Disclaimer: I don't, nor will I ever, own Harry Potter.
Genre: Action/Adventure, Humor, Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Chapter Word Count: 10, 067
Rating: M
Warning: Language, Gender bending, Violence, Mentions of Child Abuse
Life and Royalty Chapter Two: Growing
Lin was extremely alarmed to learn that as a Ravenclaw first year, she expected to learn to fly on a broom.
"Aw, it'll be alright Gwen." Padma said softly as she, Lin and Su made their way to the grounds for their first lesson.
"Yeah, whatever." Lin muttered in annoyance.
"Line up beside a broomstick children, quickly now, quickly!" A woman who announced herself as Madam Hooch, the flying instructor, barked.
"Now, for whatever reason the school has decided to have all the houses together for your flying lesson." She gave them a bitter look. "Now, it's already hard enough to teach two houses so Professors McGonagall and Snape have kindly agreed to help me teach you all."
The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs gasped and cringed, respectively, at the sight of the man.
Lin sighed as she and her fellow Ravens stood by the school's busted old brooms.
"Stick out your right hand over your broom," Madam Hooch called to them, "and say 'Up!'"
"Up!" The collective class roared. Lin's shot into her hand and, to her amusement only two others did.
The professors showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off, embarrassing many smug children in the process.
"Now when I blow my whistle, you kick off the ground, hard." Madam Hooch told them looking menacing. "Keep the brooms steady, rise a few feet, then come right back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle – Three – Two –"
But Neville, the shy brown-haired boy Lin met on the boat, panicked and kicked off before she could blow the whistle and then crashed into the ground with an alarming force.
"Oh Merlin!" Professor McGonagall gasped and rushed over with Madam Hooch to take Neville to the hospital wing.
Soon as McGonagall was gone Malfoy strutted forward, arrogantly.
"Did you see his face, the great lump?" He giggled as Pansy Parkinson and his body guards, Crabbe and Goyle, joined in.
"Shut up, Malfoy!" Parvati Patil, Padma's twin, snapped. Snape raised an amused eyebrow, seeing as it seemed all the kids had forgotten he was there except Lin, who had abandoned her broom and was glaring at the professor in annoyance.
"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom. Never thought you'd like fat crybabies, Parvati." Pansy mocked Parvati.
"Look Longbottom dropped that stupid Remembrall!" Malfoy crowed at the same time Padma snarled in a surprisingly harsh way to Pansy:
"Shut up. Don't talk to my sister that way!"
Pansy, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle looked at the girl frigidly.
"What'll you do if I don't?" The pug-faced girl asked cruelly. Snape could feel Lin's glare get harder but couldn't bring himself to break up the budding fight, not when it was just getting good!
"Then I'll be shutting you up then, won't I?" Lin said lowly stepping up beside Padma, who looked relieved.
"Stay outta this Potter." Malfoy told her stiffly.
"Why, so you can gang up on one of my best friends?" Lin glowered at him as Padma gasped softly.
"Cut it out Malfoy." Theo spoke up for the first time.
"Shut it Nott, everyone knows you're Potter little lapdog. Go sit like a good dog." Draco countered at the now irate Theo, who lunged at him, dropping them both and proceeded to beat Malfoy senseless. Su and Lin jumped on Crabbe and Goyle, while Parvati and Padma both grabbed a fistful of Pansy's hair. Before Snape could get a handle on it, all the first years joined in, hitting anyone within range. Severus included.
"NEVER IN ALL MY YEARS OF TEACHING HAVE I SEEN SUCH RECKLESS DISREGARD FOR AUTHORITY AND ORDER! ATTACKING A TEACHER?" Professor McGonagall roared at the assembled first years who had been gathered along with all the teachers into the great hall.
"20 POINTS FROM EACH OF YOU! DETENTION FOR THE NEXT MONTH! I DON'T CARE WHO STARTED IT! WE WILL BE WRITING TO EACH OF YOUR PARENTS!" She snarled as a couple of students tried to defend themselves.
"Straight to your dorms, now!" McGonagall seethed as the children filed out silently.
When the Slytherins and Ravenclaws were going to separate Lin turned to Theo, who looked ruffled but relatively unharmed. That was compared to Malfoy's split lip and black eye.
"At least we won." She stated cheerfully as Theo snorted.
One night, after a grueling month full of non-stop homework and back breaking detentions, Lin and Su were on their way back to the Ravenclaw common room when Peeves popped up.
"Students out of bounds!" He roared loudly upon seeing them. He then proceeded to chase through the hallways throwing random things for a while before they managed to lose him by opening a locked door and hiding in the room.
"I swear I'm gonna learn how to exorcize spirits." Su panted out, before she felt Lin shake her arm frantically.
"What?" Su asked annoyed, before turning around. A large 3 headed dog was staring at them hungrily.
"We should run…" Lin mumbled before they dived for the door and ran screaming out of the room.
"What do they think they're doing, keepin' a thing like that locked up in a school?" Lin growled as she and Su crashed into their room in Ravenclaw tower where Padma was waiting for them.
"What thing?" Their roommate asked.
"A dirty great Cerberus in the third floor corridor, that's what!" Su told her sitting down next to her, seemingly excited.
"You guys went there?" Padma gasped, "It's forbidden!"
"Since when?" Lin asked lazily as the girls gaped at her.
"Since…? Gwen, Dumbledore said so during the opening feast announcements. Weren't you listening?" Su asked her already knowing the answer somewhat.
"Probably not. Anyway what do you think is in that trapdoor it was standing on?" Lin asked thoughtfully.
"What trap door? I only saw teeth!" Su asked her suspiciously.
"You need to play more attention to your surroundings." That got Lin pushed off her bed by Su.
"Dork," Padma snorted, "I dunno what's there but I'm interested now."
"Cool, does anybody know how to take down a Cerberus?" Lin asked picking herself off the floor and flopping back on her bed.
"I'll look it up." Padma said confidently.
A few days later on Halloween, the Ravenclaws first years were having Charms with the Gryffindors and they had been paired up to practice the floating charm.
