A/N: Okay, I must apologize for taking so long. I was having a small case of writer's block, and I have some chapters to re-write. Unfortunately I need to change what they were, because I've had a better, much more interesting idea. And since I am of the belief that Snape is barely escaping with his life from Voldemort, my old idea won't work. But this new one will! Everyone better be ready to be shocked! *grins madly* Thanks for your patience!
"Light the candle," Lupin instructed. Millicent reached out with a finger gently and lit the green candle. There were murmurs of surprise and awe from the assembled staff. Only Dumbledore and Snape remained silent.
"Snuff the flame," Lupin ordered. Without even a glance at the candle, Millicent squelched the fire. The murmurs became gasps.
"Very good. Now light the fire," Lupin told Millicent. She looked to the fireplace, and within moments a nice fire was going.
"Excellent. Now, light my hair on fire."
"No!" Millicent said, staring at Lupin. For a moment she thought he would laugh at her. But he merely looked at Cornelius Fudge, some important person that was supposed to be making sure she was not dangerous.
He seemed satisfied, and gave her a short nod before leaving. Her father gave a small sigh of relief, and tossled her hair with absent-minded affection. She had been working hard to block his thoughts, and it gave her a terrible headache. Abruptly, she realized that the room was spinning.
Quickly checking that nothing was beneath her, Millicent sat with a bump on the carpet and closed her eyes. Taking calming breaths, Millicent forced herself to count to ten in the two languages she knew. When she opened her eyes, Lupin was staring into her eyes in concern.
"All right pet?" he asked softly. She glanced around, and gave a little moan. Placing her hands on the sides of her head she whispered,
"I can't make them quiet."
"I think I wore you out. Sorry, pet. We had to show him you could control that." Lupin patted her head gently.
"Ouch. Don't touch that," Millicent muttered. She pushed herself up, and herfather caught her before she could fall to the floor once more.
"Bedtime," he said in a tone she knew better than to argue with. The other staff members were thinking concerned thoughts. And a few of them were less than complimentary towards her father.
"Night everyone," Millicent told the others, with a careless wave of her hand. Before she could manage two more shaky steps, her father swept her up into his embrace, something he seemed to do often.
"I only do it out of necessity," he muttered. Millicent blinked. He could hear her?
"Yes. I think you've lost your normal control. Sucked away the energy from your normal stores, and then had to borrow from your reserves."
"Oh," Millicent mumbled, finding herself too tired to think anymore of this discovery. She embraced Mr. Snuggles when he was placed in her reach, and closed her eyes. She spared enough energy to deliver one last thought to her father.
"Love you. . ." Though her eyes were closed, she was aware of his continued presence well into the night. Maybe she would be lucky enough to not be made to go away, if he knew how much better she was controlling her talents.
But something deep in her mind was beginning to awaken after a long slumber. It was not a gift, but a natural talent, long since supressed, and now coming to the fore. No one could have guessed the truth of it. No one, save for the fae watching the girl slumber on. The time was coming soon. Hopefully, it would rest through the winter.
"Light the candle," Lupin instructed. Millicent reached out with a finger gently and lit the green candle. There were murmurs of surprise and awe from the assembled staff. Only Dumbledore and Snape remained silent.
"Snuff the flame," Lupin ordered. Without even a glance at the candle, Millicent squelched the fire. The murmurs became gasps.
"Very good. Now light the fire," Lupin told Millicent. She looked to the fireplace, and within moments a nice fire was going.
"Excellent. Now, light my hair on fire."
"No!" Millicent said, staring at Lupin. For a moment she thought he would laugh at her. But he merely looked at Cornelius Fudge, some important person that was supposed to be making sure she was not dangerous.
He seemed satisfied, and gave her a short nod before leaving. Her father gave a small sigh of relief, and tossled her hair with absent-minded affection. She had been working hard to block his thoughts, and it gave her a terrible headache. Abruptly, she realized that the room was spinning.
Quickly checking that nothing was beneath her, Millicent sat with a bump on the carpet and closed her eyes. Taking calming breaths, Millicent forced herself to count to ten in the two languages she knew. When she opened her eyes, Lupin was staring into her eyes in concern.
"All right pet?" he asked softly. She glanced around, and gave a little moan. Placing her hands on the sides of her head she whispered,
"I can't make them quiet."
"I think I wore you out. Sorry, pet. We had to show him you could control that." Lupin patted her head gently.
"Ouch. Don't touch that," Millicent muttered. She pushed herself up, and herfather caught her before she could fall to the floor once more.
"Bedtime," he said in a tone she knew better than to argue with. The other staff members were thinking concerned thoughts. And a few of them were less than complimentary towards her father.
"Night everyone," Millicent told the others, with a careless wave of her hand. Before she could manage two more shaky steps, her father swept her up into his embrace, something he seemed to do often.
"I only do it out of necessity," he muttered. Millicent blinked. He could hear her?
"Yes. I think you've lost your normal control. Sucked away the energy from your normal stores, and then had to borrow from your reserves."
"Oh," Millicent mumbled, finding herself too tired to think anymore of this discovery. She embraced Mr. Snuggles when he was placed in her reach, and closed her eyes. She spared enough energy to deliver one last thought to her father.
"Love you. . ." Though her eyes were closed, she was aware of his continued presence well into the night. Maybe she would be lucky enough to not be made to go away, if he knew how much better she was controlling her talents.
But something deep in her mind was beginning to awaken after a long slumber. It was not a gift, but a natural talent, long since supressed, and now coming to the fore. No one could have guessed the truth of it. No one, save for the fae watching the girl slumber on. The time was coming soon. Hopefully, it would rest through the winter.