Vanish [book 1 Harry Potter]

Ch. 7 [part two]

"I don't see why we thought this would be an easy mission." James muttered, shaking his head and clenching his fists. "We can't do anything right... It was just like us to run into that stupid Professor Biggerstaff."

"At least we didn't show ourselves. And now we know she's not on our side, at least." I reminded my older brother. He was still beating himself up about the incident two days ago, and he never failed to rant about it any spare time we had.

"I suppose so." He muttered, his dark eyes glittering dangerously. "I mean, that's good towards the war effort I suppose..."

I didn't bother to respond, leaving him to his thoughts and stepping closer to the small, raggedy house of a famous Gryffindor witch, Adeline Croft. Hesitantly, wand in hand, I knocked lightly on the door, holding my breath. "Adeline Croft?"

A moment later, a wand was held directly at my face, hovering in front of me. "State your buisness." The witch barked, and I took the quick opportunity to look her over.

She was petite and on the shorter side by quite a bit. Her hair was dark, with a few streaks of a glowering silvery color gleaming within it. Her eyes were cold and icy blue, full of fire and ice. She wore shabby gray-brown robes, a bit to long for her, so that she was stepping on the hem. Still, she held herself tall, wand hand trembling slightly.

"Hello, Miss Croft." I greeted politely, keeping my tone careful and controlled. "My names Albus Potter. I've come to gather some information from you. This is my brother, James Potter."

Adeline's wand drooped a bit, her eyes widening and becoming misty. "James? Bah, lies! He died quite a long time ago, my boy!"

I held my breath, carefully tucking my wand away into the folds of my robes. "We're his grandchildren, ma'm. Sons of Harry and Ginny Potter."

"His son's married, with children? Dear me, I simply must get out more..." Hesitantly, she stepped to one side. "Come in then, dears. We have much to talk about."

A couple short minutes later, we were sitting on her small beige couch, a floating pan offering us all steaming cups of tea and crackers. After carefully stating I didn't want any, James nodding in agreement, we got down to buisness. "Miss Croft, this is the town a young women named Aerona grew up in, in the nearby orphanage. Did you know her?"

Adeline Croft's gaze grew dark and stormy, her eyes flashing wickedly. "Yes, I know of her. A dreadful young witch, if you ask me, but I don't like to judge." She paused, promptly slushing a few drops of brown tea onto her robes. "Oh, dear." She muttered, taking a napkin and carefully dabbing at her lap.

"Anyway, yes, I know of her. She was always rather rude, often preferring the company of a few Dark wizards instead of her kindly neighbors. She was always rather odd, to. I'd catch her talking to herself sometimes...disturbed, if you ask me."

"And then, my Granddaughter, she does not know why Aerona hates her so. Poor N-" and she cut herself off abruptly, nodding brusquely at us. "Right. Now that I've told you what I know, you really must be going,,."

"Why does she hate your granddaughter?" I asked softly, eyes wide.

Adeline Croft hesitated. Then, she nodded, gesturing towards a nearby cabinet. "I can... I can show you a memory of the event with the Pensive."

She led us to the cabinet, swiftly opening it. "Just dip your heads in there." She murmured after abstracting silvery whiteness from her wand into the cauldron.

I hesitated, then plunged my head directly into the liquid, gasping as I began to all forward. Then, rapidly, I was on my feet, and nearby, Adeline Croft stood. Now, she looked much younger, her hair absent from the silvering it held in present time, her eyes flashing defiantly. "What brings you to my humble home, Carlotta?" Adeline asked tightly, her teeth slightly gritted.

The women standing before her, Carlotta, smiled wickedly. She looked quite a bit like Aerona, with the same wild dark curls and pale, milky skin. She had the same sunken, crazed look, her features wild and unpredictable. "Oh, dear me." Carlotta laughed huskily, her eyes glinting. "Adeline Croft. It's been to long, Adeline."

"Not long enough, if you ask me." Adeline retorted, jaw clenching. "State your business and leave."

Carlotta looked momentarily angered, but her face quickly smoothed over again, displaying no readable emotion. "The Dark Lord is angry, Adeline. He's angry at you. He wants you recruited. He will not rest until that is the case. Imagine, Adeline, the power, the ambition of such a thing..."

"Do I look like a Death Eater to you, Carlotta? I'm not. I never will be. Your little Master will do well to remember that. I'm not some pawn, to be played with like a chest piece." Adeline snapped, and my respect for her skyrocketed.

Carlotta's eyes narrowed. Her teeth gnashed together. "We will remember this, Adeline. You'll regret this, I promise."

I gasped as I was suddenly falling out of the memory, and when I opened my eyes again, I was back in Adeline Croft's house. "Bellatrix Lestrange's cousin." Adeline informed James and I grimly. "Not a good character, I'll tell you right now. Carlotta had a nasty temper, to."

"Miss Croft? Who's your granddaughter?" I mumbled, feeling faintly light-headed and dazed.

Her expression grew sharp, and then she sighed, her eyes softening. "Two of them, actually, twins. Girls. Forth years, I believe. Neither know I exist or that I'm their grandmother."

"Why not? I think you'd be a fairly good grandmother." James piped up, looking briefly puzzled.

"I was a Gryffindor." Adeline replied simple, the light in her eyes dimming. "That was enough. Aiken never felt the need to tell anybody about our secret marriage: I was a Gryffindor, and he was a proud, pure-blooded Slytherin: it simply wouldn't do. His family would not approve. Tent would have forced us into a divorce. We were very much in love, but all good things end: he left me and took the child a year after she was born."

"And then, our daughter found out. She was determined to forget I existed: to proud and Slytherin for her own good. She birthed twin girls. However, she thought one little girl, the blonde twin, looked to different. She thought it would make people begin to think one wasn't her husbands child. The foolish girl gave her up to a young Slytherin pure-blooded couple."

Adeline sighed, her eyes sad. "From what I've heard, they both thrive at Hogwarts. Good grades, although both are quite the trouble-makers."

"Miss Croft? What are there names?" Curiosity flowed through my veins as I looked earnestly at the witch.

Adeline hesitated again. "Natalie and Emory."

Instantly, nausea crashed down onto me, and I could only gape at her, feeling myself begin to pale. There was no way...not my Natalie and the sly, cunning little Slytherin Death Eater, Emory. Natalie and Emory were to different to be twins, both in personalities and looks. "No..." I whispered hoarsely, glancing over to see James's was quite pale as well.

"I assume you know them?" Adeline questioned, curiosity and hunger flooding her face. "Are they clever? Michevious? Funny?"

"Well...Natalie is." I managed to sputter out. "And Emory's, er...a Slytherin alright."

"Are you found of my granddaughter Natalie, then?" Adeline asked, wide-eyed and eager. "Is she quite as pretty as she seems?"

"Yes." I admitted. "She's very pretty. She has admirable intelligence, and she's rather witty. She keeps me on my toes, that's for sure. And she's brave, so very brave..."

Adeline's smile was fond now, her eyes gentle and kind. "She sounds lovely, dear. I'm glad you like her so. I certainly approve. You seem like a nice, patient boy,"

"Thank you." I mumbled, and I could not help but feel a rush of affection for the aging women.

Adeline nodded, and then, her face still positively glowing, she hugged me carefully. "Treat her well, young man, or I'll have your tail, whether I know her or not. She's still my granddaughter, no matter what the circumstances, mister. Always heed that and we'll be just fine."

"Your approval means a lot." I said honestly, quickly shaking her hand. "Thank you, Miss Croft."

"Call me Adeline." she smiled. "Miss Croft just makes me feel even older."

Now how to tell Natalie...