Su and Padma were partnered together while Lin was paired with Neville.
"Now don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing! Swish and flick." Tiny Professor Flitwick squeaked atop his pile of books.
Checking that no one was watching Lin swished and flicked, making the feather rise before she quickly set it down. A few seats away, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley were involved in an educational argument.
The red haired boy, who Lin recognized from that big red family at the station, looked irritated at the fact the bushy-haired girl was trying to help him.
"You're saying it wrong," She heard Granger snap when the redhead nearly took off her head. "It's Wing-gar-dium Leviosa, make the 'gar' nice and long."
"You do it, if you're so clever." Weasley snarled back.
Rolling up her sleeves, she flicked her wand and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.
"Oh, well done!" Flitwick cried, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"
Weasley slumped angrily into his seat till the end of class.
"It's no wonder no one can stand her," He complained to fellow Gryffindor Seamus Finnigan as they made their way out into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly."
Granger pushed past Finnigan and practically ran down the hall, in tears. Lin felt her irritation rise as the boys kept talking.
"I think she heard you." Finnigan said to Weasley.
"So? She must've noticed she's got no friends." Weasley said looking uneasy as Lin's self-control snapped.
"Suppose you think your cruelty is funny?" She said lowly, remembering the many times Delilah had encouraged the kids their age to bully her. Everyone around them stopped, remembering the 'Flying Lesson Brawl' as everyone called it now.
"Lay off Potter." Finnigan said looking apprehensive as Padma, Su, Parvati and Lavender – the latter two of the four having started hanging with them after the fight – flanked her.
"She was just trying to help you, you know." Padma said frowning at them.
"What's it to you anyway?" Weasley asked sweating slightly. Lin scowled at him.
"Just shut up, people like you disgust me." She snapped walking to their next class.
Later, on the way downstairs to the Halloween feast that had already started, Parvati told Padma that Hermione was in the girls' bathroom crying.
"Aw poor girl." Su said quietly as they walked, "Wanna go see if we can cheer her up?"
"But what about the feast?" Lavender asked longingly.
"You guys can go," Lin told them. "We'll catch up."
Parvati and Lavender left and the Ravenclaw trio made their way to find Hermione.
"I hate boys like that Weasley," Padma said quietly, "Just because you don't get something, you don't take it out on other people."
Opening the bathroom door the girls heard quiet crying.
"Granger?" Lin called into the room.
"Go away." A voice mumbled back tearfully.
"Can you smell something?" Padma asked quietly. Su looked over her shoulder and froze.
"Um guys," She whispered as a loud grunt sounded into the room, "Not to interrupt or anything but there's a mountain troll walking in the room." Padma and Lin whipped around before the trio backed up into the wall by the sinks where Hermione was huddled in stupefied horror.
The troll shook its head and turned its beady eyes toward them with a loud roar.
"Get up Granger." Lin hissed to girl as she raised her wand.
The troll started knocking sinks down with its huge club. It stopped a few feet in front of them.
"What do we do?" Su questioned, shrinking back.
"I dunno about you guys, but I intend to die fighting." Lin said before flicking her wand at one of the sinks behind the troll, made it float and launched it at the monster. It blinked, turned its head, and Lin ducked down to grab Hermione.
"Run, run now!" she snapped to the stiff girl. Padma picked up a pipe, ran to the other side of the room and tossed it at the lumbering giant.
"Hey, over here!" The girl shouted. Not feeling the pipe but hearing her voice the troll turned and lumbered towards the now trapped girl. Su gasped.
"Padma!" She yelled before taking a running leap onto the troll's back.
"Su, what the hell?" Lin slapped her forehead before pointing her wand at the troll's club.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Whipping her wand up, she sent the club crashing into the beast's skull. Su jumped off as it staggered and crashed to the floor, out cold.
"Everybody alright?" Lin asked as Padma and Su raced over.
Padma wrapped them in a big hug, including a startled Hermione.
"That was the scariest, coolest thing I've ever done. Wait till Vati hears about this!" Padma crowed beaming. Su snorted as Lin looked at Hermione.
"You alright?" She asked the brown-haired girl quietly, who looked at her for a moment and was about to reply when there was a sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but ofcourse, someone downstairs heard it.
Professor McGonagall burst into the room followed by Snape and Professor Quirrell, their inept Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Quirrell took one look at the troll, whimpered and slumped onto a toilet seat clutching his heart.
As Snape examined the troll McGonagall looked at them, infuriated. Lin likened her to Petunia the time she had turned her teacher's hair blue.
"What on earth were you thinking of?" McGonagall asked, cold fury in her voice. Lin resisted the urge to laugh at the red splotches on her face. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitories?"
Snape gave Lin a swift, piercing look. Her lips twitched.
"Please Professor McGonagall – they were looking for me."
"Miss Granger!" Hermione lowered her eyes so they didn't meet McGonagall's.
"I went looking for the troll because I… I thought I could deal with it on my own – you know, because I've read all about them."
Su blinked and Lin fought down a giggle.
"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead by now. Padma distracted it and Gwen knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they got here."
Padma and Su tried to look like the story wasn't new to them and Lin glared at Hermione for the 'Gwen' slip.
"Well – in that case…" Professor McGonagall said staring at the four of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of taking on a fully grown mountain troll on your own?" Hermione hung her head.
"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," McGonagall told her. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt go to Gryffindor tower, the students are finishing their feasts in their houses." Hermione left.
McGonagall turned to the three Ravenclaws.
"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win five points for Ravenclaw, Professors Dumbledore and Flitwick will be informed of this. You may go."
One floor up Lin burst into laughter as Padma and Su stared.
"What so funny?" Padma quirked an eyebrow at the girl.
"Haaa, did you see her face?" Lin cackled.
"Gwen, you need help…" Su sighed.
When December came Hogwarts found itself under several feet of snow. The lake froze and the hallways and dungeons became very cold and drafty.
Lin found herself thankful that she had looked up warming charms before.
