"Yes," His friend hissed, "I was already considering the threat of expulsion, but now, I know that I must . . . There is only one way that I can ensure that the Gryffindors will pay, but yet, we shall be in the clear. I have a certain powerful friend . . ."
Severus stared at his friend, a questioning look on his face, "Whom?"
"None other than . . ." Lucius Malfoy grinned evilly, " . . . Lord Voldemort."
"The Dark Lord?!" Severus gasped, the blood draining from his face, "Lucius you can�t do this! I know that revenge against Gryffindor a lot to you, but joining with the other side?! Dark arts lead to a dark soul, Lucius. Before you do anything, you have think this through, calmly."
"I have already thought about it enough!" He roared, "He will help me with this . . ."
"Why, though, Lucius? The Dark Lord is gaining power all over, but why would he help you?" Panic rose in his voice as Severus paced the room, thinking hard. But then it struck him. But how could it be? How could his best friend . . . ? His breathing grew ragged, "Don�t tell me, Lucius, that you have joined the Dark Side! You couldn�t have become a follower of the Dark Lord . . . a Death Eater!"
"I have," Lucius replied calmly, "And my loyalty is to my lord alone." However, his friend did not respond. Severus stood gaping at his friend . . . How could this be true? Was Lucius just making this up?
Clearing his mind to think, Severus resumed his pacing, as if trying to leave all unpleasant thoughts behind him. He frowned, Lucius had to be joking . . . although Lucius was desperate for power, he wouldn�t have joined the dark side. With a slight smile on his face, Severus turned to his friend, "No you haven�t, Lucius. All Death Eaters are marked by the Dark Lord with a certain Death Mark upon their left arm. I�ve heard that it was a certain method used for identification. If you are what you claim, then where is it?"
Lucius glanced back at his friend, rather unamused, bared his left arm and shoved it inches away from Severus�s face. Tears gathered in his eyes as Severus confronted his friend, almost in a whisper, "So, Lucius, it is true."
"Of course it is." His friend looked angry, "Now, I will see about those Gryffindors. I still don�t understand why you�re staring at me like that. It�s just me! I haven�t changed at all!"
"Change is subtle, the last to know is the one who should have known first. The changed." Severus whispered, shocked, "Lucius, it may not be too late! Get away from the Dark Side! Stay away from there! Who cares about the Gryffindors?!"
"Ha!" Lucius laughed, "Who cares about the Gryffindors? I do, and how will I show those cowardly Gryffindors who�s boss around here?"
An uncomfortable silence filled the room as Severus felt his entire life and soul melt away, leaving him an empty shell. Lucius gave him a strange, look, but then turned to leave the dormitory, slamming the door behind him. Shocked, Severus sank onto his bed, and he buried his face in his hands, tears pouring out of his eyes.
Horror stories of the Dark Lord�s tortured victims slashed through his mind, and guilt flooded the empty shell of Severus. It was too late for his friend, but what about Gryffindor? Searing hatred ripped through him, for it wasn�t for the rival house, then why would his friend have ruined his life? Poisoned his soul? In a way, Lucius was right. Gryffindor had to pay.
"You should have seen the look on Snape�s face! Flying in the air seems to have not agreed with him at all. I wonder why! Pity Malfoy is allergic to punch, maybe we should try chip dip next time!" James laughed as he transformed back into a human in the deserted Gryffindor Common Room, with his friends by his side. Remus and Peter smiled weakly, but the fun and novelty of the night was starting to wear off, and they began to fear expulsion.
"But what if we were seen?" Peter whispered, "I mean, it was totally obvious, and no one would put punch back in the punch bowl . . ."
Angrily, James shouted something in reply, but the words floated over Sirius�s head, leaving them unheard. Locked in a world, of silence and longing, Sirius stared blankly at his friends, but not seeing through the fog that clouded his eyes. Adhara . . . He shook his head to rid his senses of her voice . . . her eyes . . .
With a howl of pain, the large dog sank to his knees, terrifying its three human friends who stood nearby. But only in the physical world. In his mind, Sirius was lost, cast off and set adrift in a sea of despair, destined never to see shore again . . . unless . . .
