These Dear, Unfinished Tasks

Chapter 10: To See With One's Own Eyes

June 28th, 2017

They were tracing genealogies, family trees of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Pureblood wizarding families that hoarded their families' power and money. All deeply embroiled in the beliefs of Lord Voldemort, blood supremacy. That the mingling of wizards and No-Mags was a capital offense.

That it went against the very laws of nature.

"Well, they would hate me. I was basically a No-Mag for eleven years, I wouldn't be surprised if I was a half-blood, myself," Daphne had remarked coldly. Trelawney had been engrossed in her own studies.

Maybe that's why she had said it.

"Be that as it may, my dear. You're as pureblooded a witch if I've ever seen one. Your lineage is as deep and as old as that snakewood tree. Older than many of the Twenty-Eight, that's why you were chosen...''Trelawney trailed off, marking something in the book with her quill.

Daphne felt the blood leave her face and her hands began to shake. Pureblood, pureblood...what? Trelawney must be mistaken, there was no way that she was...

"You know who my parents are, Professor? You've always known?"

Sybil snapped her head up at that. She had said too much but there was no going back now, Daphne would not let her. With the determination in her eyes alone, Sybil knew not to shy away from her question. Not to try and placate her with half-truths.

Only complete honesty would satisfy Daphne's racing heart.

"Yes, my dear, I do know. I have known. I met them once, your parents. A long time ago now. Just before you were born. You look like her, your mother. Their magic was strong, like how yours is."

"So they were both magical?"

"Yes, from old pureblood American families."

But pureblood families were... evil .

In all her readings, that was the one glaring factor. Sure, you had some exceptions to the rules. The Potters, the Weasleys, the Prewetts, all good pureblood families who fought for what was right. Maybe that is what they had been like.

At least that is what Daphne had hoped.

"I see that look in your eyes child and it was not like that. I do not need to be a legilimen to know what you are thinking. They were good people, your family, your parents were quite kind. Modern even, your father worked with muggles. Beliefs in blood supremacy are not as strong here, since so many witches and wizards come from all over. Not to say there is none of it, but less so."

This was a good sign. She should ask more, but it seemed as if all the questions Daphne had been dying to know for years simply slipped from her mind.

"My, my parents, are they...? Do they know where I am? How come they gave me up?"

The answer was in Trelawney's eyes. An answer that Daphne was not sure she would ever be ready to hear.

"They are dead my dear, that is why you ended up where you did. Merlin knows I tried to find you. After I met Rionach Mason for the first time, I told her of my vision. She was alarmed, rightly so I suppose. She told your father and they thought it best to keep me away from you. Their family lines were old...but not strong. They were both headstrong, a tad foolish it seems now." Trelawney sighed, setting down her book.

Daphne swiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand. Tears were dripping onto the open pages in front of her, smearing the ink.

"How did they, when did they..." She couldn't bring herself to say it.