Death Eaters... Forever?
Parents
XXX Kyera XXX
I woke up the next morning as usual, and went up to the Gryffindor common room, where I greeted Harry, Ron and Hermione. We walked to Transfiguration together – we had the same classes today, although I was the only one taking extra lessons. After Transfiguration, in which we had a rather boring lesson turning a flower into a bell, we almost ran out of class. We had Defence against the Dark Arts with Professor Moody, an old Auror. He was strange, but I had learnt much from him, including each of the three Unforgivable Curses.
As we walked in and took our seats, Moody looked at us.
“Miss Wilson. After class, I want to speak to you about your lessons,” he told me. I nodded as the rest of the students filed in.
I had to sit by Draco each lesson, which pretty much sucked. He’d barely talked to me at all since the World Cup, and today was no different.
I wondered what Moody had to say to me, but put it out of my mind as he began addressing the class.
“Today, I will be briefly showing you Occlumency. I have been instructed by Dumbledore, as none of you seem to have the slightest clue what it is.” Looking around, I saw he was right. Most people looked clueless. I was pleased, but also rather nervous. I knew that I couldn’t let anyone into my mind, but that meant I would have to show Moody my mastery of the subject.
“Malfoy, you can be first,” Moody said. Draco turned slightly pale, but attempted a confident smile.
“Now, I want you to attempt to push me out of your mind – Legilimenta!” Draco suddenly went rigid, and a look of intense frustration crossed his face. I knew how he felt – I’d had the same horribly invasive feeling the first time I’d tried to push Severus out of my mind. I also knew how badly Draco was doing – I could hear the over-flow of thoughts. I smiled at the memory of me pushing him into his pool.
“Ok, Malfoy, go sit down.” Malfoy’s flushed face was filled with relief, and he held his head as he sat down, groaning quietly.
“Pinch the skin between your thumb and forefinger, it’ll help the headache,” I told him, experienced in this area, at least. He looked at me strangely, but tried it, and another look of relief passed over him.
After Neville Longbottom, Ron, Pansy Parkinson and Harry had tried and failed at shielding their minds from Moody, he called me up. Butterflies gnawed at my stomach, and I had a bad feeling about Moody knowing my gift for Occlumency. However, there was nothing to do about it, so I cleared my mind of memories expertly, putting up my barriers.
“Legilimenta!” Tendrils of Moody’s thoughts flung harmlessly against my barrier, but I frowned at the malignance of his personality. I was curious, so I slid invisibly past his own mind barriers.
I frowned again as I saw what was foremost in his thoughts… He pulled away from my mind, severing my connection with his own mind suddenly.
“Kyera.” I opened my eyes and looked up at him. His face was pale, his mouth drawn in a thin hard line. “Well done. Kyera here,” he raised his voice to include the class, “has managed to do what none of you could. She blocked me from her mind. Sit down, Wilson.” He didn’t look at me again. As I sat, Draco congratulated me quietly, surprising me again. I turned my thoughts to what I’d learnt from Moody’s thoughts. I no longer wished to be alone with him. It seemed strange that his first thought was of Lord Voldemort. I could’ve continued to look through his mind, but I didn’t think that wise – my friends could be hurt.
As I pondered this, and what I was going to do about seeing him after class, a young second year ran in with a message. He gave it to Moody and ran out again.
“Miss Wilson. Dumbledore’s office, now,” Moody said. Draco smirked as I stood up; obviously hoping I was in trouble. I left swiftly, thanking my lucky stars that I didn’t have to wait behind after class with Moody.
I didn’t need the password to Professor Dumbledore’s office – he was expecting me. As I opened the door, I realised with apprehension that Lucius Malfoy was there, too.
“Ah, Kyera. Sit down, please.” Albus looked sad, and my stomach dropped. What’s happened?
Lucius spoke. “You will be living with me from now on. Your parents were killed in a house fire earlier today.” My heart turned ice-cold at this. Although I’d never been close with my parents, I still felt as though part of my life had been ripped away.
