A/N: For disclaimers and all that, see the previous chapter. I'm lazy, okay?
Please review!!!


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Chapter 3: The Low Council
The Sidhe Autonomous Reserve in Ireland was divided into four geographical quarters, all ruled by the High Council. Each quarter had its own governing body, or Low Council, that met once a month and discussed local matters. The Council was fairly democratic. Every adult in the quarter was invited to the meetings, and anyone could speak once he or she was acknowledged. There were eleven Councillors elected every three years who guided the discussions and made final decisions.
Since so many people came to the monthly meetings, the meeting hall had to be large. Nadea suspected that it was magicked, because from the inside it held many more seats than seemed possible from the outside. She and her mother found two seats several rows back from the main floor, and they watched as Sidhe young and old, from their own village and elsewhere, filled the hall. Heads with pointed ears and bright green, purple, or blue hair bobbed in the crowd. Nadea looked at the dais on the floor, where the Councillors sat in eleven black chairs. Iain Darrick, a scowling, middle-aged man wearing striped green robes, sat in the middle chair reserved for the Presiding Councillor. At precisely eight o'clock, he tapped his wand against the chair. The sound of a gong rang across the hall and silenced the crowd. Darrick stood, gave the traditional address in the old Sidhe tongue, and started the meeting.
This was the first time Nadea had attended a Council meeting, since children weren't normally allowed, but she found it hard to pay attention. The issues addressed by the Council were boring and unimportant: the dispute of two fishermen, for example, who were arguing over net boundaries. One of the five female Councillors proposed a wordy resolution on Muggle tourists, and then Nadea heard her name called.
...Miss Nadea Ruibhen, daughter of Maire Ruibhen, who is asking to transfer to a school outside of the Reserve,' Darrick said in a magically amplified voice. Miss Ruibhen, will you please stand?'
She obeyed, her mother squeezing her hand quickly.
Is it true that you wish to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in northern Britain?' Darrick asked.
Yes, sir. I received an owl from them on Wednesday.'
And you are currently entering your third year at Oghinaas Secondary School?'
Yes, sir.'
An elderly lady stood up on the right side of the hall. She looked frail and carried a knobbly wooden cane, but she used the cane more frequently to menace children and dogs than to help her walk. The Council recognises Mrs. Urica Skithers.'
I want to know why Miss Ruibhen wishes to attend that British school. Oghinaas is a perfectly good school, and I don't know why she'd want to go so far away from the Reserve.' Murmurs in the audience, and heads nodding, showed that others agreed with her. As soon as she had resumed her seat, another person got up. It was a young woman with curly lavender hair, who was Nadea's Charms teacher at school.
The Council recognises Miss Renée O'Dwyer.'
I have taught Nadea for two years in charms and basic spells. She is an exceptional student, with some of the highest marks in the school.' Nadea blushed at this praise; she knew Miss O'Dwyer didn't give compliments freely. I have also tutored her in more advanced spells, giving her textbooks for fourth-year and fifth-year subjects. Oghinaas simply doesn't have enough to offer her. Hogwarts is an honorable school for the best students in England and Ireland. I think Nadea would do well there.'
Immediately a portly, red-faced man stood; Nadea saw that it was the headmaster of Oghinaas. She disliked him for his oversized ego and arrogance.
The Council recognises Gregory Wheeler.'
I sincerely hope that Miss O'Dwyer is not maligning the name of our school. We strive to educate every child equally well. Perhaps Miss Ruibhen thinks herself above the rest of us here, and that the people of this Reserve are too ignorant for her.' He looked in her direction, and Nadea saw the same lethal expression that he'd worn the day she had let a Niffler loose in his office. Accidentally, of course.
That's not true!' Nadea exclaimed, but her voice was drowned out by the ensuing hubbub. Councillor Darrick tapped his wand again, and the hall fell quiet. In the very back of the audience, an ancient, bent woman got to her feet. She had dark blue hair streaked with white.
The Council recognises Ms. Siobhan Clannert.'
In a thin, quavering voice, the woman spoke. I think we should let this child go to the humans' school. Not because of her school marks or how smart she is. But because she's one of them.' Nadea realized how silent and still the hall had suddenly become. No one even coughed. Her father was a human, not an Elf. She's just like him. She doesn't belong here!' As the woman pointed a gnarled finger at Nadea, talking broke out again in the audience.
Nadea felt her mother tremble beside her. She sprang up and shouted, My father was not a human!'
Her mother touched her arm gently, pushed her down into her seat.
The Council recognises Ms. Maire Ruibhen.'
Maire spoke softly, but everyone heard her. Nadea stared, bewildered, at her mother. Ms. Clannert is right. My husband Liam was not Sidhe. He worked for the Ministry of Magic, fighting here in the Reserve against supporters of You-Know-Who.'
Nadea shook her head. She had never heard this! Maire had never said her father was a human, or that he worked for the Ministry. Twelve years of stories were suddenly blown away.
After You-Know-Who fell, many Sidhe were prejudiced against humans, blaming them for the things the Dark Lord did. Liam was killed.' Her words rang in the silent hall. I never told Nadea the truth, because I didn't want her to think she was any different from a Sidhe child.'
Maire glanced at Nadea, giving her a small smile, and continued. But that has nothing to do with the matter at hand. I don't want Nadea to go to Hogwarts because I think she doesn't belong here. On the contrary, I will miss her when she's away. I simply want my daughter to learn as much as she can, and to be happy.'
She sat down in her chair next to her daughter. There was a pause, and then someone started to clap. A few uncertain claps joined it until a wave of applause, neither very loud nor long, rippled across the audience. Nadea felt proud of her mother.
At last Councillor Darrick stood. The Council will now discuss the issue and vote on it.'
As he sat, a magic shield sprang up around the councillors' dais, so that the crowd couldn't overhear them. To Nadea it seemed an interminable wait as she watched the men and women behind the shield. A hundred thoughts buzzed in her mind: What will they say? How did Father really die? What if I can't go to Hogwarts?
Finally the shield disappeared and Darrick spoke again. The Council has reached a decision. The vote was eight to three.' Nadea held her breath. Miss Ruibhen will be allowed to attend Hogwarts School.'
She let her breath out slowly. It was over. She was really going to Hogwarts.

