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Six

The Heir of Slytherin


After what felt like a lifetime, the convoluted tunnel spat me out across an assortment of bones where I crashed into Harry. He fell heavily on top of me, and what little breath was left in my lungs was promptly released in a short grunt.

"I'm sorry!" He exclaimed as he jumped off of me, and extended a hand to help me to my feet.

"What were you doing standing there?" I yelped, embarrassed at having bowled him over while neither Ron nor Professor Lockhart appeared to have suffered the same fate. Harry gave me a helpless shrug.

"Sorry." He offered again.

"It's my fault really." I muttered, while Ron glared at the two of us.

"Are we going to find my sister or are you two going to argue over who's more sorry?" He demanded, and both Harry and I turned back to the task at hand.

"I don't feel anything yet." I told them as I extended my senses. Just as Myrina had taught me, I started with our current surroundings, reaching out with a magical probe to sense my brother, Ron, and Professor Lockhart before continuing in the search of any energy. Finally my probe felt a faint pull, and I nodded in Harry's direction before I turned to follow it.

"Be careful, we don't know where it is, and we can't look at it." He warned, his hand warm on my arm as he held me back. "So remember, if you see any sign of movement then shut your eyes."

"Don't worry, it's not here, I can't feel it." I assured him.

"Feel it?" Professor Lockhart demanded from behind me, and I turned to glare at him.

"Yes. I can't feel its aura from here, but something's this way, so are you coming or what?" I replied. Professor Lockhart hesitated until Ron raised his wand and he had no option but to follow as we walked further into the Chamber. I led the way through various passages, pausing when I saw the skin.

Harry moved ahead of me, and I followed on his heels as we took in the sheer size of the basilisk. I focused my magic on the skin, running my fingertips over its rough surface, and ignoring Ron and Professor Lockhart's quiet conversation. I could feel a faint reserve of magic, but the skin had been empty for some time. I was about to tell Harry when Professor Lockhart crumpled to the ground. I turned back, and I was still frowning at the Professor's body when he rolled to his feet. I had to admit that Ron had been foolish enough to leave his wand unguarded as Professor Lockhart snatched it. I faced Professor Lockhart, my own wand ready in my hand though it was my inner magic that I was preparing. Professor Lockhart's eyes darted towards Ron and then back to Harry and I as he pointed the wand at my brother.

"The adventure ends here, boys and Miss Prince," he said, his eyes glowing darkling as he kept the wand trained carefully on Harry. "But don't fret. The world will know our story. How I was too late to save the girl." I stopped listening to what he was saying as I reached further inside me, past the layer of magic I needed to create the probe, to the well that I harbored. I began to draw on the energy, holding it at the ready. I was not entirely sure what I could do to disable him, or whether I wanted to distract him or to harm him, but I knew that we were running out of time.

Professor Lockhart acted faster than I expected considering his propensity for chatter, and mentally I cursed myself for not practicing my own magic more. He cast the spell and I expelled my own magic in a rush, but it was not needed as the wand backfired.

Harry, Ron, and I watched as the wand's recoil, combined with my own magic, blasted him back until he hit a wall with a sickening crunch. For a moment nothing happened, and then there was a low rumble, and Harry grabbed my arm, pulling me deeper into the labyrinthian tunnels while Ron retreated back towards the pipes, and rocks rained down from the ceiling.

When the dust had cleared, Harry and I stared in horror at the pile of boulders that blocked us from the exit, and then as one we called for Ron. His voice echoed faintly back to us through the boulders, and I dashed forward, scrambling up the rock mountain to press my face against a rough boulder. I could just see Ron standing at the mouth of the tunnels. Professor Lockhart was not moving, and I could see a crimson stain beginning to spread from his robes.

"A-Are you alright?" I asked Ron shakily, who nodded, his face a stark contrast against his red hair. "An-," I stopped to gather myself, "and him?" I nodded my head towards Lockhart. Hesitantly, Ron approached our professor, reaching out to feel for a pulse.

"He's alive, but I don't know for how much longer." Ron replied, and I gagged on bile in my throat, pressing my hand against my mouth as though that would stop the revulsion that washed through me. If he died then it would be my fault, I would be a murderer.

"It's not your fault. He attacked us." Harry's voice came from beside me. "Ron and I saw it too, it'll be alright." He put a light comforting hand on my shoulder, and for I moment I turned and hugged him, as I tried to force the tremors from my body. He held me, looking back over my shoulder at Ron.

