Selene stood very still and eyed the cold stone floor, waiting for Snape too say something.
She heard a strange sort of coughing sound. But before she knew what had happened, Severus wrapped his arms around her in a firm embrace. “You foolish, foolish, foolish child! Do have any idea how worried I was. When I saw the blood and then YOU in that creatures grip.” Selene hadn’t thought it possible for Severus’ grip to get tighter.
“Sev, I- I can’t breath!” Sel gasped.
Severus loosened his grip. “What in Merlin’s name were you thinking girl? Do you realize what could have happened? You could have died!”
Tears started to fill Sel’s eyes. What’s going on? Does he care, or not?
As if sensing her distress, his features softened. “What’s wrong Selene?”
“I-I don’t understand…” unable to hold back her pent up tears. Selene sobbed.
Completely confused, Severus hugged her tightly and conjured a rocking chair. Sitting down and pulling her onto his lap. “Oh Selene. Shh, shh. It’s alright. Everything is alright.” Slowly he rocked her. Trying to both calm the foolish little girl, who had somehow claimed his heart just as her mother had, and his own emotions.
Sel continued to sob and hiccup. “I-I thought you-you didn’t l-like me anymore!”
Severus stiffened. “What?”
Sel cried harder. All her pent up emotions and confusion coming abruptly to the surface. “Y-you were m-mad at m-me for becoming the G-Gryffindor Seeker! I-I-I don’t want you to be mad! I don’t want you to hate me! I’ll give up the spot. Please, please, please don’t hate me!” Sel begged as her tears flowed down her cheeks uncontrolled.
So that was what had upset the girl. Severus couldn’t help feeling quite guilty now. Selene’s safety hadn’t been the only reason he hadn’t wanted her to play Quiditch. James, bloody, Potter had also been a seeker for Gryffindor. And Severus couldn’t help wanting to pull Selene away from all things to do with Potter. And look what his petty jealousy, and hate had gotten him. He’d hurt Selene. And for that he’d never forgive himself.
“Oh, Sel. I don’t hate you. I’m sorry I made you think I had.” The remorse was easily heard in his voice.
Sel took a few deep breaths and tried to calm herself. “Y-you don’t?”
Severus held her tightly. “No.” he said firmly.
Sel gripped her professor tightly as well and cried again. This time in relief. “Thank you! Thank you, Severus.”
“You never have to thank me, Selene.” Severus inwardly cursed. He was such an idiot!
Selene sniffled.
Severus continued to slowly rock the weeping child. Though he’d never admit it, comforting Sel felt…natural. And it made him feel warm and… content inside to know that he could help Sel.
“Sel…I can not say how sorry I am that you thought I didn’t like you anymore. Perhaps I reacted too strongly to the news that you’d be playing for the house team. And for that I am sorry. But I want you to know that I do care about you, and I just want you to be safe.” Severus sighed, knowing how weak his words had sounded. But talking, especially about feelings and apologies, wasn’t easy for him.
Sel wiped her eyes with the palms of her hands and sniffled. “I…I forgive you Sev. I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions.” Sel blushed and thought she might as well get the next part out of the way. “And I’m sorry I didn’t do as Professor Dumbledore said. I…”
Severus held up his hand to silence her. “Selene, I understand why you did what you did. However, you need to understand it was extremely foolish and dangerous. You could have been killed. And so could have your friends. Did you even think about that?”
Sel blushed a deeper shade of red. “No.”
“No what?” Severus asked wanting to get through to his young student.
Selene took a deep breath and said clearly; and in embarrassment. “No, sir. I didn’t think.”
Severus could tell Sel was embarrassed so he merely nodded and hugged her tight. “I don’t yell or lecture you to embarrass or hurt you Selene. I do it so you learn from your errors and don’t make them again.”
A small smile crept onto Selene’s face as she returned the embrace. “I know Sev.”
Severus pulled his wand out and made two mugs of hot chocolate appeared. “Here. You look like you need this.”
Selene took the mug gratefully. “Thanks Severus.”
Severus nodded.
For another hour the two caught up on each others lives. Selene told Severus about Zacharias Steel trying to get Sel kicked off the Quiditch team, and about how Draco had managed, surprisingly, to prank Fred and George Weasley.
After they’d both finished their coco Severus smiled slightly and sighed. “As much as I like having you here Sel, you need to go back to your dorm. Otherwise people will start thinking I killed you and started using your organs for ingredients.”
Selene laughed.
Severus raised an eyebrow. “Is something amusing Miss Potter?”
Sel laughed again from behind her hand. “Just the thought of you using me for ingredients. I know you wouldn’t.”
Severus looked away embarrassed. “Yes, well, no one else needs to know that.”
Sel laughed again and walked with her favorite Professor to the Gryffindor common room.
