Chapter Five

The Ever-Present Past and Future

Hermione Weasley was waiting for Jennifer when she came into the staff room at lunch the next day. Jennifer came in with a couple of books in hand, grabbing a glass off the table, which was filled as she walked over and sat down next to Hermione and Rolanda with a sigh.

"Beginning of the year reviews are so dull, even if it is good to see all my students again," Jennifer said. "I'll be so glad to get a first year class tomorrow so I can actually teach something."

"You know, your family history is positively fascinating," Hermione said, earning a surprised look from Jennifer. "I hope you don't mind. I had a conference this morning and went downtown and did some digging in the Archives."

"How did you get past the clerk without a blood test?" Jennifer asked, looking slightly annoyed.

"Birth, Death, and Marriage records are public, and there was a good record of both Craws and Ravenclaws in the school because of their histories, so I was able to piece together a rudimentary family line," Hermione explained. "Well, that and I also asked Francis Pyther who he could recall last night, and it gave me a six hundred year head start."

"All right, Hermione, why exactly are you so interested in my genealogy?" Jennifer wanted to know.

"After what the Hat said last night?" Hermione said. "I heard Sirius tell Harry that for some reason the Fomorians didn't 'smell' you, but they could smell everyone else. The whole reason is that you don't have a single drop of Merlin blood in your veins. Do you know how rare that would have to be from someone with fifty generations of pureblood marriages behind them? At any point, any one of them could have married someone with a touch of it. It is probably just as rare, if not more rare, than someone like Anna who has all four bloodlines."

"I know I'm probably going to regret asking this, but, so what?" Jennifer asked bluntly. "The Craws were picky about who they married, down to my father's generation. As for the Ravenclaws and Corsivas, I suppose it was just random luck of selection. It's not like I have any weird powers or mutated magic or anything."

"I can't believe it's all random luck, but I'm not sure what it is," Hermione admitted. "And you're not as normal as all that; you have phenomenal control over Dark magic, and you're a Truth Seeker."

"There's nothing weird about being a Truth Seeker," Jennifer said defensively. "And the dark magic was all from forced training with my father."

"Jennifer, if it wasn't significant, then why did the Hat bring it up?" Hermione pointed out with a sigh.

"Only to say that all the of house heirs have Merlin blood in them now, and that's significant in some way. I just happen to be the last Ravenclaw in line to have none."

"Yes, the last Ravenclaw and the last Craw. Don't you think that at least is significant?" Hermione asked.

"All right Hermione," Jennifer sighed. "Assuming you're right and these coincidences have some significance in the cosmic stream of things, what's the significance?"

"I'm not quite sure yet," Hermione mused over her notes.

"I think I'm going to get ready for my next class," Jennifer decided. Just as she got up, Severus came in, looking at her thoughtfully.

"Not eating?" he frowned.

"I was going to grab a sandwich in my office," Jennifer replied.

"Very well, I believe I'll join you, then," Severus said, nodding to Hermione who watched them leave. Shaking her head, Hermione went back to her notes as they started down the hall. "Is it just me or does she seem into something again?" he asked.

"Into something, and apparently it's me," Jennifer said irritably. "Ever since last night, most of the staff have been giving me the oddest looks. Sibyl asked me to the tower for dinner and I haven't thought of a way to get out of it yet, and Hermione is going over my family genealogy. At least the students don't seem to have caught the reference."

"No, but I did have quite a few Slytherin students come to me wanting to know about Salazar's connections to Merlin, not that I could truly tell them much. And I also heard Miss Brim saying that she found it rather disturbing that Voldemort also had Merlin blood."

"Well, blood isn't everything, when something goes bad, it goes bad," Jennifer said. Severus looked at her in complete surprise.

"Whatever happened to respecting family regardless of what they've done?" Severus inquired as they headed down the stair.

"Yes, but that's different. It's not like I have any control over what they did personally, any more than Merlin could have any control of someone born a couple thousand years later turns out." Jennifer said. Severus got a curious feeling that he couldn't quite explain, remaining silent until they stepped into her office.

"Still, isn't that what Salazar himself attempted to do?" Severus finally replied, shutting the door behind them. "He used Icarus Ravenclaw's ability to see in all times at once to find someone he thought might be able to continue his work, and set events in motion so that he could persuade Voldemort to act as his heir when the time came. The Chamber of Secrets was meant to be used exactly for that purpose... to secure Slytherin's future. Merlin himself saw all times at once, so it was said; who is to say that he didn't do something similar, putting events into motion in hopes of bringing about certain events at a predetermined point in the future?"

