Chapter Nine: The Start of a Divide

It'd been almost a month since the sorting ceremony. Draco refused to even acknowledge her existence for the time being and it made her life at Hogwarts almost unbearable. If it wasn't for the Twins, she would have lost her sanity within the first week. Distracting herself had been almost impossible until the twins offered to help her train for quidditch try outs. In between each class, they'd rush down to the field and duke it out to give Dahlia a proper shot at getting Chaser. Originally, she wanted to be a beater, but given that she didn't want to cause any grief between her and the twins, she'd just go for second best then get after becoming a beater her senior year.

"Georgie, do you think I'll even make the team?" Dahlia worried the day of try outs while they were up in the air for a final practice round. Lee was down in the stands chatting up the fresh meat, George and Fred were up in the air with her, and there was a couple of Ravenclaws practicing on the other end of the field. George gave her a 'look' and tossed the quaffle her way. She snatched it from the air just in time to race off past Fred who was charging at her with lightning speed. She chucked the light ball through the hoop just in time before George stopped it.

"Yes, Dahlia. I think you'll definitely make the team." George teased and Dahlia smiled lightly, feeling her cheeks warm.

"Aw, look Georgie… You've made her blush." Fred teased and her face felt like it was on fire. With a light sigh, Dahlia started to head towards the ground for a little rest before the tryouts began. Oliver Wood was starting to trudge down the hill, glad they already had all the equipment down at the field so he didn't have to lug it down himself. The twins landed swiftly beside her and they settled down next to their bags to enjoy some snacks before the trials.

"Oh! Mum made some good luck toffees." George exclaimed, pulling the bag of sweets from his bag. Dahlia's stomach churned, partially in hunger and partially in anxiety. With a small flourish, she broke off a piece of the English Toffee and savored it.

"Have you spoken to Draco at all?" Lee's small voice came up from behind her. Dahlia tensed and turned to look at the dark-skinned boy that was approaching them.

"No, why'dya ask?" Dahlia stammered, her heart starting to race and ache.

"He's on his way down to the field right now." Lee responded, his eyes darting down to the ground to avoid her gaze.

"I can't wait to see what garbage Gryffindor has rounded up this year." They could hear Draco sneer and his two new-found minions snickered in response.

"We're going to smear the quidditch pitch with them." One of the two agreed and Dahlia growled.

"What's it matter to you, y'slick git? You can't even play you bloody snake." Dahlia hissed in response and George put a hand on her to hold her back. Dahlia's rage surged through her as her heart ached at the memory of the sweet boy she'd lived next to for years. Draco's head shot up at her voice and regret raced through his eyes for about two seconds then it was quickly replaced with disgust.

"How dare you speak to me?" Draco spat, venom clear in his words. "You filthy-"

"Draco, you dare utter that word at me and I swear I'll cut that tongue out of your mouth!" Dahlia threatened, reaching for her wand.

"Don't you even say his name!" Goyle barked, stretching out in attempt to make himself look tall.

"I'll do whatever I want, you mangy watch dog!" Dahlia retorted, stepping up to the boy. Goyle stepped back a little and Draco moved in his way.

"Dahlia, was it? I'd watch your step around me, mudblood. If you don't-" Before he could finish his threat, Dahlia wound her arm back and smacked Malfoy hard. His small squeal could be heard across the field and he staggered backward with a hand on his face. "YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO TOUCH!" Draco screamed, continuing to back up.

"I don't care who I'm 'permitted' to touch, I'll touch anyone who dares attempt to insult my name. Especially you, Malfoy," Dahlia started, stepping towards him again. Crabbe and Goyle started to back away, changing their mind about watching Gryffindor's trials. "You're just like your lousy father." Dahlia grinded through her teeth, knowing exactly where to hit Malfoy to make him hurt. Draco flinched and held his face, disbelief still clear in his eyes. "Now, leave before I change my mind about letting you leave." Dahlia finished, sending mental daggers towards her former best friend. Draco staggered backward then ran off, Crabbe and Goyle close behind. Applause started to erupt behind her and Dahlia felt her already reddened face start to hurt with the amount of warmth, now from embarrassment rather than anger.

"Go D!" George exclaimed in a roar.

"I'd hate to get on her bad side!" She heard Lavender Brown mumble behind her to a nearby Ravenclaw and the Ravenclaw nodded in agreement.

"Alright, you lot! Let's get started with try outs!" Oliver Wood yelled over the top of the crowd and everyone grew silent. Any that were there specifically for the purpose of watching left the field and all other houses respected the time the Gryffindors had the field and left to go do other work. "Unfortunately, the positions for seeker and keeper have already been filled," A few groans ensued and a couple of people left the field. "That still leaves the two beaters and three chasers. Shall we begin?" Oliver questioned and there were a few mumbles of discontent.