"Sirius!" James was screaming, but rather faintly. Sirius glanced up into human eyes, first questioning, but then, only saw fear. Struggling to his feet, one clear stabbing pain racked him. Sirius needed to find her, or die trying. Everything was hazy, but he heard her call. Through the mists, there was a light, a solitary brightness in this world of dark evil. Mind cloudy, Sirius headed towards the light.
"What�s gotten into him?" James frowned, and crossed his arms, staring at Sirius�s fleeting figure, "Was it something I said?" He and his friends exchanged a questioning look, and wild reasons for his friend�s behavior chased and teased each other through his brain, but none of them could be the truth . . . could they?
"You don�t suppose the Slytherins did anything to him, did they?" Peter asked, voice shaking, "We did loose him in the crowd, so do you think that the Slytherins could have poisoned him or something?"
"I wouldn�t put it past them-" Remus started, but James shook his head, "No, I think it has more or less to do with . . . maybe? . . . Whatever it is, Sirius probably just needs some time alone, and as his friends, we must respect that. He shall return to us when he is ready."
"Sure," Peter shrugged and turned to the empty Common Room and looked around. James was probably right, Sirius would return in his own time. Whenever that was, whatever that meant. But if Sirius was that upset . . . wouldn�t it be safer for them to follow him? A glance at James confirmed Peter�s thoughts. No, they best leave their friend alone, and continue with their Halloween night. Turning to a small chessboard, Peter challenged, "Wizard Chess, James?"
"Adhara!" Dropping her quill in surprise, Adhara looked around the empty Slytherin Common Room to see Severus hurrying towards her. He looked rather pale, but, she reasoned, that was probably just because he had spent a little time floating in this very room. Hover charms did not agree with most people.
"Yes, Severus?" Adhara turned to face her friend, but when the other looked too disturbed to speak, she started. "Um, you know there was that silver stag and his buddies, who were they really? I know that the stag wasn�t who he claimed, and you weren�t the dog . . . The stag called the dog �Sirius�s or something . . ."
"Precisely what I wanted to talk about," Severus pulled out a chair and sat opposite her, "Lucius, and the four animals. Professor Slytherin wouldn�t let us raise a wand to them, at all . . . I�m sure that if we went into the Gryffindor Common Room and started up something, we�d probably get cursed . . ."
What? Adhara�s eyes grew wide. Was the dog . . . the wizard . . . Sirius . . . the kind smile . . . the knowing eyes . . . a Gryffindor?! Her heart pounded painfully, "You mean, they were Gryffindors?"
"Of course," Severus�s eyes narrowed, "Didn�t I tell you that?"
In blind panic, she grabbed his arm, "They aren�t Gryffindors! You�re lying! Why are you doing this to me?!" How could fate be so cruel? How could Sirius be . . . a Gryffindor? Or was this all a nightmare? To tease her of her failure with Thuband? A figment of her imagination, what she considered to be perfect, all she desired, all placed in a . . . Gryffindor?!
"What do you mean?" Severus choked, "Adhara! You�re scaring me!"
"He can�t be a Gryffindor!" She screamed, "Severus! He simply can�t!"
"Who?" Eyes wide, his mind raced, what was she talking about? Adhara was extremely sensible, and never one to panic . . . "Adhara! Calm down! Who are you talking about?"
Tears flooded her eyes, and she seemingly shrunk in her chair, shaking. Severus was saying something, but she couldn�t listen to her friend, whom she had trusted. Until now. How could he lie in such a way? But burning pain buried itself in Adhara�s heart, and she knew. Sirius was a Gryffindor.
One way . . . only one way. Sirius ran until he was exhausted, out of Gryffindor Tower, through the darkened halls of Hogwarts, past the crowds in the Great Hall, out the main doors, and into the chilling night. Sides heaving, Sirius slowed his pace a little as he jogged around the castle, the night hiding the black dog in its depths. There was only one way he could use to see her, and he had to try it.
Finally, after running for what seemed an eternity, Sirius arrived at the foot of one of Hogwart�s many great towers, Slytherin Tower. With a small pop, he changed back into a human and pulled out his wand. Judging the distance up to that light at the top of the tower, Sirius decided on a certain spell he had learned in Transfiguration.