"Severus, you are really starting to scare me with this philosophical stint you've been on lately," Jennifer chuckled, grabbing a sandwich off her plate. "Even if he was somehow trying to make certain things to happen… and I daresay it'd explain the Sentinels and his four children, granted, I seriously doubt that any of us had anything to do with any master plan of his. Well, maybe Anna," Jennifer amended thoughtfully. "But certainly not the rest of us. Definitely not me, considering I'm not even in his bloodline." Severus didn't answer, choosing instead to turn his attention back towards the Tome he was reading. Neither of them noticed the presence of Icarus, who had floated in when he heard his name, listening for a while before fading back into the wall.


Essie's first afternoon class was Defense, and it was not one she was looking forward to when she found out she had to take it with Slytherin again this year. Victor Greisley always teased her mercilessly. Even though Essie knew she shouldn't let it get to her, it always did, and she found herself wishing she could just hide or run away. Her best friend Angela Ames helped keep her spirits up, always ready to come to the more sensitive girl's rescue. It had puzzled Angie too; Essie was such a pretty girl, although quiet, while Angela was hardly anything of the sort, slightly overweight with thick glasses and a knack at being a little too loud when she wanted to be heard. But she was, next to Essie's brother, Essie's greatest defender.

Essie quickly found a seat as far forward as she could, hoping for a change that Snape wouldn't reassign them. Her best shot in any class was staying as close to the front as possible, especially in any class her brother's adopted parents were teaching. And it happened it put her right next to Angie, who she hardly ever got to sit with.

Professor Snape stormed into the classroom, immediately passing out a sheet to everyone and glaring at anyone who dared turned their eyes away from him for a second.

"This year we will again be studying Defense against Dark Creatures, although you'll find that these beasts are a bit nastier. Some of them are in a category of their own. I trust you'll all do better than that disappointing attempt I got from all of you last year. In fact, I'm surprised not to find any missing students in here after last year's pathetic display, taken out by something or another… Willowby, what are you doing up here? W's are in the back," Snape squinted at her.

"Uh, I had trouble seeing, sir," Essie said meekly.

"Then get the hospital wing after class and see Madame Pomfrey about glasses," he snapped but continued on, not moving her. Essie and Angela risked an exchange of nervous smiles. Victor Greisley, sitting a row behind them and to the left, rolled his eyes at them.

"As I was saying, we are going to start out with a test on last year's material. I don't believe in reviews, you either know it or you don't. You'll also find on the bottom of each test some situational questions based on creatures we haven't discussed yet. You are to attempt to come up with a way to solve those problems based on the spell knowledge you already have. And then," he added, heading up to the class and turning to scowl at them, "I will tell you if you lived or died. For every death accumulated, you will also lose the corresponding number of points."

"But what if we live, sir?" Angela asked, raising her hand. Snape shot her a dirty look.

"Then you get to live, and learn to appreciate the value of that for its own sake," he snapped back at her. "And five points off Hufflepuff for speaking out of line. You'll have these on every test from now on so I trust you will learn how to deal with them. Begin."

Essie sighed softly, turning to her paper. First day of class and already she had a test, and in one of her worst subjects. She would have been a lot happier if it had been Transfiguration or Charms, she could at least get a solid passing mark in those. This one she had barely squeaked by on last year, as much as she had tried. The idea of facing any of the creatures mentioned in the class positively terrified her. And why wasn't there ever an option to turn tail and run in any of the multiple-choice questions?

After they had finished they were immediately given a chapter to read, and was told to be ready for a demonstration on Bogwights next week. Bogwights… Essie blanched. From the picture and the description she had hoped to never meet one, and yet they're going to have a demo in class? Essie began to wonder if maybe she wouldn't be feeling a little ill before then… no, she mused. Madame Pomfrey was too smart not to spot a student shamming. Maybe next time she would sit in the back of the class.

It was as they were walking down the hall after class that Victor Greisley stepped in front of them, blocking their way to their next class.

"Where are you going? I could have sworn Snape told you to go to the hospital wing after class."

"Oh, bugger off, Greisley, we have to get to the North Tower. We don't have time to play games with you," Angela snapped, taking a step to the side. Victor quickly matched it.

"For Divination? That crackpot course? That's not even real magic! But then, Willowby here never was any good at real magic, was she?" he said, grinning nastily at Essie.

"Don't you have a class somewhere?" Angela asked, trying to shove him out of the way. Essie stopped her.

"Really, it's not worth getting in trouble over," Essie protested.

"You're the one who's going to get in trouble if you don't head to the hospital wing. Or do you think you're above the rules because of your hotshot brother getting adopted? And how come you didn't get adopted too? What's the matter, didn't live up to Snape standards?" Greisley asked, walking backwards in front of them.

