The Daughter of Sirius Black

Chapter 120

With his face inside the Pensieve, Harry looked at the memories that Professor Snape had given him. The ones of how he and his mother were friends both before and during their Hogwarts days, despite the fact that they were in different houses. How Harry's father and band of friends tormented Snape for no good reason. How Snape turned spy and agreed to give Dumbledore information if he hid Lily, James and Harry so the Dark Lord didn't kill them.

And even the night his parents died.

But there were two memories in particular that interested Harry the most.

The first one being the memory of the conversation Snape had with Rosalee that day in the hospital wing after Ron had been poisoned.

"What is it, Professor?" Rosa had asked as they walked into an empty classroom, Snape locking the door and silencing the room.

"It's Draco."

Rosalee only rolled her eyes.

"What about my deplorable cousin?"

Snape's head snapped to her.

"Do not speak of such things like that when you possess no knowledge about them," he warned but Rosalee didn't shy away.

"I am no longer a student here and you have no authority over me, but by all means, enlighten me, Professor, as to how Draco is not deplorable."

"I made an Unbreakable Vow," Snape began and already Rosalee's body language had changed.

"Over what?" she asked worriedly.

"Dumbledore is dying. He's been cursed by very dark and very powerful magic. He has little under a year to live," Snape began and Leona blinked hard.

"Ok, but what does that have to do with Draco and your Vow?"

"The Dark Lord has ordered Draco to kill Dumbledore."

Rosalee's eyes widened. That was the mission Harry was talking about at Christmas. The one Snape lied to her about having no knowledge about in his letter.

"Tell me that's not why Dumbledore wants you to be the one to kill him."

"Part of the reason. He believes the action will win me favour with the Dark Lord."

"Ok, but why are you telling me this? Why now? What I can do about it?" she asked, heart racing as she pushed her hair back with one hand.

"I need you to help Draco. I need you to make him see that he is not alone and that he doesn't have to do this. You are his cousin; he may open up to you."

Rosalee sighed again.

"I will try but I can promise you nothing. Draco is just as stubborn as I am, if not more."

Snape chuckled lowly.

"No one is as stubborn as you and your family Miss Black."

Rosalee gave him a small smile before asking, "And if it doesn't work and Draco kills Dumbledore?" 

"I will not be letting that happen. Draco does not have the heart to become a murderer, and the Vow will kill me if I don't do it."

"You have my word Professor; I'll try and talk some sense into Draco."

Weights seemed to lift off the dark-robed man as he let out a breath.

"Thank you, Miss Black," he said simply before turning to leave, but stopping himself. "Should you ever find yourself against Bellatrix Lestrange again, might I recommend the spell Sectumsempra? Adds a little more flair to your standard killing curse."

Rosalee nodded her head. "I'll keep that in mind, sir."

Her eyes then drifted to the floor as Snape turned to leave.

"Professor!" Rosalee called at the last minute when Snape had his hand on the doorknob.

He turned his head, staying silent as he waited for her to speak.

"The dark and powerful magic that cursed Dumbledore, what was it?" she asked.

Though Harry knew the answer, he was still surprised that that was the question his sister asked, unknowing of the fact that in that moment, Rosalee had no idea why she asked that question too.

Snape looked torn at whether or not he should answer but he eventually said, "It was a Horcrux."

And as Snape left, you could see the gears turning in Rosalee's head as it all suddenly clicked.

From the bag she had strapped around her body, the bag that she'd stashed her and the twins' brooms in, she pulled out an old potion's book, the rare book the twins had given her from Christmas almost eight years ago.

Harry peaked over his sister's shoulder as he watched her flip through the pages before landing on the very last one.

It was a reference page, a glossary of sorts. Certain potions were defences, or offences, or didn't work at all against certain spells and were listed on that page.

His sister muttered the word, "Horcrux," to herself over and over as she ran her finger down the page before coming to a halt and her eyes widened in realisation as she discovered what a Horcrux was.

And Rosalee slammed the book shut as she stuffed it back into her bag before starting for the door.

"If Snape doesn't kill Dumbledore, I will."

And the memory dissipated, Harry having a horrid guess at what his sister had just realised.

A guess that was proven correct by the next and last memory that Harry saw.

The memory where Snape was discussing having to kill Dumbledore in his office before the older wizard confirmed what Harry had guessed and what his sister knew.

Harry was a Horcrux.

And Dumbledore had been keeping Harry safe all this time just so he could die at the proper moment.

That was why Rosalee didn't stop Dumbledore's murder that night at the Astronomy Tower.

That was why she had been so reluctant to help Dumbledore that night that Harry summoned her for help fighting against those undead creatures.

She had known.

And she had known that there was nothing that she could do to stop it.

And if they wanted to end this war once and for all, there was nothing Harry could do to stop it either.