_______________
“Welcome to Hogwarts’ first Quiditch match of the season Slytherin vs. Gryffindor!” Lee Jordon’s voice echoed across the field. Students and teachers cheered loudly.Selene hovered in the air watching her teammates fly around. She couldn’t believe she was playing Quiditch and flying a Nimbus 2000! Professor McGonagall rocked!
“It looks like Selene Potter is flying a Nimbus 2000! No f-ing way!”
Sel laughed. Leave it to Lee to make a big deal out of her flying a Nimbus. A little ways over she could see Fred laughing as well.“And there off!” Lee shouted
The players zoomed after the Quaffle. Sel speed off in another direction searching for the snitch.
“Ten points to Gryffindor!”
Sel smirked. ’Ha Draco! You so owe me a chocolate frog!’
Suddenly her broom jerked upwards, then sideways.
******
“Come on, Selene!” Hermione shouted.
Draco covered his ears and glared. “Merlin, Granger! Are you trying to make me lose my hearing?”
Blaise and Ron smirked at each other as they watched the match and listened to their friends bicker.
“Ten points to Gryffindor!”
“Damn.” Hermione heard Draco mutter.
“Looks like you owe Sel a chocolate frog.” Hermione said smirking.
Draco glared. “Shut up.”
Hermione laughed and looked back up at Selene. Sel’s broom jerked. “Oh, no!”
The friends all watched, horrified, as Sel’s broom tried to buck her off!
******
Severus’s features may have been neutral but inside he was panicked. Something was wrong with Sel’s broomstick! And it was trying to buck her off!
Suddenly Sel was thrown from her broom and was holding on for dear life! She was going to fall!
‘Oh God, no! Please, please, please, please don’t let her fall!’Severus started muttering a counter curse…but it wasn’t working. Someone strong was doing this.Severus felt something deep inside break. No one was going to hurt Lily’s child! No one! A bright white light shot out of him and blinded the stands. Suddenly someone fell on top of Severus. Zinerva Alimond!
“Alimond! Get off of me!”
Zinerva glared, “I would if that imbecile that shoved me would move!”
It was true. A woman in green robes was starring, horrified, at Selene. “Someone do something!”
Zinerva stood, as did Severus, and they all watched as Selene’s broom made one final buck. Then was still.
******
“Oh, thank God!” Hermione placed her hands over her mouth.
“What the hell happened?” Blaise said, never taking his eyes off of Selene as she pulled herself back onto the broom.
Ron shook his head. “I don’t know. Is Sel ok, do you think?”
Draco looked pale. His eyes firmly on Selene. “I hope so.” His voice sounded dark.
The friends looked at one another. They all could tell that if Draco ever found out who’d tried to hurt Sel, that person would regret it. Dearly.
******
“Oh, thank Merlin.” The woman sighed relieved.
Zinerva looked livid. “You should watch where you’re going woman.”
Severus, along with the other professor’s there, was surprised by Zinerva’s tone. None of them had heard the soft spoken, sweet woman sound so…cold.
The woman in green glared at Zinerva. “I didn’t bump into you. But I am sorry you fell.” The woman’s eyes hardened. “Though you should learn some manners.” Without another word the mysterious woman left.
Zinerva sneered and stomped off. Obviously angry.
Severus turned back to the match and kept his eyes on Selene. Praying she wouldn’t do anything to give him another near heart attack.
What a false hope.
******
Sel ran up to her friends and smiled brightly. “We won!”
Ron and Hermione smiled as well. “We know! Great job Sel!”
Draco and Blaise smiled too, though not a broadly. “Good job, Sel.”
Sel smirked and held her hand out. “Pay up. You owe me ten chocolate frogs.”
“Ten?” Draco raised an eyebrow.
“Yep. Not only did Gryffindor get the first score, but we also won. So…”
Draco sighed dramatically. “I suppose it is the honorable thing to do.”
Sel laughed. She was lucky to have such good friends.
Together they all headed to the lake to enjoy Draco’s chocolate frogs.
******
“Someone attacked her Albus!” Severus paced the headmaster’s office angrily.
“Now Severus, I’m sure we can figure this out. But I do need you to calm yourself. Now.”
With a loud ‘humph’ Severus sat in one of the chairs.
“Whose Alimond?” was his abrupt question.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. “You think Zinerva has something to do with this?”
Severus shook his head. “I don’t know. But my instincts tell me she can be dangerous. Also I just don’t trust her.”
Dumbledore nodded. “You’re right. Zinerva Alimond can be dangerous.” Sighing he continued. “Zinerva Alimond is a very powerful witch. Seeing things is one of her many…talents. That’s why she asked for the Defense job so soon after Professor Quirrell’s death. She Saw it.”
