If I Fall for You [Harry Potter: Next Generation]

18. The Truth

A/N: Shoutout to my pal Lindsey Stirling – she played a crucial role in the long and tedious process of putting together this writer's block-infected disclosure chappy, and I also LUV HER!!!! So as a treat for my unicorns, I have included one of her masterpieces for you to enjoy while you read. (Let me know if it's not showing up).
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The staff room filled once more, headmaster/mistresses, staff, Minister for Magic, Weasleys, Potters and Malfoys — for Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy had been hastily notified — cramming in to have their questions answered. Vanessa Ryan was unconscious again, which was just so completely ridiculous Rose had to suppress a sudden urge to snicker.

Vanessa was propped up against the back of an armchair. Professor McGonagall knelt beside her, emptying a flask of potion — Truth potion — into Vanessa's half-open mouth; she stirred, eyes peeling open groggily to stare blankly up at them.

"I would like you to explain this business," McGonagall ordered tersely. "Start from the beginning. The very beginning. How did you manage to acquire He Who Must Not Be Named's soul — I assume that is what it is?"

"In detail," the Minister added.

"This business? Ah, yes." A twisted, trancelike smile came over Vanessa's features. "Of course. Well, I suppose I will tell you.

"Everything started with my father, he was a Death Eater in his time — he died at the battle that took place in this very school of yours, years ago. Monsieur — " she jerked her head in Professor Longbottom's direction " — you cut off the head of the Dark Lord's snake, no? You thought to destroy the last seventh of the Dark Lord's soul with one slice — ah, but you underestimated him! A brain can achieve things beyond our comprehension, even a snake's brain. Father acted quickly: he took the snake's head, extracted the remaining soul, and tied the petit section of the Dark Lord's soul to a magically enforced jar.

"Father would have redone the resurrection stunt which Peter Pettigrew performed long ago — but, no true servant of the Dark Lord was in a position to be donating a hand, and those who were... they were not faithful enough. The battle has been lost, they said, why risk all for desperate hopes? My father himself was unwilling to make such a sacrifice, so he must instead delve into the darkest of magics to find an alternate remedy.

"Ah, but soon after this my father died of a mysterious sickness. After his death, no one was willing to finish what he had started. But I'd been helping him in his research, and I kept it up even after his death — until, a few years later, I unearthed another formula, where you could tap someone else's soul with the right spells and transfer the strength from that soul to the almost-dead one.

"Of course, I instantly wanted to use Harry Potter — who else? But no one would help. It seemed as though I was the only one who wanted the Dark Lord back — and I have never really worked for his real self, he was defeated when I was very young.

"So, it would be impossible to get Potter. I waited, and waited, for an opportunity. Then, finally, I heard of the Triwizard Tournament. It would be the perfect cover! So I went."

"Wait a minute," Rose interrupted. "Ryan. How come you were at Hogwarts a week before the rest of your school?"

"I was getting there, Weasley," Vanessa drawled, as much as it is possible to drawl when you technically aren't even aware of what you're saying. "Obviously, I had to put things in place before the Tournament! Since I couldn't have Harry Potter himself — I went for his son. Just to test him, I sent a letter asking him to help me kidnap Scorpius Malfoy. Imagine my surprise when he actually agreed! Well, that changed things! It looked like I would actually have to use young Mr. Malfoy's soul, after all.