Part 2

Karis felt it first, the gathering of people around her. She was comfortable, and realised she wasn’t on the floor anymore, but in a bed. The presence she felt around her was one of warmth and love.

Slowly she fluttered her eyes open. Looking down at her was her Grand Father, Albus Dumbledore. He carried a look of concern, and his once sparkling blue eyes were now reflecting a dull grey.

“Good to see you’re back sweetheart.” He said, smiling down at her.

“How’s Harry, I saw Moody, in a cell, poor Harry, where is he.” she stuttered.

“Shhhhh, calm down, Harry is going to be fine.”

She closed her eyes again, as one tear escaped and trickled down her cheek.

“Karis.” came the voice of Severus Snape.

She opened her teary eyes and he motioned towards her and took her by the hand. Slowly she sat up and he wrapped his arms around her and embraced her softly.

She peered over to her left and saw that Harry was lying still in the bed beside her. Madame Pomfrey was dabbing his head with a wet flannel.

“Is he going to be alright?” asked Karis to the school nurse.

“Yes, he will have a headache I can guarantee that my dear, but he will pull through.”

Severus let go of Karis and she turned to her Grand Father.

“He knows I’m alive, I couldn’t stop him from seeing me or feeling my presence.”

“I gathered as much, especially when Severus here told me what you did, but I would have done the same.” Albus started pacing beside her bed, deep in thought. His expression could tell a thousand words, yet somehow Karis could not interpret one of them.

“He was in a bad way, I couldn’t leave him.” she said, trying to justify her actions further.

Severus turned away to face the window, when quietly he started to speak.

“He knows about me then I take it.”

“No, I told him I made his Death eater think I was dead, I feel we may have got away with it.”

“I guess I’ll find out soon enough.” He muttered under his breath.

Karis looked over at Harry. To her he looked so young and yet so worn and tired. She smiled to herself, remembering that Harry had fought so hard in separating his thoughts; he had managed to disconnect himself and Karis. She started to feel that the occlumency lessons they shared were now starting to pay off. She was proud of him, because it was through her guidance and one of the Order that he was now growing incredibly strong.

She looked away from Harry and stared at the back of Snape, he was still looking out the window, staring at the grounds, lost in his own thoughts.

“Severus, as much as it distastes you as to why I’m here, you can’t keep trying to save me, I’m not a child anymore!”

Severus stared her in the eye, but threw her a scowl. “I never said you were, I just want you to realise the danger you are in!”

Albus coughed as a way of interference. “Karis is fully aware of her position Severus, but she is right, her job is to help and train Harry, by whatever means possible. We need you to respect that.”

Severus stayed quiet and continued to stare out of the window. “Of course.” He replied and then turned and left the hospital wing.

Karis lied back down on her bed, as she was still feeling a little woozy from the earlier ordeal.

“I will leave you to rest now, but call me if you need anything.” said Albus, throwing her a warm smile.

“Stop fussing, I’ll be fine.”

Albus left the Hospital wing seconds later. Karis rolled over onto her left side, and felt delighted all at once, to see two large emerald green eyes smiling back at her.



Part 3

“Hey Harry, welcome back. How are you feeling?” asked Karis softly.

“I have a migraine from hell but other than that I think I’m alright.” He replied, patting down his body to make sure everything was still intact. Karis laughed at his repartee, suddenly feeling better herself at his woken presence.

Karis continued to stare at Harry, she could see he was starting to feel a little uncomfortable but she ignored him.

Harry pretended to be busy, by sitting up and plumping his pillows and straightening out his blanket.

“Harry.” said Karis in a questioning tone.

“Yes Karis?” He turned to look at her again.

“I am really proud of what you did, disconnecting me like that. You showed a great will of power, I think Voldemort was a little surprised too.”

Harry put his head down; he almost forgot about what happened, like he tried to push it to the back of his mind, as if it was all just a dream.

“Yeah, it was hard. I guess the lessons we are having are finally paying off ay!”

Karis nodded in agreement.

“Look, I know it is probably difficult for you right now, but I need you to tell me what you saw. it’s important Harry!”