Severus blinked. “Who is Zinerva Alimond, Albus?”
Dumbledore’s eyes saddened. “Let’s just say she’s an old acquaintance.”
“Albus…does she…have a history with him?” Severus demanded.
“Voldemort? No, and I honestly doubt she would. Though I will be the first to admit she has her dark side.” Dumbledore shook his head. “I really can’t tell you much about her Severus. Her past is not a pleasant one. Much like your own. But what I can tell you is that she is a Nyxling.”
“What!?” Severus didn’t believe it. “But…Albus, that…?”
“The Goddess chooses her children if and when she will. Nor you or I or anyone else. Zinerva bares the marks of Nyx. That is all there is too it.”
Severus sighed. “I hope she’s better than Quirrell was.”
“Oh, she is.” Dumbledore leaned back in his chair. “Zinerva may seem soft and timid but I warn you now Severus, Zinerva Alimond can be deadly and cruel. Do not under estimate her.”
Severus starred at the headmaster in confusion. Who’d under estimate a child of Nyx? Only a fool.
*****
Sel had gone to bed early. For some strange reason she felt weary and weak. And she also felt as if someone were watching her. But that was impossible. Wasn’t it?
Selene stood outside near the Black Lake. The moon was full and bright.“Hello Selene.” A woman said gently.
Selene eyed the woman in awe. She was beautiful! Her hair was as black as night. Her skin dark and her eyes were dark blue and sparkled like stars.
“Who…who are you?”
“I am Nyx, the Goddess of Night. And you, Selene Lily Potter, are my Chosen Daughter. Just like your mother before you.”
Selene’s eyes widened. “My…my mother was… I don’t understand.”
Nyx laughed. Her laugh was beautiful just like her. “You are a Nyxling. A child of mine. It means I have adopted you in a fashion.”
“You…you chose my mother too?”
“Yes. She was one of my most loved children. Her ability to forgive and love set her apart from all the rest. Just as you’re ability to love and forgive sets you apart. You are very much like my Lioness.”“Lioness?”
“That was what I called your mother. Lily the Lioness. She always resembled a mother lioness. Even if she weren’t a Gryffindor.”
Sel felt warm inside. Her mother had been a Nyxling too.
Nyx’s warm smile turned sad. “But I am afraid our first meeting must be short daughter. I bring you a warning. Two of my chosen are among you. Though sadly one has chosen to leave me. And she will do you harm if given the chance. Do not give her that chance.”
Selene felt fear engulf her.
“Don’t be afraid.”
“How can you ask me not to be afraid? She’s probably the one who made my broom act weird.”
“She is. But you are not alone Selene. You have allies here. Where your foe doesn’t.”
“Except the Darkness.” Sel wrapped her arms around herself.
Nyx’s smile saddened further. “Yes. My daughter has awakened one of my demons and enslaved him. Ohanzee is not truly a evil creature. He’s just dark.”
Selene blinked. “Dark? That thing killed one of my Professors!”
Nyx’s eyes hardened. “Indeed. But did you know that Ohanzee killed someone who was trying to kill you?”
Sel took a step back. “Quirrell?”
“Yes.”
Sel swallowed hard. “I’m sorry.”
“You are forgiven. But you should think before you speak. It can get you into trouble.”
“You sound like Severus. Oops!”
Nyx laughed. “See? What did I just say? But do not worry child. I already knew about your Severus Snape. He is a good man. He’d have made a fine Son of Nyx. But… Never mind. We haven’t much time left. My Other daughter has enslaved my Ohanzee. But I have sent one of my Althian Daughters to you. And though she cannot reveal herself to you. She will always be there to protect you. So do not be afraid.”“Althian Daughter?”
“Althia means Healer.”
“Oh.”
Nyx looked over her shoulder as if looking at something. “It is time for me to leave daughter.”
“What?! But there is so much I don’t understand. Why me? Why have you chosen me? There is nothing special or…important about me.”
Nyx laughed again “Nothing special or important about you? Daughter. You are very important and special. You were special to Lily and you are important to me. Just as you are important to everyone who cares for you. Never forget that Selena.”
“Selena?”
“It means Moon. Do you mind if I name you?”
“N-no ma’am. I-I am honored.” Selene bowed her head.
Nyx smiled warmly and placed a gently hand on Sel’s shoulder. “Do not be afraid my Daughter. I am always with you. Just as Lily is with you. But heed my warning. Danger is ever so close. Keep those you love near. Accept guidance from those you trust. And remember. Light doesn’t always mean Good. Just as Dark doesn’t always mean Evil.” Nyx laughed softly. “My Ohanzee and your Severus are proof of that.”Sel felt warmth and love engulf her again. “Will I see you again?”
Nyx smiled as she faded away. “I’m always with you."