Chapter Three: Dumbledore's Revelation
"Miss Black," Dumbledore began as they entered his office, "Professor Snape informs me that you were at the Shrieking Shack when Malfoy was hexed."
"Yes, sir."
"Professor Snape also tells me that he has reason to believe that you are the one who hexed Mr. Malfoy. Is this true, Miss Black?"
"Sir, I would rather not answer that, sir. I don't want to say anything that might get me into trouble."
"However, Professor Snape tells me that, according to the Ministry officials who figured out that there was an underage wizard using magic outside of Hogwarts, the wand is registered to a deceased wizard, not a student."
"I don't know what you are talking about Professor Dumbledore, sir."
"Oh, but you might Miss Black. Now, strictly off the record, are you in possession of a wand that nobody knows about?"
"Will I be in trouble for such an admission sir?"
"No, Miss Black."
"Yes, I am."
"Do you know who it belongs to?"
"My father. I just don't know who that is."
"Might I see this wand, Miss Black?"
Clarice was reluctant to let Professor Dumbledore see this wand. This had been the only way she could defend herself without the teachers knowing what she was up to. It was like a freedom to do as she pleased. Besides, the wand was the only thing she had that belonged to her family. Reluctantly, she handed her father's wand over to Professor Dumbledore.
Professor Dumbledore looked at the wand for a moment. He studied it closely. For a strange moment, he looked like he had tears in his eyes.
"Miss Black, you do not know your family? Am I right?"
"Right, Professor."
"You live in an orphanage for Muggles, I assume?"
"Not anymore, sir. I was taken in by a wizarding family."
"Really, who might that be?"
"The Malfoys, sir. I received the letter from my Muggle social worker the day before term started. She moved my things to Malfoy's manner on her own when I came to school."
"That is quite interesting. Do you not wonder, Miss Black, who your family is?"
"Of course I do, sir, but I don't even know if Black is my proper surname, so how can I find out the truth?"
"Well, I can answer your questions. At least, now that I have seen the wand that belongs to your father."
"How?"
"The wand belonged to a former Hogwarts student that I know."
"Who is that Professor?"
"His name was Eric. I was very close to him."
"So tell me the truth, Professor. If you know who my family is, tell me. I'm fifteen today I want to know. I have no memory of anyone in my family."
"Alright, I will tell you. It was not until tonight, when I saw this wand, that the suspicions I have had for the last five years were confirmed. You are my granddaughter. That student, Eric, was my only son."
Clarice left his office. She could not handle more questions. Dumbledore understood. He knew he would need to talk to her when she had time to digest the information he had just thrown at her.
Clarice was walking away from Dumbledore's second floor office to return to the Gryffindor common room. She was crying. She is the Headmaster's granddaughter. When she reached the third floor she ran into the last person she expected to...Professor Severus Snape.
"Miss Black, I do believe that fifth years are supposed to be in their dormitories by nine o'clock every night. I further believe that you are not above school rules. Now, I ask you, why are you not in Gryffindor Tower?"
She turned and looked at him. Even he could not deny the presence of the tears silently streaming down her cheeks.
"I'm returning to Gryffindor after a meeting with Professor Dumbledore sir."
"Ah, the Headmaster has made quick inquiries into my accusations about your involvement in the attack of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. That is excellent. What will your punishment be?"
"I'm not being punished Professor Snape. Now if it is okay with you I would just like to return to my dormitory and go to sleep. I still need to complete your assignment on Strengthening Solutions, sir. May I go?"
"Do you mean to tell me that even after inquiring about my report you are not being punished!?! You are not above the rules! You need to learn to abide by the rules!"
"Professor, please. May I please go? I am not feeling well. If you would like I will report to your office after dinner tomorrow to continue this conversation."
Snape was amazed. First at her tears. Then at her lack of smart remarks. Finally at her willingness to resume the conversation when she is not crying.
"You may go. Just don't let me find you in the corridors after curfew again, Miss Black."
"Yes, Professor. Good-night."
"Good-night, Miss Black."
When Clarice returned to the Gryffindor common room Fred and George were awake. They wanted to know if she was in trouble.
"No, I'm not guys. But, I'm kinda tired and just want to go to bed."
