Remember, Believe (Part 7)
Rhia's eyes fluttered open weakly and she put a trembling hand to her forehead. The sheets were a mess from her nightmare. She sighed and lay back down.
"Rhia? Are you okay?" whispered Kit. Rhia blinked in surprise.
"Yeah," she whispered back. "Why?" There was a pause on Kit's end.
"You looked justI don't knowtroubled," Kit finished with a sigh. Rhia closed her eyes for a moment, opening them hurriedly when the image of the woman appeared in front of her again.
"I'm okay," she reassured Kit, sounding far better than she felt. "Go back to sleep." Kit didn't reply.
When the first rays of dawn finally crept over the horizon, Rhia slipped out of bed and dressed quickly, hurrying down to the Gryffindor common room. The fire was burning low, only a few stubborn embers glowing faintly beneath the ash.
Rhia collapsed in an armchair by the fire. She stared at the faint red glow of the embers as she waited for the others to stir.
"For a first year, you get up awfully early."
Rhia jumped and turned around. A tall girl with jet-black hair was leaning against the wall behind her, grinning lazily. Rhia smiled weakly and nodded.
"I couldn't sleep," she said quietly. The girl nodded.
"Rhia, isn't it? My name is Ellira Diablo." The girl took a step forward, shaking her long black hair over her shoulders.
Rhia tentatively smiled. "Yes, I'm Rhia. What year are you in?"
"Third," Ellira said shortly. "Want any tips?" Rhia nodded slowly. Ellira slipped into the other armchair near Rhia and leaned forward.
"Watch out for Snape," she said, wrinkling her nose. "He's so biased," she muttered to herself. "I s'pose you know that McGonagall's the head of Gryffindor. She's strict; don't get on her bad side. Flitwick's just a pushover and Sprout gets so involved it's not too hard to get away with things."
Rhia nodded along. "Thanks," she murmured. Ellira flashed her a quick smile. Rhia didn't look into her eyes.
"Oh, and the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Thystle, is pretty strict," Ellira said, shivering slightly. "I don't care for her much."
"Thanks," Rhia repeated. "Snapemy father told me about him." She glanced down at her schedule. "And I have him this afternoon," she muttered, looking downcast.
Ellira smiled grimly and touched Rhia lightly on the shoulder as she got up. "Good luck," she whispered, disappearing. Kit stumbled down the stairs past Ellira, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"You're already up, Rhia?" she mumbled, yawning widely. "Sheesh." Rhia smiled and shrugged, standing up and stretching.
"Ready for breakfast?"
Charms wasn't too bad - Ellira had been right. Flitwick didn't pose too much of a threat to any of the students - in fact, he was rather easy to walk over. Kit got away with letting a dungbomb off below George's desk. He wouldn't speak to either of them for the rest of the lesson.
But as Rhia nervously watched the hands of the clock tick by, she bit her lip. Potions was up next with Snape. She'd only seen him once, at the feast, but he hadn't seen her. He didn't look all too pleasant. And she was right.
Kit shivered as they made their way down to the dungeon. "Why does it have to be down here?" she muttered. "It's so cold."
"That is my choice, Miss Delano," said a very cold voice from behind her. Kit jumped and Rhia tightened her grip around Kit's arm.
Snape, a greasy-haired professor, let them in silently, but his figure was so intimidating that not a single whisper could be heard throughout the dungeon.
He started roll, his glittering black eyes roving over the classroom with every name. Rhia was shocked to see how very black they were, containing no warmth. He paused at Rhia's name.
"Ah, yes. Rhia Potter," he hissed softly. "Of course." Rhia glared at him before she thought what she was doing. His eyes contained an even higher look of disgust when he looked at her.
He continued down the list, tucking it away in his desk when he finished. He began to pace in front of the class. "You will be learning the art of making potions here. I expect no misbehavior, although I have come to expect horrible marks on the exams. You lot look even sorrier than the ones I had last year," he said, smiling cruelly at them.
"Just what he said to my dad," Rhia muttered out of the corner of her mouth to Kit. Immediately, Snape stopped pacing and fixed his eyes on her.
"Five points from Gryffindor," he said smoothly, taking his eyes from hers.