"I'll go ahead and look for Ginny, can you try to clear a path for all of us to come back through?" Harry asked, and Ron nodded, his own gaze drifting back to Lockhart. "Don't think about him, we can't, we have to focus on us for now. Rowena, wait here and if I don't come back then Ron, make sure that she gets out, and go for help." I pulled away from Harry, shaking my head.

"I'm coming with you." I said, he hesitated, frowning.

"Are you sure that you're up to it?" He asked tentatively.

"I'll be fine, and I can still help you." I replied, and finally he nodded.

"We'll be back with Ginny." He told Ron before we turned and scrambled down the rock pile, heading cautiously down the passageway towards the energy that I had felt before. I kept my probe out, and we walked slowly, listening to the ever-dimming sounds of Ron moving rocks. All the while waiting with baited breath for the monster to appear. Instead of coming face to face with the basilisk, however, we were faced with a metal door. I stopped and turned to look at Harry.

"The energy is coming from inside. I can feel Ginny, and I think I can feel it too, but there is something else too. I don't know what it is, but it's black magic, very black magic." I said, and Harry nodded, licking his lips nervously.

"Are you sure you won't stay here?" He asked, and I nodded.

"Ginny's my best friend." I reasoned. "We'll go in, get her and leave, hopefully before the basilisk comes. Someone else can deal with it. We're here for Ginny, just for Ginny." I said, and he nodded before turning back to the metal door with its apparently frozen snakes. His eyes narrowed, and then that horrible hissing language came out of his mouth again. The snakes began to move around the door before it swung open with a series of mechanical clicks. I sent my probe in, but I did not sense the monster waiting for us so, with a nod to Harry, we entered the chamber. I saw the figure, and I was halfway down the ladder before I paused to consider the danger, but with Harry hot on my heels I kept going. I kept my senses on high alert as I ran down the center aisle between the great snake heads and collapsed on the cold damp flagstones beside Ginny. I could faintly feel her, but her energy was weak. Harry hurried over to her other side, grabbing her limp wrist and feeling for a pulse.

"She's still alive." I told him, and he glanced up, relief evident in his gaze. "She's very weak though, and I don't know how to revive her."

"Don't worry, Madam Pomfrey will know, we just need to get her out of here." Harry reassured me, and I nodded.

"She won't wake, and I'm afraid I can't let you take her." I turned as I saw another figure appear. The boy was about sixteen and rather handsome, but the energy that surrounded him was wrong for lack of a better term. It was like he was made of unnatural magic, I could sense no vitality within him. I recoiled, drawing closer to Harry on pure reflex, but surprisingly my brother seemed to recognize the boy.

"Tom. Tom Riddle." Harry greeted the man in tense surprise, and I noticed that in his haste my brother had let his wand roll out of his gasp: straight into this Tom's hands.

"You're the one she's been writing to! You're the diary." I realized, looking back at Ginny and the diary that she held in her cold grasp.

"Very good, you must be Rowena, the mudblood friend." I didn't say anything, it was natural for Ginny to assume I was muggle-born. At least by the standards of the wizarding community I was muggle-raised.

"What are you?" Harry asked. "A ghost?"

"A memory." Tom replied.

"But please, can't you stop whatever you're doing to her." I asked him, getting to my own feet.

"You see I can't do that." Tom replied coldly. "You must understand, mudblood, that with every minute as little Ginny grow weaker I grow stronger." I swallowed as I processed the information, whoever he was, Tom was siphon, and it seemed that he was a powerful one at that.

Myrina had taught me the basics of channeling, and I knew that siphoning was a way of extending a person's magic by taking the power from someone else, but I was not sure how to break a witch or wizard's siphon channel. Myrina was careful with my magical education, and even the books that Elijah and Nik had given me were carefully vetted so that I could not accidentally overuse my magic. What I had to do in order to break Tom's link I could only guess. So, instead I stood there in silence as Tom explained to us how he had gained his foothold in Ginny's mind while she poured her every thought and feeling into the diary. I listened to him brag about using her to open the Chamber and to petrify the students while inwardly I began to plan.

I knelt beside Ginny, taking her hand in mine and, when Tom turned to Harry, I shot a bolt of energy into my best friend. It was a shock of sorts, meant to be a reserve of power that could be used if a witch collapsed so that they could stop the spell that would otherwise kill them. I could only hope that it would work for Ginny. I remembered her telling me that she was missing parts of her day, and I suspected that those were the times when Tom had possessed her. When she was awake I did not think that Tom could continue to siphon from her, and, although I was doubtful, I hoped it would mean that all the energy that Tom had already stolen would vanish.

At first nothing happened. Instead, Tom smirked at me.

