A/N: As always, thanks to Bonnie for beta reading this and making it much better than it would have been had I simply been left to my own devices. Thanks as well to all those who have reviewed, followed, and favorited this story. I'm glad that people have been enjoying it. If you have questions or concerns about what's going on, feel free to include them in a review or a PM — I'll try to answer.

Recommendation: What Happens in Vegas, by Silently Watches. Willow Potter and friends travel to Vegas to recover from events at the end of Willow's fifth year. At the same time, the Teen Titans also head to Vegas to recover from recent problems of their own. Hijinks ensue, naturally, and things do not go well at first. Willow/Raven.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does. I don't own Wonder Woman, DC does.


Chapter 09 - Busted

Monday, September 2, 1996, Morning.

"Good Morning," Dumbledore said brightly as Diana entered his office. He gestured towards a table with food. "I hope you don't mind, but I thought we'd eat breakfast while discussing the castle's security."

"I don't mind at all," Diana responded as she sat down while Dumbledore poured them both some tea. "Before we get started, though, I'd like to clear the air between us."

"Oh?"

"You don't like me, or at least that's the impression I get," Diana said. "It's not merely that you don't want someone from the Ministry poking around — I can understand that. It's me in particular that you don't like. What I'm unsure about is whether it's because Rose and I are two women in a relationship together—"

Dumbledore held up a hand to stop her. "No, I don't personally object to that. I'm not happy about the repercussions this will have for Mrs. Potter, but unlike most wizards and witches in our society, I hold no personal animus towards either of you because of it."

Diana nodded. "That's good. But there is animus there, and I don't want it festering in the background, undermining the work we need to do together."

Dumbledore took a moment to stir his tea while he collected his thoughts before answering. "I must confess that I've been rather worried — about you and what sort of influence you would have on Mrs. Potter. I've been worried that you would incite her to act with too little restraint, to exercise her power recklessly in ways that harmed others. It's clear that you only have the best of intentions, but I know too well that good intentions are not always enough."

"That is true," Diana conceded, "but too much restraint in the use of power can be as much of a problem as the reckless use of it."

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and folded his hands in front of him. "In what way?"

"I've been studying the recent history of your community," Diana explained. "Despite holding three positions of great prestige and power, you didn't push as hard as you might have for trials and investigations following the first defeat of Voldemort. As a consequence, a great many went free on the basis of flimsy excuses. In this very school, there is bullying and atrocious behavior that go unpunished. There is so much more you could have done and could be doing, yet you don't."

The old wizard looked down at his hands. "This is far from the first time I've heard such criticisms, and I won't pretend that they are without any merit. However, as with magical power, it's far too easy for political and social power to be wielded for the ostensible good of all while harming the innocent."

"That's precisely why a person needs training and education in how to wield power responsibly," Diana countered. "Something you have manifestly not done with Rose." Dumbledore looked up at her then, his eyes betraying his surprise. "Yes, after talking to Rose and others, I suspect that while you've encouraged her to leap into action, you've also encouraged her to be cautious in her use of power when she does act."

The Headmaster nodded slowly. "I have not wished her to learn anything too dangerous or deadly, at least not until she is mature enough to handle the responsibility." His look grew haunted as he added, "I know from bitter experience how the impetuosity of youth can misuse power, even while intending no great harm."

"And what have you done to help her become ready for that responsibility?"

"She is still young," Dumbledore insisted. "She needs to enjoy her childhood for as long as possible—"

"Even under the best of circumstances, she still should have been learning from a young age how to shoulder the responsibilities you and others place upon her," Diana interrupted. "You knew the prophecy. You knew how this community had turned her into a symbol. An idol, even. She needed to be prepared."

Dumbledore frowned. "I take it you intend to move her in a different direction?"

"I've already begun," she replied. "Since shortly after the wedding I've been training her in physical fitness and the use of a sword." The old wizard's bushy eyebrows rose at that, but Diana swept on. "Not only does it build strength and stamina, but she has to learn how to use the weapon responsibly. It's not a toy, and unlike wands, it's not used casually. I've also been teaching her the history, traditions, and politics of my community to give her examples of how others have acted with wisdom. Above all, I intend to teach her the importance of exercising power responsibly, whether that power is physical, magical, political, or social. She has a destiny, that much is clear, and she won't be able to achieve it if she remains unprepared."

"And she knows about your intentions?"

"Of course. I'm not manipulating her — on the contrary, I've explained why I'm doing this and why it will benefit her. Although she still struggles with accepting what the Fates have in store for her, she agrees that being better prepared could have served her in the past — for example, how it might have helped her deal with people's reactions when she first arrived at Hogwarts."

"Was it truly so bad?" Dumbledore asked, sagging a little.

