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Broken by the Dark Lord	By : Kanashii Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 6067 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 19
- 20
I
am flying, I am flying, Like a bird �cross the sky.

I am flying, passing high clouds, to be with you, to be free.

Can you hear me, can you hear me Thro� the dark night, far away, I am dying,
forever trying, to be with you, who can say� (�Sailing�- Rod Stewart)

�

�� The last two days
had been unusually warm for the winter in Britain, and today was no exception.
Miranda had dressed and saw the small note on her dresser. �I must work in the laboratory until 10 am;
there is some of that espresso you like and some toast. Eat breakfast, even
though you may not feel like it. You will need strength. �Snape�

� She descended down
the stairs and indeed saw a plate of toast and a small carafe of Espresso along
with a silver bowl of sugar cubes she had not seen before. These were brown;
she gingerly picked one up and smelled it. It had the faintest smell of sweet
molasses and honey almost reminding her of a balmy day near the family palazzo.
She plopped one in her mouth and savored the brief unique taste that seemed to
soothe some part of her soul more deeply than she could have ever imagined, and
although she usually never took sugar with her espresso today she added four of
the brown cubes.

� Downstairs Snape
sighed deeply, sensing her upstairs doing exactly what he had hoped, what he
had nudged into her mind. The path was chosen now, there would be no turning
back, the course was on its final conclusion. He picked up a small velvet sack
and poured more of the brown sugar cubes into them, but these he had added a
different potion to. Draco would have to be the one to give these to her. Snape
slipped the sack of sugar cubes into the pocket in his robe and picked up the
other two potions.

� He stopped for a
moment and saw his own hand tremble with just the slightest twitch as he closed
the two archaic potions tomes. His mind wavered and he briefly remembered
sitting in potions class next to Lily Evans, the two of them working on potions
together, that had been when there had still been hope in his heart, before he
had said the cruel words to her that he could never pull back, before time had
sped cruelly forward destroying his soul and making him harder and more angry
at all in his life.

� He sighed and
remembered the day he had received the news. �Harry Potter had lived, but Lily Evans had died.� he could still
hear the words as clearly as if it had just been spoken to his ear. Always he
had been underestimated in his life; by his father, by his schoolmates, even by
Voldemort, but not anymore. Perhaps only Albus Dumbledore truly knew exactly
the cruel ghosts that haunted Snape�s mind and what lurked so close to the surface of him, but Dumbledore could not help in this� �Would not help,� Snape coldly told
himself. Like Voldemort, his other Master Dumbledore had far too much to do
lately. Snape had meant what he had said, indeed more deeply than Miranda could
even know.

� �You not only have trusted me, but because
you are my student I will not allow Voldemort to kill what still is inside you.
He will not shatter you like he did to me�Forgive me and know this is the only
way I know how, Miranda. The only plan I could think of, but I feel you know
this as well.� He briefly closed his eyes and felt his soul numb and as
hollow as the empty cauldrons now before him.

� Regaining his strength
and slamming his usual cold demeanor back to the forefront he apparated back
upstairs as he saw Miranda finishing the last of the toast and her espresso.

� �How do you feel
this morning?� he asked her.

� A slight smile
tugged at the corners of her mouth, and even despite the scaring at the corners
of her mouth from that bridle she looked so happy, so at confident for the
first time Snape had seen her. �I feel like flying, eh?� She toasted him with
the now empty cup.

� �You shall.� He said
evenly as used his wand to clean up the dishes. Then glancing at her he asked.
�Ready?�

� She nodded and took
hold of his arm as they apparated to the back of Malfoy�s grain shed. �Now.� He
said calmly as he squinted around in the weak late winter sun; however the sky
was clear and warmer than normal, almost close to 55 degrees. The ground
smelled moist, loamy as though it too could sense the almost temporary release
from the grip of winter. �Transform and I will go bring Draco here. When you
see him, go near the paddock so he can see you. But for now stay here behind
the grain shed and out of sight.�

� She nodded and was
about to move off from him when she paused. �Thank you for everything you have
a taught me, Professor.� she went to give him a respectful bow. But Severus
abruptly held up his hand. �Do not bow to me.� His eyes were harsh a moment �I
am not your Master.� But the harsh look quickly left him.