I tried to console myself, fingering my silver necklace that my grandfather had given me before he’d passed away.
“You may have the week off from school,” Dumbledore said kindly. I swallowed and then, trusting my voice, spoke.
“N-no. I still want to take my extra lessons.” My voice was a little unsteady, but otherwise I’d managed to control my emotions. Dumbledore inclined his head, and Lucius left without another word. I was suddenly afraid of what would happen in the holidays, but after that, I didn’t have much time to think about it, as the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students arrived the next day. I was pleased; it meant that I was distracted from the news of my parents.
I had an extra Potions lesson after dinner, in which the students from the two schools were introduced, along with the Tri-wizard Trophy. I was apprehensive about whether Severus was able to teach me Defence against the Dark Arts, but confident that Albus had allowed it.
“Kyera. I heard of your loss. I’m sorry.” I nodded. Sev was brief, but it meant the world to me what he did say – he’d never been good at showing his emotions, even to me.
“I am able to teach you Defence against the Dark Arts. I’ll be taking over your lessons with Professor Moody.” I sighed in contentment. I’d told Severus about what had happened in the last class I’d had with Moody, and he told me to be careful.
“Don’t go near him. If he hurts you, I’ll-” He broke off suddenly. Told you he was bad with emotions. I nodded my thanks, and we said nothing more of it.
He went through the basic defence and offence spells, making sure I knew them well. He was impressed, I could see it in his eyes, and we progressed quickly that lesson. At the end, I was almost happy again.
“I’ll speak to Alistor about your change in teachers, and you will see me instead of him when you usually have Defence against the Dark Arts.”
“Thank you,” I replied with fervour.
He nodded. “Are you looking after yourself?” His concern, although hidden beneath a casual tone, was touching. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak, and to my intense embarrassment, my eyes filled with moisture. I was determined not to cry for my parents, but Severus saw my vulnerability, and after a hesitant moment, gathered me into his arms. Silent sobs wracked me, but he held me comfortingly, stroking my hair. I was overwhelmed, but it was the only time I’d cry for my parents, I knew that much.
I woke up the next morning as usual, and went up to the Gryffindor common room, where I greeted Harry, Ron and Hermione. We walked to Transfiguration together – we had the same classes today, although I was the only one taking extra lessons. After Transfiguration, in which we had a rather boring lesson turning a flower into a bell, we almost ran out of class. We had Defence against the Dark Arts with Professor Moody, an old Auror. He was strange, but I had learnt much from him, including each of the three Unforgivable Curses.
As we walked in and took our seats, Moody looked at us.
“Miss Wilson. After class, I want to speak to you about your lessons,” he told me. I nodded as the rest of the students filed in.
I had to sit by Draco each lesson, which pretty much sucked. He’d barely talked to me at all since the World Cup, and today was no different.
I wondered what Moody had to say to me, but put it out of my mind as he began addressing the class.
“Today, I will be briefly showing you Occlumency. I have been instructed by Dumbledore, as none of you seem to have the slightest clue what it is.” Looking around, I saw he was right. Most people looked clueless. I was pleased, but also rather nervous. I knew that I couldn’t let anyone into my mind, but that meant I would have to show Moody my mastery of the subject.
“Malfoy, you can be first,” Moody said. Draco turned slightly pale, but attempted a confident smile.
“Now, I want you to attempt to push me out of your mind – Legilimenta!” Draco suddenly went rigid, and a look of intense frustration crossed his face. I knew how he felt – I’d had the same horribly invasive feeling the first time I’d tried to push Severus out of my mind. I also knew how badly Draco was doing – I could hear the over-flow of thoughts. I smiled at the memory of me pushing him into his pool.
“Ok, Malfoy, go sit down.” Malfoy’s flushed face was filled with relief, and he held his head as he sat down, groaning quietly.
“Pinch the skin between your thumb and forefinger, it’ll help the headache,” I told him, experienced in this area, at least. He looked at me strangely, but tried it, and another look of relief passed over him.
