The Heart Is Not Black or White

Chapter 13

~Dumbledore's POV~

A knock sounded on the door of my office. Fawkes let out a squak. I knew who it was.

"Come in," I called.

The door opened and a small girl stepped inside the room. Her striking green eyes looked around curiously, then finally settled on me.

"Hello Marissa," I greeted her. "I was wondering when you would come to me."

"Did you know my parents?" She asked me at once.

"Sit down and I will tell all," I answered.

Marissa walked over to the chair in front of my desk and sat down.

"I bet when you arrived here a couple of days ago that you have come across a few confusing things," I said.

"Yes," Marissa said. "I was told that I could trust you, and I was hoping you could give me some answers."

"I believe I can provide some... But not all, I am afraid." There were some things that she was just not ready to know yet. "What would you like to know?"

She seemed to think for a second, then said, "Who is Harry Potter?"

At this I hesitated, sorting out things in my mind that I could tell her.

"Many years ago," I started. "A very dark wizard named Lord Voldemort rose to power. It was very terrible times. He had many followers, called Death Eaters. Voldemort and the Death Eaters would go around killing muggles and muggle-borns, and anyone who dared to say a word against him. Unfortunately, Voldemort had something against the Potter family. The family went into hiding, but he was able to find them. Sadly James and Lily Potter were killed, but for some reason he was unable to kill Harry."

"Is Voldemort... You-Know-Who?" She asked quietly.

"Yes," I replied. "Many students, and wizards, refer to Voldemort as You-Know-Who. But if you fear the name, you will only build up your fear of the actual object."

"Why did Voldemort want to kill the Potters?" Marissa asked.

"I do not know," I lied.

"Do you know the reason why he was unable to kill Harry?" She was just firing off every question that popped into her head. I was glad she wanted to know, but she wasn't ready.

"I believe," I started slowly. "That Lily's love for her son was so strong, that Voldemort could not, in a manner of speaking, break through that barrier."

Marissa looked down, seeming to consider this. She looked up with a hopeful look in her eye and whispered, "Can love really do things like that?"

"I believe so," I said, smiling at her.
"Now Marissa, I have something to ask you."

"What do you want to know, Professor?"

"Mr. Olivander sent me a rather interesting owl about a week ago. He told me what your wand is made of. It's a unique mix. It's made of dogwood and hawthorne, with a a dragon heartstring core and a strand of a unicorn tail. Too many substances for your average wand. Olivander also told me about what happened when you got your wand. Do you know anything that could explain these peculiar events?"

She shook her head. "There are a lot of strange things going on that I haven't been able to explain. As for the wand, it seems stuffed with lots of things, but I don't know why."

I nodded my head, perplexed. For once, I didn't have all the answers.

"Tell me one thing," I said. "Which Weasley boy were you with?"

"Fred," Marissa answered with a twinkle in her eye.

"Hmm," I mused. "I think that is all for today. I believe you have a detention to get to?"

Marissa nodded, blushing. I could tell she wanted to know more, but she wasn't ready. Some things would come to her, or I would tell her in due time.

I looked at this little girl, with the palest skin and hair as black as night. She looked so timid, yet so brave. Marissa would have made a wonderful Gryffindor, if the prophecy had not suggested otherwise.