"What was that delicious jolty of energy?" He asked, before waving his wand at a line of firey letters that he had written while I was gathering and channeling the energy. They spelled out 'Tom Marvolo Riddle', but as I watched the letters began to move, rearranging themselves into something completely different: 'I am Lord Voldemort' glowed eerily bright in the chamber before the letters faded. I fought the urge to look to Harry as I realized that no matter was about to happen, our chances of survival had dropped substantially.

"I suppose you aren't just a mudblood, are you? You're something greater, something much more interesting."

I kept my hand in Ginny's as Tom turned back to Harry, and I forced myself to block out the awful hissing sound that could only mean one thing: Tom was summoning the basilisk. I was out of time to think of anything new, so I did the only thing that I could think of. I followed Ginny's magical trail to Tom, and I yanked on the stream of magic as hard as I dared. He stumbled, looking at me in horror, and I pulled again. As Myrina had taught me, I envisioned my magic in a physical, the connection between Tom and Ginny was like a rope, that I pulled again and then again. I could feel it giving under my ministrations as I kept pulling.

"Rowena!" Harry yelled, panic flooding his voice, but I ignored him, as I kept pulling. I could feel the exhaustion that was beginning to flood my body and the warmth of blood spilling from my nose but I did not dare let go. I pulled one final time, and felt the bond snap just as Harry's hand clamped over my eyes. I reached out on instinct, placing a hand over Ginny's eyes as I felt her jolt awake.

"Keep your eyes closed, or stare at the floor, it's here." Harry instructed.

"Harry?" Ginny asked in confusion, her hands scrabbling against mine, trying to get me to remove my hand, but I did not.

"And Rowena, Ginny, we're in the Chamber of Secrets, there's a basilisk, you can't look it in the eye, it will kill you if you do." I told her, and she froze.

"Where?" She asked, and I reached out with my magic.

"Close." I said, as I felt it coming ever closer.

"I'll distract it, keep your eyes closed." Harry said, and then his hand was gone and I had to fight the urge to open my eyes as I pressed my body over Ginny's, shielding her while I forced myself to reach for the magic again, whispering the spell designed to make us invisible.

"What did you just do?" Ginny demanded as I felt the magic was over us.

"An invisibility ward." I replied, before collapsing onto her. I could still vaguely feel Tom's energy, but it was diminished, and he was not gloating anymore. The last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was Harry running out of the tunnel.

"Rowena? Ginny?" He cried in distress, but I did not have the energy to end the spell that kept Ginny and I hidden, nor did I have the energy to keep my eyes open.


"Rowena? Rowena!" I could hear a voice in the distance.

"Rowena, you need to wake up!" My eyes flickered open, and I saw Ginny crouched over me, her hands fisted on the front of my robes as she shook me. "Thank Merlin! You need to end the spell. Please, Rowena, let it go, it's alright now, it's over." She was saying, but I did not have enough energy to focus on her and the magic so I forced myself to focus on the cloaking spell. I could still feel it, could feel the steady drain of my magic.

I forced my magic to obey me, to release the invisibility spell, and then I passed out again. The last thing I was aware of were strong arms enfolding me, and I thought that I heard my father and Elijah, but I was fairly certain that I was too far lost by then.


I had hoped for the welcoming oblivion of rest, but instead I found myself in an unfortunately familiar field with the dark-haired witch.

"You knew my warnings, but you ultimately you have decided to disregard them." She said, turning her dark gaze to me. "I had hopes that you would not find yourself ensnared by their lies." Her lip curled in distaste. "You are a servant of nature, Rowena, you have been gifted and blessed, but instead of thanking the Ancestors, you turn your back on them. You should be punished for your impudence, and in time you will, if you don't change your course." She snarled at me.

"What I do with my gifts is my decision." I told her coldly. "Who I love is my decision."

"Clearly, you do not understand what I'm telling you." The dark-haired witch said, shaking her head. "I mean, My Dear, that you may choose to love them, but they will stop you from being who you were meant to be. There will come a day if you choose them that you will be forced to choose between them and your family, and you would do well to remember where your heart truly reside before it's too late." Before I could say anything else I was thrown into another scene.


I stood facing Elijah and Nik in an unfamiliar room. Elijah stood by a fireplace, a hand in his pants pocket, his grip wearing at the wood of the mantle, while Nik was closer to me, a tumbler of whiskey clutched in his hand.

"I'm going back." I was saying.

"No, you're not." Nik replied, his blue eyes flashing.

"We cannot allow that." Elijah agreed. "Hogwarts is simply too dangerous."

"Too dangerous?" I scoffed. "My life is always going to be dangerous, but my place is with my brother and our friends."