Diana nodded. "In her mind, it was, and I believe her. Both adults and children had huge expectations for and assumptions about her, none of which she understood. As a result, she was completely lost in how to deal with people — and that's not counting the poor socialization she apparently received at the hands of her relatives. She tries too hard to please others and doesn't do nearly enough to assert herself or defend her own interests. Not even when she is obviously being harmed." The edges of the small table between them creaked ominously under her grip as she leaned forward. "I've seen the scars, Headmaster, including the scars on her hand. You have no idea how difficult it was for me not to go down to your Ministry and tear it down, stone by stone. I am a peaceful person by nature, but even my patience was stretched nearly to the breaking point."

Dumbledore's gaze rested briefly on the beleaguered table, then returned to meet her own hard stare. "I see. I assure you, I did not know what that woman was doing to Mrs. Potter. If I had..."

"You might have, if you'd not allowed her to grow up to depend entirely on herself."

The silence grew heavy in the room. "I will have to think on this," he finally said.

Diana sat back and sighed inwardly, knowing it was the best she was going to get.

"In the meantime, let's return to the original purpose of this meeting," he went on, pulling out a stack of parchment and beginning to explain how the castle's wards worked.


"Where have you been?" Hermione asked as soon as Rose entered the Gryffindor common room through the portrait hole.

"Exercising."

"For how long?"

Rose shrugged. "Couple of hours, I guess."

"I've been down here almost that long, and it's only just after seven!"

"I guess we just missed each other."

Hermione's brow furrowed. "Why did you get up so early for exercising?"

"Diana got me started on exercises to help my fitness and stamina. Normally she works out with me, but she couldn't this morning. I just... well, I need to get better. A lot better if I have any hope of... Look, can we talk about this later? I need to shower before I can go to breakfast."

The bushy-haired witch relented and made shooing motions at her friend. Rose started to walk off, then stopped. "Are the others up yet?" she asked.

Hermione's face softened as she shook her head. "They're never up before seven. You have time."

"Good," Rose said as she trotted up the steps.

By the time she returned, Ron, Ginny, and Neville were waiting for her as well, and they all went to the Great Hall for breakfast together.

"Hermione and Ginny told us about how the other witches are acting," Ron said along the way. "Are they really all shunning you?"

Rose nodded. "Except for these two, yeah. What are the boys saying?"

"Dean doesn't care," Neville answered. "He shrugged and said that it's getting to be less important in the muggle world, so why should witches and wizards make a big deal about it?" Rose smiled at hearing that.

"Seamus... well, he's being Seamus," Ron said with a shrug.

"What, he hates me too?" Rose asked softly.

"No, sort of the opposite," Ron explained hesitantly. "He kinda waggled his eyebrows and wondered if you and your wife could make room for a third."

"Ew! I'm going to hex his bollocks off!"

"I already did," Neville assured her. "Or partly. He won't be using them for a while, at least." Given the look on Ron's face, Rose believed him.

"Thanks, Nev."

Neville nodded. "Dean pointed out that the rest of us don't choose to find witches attractive and couldn't choose to suddenly find blokes attractive, so why should we condemn you for feeling the same way?"


Breakfast that morning was one of the most uncomfortable Rose had ever experienced in Hogwarts, even when compared to second and fourth years. It seemed to her that nearly everyone took time out to stare at her at least once, and most did it multiple times. It got so bad that she left shortly after getting her class schedule, deciding that she'd rather sit alone somewhere than continue to be the object of so much unwanted attention.

She hadn't gotten far when she heard someone quickly coming up behind her. Turning, she saw it was Diana, and all the tension that had been building up instantly drained away.

"Are you alright? You barely touched your breakfast."

Rose blinked, surprised that Diana would have even noticed. "All the staring took away my appetite, I guess. I wanted to get away for a bit."

"Do you have a free period?" Diana asked. "Maybe we could spend some time together before I start my own work?"

"No, unfortunately, my first class is in a little bit," Rose said, sighing as she handed her schedule to her wife.

"I don't know exactly what my own schedule will be," Diana said as she looked over the parchment. "In principle I should be able to set my own, but I'll have to work around others' schedules when I need help with anything."

"I understand. I know you'll do what you can."

"You've got a little time yet, at least," Diana said, handing back the schedule and putting an arm around Rose's shoulders. "Didn't you say something once about Hogwarts' broom cupboards?"


Rose's day went downhill after that. When she was alone in the corridors, she was the target of taunts and insults, something which seemingly every student she passed took great delight in. By the time she got to her second class she was so on edge that she was prepared to curse anyone who looked at her funny. It was only the combined efforts of her friends that kept her calm enough to pay attention to Flitwick's lecture.

The rest of her week wasn't any better. By the third day of classes, Rose had taken to carrying her invisibility cloak at all times. She needed it to hide from the hostile stares, nasty comments, and an increasing number of hexes being cast at her from behind. Her closest friends made a point of sticking nearby as much as possible, but they couldn't be with her all the time. Even worse, the problems only ceased when she was accompanied by wizards — the presence of Ginny or Hermione seemed to make no difference.

On top of all that, Diana wasn't much help, either. Even when she was there, she could do little about verbal insults and magic in the corridors because the Headmaster regarded them as disciplinary matters rather than security concerns. As it was, however, Diana was seldom around because she had to spend so much time studying the layout and defenses of the castle. After having spent nearly every waking and sleeping hour with Diana since the wedding, Rose found herself longing for her wife's company in a way that she hadn't expected.