"Who's the seeker?" Fred questioned, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Harry Potter." Oliver answered, waiting for the gasps and whispers started to die down. "Although, I thought it best to keep that on the down low so it comes as a surprise to the other teams… So, lets begin!" Oliver called out, mounting his broom and grabbing the quaffle. Everyone followed suit, hoping to get the best opportunity to show off their skills. The try outs started out with a test of speed. The first hour was spent doing exercises to showcase everyone's personal attributes on the field. Once the hour was over, Wood lowered down to the ground after setting up teams. He decided the second hour was going to be spent with everyone getting to try for each position on the field in a scrimmage of sorts. As he released the bludger, everyone scattered to avoid getting hit by the large ball. There was enough people trying out to have two teams and Dahlia and the Twins managed to get placed on opposite teams. The game wasn't necessarily complete since there wasn't anyone trying out for seeker so there wasn't a golden snitch to look for, but the group spent a good hour so far making sure everyone got a chance to try each position they wanted to. Dahlia contently stayed in the position of chaser, showcasing what she'd been practicing.

"Dahlia! Try for beater!" Oliver commanded and Dahlia's head shot towards him.

"But, Wood, I-"

"Just humor me, please." Oliver groaned and Dahlia reached for one of the bats from a young blonde who seemed very aware of how attractive he was. She remembered his name was Cormac McLaggen and attempted to smile at him. He grimaced in response and handed her the bat unwillingly. She rolled her eyes and shrugged at Fred and Georges questioning looks. They continued to play and Dahlia took out her anger towards Malfoy on the large ball flying towards her teammates. McLaggen stopped paying attention to what was happening around him and was focused on getting the quaffle to the goal post. The bludger was seconds from taking his shoulder clear off when Dahlia managed to zoom past and knock it away from him with all her might.

"Watch yourself Cormac!" She snapped, keeping the second half of her comment to herself. Her adopted mother always told her to keep her mouth shut if she didn't have anything nice to say, so the comments she wanted to add would need to be saved for her own mind.

"Nah, Dahlia, that's what I've got you for!" Cormac laughed and she had to bite at the inside of her mouth to keep from saying anything she didn't mean. Instead, she focused on keeping the bludger away from her team.

"Hey, Fred! George! Looks like D's gonna give you a run for your money!" Lee called out and Fred snapped his head around to death glare him at the worst possible moment. The bludger was heading straight for the back of his head and Dahlia's eyes widened. She dashed towards him and managed to swing around a centimeter from Fred's head.

"Fred, you bloody idiot! The Slytherin's are going to be shouting nonsense at us the entire time we're playing and you're gonna let some teasing from Lee get you out of the game? Focus!" Dahlia snapped, more out of concern that he was injured than in anger.

"Sorry, mum." Fred teased and Dahlia rolled her eyes heavily. She went back to focusing on the game and the rest of try outs went fairly smoothly with the occasional close save of Cormac since he wasn't watching out for the bludgers. After another forty-five minutes, try outs were complete and they all flew towards the ground to head back up to the castle, all sore from flying for almost three hours.

"Alright! The results will be posted on Friday! Thank you all for trying out! I've definitely got my work cut out for me in choosing a team for this year. You were all fantastic!" Wood exclaimed, dismissing us all. "Dahlia, could I have a word with you?" He added and Dahlia's heart skipped a beat. He was bound to be about to tell her she was the worst flyer ever and that she would never make the team. She just knew it. She nodded numbly and looked towards the Twins and Lee.

"I'll meet you guys up at the castle for dinner." Dahlia told them and they nodded then started to head up towards the castle. "What'cha need, Oliver?" Dahlia questioned, feeling the sweat start to dew on her forehead. Oliver smiled in her direction and jumped up and yanked the bludger that was charging for them out of the air. It threw him to the ground and he grunted as he attempted to put it back in its spot.

"I have a question for you." Oliver answered and she raised her eyebrows in response. "How would you feel about a beater position? You've definitely got the pent-up anger for it." Oliver questioned and Dahlia's eyes widened.

"I… I couldn't." Dahlia answered and Oliver looked at her with surprise clear in his eyes. "I couldn't separate the Twins like that. They're my boys. I know you'd have to kick one of them and I don't want to do anything to ruin our friendship. Besides, I've been practicing to be a chaser for months. Was I not good at that?" Dahlia returned and Oliver chuckled.

"You were more than good; you were brilliant. It's almost like an inherited talent. You were just a much better beater if that were even possible." Wood explained and Dahlia found herself blushing. "If I were to give you a beater position, would you quit the team?" Wood asked and Dahlia nodded lightly. Wood sighed and shook his head lightly. "Alright, I'll think about it and I guess you'll figure out what I decide on Friday." Wood said as a form of goodbye and Dahlia nodded once tightly and started to trudge up to the castle. Normally, Dahlia enjoyed this walk, but tonight there was something off. She almost felt like she needed to run up to the castle. Before the urge overtook her, she felt someone yank her towards the woods. She let out a scream and a hand covered her mouth. She bit down hard on her attackers' hand and heard him hiss behind her. His grip on her loosened and she went to run.