Pointing the wand at himself, Sirius whispered, "Avisata!" In an instant, he was quickly transformed dazzlingly majestic phoenix, with the best gift of all. The gift of flight. With a small motion of his wings, Sirius ascended the tower, and almost immediately found himself above the light, which turned out to be a balcony overlooking the Forbidden Forest.
Settling on the railing, Sirius felt his vivid red feathers become a little ruffled with the chilling night breeze. However, he did not really care about his feathers, as a more pressing issue dominated his mind. How was he to get Adhara out here? Sirius took a step backward into the shadows, and his prayers were answered.
The dark night sky matched her mood, cold and dreary. Adhara shivered, Miti curled up in her lap as she sat on her bed, staring outside. She attempted to store the night�s events in some type of logical order in her messed up mind . . . But how could this happen? Why did it happen? Namely, to her? Severus had finally tried a Cheering Charm, which did a little good for a few hours, but now, the effects of the charm were wearing off, leaving Adhara as sad, and as lonely as ever.
As if sensing her discomfort, Miti hopped off Adhara�s lap and wandered out onto the stone balcony, her mistress following behind. Together, the two of them stood in the night, the cold wind ripping past them, but neither cared. Adhara stared at the stars, as if they held the answers, but even if they did, the celestial bodies could not tell her.
Reaching down for her cat, she picked her up and set the cat on the railing, petting her softly. "Miti, why did this happen? How could it have happened? You were there today, I didn�t like Thuband, so I decided to come back to my room. Then I met him.
"Oh, you remember him, the big black dog that snarled at you?" The cat hissed in recognition, but Adhara continued, "Of course you do. But it wasn�t a dog after all, it was a transformed wizard. I think I heard the stag call him Sirius, and he had an awesome sense of humor.
"I�ve never seen him around before . . . but of course, he�s a Gryffindor. I�m a Slytherin. But how could he be a Gryffindor though? All I�ve ever heard about our hated enemy was that they were . . . well, they were . . ." She paused, and gazed into the green eyes of her cat, "I know that Gryffindors all are . . . everything that Sirius isn�t.
"When Severus told me that he was from the rival house, of course I doubted it. But doubting Severus? I�ve always trusted Severus. Sirius is a Gryffindor. How could I have done it, Miti? What have I done? I have fallen in love with a Gryffindor! Miti, how could I? A disgrace to my house, to Slytherin!
"But he seems as nice as every Slytherin I have met . . . anyone I have met! But yet, I know that the fates are trying to trick me. Everything I ever wanted, everything I ever expected . . . to be found in my enemy. How could the fates be so cruel? But then, he vanished from sight, through the stones of the wall. Was it all just a dream? Oh, I wish that it were, for then, we shall meet again."
Turning from her cat, Adhara blinked away the tears and stared up into the night sky, her cat watching the sky as well. "Look, Miti, Sirius!" She whispered, pointing to the brightest star in the night sky, "Shall I make a wish? Doesn�t that sound sort of stupid? Here I am, sixteen, and I�m wishing on stars!"
However, to Adhara�s relief, Miti gave her a kind look, as if wishing on stars was what everyone should be doing, something not stupid at all. Giving her cat a warm hug, Adhara smiled and softly wished, "Bright Sirius star, I wish that I may see your namesake, the Gryffindor wizard, Sirius, once more."
"That was an easy wish to grant!" Jumping with surprise, Adhara yelped and dropped Miti onto the balcony, quickly turning around. However, her look of surprise soon melted, and her breath caught in her throat.
"You can�t do that!" She whispered with a teasing edge of harshness in her voice, gaping at the one who she wanted to see the most, "Hey, Gryffindor, this is Slytherin Tower, a girl�s dormitory!"
"Well, you wished, and you never said where you wanted to see me, so I decided here." Shrugging, Sirius stepped out of the shadows, and smiled foolishly, "Sorry to have scared you, but we haven�t exactly been properly introduced. I�m Sirius Black."
"A Gryffindor." She blushed furiously and did not accept his hand. "I�m Adhara, I�m sure you already know that I�m a Slytherin. What will your friends will think if they ever find out that you�re here?" She paused and gave him a strange look, "How did you get up here?"