It all came to a head on Friday afternoon — her first Defense lesson.

"Try to relax, it's almost the weekend," Hermione said, her hand on Rose's arm as they walked to class. Having Ron, Neville, and Dean close by allowed them to focus on talking instead of constantly having to watch their backs.

"I know, I know," Rose said, eyes downcast. "I just didn't expect it to hurt so much."

"The behavior of the students, or the separation from Diana?"

"Both."

"You got used to being close to her," Hermione observed.

Rose nodded. "It's more than that, though. I do miss talking to her and even just sitting with her, but... I don't know. There's this empty feeling. It feels a bit like when..." She trailed off and looked up at Hermione.

"Like what?"

"Nothing — forget I said anything," she said shortly.

Hermione frowned but didn't press.

"So how bad do you think this is going to be?" Rose asked as they arrived outside the Defense classroom.

Hermione shrugged. "Well, I've not heard anything too awful from anyone who's already had it."

Rose looked up and saw who was approaching from the other direction. "And here's something else to add to the questionable decisions Dumbledore makes: constantly pairing Gryffindors with Slytherins."

"You don't know he's responsible for the class schedules."

"As Headmaster, I'm sure he could prevent it, if he wanted to," Rose retorted. "So at the very least he finds it acceptable, and perhaps actively endorses it."

Hermione scowled, but any response was forgotten when the Slytherin sixth-years got close enough to hear.

"You know, I hear that all the witches in Gryffindor are sleeping with each other now," Malfoy announced loudly. "It's like an infection that's spreading. Witches in other houses have been avoiding them so they don't catch the disease that American hussy brought into the castle."

Rose could feel the tension among the Gryffindors shoot up, especially when Fay, Lavender, and Parvati edged even farther away from her than they had been.

Draco turned from Pansy to face the Gryffindors. "Hey, Weasel, how are you Gryffindor wizards coping now that your witches are finding more satisfaction with each other than they ever did with you? Are you going to try following their lead? I doubt anyone else would have you at this point."

"Why you..." Ron growled. He started to pull his wand, but Neville quickly grabbed his wrist and held him back.

"Look, I was right — they're even holding hands!" Malfoy crowed to the laughing Slytherins.

"They make such an adorable couple, too," Pansy drawled sweetly. "I wonder which one plays the witch when they're alone?"

"The Weasel, I'm sure," Nott answered. "His parents already have too many sons, so dressing up the youngest as a witch makes sense."

Dean had to grab Ron's other arm to keep him from charging the Slytherin group, and that was when the classroom door flew open with a loud bang. Snape stood there, glaring at everyone (but mostly the Gryffindors) before barking, "Well, what are you waiting for? Get in!"

"Books away, wands out," he went on, stalking through the class with his robes billowing as they got seated. "In this class you will be learning properly. You won't be relying on instruction from under-educated students with delusions of adequacy," — he looked pointedly at Rose — "nor will you be forced to endure the inane prattling of empty-headed women foisted off on us by Ministry dunderheads." The Slytherins chuckled at this, and it was taking all of Rose's willpower not to explode.

The smirk that flickered across Snape's face told her that he knew it, too.

"By the end of this year you will be expected to cast a much larger range of spells when defending yourselves. And all silently, too. Only those who put in the effort and have at least a modicum of talent will succeed. Your work in here will be mostly practical, and in order to gauge how horribly inadequate you all are after five years of the most incompetent teaching imaginable, we'll start with some demonstration duels." Snape turned his back on them and waved his wand to clear an area at the front of the room. "You are to use non-lethal spells only. You will be judged on your use of both defensive and offensive magic — variety, speed, and accuracy."

He looked around the room as if he were trying to decide whom to pair up. "Mr. Weasley and... Miss Parkinson," he announced. As the two moved to the front of the room, he whispered to Pansy in a voice that was far too audible, "You might wish to go easy on him. I believe he's still recovering from his disastrous performance in the Ministry in June."

The laughter from the Slytherins was predictable, as was Ron's obvious anger. "He's too upset to think straight," Hermione hissed. Rose nodded — one principle Diana had constantly repeated was the importance of keeping a cool head when going into a fight. Strong emotions like panic and anger tended to interfere with decision-making. Rose liked to think that her lessons to the DA helped by teaching other students what to do instead of panicking, but it wasn't something she'd understood well enough to teach explicitly.

Not that it would have helped Ron much in any case.

"Begin!" Snape commanded, and Ron's wand immediately snapped up.

"Expelliarmus!"

Pansy barely had to move to avoid his spell. "Reducto!"

"Protego!" Ron cried, and his shield absorbed the reductor curse, but Pansy followed it up with several more offensive spells.

"Incarcerous! Reducto! Reducto! Stupefy!"

Two reductor curses in a row brought down Ron's shield, and he had no time to block the stunning spell that slammed into him, sending him tumbling backwards to the floor.

