Warning: Some things Larisa will say in this chapter will be in Russian. A translation will be provided in the end.
Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling, so I don't own Harry Potter.
~*~*~Chapter Fourteen: Mysteries and Memories~*~*~
Larisa had a slightly downcast look on her face as she walked into the Room of Requirement. Just a half hour ago, Slytherin had been flattened by Gryffindor in the first Quidditch match of the season, and Larisa had to break the news to Draco, who had skipped the match to work on the Vanishing Cabinet. Sadly, she pushed the door to the Room of Requirement open and walked inside. Closing it behind her, she tossed her hair over her shoulder before making her way towards the Vanishing Cabinet. As always, Draco was by it, trying to get it working properly again. He had not heard Larisa come in, and despite Larisa's misery, she couldn't help but poke a little fun at him. Silently, she crept up behind him, then stood on her tiptoes so she was close to his ear. Carefully, she held her breath so he wouldn't hear her.
"Ti znahyehsh, yah tyehbyah ehah speenoy?" She whispered very quickly. Draco froze, and Larisa took a step back as he turned around, looking slightly amused.
"You know that I have no idea what you just said, right?"
"All the more reason to learn," Larisa said simply, examining her nails, which were painted black. "Take a wild guess at what I said."
"I don't know, honestly..."
"Correct!"
"Really?"
"No."
"Damn. Can you repeat what you said?" Draco asked. Larisa tilted her head before speaking.
"Ti znahyehsh, yah tyehbyah ehah speenoy." She repeated. Draco looked extremely confused.
"Again, but a bit slower this time?"
"Ti znahyehsh, yah tyehbyah ehah speenoy." Larisa repeated again, very slowly.
"I give up."
"Doesn't matter. You'll have plenty of time to learn Russian, and someday you'll figure it out. Right now, that isn't important. What's important is-"
"It's still not working properly." Draco answered before Larisa could ask the question. It was a major blow, and Larisa struggled to keep calm. The locket was still holding it's effect over her, but Larisa could not help but feel miserable. "So how did the match go?"
"Oh, we got flattened by Gryffindor, as usual," Larisa said, her tone strangely calm, despite her mind screaming at it to sound sad. "Weasley kept saving everything, and Harper missed the Snitch by a nanosecond."
"Damn." Draco said, looking downcast. "I hope Urquhart didn't give you a hard time afterwards..."
"He didn't get a chance. I know looks like that, I had to put up with them from Sophia for fourteen years. As soon as I saw that look, I ran for it. I can't evade him forever, but I'm going to try." Larisa explained, tracing the chain of her locket. "On nahstoyahshchyeey eedeeot, poehtomoo yah dolzhnah bit tonkoy."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing...Just insulting Urquhart. I'll go find a book to test, alright?"
"Alright." Draco said, and Larisa sped off into the rubbish.
&%$&%$&%$
It was growing late, and Larisa lay awake in her dorm, staring up at the ceiling. The locket sat on her nightstand, the emeralds glimmering slightly in the dull candlelight. In the slight darkness, Larisa let her mind wander, dwelling on one thing: The Twin. She didn't know why, but while in the Room of Requirement, she needed to use a Hover Charm to moves something. When she pulled out her wand, The Twin, curiosity about it stuck much harder than usual. Now, here she was, dwelling about it. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get her mind to shut down; it always went back to The Twin. Turning on to her side, she again attempted to shut her mind down. This attempt was no better than the rest, and she flopped back onto her back, glaring up at the ceiling. She wanted to sleep, but she couldn't. She rolled on to her other side, and as she did this, other mysteries in her life spilled into her thoughts.
Who was are the First, the Second, and the Third in order? What is up with my locket? What is up with that diadem in the Room of Requirement? What are some OTHER creepy traditions that are forced upon Sophia's family? What about Borislav's family?
Exasperated, Larisa again rolled on to her other side.
Why does Sophia suddenly care a little? Why does Karina not tell me everything? Why does Voldemort want ME dead, other than the fact that I'm against him and I can love? What is the hidden message in the prophecy? Why did the Twin choose me?
Larisa closed her eyes in the hopes she would drift off to sleep. Finally, the biggest mystery of all dropped into Larisa's mind...
Why is it that horrible things always happen me?
Finally, she threw the covers off and knelt down on the floor. Dragging the familiar locked wooden box out from under her bed, she grabbed her wand and tapped the lock.
"Alohomora!" She whispered, and the box swung open. Instantly, she plunged her hand into it's depths and extracted a muggle notebook before closing the lid and shoving it under her bed. Larisa then crawled back onto her bed and opened the muggle notebook before lighting her wand tip and holding it to the page. The first page was dedicated to recordings of the memories Larisa had gotten when she was fourteen. She scowled at the recording of the second memory, for it gave Larisa even more reason to hate her mother. Larisa vividly recalled watching the memory, how Sophia had gone in the middle of the night to Lestrange Manor to yell at Bellatrix, and how Bellatrix had pointed out she and Sophia were equals. They were both pureblood, and they both had gotten married at the age of nineteen. Larisa had deduced that Sophia and Borislav had gotten married soon before that memory took place. Even though she was their daughter, she never knew when they had gotten married. It had to be between January second, which was the day after the first memory, and March twelfth, which was the day before the second memory.
