Episode Thirty

            She looked in a mirror as she passed it. The reflection was confused and quiet.

            Gwen couldn't look deeply enough. Something was preventing her. Maybe she didn't want to know the truth anymore. So many lies had followed her around and she knew very well that her mother hadn't told her everything.

            Lost in her thoughts she had run headlong into a nervous looking muggle woman. She didn't recognize her, but she knew instantly. "Hello mother." She whispered.

            Beorc looked up at her daughter with a pale smile. "What did you call me dear?"

            "You can't fool me. Where can we talk?"

            "Perhaps you should go speak to Professor McGonagall."

            "I'll be at her office in ten minutes."

            No sooner was the muggle woman out of her sight than Gwen broke into a run. She didn't know what her mother was doing back here, but she was going to find out. She arrived at McGonagall's office out of breath. She took her godmother by surprise.

            "Gwen, can I help you?"

            "Yes." She said softly to the older woman. "Mother is here."

            Minerva raised her eyebrow. She didn't know that Beorc was visiting nor did she approve. There was a low knock on the door and McGonagall raised herself to answer it. When she opened the door she beheld a shabby, frightened looking muggle woman. When she closed it Beorc towered before her, beautiful with dark hair and eyes flashing a frown.

            "What are you doing here?" Minerva asked her former student.

            "I came to check in on Gwen."

            "You know it's not safe for you here and by coming you might even be endangering her life." The older woman said, indicating Gwen.

            "I know, but I had to come."

            "What now mother?" Gwen asked exasperated.

            "It's about you mostly. But also about your father's family. I need to explain something to you."

            Gwen waited for her mother to start. McGonagall seated herself behind her desk again. By now it was known among the three of them that family business included her. Beorc paced slowly up and down the room. Why was it that telling the truth terrified her so much? Indeed, it was ten times worse when she had to tell the truth to her daughter.

            "Well, your uncle George as you know is a squib. He was the big surprise in the family, the only LeFey unable to practice magic. But your aunt Ann…" She trailed off.

            "Oh do tell mother, I'm dying to find out if there's more to this story."

            "Your aunt Ann is a witch." Beorc continued, ignoring her daughter's outburst. "When we left you with them for our vacation you were well taken care of. And when the death eaters came for your father…"

            "They were really coming for me. I won't bother asking why you didn't tell me sooner. I'm just going to ask you to tell me everything now. And I mean everything."

            Beorc stared at her. "How did you find out?"

            "I have friends in every house at Hogwarts mother. Some of them have connections to what's going on outside of here."

            "Well I'm glad to see they've come in handy for you." Her mother replied sarcastically. "The fact of the matter is I don't really know everything I have to tell you."

            "What do you mean?" Gwen asked, nearly at the end of her patience.

            "I don't know why the death eaters wanted to kill you and not me."

            "Graves thinks that it would be a punishment for you."

            "And it would." She said, noticing the doubt in her daughter's eyes. "But I don't think it's that. Ann protected you very well seven years ago. Just the same, I'm surprised they didn't find you. I think you might have a power all your own, given to you by your fey blood that I can't fathom."

            "I could ask Gemma."

            "Gemma? She's still alive?" Beorc asked.

Minerva looked at both of them confused, but rather than interrupting she waited until after Beorc had left again and asked Gwen to fill her in. "Who is Gemma?"

"My great-great-grandmother. She has a mound on Hogwart's grounds. She is the source of all the fey blood in my family. I think I should ask her if she knows anything."

            "That would be a good place to start."

            "But her mound is in the Forbidden Forest."

            McGonagall looked at her, a little startled. "Is that why you snuck out that night?"

            "I think so. I didn't know she was there then, but she was calling to me."

            "I will give you permission to seek her out, but you must only go during the daytime and only when you let me know first that you're going."

            "Of course." Gwen said with a smile. "I'm going to go tomorrow afternoon."