The Gifted Curse

Chapter 20 - Revelio

Geneva was sat next to Orah the following morning who was tucking into scrambled eggs and toast topped with lashings of brown sauce that had dropped in a large dollop onto the Daily Prophet.

"Listen to this..." Orah stated.

Ministry officials have informed the Daily Prophet that due to lack of action and inability to monitor and contain the condition of Mr Remus Lupin's werewolf state, he has been sentenced to face a year in Azkban prison. Professor Albus Dumbledore meanwhile of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary – Lupin's employer as of late – has been put under watchful measures by the Ministry of Magic, and is unauthorized to take on another staff member without the approval from Ministry officials.

"So Harry was right," Geneva sunk. She wanted to expand on her thoughts, tell Orah about Lupin – that it was all an inside job, but now was not the time.

It wasn't until later evening when they'd finally gotten a private moment in their dormitories when Geneva had braced herself to open up once and for all. Orah was relaxing on her bed whilst Geneva sat opposite on top of hers.

"So where the bloody hell were you last night?" Orah pinpointed. "You were gone hours and when you got back you were all giggly...You wouldn't stop. It was quite annoying actually."

Geneva pulled her legs up to the bed and crossed them, playing with the ends of her curls nervously. "Sorry. I was..." she stalled. She could feel her heart beat increasing already. "Well...there really is no easy way to say this but..."

Orah gasped, bolting up with a smile and pointed. "Jonathon Hill!"

"What?" Geneva's face screwed up. "No. It's nothing to do with him. It's..." she refrained from using the word worse, except it was in parts.

"What is it then?" Orah urged, impatiently.

Geneva gave a growling sigh and thrust her head into her hands, pushing back through her hair, knowing she just had to come out with it, and knowing it wouldn't make any sense unless she started at the beginning.

"My visions. There was a reason they stopped. Except, I didn't know they'd stopped...Professor Snape. He extracted them. He had to."

"What?!" Orah shot, her head raising abruptly from the pillow. "Why? When?"

Geneva's eyes were as sincere as ever, her heart pumping quickly.

"That time I was in the hospital wing – he gave me a potion."

Orah thrust herself forward and spun around so her legs were hanging off the bed, mouth agape. Geneva continued.

"He did it to protect me," she expressed.

"From what?"

Geneva's head lowered, along with her voice, which now carried a sinister element. "Something's been happening Orah... I know who was behind Luna's death, behind Lupin..."

"Who!?" Orah blurted.

"Lucius Malfoy," Geneva whispered.

"How do you know?"

"Because I was next."

Orah's brow creased in a depth of confusion and fear. "What? How?"

"Luna was possessed...by a Horcrux," Geneva stated, before giving an explanation. "Lucius must have planted it somehow. I wouldn't put it past Malfoy or Pansy being in on it either. He was the one to take the Wolvesbane from Lupin. He must have been."

"And the horcrux?" Orah inquired anxiously.

"The horcrux then possessed me. I was drawn to it. Bewitched. I don't even remember, but it must have been placed somewhere close by."

"You were...what?!" Orah screeched.

"Possessed," Geneva repeated, lowing her voice. "By...He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Orah's face crumbled into a look of horror and for a moment was rendered speechless. She pulled her feet up upon the bed as if he could be lurking underneath.

"How...how do you know this?" she whispered, an air of dread in her voice.

"I heard him. I heard his voice. That night – I was found in the school grounds. I was heading down to the black lake, into the Forbidden Forrest. I was wearing the horcrux – it was a locket."

"Like Luna?" Orah stated.

Geneva nodded, then explained what You-Know-Who wanted with her.

"Professor Snape...That night I was walking intothe forest...he found me – brought me back here."

Orah reeled question after question, airing her suspicions about Snape, though was continuously rectified with Geneva's now reassured opinion toward him.

"And then..." Geneva continued. "I woke up. That morning I told you I'd been on the Quidditch pitch, getting in some earlypractise. The truth is, I woke up... in his bed."

"What?!" Orah gasped. "Are you serious?!"

Geneva nodded. "This is going to sound wild,but..."

Orah's eyes protruded, shaking her head with vigour, praying she wasn't going to say what she thought. "NO! Gen, don't you DARE tell me that..."

Geneva's face contorted, into a wince, unable to say it. Orah thrust a hand in front of her face and made a noise into it, which gave off a mixture of shock and disgust.

