February 10th, 1977
Red eyes, that was all Blaise could focus on before she was awoken by her own screams. Arms grabbed onto her as she searched for her wand in a panic, struggling to break free from the person's grasp.
"Blaise! Blaise, it was just a nightmare!" Lily cried, attempting to soothe her friend. Blaise could feel her heart racing in her chest as she looked at the red head in front of her. Lily's face held worry and fear. Blaise took a deep breath.
"I'm so sorry." Blaise said, barely above a whisper.
"I really think you should talk to Dumbledore about these nightmares." Lily pleaded. "You hardly have been getting any sleep because of them. It's not good for you and quite frankly you are scaring the hell out of the other girls." Blaise looked around the room, it was empty and she noticed light coming through the curtains.
"What time is it?" Blaise asked the girl.
"Uh," Lily thought, gathering herself. "A little past 10, the girls and I thought we should let you rest. This has been the longest you've slept without waking up screaming." Lily avoided Blaise's eyes.
"I'm sorry, Lily." Blaise said quietly, looking at her hands in her lap. Lily squeezed her arm comfortingly.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Blaise." Lily met the broken girl's eyes. "How about we go to Hogsmeade and take your mind off things?" Blaise smiled and nodded.
x
The two girls walked through the cold, February air, down the path to Hogsmeade. Lily was going on and on about how she was pre-preparing for the N.E.W.T.S next year and Blaise was about ready to go back to sleep.
"And I am thinking that we should have at least three study groups a week-" Lily was cut off by an attack scream.
"AHHH!" The familiar voice of the wicked James Potter screeched as he jumped out from a pile of snow. "ATTACK!" Snowballs suddenly came flying at the two girls. Soon all the marauders had the girls surrounded.
"James Potter!" Lily screamed. "What on earth do you think you're doing!?" Blaise was observing her surroundings when a plan began to work itself out in her head.
"Tarantallegra." Blaise yelled, pointing her wand at a laughing James. The jinx hit James square in the chest and he began dancing wildly, causing everyone to laugh. "What's so funny, Black?" Blaise smirked, turning her aim to Sirius. Sirus' face fell as he raised his hands in the air.
"It was just a bit of fun, Blaise." Sirius pleaded, slowly backing away from the girl. Blaise's smirk grew.
"Let's go, Lils." She nonchalantly said, turning to continue the way they were going before they were attacked.
"But-" Lily started, but stopped when she saw Blaise wink at her. "Yeah, we don't need to stoop to their level." The boys looked at Blaise like she had grown two heads. Blaise turning down a bit of fun was unheard of. Blaise and Lily turned to continue on the path they were originally going.
"Oi! Foxy! You losing your edge?!" Sirius called, having spoke too soon. As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted it. Blaise turned on her heel and used a non verbal spell. Making puss come out of Sirius' beautiful face. Moony and Wormtail began to high tail it away from the girls. Again, Blaise shot a jinx at the two, making them fly into the air and land on their arse's. Lily collapsed on the ground laughing. Not noticing the jinx had worn off James, as he snuck up behind the girl. Just as Sirius was doing to Blaise. Without warning Blaise and Lily were tackled to the ground by the boys. Blaise screamed in surprise. The scream bringing forth memories from the night she watched her parents murdered. Sirius noticed the look on her face and immediately pulled away. "Blaise?" He softly asked.
"I'm sorry!" Blaise spluttered as she stood quickly, dusting snow of her clothes. Blaise made a bee line towards the forbidden forest, not wanting her friends to see her cry anymore.
X
"What happened?" James asked, confused as he watched his best mate take off towards the forest.
"When she heard herself scream," Sirius paused, confused at the sudden mood change. "It was like she had seen a ghost." Everyone was silent as they looked at Blaise's retreating figure. Everyone knew Blaise was struggling, but she refused to talk about it. James sighed as he turned to Sirius.
"Go. I've tried, and as much as it hurts that she can't bring herself to talk to me, maybe she needs someone else for this." Sirius felt sick to his stomach, Blaise wasn't the only one trying to avoid what had happened. He just wanted her to be happy, he didn't want Blaise thinking about the horrible things that had happened. But, Sirius was beginning to see that this could no longer be ignored. It was doing more damage than anything. Sirius nodded and started jogging to catch up with the girl.