� �No, you are not my
master.� She inclined her own head at him, �But I thank you for your help. Good
luck to you Professor Snape, I hope that all works out for you. I hope someday
you too will be free, eh?� her eyes locked on his and she boldly held out her
hand.

� A line twitched
momentarily in Severus� jaw, but he stepped forward and took her hand and
gently shook hands with her for a moment, his eyes softening for the slightest
heartbeat, �Someday I shall.� He nodded and then turned and apparated out of
view with a soft crack.

�� Miranda transformed
and this time the moors came alive at her equine senses. She could hear some
soft peepings of early spring toads roused from their winter slumber, her
nostrils snorted the loamy earth and her body longed to run. For some strange
reason she began to feel her body nearly revving itself up as though it simply
wanted to run forever, to take wing and fly across field, mountain and ocean.
Her hooves danced quietly in place as she felt herself becoming more anxious to
be off by the moment, but she had promised Snape she would remain exactly here
until she saw Draco emerge from the house. Time was hard to keep track of in
this form, and the longer she waited watching the sun slip slightly higher
overhead the more overloaded on energy her body seemed to become. �

�� Already she had
sweat dripping down the sides of her neck as she shook her head back and forth,
her hoof continuing to nervously paw the ground. If Draco wouldn�t come soon
she would simply go running by herself, she felt if she didn�t move soon she
would simply explode like a fireball with pent up energy. Her ears pricked up
at a sudden noise especially as she saw a few other horses in some of the
outside paddocks nicker and look up. She swung her head around and saw the
slightly hunched form of Draco Malfoy striding across the backyard. He looked
sullen and angered.

�� She trotted out from behind the grain shed
and with tail held high ears pricked forward prancing then as though her feet
already wanted to dance on the wind. �Draco!
Draco!� her mind screamed, �What a
gorgeous day it is! Let�s go have a run! Come on, what was it you said? Let�s
be rebellious!� She reared up a moment pawed the air and trotted to the
large dressage paddock he was walking to.

� He suddenly looked
up seeing the white Arabian horse, resplendent in the sunshine as it cavorted
and pranced back and forth. �What the�?�
His mind lurched. She had no bridle no saddle on and she was just loose there
in the back.

��

� Behind an old stone
storage building Severus took out the dark grey potion and uncapping it quickly
drank it down. He felt his body suddenly seized by almost painful muscular
cramps as his breath caught in his throat. His bones felt as though he had
drank a whole bottle of skele-grow, but he began to then feel a sudden
lightness seem to come over him. His eyesight became so clear that he could see
every single brown blade of grass gently swaying in the wind, nearly 1000 yards
away he suddenly caught the movement of a small field mouse as it nibbled a
piece of stem and then suddenly grew terrified and bolted away.

� A warm wind picked
up and he felt himself spread his arms and felt himself become airborne, his
body as light as the tight grey feathers around him, the world so alive the
details so vivid. With a soft screech from his throat the elegant peregrine
falcon took flight to land on top of Malfoy Manor. Below him he could see Draco
watching the form of Miranda cavorting loose and free, her head tossing up and
down, her mane blowing in the same warm air that had lifted him upon its
currents. �Go to her Draco.� He
willed his thoughts. �It�s your one
chance to have one final go of fun for a long time, for your road in life will
soon become harder than you can ever imagine. Soon enough you will have to join
in the dark steps of your father, but go be rebellious today Draco, go have
fun.�

�� Draco walked warily across the paddock
slipped under the first fence of the paddock walked across it and headed to the
horse free on the other side. �What are you doing here?� he asked looking
warily around. �Is father here or �� he glanced nervously around as if half
expecting death eaters or worse Voldemort to pop out.� He spied a small sack atop one of the posts
of the fence and picked it up gingerly opening it. Miranda had come over to him
anxious to convince him to come out and run across the moors with her.

�� Draco looked in the bag seeing it filled with
strange red sugar cubes. He shook one out in his hand and looked at it,
sniffing it a moment. He saw the elegant muzzle slide into view next to him as
the mare had trotted up to him, her delicate nose thrusting towards the sweet
treat.

�Hey, hey.� He tried to sound stern but it was hard as she
tossed her head playfully. Never had he seen her so high strung so playful, so
alive.� �Ok, already, Ok.� He unclasped
his fingers as she delicate picked up the cube from his palm and quickly
devoured it.