"I do feel so sorry for all those people who have to say at Hogwarts because they're not wanted at home." Draco said one potions class.
Malfoy had started to rear his slick blonde head, boasting about the wonderful Christmas in Greece he was going to have while sneering in Lin's direction, who didn't care and had signed up to stay at Hogwarts for winter break.
She kicked him in the shins just for fun.
Padma was leaving but Su had decided to stay this year.
"You guys should come to my house next year." Padma said as she packed. "Mother loves having guests; it's too bad we're going to Egypt this Christmas to visit my brother."
"Why is your brother in Egypt?" Lin asked from where she was flopped on Su's bed.
"He's an archeologist; he works with the curse breakers there to dig up tombs." Padma told them.
"Cool that sounds like fun." Su said cheerfully.
"I saw you got Snape a present Gwen." Padma smirked shutting her trunk; Wanda lifted her head from where she was lounging on Lin's bed at the noise.
"What? Why would you do that?" Su gasped.
"Why is that so surprising? You guys are nerds, Rowena herself would be proud." Lin snorted.
"Don't change the subject, the fact that Padma is a nerd has nothing to do with Snape's present!" Su declared as Padma looked affronted.
"I'm gonna bring it to him on Christmas. Cause that's what you do on Christmas, duh." Lin stated the last part after Su opened her mouth to reply.
"Snape is like, the last person I'd ever expect you to have a crush on." Padma said lightly.
"Yeah, whatever."
"So the Cerberus bit you?" Lin asked Snape as she handed him his present. They were sitting in Snape's office on Christmas Eve morning after breakfast.
"Do I even want to know why you know about that? And yes it bit me, too many heads." Snape told her opening the gift which turned out to be nightshade, a rare plant that bloomed once every 7 years in remote places in the world.
"I wrote the potions shop and told them to give me the rarest thing they had since I have no idea what you would like." Lin said shrugging.
"Thanks, nightshade is really expensive. Can't get it on a teacher's salary." He snorted. Walking to the back of the room where a bookshelf was he reached up, hesitating for a second and grabbed for an empty bottle.
Putting his wand to his temple he pulled it away, bringing with it a silvery strand that he put in the bottle.
He walked over to Lin and handed her the bottle.
"This is a memory of your mother; she was very special to me." Snape told her softly.
"…Thank you." Lin mumbled, inwardly not caring. "How do I see it?"
"Come back later, I'll see if I can borrow Professor Dumbledore's peniseve." He said turning away from her, which Lin took as a dismissal.
Lin woke up early on Christmas morning feeling like she was being watched. Opening her eyes just a little she saw a butterfly float out of the room. Shrugging she got up went to Padma's bed, grabbed the pillow and threw it at Su, who fell out of bed.
'Isn't it the middle of winter? Why would a butterfly still be –' Lin's musing was cut off when Padma's pillow smacked her in the face.
The now awake Su snickered, jumping happily on her bed. Lin noted in amusement she was wearing footie pajamas.
"Stop daydreaming; presents!" Lin blinked.
"What are you talking about? I've never gotten a present in my life." She told Su, forgetting about Snape's memory completely, having already buried it in her trunk.
"What?" Su asked horrified, Lin shrugged.
"Unless a beating counts, the Dursleys were always quite keen to tell me I deserved it." She said an uninterested voice. Su covered her mouth with her hands, and tears slid down her cheeks.
"Oh Gwen, your aunt and uncle weren't right! You don't deserve that, that's horrid." Su whispered getting up and hugging her. Lin sighed softly.
"It's alright Su. I don't care about them; it's not worth crying over." She told her.
"Have you told a teacher?" Lin shook her head.
"What good will it do? Dumbledore was the one that put me there in the first place. I get the feeling that any complaint I make will be swept under the rug. It's not worth it." She repeated.
"Why don't you open your presents?" Lin coaxed Su, wanting the girl to stop thinking of her problems.
"Only if you open yours too." Su said wiping her face.
Lin opened the first box which strangely enough was from Hermione – who had taken to hanging around them since the troll incident – containing a box of chocolate frogs.
The next was a big box from an R. J. Lupin, and when Lin opened it she was disappointed to see a photo album full of pictures of her parents. When she opened it a note fell out:
'Your father was my best friend in school and your mother was the most caring person I knew. I know Petunia can't have told you much of them but hopefully these pictures will bring joy.
Happy Christmas.'
Lin decided just not to be mad that the man was alive and had never thought to check on her well being in the slightest. She just threw the album in her trunk and looked at the other things in the box.
'A Guide to Animagus' looked like a good read but the note made her want to put it down.
'This was James's. I hope you follow in his footsteps.'
'What, is he hoping I'll die too?' Lin snorted at the thought, putting the book down to look at later.
Last thing inside the box was a diary with a locket, which had the design of a lily on it, on top. The note inside said:
'These were Lily's. She was one of the most brilliant witches of her time and an amazing charms mistress. This diary will only open to someone of her direct bloodline, which being her child is you. The locket can also only be opened, taken off and put on by you, but I was told by Lily you can store things in it by pressing the locket to the object and get it out by pressing the locket with your finger and thinking of what you want.'
As much as Lin didn't care about her mother's diary, the locket intrigued her. Unlimited secret space, which only she could touch? That was sweet.
Putting the locket on and setting the empty box to the side she went to get the next present. It was very light, she unwrapped it.
Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. Su gasped.
"I think that's an invisibility cloak, those are rare! Whose it from?" Su said excitedly. Lin shook the light cloth out and picked up the note while thinking, 'This is something to put in the locket.'
Written in narrow, loopy handwriting Lin had seen only once in her life and would never forget were the following words:
'Your father left this in my possession before he died.
It is time it was returned to you.
Use it well.
A Very Merry Christmas to you.'
Fury bubbled in Lin. Why would Dumbledore have her father's cloak? Stuffing the feeling away she looked up to see Su staring at her excitedly.
"Well whose it from?" Su bounced cheerfully. Lin handed her the note.
"No idea?" Su asked and Lin shook her head.
