with a flash of white light.

“Yes. Right away,” Severus was saying.

“Oh—and Severus? What about the girl? Lucius told me she is a new student at Hogwarts. Are you sure that she is safe there? We would not want anything bad to happen to her, would we? I mean, the wrong people knowing about your relationship may not feel the same way you do. It would be a shame, though to waste such prettiness… and so young too.”

Professor Snape looked him straight in the eyes without blinking and said, “I believe she is quite capable of choosing with whom she spends her time. She is not a witless child. She … reminds me a bit of you,” he mused. “Do not take her lightly. She is not a person to be reckoned with and she is quite able to handle herself.”

“Let us just say that you should remember where your loyalties lie, Severus. It is best to charm a snake from a distance.” With that, Voldemort disappeared into the trees.

Severus turned to leave, but the next thing I saw, I was asleep in my bed. I felt I was hovering over my own self for a moment, when I realized that I was Professor Snape. He brushed the hair that covered my face and peered down at it. I did not move. He lingered under his invisibility cloak, watching me in the darkness for a couple minutes. Then he leaned over and placed his lips on my forehead. He absentmindedly toyed with his pendant hanging from his neck, turned and walked away.

That was the last of the dreams I could remember having. It ended so abruptly that I dt tht think I dreamed the rest of the night.

I got out of bed to change. Even Hermione slept soundly still, but I had to clear my head and remember the previous day. I struggled to remember until I started to change. I felt a cold metal pendant around my neck. The day before began to grow clearer in my mind: I excelled at Potions. Dumbledore agreed to let me take the OWL exams this year. I came back to the common room for my celebration party. I went to bed but got back up again for…Severus. I saw Severus last night and he had given me this pendant. This pendant… the pendant of H’tao Doolb that joined two people’s thoughts… It had not been a dream. Yesterday happened. Then, were the dreams real? It seemed unimaginable, yet they had to be true. That is why I was not there. I was not in the dreams because I was seeing what had actually happened.

The cloak… where had I put the cloak? I looked under the covers and there sat the invisibility cloak—Professor Snape’s invisibility cloak. The question was how to get it back to him without arousing suspicion.

Once dressed, I grabbed the cloak, very nearly tripping on my trunk as I ran. I tucked the pendant under my robes. It was best to be too careful than not careful enough. While safely on my way, I touched the pendant and said, “Good morning. I hope you slept well. Sorry to see Voldemort last night… You were right, though, of course. I’ll be in the Great Hall soon. If you’re awake, why not shock the others with a bite to eat? If not, I wiee yee you again very soon…”

I put my hand back down and entered the Great Hall for breakfast. It was still early for breakfast, yet Draco sat at the Slytherin table, presumably waiting for Crabbe and Goyle. Other than him, there were perhaps a dozen students scattered around the room.

Instead of getting breakfast at the Gryffindor table like usual, I headed toward Draco. “Hello, Draco!” I said with a polite smile.

He looked up at me, squinting his eyes, and furrowing his eyebrows. “Oh! Hello. Aren’t you… Michele Knight, the new student that transferred here from North America?”

“Why, that’s correct, Mr. Malfoy! Now then, is this seat taken?” I asked with lavish sweetness, gesturing at the empty bench beside him.

“No. Why don’t you take a seat?” he said, rising out of the bench. Draco pointed his hand in the direction of the bench and looked curiously at me.

“I know who you are, Draco. You need not use pleasantries with me. I will answer your questions. Let them fly, if you will.”

His sharp blue eyes widened, scanning the nearby tables for anyone that might overhear. When his eyes turned back to mine, he lowered them to cunning slits.

“I see that you catch on faster than Potter. For a Gryffindor, he’s really quite stupid. He didn’t learn to make the right friends, but you seem to be rather intelligent. How did you come about knowing my family?”

“Nice try, Draco. Do you think I’m going to say whom spoke of your well-known father? No, I rather enjoy keeping my company under wraps… as do you,” I said slyly.

“What are you doing, Michele?” said the silky voice in my head. “Don’t toy with Malfoy. You heard what Lucius said. Are you mad?”

I smiled sweetly at Draco, to keep him from seeing me reach for my pendant. “I have known the Malfoys since before I moved here… I know with whom I am toying, Severus… Where are you?”

“Now, cousin, surely you recall your visits out West…I do not think I need to refresh you memory here, do I?” I said to Draco slowly.

His voice lowered to almost a hissing whisper. “Nice to see my cousin getting on so well, but you are on my grounds now. Watch with whom you are dealing. I wouldn’t want you to disgrace the family name… And my dear cousin, steeling away in Gryffindor House? Surely, you would have done better in Slytherin. Do you know why you’re in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin?” he asked, closing in on me over the table.