“Yeah, alright.” he said exasperatedly, wanting to rest before he went into details, but knew it was now his duty to tell her everything, it was after all their responsibility. “I saw Mad-Eye Moody in a cell, with Rookwood and Malfoy. They were beating him, trying to get him to talk about the prophecy. This can only mean one thing!” his anger started to rise and he balled his fist and punched his opposite palm. “They have escaped from Azkaban!”

Karis sighed loudly, “Of course, now I know why Albus was so concerned here earlier, I knew there was something incredibly wrong!” she said, looking more worried than ever. “Sorry Harry, carry on, what else did you see?

Well they failed in getting Alastor to talk, so Voldemort came in and took over. He used the cruatius curse twice and each time I….”

“It’s alright Harry, they can’t hurt you now.” Karis eyed him contentedly, helping him to continue.

“I….felt it, as if it was me.” Harry found these last words difficult. He could only imagine the pain that Alastor was going through, he felt like he had failed him in someway in not being able to prevent it.

“That’s good though Harry, because it means you were still you even though you were inside his thoughts and his mind, it means you are taking the first steps into beating him. He will now find it very hard to manipulate you like before. But I need you to tell me how you did it – how did you enter his mind?”

Harry looked out the window, losing himself deep in thought; there were a few moments of silence, until Harry finally answered.

“I thought of Alastor and what he was going through, I thought of Voldemort and wondered where he was. It was Ron and Hermione who helped me.”

“In what way?”

“I told them about the prophecy; they took it rather well considering there best friend will eventually become a murderer.”

“You can’t think like that Harry, you must kill Voldemort in the end but it will be for the right reasons. I know murder is never good but some good will come out of it, you must believe that.”

Harry smiled and faced Karis.

“I know, that’s kinda what Hermione said in her own way.”

“You love her very much don’t you!”

“Not in that way.” Harry replied quickly. “She’s Ron’s girl, she always was. But yes I love her like a sister, and Ron like a best mate, because he is.” replied Harry, thinking fondly of both his best friends, and then continued. “When it comes to the happiness of the people who are dear to me, I never hesitate to do whatever it takes, even when I have to run very serious risks.”

“Those are wise words Harry, you have been hanging around my Grand Father for way too long.” laughed Karis.

“No, it wasn’t Albus who taught me that Karis. It was you!”

Karis turned away from Harry, she felt a pang of emotion engulf her and willed herself not to show any form of weakness in front of him. After all, she was here to help Harry. She had begged her Grand Father to finally become apart of the Order so she could help him in his occlumency training after she had received the note from Severus, explaining his actions as to why he will not teach ‘That Potter Boy’ anymore. She felt for him and knew he needed her help, especially after the way Albus spoke so highly of Harry when he apparated to her 3 months ago, when the Ministry tried to arrest him.

Now, having got to know Harry well, she see something familiar about his will and persistence, at the age of sixteen she had the same qualities, but the reason why, she could not relay, she found it difficult to open up to anyone, but slowly and gradually she felt that maybe soon, she might have to.

“What are you thinking about?” asked Harry, looking questionably at her.

“Oh.., Was just thinking about Alastor.” she felt guilty for lying, even though she was highly concerned for Mad-Eye Moody.

“He stuck up for me you know!” said Harry with a wave of sadness clouding his tired reflection. “He told Voldemort he would rather die than betray Albus and the Order.” Harry turned to look out the window again to hide his emotions; even though he now had a lump form in his throat and felt his chest start to tighten, all the while hoping that Karis would not ask him another question because he dared not speak.

She got up from her bed and went over and sat by Harry’s side, he moved up a little so she had plenty of room. He however did not look at her.

Gently she put her right hand on his head and started stroking his hair.

“Do you remember me telling you that I knew your Father?”

Harry turned round quickly, nearly spraining his neck in the process. Staring up at her with his large green eyes, wide and expecting.

“Yeah, you did, how did you know him?”

Karis smiled. “Well, I was six when I first met him. My Father was on business and my Mother was poorly so Albus said he would look after me for a few days. Of course he was in the Order and Voldemort was at full strength. My Mother didn’t want me playing outside but while she was ill in bed, I of course disobeyed. So she thought it best I come to Hogwarts where my Grand Father could keep an eye on me.”

