"Where is my Grandfather?" Helga asked looking at Snape.
"Helga I don't have to answer that question, if he wanted to be seen or spoken to he will let you know." Snape said.
"But he promised me he would look out for Claire; guide her if she needed it." She said.
"I am sorry I cannot be of more assistance, now there is another reason… Claire?" Snape now looked at her and she looked at her mother still left without reassurance but she had a pressing worry.
"Professor ever since I've come back from behind the veil, all I hear are these voices I've even seen events that happened in places long ago… its strange I feel strange." She said.
"Claire no one knows what is on the other side of that veil, the fact you are even back is a miracle." Severus said.
"So you are saying you have no explanation for this gift at all…" she said.
"I am not the one who has all the answers that would be your, great grandfather…" he said and she slumped in her chair.
"I am just so worried it has something to do with Voldemort like he is finding another way to watch me." Claire said.
"This time I don't think it is Voldemort." Severus said and she rose thanking him.
"You will figure it out my dear I believe in you." Helga said following her.
Meanwhile at Malfoy Manor:
"Lucius I am tired of my old body, I don't look young and handsome like I use to be." Voldemort said.
"My Lord the answer is in in the life of the young man you spared, while you can't completely take over you can share." Lucius said and Voldemort smiled maliciously.
Opening the cellar door he stared at Cedric Diggory who looked up at him too weak to stand, he moved down the stairs and lifted the boy off the floor he was young eighteen and perfect for his goal. Harry would die it had to happen, closing his eyes he uttered the enchantment that would let him occupy Cedric's mind, body, and spirit.
When he finished he hissed in pain as Cedric's pain became his own too, "Lucius the potion I am in pain…"
He greedily drank feeling his body heal, but there was more he was Diggory now and that meant being back in civilization… he had to go back to Hogwarts.
"Leave my body…" a faint voice said he knew it was Cedric and he chuckled.
"No I need you… I need you so I can kill Harry Potter…" he said.
Back at Hogwarts:
Claire sat solemnly at the Slytherin table sifting her food around her plate; she glanced up at the empty Headmaster's chair and the absence of Harry. Pansy sat to her left and poked her arm she snapped back to herself and looked at her.
"Are you feeling alright?" she asked.
"I suppose I am just thinking about what has been going on, it's hard to keep a happy face." She said and Pansy nodded.
"For once in my life I am scared, worried and unsure Claire when the time comes you can count on me," she said, "My father and mother are under his thumb and I am worried for them, I now know that his way is not the right way."
Claire was stunned to hear her speak in this manner, it was a new side to the girl she disliked for three years.
"I mean look at them…" she started gesturing to the school, "These are living breathing people with families what right does anyone have to take that from them."
"No one has a right Pansy it's just plain wrong…" Claire said.
"Well what are we doing here sulking I see…" Draco said with his usual air of arrogance.
Claire ignored him she was tired of putting up with his nonsense and she turned to face him, looking him right in the eye she walked past without saying a word.
"Claire…" she turned to see her mother floating toward her and she smiled at her.
"You must be strong in times like these Claire, there will be war and you Harry and all the other's must be ready…you understand that right?" Helga said and Claire nodded.
"I try to… it's so difficult to know where I stand." Claire said she looked back into the great hall Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat talking.
"Do you feel like you don't belong with them anymore?" Helga asked and Claire stared at them.
"Sometime I do and other times I don't, we use to be so close and I feel like my own reservations are driving a wedge between us." Claire said, "I feel like I must protect them, and that means separating myself I suppose."
"How do you think they will feel knowing that their good friend wants to stay away from them?" Helga asked.
"I cannot speak for them…" Claire said.
"Don't close your heart to your friends my darling you need them and they need you… now more than ever." Helga said, "Besides Harry is your family now…"
Claire had almost forgotten, when James had returned two years ago it was a shock to all. Harry had his father back and he remarried her aunt Greta her mother's twin sister. She also had Helen now and Harry was in a warm loving home. She thought of the cold lonely house across the street from Harry's home her Great- Grandfather's house now occupied by Remus and her second cousin, it was a shock to learn that they had been in love and now living a married life in Godric's Hollow taking care of her younger brother who was born three years ago.