"Little Witch." Nik advanced, his hand coming down on my shoulder as he lowered his head to meet my defiant gaze. "You will not be going and that's final." He said.

"You have no right to stop me." I replied, shrugging out of his grasp.

"You will not leave this house, Little Witch, I will not allow it. So cease and desist in this nonsense." He replied, and although he did not move closer, neither did he back down as his blue eyes flashed.

"Watch me." I replied turning on my heel, but before I could take a step Elijah was standing in front of me.

"I cannot let you go, Rowena." He replied, his dark chocolate gaze drilling into me, equal parts remorse and resolve.

"They are my friends and my family, I need to be with them." I said softly.

"And you are a daughter to me, I cannot allow you to go and put your life in danger." Elijah replied.

"Then I have no choice." I replied quietly as I pulled on magic with practiced ease. There were two dull cracks and both Nik and Elijah crumpled to the ground. I hurried out of the room without looking back. There was no time, I had to be beyond their reach by the time that they woke, and after that I was not sure what to expect from either one of them.


The scene dissolved and I was back in the field.

"You see, My Dear, they will stop you from doing what you are meant to. They will hold you back, and you will have to become their enemy if you want to follow your heart." The witch approached me, a cool hand coming to rest on my cheek. "But I can see that you still do not believe me. So perhaps I must be more forceful."


I found myself at a bar in a restaurant, facing Nik, with two unfamiliar young men at my back.

"No, Nik. I won't do it, not tonight." I was saying, my arms crossed over my chest.

"You'll want to listen very carefully to me, Little Witch." He approached, his grip on my upper arm was painful as he manhandled me away from the men. "This is not a night to try my patience, you know how long I have been waiting for this, and you will not stop me. I have my werewolf, I have my vampire, and I have my doppelgänger. The sacrifice will happen tonight, and I will have your magic, even if I need to siphon it from you." Nik's eyes were cold, and I took a step back from him. I knew that he meant it, he would take my magic to perform the ritual, and if he tried then I would be helpless against him.

"If you take my magic, it would kill me, Nik." I said softly, my gaze locked with his.

"Well then, I suggest that you don't refuse, Little Witch." He said, before turning and storming out of the restaurant.


"Now do you believe me?" The witch stood in front of me, her hands clasped in front of her. "If you stay with them, then they will destroy you."

"Well that's my mistake to make, isn't it?" I said coldly, wishing that I could wake up, but I knew from past experiences that no matter how much I wanted to wake up I would be trapped with the witch until she decided to let me go.

"I have shown you what they are capable of, I have shown you visions of your future so long as you remain with them. You must change your pathway." The witch demanded, and I could tell that she was angry. As she spoke I could feel her aura flare with impressive magic levels, but I stood my ground.

"I must do nothing. You can't make me." I promised her.

"You will regret that promise, My Dear." She vowed, and then finally the scene faded into a permanent black.


The first thing that I was aware of was that I was in a warm bed. The second was a warm hand in mine. My eyes drifted open, and I took in the dark Hospital Wing. Draco Malfoy sat in the chair beside the bed, holding my hand. I smiled a little as he looked up, met my gaze, blanched, and pulled his hand back.

"I-" he began. "You weren't," he paused, "I didn't think anyone would know." He finally said.

"No one else has to." I replied, my voice hoarse as I smiled at him. We had become less hostile, but seeing him at my bedside took both of us by surprise.

"How are you feeling?" He asked after an awkward pause.

"Is there water?" I asked, and he stood pouring me a glass from at pitcher at the side of my bed. I propped myself up in bed to drink it. "What happened?" I asked.

"That's something I want to know, Princess." He replied.

"How long have I been here?" I asked.

"Almost a week." He replied, and my eyes widened at that.

"What do you know about what happened?" I asked.

"Weasley junior was taken, you, Potter, and his Weasley went down to the chamber with Lockhart, you were carried back out. Weasley junior was discharged after a few days, Potter and Weasley let go after a quick exam. The petrified people have woken up, only you have been here." Draco replied.

"What about Professor Lockhart?" I asked tentatively.

"He'll live unfortunately, but he'll spend the rest of his life in Saint Mungo's." Draco informed me dismissively.

"Why?" I asked, my stomach dropping in dread.

"The memory charm, it was a doozy. He has no clue who he is. Unfortunately, they can't undo it." Draco told me, sitting down on the edge of my bed, and I exhaled in relief. "I heard a rumor that he was pretty beat up though, when he came up."

"I did it." I confessed, and his pale eyebrows rose in skepticism. "He was going to obliviate Harry, so I blasted him back, and he was bleeding pretty badly."