X
Blaise was trying to keep her breathing under control as she was finally hidden by the gigantic trees of the forest. Blaise grabbed onto a tree to support herself. Her legs were becoming weak and her vision was blurring. A feeling she wasn't welcoming to, began to brew in her chest again. This had been happening for weeks when the nightmares would come. It was a feeling of intense and uncomfortable power. Always leaving her more scared than the red eyes she'd see in her dreams. The feeling continued to build. Blaise fell to her knees, her palms grasping the snow below her. Blaise did not hear the footsteps approaching her until she felt a hand on her back. The feeling pushed its way out of the girl, Sirius was brought to his knees in overwhelming surge of pain. At the sound of the breath leaving him, the feeling left Blaise. The confused and terrified girl quickly turned to see what had happened. Sirius was crouched over, trying to regain the breath that had been taken from him.
"Sirius!" Blaise cried. "Are you okay?!"
"What the bloody hell?" Was all he could muster.
"I don't know what happened. I was upset and just got this feeling and you got hurt!" Blaise panicked.
"What was that?" Sirius asked, slightly frightened and confused. "I touched you and I just dropped." Blaise dropped her head, Sirius heard the sobs raking her body. He hesitantly touched the girl, waiting to be brought to his knees again, but it never happened. Sirius pulled the girl into his chest. "You need to talk about it, Blaise."
"I know." She cried. "Sirius, I'm so scared and confused and just overwhelmed. I don't even know where to begin." Sirius ran his fingers through her hair. He could smell vanilla as the wind blew around them. " I just keep seeing them, I keep seeing his eyes, and I keep seeing what he showed me." Blaise pulled away from the boy. "The feeling, the one I had that made you collapse, it's not the first time I've felt it."
"What do you mean?" Sirius questioned.
"That night." Blaise started, Sirius inhaled, this was the first she's brought it up. "Voldemort told me of a prophecy. I have two possible fates. He told me that I will either join him and by doing so, make him unstoppable. Or I will be his downfall." Blaise paused, taking a shaky breath. Sirius stood quietly, scared that if he moved she would stop talking. "He showed me a vision. He showed me what I could be if I stood with him. And while seeing that vision I felt this feeling, this power. Ever since I woke up in the hospital it has slowly been building. I'm so scared, what if what I'm feeling is evil?" Blaise stopped, looking at the boy in front of her.
"You aren't evil, Blaise." Sirius said. "You resisted Voldemort that night." He reminded her.
"I know, but why am I feeling this then?" Blaise spat, throwing her hands in the air. "Merlin's sake! I just put you on your knees from you just touching me while I experience it, Sirius. How is that not a bad thing?!"
"Have you talked to Dumbledore about this?" Sirius asked, being met with nothing but the sound of the wind picking up. He sighed. "You need to bring this up to him, Blaise." Blaise looked at her feet. She had been avoiding the professor. She was trying to pretend none of this had happened. But, Blaise knew Sirius was right.
"Okay." Was all she said. They two stood there in the middle of the forbidden forest, not another being in sight. Sirius looked at the girl he was undeniably in love with. He admired her hair, the vibrant red was currently blowing from the bitter breeze. Her once tanned skin was now pale, but no less striking. Her long lashes were hiding her beautiful steel eyes as she continued staring at her feet. Blaise stared at her winter boots, focusing on anything but the boy who had managed to make her speak the unspeakable. A million thoughts were racing through her mind, but there was one constant thought that was louder than the rest. Sirius wanted so bad to reach out and touch the girl, but he couldn't quite bring himself to. He was almost frozen, almost as in when the red headed girl took a breath and when her eyes connected with his, it happened so fast. Sirius, at the same time as Blaise, crashed into each other. Their lips touching furiously and hungrily. Blaise gripped his shirt, pulling him even closer to her her as Sirius grabbed a fistful of her long hair. All the thoughts and terror Blaise had built up in her had disappeared as Sirius kissed her. Blaise felt her knees grow weak, causing her to fall against Sirius. This caused Sirius to fall backwards, landing on the hard ground. The two continued to devour each other.
"Blaise." Sirius breathed. His voice broke the two apart as Blaise scrambled backwards and off of the boy.
"I have to go." Blaise panted. She quickly turned and made her way back to the castle. Leaving a very out of breath and confused Sirius on the ground.