I tilted my head slyly to the side, flipped my hair from the side of my face, and bent forward. “Oh! That would be the bravery image… What else would have brought me to Hogwarts? The Sorting Hat mulled over the houses. It considered my Slytherin heritage but decided upon Gryffindor solely by the fact that my bravery outweighed my Slytherineese, so to speak. Besides, I thought you might see it when I came over to sit with you when no one else dares to come near, except for Miss Parkinson, of course.”

“Well taken, cousin, but do not be misled by those addlebrained Gryffindors. They have the distinct reputation for betraying their families. However, I will remain loyal to your secrets, so long as you do the same, Michele. We will not disgrace the family name by dragging each other through the mud. Are we agreed, then?” Draco asked. His underlying tone was shrewd but truthful.

“Agreed,” I said, holding out my right hand for him to shake. “We shall keep the secrets.”

He grabbed my hand and shook it, smiling wittily. Draco’s eyes looked straight into mine, glinting in the candlelight of the Great Hall.

“Everything fine, Draco?” asked Professor Snape, coming from behind me, his eyes flashing nervously.

Draco gave a wider smile and said, “Absolutely fine, Professor. Miss Knight and I were just having a little talk. That’s all!”

Professor Snape’s hand lingered near his heart, where his pendant was. Seemingly deeply disturbed by my presence at the Slytherin table, he shot me a quick glance and turned on his heel to leave.

“You are shrewd, indeed!” he said using the pendant. “I never would have imagined the Malfoys related to you. Shrewd plays with Draco… but you don’t think he knows about us, do you? Would Lucius have told him?”

“Of course he knows. The Malfoys waste no time in communicating news. They are just as well-versed in the Dark Arts as I am… It is the family legacy,” I said to the pendant. Draco had taken to staring at me. Apparently, I seemed a little preoccupied.

“You know, Michele, that I will make sure you are duly welcomed at the Slytherin table at any time you wish,” he said loudly, as Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked past.

The three craned their necks around to watch, stopping mid-step to listen. They had not seemed to notice that I was sitting at the Slytherin table yet because of the sheer shock and horror they wore upon their face. Each one turned their heads again to check that they had all heard the same thing.

“Thank you, Draco. I will keep that in mind,” I said curtly. I nodded respectfully at him. Draco stood up from his seat, allowing me to pass. When I looked back to him, he gave me a short bow and sat back down.

Harry squinted at me as he walked toward the Gryffindor table. I strode lazily over to him and sat down. He continued to stare, without saying a word.

“What is it then, Harry? Why don’t you just ask whatever it is you want to know?” I remarked without looking at him.

“Okay. What were you doing at the Slytherin table with Malfoy?” he asked disconcertedly.

“Watch what you say,” Snape interjected into my thoughts.

“Just introducing myself, that’s all. I’ve heard so much about Draco, I just had to see if the rumors were true,” I said.

“You’re friends with Malfoy?” Harry seemed awestruck. His eyes widened and his mouth stood agape.

“No, I wouldn’t say that. My mother always told me to know thy enemies as well as thy friends. That is my mark,” I smarted, ignoring his objections.

“Just be careful, Michele. You don’t want to… Well, just be careful, that’s all…,” warned Hermione. “You’re a really nice person and we’d hate to see anything happen to you. Not that it would but we are worried about you lately. I mean, is there anything you want to talk to us about?” Hermione patted my hand as if she thought she was the only friend I had.

“No, not really. I’m just fine. I’ll keep it in mind, though. Thanks!” I said with my award winning, “I’m honored” smile.

They all relaxed and I joined in on their conversations here and there. Mostly, I just made my smile look sincere. Really, I could care less about anything they were talking about in front of me, although they were very careful to talk about only things that I would not be too concerned about. I didn’t pay much attention to them but they watched me carefully.

Severus sat at the teachers’ table next to Professor McGonagall. I heard them talking through the pendant. The pendant worked for conscious thoughts as long as the person held onto it and wanted to use it. Other than that, I could see and hear everything he said and did. It was as if I stood there, in his mind, like a distant thought—echoing on the edge of his mind at all times.

I longed so much to see him again. I think he tried to avoid this thought because he did not answer. My mind wandered to the next time I would be able to see him—would it be tonight at dinner, or tomorrow in class? Would he want to make time to see me? Yet, something inside of me fought to stay back more than I have. Something warned me not to tread heavily around Severus. If I played my cards right, I would be able to fend off the Malfoys, Harry’s crew, and the other teachers without anyone learning about Severus.

Humming an old tune that I once knew, I tried to sidle Severus from manipulating my thoughts. I grew tired of him knowing everything I have said and hanging over me like an overgrown bat. It had become unsettling and tiresome. No matter where I went, it seemed he lurked around the corner, whether in thought or in reality.

