Mortem . Sirius Black

chapter forty-nine

Nephera sighed, the old wizard was right. The question of why Voldemort hadn't killed her still rang in her ears, and no matter how hard she had tried to answer it, she couldn't, "You think you have an answer so as to why he didn't kill me?"

"I do," he mused "Are you familiar with the Imperius curse?"

Panic started settling inside Nephera. That was the first thought she had when she woke up at St. Mungos, that he had imperioed her without anyone realizing, but Sirius had talked her out of her spiral. The raven-haired boy wasn't there right now, though. Schooling her expression into one of certainty, she stared at the wizard in front of her.

"I'm not under the curse," she stated

"I know you aren't, I suggested it first thing at St. Mungos', that they do a test on you while you were unconscious," he spoke calmly "But it is in my opinion that Tom wishes to place you under it in the future,"

The Slytherin frowned, something wasn't adding up still, "I don't know about that. I mean, the curse turns someone into a puppet, he wouldn't risk it just for another mindless follower."

"Perhaps you are right, but measures must be taken nevertheless,"

"Measures like what?"

"I need to train you to resist it," he said, knowing that there would be opposition

"I still don't trust you, Headmaster," she mused "Why would I allow you to perform a curse that lets you control me?"

"Because you know, as well as I do, that me controlling you is a risk worth taking if it means Voldemort won't be able too,"

"I don't know about that. History paints you as some kind of Saint, savior, but I can't help but wonder what those scorned by History would say about you, or what those who died fighting at your side would say,"

Dumbledore fought to keep his expression neutral. There was no possible way that this girl knew about his past with Grindelwald, he had made sure it was buried.

"Are you declining?" he asked instead

Nephera, however, picked up on the slight tension in his jaw, and couldn't help but ask what the man was hiding.

"No, I'm saying that I will do it, but only if there is someone else here present,"

"And who do you suggest? Perhaps one of your friends?"

At the mention of her friends, the girl leaned forward and fixing him in a glare, "You will keep them out of the Order, they don't need to get mixed up in any of this," she sat back again "Professor McGonagall,"

The wizard smiled, "Very well, I will send for Minerva to come here. We are starting tonight,"

Nephera only nodded in response and watched as the Headmaster instructed one of the portraits to go to the witch's office and tell her to come there. A few minutes later, McGonagall walked into the office.

"What can I do for you, Albus?" she asked

"I have reason to believe that Voldemort is planning to place Mrs. Winchester under the imperius curse," he spoke bluntly "She needs to be trained to resist it, but she refuses to do so without another witness, to ensure that-"

Nephera interrupted him "To ensure that he doesn't turn me into a puppet of his own and takes advantage of the fact that I am about to let him into my mind,"

The older witch couldn't help but be concerned. She did not like the idea of the Dark Lord targeting a specific student, one that she had frown to be so fond of, especially. On top of that, she also knew how intense and exhausting it was to try to learn how to resist the curse. Aurors had to learn how to do so when they wanted to be promoted to hit-wizards.