Dark Wizard Collector: A Hogwarts Fanfiction

Chapter 34

Once in the cover of the thick trees, I conjured a fire in the snow, and began tutoring my eager student. "I believe Professor Busterforth will teach you all sorts of defensive spells and charms, but I would like to start you out with a few elementary ones that are very useful to know. Expelliarmus disarms your opponent." I began, yet noticed Severus' slight disappointment. "You already know that one, don't you?"

He nodded to my question and I smiled.

"How about the movement spell I used at the Quidditch pitch?"

Again the pale face nodded with a modest smile.

I laughed loudly, and conjured myself a chair to sit upon. "Alright then, what spell do you want to learn? I know you have a list of them." I grinned.

"Well, I would like to learn mind reading." Severus admitted, "And the Unforgivable Curses."

My blue eyes widened and I conjured a chair for him to sit down as well.

"That is a difficult magic to learn. I am not so good at Legilimency or its opposite, Occlumency, but the three curses I know."

"Have you ever used them?" Severus gasped with interest.

"Yes."

"Which ones?" Eager to know, the student teetered in his chair.

"All of them."

Silence stole all the air from the small glen we sat in, and the little dark eyes never left my blue ones. Severus' black eyes were so wide that I thought they would pop out of his skull. Until he blinked and his small face softened as he came over to my chair and placed a hand on mine. "I'm sor— the voice choked up and he buried his head full of tears into my shoulder.

"Severus," I breathed, clasping the boy and cradling him close to me as I sat quite unsure of what was happening. "Dear thing, are you alright?" I hugged him tightly till the sobs became fluttering little breaths and sniffles.

When the pale face moved to look up at mine, I could not help but be reminded of my little brother. Hushing gently and rocking the eleven year old, I brushed back his thick black hair that was obviously unwashed. His brow furrowed, and I felt a tear roll down my cheek. Wiping it away I smiled reassuringly at the worried child.

"I'm sorry you had to use the Unforgivable Curses."

"It's not your fault."

"I know, but you are such a kind witch. I can't imagine you being in a situation that you have to use them."

"That is very heartfelt of you, Severus. But never think someone is something until you know them well."

"Oh. I only asked you about them, because I just... I want to defend myself." Severus said, and looked down at his robes as I continued to cradle him.

"I wanted to defend myself too, but it doesn't always work the way you would like it to. Yet, you have forced me to ask this. Who must you defend yourself from? The Unforgivable Curses are a last resort." With my hand under his chin, I moved his head to look me in the eyes.

"Even if they are my parents?"

"Are they hurting you?" I asked, flabbergasted that parents could be so cruel to their child, and Severus just looked away. Again, I repeated my question and trained his eyes on mine, but he made no response. "I swear, if I ever meet your mother!"

"It's not her—

My brow rose as his words slipped. "It's your father? Well, he will hear from me very soon."

"You can't!" He burst.

"Oh, I will."

"No... He's a Muggle." Severus said in the quietest voice I had ever heard. "Please, Miss Zeria as long as I'm at Hogwarts, I am in no danger from him."

The silent forest made the cold feel colder even with the roaring bonfire a few feet away. If there was anything that I could do, I would, but Severus, like my brother Tom, did not want my help.

"You know that you may come to me whenever you need help, right Severus?"

"Why are you so nice to me?" The dark eyes were downcast.

"Am I not allowed to be kind to those I care about? You remind me of myself and my brother." Then, I had an idea. "I shall teach you Occlumency first in order for you to defend yourself from people attempting to read your mind, but you must know, I am just an amateur."

The flicker of a freshly lit wick glinted in Severus' dark eyes. Glad that I could relight the flame in the sad child, I was even more careful with my words. Lessons began with teaching him how to clear his mind and focus on emptiness.

"You must block yourself off from me. With Legilimency I will be able to read your mind, so you must use Occlumency to close your thoughts off from my access."

We stood apart from one another near the large fire. After moments of calm meditation, I asked if he was ready to try and block my attempts to penetrate his mind.

Severus nodded. My spell was silent and treacherous. The young boy flew back a few feet from the blast of my wand.

Immediately, I stopped and rushed over to him. "Are you okay?"

"Did I block your spell?" The reply was anxious and a bit excited.

"Well, no. That was just light from my wand; it is very powerful. Here sit in the chair, and we shall try again. Clear your mind."

Again, I aimed the gnarled, leather-handled wand at him. "Legilimens!" A beam of light shot from my short birch wand, and I penetrated Severus' mind. He let out a gasp of shock as I saw images of Hogwarts flash through his thoughts.

A pair of beautiful green eyes came into view and Severus let out a scream. "STOP!"

I did, and realized I had seen those eyes before, they belonged to Lily Evans. The boy was not ready for this kind of magic; his mind was too clouded. "Maybe we should continue next week." I suggested, and then vanished the fire and two chairs. "Come, we should be returning now."

"Wait, Miss Zeria!"

"Yes?" I said over my shoulder.

"Who was that blond man?"

Horrified, I spun to look at the boy; he had been reading my mind as I was reading his. "Who?"

"The one with eyes as blue as yours."

My teeth clenched. Severus had seen Gellert within my mind. "He's no one."

"You killed him, didn't you?"

"No, but, I wish I could." I pulled my fur-lined cloak closer around my body. "Do not ask about my past, for your own safety." I finished and began walking to the castle.