"Ten points to Slytherin for demonstrating how to quickly incapacitate an opponent," Snape said, and Pansy held her head high as she returned to her seat. "Can anyone tell me what Mr. Weasley did wrong? Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Sir, he started quickly, but too quickly to aim. A proper wizard hits his target."

"Correct, five points to Slytherin. Next, we'll have—"

"But sir, what about Ron?" Hermione blurted out.

"Five points from Gryffindor for speaking out of turn!" Almost as an afterthought, Snape drawled, "You may revive him, if you wish," and Hermione got up to do exactly that. Once she'd reached Ron, though, he added, "And since you're already up here, you will be next." She stiffened briefly before nodding and casting "Rennervate" on Ron.

"Mr. Nott!" Snape called. "You will be facing Miss Granger."

Hermione took her place as Ron staggered to his seat, and after a moment Snape said, "Begin!"

Theodore Nott quickly learned that Hermione wasn't nearly as easy to duel as Ron had been for Pansy. Not only did her shield stand up to more abuse, but she cast more quickly, too, allowing her to get in three or four offensive spells for every one or two of Nott's. It wasn't long before Hermione's whispered "Glacius" caused Nott to lose his balance, making him an easy target for her follow-ups. "Expelliarmus! Stupefy!"

Snape summoned Nott's wand from the air before Hermione could catch it and almost simultaneously revived the Slytherin student with his own wand. "Ten points to Slytherin for a good demonstration of tactics. Five points from Gryffindor for excessive force."

"What?" Hermione exclaimed, stopping halfway to her seat.

"Either the disarming charm or the stunning spell alone would have been sufficient, Miss Granger," Snape replied. "Doing both was excessive. And another five points from Gryffindor for questioning a professor."

Rose could practically hear Hermione's teeth grinding as she retook her seat. "Not too awful, huh?" Rose asked, receiving a growl in response.

"Potter! If you're so bored that you need to chat with your girlfriend, you can be next!" Snape said. "And perhaps it would be appropriate to face Mr. Malfoy again. I warn you to stick to spells this time, Potter. No using dark abilities like parseltongue. It wouldn't do for our Chosen One to get too reliant on Dark Magic, would it?"

Rose was so angry as she walked up to the front of the class that her hands were shaking. When she saw Draco's smug expression facing her from across the room, all she could see was someone she wanted to take out that anger on. Despite that, she took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself, knowing that it would be a bad idea to lose control in front of Snape.

"Begin!"

Rose's intended disarming charm was immediately replaced by a shield when she heard Draco cry, "Confringo!" Numerous gasps came from the Gryffindor side of the room when her shield wavered, and she chose to dodge when Draco followed up his explosive blasting curse with "Defodio! Lacarnum Inflamari!"

"Reducto!" Rose incanted as she realized that Draco wasn't even going to bother with simpler, less dangerous spells.

"Diffindo! Perforo!" he cast as he sidestepped Rose's reductor curse, forcing her to drop and roll away in a move that Diana had taught her. Her fight with Io had made her acutely aware of how valuable that skill could be, and she'd redoubled her efforts to practice it ever since.

"Incendio!" Her fire spell finally forced Draco to cast a shield, but it wasn't a spell she could keep going for long. As soon as she stopped, she had to roll again to avoid his response.

"Contundo! Ossus Fragmen!"

Rose was certain that she'd heard gasps from the Slytherin side of the room that time, and it occurred to her that while lethal spells technically weren't allowed, that didn't mean that nearly-lethal spells weren't — spells that could potentially kill if she were "unlucky" in where they hit. She focused heavily on dodging and weaving, putting Diana's lessons to good use. The stamina she'd built up from Diana's exercise regime also seemed to be helping, because she didn't tire despite how much she had to move around.

"Enough!" Snape finally snapped. One glance at Draco told her why: the Slytherin was gulping for air and looked as though he wouldn't have lasted much longer. A few more minutes, and she might have been able to beat him by simply plucking his wand from his hand after he collapsed in exhaustion.

Rose smiled in satisfaction as she returned to her seat, knowing that she'd effectively beaten him, and that he knew it.

"Twenty points to Slytherin for an excellent demonstration of how to use a wide variety of spells to keep an inferior opponent at bay." Despite his panting, Draco managed to beam at his Head of House, and Rose was left glaring helplessly as Snape turned to face her. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for using muggle techniques instead of magic."

The laughter of the Slytherins ringing in her ears, Rose gaped at him. "Since when is moving around just a muggle technique?" she demanded as she shot to her feet. "Others moved to avoid spells, too."

"Another ten points from Gryffindor for talking back to a professor, Potter," Snape said with a smirk. "And a detention, too. With me, tonight. I don't have any cauldrons here for you to clean, but maybe a few hours scrubbing this classroom will help you change your attitude." He then turned to look at the rest of the class. "Would anyone like to answer her? Miss Parkinson?"

