Author's Notes: So far it might have appeared that this AU doesn't have any magic in it. This is not the case. However, the magic it has is quite limited, and different in nature from the magic in the HP books. It will all be explained in this chapter.
Chapter Four: Les révélations (Revelations)
"Now that we are alone, we can speak more freely," said Damayaga.
Ronald and Hermioniah stared at him in surprise, but Henri nodded. "Yes, let us do that."
The four of them were seated on a rocky outcrop which jutted into the river. It was a perfect place to hold a private conversation, their voices muffled by the sound of the rushing water. It was also a perfect place to fish, and Hermioniah, never one to waste an opportunity, was laying out her hooks and lines and explaining their use to Ronald.
Damayaga had not invited Hermioniah along, but she had come anyway, and no one had objected.
"Now is the time to speak of orenda," said Damayaga.
Hermioniah's eyes widened. Ronald looked confused. "What's that?" he asked.
"We'd call it sorcery, Ronald," Henri explained. "It's…"
But Ronald cut him off. "Sorcery! But the Church forbids sorcery, Henri! It's fraternizing with the devil!" He crossed himself, as though the very word might bring evil down upon him.
Hermioniah shook her head. "You French. You've never bothered to understand orenda. Orenda is good magic. It comes from Manitou."
"Manitou is your name for the devil?"
Everyone except Ronald began to laugh. When Henri had recovered sufficiently, he explained. "Ronald, Manitou is their word for God."
"Yes," agreed Damayaga. "God. The Great Spirit. Manitou. The creator gave to each thing he made certain powers. This is orenda."
"Are you sure, Henri, this is right?" asked Ronald.
"Yes, Ronald. M. Dumbledore approved of this, and you know well how he would not use evil means to win victory."
"He was a noble man, the Intendant," said Damayaga. "The world is poorer for his loss."
"I don't understand, though," Ronald continued. "If the Iroquois have magic, why do they always lose their wars against us?"
"We do not!" snapped Hermioniah.
"Yes, you do. You may win a few victories, but our mastery of this land continues to grow, no matter how much you try to destroy us!"
"Peace, Ronald," said Damayaga. "You should learn that we do not all wish to destroy the French. The time is coming when we must live together as brothers, or die as enemies. Your mother knew that, Henri."
"Yes," said Henri. "I wish I'd known her. Everyone tells me she was a wonderful woman."
Damayaga nodded. "Half the men of her tribe were in love with her. But she gave her heart to no one, until your father came here. At first, he annoyed her - she thought he was arrogant - but he won her heart eventually."
"Well, he was French," said Ronald. Hermioniah glared at him.
"For a while, I thought she might return the feelings of the Englishman," mused Damayaga. "But I was wrong. Her feelings for him were only pity."
"What Englishman?" said Henri. He had no idea now what Damayaga was talking about, but felt horribly uncomfortable none the less. No sane man wishes to hear much of his parents' love lives.
"The Englishman Snape," replied Damayaga. "He who is now a servant of Vol de Mort."
"He was in love with Henri's mother?" exclaimed Ronald in disbelief.
"Yes."
"Mon dieu, that's sickening!" said Ronald.
"I think it's a tragic story," said Hermioniah. "To lose his love to his enemy."
"You don't know Snape, Hermioniah. If you knew Snape, you'd be just as revolted. Wouldn't she, Henri?"
Henri made no reply. He was remembering all his encounters with Snape now, seeing them in a new light. That loathing obsession Snape showed him from their very first meeting must have stemmed from seeing the features of the woman he loved mixed with those of his worst enemy. And all those times when Snape had saved his life… even that last dreadful night when Snape had just killed Dumbledore, but left Henri alone. Had Snape spared his life for his mother's sake?
"That is all a long time ago now," said Damayaga. "We must take thought for today. I will answer your question, Ronald. Orenda is not used to fight. Orenda heals and protects, never hurts and kills. So it is no use to the warrior in battle. But Vol de Mort has twisted orenda for his own evil purposes."
Henri dismissed his speculations and wearily turned his attention back to the conversation. "Yes," he said. "Dumbledore told me. Vol de Mort's powers are not supernatural. He cannot use sorcery to kill us. But he has split his own soul, Ronald, into seven parts. Each part he has hidden away somewhere, and thus orenda protects his life. We must find each piece of his soul and destroy it."
"C'est impossible!" blurted Ronald.
"It will be very difficult," conceded Hermioniah. "Where does one begin looking for seven soul pieces?"
"Five," said Henri. "Two have already been destroyed. One was in that book Lucien de Malfoy gave your sister, Ronald." He turned to Damayaga. "The book drove Ginevre mad, so that she tried to kill people. When we destroyed the book, she was well again. It seemed a miracle."
"That is one," said Hermioniah. "What of the other one?"
"The night Vol de Mort killed my parents. He had one piece of his soul left in him. He burned to death that night, or rather he should have burnt to death. The soul within him perished. But he had the other hidden ones, so he lived on."
"Do we have any idea where to begin?" asked Ronald. "Or are we just going to wander about the woods at random?"
"I don't know," admitted Henri. "I came here for advice, for Damayaga's help."
"And I will attempt to give it to you," said Damayaga. "I shall meditate on this matter."
"There was one thing," said Henri. "The night Dumbledore died, we were trying to retrieve a locket in which Vol de Mort had placed one of the soul pieces. However, it was already gone. There was a note left behind, addressed to Vol de Mort. The author said he hoped that Vol de Mort would soon be destroyed, and he was going to destroy the locket to help do that. It was signed with these initials: R.A.N."
"R.A.N," repeated Damayaga thoughtfully.
"Does that mean anything to you?"
Damayaga shook his head. "No, it does not bring anything to mind. I shall think on this as well." Rising from his seat, he bowed, and then walked off into the wood, apparently in deep reflection.
"He will find guidance for you," Hermioniah assured them. "He always does."
"Ah," said Ronald. "I can see we're in good hands. Old man's quite as crazy as Dumbledore." With a broad grin, he went back to fishing.
End Notes: Next chapter is back to Malfoy and Ginevre. We'll see his infamous charm at work on the pretty red-head.
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