It must have seemed odd to Harry, Ron and Hermione that I suddenly started humming a tune in the middle of breakfast but didn’t eat a thing, because they stared at me. They seemed to be considering whether to take me to the hospital wing, when I suddenly popped off, “I just can’t remember the words, no matter how hard I try. It’s such an old song! My Grand used to sing it to me and, well, I just forgot the words… Does anyone know it?”

Harry gawat Hat Hermione, who seemed to think she understood. Her face loosened and she smiled with ease. “Oh, were you raised with muggles too?” she asked politely.

“No,” I said. “Our bloodline is pure wizarding blood. I only just thought about how much I miss my Grand. She used to tell me tales of early Salem and voodoo witch doctors. Fascinating, really. Perhaps you’d like to hear a story or two sometime, Hermione? I think you’d find it really informative.”

Hermione darted her eyes between Ron, Harry, and me. It seemed that she thought the pureblood wizard was the most interesting thing I had said.

“You come from a pureblood family? Where did you say you came here from?”

“Yes. We are all purebloods from North America but I was born here. We left for America when I turned seven and came back when I reached eighteen. Before I could be vested here though, I had to learn the spells the way they say them here. Hence, I came to Hogwarts.”

“Wow!” said Ron. “That’s neat! So you need to learn two different sets of spells in order to be able to continue magic here?”

“Correct,” I said shortly. I tired of this conversation totally. I had managed to keep them occupied with other information so they would be distracted from the things they really wanted to know. Of course, none of this was a lie, but rather, a diversion. “Sorry guys, but I’ve got to see the teachers before classes today. I have to get moving. I’ll see you in class!” I said hastily. “It’s no use getting up at five if I’m going to stay in the Great Hall all morning.”

Rising to my feet once again, I gave them a short wave and set off. My first stop would, of course be to Professor Snape. Although I was certain that he would agree to just about any time, it still did not hurt to extend him the courtesy of scheduling his class first.

As I approached the Head table, I reached for the pendant. Professor Snape startled, looking up from his conversation with Professor McGonagall. Professor McGonagall glanced up also. She raised her eyebrows, as if expecting me to ask her something.

Instead, I turned to Professor Snape, who had laced his fingers together on the white tablecloth. His face twisted into his usual curl of impatience and importance. The black circles underneath his eyes stood out more prominently this morning. I had apparently waked him out of sleep too early today.

“Good day, Professor Snape. Good morning, Professor McGonagall. I am wondering if I could speak to each of you about my accelerated class schedules? I need to divide my scheduled classes between the third and the fifth year courses in each subject.”

“Ah, yes Miss Knight! Professor Snape and I were just talking about that. It seems that neither of us could recall what your plans were to be after leaving Hogwarts. Did you have a career in mind?” asked Professor McGonagall.

“Yes, Professors. My family has assured me a position at the International Confederation of Wizards, dealing with International Relations. My seat has been reserved since my birth. They have assured me that I would need to take classes similar to that which Aurors take before leaving Hogwarts. Then I will proceed to take the three-year training with the Aurors while heading the Committee for International Law Enforcement,” I declared proudly.

Both Professors raised their eyebrows and looked at each other. They did not smile but they did not laugh either. The seats on the International Committee for International Law Enforcement were very highly regarded in the wizarding community, and some very reputable wizards and witches were declined.

“That is a very noble position of authority, Miss Knight. However, I believe it is one in which you would do quite well. You are very gifted in the distinctioetweetween languages and, in my classes at least, have easily separated them. I would be delighted to assist you in achieving your goal,” exclaimed Professor McGonagall.

“I quite agree, Minerva. She seems to have a certain elegance and subtlety in dealing with complex potions. I, myself, would be willing to allow her to sit in on my more advanced classes for the remainder of the year for her to better prepare to take the OWL examination in June.”

“Thank you Professors,” I said, curtseying respectably. “Please get back to me as to when you may have appropriate classes so that I might create a schedule.”

Professor Snape stared at me still. An astonished expression had forged itself unwittingly on his face. His eyes glazed over, apparently lost in deep thought. Professor McGonagall stared at him, puzzled.

“Professor Snape? Is there something you wish to add?” she asked politely.

“I believe…,” he said aloud, while openly fumbling with his pendant, “that I have room in my classes at three o’clock every day.”

“What, exactly, are you here to accomplish, Michele?” he stressed in a curious undertone with a blank expression hanging on his face.

“That would be fine, Professor. I will make an immediate note of it.” Reaching for my spare parchment, I scribbled, “I am not toying with your affections, Severus dear. We will talk later…”

“And Professor McGonagall?” I asked her, quill still in hand.

“I will get back with you later, Miss Knight. I need to check my schedule but I am sure we would be able to stick you in someplace,” she assured.