�How did you get out here I wonder?� he asked not expecting
any answer as he absent-mindedly fed her another sugar cube. �You look a lot
better without that nasty bridle on you know.� He teased her softly.

� Her muzzle thrust at
him at the bag wanting more of the sweet treats. �You can�t have them all.� He
tried to sound gruff like his father, �That would spoil you proper then
wouldn�t it?�� But his pale eyes lit with
laughter as she suddenly snatched the bag and elegantly tossed her head
spilling the remaining 4 cubes and then neatly snuffling them out of the grass and
eating them. �Oh you are a snarky one aren�t you?� he chuckled as he climbed up
and sat on the top rail watching her. �Maybe I should put you up in the stable
until father comes home, I dunno if you are supposed to be loose and all.� He
said.

� Miranda leaped away
from him and gave a few playful hops cantered up and down the field and then
came skittering to a stop near him again. She shook her head warily at him and
then dropped down to her front knees, her head looking up at Malfoy�s heir.

�Oh come ON Draco!�
her mind screamed in her skull, �Will you
lighten up and play? Play! Play! The day is warm. What do you say to going for
a spin eh?�

� Draco had slid off
the top rail and cautiously approached her. He glanced around once again to
make sure no one was around then easily swung his leg over her and climbed
aboard her soft bare back. �Whoa, easy!� he clamped on with his legs and
grabbed handfuls of her long mane as she danced around briefly beneath him. He
was beginning to wonder if this was such a rational idea riding a horse with no
bridle or saddle, no control over her.

� Miranda turned her
head around and gave him a soft nuzzle on his leg a moment and then picked up a
gentle trot, pacing back a few times until she felt Draco relax a bit atop her.
With a snarky playful look she suddenly pinned her ears back and began to
canter all out, clods of fresh earth being tossed up from her rear hooves.

� �Shit!� Draco clung
on tighter his voice caught between fear and yet exhilaration. �Whoa! Whoa,
please?�

�� Neatly and with
great calmness she slowed and came to a stop. Then turned around to look at him
again like �What is your problem?�
her ears flicking back and forth.

�� On the roof the
small falcon took off once again into the wind and with a screech locked its
yellow eyes onto the figure of Draco astride Miranda�s back. �You are safe boy,� Snape concentrated
his thoughts, �just relax and trust her.�

� Miranda�s sharp
hearing picked up that familiar cry of the hunting bird. She quickly swiveled
her ears and locked onto a small nimble falcon that swooped briefly overhead,
hovered around 50 yards away and then flew back up and off on a warm air
current.

Her body quivered with such longing and want at that moment�
�Furio?� her mind wavered.

�

� �Well at least you
listen to me.� Draco softly drawled as he tried to slide back up against her
withers and rewrapping his hands into her mane, �Just be easy mare, I�m not
used to riding bareback, and�� but he never finished the sentence the white
horse beneath him had suddenly exploded effortlessly forward beneath him. For a
brief moment Draco nearly slid right off her, but he saw the ground rushing
beneath him at such breakneck speed that he hauled himself up onto her and
grabbed even tighter onto her mane. At first his world wavered in pure
adrenaline and panic, sure that he would slide right off and hit the ground and
be hurt, but he realized if he relaxed his hips and just went with her surging
muscles this was actually not to bad. �Whooooo!!!� he did not even recognize
his own voice for a moment, and surely that was not his hands actually letting
go of her mane as he held his arms out at his sides as though flying himself.

� Miranda finally able
to run began to run as she had never ran before, it seemed as though she had
energy to spare, her mind as clear as the sky her soul as light at the falcon
that she saw swooping and diving nearly just ahead of her as though leading her
onwards. Her mind felt the comforting wavering of a dreamlike quality, not like
legilimency, but like nothing she had ever felt before, ethereal, unreal and as
though poised on some great precipice.