"You don't understand anything, do you?" Essie said, losing her temper. "You don't know what it's like to lose your entire family to someone who they meant nothing to!"

"'Course not, my family are purebloods. They wouldn't have been in the line of fire," Greisley said, finally stepping aside while looking down at them coolly.

"I didn't need to be adopted. My aunt took me in, and that might not be good enough for you, but it's plenty good enough for me. At least I got to see them over the summer. I heard you got shipped off to camp," Essie said.

"You tell him, Essie. Some people should learn to mind their own business," Angela said, glaring at him as they turned down another corridor.

"At least I'm in no danger of flunking out. Nearly all your finals were at the bottom of the chart last year," Victor said, standing near where they turned the corner, "I'm still telling Snape about the glasses. And if you don't get in trouble for it, I've every intention of telling Professor Sprout you disobeying a professor's orders too."

"Maybe I should go up to the hospital wing after all," Essie said quietly.

"You'll be late for your first Divination class," Angela pointed out. "I'll take you over there myself before we go to dinner."

"He is right about one thing. I'm not the brightest apple in the barrel," Essie sighed.

"That's sheer nonsense, Essie! So what if you don't do so well in Defense? You're quicker than I am in Transfiguration class, and that's the truth. Everyone's got their bad areas. I thought I'd never get through my Potions final last year," Angela said.

"If it wasn't for my brother tutoring me in it, I wouldn't have," Essie said glumly.

"If you ask me, I think all you really need is a good shot of self confidence," Angela said. "I've seen how much you fidget when you take a test. You need to learn to relax."

"But I'm so afraid I'm going to miss something…"

"See, that's just what I mean, Essie, that's the whole problem," Angela said.

"Besides, when I do make a decent mark at Defense, Greisley says Snape's just being easy on me," Essie said grumpily.

"If Snape's being easy on anyone, it's Greisley," Angela said bluntly. "It certainly isn't on us."

Essie sighed and followed Angela as she dashed up the stairs, privately still angry that he had even brought up her parents like that at all. How could he understand? How could anyone? As they hurried in they found the rest of the class already assembled and Madame Trelawney staring intently at her pocket watch.

"There, you see, what did I tell you? Precisely two minutes late, just as I suspected," she said as a flowing curtain covered the doorway.

"You must have a lot of students coming from the Defense rooms who end up late, don't you?" Angela asked, but Trelawney ignored her.

"Everyone find a seat and try to relax now that the outside disturbances have now ceased," the professor informed them.

Essie hurriedly sat in the curious armchair in front of her circular table, feeling like she was in a cramped Gypsy tearoom. Hazy smoke filled the air, trapped by the curtains on the windows and door, and the Professor herself reminded Essie of someone she might have seen in a carnival.

"As I had been saying before we were interrupted, not everyone here may be in tune with the Gift, but we will do what we can to bring out the Inner Eye in those of you that do. Then, you must embrace the responsibility and burden that comes with it," she said, looking off in the distance with a strained look on her face. Essie was aware of some of the boys in class rolling their eyes. "You dear, you're the Willowby girl, aren't you?" she said, turning around to Essie. "I see you are going to try and use your Crystal Ball to find someone before I've instructed you how to use them," she tsks. "We won't teach that until next term. You'll have only yourself to blame for what happens next. And tell your brother I look very forward to seeing him in his seventh year. He's a hidden talent, I can feel it," she said, moving on.

"I thought you said your brother wouldn't be caught dead in this class?" Angela whispered. Essie shrugged at her.

"That's what he told me," Essie whispered back.

"Aelfred dear! I'm so terribly sorry, but you are going to break your wrist during your first Quidditch practice. Do try and remember to do your Divination homework before then, it'll take you a week to recover. And Lisa, I think I would write home if I were you," Trelawney added darkly. Lisa looked around nervously when everyone stared at her. "Get out some teacups now and turn to the first chapter while I invoke the spiritual essences before we begin our first reading." Essie and Angela looked at each other with weak smiles, not quite sure yet if they were going to like their new subject or not.


Seeing a guest up to Dumbledore's study wasn't really how Jennifer wanted to spend her first conference, especially when it was the first time since she began working at Hogwarts that Jennifer had a conference at the same time Severus had. But acting as escort had always been Jennifer's duty, being the only publicly known Truth Seeker in the school, and she was a tad curious about the woman who was visiting now, a woman she had only met briefly and only because of her relationship to her sister-in-law.