“Then I will check back with you later, Professor,” I said turning to leave. As soon as I left eyesight of them, I drew my wand, held it to the parchment, and said, “Scram”. The words on the parchment scrambled, letters dancing all about the page until they read, “Professor Snape—Potions classes—daily at three in the afternoon. Professor McGonagall—Transfiguration—unsure, check back later—“

“There,” I said with satisfaction. “No one will ever know what had been written there.”

Unbeknownst to me, Professor Snape had left the Head table just after I had left and was following me, nearly at g. g. To anyone paying attention, it would have been most obvious that he intended on catching up with me, but I had not been paying attention.

As I was nearly at my Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, he called me back to him through the pendant. I stopped about five feet away from the door and waited.

“Miss Knight,” he said as he reached me. “I need to see you at the same time, same place tonight,” he said to me in barely above a whisper.

“Right,” I said aloud. “Stop wearing your heart on your sleeve, Severus,” I hissed wordlessly. “You have to stop pursuing me openly or they will become suspicious. They are not as foolish as you think. Do not underestimate them or we will both be uncovered and I cannot risk that. I will talk to you about it tonight but you are, within the borders of Hogwarts, my Professor. We must be careful not to be exposed. Many would love to see both of us go down in flames. We would be on the next broom to Azkaban if they knew. I mean, we have both been covert in our operations… Just come to me tonight… You will understand more then… So don’t be concerned—I know how to handle myself here.”

He sighed and said secretly, “Fine. I will be there tonight.” His cold black eyes melted in the centers.

“And Severus—I know about the Blood Oath. I have known since I came to Hogwarts. I know more about the Dark Arts than you think. I will protect your life just as much as you will mine. That is the promise. That is the bond. I know the connection it involves. My life is in your hands, just as much as your life is in mine. I will die without you and you would die without me. I knew the risks. That is what I chose to do.”

A small smile swelled on his face. To any on-looker, this had to have appeared very strange. For one thing, everyone knew Professor Snape never smiled and he was certainly smiling at a student who had only just said, “Right”.

“Thank you for returning my quill, Professor Snape,” I said in an attempt to cover our silence and his smile.

“Think nothing of it, Miss Knight,” he said, realizing what I had been trying to do. He stopped smiling immediately and turned on his heel. I watched him vanish down the corridor in a few long strides.

Turning to enter the class, I tried not to think about him. I tried not to feel his heart beat in my mind. I tried but my heart wretched in contempt. My head began to feel dizzy and disconnected. I tried to take my seat quickly but missed the chair.

From the door, Harry ran over to me. “Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital wing?” He kneeled next to me. As I looked up, I could see the lightning-bolt scar on his forehead. For the first time, I looked right into his eyes—bright green and flashing in my direction. He hesitated, caught off guard by my inability to answer and the stare I had fixed upon him.

“Right… No, I think I’ll be okay,” I said while massaging the wound on my left hand. It throbbed uncontrollably, sending shivers of pain through my body. I glanced down to see fresh blood trickling from the wound.

Harry caught me staring painfully at the wound and said, “Oh! You must have cut your hand on the desk. I’ll take you to Madame Pomfrey. She’ll mend you in a minute!”

“No, Harry!” I shouted. “What I mean is that I’m sure there’s nothing wrong. It will heal just fine…” The pain me eme excruciating as I spoke. He saw the rise of pain in my face and helped me to my feet. As he laid his hand on mine, I felt a terrible pain shoot from my hand to my head, seizing every nerve sharply.

“Ouch!” Severus’ voice snapped in my head. I saw him in my mind’s eye, clutching his wound suddenly in his other hand. Fresh, black blood trickled from his left hand too. “Do remember that my blood enemies will evoke these same reactions in you as much as they do wie!” e!” he grumbled under his breath. “Don’t let Potter touch you again or they’ll have to send both of us to St. Mungo’s!” He stuck his hand quickly and carefully under his desk so that the waiting class would not be able to see the blood rush from his wound.

Meanwhile, Professor Lupin had approached our unfolding scene on the floor. His eyes flickered with concern. “Miss Knight? Are you injured? Let Harry take you up to the hospital wing… Madame Pomfrey should take a closer look at that. It looks like a very deep wound. Did you get that from the desk?”

“Yes, Professor. I slipped when I went to sit down at my desk. Just an accident, you know. It’s not really that bad…” I said quietly.

“Hurry now, Harry! Take her to Madame Pomfrey. She‘s starting to get very pale… She looks like she’s about to faint!”

“Can’t Hermione take me?” I asked hopefully.

“No… If you should faint, Harry would still be able to carry you to the hospital wing. Now go!” he said reverently.

“Come on. I’ll be able to catch you if you fall,” Harry assured me with one of his hands still holding me by the arms, but his voice faded as I watched Professor Lupin dive for me while the world around faded into blackness.

End Scene Three