Death Eaters... Forever?

Wow. That was my first thought as I realised I’d woken myself up.

My arm was burning, and I looked to see my Dark Mark writhing as though alive. Was this the Call, then, that Severus had told me about? I ignored it. I’d ask Sev about it when I next saw him.

I sighed and got out of bed to have a shower. I felt horrible, and even more exhausted than last night – if that were possible. It didn’t help that I knew Voldemort was getting closer to an alliance with me, and that I was actually excited about the prospect at all.

When I got out of my shower, I drifted downstairs, following the mouth-watering smell of sizzling bacon and pancakes. I love Mrs Weasley.

“Ah, there you are dear – did you have a good night?” I mumbled something unintelligible as Fred came downstairs, looking more like a zombie than even me.

He groaned as Mrs Weasley posed him the same question, and rested his head on the kitchen counter while she served up. She would never have admitted it, but I knew she didn’t trust the house-elf in this house – Kreacher. I’d seen him once, just before I’d gone to bed, but he’d only been talking to himself, and I felt sorry for him. However, I had the sneaking suspicion that he was responsible for the disappearance of my grandfather’s necklace. I wasn’t bothered, however; I was finally over his death, so I didn’t need it’s comfort any longer.

Then I heard raised voices coming from the living room. Walking over to see, I found Sirius and Severus having a row – something about… me? Oh dear.

They noticed me standing there and went silent. I shook my head at them, but came over and hugged Sev, who’d obviously just arrived.

“Stop fighting over me, there’s enough for the both of you,” I told them with a grin. Sirius laughed heartily, and even Severus couldn’t stop a smile of amusement.

“Hey, we’re going to St Mungos Hospital to see Dad – you wanna come?” Ron asked me as I returned to the kitchen.

“Na, I don’t want to intrude on family time – and anyway, as long as he’s recovering, I’m not worried.” Ron shrugged and went to the living room, where a huge fireplace stood. Ron disappeared after Mrs Weasley and Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George followed in quick succession.

“I’ve got to go take care of some business. I’ll see you at Hogwarts,” Severus said to me. I nodded and gave him a long hug. He smelt of home. I reluctantly let him go, watching as he walked out the door. Damn it, I forgot to ask him about the Dark Mark!

“I guess it’s just us, eh Kyera?” Sirius patted my shoulder.

“Don’t forget Kreacher!” I replied with a devilish grin. Sirius made a face; he hated the house elf.

After a good long conversation about our lives, I made coffee for both of us.

“So, uh, if you’re an elf, how old are you?”

“Half elf,” I corrected. “And I think I turned twenty eight sometime last month.” The clan had never celebrated birthdays, so it was only a rough estimate from the fact that my powers manifested when I turned 16, and after my father was killed, I stayed with the clan for two years.

Sirius whistled. “So you’re like Tonks – a Metamorphmagus?”

“In a way, yeah,” I replied. I’d never met Tonks, but Hermione had told me about what she could do.

“Handy – wish I could make myself look younger,” Sirius said, sipping his coffee. He put it down abruptly. “I want to show you something. Come on,” he said with a boyish grin and I couldn’t help but smile back. He led me upstairs, where I followed him into a room I’d never even noticed before. Inside, there were many artefacts standing on podiums, and my eye was drawn to a strange glowing ball.

“What is that?” I asked Sirius as it suddenly turned from a pale blue to a violent shade of red.
“It’s a Personality Globe. It senses the personality of the closest person and changes colour accordingly.” Cool.

“So what’s that colour mean?” He shrugged.

“I never could be bothered to learn what each colour means. Anyway, come over here. This,” he pointed to what looked like a plain wand, “is an Elvin wand. It was made by the last great Elvin wizard, Jamon Shareake.” I couldn’t breathe. Did he just say Jamon? But that’s…
“My father,” I breathed.

“Who, Jamon?” I nodded wordlessly. “Wow. When I was a boy, he was my idol – that’s how I know what this is,” he pointed to the wand. “Now go on, try it,” he urged. I hesitated, but after a moment took hold of the wand. The hairs on my neck and body rose uncannily. Suddenly, the Personality Globe shattered in a shower of red mist and glass. I hurriedly put the wand back on the podium and took out my own.