'Maybe I'll tell you one day…' Lin thought putting the cloak on her bed and reaching for the last package. It had pictures of butterflies on it and she felt slightly suspicious. Carefully pulling off the bow she pulled off the top and saw a card on top of tissue paper.
The note which had beautiful curly writing read:
'"When day comes, and the gods smile upon you, all will be well.
Lin felt shock run through her as she stopped reading, a memory of her mother singing those exact words to her that she had long forgotten, flowing through her mind. She read on after a moment.
When I return, you will sleep well fair childe.
Spread your wings, take flight, and mother moon will watch over you.
Love with arms wide open, and you'll never be alone.
For I am with you, forevermore."
Blinking, Lin stopped reading. Her heart hurt with emotion she didn't want. Who would send her such a thing?
I sang that to your mother the day she was born, and while I can't see you now I know everything will be fine. If you are ever in danger go to the trees, for they will always protect you.
I love you child, and I will find you someday. No matter what keeps us apart.
All my love,
Queen Alavorsa Demoria Selene Faunus
Your Grandmother'
'My grandmother? I have a grandmother? What is she talking about "keeps us apart"?' Lin wondered curiously. Setting the card down to look at later she looked at the present inside the box.
A delicate wooden crown sat in a glass case. Lin instinctively knew not to put it on yet. She had to wait. For what she had no idea.
"What's that?" Su asked, sitting on Lin's bed and looking at the crown in wonder.
"A wooden crown, it's from my grandmother." Lin replied softly.
"Really? Did it come with a note too? What's it for?" Su asked.
"I dunno what it's for." Lin told her handing her the note.
"That's sweet," Su said gazing at the note, "Why did she send a crown to play make believe with?"
"What?" Lin asked her in confusion.
"The note says 'Your mother used to play make-believe with this and I wanted you to have it' under the poem. Didn't you read it?" Su read.
"Oh right, I dunno." Lin said thinking that her grandmother had charmed the card to conceal the real note that she wrote incase others found and read it.
"It's still nice, what else did you get? I wanna show you my presents!" Lin showed her the diary, book, and locket and Su showed the things that people had sent her, like perfume and earrings from her older twin sisters, chocolate from Hermione, and a book she had been wanting from her mom.
"Oh, you missed one!" Su pointed out the small box she had missed. Picking it up, she opened it and looked inside, seeing an odd circular green jewel. Reaching in to grab it she found that it was much heavier than it should have been. Wrapping her whole hand around it she felt it lighten and it came out easily. A glassy, jewel incrusted egg as big as an ostrich egg sat in her hands, a note in the box said these words:
'For you to truly discover who you are.
I am forever in your service.
By your grace,
Edmond Grodenwell'
"Who is Edmond Grodenwell?" Su asked looking between the egg and the note.
"No clue." Lin said with a shrug. "I'm hungry, let's go get some food."
Putting all her presents and notes except the photo book in her locket, she and Su headed to Christmas breakfast.
Lin missed the calculating look Su shot her as they were leaving.
After dinner Lin and Su were challenged to a snowball fight by the Weasley twins, and Su – who was apparently never one to back down from a challenge – forced Lin to do it. The twins took Percy for their team, who protested the whole way, and Ron went grudgingly with Lin and Su.
"Ready? Fire!" Fred roared after they had set up their security forts.
Nearly two hours later, with many aching limbs and gasping for breath the four Gryffindors and two Ravenclaws retreated to Gryffindor tower.
"They shouldn't be in here!" Percy protested as Lin and Su settled into the couch by the fire where Ron was slumped.
"It's Christmas Perce, beside whose gonna tell? It's just us here, relax." Fred said flopping down next to Su.
"But… Fine, but after break –" Percy started.
"Yeah we get it." Lin said tiredly.
"You know, you're not as bad as Ron always complains, Gwennie." George piped up as Percy made his way up to his dorm for bed.
"People are always resentful when they're told off by someone, which leads to bias opinions, often negative in overall judgment." Lin said with her eyes closed.
"Wow what a Ravenclaw type answer." Fred whistled. Lin smirked.
"Why were you being so mean to Hermione anyway Ron?" Su asked sitting up and staring at the redhead.
"She was being annoying –" Ron started.
"She was trying to help her when you almost hit her in the face." Su told him frowning in annoyance.
"Alright, alright I'll apologize! Sheesh…" Ron said quickly. Su smirked at the whipped boy.
"Good boy." Lin held in a laugh but the Weasley twins had no such restraint.
That night, as Su slept, Lin let the cloth of her invisibility cloak slide over her fingers as she lay in bed.
Sitting up, she poked Wanda who had curled up by her feet. Irritated and cranky the snake hissed warningly but Lin didn't care.
"Get up you lazy thing," She hissed quietly to the snake. "Let's go on an adventure."
Sneaking out of the common room, she had the Cloak wrapped securely around her and Wanda coiled around her waist sleepily.
"Where are we going?" Wanda asked quietly.
"Dunno I just wanna see what I can see." Lin whispered back.
They wandered around for about an hour before Lin came across a door that was slightly ajar. Frowning she walked into the room and looked around.
There were desks and chairs piled up against the walls and an upturned wastepaper basket but what stood out the most was something that didn't look like it should have been there. A magnificent golden framed mirror that tall as the ceiling and stood on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.
Lin moved to stand in front of the mirror expecting to only see her reflection. Instead she saw people with her, standing just behind her. A tombstone sat in the background ominously. Turning her head to look back she saw no one.
Looking at the mirror again she spotted a woman who was standing at her right shoulder, reaching back though, Lin only felt air.
Now that she looked the woman, Lin remarked at how similar they were.
"Mum…?" The man who stood beside Lily looked like the man she had seen briefly in the pictures that Lupin sent.
"Dad…" A woman, with flowing light blonde hair that touched the ground, stood on Lily's other side.
"I know you don't I?" Lin asked quietly staring at the woman and seeing that she looked similar to her too.
"I don't want this!" Lin burst out, suddenly angry.