"Pity you didn't kill him. The world would be better off without him." Draco said dismissively, and I let out a soft laugh of incredulity.

"You don't mean that, Draco." I told him.

"I guess not." He shrugged. "I'm not going to miss him though, I don't think anyone will once they know what he did."

"He was a pretty terrible teacher." I agreed.

"Pretty terrible?" He scoffed and I laughed, the sound echoing loudly in the quiet Hospital Wing. I clapped a hand over my mouth, while Draco's eyes widened in horror, and we waited. When no one came we breathed out a sigh of relief.

"I should probably go anyways, you need your rest, Princess." Draco said, getting to his feet.

"Have a good summer, if I don't get to see you before." I said, and he nodded.

"You too, Princess." It was only after his silver-blonde head had disappeared that I realized he hadn't pressed me for answers on what had happened. I smiled slightly to myself as I set the water glass on my bedside table, and closed my eyes.

It was then, however, that the memory of the dream came back to me. My eyes snapped open in the dark, my heart pounding in my chest as I remembered the future that the witch had showed me. I shivered slightly beneath the warm blankets, and knew that sleep would continue to elude me.


The hours passed with painful slowness as I tried in vain not to dwell on the overwhelming memories from the Chamber or of the dream, and until the sun finally began to brighten. When the sun had just begun to cast rays across the lines of empty hospital beds a door at the end of the ward opened, and I quickly closed my eyes and evened my breathing, not quite sure of whether or not I wanted to be awake. I felt the Matron hovering around me before the heavy Hospital Wing doors were opened, and I heard my father's voice.

"Poppy." He said, and she straightened.

"She woke, but she's sleeping again, Severus, don't wake her up. No doubt she's still exhausted. It will take time for her to recuperate, and a lot of rest." Madame Pomfrey said, and it was then that I realized that I was curled in on my side instead of being perfectly tucked into the bed.

"I know, Poppy." My father ground out.

"Good." She sniffed, and then I heard her walking away while the bed sank behind me, and I felt my father run a gentle hand through my hair, and I was about to 'wake up' when I heard more footsteps.

"She woke." It was Elijah's voice.

"At some point during the night." My father confirmed.

"How was she?" Elijah asked.

"I was sleeping." Madam Pomfrey replied, having returned, and I heard a bottle set on my beside table.

"And yet I was certain that I put away the chair last night." Elijah said, and I realized that he must have been talking about Draco's seat. "Rowena, care to shed some light on the matter?" My eyes snapped open in surprise, while Madam Pomfrey scolded Elijah.

"I assure you, Madam, she was not sleeping, just pretending to." Elijah said, and I saw that he had taken a seat in Draco's abandoned chair. My eyes watered slightly at the brightness of the morning sun, and I barely stifled a yawn.

"How are you feeling, dear?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she poured a dose of a potion into a glass.

"I'm fine. A little tired still." I replied quietly, and my father immediately reached over to help me to sit up as the matron approached me with the glass.

"Good. Drink all of this." She told me, and I eyed the glass with some dread, but did as I was told. It was a nutrient booster and a sleep potion I thought, because my eyelids immediately began to droop again as she plucked the glass out of my hand.

"Poppy." I heard my father grind out, though the arms that supported me and tucked me back beneath the blankets were gentle.

"She needs her rest. She'll sleep for a few more hours and feel much better." I heard Madam Pomfrey reply before I was completely lost to sleep, still cradled in my father's arms.


I woke up in my father's arms. At first, unwilling to wake up I snuggled closer to my father, but true to Madam Pomfrey's affirmation I did feel much better.

"Rowena?" My father asked quietly.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, my face still pressed into his robes.

"You had Elijah and I very concerned for your safety." He said, leaning back, and catching my chin so I had to meet his dark gaze. He looked terrible. There were dark bags under his eyes and his hair was even more stringy than normal, as though he had not slept or showered in some time.

"I didn't mean to." I said softly. "I was scared for Ginny, I asked Myrtle to get help. I couldn't leave her down there, not when I could do something."

"Do you know though how terrified I was when Moaning Myrtle of all ghosts appeared to say that Harry, Ron, and you had found the Chamber of Secrets, and had entered it with Lockhart of all people?" My father's voice was hard, but I could see the true fear in his eyes, and I leaned forward, and hugged him.

"I'm alright, dad, I'm safe now, I'm fine." I told him. "I love you."

"I love you too, Rowena. You are my everything, I cannot lose you, it would destroy me to lose you." My father said. "Which is why I expressly forbid you from ever doing anything so stupid again." He drew back. "No reckless stunts. If you are in a situation like that again you come and find me."

