Hidden Weapon

Adelind awoke the next morning oddly relaxed in her still unfamiliar surroundings. She glanced up at the headboard to see the small yellow viper draped comfortably across the twisted iron.

~You like it here don't you my Baby~ Ciaran seemed to preen at the endearment.

~It is much nicer than our past few arrangements~

Adelind couldn't help agreeing with that. Living off of stolen money, they hadn't had much to spare for hotel rooms and in result had spent a few uncomfortable nights in dark seedy surroundings.

Not that Adelind wasn't used to the darker side of magic. She thrived in it. She wasn't proud to admit her upbringing but she couldn't help feeling comfortable dealing in the dark arts, her father had seen to that. Oddly enough, Adelind found herself missing her father. Not so much him but the company and knowledge he gave her. Adelind was used to being alone but she still found herself growing lonely, even now in the company of her familiar.

Adelind slipped out of the sheets and with wandless magic straightened her sheets. Still naked, she walked into the sitting room to collect her cloak. Reaching into the pocket she found her miniature trunk. Whispering the charm to unshrink it, she used her wand to levitate it to the bedroom. On the way she glanced at the white wand in her hand. She hardly used it, as her father had made sure she was more than proficient in the art of wandless magic, but when she did she could feel the magic course through her. In the few days she'd been in contact with the outside wizarding world she had noticed that no one else had a white wand; not that she had seen at least.

Fingering her 8 inch ivory wand with a golden core she wondered if maybe her wand was more different than she'd first thought.

Reaching into her trunk Adelind pulled out a matching pair of lacy black underwear. She watched herself again in the mirror as she dressed in a set of jade robes, manually clipping up the leaf shaped buttons. The robes dipped down revealing the tops of her pale breasts, she slipped a long gold chain over her neck letting the emerald pendant settle just below them. The sleeves of the robe were three quarters length so Adelind slipped on a set of golden bangles. She studied herself in the mirror enjoying the way her jewelry tinkled. Her father had always said appearances were important when dealing with other witches and wizards, especially ones you wished to manipulate. Adelind ignored that last bit of information and slipped on a velvet cloak the color of charcoal. She didn't have to meet with Dumbledore for another hour and in the meantime she wanted to explore the dungeons.

Adelind slipped up her hood and summoned the door open. She was mildly surprised to find Severus standing in the doorway.

"Sneaking out?" Oddly, Adelind felt a faint stirring in her lower tummy at the sound of his dark drawl.

"I wanted to have a look around. If that's okay, of course."

Severus tried to hide the lust that shot through his body straight to his cock. The green of her robes made her pale skin almost luminous and even though her face was hidden in shadow he knew it would make her eyes appear even brighter. And her breasts! Was the woman trying to kill him? He found that unlikely though, more likely she didn't know how alluring she was. Severus wasn't completely ignorant, he'd heard her story the night before. The girl was as innocent as the day she'd been born, probably never even been kissed.

"Well the headmaster had a change of schedule and asked that I come collect you for the meeting and then breakfast."

"Do you always run his errands?" She asked airily while shutting the door and slipping out into the hallway. She had expected him to step back and was surprised when he didn't causing her to find herself almost pressed against him in a dark corridor. She looked up from her hood and into the dark eyes of the man in front of her.

"Yes, um, that sounds fine. Let's just be going then." She stepped around him and walked down the hall. She wound her way up the stairs and led them both back to the gargoyle.

"I'm surprised you remember the way." Severus stated not unkindly.

"I have an excellent sense of direction."

They entered the office to find Professor McGonagall standing next to the headmaster.

"Severus, Adelind. Come in, sit down." Both took their seats across the desk facing the two superiors. "Adelind this is Professor Minerva McGonagall. Minerva this is Adelind Lestrange. Now Ms. Lestrange I hope you won't be upset when I tell you I've let Professor McGonagall view the memories of last night in my pensive." Adelind nodded at this.

"She and I have come up with a proposition for you that we believe will solve many problems on all our parts. Once again, I am finding myself in the position of needing a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. You haven't attended a formal academy but I believe you have the training. Who better to teach the dark arts than someone who was raised in it. You will of course have to pass a practical and written exam to receive your teaching license. Would you be willing to accept this position?" Dumbledore looked seriously at her.

Adelind was reeling. She had not expected this at all. She glanced at Severus and his calm countenance made her realize he had known of the offer the headmaster would make.