"Don't worry," Kit muttered when Snape had turned to the chalkboard. Rhia nodded and glanced up at the board.
"Today," Snape said, "you will be making a simple potion to cure boils. The ingredients are written on the board." When no one moved, he snapped, "Well, right that down!"
There was a loud rummaging for parchment and quills. Many pairs of bright eyes glanced up at the chalkboard and down to their papers over and over again.
When they had almost completed their potions, the soft voice of Snape behind Rhia made her jump. She dropped all of the frog liver into the potion. It bubbled for a moment, frothing at the sides.
BOOM!
The potion made a small explosion, drenching Kit, Rhia and Snape in the potion. Boils sprung up on their skin. Kit howled.
Rhia blinked and winced as the pain hit her. It was only mild, though, compared to the look of Snape. Rhia couldn't help herself - she doubled up laughing. Snape cast her a very loathsome glare and rid himself of the boils along with Kit. He reluctantly took away Rhia's as well.
"Go straight to Dumbledore," Snape hissed angrily as he tried to restore calm. Rhia glared at him and miserably slipped out the dungeon door, dragging her feet as she made her way to two stone gargoyles guarding the way to Dumbledore's office.
They sprang backwards suddenly and Dumbledore appeared, beckoning Rhia inside. His eyes twinkled as he sat down at his desk.
"Well, then," he murmured, looking her over. "Rhia Potter. I imagine that you came from Potions?"
Rhia nodded numbly. Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling brightly. "Never calm with a Potter around, is it?" he asked. Rhia stared. He laughed. "How is your father? I haven't seen him in a very long time," he said.
"Good," Rhia said in a sort of strangled voice.
"Well, I'm afraid Professor Snape sent you here for me to give you detention," Dumbledore said, rummaging in his desk for a detention slip. "Here you go," he said, handing her a flimsy piece of parchment.
"How many detentions did Sirius Black get?" Rhia blurted out. At once she clapped a hand over her mouth and moaned.
Dumbledore laughed. "Too many to count," he said. "Planning on beating his record, then?" Rhia's hand slowly moved away from her mouth and she smiled.
"Guess so," she murmured weakly as she stood up. "Thank you," she said as she exited his office.
A great sense of foreboding overcame Rhia as she waited until it was time to serve her detention. Kit looked at her sympathetically.
"Sorry," she said softly as Rhia stood up, stretched, and slipped out the portrait hole.
When Rhia reached the dungeons, she met a closed door. She knocked timidly. There was no answer for a moment.
"Come in," he called. Rhia slipped inside, closing the door carefully behind her. He was sitting at a desk, grading papers. He didn't look up as she entered. "Remove the livers from that bucket of frogs at the back," he instructed, still continuing to write.
Rhia didn't move. Finally he looked up with a glare. "Well?" he snapped. "You're here to serve detention, aren't you?"
"Your eyes," Rhia whispered, staring directly at the blackness of his eyes.
"What about them?" he snapped, glancing down. Rhia still didn't move.
"Why are they so black?" she murmured hoarsely. He dropped his quill and looked at her angrily.
"Get to work," he growled.
"I asked you a question," Rhia said, her voice growing firmer as she spoke. "I asked you why your eyes were so black."
"You're just like your father," Snape hissed. "And your grandfather. Think you can do whatever you want."
Rhia didn't know what came over her. Her eyes were blazing with fury. "You never loved anyone in your life, did you? That's why your eyes are so black," she whispered.
Snape opened his mouth and closed it again. He finally settled for a loathing glare in Rhia's direction. He picked up his quill again. "Go and take the livers out of those frogs," he hissed between gritted teeth.
Rhia worked in silence, trying not to think too hard about what she was doing. Occasionally she heard the scratch of quill against paper and a sigh from Professor Snape. She finished the last frog quickly and washed her hands.
Snape ignored her as she slipped out the door and ran up to the Gryffindor tower, panting as she muttered, "Bubotuber."
Kit and George were playing a heated battle of chess in the corner as Rhia walked in and collapsed in an armchair beside them. Kit barely looked up. "How'd it go?"
"Horrible. I had to take the livers out of frogs." Rhia wrinkled her nose and shuddered. "It was awful."