“Reparo.” I gave a sigh of relief as the Personality Globe was restored to working order. “Sorry,” I apologised to Sirius. He shrugged.

“It was worth a try.” He led me out of the room again, locking it behind us. I looked back, but there was no trace of the door.

“So what else can you do?” Sirius asked conversationally.

“Other than being able to use magic without my wand, I’m pretty good at Legilimency and Occlumency; I’m an Animorphmagus – although I suppose you could count that under simply being able to change my shape like Tonks. I can breathe underwater and I can fly without a broom. I can obviously Apparate inside Hogwarts. That’s pretty much it.” He just looked at me, one eyebrow raised.

“What?” I didn’t see why he kept staring at me. I wasn’t that special.

Later, the Weasley’s came back with Hermione. Harry had come to the Order Headquarters over the Christmas holidays, and arrived just after the others.

“Lucius won’t mind you coming to Little Burrow with us over the Christmas break, will he?” Mrs Weasley asked.

“I’ll ask him – I’ll be back soon.” I Apparated to the Malfoy Manor.

“Is Lucius here?” I asked a house elf called Bubbles. She pointed to the study. I should’ve known.

“Lucius?” I ventured into the study, where Lucius was reading an obscure-looking black book.

“Kyera!” He snapped the book shut. “What are you doing here? I thought you were staying at Hogwarts over Christmas?”

“Uh, well I actually came to ask if I can spend Christmas with the Weasleys’.” At the mention of the Weasleys’ name, Lucius’ lip curled. I suppressed a sigh; why was it that half my friends hated each other?

“Ok, as long as you go straight back to school – and don’t go off alone.”

“Thanks! I’ll see you later,” I gave him a parting smile and Apparated back to Headquarters.
“I can go,” I told Mrs Weasley excitedly.

“Great!”

“Yeah, you can help us with our… school work!” Fred said, hesitating for just a moment too long.

“And play Quidditch with us!” George said. I grinned.

“And, of course, help us invent new ways to annoy her Majesty the High Inquisitor Toad face!” I laughed at Fred’s nickname for Umbridge. I’d heard that she’d appointed herself the High Inquisitor at Hogwarts.

The Quidditch game was great – my team won, 180 to 90. I played with Fred and Ginny against Ron, George and Harry. Fred and George were the Beaters, Ron and Ginny the Chasers, and Harry and I the Seekers. Hermione kept score; she didn’t like to play Quidditch.

Arthur was back on Christmas Eve, and apart from various bruises and his arm in a sling, looked happy enough.

We returned to Headquarters for Christmas Day so that Sirius could join us. This year, I got another jumper from Mrs Weasley, a broom maintenance kit from Harry and Ron, a kit of Fred and George’s best ‘Wizard Wheezes’, a Muggle romance book from Hermione, a mini-Snitch from Ginny and an Elvin bracelet from Sirius. Severus also sent me a small package, but the letter with it said not to open it until I saw Severus again.

When we returned to school, Harry resumed DA meetings in the Room of Requirement, although I only came occasionally.

The High Inquisitor Toad face (it’s a catchy name!) was searching for DA, but so far we’d been lucky.

“Hey, have you seen the new rule Toad face made?” Fred asked me with a grin. “Apparently she’s started interrogating students!”

“What?” I was surprised – I didn’t think even she was that low.

“Yeah, the sign was up this morning,” George said. “Didn’t you see it?” I sighed.
“I didn’t even manage to get breakfast before Transfiguration!” At that, my stomach gave a low growl. Fred and George laughed.

Later on that day, I was called up to be interrogated by Umbridge.

“Come in, dear. Close the door behind you, that’s it. Would you like a cup of tea?” I hated being treated like a child, but since technically I was one, I had to put up with it. Toady shoved a steaming cup of tea into my hands, but I put it down immediately.

“Now, have you heard of any student groups?”

“Yes,” I said innocently. “There are the Quidditch teams, and-”

“No, not those! Prohibited groups,” she tried to look sweet. Don’t mess with me, old lady.

“I don’t think so, miss.”

“Are you sure? Why don’t you have a sip of tea?”

