Daughter of Black

Chapter 35- The End of Term

Confusion had been sitting on V's mind for the past week now; confusion about the third task, confusion about what Barty Crouch Jr had said. She was simply confused. So despite staying up late to pack her things, getting ready for the summer holidays, she got up early and made her way down to the greenhouses, counting her blessings and ignoring those things that annoyed her or confused her.

She entered the fresh smelling rooms, finding Professor Sprout who gave her a weary smile. V really felt for all the Hufflepuff's, especially Professor Sprout after losing their star student and someone so kind and brave.

"How are you holding up?" V asked as she helped carry some bags of soil.

"I'm alright dear, thanks for asking. The rest of the house has been especially gloomy but who can blame them?" Professor Sprout replied.

"Mmm." V murmured but she really couldn't think of much more to say.

"But another question is, how are you holding up?" Professor Sprout then asked.

"Well I'm fine I guess." V said with a shrugg. "I- ah- actually, I've been wondering, for a week now, what did my uncle do?"

Suddenly Professor Sprout went still and stopped moving as if an old foe had walked into the room. She looked at V, except this time without loving sympathy or a welcoming smile, making V feel rather uncomfortable. This however just made V more curious.

Professor Sprout noticed her stance and quickly got working again saying, "Well you know I don't like talking about the bad things that people have done in the past, especially considering this is your family and I'd just be giving you unnecessary guilt."

"Guilt?" V asked but Professor Sprout ignored her.

"Has this something to do with Barty Crouch Jr?" Professor Sprout asked.

"Yes but he said that the dark lord would forgive me for something my uncle did implying that my uncle did something good, because the dark lord is... well... has twisted morals."

"I'm sorry V but all I know of your uncle was that he was a quiet mysterious Slytherin student who dropped out in his seventh year to become a deatheater. Then passed at a very young age." Professor Sprout said sharply in attempt to ward V off of the topic but V noticed something flash across her eyes and again, her curiosity grew.

"You know more." V stated, looking Professor Sprout in the eye.

"Look, he was very smart, he could've been just as smart as your father but he well, went off into dark magic and that was that. If there was something good that he had done I would tell you but there's nothing really more I know and you know I prefer to speak the positives about others. Maybe he has done something good but if he has, he probably did it in secret." Professor Sprout said and V decided to rest her case there.

V didn't mention anything of the topic again that morning and later went back to the castle spending her last few hours grabbing all her trunks and getting ready to leave like everyone else. The castle however remained solemn with a memorial for Cedric still fresh in their minds and the new scare of the dark lord emerging.

Everyone was getting ready to go down to the Hogsmeade train station but were quickly saying goodbye to all their friends. V found George in the courtyard sitting on a bench, for a change by himself so she sat down next to him saying, "It's been a whale since I last saw you."

George shook his head saying, "Get otter here, we saw each other yesterday."

"Long time to me." She said leaning her head on his shoulder.