The Root of Protea: Of Snapes and of Lillies

Chapter 20 - What Eyes Can See

The air in the dining room of 12 Grimmauld Place was incredibly tense and unbelievably awkward that evening.

Odessa was sly though, and she composed herself very quickly.

"What a pity......." Odessa replied calmly, keeping her green eyes locked on Lily. "You must have me mistaken for someone else, my darling. I am a siren from the deep ocean, an ancient and dangerous creature. Surely your, how do you say.... 'Grandmother'........was a regular land walker like you."

Severus heard Lily suck in a breath to calm down.

Everyone around the table glanced from Lily to Odessa, especially James.

Kinship.

Lily claimed it.

Odessa denied it.

But everything about the two women, from their hair down to their cheekbones was eerily similar.

"So.....you're not her grandmother, right?!?!" James asked in shock.

"Jack, my dear, do I look like anyone's.....'grandmother'?" Odessa laughed.

"James." James corrected Odessa with a frown.

"Whatever you say, my dear." Odessa smiled.

James didn't look comfortable with the situation but Lily was even more disturbed.

"Your hair is as red as mine." Lily remarked to Odessa while she stalked around to sit at the head of the table in 12 Grimmauld Place, beside of James Potter and across from Dumbledore.

"There are many women, from the land and from the sea, with red hair." Odessa reasoned with a careless shrug of her shoulders.

"And your eyes......" Lily pressed, with tears of sadness in hers.

"There are also many women with green eyes." Odessa whispered dismissively.

Dumbledore nodded at Odessa and she turned her gaze away from Lily, ignoring her.

Dumbeldore's concern was the help that Odessa may offer the Order.

The Hogwarts headmaster wanted Lily and Odessa to hash out their private affairs after the meeting had concluded.

To rub it in Lily's face, James leaned over and chivalrously kissed Odessa's hand.

James Potter was very handsome and many women would have been flattered.

Many others would have giggled and smiled but instead, Odessa's green eyes wandered over to James with a predatory glow and her face remained indifferent as if she had expected the gesture.

"Now, then," Dumbledore began, speaking to Odessa, "before we dissect the matter at hand, I'd like to speak for everyone when I thank you for being here with us tonight."

Odessa offered no reply, she just gazed at Dumbledore.

Dumbeldore went on after a few seconds of silence passed, "We would like to beseech you for your help. That locket there" Dumbeldore gestured to Slytherin's locket that hung around Odessa's neck, "could be a key to saving our world."

"Saving your world from what?" Odessa asked, clasping a hand around the locket.

"From Tom Riddle." Dumbeldore said frankly and several of the Order members visibly shivered at the mention of Voldemort's real name.

This time, a bright smile lit up Odessa's face and she laughed as light-heartedly as a school girl as she replied, "From Tom? That naughty boy! What has he done now?"