X
Blaise walked in a hurry to Professor Dumbledore's office. Blaise was in such a rush while turning a corner that she ran right into a hard body, causing both of them to fall back slightly.
"Blaise?" Professor McGonagall asked, concerned. "What has got you in such a hurry, are you okay?" Minerva took in the girl's ruffled appearance, her concern only heightened.
"I'm so sorry!" Blaise said, embarrassed. "I need to speak with Professor Dumbledore." She paused. "I've held it off too long, it's important." McGonagall nodded curtly. Softly putting her hand on the girl's shoulder, she guided her swiftly up the staircase to Dumbldore's office. Three quick knocks were made as Minerva opened the large doors.
"Albus." She called.
"Minerva." Dumbledore greeted, noticing the girl following his old friend. "Miss Delemont. I was growing curious as to when you'd find your way here." The Professor motioned for Blaise to take a seat in front of his desk that was full of clutter.
"Professor, I should have came sooner." Blaise choked out as she played with her hands. "It was rather stupid to put it off."
"You've been through quite an ordeal, Blaise. Do tell me what has you so worked up." Dumbledore said calmly. Blaise took a deep breath.
"Ever since I woke up in St. Mungo's, I have been having very vivid nightmares." Dumbledore patiently waited for the girl to continue. "I keep seeing the events from that night replaying and I get this feeling." Blaise stopped, trying to find the courage to continue.
"What kind of feeling, Miss Delemont?" The Professor prodded, a slight grim tone to his voice.
"It's this intense build up. I feel it in my chest. My body feels like something is taking away it's strength and my vision becomes fuzzy. I don't know what else to describe it as, except it feels like this power just trying to take over. And I can't help but remember the vision Voldemort showed me. He showed me, but it wasn't me. It was this vile, evil woman. And I was looking down at the bodies of my friends. There were dead bodies everywhere.." Blaise began trailing off, but quickly regained her courage. She needed to know what was happening to her and if anyone could tell her, it would be Dumbledore. Blaise cleared her throat before continuing. "What I felt in that moment, was this power, this feeling." Dumbledore's eyes went to Minerva, a look of concern flashed in his eyes, but disappeared just as quickly.
"You were correct, you should have come to me sooner." Blaise ducked her head at his words. "To say this isn't concerning would be a lie. Blaise your prophecy is so much more powerful than you have come to realize and perhaps that is my doing. When Voldemort told you that you would either bring his downfall or make him untouchable, what exactly did you perceive from that?" Dumbledore asked her, slowly making his way to sit on his desk in front of the girl.
"I can grasp that it is intense." Blaise foolishly said.
"To say the very absolute least." Minerva chirped from the corner, coming closer to the girl.
"Miss Delemont, you are just shy of graduating. You are a teenager, but the war that is coming, that is on our very doorstep, the fate of us all is resting on what path you choose." Dumbledore paused, observing the barely 17 year old girl in front of him. "Minerva, go inform Professor Merrythought that Blaise will be starting her Defense lessons immediately." McGonagall nodded, squeezing her niece's shoulder as she left.
"Professor?" Blaise asked, looking up at the man. "Is this power I feel evil?"
"It can be." Dumbledore said. "But, that is what you will be learning with Professor Merrythought. Blaise, Voldemort was giving you the opportunity to join him for a reason. You are capable of incredible things. The Dark Lord knows this and I have no doubt in my mind, that you, are the one thing he fears. The power inside of you, is neither good nor bad directly, you control which scale it will tip. I do not believe you are an evil person, you have the option of what most do not. You somehow received a prophecy with two paths. And you alone can choose which path you will take." Dumbledore let Blaise Delemont process all he had just told her.
"I will not become evil." She almost growled.
"Then we will start your lessons tonight." Professor Dumbledore told her, Blaise nodded quickly. Blaise stood to leave when the professor stopped her. "Blaise, most of the teachers here think Mr. Black is trouble." Blaise felt heat rise to her cheeks. "I however, think you should keep him close." Dumbledore cleared his throat, a mysterious twinkle in his eye. "Meet Professor Merrythought and I in the room of requirement after lights out tonight, Miss Delemont." Blaise looked at the professor shocked. "Yes, I do believe you know where that room is. Off you go." Blaise shook her head at the all knowing teacher. Blaise made her way out of the professor's office to run into the last person she wanted to see.
