Title: The Trip

Rating: G

Summary: Mildred Snape finds herself in a lot of trouble when a walk to Hogwarts has some strange consequences. What will happen to her and will she get herself out of trouble?

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 21: A Small Clue

Hermione didn't get any points from the Gryffindors by going back and being Mildred's friend. They all thought that she was as nasty as her father, almost getting Neville hurt and everything. Mildred, meanwhile, told Hermione about several things that she asked Hermione not to share with anyone.

"I know for a fact that my father and Dumbledore are both trying to figure out about this mysterious ability that I have and Dumbledore ordered Snape to watch over the team. That's why both he and Dumbledore were there."

"But Harry thinks that Snape is after the stone."

Mildred shook her head.

"Quirrell's is after the stone," she said. "He wants everyone to hate my father so that no one will think that it's him.'

"But Quirrell is the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"And he went to Albania," Mildred countered. "Voldemort is there and now he's here."

Hermione went white at those words.

"Look, Quirrell never wore that turban until he returned from Albania," Mildred said. "Voldemort is in his body, sharing it. That's the only way that he has form, when he shares another's body."

Hermione's face turned even whiter.

"What should we do?"

"Leave it all up to me," she told her. "I have a plan."

Hermione looked at her.

"But your just a first year," she said.

"That's what you think," she said.

Hermione left Mildred alone to go to the library to study for the exams that would popped up in June. Mildred didn't need to study, as she knew it all, but she wanted to talk to the Headmaster at any rate. As she was about to leave, she saw one of the books that she had checked out, falling to the floor. She walked over and picked it up. It was an old book that her mother had left her has and when she opened it she saw that it was turned to a page that she was sure that she hadn't noticed. It talked about the Department of Mysteries.

There are many doors inside the Department of Mysteries and one of them is always locked. Inside is a great power that is part of the very essence of magic. There are many stories that surround this door and one of them is the power of good and the power of the Dragonfire.

Mildred read on, but it stopped there. She bit her lip, remembering what her mother had told her about what had enabled Harry to survive the Killing Curse. She wondered if there was more to that statement then just she could figure out. She closed the book and went to talk to the Headmaster.

"Lemon Drops," she told the gargoyle.

It moved aside to let her pass.

When she arrived at the Headmaster's office he looked very happy to see her. At once she told him about what she had found and he looked a little surprised by this. However, he spoke.

"Do you think the book was there so that you could read it?" he asked her.

"I don't know," Mildred answered. "But my mother once told me that there was a reason for everything."

Dumbledore agreed with this and told Mildred so.

"What do you think I should do?" Mildred asked him.

"I think that you need to let it go," he said, remembering that the Council thought that she had arrived here by dark magic. "Forget about it and focus on your exams."

Mildred considered this very odd, but didn't let it show.

"Thanks, I will," Mildred lied.

"That's a good child."

"Danger is coming," a voice told Snape in his dream.

He was back in the corridor again and looked around at all the doors.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Danger is coming and Dumbledore is a fool," the voice said. "You must protect Mildred with everything that you have."

Snape had no idea what this voice meant and suddenly he ran. Ran faster then he had ever in his life.

"Tell me more," he asked the voice. "Please tell me more."

He heard a roar of a dragon and the blast of hot fire.

"Your almost there," the voice said.

And then he woke up.

Snape woke up, drenched in cold sweat, and not understand anything. The dream was longer this time, but the feeling that he now had was shaking him to the core. What did the voice mean that Mildred was in danger and Dumbledore was a fool? He thought over this and then it hit him. Something or someone was going to attack his daughter and the voice wanted him to protect her.

He got dressed and decided to start doing just that.