Part 3

Harry sat on the floor, his head down with his chin touching his chest, he was in shock, his heart went out to Karis and Albus, and he looked directly at her finding the courage to speak.

“I am so sorry Karis, I had no idea.” He stuttered, trying to hide his own emotions, when all he wanted to do was weep for her.

Karis wiped away a tear. “It’s alright Harry, I was saved but unfortunately, like you, my parents have also suffered at the hands of Lord Voldemort.”

Harry stood up, he motioned over to Karis and helped her up from the floor, he cupped her face in his hands. Standing there, watching her intently, she looked so young, she was no more than six years his senior, and yet like him she had been through and seen so much. This is what made her powerful, and just like him; she was striving to dedicate her life in to destroying the man who murdered her parents.

“Harry, what are you doing?” she asked, as tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

He smiled at her. Slowly he put his arms around her. The same as she did to him when they had their first lesson together. He could see her tears falling, these tears he thought, stem from one person, one monster that has ruined too many lives, broken too many hearts. He had never felt so many mixed emotions as he was feeling right now.

His first was anger. Pure unprecedented anger for what Karis had been put through by Voldemort and his Deatheaters. Seeing Bellatrix again seethed through him like daggers, he wanted nothing more than to kill her; to kill them both.

But one was the respect of a woman whom had been through everything he has, she witnessed her parents’ death and was taken as hostage, she had been a victim, a plaything for Voldemort to break down and destroy. Yet she overcame him, she beat him at his game. The occlumency test he tried to condemn her with, only made her stronger.

Harry felt the anger surge and hate deteriorate slightly in this moment. As he held his sister in his arms, feeling her relax within his strong hold.

Finally after five minutes of Harry consoling her, they broke apart so she could regain her composure.

“Karis, can I ask you something?” asked Harry.

“You can ask me anything!” she replied, brushing the loose dust off of her robes where she had earlier been crouched on the classroom floor.

“How did you manage to knock out Voldemort and then escape from the cell, without even touching him?”

Karis expressed a faint smile. “I was wondering when you was going to ask me that.” she replied. “The truth is Harry, I don’t really remember, I am only told what happened afterwards.”

“So what did happen?”

“Well after the legilimens fight with Voldemort, I had also passed out, the energy surge I experienced was very advanced, the mind of a seven year old child could never take that much force, but somehow I did, but it knocked me unconscious for two days.”

“That is some power you have there.” said Harry with raised eyebrows. What happened next?”

A young man entered my cell and picked me up and brought me here, to Hogwarts, to my Grand Father. I was saved, rescued by no-other than a Deatheater. He didn’t agree with the murders, he left the Deatheater’s immediately after the episode with my parents, and he brought me here to safety without any of the others knowing.”

Karis paused for a second and looked directly into Harry’s eyes.

“The man, who rescued me Harry…. was Severus Snape.”

-

Harry stood motionless for a few moments. Many thoughts were whirling around in his mind, but the one most obvious of all was he knew the main answer to the question that had him dumbfounded since the age of eleven – finally, he knew why Albus Dumbledore trusted Severus Snape so greatly.

It wasn’t because he was an accomplished Potions Master at Hogwarts, and nor was it because he promised to be an asset to the Order of the Phoenix by becoming a spy. It was for the act of compassion – and Love. It was through a choice.

“It is our choices Harry that truly makes us who we are.” Those were Albus Dumbledore’s words, spoken to Harry when he was only twelve; after he had defeated Tom Riddle and the Basilisk in the chamber. He was right, and it was now that Harry finally realised it. One could be mistaken for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, like Severus Snape. He simply got in with the wrong people when he was in his youth. But he rectified his actions, Severus knew he was not cut out to be a murderer; he was so much more than that – he would bring the murderer to justice, while still lurking in enemy ranks; for the best part of sixteen years.

Karis was surveying Harry closely, watching his questioning expression spread across his young face. She knew it was a shock for him, after all this time he dearly wanted to know the truth about Karis and Severus, and their close friendship – there bond that they share which made Harry feel a deep pang on jealousy deep inside his gut at times, especially in the earlier days of his new term at school.

Finally, Harry decided to speak. “I should have realised it when I witnessed my Birthday memory, he was there, with you. Sitting in the corner watching you eat chocolate cake. I thought that maybe you were related but I didn’t ask, I didn’t think it was my business to ask questions, as you were always so secretive.” said Harry, his eyes vague and glassy, showing signs of deep thought, while staring at a blank spot on the light blue painted wall.

Karis placed a small smile on her face and approached Harry slowly, putting her hand on his shoulder.

“I know Severus is someone you so deeply dislike, and I admit there is good reason, for he hasn’t always been the most easiest person to get on with at times; but he has a good heart, and he saved my life Harry, what he did was extremely brave.” replied Karis, with a small sigh, before continuing. “Harry. The day Severus saved my life was the day he signed his own death warrant, it is now; sixteen years later that Lord Voldemort finally knows the truth.” she put her head down, imaging her life without him, she shuddered at the horrendous thought and focused her stare on her distorted reflection in the polished classroom floor.

Harry grasped the top of her hand that was still placed on his shoulder, she replied by curling her own fingers into her palms, clasping one another tightly, they stood there, for a few moments, deep within their own thoughts, when Harry replied, “I understand what Severus did was highly commendable, I owe him that at least, but I can’t promise you that we will ever be friends, he is still so cold and the way he has been treating Luna lately is very unfair. But, I will always know why you are here, I will always remember what Snape did for you and for Remus; he is truly a champion.”

Harry then kissed Karis softly on the cheek. “I want to be alone for a while.” he told her, heading towards the door.

“Harry.” called Karis, searching his face, with a longing expression on hers, as if she still had something very important to say.

Harry turned around, the door handle in his grasp. He gave a warm smile and replied. “I know. I love you too.” And with that, he was gone.