After Neville Longbottom, Ron, Pansy Parkinson and Harry had tried and failed at shielding their minds from Moody, he called me up. Butterflies gnawed at my stomach, and I had a bad feeling about Moody knowing my gift for Occlumency. However, there was nothing to do about it, so I cleared my mind of memories expertly, putting up my barriers.
“Legilimenta!” Tendrils of Moody’s thoughts flung harmlessly against my barrier, but I frowned at the malignance of his personality. I was curious, so I slid invisibly past his own mind barriers.
I frowned again as I saw what was foremost in his thoughts… He pulled away from my mind, severing my connection with his own mind suddenly.
“Kyera.” I opened my eyes and looked up at him. His face was pale, his mouth drawn in a thin hard line. “Well done. Kyera here,” he raised his voice to include the class, “has managed to do what none of you could. She blocked me from her mind. Sit down, Wilson.” He didn’t look at me again. As I sat, Draco congratulated me quietly, surprising me again. I turned my thoughts to what I’d learnt from Moody’s thoughts. I no longer wished to be alone with him. It seemed strange that his first thought was of Lord Voldemort. I could’ve continued to look through his mind, but I didn’t think that wise – my friends could be hurt.
As I pondered this, and what I was going to do about seeing him after class, a young second year ran in with a message. He gave it to Moody and ran out again.
“Miss Wilson. Dumbledore’s office, now,” Moody said. Draco smirked as I stood up; obviously hoping I was in trouble. I left swiftly, thanking my lucky stars that I didn’t have to wait behind after class with Moody.
I didn’t need the password to Professor Dumbledore’s office – he was expecting me. As I opened the door, I realised with apprehension that Lucius Malfoy was there, too.
“Ah, Kyera. Sit down, please.” Albus looked sad, and my stomach dropped. What’s happened?
Lucius spoke. “You will be living with me from now on. Your parents were killed in a house fire earlier today.” My heart turned ice-cold at this. Although I’d never been close with my parents, I still felt as though part of my life had been ripped away.
I tried to console myself, fingering my silver necklace that my grandfather had given me before he’d passed away.
“You may have the week off from school,” Dumbledore said kindly. I swallowed and then, trusting my voice, spoke.
“N-no. I still want to take my extra lessons.” My voice was a little unsteady, but otherwise I’d managed to control my emotions. Dumbledore inclined his head, and Lucius left without another word. I was suddenly afraid of what would happen in the holidays, but after that, I didn’t have much time to think about it, as the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students arrived the next day. I was pleased; it meant that I was distracted from the news of my parents.
I had an extra Potions lesson after dinner, in which the students from the two schools were introduced, along with the Tri-wizard Trophy. I was apprehensive about whether Severus was able to teach me Defence against the Dark Arts, but confident that Albus had allowed it.
“Kyera. I heard of your loss. I’m sorry.” I nodded. Sev was brief, but it meant the world to me what he did say – he’d never been good at showing his emotions, even to me.
“I am able to teach you Defence against the Dark Arts. I’ll be taking over your lessons with Professor Moody.” I sighed in contentment. I’d told Severus about what had happened in the last class I’d had with Moody, and he told me to be careful.
“Don’t go near him. If he hurts you, I’ll-” He broke off suddenly. Told you he was bad with emotions. I nodded my thanks, and we said nothing more of it.
He went through the basic defence and offence spells, making sure I knew them well. He was impressed, I could see it in his eyes, and we progressed quickly that lesson. At the end, I was almost happy again.
“I’ll speak to Alistor about your change in teachers, and you will see me instead of him when you usually have Defence against the Dark Arts.”
“Thank you,” I replied with fervour.
He nodded. “Are you looking after yourself?” His concern, although hidden beneath a casual tone, was touching. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak, and to my intense embarrassment, my eyes filled with moisture. I was determined not to cry for my parents, but Severus saw my vulnerability, and after a hesitant moment, gathered me into his arms. Silent sobs wracked me, but he held me comfortingly, stroking my hair. I was overwhelmed, but it was the only time I’d cry for my parents, I knew that much.