Thanks to Trickie Woo and wytchkat, as always, for their neverending support.
****
~19~ The Fire Festival~

Snape arrived downstairs in darkish-blue jeans that looked like slacks and a long-sleeved white shirt. He had placed a Cooling Charm on them and so far, it was working excellently. He found the three of them in the stable and he saw Zeus prancing about for his rider. Snape calmed him and cast his eyes at the chattering family. Thespis wore khaki-colored pants and an orange T-shirt that, as he moved, changed color. Red, yellow white, orange, red again, blue, white... the different colors of fire. Antonia wore a white chiffon dress with no back and a red fire pattern. Dark red shoes skimmed the sides of her chestnut Appaloosa. Her yellow cape, embroidered with red fire, lay across its white spotted rump.

The Arabian pranced out, led by Kestrel. He ran his eyes up and down what was technically his ward. Kestrel's hair had been pulled up into a ponytail and curled red and orange ribbons intermingled in it. Her face was clear of makeup and her red eyes matched what was apparently the theme. Her long-sleeved, dusky orange, and puffy sleeved blouse curved over her breasts and reached her waist, where the red dirndl skirt started.

"Let's see your skirt then!" Antonia said, and Kestrel hopped to the middle of the stable.

She spun quickly, like a ballerina, and the skirt flared around her in a circle. It changed colors rapidly and sharply: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, lavender, white, gold, silver, black... The colors glowed and Kestrel skidded to a stop, blood red cloth shoes hitting a staccato on the ground. Snape spied a blood red hooded cape with orange fire embroidery and he summoned it. He approached the slightly dizzy and giddy girl from behind and set it around her shoulders, his hands reaching around her neck to clasp it. She tilted her head back and smiled.

"White and Black Fire, Professor?" Thespis muttered, and Severus lifted an eyebrow. "A dangerous combination to be sure."

Magical fires, of course, were classified. White Fire was pure fire and Black Fire was the fire of evil. Red Fire for passion, Orange Fire for danger... the list went on and on, and those were the colors of Kestrel's skirt.

"Right, let's go then!"

Thepis, mounted on Antonia's Appaloosa's mate, winked at Kestrel as she mounted Selini. Kestrel pondered for a moment.

"Last one to the encampment has to buy a gift for whoever they like the most," she said with a crazy grin, and Snape rolled his eyes to the ceiling.

"And you insist on being childish. I ask you, is this the attitude of a seventeen-year-old?"

The four of them took off at high speeds.

****

"Really, it's no fun that both you came in at the same time. Antonia will just buy Thespis a gift and you'll just buy Antonia a gift. I mean, honestly, where did the fun and games go in this family?" Kestrel complained as they left their horses in front of the field. The field was filled with fire, fireworks, stalls, gypsies, Greeks, children, Arabs, and people that looked distinctly Asian... and there, South American.

"People from all over the world come to the Fire Festival. Come on, let's go find Rawnie. She'll be dancing."

"Well, we have to buy our gifts," Antonia said.

"Oh, honestly, we all know you like each other! You're married! Really, it was supposed to be either me or Professor Snape... but then again, I was riding Selini and he was riding Zeus... Come on then, Professor. Let's see what we can see, eh?"

He apparently was the only one in black. He was surrounded by a myriad of colors and Kestrel merely blended in. He almost lost her once and he took hold on her shoulder to not be pulled back by the crowd.

"There's Rawnie! Come on, Professor!" She took hold of his hand – his hand – and led him to where a white and orange fire licked the edges of the sky.

Eyebrows in danger of disappearing into his hair, he allowed himself to be tugged along by the seventeen-cum-seven-year-old. The gypsy leader was dancing in the fire, flames licking seductively at her skin, sending rays of light across her skin. Her veils danced and changed color, danced like snakes. Rawnie caught sight of Kestrel bouncing on the soles of her feet, a smile plastered on her face, and she exited the fire with a spin. Applause reigned their ears and coins were tossed into the hat that Syeisha passed around.

"Kestrel... Professor. Are you enjoying the festival?"

"It's very interesting."

"You know I am, Rawnie. I've missed this. Where's Io?"

"She's not here. She's working at her shop."

Kestrel wrinkled her nose. "Well, darn and blast. Looks like we can't get the scales tonight, Professor. Unless... Rawnie, do you –"

"No. I am not at home with the sea."

"Sorry. Forgot. Ooh, what's Sey doing this year?"

"Fire snakes."

Kestrel's jaw dropped and Snape looked pleasantly surprised.