"I'll be able to stay here? Permanently?" Dumbledore nodded.

"Wow. I was not expecting this at all."

"I'll understand if you had other plans in mind for your life other than teaching, but this would offer you the protection you seek and would make it easier for you to accept a role in the Order of the Phoenix."

Adelind slide another glance at Severus that did not go unnoticed by either the headmaster or his second in command.

"That's the best offer I've had... ever. Of course I accept. When can I take the exams?"
"Well I'm very glad to hear that. You can, of course, take the exams whenever you'd like. Minerva will be administrating them, so you'll have to check with her, but I do believe you could take them today." He glanced at the woman beside him. "Minerva? Objections?"

"No of course not. Today is quite fine. I'll just take you down to the great hall then, you can take it there."

"There is, however, the matter of your name." Dumbledore looked carefully at Adelind over half moon spectacles. "I don't want to offend you, but I'm not sure how comfortable the children would feel being taught by a Lestrange, and I'm sure I would hear from upset parents very soon."

Adelind blushed. She knew her mother was a wanted killer, just like her father. "While I was in Diagon Alley I used the surname Black, but I'm not sure that would work either as it had rather negative connotations."

"No, no, Sirius Black, your cousin, was cleared by the ministry last year. It seems they captured Mr. Pettigrew during a raid on a muggle house and were forced to concede Sirius' innocence. It's a shame they didn't do it before his death. Adelind Black will do just fine." The headmaster smiled at her.

Adelind and Minerva exited the rooms together, leaving Severus with the headmaster. Adelind was surprised to find the older woman so spry as they rushed to the hall. She found herself facing the double doors that just the night before she had wondered where they led to. Upon entering the hall Adelind couldn't help but suck in her breath. The enchanted ceiling showed the stormy sky of outside and floating candles glittered like fireflies. There were four large tables equally spaced, which Minerva quickly banished to the sides of the walls. She conjured a desk right in the middle and numerous scrolls of parchment.

"Here's your quill and ink. When you're finished with the written test, I'll be sitting at that table there." She pointed to a long table at the front of the room. "Come grab me and we can do the practical part of the exam. Good luck." She flashed her a warm smile and moved to sit down.

Adelind sat down at the desk and grabbed the quill. Looking at all the scrolls she suddenly realized this was going to take longer than she'd thought.

***

"Tea, Severus?" The headmasters eyes seemed to sparkle more than usual. Severus frowned at him, knowing something was going on in the brilliant mind before him. He accepted the tea before giving the man a look. "Albus... I know you're plotting something. Could it have anything to do with the young girl you've just offered a job to as though it were a lemon drop?"

Albus smiled. "You know as well as I do that the girl would make a great DADA teacher. We haven't had a witch or wizard so qualified to fill that position in years. And this is definitely the safest place for her. Voldemort wouldn't dare look for her here." Severus nodded at that. "Speaking of," the headmaster started again. "You haven't been summoned since the meeting she left at. She'll have been missing for six days now. I wander why the Dark Lord hasn't asked his Death Eaters to search for her yet."

"I would say that it's because we don't know about her, but I don't think that's it. Remember the "Seceret Weapon" he's been hinting at this past year? I believe it is her. Did you feel her? Her magic is near as powerful as his, and almost just as dark. We're lucky she came to the light, with her by his side he'd have been practically unstoppable." Dumbledore nodded sadly at this.

"That poor girl. Raised in the dark, knowing no one, nothing outside of training. She's obviously very strong to have been able to see the other side."

"Last night, on the way to the dungeons, she spoke Parseltongue." Dumbledore looked up at this revelation. "Her familiar is a yellow pit viper. One of the most venomous snakes available, and the Dark Lord gave it to his daughter for her coming of age. It's almost laughable."

"Well well, that is quite the turn. Especially with young Harry returning for his seventh year."

"Should we have them talk? She could very well help him on his path to destroy the Dark Lord."

"Yes, I believe that's exactly what we'll do. They're very much alike, Harry and Adelind. I think they may be able to help each other."

At the thought of Harry being alone with the beautiful woman currently in the great hall, Severus felt ill.

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AN- alright, well i really like writing this story and i have a lot of ideas for it, but im getting no feedback positive or otherwise, soo i'm not sure if i should continue posting. im working on another story "Dinaer" but i will keep posting more of "Hidden Weapon" if anyone is interested, so let me know!