"Welcome to Hogwarts Madame…"

"Viviane," the tall woman said, a slight smile playing on her alabaster face. "Just Viviane. And you're the Craw girl, Severus' wife," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yes, Professor Jennifer Craw," Jennifer smiled at her. What in the world was wrong? She saw absolutely nothing in the woman's face. "Right this way."

As she led the woman through the hall and up the stairs, she couldn't help but notice that quite a number of the ghosts, all of them in fact, had paused to stare at them. Even the paintings on the stairwell seemed even more aware of them than usual, and many of them bowed and curtsied deeply as they passed. Viviane herself seemed unaware of it, intent only on getting there, and not gazing around the castle like every other guest Jennifer had escorted up. Instead, she was eerily serene, and Jennifer for one was glad when they finally got up to the spiral stairs and into Dumbledore's study.

"Welcome, Viviane. Please make yourself comfortable," Dumbledore greeted, standing and gesturing to the chairs.

"Comfort is rather overestimated, but thank you," Viviane said, glancing at Jennifer as she closed the door behind them. "Is she staying?"

"If she wants," Dumbledore replied. "I daresay she's earned the right to be here, don't you?" he asked looking over his glasses. Apparently she was satisfied with that, for she looked back over to Dumbledore. "Now, what may we owe the honor of this visit?"

"My dear Albus, you can't possibly think I am blind to what you are doing," Viviane said, frowning at him. The frown was quite startling, reminding Jennifer of Severus chiding an unusually disobedient student. Jennifer had never seen anyone look at Dumbledore quite that way before. But Dumbledore didn't seem to be offended at all, he simply gave her a thin smile and an almost innocent gaze.

"And what is it exactly that do you believe I am doing?" he asked.

"Do you deny that three of the items of the Seal of Callum rest in your possession and you are even now looking for the fourth?" she asked in a demanding tone.

"Actually, I only have one of the items. The other two are in the hands of their rightful owners," Dumbledore said calmly. Viviane glanced over at Jennifer then back at Dumbledore.

"In name, perhaps. But they are all in this castle, and therefore under your control."

"Viviane, if you believe I control everything in this castle, it only proves that you do not know Hogwarts well," Dumbledore said sounding slightly amused. "I may attempt to guide its direction, but every individual within these walls makes their own choices and take their own paths. And that is as it should be." It was Dumbledore's turn to sound condescending, and Viviane did not seem to be taking it as well as he took it from her. "But tell me, Viviane, what do you know about the sudden breach in magic that's occurring?" The woman looked quite surprised, laughing slightly.

"Albus, if you're having a problem with magic, I suggest you look no further than your own front door. Your crisis here does not concern me."

"Are you sure?" Albus said. "After all, if our world is exposed, so is yours."

"I can protect my own interests, Albus. Run your own world into the ground, but I will not let you ruin mine. Mark my words, you will not be able to find the Lia Fál without my help," she said, looking defiant. "We will do this my way, Albus. You'll know where to find me once you've made up your mind," she added. She turned and the doors opened without even a gesture, shutting quickly behind her.

"Should I follow her?" Jennifer asked.

"No," Albus said sharply, then his tone gentled. "No, that won't be necessary, Professor. She's obviously not interested enough to cause us any trouble," he added, a slightly amused glint appearing in his otherwise serious expression. "But tell me, Professor. What is your opinion on our latest guest?"

"Sir, I…honestly, I couldn't read her at all," Jennifer admitted, glancing at the door.

"You have other devices of observation besides your Truth Seeking, Professor. You've proven that often enough in the past."

"Well, I'm not sure I followed the whole conversation. She's worried about us getting all four parts of the Seal? Why?" Jennifer asked.

"I believe she suspects that I'm actually going to use it," Dumbledore said, sitting back down thoughtfully.

"To open the gate?" Jennifer asked. Dumbledore nodded and looked up at her, watching her carefully. "And are we, sir?"

"Can you think of any reason why we should?" he asked seriously. Jennifer stepped forward, leaning on her favorite chair. The opening of a gate to the Fae world…after so many years…its closing was no accident. Who were they to say it was time to open it? "Yes, who indeed," Dumbledore agreed quietly with her thoughts.

"Sir, before now, I may have thought we would consider it for the balances' sake… if magic is failing, then we wouldn't have anything to lose. We'd have to try it," Jennifer said fervently. "But this Viviane seems to think that the problem with the spells is something else entirely. If she's right, I'd say it'd be the last thing I'd want to do."

"Yes, Professor, I tend to agree with you," Dumbledore said with a nod. "And I also thought her certainty that the magic problem we're having wasn't related. Very interesting indeed."