Harry let out a small chuckle, trying to visualize a disobedient six year old Karis, with her large brown eyes and long wavy hair.

“Anyway I met the whole Order. They spoilt me rotten, giving me sweets and throwing me around and keeping me amused. James and Sirius took me under their wing, as did Lily, your Mother.” Karis said this last sentence with a compassionate nod.

Harry’s face was full of belonging, he loved where he was right now, listening to a new tale about Sirius and his parents.

“One day I was lonely, I started to cry because I missed my parents. For the record, My Father was the high administrator for the Order of Merlin, a much respected Man. My mother was always quite poorly after I was born, she had many problems through pregnancy and childbirth, we both nearly died, but thankfully we pulled through.”

“Wow” replied Harry with concern. “You nearly died?”

“Yeah, we both did, but Madame Pomfrey managed to apparate my Mother here to Hogwarts just in time after she received a distress call from our owl, Moggins. I was actually born here in Hogwarts.”

Harry smiled and waited for her to continue her story.

“Anyway, one day like I said I was lonely and upset. Your Father picked me up and cuddled me, told me I was to be a brave little girl and that he would show me a secret. Sirius was there too and told James to stop being silly and that he was to under no circumstances show me how to work the marauders map!”

Harry burst out laughing, as did Karis at the happy memory.

“But you were six, how would you know how to work the map?” asked Harry, still laughing.

“Yeah I know, looking back I don’t think Sirius really understood kids too well.” she chuckled.

“What happened after that?” asked Harry with expectancy.

“Right there before my very eyes James turned into a beautiful Stag. I was in awe, shocked too, but in awe nonetheless. Sirius found this amusing and then decided it would be fun to turn into a black shabby looking dog. As you can imagine it made my day, I was six and believed I had a dog and a stag for pets. The really cool thing about it too is that I knew it was a secret, even at six years old I knew instinctively not to tell a single soul what James and Sirius could do.”

“Sounds like they really cared for you Karis.” said Harry, beaming at her.

“Yes, they did. I wish I got to know them better. All I have of your family Harry are wonderful happy memories. Especially the one when I noticed a small rounded swell on Lily’s belly.”

Harry’s eyes widened further in surprise.

“Yep, that’s right Harry, I remember when Lily told me she was having a baby, I was so excited. I remember asking her if I could hold it when it was born.”

“And did you?” asked Harry, looking incredulous.

“Yes I did, when that baby was born I was one of the first in line to hold it. I was still only six and nearly dropped you on your head! I remember that much; I have never seen my Grand Father move so quick across the room.”

Harry was highly amused but stunned at what Karis was telling him. All he kept thinking about was what she had said about his parents and Sirius, taking her under their wing, they recognised too that she was special. He now knew why he felt a connection with her; he had already met her before. Even though he was too young to remember, there paths had crossed, she had watched him grow gradually inside his mothers womb, and she was one of the first to hold him when he entered this world.

Harry looked Karis in the eye for the first time since he overheard her conversation with Snape before the first DA meeting. She smiled back at him while still stroking his hair.

“Thank you.” He whispered.

“Your welcome.” she replied smiling. Now get some rest, you have a Quidditch match tomorrow and you are going to win aren’t you Harry!”

“You betcha, I’ll win it for you, big sis! He replied in a mocking tone.

Don’t go saying things like that Harry, you will have me getting all emotional and well, that’s just ugly! But if you do win, I may just show you how to conjure that protection shield!” she shot a wink at him, and patted him on the shoulder. “I’m off now, I feel better, so young man I will see you tomorrow!”

“Bye Karis, and thanks again.” replied Harry, his eyes still alight with joy.

“Goodnight Harry.”

Karis turned and left the hospital wing, she felt a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, but only momentarily. There were still many things that Harry did not know, but right now, what he did know was enough.

Harry lied on his back staring up at the ceiling, mulling over what she had told him. He was so happy that they cared for Karis; he really wished he could remember them. That was until he realised that she had not mentioned Severus Snape once in her happy reminiscence.