"OLIVER!" She screamed at the top of her lungs and went to run but the man gripped her tightly once again.

"Dahlia?" She heard Oliver faintly down from the quidditch pitch. She attempted to respond but the hand was firmly over her mouth again. The man roughly turned her and slammed her against the tree, her head hitting it hard. "Dahlia!" Oliver screamed out once he didn't hear her again.

"Immobulus! You scream again I'll kill you." The man hissed and held his wand to her throat. She kept her mouth tightly shut and a set of bright white teeth bared themselves in a smile of sorts underneath the cloak. "Good girl… Now… Dahlia Skinner… Is that your real name?" He questioned. "Crucio!" He growled before she could respond and she gasped in pain. "Answer me truthfully or it starts up again.

"My name… Is Dahlia Rose Skinner… I always have been… I always will be." Dahlia managed to gasp and the man growled in frustration.

"She's lying. Where else would that oaf hide her besides in plain sight?" A raspy voice answered and the eerie smile in the dark of the cloak turned into a sneer.

"Imperio! Tell me the truth girl!" The man commanded and Dahlia felt the battle within herself. Her arm started to burn more than it ever had before and, after intensely fighting the spell placed on her, she managed to tuck it behind herself to hide the blood that she knew would soon be flowing down her arm.

"I am telling the truth! I live in Southall, Wittshire. I've lived there for as long as I can remember." She danced around the truth marvelously, evading the question.

"So, you are in no way related to the Potters?" The man coaxed, the Imperius Curse still heavily in place. The burning turned into a feeling of being cut with a knife and Dahlia forced her eyes to stay open. She bit heartily into her cheek and looked into the place where the eyes should be on the man.

"The only way I'm related to the Potters is I know their son. He's in the grade below me and-"

"And he's untouchable to us. We cannot reach him!... No… Not yet." The man growled. "What do you think Master?" He questioned the air.

"I'm unsure. She bares resemblance to the Potters, but we know not what her name would have been. Are you sure you're using the curse correctly?" The raspy voice snapped and the cloaked man flinched lightly, the curse wavering slightly. Dahlia could feel the blood washing down her arm and placed her hand against the tree so it would run down the bark instead of dripping to the ground, even this causing a stiffening pain from attempting to break the immobulus spell.

"I assure you master, I-"

"Dahlia! Dahlia where are you?" Oliver continued to call out and the cloaked man growled defensively, his head turned in the direction of his voice.

"Quickly you idiot!" The voice hissed and the man turned and quickly bound Dahlia's legs together with a rope.

"You have one more chance girl, tell me who you are." The cloaked man threatened with the edge of the rope in one hand and his wand held up to the edge of the rope with the other.

"I told you already… I am Dahlia Skinner; daughter of Lorelei and Travis Skinner… Please, stop this." Dahlia begged and the man growled.

"She lies. See if she'll continue to lie when she's on fire." The voice ordered and the man grunted in agreement. Dahlia felt the tears start to flow as she continued to ignore the desire to tell the truth.

"Indencio." The man growled and the rope lit quickly. Dahlia couldn't help but start to breathe heavier while she stood, helplessly waiting for the fire to reach her and the new pain to start.

"Dahlia, please! Say something!" Wood begged and Dahlia sobbed lightly. The pain of being burned started to crawl up her legs and she couldn't help but whimper.

"Tell the truth and I'll make it go away." The man coaxed and her arm felt like it was about to fall off.

"I've been telling the truth this whole time. I promise. Please…" She continued to beg, the pain up to her knees now.

"Master?" The man called in a bit of a panic.

"I suppose she has been telling the truth… Leave her! Mudbloods deserve to burn!" The raspy voice commanded and the man slithered off into the darkness. Finally, free of the curse and the man, Dahlia let out a long, terrified, and pained scream, hoping Oliver was close. She soon heard his footfall quickly approaching her and almost laughed in relief. Her legs were now literally on fire and she couldn't even move enough to try to put it out.

"Bloody hell, Dahlia!" Oliver exclaimed and yanked out his wand. "Aguamenti!" Oliver exclaimed and water spurted out of his wand onto her legs. The sweet relief that started to flow up her legs made her cry tears of pure joy, but the joy was short lived because a new wave of pain replaced it. "Finite!" He exclaimed and Dahlia instantly fell to the ground. "Dahlia, can you stand? Is the person responsible still here?" Wood questioned and Dahlia fervently shook her head.