"But if Harry, Ron, and I hadn't gone then Riddle would have siphoned Ginny's life force away. Voldemort would be back and Ginny would be dead." I said.

"You are far too much like your mother." He grumbled. "But nonetheless, you almost died down there, Rowena. I've lost your mother. I will not lose you too."

"I promise I'll be more careful in the future." I said softly.

"Good." My father said, and I leaned back against him as he began to stroke my hair again.


I was left in the Hospital Wing to recover for the rest of the term. The first few days I continued to sleep a lot, and every time that I woke either my father or Elijah would be at my bedside. They would ply me with soup and Madam Pomfrey always had one potion or another for me to drink Sometimes I would sneak treats from the accumulation of boxes that my friends had sent.

When I first saw Elijah, he was less than happy with my 'rash behavior' as he had put it, but like my father he was more concerned with my health and increasing strength than my punishment. I also suspected that my father had spoken with him and, as long as I was confined to the Hospital Wing, there was not much that they could do to punish me.

On the second day that I was awake I had my first official non-family visitor. Ginny burst into the Hospital Wing while my father was sitting with me.

"Professor." She skidded to a halt, glancing nervously towards me, and then back at him.

"Yes, Miss Weasley." My father replied, standing. "It's almost lunch time, I'll go and find you some soup, Rowena." He swept out of the Hospital Wing, his black robes flaring out behind him.

"What's going on?" Ginny demanded as I patted the bed beside me, and she climbed up on it.

"What?" I asked with feigned innocence.

"Don't give me that look Rowena Prince!" She scoffed, slapping me lightly on the arm.

"Would you believe me if I said that he just randomly took a liking to me?" I asked, and she rolled her eyes.

"I'd like to think that if you would almost die for me then you could at least give me the truth." She replied, and although her tone was light I could see the sincerity in her eyes. We both knew what I had done, what it had almost cost, and although neither of us really acknowledged it, it was not ignored or overlooked.

"Snape. My real name it's Rowena Snape." I said, and Ginny blinked once before letting out a guffaw of loud laughter.

"You're joking." She said, laughter bright in her gaze, as I shook my head.

"No, I'm the spawn of the Dungeon Bat." I replied, and she gaped at me, the amusement fading as it was replaced with open-mouthed incredulity

"You're really serious aren't you?" She asked softly, and I nodded. "Of course it kind of makes sense." She said, leaning over to grab a tray of chocolates. "I mean, you're amazing at potions, and he was always holding you back after class. He's never really yelled at you either, not the way that Ron says he singles out Hermione, but you're probably even better than her. I don't really see the resemblance, but I suppose I wasn't really looking for it." Ginny said as she offered me my own chocolate.

"Apparently I take after my mum." I told her.

"And who is she?" Ginny asked.

"She's dead." I said softly. "It's why I have Elijah. Dad had to keep working, and he still believes like Dumbledore that Voldemort could come back, he was a part of the war, and he doesn't want me to get caught up in it."

"I see." Ginny said, but she did not ask any other questions, and I was glad. We sat together and ate chocolates and she told me all about what I had been missing out on: the cancelled exams and the reunion with the petrified students. When my father returned she leaned over, hugging me tightly.

"Thank you, Rowena, I won't forget, neither with my family." She whispered as she drew back.

"I thought chocolates were supposed to be for after lunch?" My father drawled, and Ginny recoiled a little, but I shot up from my cross-legged position, wrapping my arms around him. It surprised him, but he easily accepted my embrace, luckily having magicked the bowl of soup onto a side table out of harms way.

"I promise I'll eat all the soup." I said, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Good, now back in bed, and I dare say she's had enough excitement for the day, Miss Weasley, you may come back tomorrow." He dismissed Ginny, who shot me a slightly-worried look before she scampered towards the Hospital Wing exit.

"And Miss Weasley? I assume I can count on your discretion?" My father asked.

"Of course, Sir." Ginny replied, and then she was gone.


On the third day Harry entered the Hospital Wing while Elijah was sitting with me. Like my father had the day before, Elijah tactfully excused himself on a fabricated excuse.

"How are you feeling?" Harry asked, standing awkwardly at the foot of my bed.

"Much better." I replied, gesturing for him to sit, and he perched uncomfortably on Elijah's empty chair.

"I'm glad to hear that, Ginny, Ron, and I were all worried." Harry said, and I smiled gently, waiting for the inevitable question. "What happened?" He finally asked.

"You have to promise not to tell, no one can know about what I did down in the Chamber, do you understand?" I asked, and Harry nodded somberly.