"Fire snakes? Where?"

"Soon. I'll save you a seat. You'll know when and where easily: we let off fireworks."

"Last year it was fire lions. They sent me pictures. It was amazing," she informed him.

"She likes working with fire creatures then?" Snape asked.

"She's my daughter. She's learned to love fire. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to do an encore." They nodded. "Oh, and Professor?"

"Yes?"

"Don't forget what I said."

They watched her go and Kestrel did not question her words, merely tugged him along to some of the stalls. Kestrel had fun smelling the incense from Arabia at one stall and she bought some sweet smelling incense, smelling of an Arabian night and an Arabian garden. At a Grecian incense stall, she bought two smelling of myrrh and two of crocus. There was a stall cloaked in black and Snape wanted to see it. Kestrel seemed adverse but allowed him to gently tug her to the black stall.

The curtains were held back puppet theater style by silver string and there was a vast array of black and silver mirrors. Kestrel seemed to want to hide behind Severus. Seventeen-cum-seven-year-old indeed. The woman that appeared was a blackamoor with frizzy black hair and bright black eyes.

"What is this?" he questioned, but he had a good idea what is was.

"Black Fire mirrors, of course. And here: matches of Black Fire to fulfill your every dream."

Kestrel paled. Black Fire. The fire of seductresses, curse makers, incubuses, succubuses, vampires... She felt Snape stiffen and she squeezed his hand. Slowly, carefully, they moved away and Kestrel felt him wrap his arm around her shoulders as she shivered. As they passed one silk and satin stall, Kestrel caught sight of Antonia snogging Thespis senseless. She rolled her eyes to the heavens and loosened up. Then, a firework exploded and a snake appeared in the sky, hissing at the people below, alerting them of something.

"Syeisha!"

"I'll meet you there," he whispered in her ear. "I have to go find something."

She took off and he saw her meet Rawnie. He turned around and went to a gypsy stall that he had seen. A gypsy that he knew.

"Well, well. Freya. I didn't think that I would find you here."

Freya looked up from her tarot cards and into Severus' black eyes.

"Severus. How very nice to see you."

"Indeed. Are you doing this again? Are you still truthful as you were when you told me that my mother would leave me?"

"I should hope so," she said, and she smiled. The smile reached her black eyes and her pale skin caught the glow of her candles. "What do you want?"

"Do you really have to ask?" he asked witheringly. "You are the only one I trust, the only one."

"I don't even have to look at the cards, my boy. You're growing attached to her. You care, you don't want her hurt. You've yet to insult her." She leered. "You did not let go of her hand unless she had to pay for something."

He paled and a wave of her hand brought forth a chair.

"She's my student!"

"Not for long. She'll soon be your apprentice."

"How did you know I was going to accept her?"

"Potion or no potion, you know she's brilliant... better than Granger."

"I've told you too much."

"No, I've told you too much. Now, go to the scarf stall and buy the red scarf with gold embroidery. Ask for it to be wrapped. Then, meet her in the front row at Syeisha's show. Watch the show with her, answer any questions about the package vaguely, and then take her to the jewelry stall owned by the Argentum sisters. It's the largest stall in the festival, you can't miss it. Buy something for yourself. She's going to fall in love with a silver bracelet. Buy her the bracelet and the matching necklace. Someone will intervene and the way to success will be given. Then, ride home, leave the young married couple you're with, and give her the package once inside the mansion. Get a good night's rest."

He stood up, head whirling.

"What are you doing?" he asked suspiciously.

She smiled. "Just helping you on your way to success, Nephew."

Nephew glared at aunt and then he walked away, muttering something about interfering old busybodies.

****

He caught sight of the scarf right off. It was made from silk and the embroidery – gold jasmines – was exquisite. He measured it with his hands and the seller, a man in a purple fez, started talking.

"You want that scarf, yes?"

"How much?"

"British magic money? Five Galleons, three Sickles."

Why do you want me to do this, Aunt? He searched for his money and paid the vendor.

"I want it wrapped."

"Wrapping paper, yes? What color?"

"Oh.. gray."

"Ah, to ward off the scent, yes?"

"I don't know how that is any business of yours!" he snapped, and the man wrapped up the scarf (at no extra charge). Snape swept away and towards Syeisha's show. He was late, he knew, but she had two fire snakes dancing up and down her rather revealed body. A skirt of seven veils and a small red blouse that reached just below her bosom were all she had on, except for the gold, bangle bracelets. The fire snakes, black with orange eyes and fire designs on the top of their heads, were dangerous, but seemed calm.