“I’m allergic to tea leaves,” I replied, hiding a smirk as she adopted a look of outrage. She composed herself with an effort.

“Ok, you may go,” she said curtly. Aw, but I was starting to have fun!

At the next DA meeting, we practised our Patronuses. I’d already formed mine, and it took the form of a beautiful doe, like Severus’. And Lily’s (Harry’s mother and Severus’ obsession).

Suddenly, I heard a muffled boom which shook the room, and the mirror on the wall at the far end shattered. Harry inspected a small hole that had appeared, but suddenly leapt back, pulling one of the younger students with him.

The wall exploded in a shower of stone. When the dust cleared, Toad face and the Inquisitorial Squad (Draco – disappointingly – and his cronies) stood there triumphantly, Draco holding a limp Cho, one of the DA members.

I sighed as I stood in Dumbledore’s office, tired to death of Toady’s shrill voice.
“I told you!” She told Fudge for the umpteenth time as he read through the sheet on which each and every DA member was listed.

“It was me! It’s got nothing to do with Dumbledore!” Harry pretty much exploded.
“Very noble of you, Harry, but as Dolores has kindly pointed out, it says Dumbledore’s Army, not Harry’s.” I felt a sense of admiration for the Headmaster.

“Weasley, have you got all the notes?” Fudge asked Percy, Ron’s older brother, who’d forsaken their family to become Fudge’s secretary. He nodded. “Good. Duplicate your notes and send a copy to the Daily Prophet. If we send a fast owl it should make the morning edition!” Percy dashed from the room. Fudge turned back to Dumbledore.

“You will now be escorted back to the Ministry, where you will be formally charged, then sent to Azkaban to await trial!”

“Ah,” Dumbledore said. “I thought we might hit this little snag. You seem to be labouring under the impression that I am going to – what is the phrase? – come quietly. I have no intention of being sent to Azkaban.”

“Now look here-”

“Goodbye, Cornelius.” Suddenly, Dumbledore took hold of his phoenix and disappeared with a smile.

“I must respect my elders
I must respect my elders
I must…”

Wait, why am I doing this? I looked up, but only the scratching of quills on parchment and the occasional gasp of pain from a student broke the silence. I sighed.

Just then, Severus stalked into the Great Hall, walking straight to Toad face, who sat on her throne comfortably. He whispered something to her, and her face darkened, but she nodded reluctantly.

“Kyera.” Severus called to me. Instantly I leapt from my seat and followed him, feeling the students looking at me with envy. I felt a twinge of guilt.

“Sev!” I greeted him when we were well away from the Great Hall. Suddenly, I realised how sad and drawn he looked. Wordlessly, he led me down to his office.

“Sev, what’s the matter?”

“Potter found my worst memory.” I didn’t even have to ask what he referred to; I’d seen it before, and wished never to see it again. It was like a different version to my own experience.

“Oh, Severus.” I threw myself into his arms, hugging him tightly. To my surprise, he buried his head in my shoulder, and I knew he was crying. My heart gave a jump in sympathy, and I tried not to cry myself.

After a while, Severus pulled away. The lines on his face were etched in deeper, and he looked twenty years older.

“Thank you,” he whispered. I just hugged him again.

“Do you have the package I sent you with you?” I nodded. I’d carried it with me since I’d received it. “Open it now.” I did, feeling childishly excited. It was a small jewellery box. I opened it and gasped. Nestled within the soft folds of black silk was a beautiful silver necklace. The pendant was a silver snake with a small ruby in its mouth.

“It was for Lily,” Sev whispered painfully. He took it from its box and put it round my neck. I knew exactly how much this meant, but I didn’t break the silence with words. All I did was hug him again. I knew I could never make up for his loss of Lily, but at least I could be there for him, to make it that little bit easier on him.

XXX Severus XXX

It was one of the hardest things I’d ever done, giving up a bit of Lily’s memory, but once I’d done it, I didn’t regret it. In fact, I felt as though it was right to give Kyera this. She’d become my everything, a daughter to me. And I knew she felt the same as me. We were friends, and would never be anything more, but she would be there to comfort me, and it was all I needed just now.