"Well, you know that I could sense the beast, its aura. It's because I have another kind of magic in me. A wandless magic that harnesses the power of the earth and my ancestors. That's what I used to break the link between Ginny and Voldemort, and I used it on Lockhart." I explained.

"And it almost killed you." Harry said quietly.

"It needs your own energy to work, it's not channeled through a wand. That kind of magic relies on my body's strength and energy. I was only barely strong enough to break the link between Voldemort and Ginny. If I hadn't been then it would have killed me." I told him unflinchingly.

"You knew that when you cast the spell?" Harry asked.

"I did." I replied.

"Thank you, Rowena." Harry said quietly.

"She's my best friend. I can't stand by and watch when those I love are in danger." I told him.

"Neither can I." Harry replied.

"What happened after?" I asked.

"Ginny woke up, and you cast a spell to keep the basilisk away from the two of you." Harry explained.

"I'm sorry, you weren't close enough." I explained, feeling a twist of guilt.

"It was the best option, you weren't strong enough to fight it, and Ginny was too disorientated. I was just afraid that my distraction wouldn't be enough. Well, I was worried until you vanished, and I thought that Tom had done something, but he was just as weak. Your guardian, Elijah, and Professor Snape arrived, and when I explained they wanted to know where you had last been. I showed them, and Elijah spoke to Ginny, he got her to wake you, and drop the spell." Harry swallowed. "You had blood all over your face, it was running from your nose and your ears, and Elijah he-" Harry tailed off.

"He's a vampire." I finished for my brother, and Harry nodded helplessly.

"He gave you his blood, and you healed, but you were still unconscious, and Professor Snape was very concerned. I've never actually seen him so disheveled," Harry paused, and after a moment's hesitation I explained to him what I had told Ginny the day before.

"Please, don't tell anyone, not even Hermione or Ron?" I asked, and Harry hesitated. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone, and if Ron blurts something out or Hermione starts giving my father suspicious looks then I'm going to be in a lot of trouble." I said, reaching out and taking my brother's hand.

"Alright. I'll try." He replied. "You know that they have a knack of finding stuff out." We shared a smile.

Harry stayed longer than my father had permitted Ginny to stay the day before, but as soon as Elijah re-appeared, a bowl of soup in hand, he stood.

"Will I see you at the Farewell Feast?" He asked, glancing once in Elijah's direction.

"If she feels up to it, then I believe you will." Elijah replied, and I grinned.

"I'll save you a seat then." Harry said.

"Thank you." I told Elijah, as soon as my brother had left.

"Well, you do seem quite recovered, and I would hate to keep you from being able to say goodbye to your friends." Elijah said.

"Well, perhaps I could see them over the summer?" I suggested, and Elijah pinned me with a look, that told me that it was unlikely. "For my birthday maybe?" I asked.

"You get one thing, and already you want another." I turned away from Elijah to see my father entering the Hospital Wing.

"Sorry." I murmured, as my father walked over, ruffling my hair fondly.

"Don't lie, Rowena." He told me, though his dark eyes twinkled. Over the past days we had become closer than ever having sat side by side, and I was loathe to leave him for the summer.

"Here, eat your soup before it gets cold." Elijah proffered the bowl, and I took it as they settled on either side of me.

"Tomorrow if you so wish, you may rejoin the school for the Feast, and the take the train back to where Myrina can collect you from the station. Otherwise, you may go with Elijah when he leaves later tonight." My father offered.

"I would like to go to the feast." I said, and my father smiled.

"We both thought you would." He said, before I glanced at Elijah.

"I'll see you in the car?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Myrina will be waiting for you on the platform, and I'll be out in the car." He replied.

"Why can't you just come in, people here have seen you." I asked.

"Because most of the students here will not recognize me, though their parents likely would, and they are the true dangers." Elijah explained and I nodded silently, turning my attention back to my soup.

"I should depart then, I will see you tomorrow, Rowena." Elijah stood, and leaned forward, giving me a kiss on my forehead. I hugged him with one arm, careful not to spill the soup, and then he was gone. My father took his chair, and I watched him as I finished my dinner.

"Will I see you much this summer?" I asked when I was done.

"Perhaps." He replied.

"I want to see you. I'll miss you." I told him.

"I will do my best." My father told me, and I nodded. It was still early, and although I had been getting more energetic, there was still a lingering exhaustion, so when my father suggested that I sleep I agreed, letting him tuck me in before sleep washed over me.


I was released from Madam Pomfery's care just in time for the farewell feast. Right before I left the Hospital Wing, I heard the doors open, and Ginny and the other Gryffindor first years flooded in. Amanda, Eva, and Collin hugged me while Aaron and Sam clapped me on the back, and together we left for the Great Hall, chattering and laughing loudly all the way.