"She's in the front row," Rawnie said in his ear, and he nodded curtly, striding towards where he saw Kestrel standing with some other lucky people and an empty space at her side. He appropriated it.

"What in the package?" she asked over the noise.

"Just something I bought. It's none of your concern."

Miffed, she continued to watch Syeisha and whistled when she had vanished the four snakes (they had multiplied at some point: they had appeared out of thin air).

"That was brilliant, Sey!" she said excitedly. Sey smiled and they started a conversation. As it ended, he intervened.

"I have something to show you. I think you'll like it," he said, and she took hold of his hand almost automatically. He led her to the Argentum sister's stalls. They were silver-haired, part-Veela twins and Snape grit his teeth as he suddenly felt the desire to do absolutely anything for them... including throwing himself into Rawnie's fire.

"Hello!" one of them said brightly. "I'm Ciara and this is Celestine."

"Er... hi..." Kestrel managed as she stared at the one stall that was big enough for three. She separated from Snape and started on the right. He watched her and Ciara leaned in.

"Who is she? Your lover?" she purred.

Snape shot her a look of disgust.

"My apprentice. And you would do well to back away, madam, if you wish to keep those Veela looks."

Ciara gasped and Celestine scowled.

"Here now, don't threaten my sister!"

"If she persists on annoying me, I shall have no choice but to," he ground out, and he turned his eyes to Kestrel. Apprentice... just a little white lie.

She skipped over the copper part and he watched her fiddle with some gold earrings. She moved on to the rock necklaces and the shell necklaces... Severus had spied fifteen different silver bracelets with matching necklaces and they were all outrageously priced. But his aunt was always right. Something that annoyed him. She always knew what he had to do. Stupid Seers. You'd think that she'd go around like Trelawney, predicting death and destruction, but no-o-o-o. She had to be sensible, practical, and right. He scowled briefly.

"Oh my God," he heard her say.

He looked around and saw her holding a silver bangle with embossed designs and a large ruby smack in the center, cut into the form of a four-pointed star. He frowned. He hadn't seen that one before, but he had seen the necklace. A silver necklace, with a ruby cut into the same form. He picked it up and dangled it before her nose. She gasped and the cousins came over.

"Excellent choice, but I can't remember making those."

"Neither can I. Think Cara made them?"

"Well, if Cara made them, then that'll be two Galleons and three Sickles."

She started rummaging in her velvet bag but Snape was faster. He set the money on the table and saw her mouth open into an 'o' of surprise.

"Professor, you can't!"

"Of course I can," he said with his eyebrows raised. "It's customary for the master to give his apprentice a gift when they go under their wing."

Kestrel's jaw slackened and the sister wrapped up the jewelry and handed it to her happily.

"It's really very pretty. And real rubies too."

"We should have sold it for more, but since it's Cara..."

Both sisters made a face of disgust and the two of them walked away. Kestrel was still in stupefaction, even as she almost made it to the exit.

"Kestrel! You're up!"

"What do you mean 'I'm up'?" she answered automatically, turning to face Syeisha.

"It's the drama contest!"

"Aw, hell."

Kestrel's hand snapped out and grabbed Snape's. They ended up running through the crowd and to the stage, where a girl was performing a short monologue from Oedipus Rex.

"Am I allowed to do whatever I want?" she asked Syeisha in a whisper.

"It's not confined to Grecian plays, if that's what you mean. There are people from all over the world here! Oh, and just so you know, there's a spell on the stage so that whoever is performing can speak in their first language and the audience hears it in their first language."

"Brilliant!"

The monologue finished and Kestrel bit down on her lower lip.

"You're up!"

Nervously, Kestrel picked her way to the stage and cast the Sonorus charm.

"And now... Kestrel Rivera!" Rawnie announced from the audience, grinning widely.

She waved weakly.

"Good evening. I'll be performing a section from The Odyssey: a three stanza part from Book Nineteen: Persephone and her Guest."

She stepped back and lowered her head a moment. When she lifted it, she was Persephone.

"'No, no, stranger,' wise Persephone demurred.
'Whatever form and feature I had, what praise I'd won,
the deathless gods destroyed that day the Achaeans
sailed away to Troy, my husband in their ships,
Odysseus – if he could return to tend my life
the renown I had would only grow in glory.
Now my life is torment...'"

Snape saw her keeping her eyes from blinking and, in the firelight, they started to become bloodshot.