"The rest of us moved gracefully, as if dancing, like a proper pureblood should. Potter rolled in the dirt like a filthy muggle, sir. Probably something she learned from her... wife."

"Correct! Ten points to Slytherin, but one point from Slytherin for incorrectly labeling that woman as anyone's 'wife.' As you all know, our Ministry does not recognize perversions of marriage as legally or magically valid. Only Americans are so degenerate as to permit such unnatural unions, and the less said about them, the better."

Rose felt Ron and Hermione pull her down into her chair. She wanted to scream, and tears of rage pricked at her eyes. As horrible as the week had been, she should have known that Snape would make it worse — and she had this to look forward to every Friday afternoon until June. So much for Defense being her favorite class!

The end of the lesson couldn't come fast enough for Rose, and nothing her friends did managed to comfort her. There was only one thing she wanted, one thing that she thought would calm her, and she'd only have a short window between dinner and detention.


"Diana?" Rose called out as she pushed open the door. She didn't need to knock or use a key, since Dumbledore had agreed to ward it to prevent anyone but Diana, Rose, and the staff from entering these quarters.

"Rose? Is something wrong?"

"Yes. No. Everything!" Rose said helplessly as she flopped onto the couch. Diana simply raised a questioning eyebrow as she sat down alongside, putting her arm around the young witch. "Where do I even begin? I'm getting a lot more hostility from the school than I'd expected. Not simply ostracism, but insults and even occasional hexing in the halls. My friends — at least, the ones who still want to be my friends — help where they can, but it isn't always enough. And they're starting to be targeted as well."

"Can't the professors do anything about it?"

Rose shrugged. "They can only act when they see something, and the other students are clever enough to avoid being caught."

Diana paused for a moment. "What about Dobby? Surely he could—"

Rose shook her head violently. "No way! You don't want to go there."

"Why not? I'd think he'd love to help you."

"Oh, he definitely would," Rose agreed. "The problem is, he has no sense of restraint. Combine that with how powerful and clever elves can be... well, let's just say it wouldn't end well for anyone Dobby thought was a threat to me. We don't need that kind of trouble in addition to everything else."

Diana sighed. "I hope that your classes are OK, at least?"

"Most are. Slughorn gives me the creeps, the way he keeps looking at me and finding little ways to praise me. At least the used Potions book I found has interesting notes in the margins. But the worst was Snape's Defense class today!"

"What did he do?" Diana asked, her eyes narrowing, and Rose related everything she could about the Defense lesson.

"I've tried to talk to him more than once," Diana said, her exasperation plain. "I've done everything I can think of to get him to interact with us in a civil manner. I may have to use a more... forceful approach."

"And what's to stop him from retaliating further against me in class?" Rose asked. "If he were still teaching Potions, I'd consider dropping it, but I can't drop Defense. He knows it, too. So I'll constantly be under his authority, allowing him to do almost anything." Defense had long been her best subject, but now she was wondering how badly her marks would fall under Snape's tutelage.

"That worries me, too," Diana admitted. "I could try going to the Headmaster, but..."

"But unless he does something decisive, and follows up on it, then I've got the same problem. And since he's never done anything about Snape before..."

"I'll give it some thought, see if I can come up with some alternatives," Diana said as she pulled Rose close.

"I've missed this," Rose said, sighing in contentment. "I've barely seen you all week."

"I've missed you, too," Diana agreed. "I wish I didn't have so many responsibilities right now, but there's been no focused effort to organize the castle's defenses in centuries."

Rose pulled back and looked at her in amazement. "Seriously? What happened to all the talk about Hogwarts being the safest place in Britain?"

"Oh, it has defenses all right, but they haven't so much been organized as merely allowed to accumulate over the years, layer upon layer, like barnacles on a shipwreck. They may seem impenetrable, but if the worst happens, there's no flexibility there to respond with." She shook her head in dismay. "The job is almost too big for one person, and the lack of a wand makes it even more difficult because so often I need one of the professors to help."

"Is there anything I can do? Maybe if I could help, we'd be able to spend more time together?" Rose asked, but the hope that had quickly welled up in her was immediately quashed.

"No, the magic seems to be more advanced than you are ready for; and regardless, the situations which call for a wand also usually call for someone in a position of authority in the school. Perhaps if you were a prefect, that could qualify, but as it is..."

"This sucks," Rose declared, and Diana didn't argue. Instead, she gave Rose a squeeze before standing up.

"Unfortunately, I need to go while it's still light out. There's something I need to do in the forest. I'd invite you to stay, but I don't know how late I'll be."

Rose shook her head. "No, Snape gave me a detention, remember?" She bit her bottom lip for a moment, then said, "What if I come back later, after my detention? If you're not here, I can wait."

"That will probably be well after curfew."

"So?"

"So, you shouldn't be out after curfew," Diana insisted. "It would look bad for both of us if you were caught breaking rules that have potential security implications."

"Fine, whatever," Rose sulked, surging to her feet and stalking towards the door. "I'll go scrub floors on my hands and knees for the Dungeon Bat while you have fun in the forest. I got plenty of practice doing that whenever the Dursleys went out to have fun, so no big deal."