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They didn't return to the cottage until almost midnight. Yawning, Nadea sprawled on the battered but comfortable couch. She was tired, but there were so many questions that she wanted answers to.
Mum, why didn't you tell me that Father was human?'
Maire sighed. She sat down at the end of the couch. I didn't want you to think you were different from everyone. There's so much prejudice among Sidhe and humans alike. I wanted to spare you that.' She ruffled Nadea's chin-length hair. All right, elfling?'
Nadea smiled at hearing her childhood nickname, but she was still curious. How did you meet him?'
Her mother smiled. Your father Liam worked for the Ministry of Magic, trying to bring down You-Know-Who. He came to the Reserve to investigate several murders of Sidhe who were known enemies of the Dark Lord, killed by Death Eaters who were Sidhe themselves. I met your father one stormy night when he got lost trying to find the house of a suspect.' Maire's eyes had a faraway look as she remembered. I gave him directions and some tea. Later we met again, at a Council meeting where he was speaking to the Presiding Councillor. Afterwards, he asked me to have dinner with him, and he told me what his job was. A year later, we were married.'
You never said he worked for the Ministry,' Nadea murmured. You said he was a fisherman.'
I know. I should have told you the truth. But you must understand, it was dangerous back then. Liam was risking his life every minute just doing his job and fighting the Dark Lord. He warned me many times that I was risking my life too, but I didn't care.'
Nadea had one more question to ask. How did Father die?'
Maire looked down at the ring she still wore, even after nearly twelve years of being a widow. Then she began the story that she'd never told to her daughter.
After You-Know-Who was defeated, there was a wave of prejudice against humans in the Reserve. Many Sidhe blamed humans like Liam for the things that the Dark Lord's supporters had done. One morning a mob came up here to the cottage. They were ordinary villagers, neighbors who knew Liam, but they were accusing him of murder. A man named Caleb Alderith was with them.'
Caleb Alderith?' Nadea said, recognizing the surname. Is he related to Hekkon?'
Yes. He was Hekkon's nephew,' answered Maire. He was also a Death Eater. While your father was talking, Caleb cursed him.' She swallowed. He killed Liam.'
Nadea was stunned. Her father had been murdered by a supporter of the Dark Lord... unbelievable. And yet, somehow it made sense. She frowned.
You were only a toddler, fourteen months old,' her mother said. There were tears in her eyes, which she wiped away quickly. You probably don't even remember Liam.'
When she was very little, Nadea had remembered some strange things which she had long considered dreams. An angry mob of adults...a yelling man with a wand...green light...red light....her mother crying....and, strangest of all, a frog. Maybe those disjointed images were real memories. But that was silly, no one remembered things that happened when they were that young.
She rubbed her eyes. Maire saw her bewilderment and touched her shoulder gently.
I know this is upsetting, Nadea. Perhaps I should have told you sooner. But I know that if Liam were here today, he'd be proud of you.'

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A/N: Reviews, please?