"Mother you are right… how could I push them away." Claire said.
"Go to them show them you care, I wish I had done the same for my friends after…" Helga looked pensive.
"Mum the time you decided to hide to go to the muggle world and not look back, I wish so much sometimes we were back there at the house on Magnolia… but that day I saw Harry and rode the Knight Bus our life just changed so drastically." Claire said. "Would you want to go back to that world if you could?"
Helga shook her head, "Never being with your father in the last moments of my life and you and your brother, I wouldn't change it for a thousand muggle years."
"Claire…?" Harry said coming up beside her.
"Hey there Harry, have you see my mum yet?" she asked and he smiled at Helga.
"Hello Aunt Helga…" Harry said.
"I hope my sister is being a good step-mother to you?" she said and he smiled.
"The best…" he said.
"Harry I was telling Claire that you all must stick together and be strong… friendship and love are more powerful then fear and hatred." Helga said.
Floating away she thought of her last year at Hogwarts, a time she knew things would change things would become shockingly different It started with one of her best friends in a place Helga knew all too well.
Malfoy Manor Twenty- one years ago:
"Finally!" Helga said walking through the doors with her dearest friend Cillia Malfoy.
"Let's go upstairs I'd rather not face my parents right now." She said.
"What they're proud you finished school now it's time for the real world our careers." Helga said.
"Do you really want to be an Auror think of the danger's…" Cillia said.
"Well what would you like to do?" Helga asked as they entered the room Cillia shook her blond head and chuckled.
"I want to be free… this gilded cage is too small for me." Cillia said.
Helga walked over to the tall French doors and opened them to look out at Cillia's beautiful garden the white peacocks strutted on the perfectly manicured lawn and she smiled, "Your family is so dark how do they get such beauty surrounding them?"
"I don't know, you know I have another brother right?" Cillia said.
"I think I remember him he was in seventh year when we started… right?" Helga said.
"Yeah Lucius was so jealous of him they hate each other, I haven't seen him for seven years my parents refuse to let me speak of him." Cillia said, "Rodin is also an Auror and he's been fighting this new force that has been around we don't know what kind of a wizard he is… but he's bad really bad."
"Lucius flapping his jaws no doubt…" Helga said.
"Yes he comes home talking about the ministry all the time he's only been there a year, he's vying for minister of Magic father said he is proud of his ambitions." Cillia said.
"Oh there is no doubt of his ambitions…" Helga said teasing Lucius was her favourite pass time.
"I feel though our ambitions will lead us on different paths, with time going so fast I wish we didn't walk out of the doors so fast." Cillia said.
"Where ever we go my dearest friend I will do my best to stay close to you… I promise." Helga said.
"Some promises are hard to keep." Cillia said.
Present time:
Helga could not cry but she knew that she had most definitely broke her promise to her good friend and in turn shut all out she did not want Claire to do the same it would be a regret she did not want her daughter to face.
Claire walked into the Slytherin common room hours later and slumped in to a chair exhausted from the day she glanced around at the empty room when her eyes fell on Draco sitting behind a curtain, she walked closer and could see his shoulders shaking he was sobbing. She looked around and then moved closer to him resting a hand on his shoulder.
He jerked and pointed his wand at her then lowered it, "What do you want?"
"Something is wrong you can tell me you know…" Claire said and he scoffed.
"Me tell you ha… it's the last thing I'll ever do then confide in you cousin…" he spat.
"Please Draco…" she said reaching out to him.
"No back off Black I'll not…" he stopped but was cut off.
"Draco you ought to listen to the girl she is trying to help you." A voice sounded from the common room entrance.
A man with short chestnut brown hair stood tall in the door his eyes were a cool blue and beside him stood a beautiful woman who was tall and slender with white blond hair and the same cool gaze.
"No you two what do you want…"
