Dark Magic

Grim Defeat

"Miss Potter?"

I gasped at the voice, opening my eyes to find myself facing none other than, "Professor Dumbledore?" My eyebrows furrowed, to the wise man's amusement. "You wasn't expecting to be brought here, were you?" He smirked.

My eyes widened, like a deer caught in the headlights, "I-I...I was just-" The Headmaster waved his hand dismissively at my attempt to formulate a convincing story. "-That was quite an impressive feat, my dear; it takes a witch or wizard years-sometimes even a lifetime-to master the art of apparition. And yet, you managed to conquer such a task in a single evening." His eyebrow arched with satisfaction.

Glancing around his office, I found myself confused at his words, "But if I did it right, then why am I...-" I trailed away, allowing him to finish my sentence for me.

"-I've had my eye on you for a while, Miss Potter. When I saw you disapparate, I decided to follow you and brought you straight back here before you even noticed your arrival at the Orphanage." He glanced at his pet Phoenix, allowing it to gnaw on his index finger lovingly. "Fawkes is the only creature powerful enough to grant magical access in and out of the school. Tell me, my dear..." The man paused for a moment, as though trying to decipher the riddle himself.

"Why did you wish to visit the orphanage you came from, tonight?" 

I gulped, avoiding eye contact with the wise Professor. It was no use in lying, I had decided.

"Professor Lupin; I think he revealed something to me that he shouldn't have today-after the match." I licked my lips in deliberation. 

"And what, exactly, did he reveal to you?" The man looked slightly worried.

I shrugged, "I already know that he is a werewolf...And my Godfather." Dumbledore let out a short sigh of relief at my comment, "Ah." He breathed.

My lips pursed in response, "But he seemed rather confused at my upbringing in Wools'; Like I was meant to grow up somewhere else? He seemed shocked that someone had sent me there in the first place."

Dumbledore's gaze now averted from my own and onto the grey, slate tiles beneath his feet. And without less than a second's thought, he shot up to face me and spoke with complete confidence, "It was me."

Slightly stunned by his confession, my head grew a little dazed for a moment, "You? Why?"

The man shrugged, "Do not think unkindly of me, my dear. It was too great a risk to keep you in the wizarding world, as you remember I told you last year. Too many eyes that may have wanted you dead. I couldn't take the risk and knew you would be safer in the muggle world."

I found myself feeling a slight disappointment at his reasoning; almost wishful that it was not the truth. I couldn't bare to think it was the person I originally believed to have been the one to dump me on an orphanage doorstep; the very man that fought to get my out of there in the first place. Ridding my mind of the thought, I realised I had not responded to my Headmaster, "Oh. Yes, I remember."

He took a few steps forth, taking my shoulders tightly in his grasp, "Now that that's settled, I will need to escort you back to your Common Room and implore you to never walk the castle grounds alone and at night again. It is far too dangerous, at the present time." 

The Professor took my hand in his arm, as we made our way in the direction of the dungeons. "I never came down here much, in my school years. Except for one year, when my friend and I snuck into the Slytherin common room to put bat's breath into Marvolo Gaunt's morning brew." He chuckled, covering his lip in false guilt. 

Giggling, the realisation soon occurred at the name he spoke's familiarity, "Marvolo? As in-..." Dumbledore nodded, averting his gaze ominously to the floor, once again, "Tom Riddle's grandfather, yes. Indeed."

My breath hitched at the mention of his name. Only, Dumbledore did not fear it like the rest of the world; he did not even flinch as he spoke the words, like everyone else did. "Why did Voldemort choose us? Why our mum and dad?" I felt myself growing a little emotional, as we came to a halt outside the entrance to the common room. 

Dumbledore looked slightly dazed, his eyes gazing off into oblivion. "It is a question that has often plagued my mind, Miss Potter. When I find the answer, one day, I will share it with you." He extended his hand, which I accepted with a firm shake. I believed his promise. Something in his eyes told me he would keep it.

"Professor, I have to ask...At the match, you cast a Patronus to deter the Dementors?" He hummed in acknowledgement of my questioning. "What was your happy memory?" I asked finally, hoping it wasn't too intrusive. His mind opened up to me for a moment, allowing me to take a short and extremely brief glance inside. 

A perfect photograph of a young gentleman revealed itself before me; he was very tall and slender-built. His eyes were two, perfectly mis-matched colours of chocolate brown and ice blue. His hair; blonde, almost platinum white. And yet, through all his perfect qualities, resided that of a slightly sinister nature. Ominous and foreboding...

Dumbledore's mind closed, once again, as a book would on its final page. A small and knowing grin made its way through his lips as he tapped his index finger against his nose knowingly. "What was yours?"

Had I unknowingly opened my mind up to him, in those brief moments he allowed me to infiltrate his own? Something made my feel slightly invaded, and I knew how Snape had felt when I delved into his thoughts so easily. I would need to teach myself how to protect my own mind from such an intrusion. And yet, Dumbledore did not flinch at the image of my Patronus source; as a matter of fact, he even understood it a little...

"Serpent Nocturnus." I spoke, the doors opening as I stepped inside. "Goodnight, Professor." I smiled. He nodded, "Goodnight." Waving as the doorway closed and I made my way back up to the dormitory. It was getting on for 3am, and it would be nice to get a few hours' sleep before the new day approached.

I had already, decided, however, that I would try and disapparate again. Perhaps, not to the orphanage...But just to train myself on the spell successfully. Removing the pillows I had fluffed under my covers, I curled into bed and fell into a deep sleep, Pearl sitting at the foot of my bed keeping my toes warm throughout the night...

***

I felt like a zombie the next morning, dressing for the Sunday and making my way down to the Great Hall. My hair fell across my face in ringlets as I tried to make myself as invisible as possible. Unfortunately, an impossible task when being one of the Potter siblings and a fiery, red-head.

The day was fairly normal. I managed to catch up with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Although, Harry had to spend the rest of the weekend in the hospital wing, being discharged later that night. I had already decided to set myself the impossible task of securing him a new broom in time for Christmas. I'd have to ask Dumbledore for access to our parents' vault in Gringotts Bank. It was for a good cause, after all. Even if it meant the possibility of Gryffindor beating us in the tournament that year. I wasn't one for cheating, or leaving any of the opposing teams at a disadvantage.  

Ron, Hermione and I spent most of the day walking around the school grounds and talking about Christmas break. It was November, after all. Snow had began to fall around the castle. To my surprise and everyone else's confusion, however, the Black Lake did not ice over that winter. A new enchantment, according to Hermione, that Dumbledore had enforced. I could only put it down to the accident that occurred the last Christmas at Hogwarts...

Evening soon approached, as we helped ourselves to a hearty serving of Sunday roast. It was incredible, as always. However, before we were dismissed to our dormitories, Harry managed to grab me and quickly tell me that our movements were being monitored. I could confirm this, due to Dumbledore's statement the night prior. Of course, I withheld this information from Harry.

My brother had heard Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall discussing the matter on the previous night, but couldn't tell me because Ron and Hermione were in the hospital wing with us, at the time. I couldn't understand why. But we collectively decided to revoke our promise to not go into Hogsmeade, deciding we would sneak into town the following day with the rest of the students, with Harry's invisibility cloak. We needed answers, fast. Perhaps, Hogsmeade could provide them...If not, it would prove to be a great day out, even if nobody could see us...