Good to his word, Harry had saved me a seat, and our entire group squeezed onto the bench. The food was wonderful, and the company even more welcome after the sombre quiet of the Hospital Wing. As the feast came to a close, Professor Dumbledore stood, and the hall fell silent.

"Another year, gone." He said, his blue eyes sparkling. "I would like to take this chance to recognize the return of one of our number. During the completion of services to the school she was severely injured, but I am pleased to welcome Miss Rowena Prince back to our company." The table around me burst into applause, and Ginny reached over, hugging me tightly, which elicited even more applause.

"For her services to the school, I award her one hundred and fifty points." My mouth dropped. I was used to getting a point here and there for my schoolwork, but one hundred and fifty seemed excessive.

"Like Harry!" Ginny beamed, as the Gryffindor table exploded into further applause, my classmates shouting their approval until they went hoarse as we were presented with the House Cup.


The next morning we were bundled blearily onto the train having stayed up well into the early hours celebrating our victory. We were all still dazed and happy as I found myself in a compartment with the other Gryffindor first years. We spent the journey eating the remainder of my get-well chocolates, as well as other various sweets and playing games.

About half-way through the journey I excused myself to find my brother. He was sitting with Ron and Hermione, but when I asked to speak to him in private he got up and followed me at once.

"Here, I wanted to give you this." I pressed a scrap of parchment into his hand with Elijah's private number written carefully on it. "It's my guardian's number, and if you ever need anything then give us a ring. I know that you don't have the best situation at home with the Muggles, Ginny's told me that it's actually quite horrible, but I promise Elijah and I are good at pretending to be Muggles, and he has a certain way with difficult people." I told him.

"Thank you, Rowena." Harry said after a moment, staring down at the number. "You don't know what it means." He added.

"You're my friend, Harry, I look out for my friends." I told him, and then Ginny's call carried me away from Harry.


By the time that we pulled into the station I had changed into muggle attire. I was excited to see Elijah, and for the familiarity of living with him but, I knew that things would never be exactly how they had been before Hogwarts. I was different, and I didn't think it was different in a bad way. The train came to a halt and I bid farewell to my friends, all of us hugging, before Ginny pulled me off to see her family. Her older brothers who were at Hogwarts had all hugged me, and thanked me profusely for saving Ginny, but apparently her mother and father wanted to speak to me themselves as I had been unconscious when they were at Hogwarts.

"Oh Rowena dear!" Mrs. Weasley engulfed me in a warm hug, kissing both of my cheeks. "Arthur and I just can't thank you enough for what you did for our Ginny!" She exclaimed. "If you ever need anything, dear, then we are in your debt." I nodded, not wanting to diminish the act or to encourage her to continue.

"Ginny's my best friend, I look out for my best friends." I finally settled on, and Mrs. Weasley hugged me again while Mr. Weasley held out a hand for me to shake, which I did quickly.

"Rowena?" Myrina's familiar voice called out behind me, and Mrs. Weasley finally released me to run into her arms.

"Myrina!" I exclaimed, as she chuckled and hugged me.

"I missed you too!" She said, her arm wrapped around my shoulders in a casual manner as she turned to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. "I'm Myrina, Rowena's guardian." She offered.

We did not escape the platform for another half an hour, long enough for me to finally spot my aunt and uncle arriving to pick up Harry. When I did see them collecting him quickly I could not help myself. I managed to detach Myrina and I from the Weasleys, calling out to Ginny to owl me over my shoulder while Myrina took my trunk and a caged Zinnia. I carried Reeba, who had grown quite a bit since Christmas, in my arms as I ran to catch up to Harry.

"Don't forget to call me this summer, Harry, you'll have to come and visit me at my estate." I said, unable to help myself as I made sure that my voice was loud enough to carry to our aunt and uncle. They were watching us with thinly-veiled curiosity that pricked at my words.

"Of course, Rowena." Harry replied, though his eyes told me that he was confused as I grinned and winked at him.

"Have a good summer!" I grinned, following Myrina out of the muggle side of the station towards the black limousine that idled at the curb, my ponytail swinging behind me as I felt eyes drilling into my back.

The driver was out of the car, and holding the door open for me before I got there, and I slid into the dark interior, still grinning.

"Hi 'Lijah." I smiled at my guardian before I noticed the second figure in the car, and my smile slid off my face.

"That was quite the sly trick, Little Witch."


A/N: Well there is year one - on to year two! Relieve a bit of midterm stress and let me know what you thought of Rowena's first year and what you are looking forward to in year two ("Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban")!