"Yes," Geneva admitted, playing with a strand of hair, nervously whirling it around her finger. "I mean, NO we didn'tdo anything. Nothing happened. He slept in the other room."

Orah thrust herself forward on the bed. "Still! What were you thinking? What is HE thinking! He could get the sack. If this got out...If Dumbledore-..."

"Well it's not going to," Geneva assured her adamantly. "Because, he's been there for me. It's real, and besides, there are feelings involved now."

"Feelings?!"Orah shot, incredulously. Sounds like he was trying to take advantage of you when you were in a vulnerable state. What a sick pervert!"

Geneva spun her legs off the bed to mimic Orah's posture.

"No!" she spat. "It's not like that at all. He's been by my side. He's been helping me through this. He's explained everything."

"He's working for You Know Who!" Orah yelled, a little too loud who realised immediately and was silenced simultaneously byGeneva with a hand to her lips.

"Orah, I know it's a lot to digest," she contended with a whisper, "How do you think I've been feeling this whole time. But I trust him. In this situation he is my third eye. He and Dumbledore."

"So, what are you going to do...sleep with Dumbledore next?"

Geneva shot her a look of mordant disgust.

"I haven't slept with Snape!"

"But you would?"

Orah rolled her eyes around, muttering to herself. "How can I walk in his classroom again?" Then she looked up. "What if he's trying to trick you?"

"He's not."

"How do you know?"

"Because I can feel it," Geneva mellowed. "I know he comes on strong, but it's because he cares."

Orah threw out a hand. "So what now? Can't Dumbledore prove You-Know-Who is back?"

"I don't think it's that easy. Look at me. I'm fine now. I should be ok within the castle walls, providing I stay vigilant."

Orah lowered her tone sympathetically. "Aren't you scared?"

"A little, but I know Severus and Dumbledore are looking out for me. I feel protected."

Orah looked positively repulsed at hearingGeneva on first time basis with their Potions Professor.

"That I can't get used to, and I'm not going to. What is there to like about him?! Actually..." she rose her hand to a halt. "I don't want to know."

"...So I'm going to need you to cover for me sometimes," Geneva continued as if mishearing the last thing Orah said.

Orah sat up right, nostrils flared, shaking her head, though not necessarily saying no.

"Orah," Geneva begged. "I need you to. I need to see him. Please."

"Why can't you like someone your own age?" Orah retorted.

"Because it didn't happen like that. Please. I need you to do this. I need him right now."

Orah rose a brow, her lip curling. "Thatmiserable bastard..."

Geneva's face mellowed a little. Damn Orah's humour. "Yes. He's really not that bad. He has his own way. So please...will youcover for me?"

Orah sighed, won over, and muttered a low, "Yes.Okay..."

                                                                                <O><O><O>

It had gone one in the morning, when Professor Snape decided to call it a night. He had been grading essays of unsatisfactory content from the first years for two hours and could bare no more.

"Piteous," he humpfted, tossing the final piece of parchment aside. He waved a hand over the candle, putting out the flame, and tucked in his desk chair, turning to leave, but a sudden noise caused him to stop in his tracks. Smoothly, he spun his body to the direction of the top of the stairs, and drew his wand slick from his dark robes, taking several steps toward the din that was growing louder and more impatient than before, now shaking the brass handle of the door.

A step closer, and Snape identified a cry. One he knew.

"Geneva," he uttered under his breath, and shot up the spiral staircase.

"Alohomora." The door opened and she fell helplessly into his arms, unable to breath. On seeing his face, she burst harder into tears than she had done previous and tried to get her words out, clinging to his robes, shook into silenced fear.

"Come," hushed Snape, pushing the door closed. "Colloportus" and snaked her arm over his shoulder, so he could help her trembling body down the stairs.Geneva's heart raced so rapidly it could be felt in her throat as Snape took her across the vicinity of his classroom to the front, up the steps to the raised balcony level and into his living quarters. He shut the door and again uttered,"Colloportus!"

Riddled with fear, Geneva fell into his arms asif he were her life line. Snape lifted his black robe and wrapped it around her shoulders like in a blanket of security, pulling her tightly into him. Shivering with fear and vulnerability, Geneva's arms clung to his waist, holding him tightly, tears falling against his chest, inhaling his rich aroma. If ever she needed to be embraced, it was now.

Snape's hand smoothed to her face and angled it up to meet his gaze.

He knew.