Viper's Office

Eglantine shook her head.

"Cerise is telling me nothing. This is my decision. I have always done as others would want me to and now I am making my own choice. Cerise will live as long as I live. She is a part of me. I respect your opinion, Kiara. But your knowledge of the Dark Arts is not as complete as my own. Let me save you one last time."

Kiara shook her head,

"Remember that night in the quidditch pitch? when you asked me to trust you with the whole lord Voldemort thing? Well i did trust you Eglantine and I didn't stop. But did you ever trust me? Or have I always been the young nieve overly careing headmistress who doesn't know what she is talking about? Well trust me this one time Eglantine Delanquar, you will live, magic if funny that way I find. It can break its own rules. It has don't before why should this be any different"

"Kiara." Eglantine stated softly as if starting to say something in response. But instead she sighed. "Very well. I will attempt to destroy them without killing myself." Her green eyes looked straight into Kiara's eyes. "However should I fail, I want you to know that I do trust you. Else I would not be speaking to you know."

The wards went up again and Kiara was gently pushed out of Eglantine's mind.

Cerise screamed, as blood began to course down her face from her nose and mouth. Her glowing red eyes dilated and she writhed where she stood.
"I will not be defeated! Viper, let me enter you! Together we could be stronger than ever before." Large white beams of light erupted from her torso and she moaned.

"No." her hand moved against her will, pointing the dark wand as her. "Excessum Neci!" a soft lilting voice whispered. Within moments, ashes flitted about in the conjured air...all that was left of Tom Riddle's soul now one with him again.

Eglantine's body appeared again made by the ashes reforming themselves from Cerise into her. She was deathly pale, but alive. Weakly moving to bring Cerise's wand up, Eglantine finished what she had begun.

"And she was no more as he was forgotten!" White spots of light danced around the room, as the spirits that helped form Excessum heard what she said. Her words echoed from their mouths as they repeated them in a musical chant.

"Rosier heir, you are no longer marked." a voice stated. Eglantine gasped and looked immediately at her wrist, yanking the robe sleeve up. For a brief moment a slender asp remained etched on her skin revealed to be apart of a scarlet version of the Dark Mark spiraling down her entire forearm, and then it faded until it could barely be seen.

Eglantine sighed deeply. "I will comply." she stated softly and the lights vanished as she drifted into a healing sleep.

Kiara to weak to stand crawed over to where Eglantine lay and checked for a puls, she sighed when she found one.

"See what did I tell you Eglantine, I knew you would live...."

Glancing over at Viper she said " I taking her to the Hospital wing" she said it emotionlessly.

Viper shrugged carelessly. It meant nothing to her and she could care less. Cerise was no more and Viper's path was once again clear.

She half smiled and smirked at Kiara. "Do as you wish." before exiting her office.

She sighed in delight at herself. She had succeeded in so many ways, barely lifting a finger.

Kiara growled as she levitated Eglantine off the ground

"Just as we get rid of one dark lord, a dark queen is ready to take his place. The Universe really is evil"

(to hospital wing)

Viper entered her newly cleaned office rather happily. There was a lovely pomegrante smell in the room, making it quite appealing to Viper, for it was one of her favorite scents. She made a mental note to thank the houseelves as she curled up on her black leather sofa, conjuring her goblet.

Severus Sanpe entered his new portrait in Vipers office and looked around.

"Ah I see what Kiara meant we are a lot a like big improvement from the last"

Viper raised an eyebrow at the voice, tilting her head to see where it came from. A smile slowly spread across her face as she spotted the portrait of Severus Snape.

"Professor Snape, how lovely to see you again! You're looking...well." she frowned as she realized what she had just uttered. Of course he would look well, he was portrait...

The frown quickly bounced back to a smile. "Well, you're looking much better than the last time I saw you." she stated referring to her last encounter with him when she was about three years old during a death eater meeting at Viper Manor. "The artist who painted you is quite skilled. He managed to make you look much younger than you were before you died." she said, nodding impressed.

Snape arched his eyebrow at her.

"Indeed"

Viper smiled and nodded. She knew why he was here. She wasn't an idiot. "So would you like to read my mail as well or are you content with watching from your new post?"

Snape kept his face natural.

"I am here to watch you yes, not make daily reports to Kiara"

Viper laughed. "What, weekly reports, then? She wouldn't send you here for fun, Professor. She's bound to get something out of it herself."

Snape smirked "I mean no scheduled reports, as she is headmistress I cannot lie to her, only if she asks me a very specific question will I answer..."

Snape eyed Viper
"I see she was right after all, you do have a quick wit"

Viper smiled in mock gratitude at his compliment. "I'm flattered. It's lovely to know that the Headmistress speaks of me behind my back and sends a portrait to spy on me! Makes me feel so trusted..." she sipped at her goblet.

Snape raised his eyebrow again "Then I expect you will be surprised when I say my service goes both ways, should you ask me anything I have to answer you."

A bubble of laughter escaped Viper's throat. "Why would I believe that? I hold no standing whatsoever over you, no authority. Why would you have to answer to me?"

(Shoot, now I have to go for real. Sorry! I'll be on tomorrow though.)

((Okay))

"You are the head of Slytherin and this is your office is it not?" asked Snape.

Viper raised an eyebrow. "Do you think of me as a fool, Professot? You served Slytherine's heir himself from within his inner circle and still betrayed him. Honestly, why would I expect any better?" she challenged coldly.

Snape glared

"I may have Severus Snapes memories and personaliy Professor, but I am a magical portrait bound by the magic that created me and bound to the staff at hogwarts as a former Headmaster. You of course don't have to take my word for it. Look it up, as you are head of slytherin and this is your office i am bound to answer any question you may have."

Viper nodded stiffly. She'd take his word for it, but she'd still tread with caution. "Very well then. Enlighten me, oh great portrait. What is the Headmistress's problem with me?"

Snape answered without a hick "She believes you are planing to become the next dark lord, in short she doesn't trust you anymore"

"What would give her that idea?" Viper asked in an amused tone.

Snape raised his eyebrow "Something to do with a conversation with someone named Cerise and you claming you learned form the dark lord mistakes and plan to suceed where he failed"

Viper rolled her eyes. "That was a bluff! Something to rile up Cerise and distract her! I wasn't serious...Surely Kiara realizes that!"