Still confused, Larisa turned the page. The second page had the prophecy and the interpretations on it, and Larisa looked at it fondly. She didn't know exactly how or why she felt this way, but she remembered how the prophecy seemed to bring her and Draco closer. Finally, Larisa flipped to a blank page, then grabbed a Self-Inking Quill from off of her nightstand. Holding her wand over the page in her right hand, she began to write down whatever she could about four of the mysteries in her life, a new page for each mystery. Suddenly, a new question fell into her mind. It wasn't relavent to any of the other mysteries in her life, but it still picked at her mind.
In the second memory, why was Bellatrix awake near three o'clock in the morning?
Scowling, Larisa wrote it down as a fifth mystery. She'd ask Bellatrix over the holidays.
&%$&%$&%$
Mystery 1: The Twin
Who has had it: Greek Dark Witch (?-1967), Karina Rei (1967-1979 or 1980), Ollivander (1979 or 1980-1994), Me (1994-)
Properties: 15", Elder, unicorn tail hair core. Light brown, extremely powerful, and made from the exact same branch as the Elder Wand.
Differences from the Elder Wand:
-Unicorn tail hair core instead of Thestral tail hair core
-Does not HAVE to pass hands by murder or defeat
-One other difference; unknown
Reasons it may have chosen me:
-I'm related to Karina Rei (My paternal aunt)
Mystery 2: Traditions and Traits in the Irli Family
TRAITS
-Signs of magic at two months
-Early birthdays (January-Early March)
-Slytherins
-Dark Wizards and Witches
-Parselmouths
-Black hair (Sometimes white with a black streak)
-Blue eyes (sometimes brown eyes)
-Extremely violent and nasty tempers
-Resistance to many curses
-Highly advanced magical skills
TRADITIONS
-All girls with black hair get a name starting with 'S'.
Mystery 3: Creepy Traditions and Traits in the Rei Family
TRAITS
-Signs of magic at two months
-Early birthdays (January-Early March)
-Slytherins
-Dark Wizards and Witches
-Blonde hair
-Green eyes (Sometimes purple, possibly)
-Control of magic at an early age
TRADITIONS
(None known...Yet)
Mystery 4: The Message in the Prophecy
Message so far: Larisa Helena Rei
Mystery 5: In the second memory, why was Bellatrix awake at three in the morning?
Date of memory: March 13th, 1977
Time of memory: Around three in the morning
Place of memory: Lestrange Manor, Derbyshire, England
People in memory: Sophia Rei (#1), Borislav Rei (Not directly in memory, mentioned, #2), Bellatrix Lestrange (#3), Lord Voldemort/Tom Marvolo Riddle/The Dark Lord (Not directly in memory, mentioned, #4)
Memory: 1 went to Lestrange Manor in Derbyshire, England, to yell at 3, who supposedly put 2 under the Cruciatus Curse. 3 denied this claim, said it was 4. The motive for the curse was that 1 and 2 were recently wed before this, between January 2nd and March 12th. 1 was still mad at 3, fight broke out, 3 knocked over, and 1 stomped out.
Question: Why was Bellatrix awake at the time the memory took place?
Answer: (I don't know yet.)
&%$&%$&%$
Larisa looked over each page, examining her work. When she assured herself it was the best she could do, she set the notebook and quill on her nightstand, put out her wand, then curled up and drifted off to sleep.
&%$&%$&%$
The next few weeks passed in a blur to Larisa, and soon it was two weeks before the holidays. When McGonagall came around collecting the names of students who would be remaining at school, Larisa didn't put her name down. She was looking forward to spending the holidays with Bellatrix, even though Bellatrix was still thoroughly depressed by Rodolphus getting sent back to Azkaban.
Larisa didn't know she'd be sent straight through hell before the holidays, however...
MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE FORESHADOWING IN THIS CHAPTER. I MEAN IT.
Translations, Russian to English:
Ti znahyehsh, yah tyehbyah ehah speenoy?: You know, I'm behind you?
On nahstoyahshchyeey eedeeot, poehtomoo yah dolzhnah bit tonkoy.: He's a real idiot, so I should be fine.
NOTE FROM LIVELIFETOTHEFULLEST4E: Due to the mounting darkness in this story, I have been considering raising the rating from T to M. I have put a poll on my profile about it. PLEASE vote in it, for the fate of the rating lies in your hands, dear readers. Review, as well. It gives me motivation to continue this, and it lets me know that you like/hate it. -puppydog eyes-