"Rose!"

"What?"

"We'll make some time this weekend, I promise."

Diana shook her head and sighed after the door slammed shut, not sure what to do about what was becoming an impossible situation for them. She closed her eyes and took several calming breaths in an attempt to push away the sudden, unexpected anger that had welled up at the end of their conversation. Maybe I need more sleep...


Friday, September 6, 1996, Night. Forbidden Forest.

Diana picked her way carefully through the forest, using the long staff to help her navigate the dark terrain and push aside brush so it didn't catch on her heavy, dark cloak. Despite the fact that there was still plenty of sunlight left in the day, the forest itself had quickly closed in around her, creating a dark and foreboding environment that seemed intended to drive away anyone foolhardy enough to venture into its confines.

Diana was not so easily intimidated, however. She needed a way to secure the outer boundaries of the Hogwarts grounds, and this was her best shot at protecting at least one flank.

She'd been walking for nearly half an hour when she attracted the attention of her targets, but she kept going. Over the next fifteen minutes they watched and circled around her, always keeping their distance and always keeping her in sight. And still she walked.

At long last they made their move, charging in on her from all directions. The pounding of their hooves against the forest floor was thunderous, but she gave no sign that she might have felt cowed. Numerous arrows were shot into the ground around her, but she simply stopped and waited calmly for them to cease galloping in a circle.

Eventually they seemed to realize that their actions weren't having any effect, and they finally came to a halt.

"Who are you?" one challenged her.

"What does it matter?" asked another. "When are we going to stop treating these humans with respect when they show none to us? This is the second time in a few months that we've found a witch trespassing on our land! Terrorizing the first obviously hasn't deterred them, so it's time to take more drastic steps!"

"Who are you?" asked the first again, sounding even less friendly this time.

"I am no witch," Diana said, tipping her staff forward enough for the moonlight to shine off the foot-long bronze spearhead at the tip, causing all the centaurs to back up a step.

"What is it that you want?" a third asked.

"I come to treat with you," Diana answered.

"How can you claim to want to treat with us when you bear weapons of war?"

Diana lifted the spear and jammed the butt end down into the earth until it stood straight on its own. She then allowed her dark cloak to fall away, revealing her white robe and golden tiara. Stepping forward away from the spear, she held her hands outward, palms up, and said, "I come to you in peace, but I also come prepared for war. I have no doubt that war approaches, and war is a subject we must discuss."

A larger, darker-skinned centaur stepped forward until he was scarcely a meter from her. She was forced to look up to meet his eyes, something she was very unaccustomed to.

"Who are you?" he asked softly.

"I am Diana, daughter of Hippolyta, Princess, Emissary, and Ambassador of the Amazons of Themyscira. And I wish to speak with you."

This announcement drew startled exclamations from the centaurs, most of whom began stomping the ground and muttering among themselves. "Silence!" the larger centaur called out to his herd before turning back to her. "We have not had contact with any of the old tribes for millennia. What has brought you so far from the land of your birth, Princess?"

"My wife is a student in the castle, and a heavy fate rests on her shoulders. I have accompanied her to help her bear that burden. I have come to stand and fight by her side."

The centaur nodded slowly, as if finally understanding something. "I am Magorian. You are right: war is coming. We have been watching the signs for years. Earlier this summer, however, there was something new in the heavens. A sword of stars and light appeared, cutting across the paths of both Mars and Venus. We did not know what it meant, but perhaps the answer is in front of us now."

"Magorian! You can't—"

"Quiet, Bane! Even if I didn't think she might be the sword of light, I would not disrespect an ambassador from one of the old tribes. We shamed ourselves enough, once, when we failed to respect traditions of hospitality. Would you have us shame ourselves again? How far would we have to travel this time in order to find refuge?" This seemed to make the other centaurs even more agitated, and Diana was glad that their ire was directed at their herdmate rather than at her.

She eyed the leader closely when he turned back to face her, then asked, "Thessaly? Not Laconia or Elis?" Magorian nodded. "Everyone wondered what happened to you, after. You traveled far."

"We needed to, in order to find a place where none knew our crimes."

"I don't doubt it, but perhaps the time for your penance is over." She extended her hands in front of her again, palms facing up. "Let us work together as friends and comrades, and you will no longer have to hide your faces in the shadows."

Magorian regarded her carefully. "As you say, perhaps. But the herd will need to debate matters first. Your appearance heralds uncertainty and strife. We cannot treat with you or accept your embassy until we are certain that such a move is in accordance with the heavens."

Diana inclined her head, not betraying her disappointment as she let her arms drop. "When should I return?"

"We will send word when we are ready to speak further with you. Do not venture into the forest again until then, for we will only guarantee your safety for your return trip tonight." With a bellow, he then commanded the other centaurs to leave. Most only gave her curious looks as they departed, but some were openly hostile.

"That could have gone better," she muttered as she retrieved her spear and retraced her path back to the castle.