"'Look at the griefs some god has loosed against me!
All the nobles who rule the islands round about,
Dulichion, Same, and wooded Zacynthus too,
and all who lord it in sunny Ithaca itself –
they court me against my will, they lay waste my house.
So I pay no heed to strangers, suppliants at my door,
not even heralds out on their public errands here –
I yearn for Odysseus, always, my heart pines away.'"

Her voice broke and her eyes shone with held-back tears.

"'They rush the marriage on, and I spin out my wiles.
A god from the blue it was inspired me first
to set up a great loom in our royal halls
and I began to weave, and the weaving finespun –'"

She made weaving motions with her hands and a look of peaceful tranquility floated across her face.

"'– the yarns endless, and I would lead them on: 'Young men,
my suitors, now that King Odysseus is no more,
go slowly, keen as you are to marry me, until
I can finish off this web...
so my weaving won't all fray and come to nothing.,
This is a shroud for old lord Laertes, for that day
when the deadly fate that lays us out at last will take him down.
I dread the shame my countrywomen would heap upon me,
yes, if a man of such wealth should lie in state
without a shroud for cover.'

"'My very words,
and despite their pride and passion they believed me.
So by day I'd weave at my great and growing web –
by night, by the light of the torches set beside me,
I would unravel all I'd done. Three whole years
I deceived them blind, seduced them with this scheme.
Then, when the wheeling seasons brought the fourth year on
and the months waned and the long day came round once more,
then, thanks to my maids –" Here she spat and looked disgusted.

"'– the shameless, reckless creatures –
the suitors caught me in the act, denounced me harshly.
So I finished it off. Against my will. They forced me.
And now I cannot escape a marriage, nor can I contrive
a deft way out. My parents urge me to tie the knot
and my son is galled as they squander his estate –
he sees it all. He's a grown an by now, equipped
to tend to his own royal house and tend it well:
Zeus grants my son that honor..."

The tears spilled over and she allowed a reckless sob to escape her throat as she neared the end.

"'But for all that – now tell me who you are.
Where do you come from? You've hardly sprung
from a rock or oak like some old man of legend!"

She finished it with a throwing of her hands and a sad smile. Then, she counted five seconds in her head and bowed. The applause was thunderous. She blushed, brushed her tears away, and skittered back into the audience. Rawnie drew her in and Severus gave her a look of tempered admiration.

"Well done."

They waited and watched as gypsies and others came up to compete. But they paled next to Kestrel, all of them did. When the judges, a nereid from the Ionian Sea and a phoenix that seemed vaguely familiar. When it cawed, Severus and Kestrel both scowled. Fawkes. The nereid made her way gracefully to the stage, red phoenix a delicious contrast against her light blue skin.

"We'd love to present the winner. Kestrel Rivera with one of Persephone's monologues from The Odyssey!"

The applause, once more, was tumultuous and a blushing Kestrel took the prize: 500 Galleons. Snape helped her with the two heavy purses and he managed to get them to their horses. The Appaloosas were still there and Kestrel heard a noise behind a bush and something like a sigh and then something that was most definitely a moan. Quietly, they took the horses and rode away, Kestrel wearing a huge grin and Snape muttering something about 'pity I can't take away house points'.

****

They were inside the mansion and Kestrel was yawning.

"I think I'll retire for the night, Professor."

"Wait."

She looked up at him expectantly and rather blearily.

"Here."

He gave her the gray package and watched her blink in surprise. Her jaw slackened again. Did she think he was really all that bad? Anyway... his Aunt was always right.

"It's for you. And now, I bid you good night, Apprentice."

He relieved her briefly of the burden in her right hand and kissed it lightly, looking up at her the entire time. She blushed prettily and he straightened, giving her the packages again and striding ahead to leave.

"Good night... Master."

Those words ringing in his ears, he got ready for bed, and groaned into his pillow.

What do we need 500 Galleons for, then? The way to success... probably talking about the potion. She does look pretty when I surprise her... stop it, you... you... pedophile! Gah!

He rolled over and scowled deeply at the ceiling.

We never stopped holding hands.

The scowl deepened and he had one last coherent thought before succumbing to the deep throes of sleep.

What do we need 500 Galleons for?

****
The true reason behind the scarf is revealed in the final chapter of this story, so don't ask me any questions there. *smirk*

The monologue that Kestrel performed remains one of my favorites of The Odyssey. I just had to stick it in. I managed! It all makes sense! *cheers*

*coughs* Anyway, feel free to review (please?) and ask any questions at all! (Doesn't mean I have to answer them, he he he.)
-Mel