"Flick of the wand," He laughed, almost a deep roaring, music to her ears, "You know, I do pay attention in Transfiguration class! And I don�t wish on stars."
"What�s so stupid about that?" She snapped, "At least I don�t change myself into furious animals and invade Gryffindor Tower! There is nothing stupid about being sixteen and wishing on stars!"
"I never said there was," Sirius grinned evilly, "I just said that I don�t wish on stars and I�m seventeen, not sixteen. But now that you mention it, maybe there is something stupid about sixteen year old Slytherins who wish on stars!"
They laughed softly, but then turned once more to the night stars, the cold wind passing by the tower, once again. She shivered slightly, but instantly warmed as Sirius slipped his hand over hers, with a rather lopsided grin she loved instantly. Once more, they were transported outside of Hogwarts, a world in which they weren�t either Gryffindors or Slytherins. A world of their own.
"So, you�re a Gryffindor," Adhara sighed, finally breaking the silence, "You said you flew up here, so I presume you transfigured yourself into a bird. How long have you been here? Listening to me . . . ?"
"I heard everything, Adhara," He whispered, an uncomfortable frown on his face, "I�m sorry, but am I honestly everything you ever expected?" But then he turned away embarrassed, "Sorry, that�s a really stupid and personal question . . ."
"No, I suppose you have a right to ask," She mumbled, and faced him, "Yes you are Sirius, everything that I have ever dreamed of . . . but aside from the fact that you�re a Gryffindor. Not that it matters . . ."
"So," Sirius laughed, squeezing her hand, "I�m a guy to die for, eh?"
"Sure . . ." Adhara was not too sure where this conversation was headed, "I suppose so. Is it the same way around for you?"
"Um, I suppose so." He smiled, but inside, he was frowning. How could he tell her what he really thought? That would be impossible . . . or would it? "Would you happen to have a date for the Yule Ball? Would you possibly be interested in going with me?" Sirius paused, studying her eyes . . . was he being too direct? "I would understand if you didn�t want to, of course . . ."
"My choice?" She laughed, and he gave her a wink, "Well, in that case, Sirius . . . sure thing. You�re on!" Miti meowed softly, and cast a warning glance around them.
"Well, I guess your cat�s saying I have to go, Adhara," Sirius squeezed her hand, "So I�ll see you again sometime?"
Sadly, she nodded, "Sirius, but first, I want you to promise me something." He gazed at her, startled by her request. To her relief, he smiled and nodded, so Adhara continued, "I want you to promise that all you have said . . . is actually true. I feel totally stupid saying that . . ."
"Trust me," He whispered, the tears in her eyes reflected his own, "Although I am a Gryffindor and you are a Slytherin, I will always . . ." Sirius paused, unsure of what to say, but thankfully, she smiled, nodding with the deep knowledge of the truth.
"Wait a moment, Sirius, all right?" She whispered and quickly slipped into her room, departing from Miti and Sirius. He turned to the orange cat who regarded him rather warily, almost as if wishing he were to go soon. Sirius bent down and patted the soft, fluffy fur, wondering why he never thought of buying a cat.
"Sirius?" He stood and saw that she had returned, carrying a long, thin silver box. "Um, I just want you to have this so that whenever you use this, it will remind you of your promise." She pressed the box into his hands, and drew back, as though unsure of her decision. Slowly, he slid the box open and gently touched the black velvet lining on which lay a quill made from a long, elegant, gold spangled tail feather.
"A phoenix quill . . . " Sirius smiled, staring into her kind eyes, "The bird of immortality . . ."
"Immortal love." She explained, and was about to continue when Miti interrupted with a more demanding meow, "I suppose you really have to go now, Sirius."
He nodded, the longing building pressure inside him, "I hope to be seeing you soon. Thanks for the quill." Sirius pulled out his wand and once again, transfigured himself into the elegant bird whose kind had provided the feather which lay in the silver case. She turned to the lingering phoenix and stroked its feathers softly.
With a last small nod, Sirius took off into the night, leaving Adhara standing alone, staring at the stars. Smiling weakly, she turned to go, but then paused, letting the cool night air rustle past her. Adhara smiled as she gazed up at the bright canopy of stars above, "Thanks, Sirius star, for everything . . ."