"What good does it do me to stare at pictures and reflections? You'll never be alive no matter how long I wish and pray! It was your fault, you left me here! I didn't ask you to save me." Lin whispered the last part and swept out the door, vowing not to return.
"Where did you go yesterday?" Su asked after Lin came out of the private bathroom the three roommates shared.
"I wandered around a bit, I can show you if you want tonight." Even though she knew she shouldn't go, Lin wanted it. A terrible ache, which was filled with sadness she had always hidden from the world, yearned for it.
"Okay," Su shrugged then frowned, "Are you alright? You look pale."
"I'm fine, just fine." Lin turned away and Su gazed at her anxiously.
'What did she see?' Su wondered worriedly.
The next night, after she showed Su the mirror, Lin went back and stared at the mirror, not noticing the other person in the room.
"So – back again, Gwendelin?"
Lin turned her head and saw none other than Albus Dumbledore sitting on one of the desks.
"I didn't see you headmaster." She said quietly.
"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," Dumbledore smiled softly.
"So you, like hundred before have discovered the horrible delights of the Mirror of Erised."
Lin said nothing in response.
"Do you know what it does?"
"It shows what you want, what you desire the most. Even the things you hide from yourself." She whispered hollowly looking away from the aged headmaster.
"That is correct." Dumbledore said. If she had been listening closely she would have heard the heaviness of his voice.
"This mirror will give us neither knowledge nor truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible." He paused briefly, but Lin remained silent.
"The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Gwendelin and I ask you not to go looking for it again. Should you ever come across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that."
As Lin lay in bed she wondered, not even having the energy to be angry, what right Dumbledore had to tell her such things when it was his fault she yearned for what she did.
Plus the fact that she had seen the same sad, hungry desperation in his eyes when he had gazed into the Mirror that Lin herself had possessed.
School had started back up with very little fuss after that and with everyone back Lin felt restless. Being around so many people for so long was a slightly annoying change from the solitude she coveted at the Dursley's.
She was sitting in a tree in the forbidden forest. It was a place where Lin, unlike the rest of the student body, felt safe. It was just after the Quidditch match around dinnertime when she witnessed something peculiar but not very interesting to her overall.
When Quirrell came into the clearing that the tree she was near, Lin didn't so much as twitch when the man started muttering to himself. A few minutes later Snape stalked in and spoke bitingly to the man which a disinterested Lin only heard parts of.
"…d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus…" Quirrell stuttered.
Snape said something in a low voice then said,
"…Students aren't supposed to know about the Sorcerer's Stone after all." Lin ignored the rest of the thinly veiled threats and fell asleep wishing Snape had picked somewhere else to assault someone.
"Where is she? It's been hours. Curfew ended three hours ago!" Su asked pacing in the shared dorm room. Padma looked worried as well.
"We should just wait, we'll get in tro–" She started.
"Trouble? Was Gwen worried about trouble when we all got into that fight that you and Parkinson started? How 'bout when the troll –" Su said looking annoyed, only to be cut off.
"Alright let's go look, Merlin!" Padma grumbled blushing in embarrassment.
Lin woke up much later then she intended and it was already dark.
Knowing the sun set earlier in winter she figured that it couldn't be that late but resolved to get a watch none the less. Walking into the school she scaled a couple of flights of stairs before she ran, almost literally, into Su and Padma.
"Gwen!" Su hissed, jumping into her arms.
"We were so worried." Padma said softly. Lin blinked, staring at them blankly.
"Why?"
"Why! Its three hours after curfew." Su said urgently.
"Exactly." Said a stern voice from behind them. "Which I why I can't understand why there are so many students out of bed."
"P-Professor McGonagall!" Padma gasped as they all turned to see said Professor in a tartan nightgown and matching robes holding Malfoy of all people by the ear.
"I don't know what has gotten into this year's batch of first years! Fights, beating up a teacher, sneaking out after curfew! I expected better out of you all, especially you Miss Potter. Your parents –" McGonagall started, leading them to her office only to be cut off by a cold rant that sent the Deputy Headmistress reeling.
"Are dead and gone, therefore can't feel shame. I dunno why you expect more out of me. I'm not in your house and I don't give a damn what happened the day my parents died. If Lily decided to sacrifice herself instead of leaving me for dead, that was her choice. She was the one who defeated Voldemort, not me. I don't care how you feel about me or curfew but keep your past memories about how damn great my parents were to yourself. I don't care! I don't wanna know about them. James and Lily Potter are dea –"
A sharp slap from an enraged Padma cut her off. Holding her face, Lin saw that Malfoy looked shocked beyond words, McGonagall was in tears, and Su looked like she had been the one slapped.
"I don't how you came to feel this way or why but I won't let you take it out on other people! You don't hurt others just because you feel bad. How dare you try to destroy the memories someone has of the people they love!" Padma snapped. Everyone was silent for a moment.
"Go back to your dormitories, each of you will serve a detention." McGonagall told them quietly. Everyone walked away with mixed emotions.
Lin didn't speak to anyone for days.
At eleven o'clock at night, a week after they had been caught, a pessimistic Lin, a sullen Malfoy, distressed Su, and a worried Padma plus Filch made their way to Hagrid's hut where the half-giant was waiting.
Hagrid and Filch exchanged a few words then Filch left cackling and Hagrid turned to them.
Malfoy unfortunately spoke up, with a little panic in his voice.
"I'm not going in that forest."
Hagrid and Malfoy argued for a while before Malfoy backed down. He gave them a warning and then led them over to the very edge of the forbidden forest.
"Look there," Hagrid pointed out, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn bin hurt bad by summat. This is the second time this week, I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try and find the poor thing. Might have ter put it out of it misery."
"I want Fang." Malfoy stated looking at the dog's long teeth.
"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward." Hagrid said frankly. "Gwen'lin you go with Draco an Fang. Padma an Su with me. Keep to yer paths. If yeh get into any trouble shoot up a red flare with yer wands."
Lin set off without backward glance, leaving Malfoy to run to catch up, Fang trotting behind him. They walked for nearly half an hour, until the trees made it impossible to follow the path and the pools of unicorn blood got bigger.