"Rose, there you are!" Hermione exclaimed. "I've been worried... Luna? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to make sure she got back OK," Luna replied.

"Why? What happened?" Hermione asked, rushing up to them. "Rose, what happened to your hands?"

"Snape had me scrubbing everything in the Defense classroom," Rose said sourly. "He said he didn't have any gloves, and the cleaning potions burned."

"Come on, sit down over here," Hermione said as she guided them to a couch. "I still have some Murtlap Essence from last year — let me go get it."

"Thanks for walking with me, Luna."

"You're welcome, Rose."

"You're back!" Ron called as he and Neville came down from the boys' dorm. "I thought I heard your voice."

"Why are you so late?" Neville asked. "Snape didn't keep you until now, did he?"

"Not exactly," Rose said, sighing in relief when Hermione returned and began applying the Murtlap Essence. "He kept me until one minute before curfew. There was no way I was going to make it here in time, and I think that was his intention."

"Why didn't you use... uh, you know?" Ron asked.

"Why didn't you go to the Hospital Wing is a better question," Hermione grumbled.

"I figured someone would be watching the corridor to the Hospital Wing," Rose said. "You know, to get me in trouble for being out late. That's also why I took the long way around to get here, otherwise I wouldn't have encountered Luna. I'm starting to regret letting Diana have my map."

"Why were you out, Luna?" Neville asked. "You aren't getting bullied again, are you?"

"No, things are much better this year," Luna answered, "There are hardly any nargles left in the Ravenclaw dorms — they must have brought in an exterminator over the summer. No, I think I got used to wandering at night."

"Thanks for watching out for her, Luna, we appreciate it," Ron said, earning him a broad smile from the blonde witch.

"That's what friends do, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes, it is, Luna," Ginny assured her.

"And the reason why I was walking about exposed was because Snape confiscated it," Rose said.

"That slimy git!" Ron exclaimed. "He can't do that!"

"He had me empty my pockets and took everything that wasn't approved for school use," Rose continued. "He seemed especially incensed when he realized that he'd found something of my father's."

"You should talk to Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said as she finished with Rose's hands. "He returned it to you in first year, so he should be willing to get it back now. I mean, he clearly doesn't think it's against the rules to have."

"Yeah, and who knows what Snape will do with it?" Ron added. "He might give it to Malfoy!"

"Or destroy it, given how much he hated your father," Hermione pointed out.

Rose nodded. "I'll try tomorrow after the Quidditch tryouts. Right now, I just want to collapse into bed. I need to rest if I'm going to be at my best."


"You're late, Severus."

"I apologize, my Lord. I had some last-minute duties to perform that I couldn't escape."

"Then your information had better be worth keeping me waiting. You've had a week to investigate. What can you tell me about Rose Potter and this American witch?"

"My Lord, the article in the Daily Prophet was substantially correct. Inflammatory, to be sure, but all the essential facts were true."

There were gasps of outrage from the Death Eaters present as each vied to be the most demonstrative in their horror at what the Girl Who Lived had done. Snape struggled to suppress a sneer at their obviousness.

"Silence!" hissed Voldemort. "So it's true, then? Rose Potter has thoroughly debased herself. She hasn't merely defiled her body by sleeping with another witch, she's actually attacked the foundations of our society by participating in an unnatural union she dares call a marriage!"

"My Lord, I'm not even sure that the woman is a witch. Dumbledore says that the marriage certificate is magically binding, and she claims to be magical, but she admits that she doesn't carry a wand and can't cast any spells."

"Could she be a squib?" Voldemort asked.

"It is possible," Snape answered. "I don't know what standards the Americans have for magical marriages, and she did compare her presence to Filch's."

Voldemort nodded. "This is one more demonstration of how far our society has fallen — and how much of it is the fault of that old fool, Dumbledore. It is, after all, his Golden Girl who's so shamelessly flouting our society's traditions and standards!"

Several Death Eaters voiced praise for the declaration, just as they were expected to do.

"Also, my Lord, she hasn't taken the name 'Potter.' Instead, she is calling herself Diana Black."

"What?" Bellatrix hissed.

"Apparently, Sirius Black named Rose his heir before the fight in the Ministry, and that now transfers to the American," Snape explained. He didn't have permission to reveal that Sirius was alive, but he needed to avoid directly lying, too. "She is technically Diana Potter-Black, but goes by Diana Black to avoid confusion and is registered in the family books as second only to Rose."

"No, that's impossible!" Bellatrix screeched as she jumped up out of her seat. "I refuse to acknowledge that degenerate American as any relative of mine!"

Voldemort looked amused as he watched her reaction. "This may even be worse than what your dear sister did," he observed, "marrying a mudblood then daring to reproduce with it."

"I'll kill her! I'll kill them both for defiling the noble name of Black!" Bellatrix shouted, waving her wand in a manner that caused other Death Eaters to flinch backwards.

"Bella," Voldemort warned, his voice low.

"My Lord, you must allow me to purify my family!"

"I must?"