"Mmm," said Kit, not really listening.
Rhia rolled her eyes and picked up a piece of stray parchment from the floor, scanning it with her eyes quickly. Her eyes widened and the piece of parchment fluttered to the floor.
Kit leaned over to read it.
I know where Rhiannon Drelle is.
A shadowy figure paced a dark courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back. A large figure in the corner spoke.
"Master Malfoy, if you please - " he began.
"Go away, Crabbe," Draco muttered. "You too, Goyle," he said, motioning them to leave. They paused before grunting and disappearing. Draco continued to pace.
It was close to midnight, but he continued to walk up and down the courtyard, his brow furrowed. His robes were a deep, velvety black and his boots were made of the finest dragon hide available. He happened to have a large fortune stored in his house.
"Excuse me," said a small, trembling voice from the edge of the courtyard. Draco stopped pacing and glanced up to see a petite figure pull herself up onto the edge of the stone wall.
"Yes?" Draco said shortly. The girl's hair was long and silvery and it caught the light when she turned to glance over her shoulder.
"My sister said I shouldn't come here, but - well, do you know the way to the Dragon Hide Tavern?" she asked, slipping one leg over and looking at him.
Draco paused. He did know the way there, but he wasn't sure that he wanted to tell her. "Who are you?" he asked quietly, purposely avoiding the question.
The girl hesitated. "Gabrielle," she said softly, glancing over her shoulder again. "Listen, I have to go, so if you can't tell us the way"
"I can tell you the way," said Draco firmly. "I will show you the way." In moments, he was up on the stone wall beside Gabrielle. He slipped down and offered her a hand. She took it and jumped gracefully to the ground.
"Do you live around here?" Gabrielle asked, reluctantly releasing Draco's hand as she looked around. The stars cast little light on their path, but Draco didn't light the way.
"No," Draco said quietly.
"Oh," said Gabrielle softly. "Are you staying at the Dragon Hide Tavern, then?"
"No," Draco said again. "I have - relations - in the area," he explained vaguely. Gabrielle nodded and followed him. Soon a bright lantern could be seen in the distance, glowing warmly.
"Is that it up there?" she asked. Draco nodded. He paused at the bottom of the hill.
"I'll leave you here," he said, turning to go. Gabrielle's hand caught his arm firmly.
"Will you walk me up?" she said softly. Draco shook his head, but she looked up at him, almost pleading with him.
"All right," he murmured reluctantly. She smiled and started up the hill. Draco walked beside her quietly. He thought that he recognized her from somewhere, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it.
Gabrielle knocked lightly on the wooden door. She heard heavy footsteps and took a step back. Draco pulled his hood over his face and looked away.
A tall, thickset man with a dark beard poked his head out the door and blinked in the sudden light. "What do you want?" he growled.
"I was looking for a place to stay tonight," Gabrielle said softly.
"Sorry," said the man, not sounding sorry at all. "Too late." He slammed the door in their faces and Gabrielle listened to his footsteps recede. It grew silent again.
"I s'pose you can stay at my place," Draco offered after a long pause.
"I thought you didn't live here," Gabrielle said, frowning.
"Did I say that?" Draco said. "Ah, well, it was a lie then." He started down the hill quickly. Gabrielle laughed and ran to catch up with him. Draco smiled.
Gabrielle's breath expelled in a misty cloud as she saw the large mansion come into view. Her eyes scanned the red rose garden and the black gate with an engraved 'M' in the center. Draco pulled it open and stood back.
Gabrielle flashed him a smile and stepped inside. Draco followed, closing the gate quietly behind him. Gabrielle was staring in awe at a large rose by the path. She bent over to catch its scent when -
The whole courtyard echoed with the noise. An enormous cloud of gray smoke erupted, enveloping the garden and the gate. When the smoke did clear, only the red roses flickered in the wind. The path was empty.
Disclaimer: Everyone belongs to J.K. Rowling (except Rhia and Rhiannon). :) Oh yeah, and Ellira.
A/N: There! More Draco! :) Sorry this was short...longer part next time. More everybody next time. And you get to meet the DADA teacher. :)
