The Gifted Curse

Chapter 17 - The Gifted Curse

Geneva stirred in disturbance; her head twisting this way and that, whining as protruding veins pulsated in her neck. Absent yet aware, she was unable to move. It was as if she existed only in the mind, her body no longer a part of herself. A bitterness surged through her blood, pumping like icy water, thrashing around her organs. Her eyes rolled back cold in their sockets behind closed lids so uncontrollably that she had to fight against herself to allow them to open.

What Geneva saw caused her chest to heave violently, injected with fear. A man was knelt before her, his hands hovering low above her face and chest. His eyes were closed muttering an incantation, repeating himself.

Her breath escaped her icy blue lips erratically.

Professor Snape.

His black eyes shot open and connected with Geneva's so instantly it unleashed a scream of fear from the pit of her stomach. He threw a hand over her mouth.

"Don't...sc-ream."

Geneva breathed hard through her nose, shrouded in fear. He was calm, but locking his eyes into hers with great intensity, speaking lowly.

"I brought you back here from the black lake. You were heading into the Forbidden Forrest."

Geneva's brow twisted in fear as tears filled her eyes, whining behind his hand.

"I believe you were bound to suffer a somewhat similar fate to Miss Lovegood. This you will not recall. You were led under a spell, which enables control of the mind – control directed by a dark force."

Geneva whined her tears away, thrashing her head in defiance, but Snape clasped firmer, forcing her head still.

"I will remove my hand if you do not make a sound."

Geneva pleaded with her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. Inaudible silence lingered between them but their eyes spoke volumes, hers icy blue, his deep black. She tried to calm herself. His thumb came up to her cheek and wiped away a falling tear - the same hand that clasped her mouth, only for another one to fall. How she had longed for him to touch her face. She had never expected it to be in such contradictive way.

"Not a sound," he repeated.

Geneva nodded, and slowly he retracted.

"Where am I?" she shuddered. Her voice sounded broken, scratched. She then realised why in addition to her bitterly cold self, she hadn't been able to move. She was covered in blankets, arms and legs tucked underneath, wrapped up tight. To the left of her was a crackling fireplace where cauldrons sat unevenly stacked next to an iron poker, by it's side there was a dark, almost black leather armchair with a backdrop of old books shelved from the floor to the ceiling, some battered like the ones she had seen in the library that morning. Books were everywhere – one lay open on the armchair, a stack by its side, and more on the opposite side of the room, on top of a desk. It was bathed in the light of flicking candles in glass jars. On top of it, next to the books was a dark green-feathered quill, handsomely perched in a black orb holder. Dark wood beamed across the ceiling, and in the far corner wound within was a rising tree trunk, which disappeared into the floor as though it had grown from the Hogwarts grounds. There, a snake lay entwined on its branches, large and sleeping, brown and black in colour.

Upon looking around, she had answered her own question. She could only conclude that it was Professor Snape's living quarters of Hogwarts.

"Safe," was all he said to answer her, walking across the room to place a book back on a shelf.

Geneva attempted to speak up. "Why am I so cold? What do you mean I was about to suffer the same fate as Luna? Professor Lupin is being contained at the Ministry...How c-"

"Cover yourself."

Geneva reached around and huddled herself in blankets. The only clothes she had on was a t shirt and shorts, which she wore for bed.

Her breath lingered in the air. She was cold unlike she had ever felt in all her existence. It was as though frost bite inhabited her, as if her toes would snap in two if she clenched hard enough. She wrapped the blankets around her shoulders and brought her knees up, clasping her arms around them, drawing herself into a tight ball. Snape watched her closely. When she looked up, their eyes met.

"What were you doing to me?" she asked, wearily.

"Thawing your body."

"How did I end up in the grounds?"

"You were controlled," he informed her, "as was Miss Lovegood."

"By who? How do you know this?"

A lump rose to her throat as everything Harry and Hermione had told her embedded to the front of her cortex. She knew she would have to tread carefully. She was unarmed.

Snape's eyes gestured toward the corner of the room, the furthest, behind her. Geneva turned her head to see a glimmering object suspended in mid air, bathed in white light.

"What is it?"

"A horcrux. A object we do not speak of, we do not teach here at Hogwarts," though contradictory he clasped his fingers in front of him as though he was addressing a class, walking toward it. "An object so dark it is...forbidden to be discussed, restricted from text-however...under the circumstances..." He turned to face her, fingers still clasped, his brow furrowed. "You do have the right.....to be informed." He took a pause, before he went on. "A horcrux holds a part of a soul belonging to the darkest of wizards...witches. It can only be created by committing a murder."

Geneva swallowed hard, pulling her knees tighter to her chest. She could feel her heart beating rapidly against them as he went on, shuddering.

"A part of ones soul is taken who commits the murder and is then stored into an object – a way to ensure their soul lives on, should their body be destroyed. They have the power to possess...influence the mind...enhance thoughts and entice you into the darkest of places..."

"And you have it here?" Geneva voiced with a shudder.

"Contained and shielded. Yes."

"W-what is it?"

"A locket, though a horcrux can take many forms."

Geneva's tried to reel her mind back, "I don't remember ever s-"

"You would have been drawn to it. Bewitched."

Her eyes wondered around the room, questions on the tip of her tongue. Lucius Malfoy. His name kept popping up, but how could she ask inconspicuously.

"Why me? Why Luna?"

"Miss Lovegood I believe would have served as a warning toward a greater good."

"What greater good?"

Professor Snape gave her a penetrating look - the crease between his dark brows deepening.

"You."

Geneva's knees dropped. His eyes were gravely black, so much they scared her.

"What, me...? What do the dark forces want with me?"

Her heart palpitated at an increasing rate.

He stepped slowly to the other side of the room. "Haven't you wondered why your visions have stopped?"

"Stopped? Wait but...what, how do you know my visions have stopped?"

"Because I extracted them."

"What!" Geneva's gasped alarmingly, tears filling her eyes. The blankets fell away from her body. "Why! How!"

"For your own safety."

"My own safety?!" she exploded. "I wouldn't have been in this mess if it had been for my visions!"

"You are quite right," he surmised. "You would have been dead."

His words threw her. Choking on her tears, she rose to her feet, no longer allowing him to stand above her. Her arms clasped tightly around her shuddering body.

"Restore them! Now," she shook. "Or...or I'll go to McGonagall!"

"You are a fool, Azur" he insulted, standing tall before her, his chin raised, looking down his nose. "Without knowing the consequences? One must first evaluate the situation before jumping to a conclusion."

"You've been messing with my mind, haven't you!" she cried, almost choking on her own epiphany. "None of this is real!" She pointed back and forth between the both of them.

"Divert your mind," he hissed. "This is not the time."

"How did you do it?? Tell me," she shook.

"I administered a potion. I retrieved a hair from your head when you served detention. A simple ingredient, but not as easily obtained."