Lin stopped when she saw something white gleaming on the ground. It was the unicorn and it was definitely dead. Lin's heart ached as she took in the startlingly sad yet beautiful sight. She took a step towards it when a hooded figure stepped out of the shadows. The figure slithered over to the unicorn, bent down and started to drink its blood.
Malfoy let out a bloodcurdling girlish scream and bolted, taking Fang with him. The hooded figure turned its head and looked at Lin. A blinding pain she never felt before exploded from her scar, the agony of it making her stagger backwards and fall to her knees. She heard the sound of hooves and fuzzily saw something jump over her, standing between her and the figure.
After a few moments when the pain was gone Lin looked up and saw that the cloaked figure was gone and in its place was a centaur. He had white-blonde hair, pale blue eyes, and a palomino body.
"Can you stand?" the centaur asked gazing at her but not bothering to help. In fact he seemed to be hesitant to be near her.
"Yes," Lin grunted standing wobbly, not feeling charitable at all. "What was that thing?"
The centaur didn't answer. In fact he began to tell her horribly irrelevant things.
"You are the Potter girl," He said gazing at her scar.
"Yes I know that, but what was –"
"The forest is not safe at this time, especially for you. We must get you back to Hagrid. Come this way…" He hesitated for a second.
"Can you ride? It will be quicker that way." He said lowering himself onto his front legs so Lin could climb on. She just clenched her fists in frustration and got angrier.
"No! What was –" Lin was cut off two more centaurs burst into the clearing panting and sweaty.
"Firenze!" The black haired and bodied one thundered. "What are you doing? Offering a human a ride on your back like some common mule! Have you no shame?"
"Do you not realize who this is Bane? The quicker she leaves this forest, the better." Firenze countered.
"Can someone please tell me –" Lin started only to be cut off again.
"What have you been telling her?" Bane asked lowly. "Remember we swore not to set ourselves against the heavens."
The third centaur, red haired and bearded chestnut bodied cut in, with a deep sorrowful voice.
"The human child is gone." He pointed out, and Firenze's head whipped around, alarmed.
"See this is a sign, the heavens don't want us to interfere." Bane said haughtily.
"Shut up, please." Firenze asked Bane, shaking his head in annoyance.
"Stupid star gazing, non-answering horses." Lin grumbled as she trudged back down the path out of the forest.
"Gwen! Gwen, are you alright?" Su gasped hugging her tightly. Lin ignored her and turned to Hagrid who had come along with a sullen, worried Padma.
"The unicorn is dead; it's over there in the clearing. Be careful," Lin said pushing Su off her, "there's a bunch of star gazing weirdoes over there giving piggyback rides."
Lin made her way back down the path to the school leaving three very confused people behind.
Lin had started talking to Su and Padma again but it was strained and she often went off on her own for peace and quiet.
Months flew by with little activity, lots of homework, and Lin spent much of her time hold up in the library learning about anything that caught her attention. The end of the year exams rolled around and people were generally too busy to care about much else, not to mention it was scorching hot.
When her last exam, History of Magic, was over Lin went outside, flopping in the shade of a large tree. Her solitude wouldn't last as Blaise and her Slytherin clique strolled up.
"Why so glum? I heard you and the other part three musketeers broke up. Must suck getting hit by a nerd." She hummed as Daphne and Tracey giggled behind her.
"Well I'm glad that amuses you, even though your jokes are very tired, seeing as their months late. You'll be happy to know I'm taking you up on your offer." Lin said not looking at them at all.
"What offer? What are you babbling about?" Blaise asked looking confused.
"I've had enough of this school and you people. I decided to give up on magic." Lin stated as the girls gasped.
"You can't be serious! Of all people, you're giving up magic?" Daphne said in shock.
"It's too much, you people make me sick with these stupid titles, praising the fact my family was murdered, and then you whine on and on about the fact that some people married their cousins and are therefore 'pure'. Good luck, you can keep it." There was a moment of silence then the Slytherin girls left, too stunned to speak.
"I wanna see what's in that trapdoor, tonight." Lin stated a few hours later as she dragged Padma and Su into a deserted hallway a bit later.
"Is it true what everyone is saying? That you're leaving?" Su asked.
"Yeah it is. I wanna do one last fun thing before I go and there's gotta be something cool down there." Lin told them.
Padma's eyes filled with tears.
"Gwen I'm sorry for hitting you, please don't leave! I just… it made so sad the way you talk about your parents, like it was a mistake for them to sacrifice themselves for you." She whispered sadly.
"I didn't ask for them to do it." Lin said frostily.
"They did it because they loved you. How many kids' mothers do you know that have stood in front of the killing curse meant for their child, and had their love deflect the next one? Your mum loved you so much that it stopped an unstoppable force from one of the most powerful men on the planet. I know you resent it but it was your mum's choice and I am so glad she made it. Otherwise you wouldn't be here." Su told Lin firmly.
"You can't leave! We're the Ravenclaw Trio, with capital letters and everything! What'll me and Su do without the third part of our weird, crazy, over reading triangle?" Padma asked wiping her eyes on her sleeve.
Lin shook her head, feeling resigned.
"I just know I'm gonna regret this but… fine, I'll stay. You two look ugly when you cry." Padma cheered happily, Su scowled at the snuck in insult.
After a moment Su looked at Lin curiously.
"Still wanna see what's in that trap door? Padma found out how to get past the Cerberus." She asked excitedly.
"We're gonna get in loads of trouble." Padma mumbled when Lin nodded.
That night after dinner all three went back to their room, dressed in black comfortable 'burglar clothes' as Su called it, and were about to get under Lin's invisibility cloak.
"Wait, what'll we do for music?" Su asked.
"I've got just the thing." Padma said pulling a flute out of her trunk. Lin and Su stared.
"What? Mother made me and Parvati learn flute and piano." She said as they grinned.
"Cool lets go." Su said eagerly.
When they got to the third floor they saw that the door to the Cerberus was open.