"No to both. He ran… I… Can't…" Dahlia attempted to curl up to vomit, but her legs refused to cooperate so she just turned her head to the side and emptied her stomach. She hid her arm to the best of the abilities although she was sure she was soaked in her own blood at this point.

"Dahlia… I need to go get Madame Pomfrey. She'll know what-"

"NO! No… Oliver… I need Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape… Very inconspicuously, I need you to approach them and tell them I am hurt and that the one we thought to be gone has returned and found me." Dahlia ordered and Oliver looked at her like she had gone mad.

"Dahlia, you need Madame Pomfrey." Oliver insisted.

"Maybe later, but for now only Dumbledore and Snape can help me. Please, I can't explain any further… Just… Trust me… Go! Please!" Dahlia begged and Wood nodded tightly then sprinted off to the castle. Dahlia struggled to maintain consciousness, but everything hurt. She pictured Fred and George furiously screaming at her to keep awake and she turned on her side, hoping the pain would reignite her will to live. When she turned, everything screamed in response and her eyes shot wide open. To stay awake, she started to count the seconds until she started to hear footsteps. She got to 486 before she started to hear fast footfall.

"Dahlia!" She heard Professor Snape call, pain clear in his voice. His pace quickened and soon she heard his body land next to her with a thud. "What happened?" He managed, his voice sounding shaky.

"Oliver… Where…?"

"He's right here, Dahlia." Dumbledore told her as he gracefully swooped down to her other side.

"Must… Leave… Can't… Hear…" Dahlia managed and looked up at Dumbledore with blurred vision. His eyes were pained, but his face was calm.

"Oliver, could you go retrieve Madame Pomfrey? You did well to get us first, but she will need Madame Pomfrey's aid once we're done here. Tell her we'll need her stretcher as well." Dumbledore calmly asked and Oliver nodded, his eyes ablaze with fury; even though he knew this went beyond him, he didn't appreciate Dahlia leaving him out of the loop. Either way, she needed his help and she was very easily dying. He would do what he could for her, so off he went to the castle. "Now, Dahlia, recall what happened as best as you can, please." Dumbledore asked of her as he examined her arm.

"There… Cloaked man… He wanted… Me…"

"What did he want from you?" Snape demanded to know in a growl.

"Truth… Used… Unfor… giveable… curses… Tried to… Make me tell… My arm… On fire…" Dahlia managed and Snapes eyes continued to burn with pain.

"Could you tell who it was?" Snape asked softly and Dahlia managed to shake her head.

"He… Talked to… The air… It responded… I think… it was Him." Dahlia told them and Snape urgently looked up at Dumbledore. Dumbledore hid any concern if he had it and continued to work on her arm.

"You've done beautifully, Dahlia… Rest now child. We will take care of it from here. You are safe now." Dumbledore instructed and she gladly greeted the warmth of sleep.

~Three Days Later~

Dahlia woke slowly, careful not to move. There was something not right. This wasn't her bed in her dorm. She couldn't place it, but there was something off. She tried to remember what had happened the past couple of days, but all she could remember was sleeping. She twitched her fingers and became aware of a hand around each of her own. She heard two intakes of hopeful breath and knew her boys were waiting for her eyes to open. She couldn't help but smile a little then fluttered her eyes open.

"D!"

"Thank God, you're awake!"

"We've been waiting-"

"For ages!"

"Didn't leave your bedside!"

"Not once!"

"Well… maybe once or twice…"

"Professor Dumbledore made us go to class…"

"But besides that-"

"We've been bed ridden just like you!"

"Jeez, miss me much?" Dahlia teased and the boys smiled widely at her. "What happened?" She asked and the boys eyes widened.

"You don't remember?" Fred asked and she shook her head.

"You were attacked, D. Oliver heard you scream and eventually found you on fire… You're obviously fine now, but it was a big deal. Madame Pomfrey wasn't sure if she'd be able to save your legs… Of course, she did!... But it was a struggle. You should be fine now, we've just been waiting for you to wake up now." George explained and Dahlia started to recall the events of Tuesday night.

"How long has it been?" She asked and George smiled.

"Well, it's Saturday now…" He trailed off and she almost hopped out of her hospital bed.

"Well?! Did we all make the team?!" Dahlia screeched, her head starting to pound from too much excitement.

"Stay calm! You had a pretty bad concussion…" Fred trailed off, pushing her back onto the pillow and she almost growled at them.

"I'll stay calm if you tell me." Dahlia grumbled and the boys laughed lightly.

"Freddie and I are the Beaters again, Potter's Seeker of course, Wood's Keeper, and Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson are the Chasers." George told her and Dahlia glared at him.

"You left out a chaser you dummy." She snapped, already catching on but not wanting to get her hopes up. She wanted to hear him say it.

"No I didn't; I'm looking at her… Welcome to the team, Dahlia." George explained and Dahlia's smile widened.