"This cannot be allowed to stand! I'll have this American screaming until she tears her own throat out!"

"Crucio!"

Bellatrix was on the ground, writhing and screaming for nearly a full minute before Voldemort released the curse. It had taken a lot of effort, but such insolence could not be allowed to go unpunished, not even from her.

"You forget yourself, Bellatrix," Voldemort said calmly. "No one is to kill Potter besides me, and you will do nothing to the American unless I command it. Do you understand?" She nodded silently as her body twitched from the aftereffects of the curse. "For now, you will have to ignore her existence. So long as she lives in the castle, she is simply too well protected. What else can you tell us about her, Severus?"

"She is... imposing, my Lord. Much taller and stronger than most women, though her reliance on base physical deeds is part of why I suspect she is a squib of some sort."

"Is that how she defeated my servants in Diagon Alley?"

"Perhaps, but I have not been told any of the details," Snape answered, not adding that what little he did know, he wasn't permitted to share.

"Yes, it's bad enough that Rose Potter has to defile herself with another woman, but she can't even be bothered to find a witch to do it with," Voldemort said with a sneer. "If that Daily Prophet article is any indication of what's to come, the rest of Wizarding Britain will not only turn against her, but the Headmaster as well for allowing this."

"He is worried, my Lord," Snape said, "but he sees no choice aside from trying to work with her because she's been named Castle Warden and given authority over security matters. Not only has he been outmaneuvered by Madam Bones, but he fears that if he pushes the American away, he'll lose Potter as well."

"He deserves no less for his muggle-loving ways and for encouraging the destruction of our way of life," Voldemort snapped. "Severus, I want you to keep a close eye on this woman. Pay attention to what she does, what she says, and most of all her relationship with Rose Potter. One way or another, I'll find a way to use her. Whatever she is, whether a squib or something else, she will soon learn her place."

"Of course, my Lord."


Saturday, September 7, 1996. Morning.

Rose was running out of the Great Hall to get back up to the common room when she heard steps behind her. She whirled around, only to find that it was Diana who was rushing after her.

"What is it?" Rose asked, without some of her usual warmth.

"I'm sorry about how things ended last night," Diana said, stepping close and putting her hand on Rose's arm.

Rose looked down at her feet, but something in her relaxed. "Yeah, me, too," she mumbled, "I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"It's alright — I know this isn't easy for you. But I meant what I said: I'd like to make some time for us this weekend."

"Yeah?" Rose asked hopefully. The lack of contact with Diana had been making her feel worse and worse.

Diana nodded. "What about this evening? I can set aside time then. It'll be just the two of us in my quarters."

"Sounds wonderful!" Rose responded. "I can't wait!"

"What's wrong with your hands?" Diana asked, frowning when she saw the red skin.

"Nothing," Rose insisted, shoving her hands under her robes. The last thing she wanted was to bother Diana with what had happened with Snape. Not only was her wife far too busy, but she didn't want her to end up making things worse.

"Rose..."

"It's nothing! Just... irritation from scrubbing floors last night. It's no big deal."

"I could use some of the healing herbs I brought with me..."

"Don't worry about it — Hermione already helped with that. It's loads better."

"Oh."

"And besides, Quidditch tryouts start soon. I was heading up to grab my broom so I could do a bit of practice flying first."

"Oh! I had no idea that was today!" Diana exclaimed. "I should make time to come see you."

"No, it's alright. You're doing that tonight already."

"But Quidditch is important to you."

"Sure, but tryouts aren't exactly exciting. You won't be missing anything, I promise."

"Are you certain?"

"Absolutely!" Rose would have enjoyed having Diana there in the stands, watching, but given how busy she was as Castle Warden, Rose thought it best to focus on getting Diana's time and attention when it counted — like tonight, when they could be alone.

"Very well, in that case I'll have to make sure that tonight is extra special. I expect we'll be celebrating you getting on the team."

"Perfect!" Rose said before stretching up to kiss Diana. "Gotta go!"

Diana smiled and watched her wife charge up several flights of steps before eventually turning and re-entering the Great Hall. Neither of them had seen the several scowling faces watching from the shadows near the entrance to the dungeons, nor did Rose see them up on the seventh floor later when she exited the Gryffindor common room. As she approached the top of the stairs that led down to the Entrance Hall, she was far too preoccupied with thoughts of Quidditch and dinner that night to hear the spell that was fired at her feet. All she could say later was that she went down with shocking speed.

There was a sickening snap in one of her legs as she tumbled down the first flight of stone stairs, but almost as bad was the sound of her broom snapping in her hands as it got wrenched beneath her. In fact, she was so horrified at the fate of her broom that she almost didn't notice that instead of hitting the stone railing at the bottom of the flight of stairs, she simply rolled into empty air.

Her stomach lurched and a scream was torn from her lungs as the fourth floor landing rushed up to meet her. Suddenly a sharp, tearing pain exploded in her side, but she didn't even have enough breath left in her to gasp. Mercifully, she lost consciousness less than a second later when her head impacted the stone.