"We've got company mates." Lin mumbled as they stepped into the room. The Cerberus sniffed in their invisible direction.
"Play it Paddy!" Su whispered. Padma frowned at the name but played none the less. The dog's eyes drooped and closed.
Padma kept playing as they took of the cloak and Lin put it in her locket. Su shoved the dog's big paw out of the way then Lin lifted the door.
"Su, nerds first, you go." Lin smirked as Su huffed but jumped anyway. Lin went next and Padma stopped playing and jumped in just as the dog angrily awoke.
"Devil's Snare!" Su hissed as the plant curled around them. "Oh I know this plant, but how do we stop it?"
"Fire in the hole!" Padma yelled as a jet of fire sprang from her wand. The plant shrank back away from the light and warmth.
"Good thinking," Lin said rubbing her chest where she had been getting squeezed.
"Thanks Paddy." Su said walking down the stone pathway that was the only way to go. Padma scowled at the nickname as Lin laughed.
"Do you hear something?" Padma asked quietly. Lin sighed.
"Bad things always happen when you pose questions in that fashion." She said as they walked down the sloping passageway.
"Keys?" Su asked as they walked into the chamber at the end of the tunnel.
"It must go to that door over there." Lin pointed at the door across the room.
"We've gotta catch the right one." Padma said pointing at the brooms next to them.
"Oh cool. Does anybody know how to ride a broom?" Su asked. The first years had not had another flying lesson after Professor Snape got beat up in that big fight they had.
"I'll try it." Lin told them grabbing a broom.
"Be careful!" Padma cautioned. Su walked to the door as Lin rose into the air. Examining the lock she called,
"Look for a big, old fashioned one, probably silver like the handle."
Lin touched down a moments later and Padma cheered.
"This one?" Lin smirked as Su put the key in the hole and turned.
"Ever thought about trying out for seeker for Ravenclaw?" Su asked as they stepped into a pitch black room.
"No," Lin said honestly as the door closed and the lights around the room flared to life showing a giant chess board.
"I have no interest in Quidditch. Wanna fly over this?" Lin asked holding up the broom she had taken with her. The two girls nodded and after getting over the board they opened the next door.
"Troll!" Su gasped in disgust, covering her nose.
"It's dead." Padma whispered pointing to the big pool of blood it was in and the fact wasn't breathing.
"Let's go, next room." Lin said feeling excited.
When they walked into the next room the doors forward and back where they came from went up in flames.
"Next challenge?" Padma quirked an eyebrow at how amused Lin looked.
"It's a riddle, the potions," Su mumbled, "one of them lets us back, one forward, some are wine and others poison."
After about three minutes of Su looking between the paper and the bottles she spoke up,
"Got it!" She crowed cheerfully, "The smallest one gets us forward, the round one sends us back."
They split the smallest bottle between them and walked quickly through the fire to go forward.
"Quirrell?" Lin blinked at the man, who turned to look at her.
"Ah, I wondered if I would be seeing you own here. You were perhaps suspecting Snape weren't you? He does seem the type doesn't he?" The man said in a smarmy voice, no longer stuttering.
"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Padma asked in aggravation, to Su and Lin's amusement.
Quirrell snapped his fingered and ropes coiled around them tightly.
"Real original." Lin snorted. "What were you talking about?"
He ignored them and Lin's sarcasm and turned back to the mirror they hadn't seen there.
The girls sat bored as the man muttered to himself.
"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone."
"To the what?" Lin called. Quirrell tapped the frame and continued speaking to himself.
"Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this…" And kept going along this line of thought, as Lin zoned out and obviously missed something because Quirrell suddenly said,
"Yes… Potter! Come here." Lin's bindings fell off and he pulled her to her feet.
"Look in the mirror and tell me what you see." Quirrell made her stand before and Lin blinked. She saw her family and now Padma, Su, Hermione and Theo behind her. The tombstone was gone. She smiled softly.
"My family, and friends too." Quirrell sneered as the two girls smiled.
"Out of the way!" Quirrell snapped, shoving her as Lin felt something heavy land in her pocket.
"Let me speak to her, face to face…" A high cold voice commanded.
"But master you are not strong enough –" Quirrell whimpered. The voice cut him off,
"I am strong enough… for this…" Lin watched in disgust, Padma and Su in horror, as Quirrell unraveled his turban and turned so they could see the other face that was there. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like Wanda's.
"Gwendelin Potter…" It whispered.
Lin blinked, obviously not getting the gravity of the situation.
"See what I've become?" The face asked. "Mere shadow and vapor… I have form only when I can share another's body… but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds… Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks… you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest…" Lin felt bored as the face went on and on.
"…why don't you give me that stone in your pocket?" Lin blinked again and Voldemort must have taken that as something far different than the boredom she felt about how long this was going on because he said,
"How touching…" the red eyed face hissed. "I always value bravery… Yes, little girl, your parents were brave… I killed your father first, he put up a courageous fight… but your mother needn't have died… she was trying to protect you… now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."
Lin felt all the anger, sadness, and frustration she always held in explode at his words and lunged at the man who ruined her life with a scream of rage. A pain in her forehead built as she choked Quirrell, who screamed loudly in pain. As her vision darkened she heard a crash then a voice call out to her desperately,
"Gwendelin! Gwendelin!"
Something glinted rudely above Lin as she groaned. She wished her limbs weren't so heavy so she could hit it.
Albus Dumbledore's face swam into view, smiling.
"Good afternoon, Gwendelin," Dumbledore said happily.
"Go 'way." Lin mumbled closing her eyes.
"You'll be happy to know that professor Quirrell does not have the Stone." He told her as Lin realized he wasn't leaving. She sighed and opened her eyes.
"I really don't care." Dumbledore ignored her blunt statement by gazing around the room.
"Where am I?" She asked sitting up slowly. Dumbledore helped her steady herself before speaking,
"The hospital wing," She looked to her left and saw mounds of candy. Lin licked her lips.
