Episode Thirty One
Part One
The sunshine greeted Gwen as she waltzed across the lawn. She was going to enter the Forbidden Forest and find her great-great-grandmother for some much needed answers. The forest seemed a completely different place in the daytime.
It was still eerie, not even sunshine could change that, but it was less foreboding. There was a welcoming feeling that only Gwen felt here and she knew it was because her family had opened the forest to her. Any other student would have been just as glad to stay on the perimeter, even further away if they could.
She found the mound easily enough and stepped inside. Gemma was sitting there in all of her glory. "I was wondering when I'd see you again." She said in her soft, tinkling voice.
"Yes. I have some questions for you."
Gemma smiled and offered her great-great-granddaughter a seat. "Of course you do. You want to know what fey powers you have."
"Yeah." She said softly, taking a seat at the finely crafted table. It had an intricate carving of daisies around the edge and looked like it was made of silver.
"There is much to tell you." Gemma smiled at Gwen's amazement over the table. The rest of their surroundings were rather dim and as such there was really nothing else to look at.
Gwen finally looked up. "What is the deal with me anyway?"
Gemma laughed gently. "You're one of a kind Guenivere."
"I just feel like I'm not going to make it out of Hogwart's alive."
"Don't worry dear. I see that you're not to be the last of our line."
Gwen stared at her disbelieving.
"Fey have a talent for seeing the future."
"I'd noticed."
"Yes dear, you inherited that from us. You don't even need those silly methods they teach you up at the school. But you've never really looked for the future, it has chosen to show itself to you now and then. I imagine if you actually tried you'd be quite the seer. You have nothing to fear yet. The times are dark, but you will survive to have children."
"And that's the other thing. Who will I have children with?"
"That hardly matters dear."
"Perhaps not right now, but I would like to know."
Gemma smiled kindly on her. "You've been having strange dreams again?"
"Yes." Gwen said quietly. "I've been staring at myself in a mirror, but I have no idea why. The swan dream at least made sense."
"Yes, I was pleased to see your progress with that project."
"You watch me?"
"Sometimes." The older woman replied. "Everyone needs someone to watch over them. Even with you're incredible power, even you need a guardian."
"What incredible power?"
Part Two
Gwen spent the rest of the afternoon with her great-great-grandmother sorting through her past, present and future. She found that her fey abilities seemed a lot clearer to her in the mound than they did outside in the fresh air. Maybe it was the power of the mound itself helping her to focus.
She found that if she concentrated enough she could levitate off the ground without the use of her wand. She could see through invisibility charms and most disguises; the other side of this was that she could appear invisible and disguise herself in any form she chose at will. Much like becoming an animagi, except that she could become anything.
"You must know a few things before you leave." Gemma said, watching Gwen turn herself into a china vase and back into herself again.
"I'm sorry." She gushed, "this is so amazing."
"Of course, as with any new trick you learn. But you must know these three very important things."
Gwen sat again and looked at Gemma with rapt attention.
"First, you are very allergic to iron. All fey are. Prolonged exposure to it will sap your powers and make it difficult for you to escape."
"No wonder why I always hated potions. Cast iron cauldrons."
"Yes, I suggest you find yourself a cauldron made of some other metal. Of course, it is not as bad for you since you are only part fey, but it could pose a threat and I want you to be aware of it. Secondly, no other human must enter the mound with you. If they do they will not be allowed to leave until Gwynn Ap Nudd."
"Gwynn Ap Nudd?"
"It is the day that the faerie king opens the mounds for all to get a glimpse of our world. The human mortals may pass our gates and leave again, but only on this day. Therefore dear I am afraid I will not be able to meet any of your friends unless I leave the mound. Thirdly, and this is the most important, you must never tell anyone your real name."
"My real name?"
"Guenivere is the name given to you by your mother, but all fey have a name given to them by the king. This name must never be revealed to anyone. It can be used to control you."
"I don't know it myself."
"Perhaps it is best that way, but if you would like to know it you have only to ask."
"I do have one question." Gwen said and while she would have liked to have known her fey name, she thought it best if she didn't know it just yet. "How come the death eaters never found me?"
"You've been hiding yourself unconsciously from their grasp, from the moment you were born. You truly are amazing."
"Is that even possible?"
"Yes, but now that you know it you must make a conscious effort to keep it so."
She nodded. If she'd been doing it unconsciously all along it couldn't be that hard to do it consciously. She mounted the steps out of the mound and waved to Gemma. "I'll visit again soon."
"I'll be waiting for you."