� Draco was in perfect
synchronicity with her surging muscles now, he too had seen the small hawk
flying out ahead of them, curious about it at first, but then he felt it almost
something comforting and graceful. He allowed his mind to clear itself in the
warm air and he was once again a child, thoughts of his father, his
responsibilities, of school, of everything pushed far back deep inside his
skull as he flew across the ground almost as swift as the horse between his
legs, almost as fast and free as the falcon swooping out ahead of them. �Go! Go!�
he laughed almost in crazed delight, �Yes, faster!� he whooped again. He
remembered the very words he had once said to her over a month ago to her �I wouldn�t fight you. I bet your no ordinary
horse, and if I was riding you, I certainly wouldn�t be cruel like father is to
you.� And he simply enjoyed the air rushing all around him now, in fact as
he closed his eyes and held out his arms he could almost feel as if he was
flying, he could be someone else for even just one day, someone free. �Take me
flying.� He shouted above the rushing wind that circled all around him, and he
somehow knew she understood him. �Run, run away.�

� Miranda could only
run faster, she was surprised her lungs were not burning for air, or that her
heart was not beating with exhaustion. But there was no pain or tiredness
anywhere in her body. Never had she ran so hard or so long in her life, but she
didn�t care, her soul was soaring now, soaring up ahead with the falcon.

Her eyes briefly closed and when she opened them she saw the
falcon close by her head, its wingtips nearly brushing her face the wind
rushing by her face causing her eyes to water as her brown eyes sought out
solace and joy in the yellow eyes of the falcon. �Oh Uncle, please lead me home with you�� her mind desperately
wished.

�� Great rivulets of
sweat were pouring off her, but she had no notice of it as her nostrils scooped
the warm air deep into her lungs. She closed her eyes again and she could swear
she heard the distant crash of waves on the beach as her muscles worked faster
and harder, her heart beating great volumes of blood through her veins. She
opened her eyes and she was certain she indeed was on the fields near the Mt.
Etna, that it was no dream. It was no longer Draco Malfoy on her back but the
handsome agile form of her Uncle Furio. �We are going home now, my little one,�
He soothed to her in Italian. �I am taking you home. You are free.� She opened
her eyes and saw her Grandfather Giovanni standing near the beach waving to
them.

�� The falcon had now
flown off and landed into the shadows of the woods near a hill where he
transformed back into his usual human self, his black robes billowing softly in
the breeze.

�� Atop her Draco
opened his eyes and suddenly looked down at the galloping horse still running
full bore beneath him. His pant legs were soaked and he realized with a sudden sickening
horror that blood was flowing out her nostrils and in great foamy gobs from her
mouth. Her ears were pointed forward to some distant spot only she could see,
her lungs seeming to filling with fluid beneath him. �Oh no!� he moaned in
terror, �Stop! Whoa! Whoa!� but he had no way to control her as she continued
to run on. �NO!� Draco now hung on desperately wishing and praying she would
stop. �Stop you fool horse, oh please stop!��
She suddenly slowed then as if hearing some voice, entering some world
that Draco could not come with. Draco leaped off her just as she stopped and
stiffened, all four legs going rigid. �NO!� Draco screamed, �oh no!� he moaned
as she stumbled and then fell over in front of him. He leaped over by her head
desperately pulling his wand out. �Ennervate!
Ennervate!� he pleaded as he kneeled
next to her. He raised her heavy head to his lap as her last few breaths
rattled out of her, not even caring if he was coated in her blood. He felt his
throat tighten in helpless sorrow as he watched her, the great brown eye now
clouded and vacant as it stared at something only she could see�

�� Miranda, now in her
human form walked to where they all were. Her family; Uncle Furio, Grandfather
Giovanni, Grandma Leona cousins and ancestors she didn�t even know she had. All
of them greeting her with open arms, loving smiles on their faces. The day was
warm and bright; she could smell the delicious smells of her favorite meals,
the smell of the ocean in the distance. She was home, she was free�

� Severus Snape
watched the scene far below on the moors as Draco held the now dead horses head
in his lap, trying whatever magic he knew to help her. Snape knew there was no cure,
no antidote. He felt bad knowing that Draco�s life was about to become very
rough over the next year. The Dark Lord would be furious over this but it would
not be traced back to Snape. He had been too careful, too thorough. �I may be
broken.� His soft voice spoke aloud, �But I am not dead. Never will I be that
Voldemort.� Severus felt the single tear roll down his cheek and drip onto the
forest floor unheeded by him. He knew someday he too would be free and hoped
that Miranda was indeed enjoying the love and comfort of those she so missed,
the same way his soul missed the one person he had ever truly loved. Lily Evans.
�Fly free Miranda.�

� With a deep sigh he
slid his cold persona back into place and then swept his cloak around himself
and apparated back to his office at Hogwarts.

*THE END*

�

�

��

�

�
- 19
- 20
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Broken by the Dark Lord