"Gifts from your friends and admirers," Dumbledore said beaming. "What happened between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret. So naturally the whole school knows." She snorted.
"How long have I been here?" She asked.
"Three days. Miss Padma Patil, Miss Li, Mister Nott, Mister Weasley, and Miss Granger will be happy you've awoken. They simply haven't left your side since you arrived. You have quite loyal friends."
He paused.
"I was quite afraid I was almost too late." Lin quirked an eyebrow.
"For what, Quirrell wasn't gonna get the Stone." She told him.
"Not the Stone, child, you – the effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment I was afraid it had. As for the stone, it has been destroyed."
"Cool." Lin closed her eyes, leaning into her pillow. Dumbledore let out a small chuckle.
"I wanna know the truth, I know you know it…" Lin said softly, opening her green eyes to stare into Dumbledore's bright blue ones.
"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your question unless I have a very good reason not to, in which I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."
'I asked for the truth, not a lecture on it.' Lin mentally groused.
"Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the first place?"
Dumbledore sighed deeply at this. Before he spoke Lin interrupted,
"People have a very bad habit of ignoring me about the things I want to know about. I already know you won't tell me, so you can just get out. Leave me alone."
He took a deep breath and said quietly,
"Your mother died to save you. Why, I cannot say at this moment, I will tell you one day." Lin gave him a cold look.
"If there is one thing that Voldemort can't understand, it is love."Dumbledore continued. "He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to be loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."
After a few moments of silence Su, Ron, Theo, Hermione, and Padma sidled into the room as Dumbledore smiled.
"I've asked Madam Pomfrey to allow you to go to the end-of-year feast tonight, so rest up." He said getting up when her friends rushed over. They finished off half the candy together, the other half Lin put in her locket.
Lin made her way to the feast alone a little while later because the very fussy nurse in charge of the hospital gave her a last-minute checkup, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row.
When Lin walked in there was a sudden hush and people stood up to look at her before the Hall exploded in noise once more. She ignored it all with practiced ease and sat between Padma and Su at the Ravenclaw table.
Dumbledore arrived a few minutes later and the chatter died immediately,
"Another year gone!" He beamed at them all cheerfully. "And I must trouble with an old man's wheezing before we dig into our delicious feast. Now as I understand the house cup needs awarding and the points are as stands: In fourth place Ravenclaw, with 292 points; in third Gryffindor, with 352; in second Hufflepuff has 426 and first is Slytherin with 472."
The Slytherins burst into loud cheers at their table. Lin could see Blaise catcalling.
"Yes, yes, well done Slytherin," Dumbledore said almost mockingly. "However recent events must be taken into account."
The Slytherins, smelling something not right, stilled.
"Ahem," Dumbledore said with a completely innocent look on his face, "I have a few last minute points to give out. Let's see…"
"First to Miss. Padma Patil…"
"For showing that love is to be cherished in the face of self doubt, shining brightly in darkness, and bringing the joy of magic into the world I award Ravenclaw house 60 points." The Ravens cheered loudly at this.
"For Miss Su Li… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire I award Ravenclaw house 50 points." The Ravenclaw table exploded in cheers as Su blushed brightly as the setting sun.
"And Lastly to Miss Gwendelin Potter, for pure nerve, outstanding courage, and learning that love and life, no matter how overwhelming, is worth living for and protecting I award Ravenclaw house 80 points." The noise that the Ravenclaw made was deafening. The Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables joined in, happy Slytherin lost the cup.
"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, "we need a little change in decoration. Ravenclaw wins the house cup with 482 points."
He clapped his hands. The hangings changed from Slytherin serpent green to Ravenclaw raven blue. Snape shook Flitwick's hand with a horrid, forced smile. When he turned to look at Lin, she smiled at him making him scowl.
Lin felt smug the whole night.
Lin stepped off the Hogwarts Express with a sort of grim anticipation. Going back to the Dursleys was going to be tough but she had next year to look forward to.
"You guys should come and stay at my house this summer, despite the fact you guys didn't take me with you on your adventure." Theo said accusingly to the Ravenclaw trio.
"Sorry Theo. Slytherin would have won the cup then." Su said as they walked towards the barrier together.
While they were waiting, Ron brought his family over.
"Hey guys," He said before motioning to the smatter of red heads behind him, "This is my mom, my sister Ginny, and my brother Charlie."
"Hi, nice to meet you all." Charlie said as Ginny hid behind him.
"Wonderful to meet you dears." Molly greeted them warmly.
"This is Padma Patil, Su Li, Theodore Nott and Gwendelin Potter." Ron told his family.
Charlie, Molly, and Ginny blinked and their eyes strayed to Lin's forehead, which was covered by her long red hair.
"I'm not here for you to gawk at." Lin said rudely. Molly's eyes widened and she was about to reply when a greasy voice spoke up,
"That's correct Miss Potter, I thought the Weasleys had a little more sense than that."
Draco strode up with a pretty blonde woman, a man that looked just like an older version of him, and a man with liberally grey streaked black hair.
The man that had just spoke, the blonde one, gazed at her calculating.
"Lucius Malfoy, I presume?" Lin asked giving him a cool look.
"That's correct. This is my wife Narcissa and Demetrius Nott, Theodore's father." Lucius said as Theo looked troubled.
"Pleased to meet you," Demetrius cut in smoothly, his light brown eyes unblinking. "Theodore writes of you often."
"Ready are you?" A voice interrupted, "I haven't got all day."
Vernon stood with Petunia and Delilah there eyeing the wizards around him with suspicion. A man with black hair in the distance caught her eye but was gone when she blinked.
"You must be Gwendelin's family." Molly spoke up glad of the distraction. Petunia gave her a chilly look.
"Come along then," Petunia told Lin coldly.
"You all seem to be in a hurry," Lucius said with a bitter sneer. "Muggles always seem to be in such a rush."
"Watch it Malfoy." Charlie spoke up in exasperation.
"Let's go then Petunia. I'm sure I'll see you all at a later date." Lin said mockingly strutting away after a quick wave, hair swishing as she turned.
END