As she came closer to Fred and George in the firelight they noticed she was crying.
"Clarice, why were you crying? How much trouble are you actually in for hexing Malfoy?" asked Fred.
"You can't really be in that much trouble, can you?" asked George.
"Really, I'm not in trouble. I just actually admitted the truth about something. Something I didn't want to let sink into my mind set."
"What is it?" asked Fred.
"I need to tell you two something. I just really hope you won't be mad at me for not telling you sooner."
"What is it, Clarice?" asked George.
"You know I'm an orphan, right?"
"Yeah," said the twins in unison.
"Well, I found out the day before I came back to school that I'm going to live with the MALFOYS. Dumbledore reminded me of it when he said that he was gonna have to send a letter to Mr. Malfoy explaining what happened to his son."
Fred and George understood why it would upset her. This time, when she said she would talk to them in the morning because she was going to bed they just let her be. She wasn't ready to tell them that she was the Headmaster's granddaughter.
"Miss Black," Dumbledore began as they entered his office, "Professor Snape informs me that you were at the Shrieking Shack when Malfoy was hexed."
"Yes, sir."
"Professor Snape also tells me that he has reason to believe that you are the one who hexed Mr. Malfoy. Is this true, Miss Black?"
"Sir, I would rather not answer that, sir. I don't want to say anything that might get me into trouble."
"However, Professor Snape tells me that, according to the Ministry officials who figured out that there was an underage wizard using magic outside of Hogwarts, the wand is registered to a deceased wizard, not a student."
"I don't know what you are talking about Professor Dumbledore, sir."
"Oh, but you might Miss Black. Now, strictly off the record, are you in possession of a wand that nobody knows about?"
"Will I be in trouble for such an admission sir?"
"No, Miss Black."
"Yes, I am."
"Do you know who it belongs to?"
"My father. I just don't know who that is."
"Might I see this wand, Miss Black?"
Clarice was reluctant to let Professor Dumbledore see this wand. This had been the only way she could defend herself without the teachers knowing what she was up to. It was like a freedom to do as she pleased. Besides, the wand was the only thing she had that belonged to her family. Reluctantly, she handed her father's wand over to Professor Dumbledore.
Professor Dumbledore looked at the wand for a moment. He studied it closely. For a strange moment, he looked like he had tears in his eyes.
"Miss Black, you do not know your family? Am I right?"
"Right, Professor."
"You live in an orphanage for Muggles, I assume?"
"Not anymore, sir. I was taken in by a wizarding family."
"Really, who might that be?"
"The Malfoys, sir. I received the letter from my Muggle social worker the day before term started. She moved my things to Malfoy's manner on her own when I came to school."
"That is quite interesting. Do you not wonder, Miss Black, who your family is?"
"Of course I do, sir, but I don't even know if Black is my proper surname, so how can I find out the truth?"
"Well, I can answer your questions. At least, now that I have seen the wand that belongs to your father."
"How?"
"The wand belonged to a former Hogwarts student that I know."
"Who is that Professor?"
"His name was Eric. I was very close to him."
"So tell me the truth, Professor. If you know who my family is, tell me. I'm fifteen today I want to know. I have no memory of anyone in my family."
"Alright, I will tell you. It was not until tonight, when I saw this wand, that the suspicions I have had for the last five years were confirmed. You are my granddaughter. That student, Eric, was my only son."
Clarice left his office. She could not handle more questions. Dumbledore understood. He knew he would need to talk to her when she had time to digest the information he had just thrown at her.
Clarice was walking away from Dumbledore's second floor office to return to the Gryffindor common room. She was crying. She is the Headmaster's granddaughter. When she reached the third floor she ran into the last person she expected to...Professor Severus Snape.
"Miss Black, I do believe that fifth years are supposed to be in their dormitories by nine o'clock every night. I further believe that you are not above school rules. Now, I ask you, why are you not in Gryffindor Tower?"
She turned and looked at him. Even he could not deny the presence of the tears silently streaming down her cheeks.
"I'm returning to Gryffindor after a meeting with Professor Dumbledore sir."
"Ah, the Headmaster has made quick inquiries into my accusations about your involvement in the attack of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. That is excellent. What will your punishment be?"
"I'm not being punished Professor Snape. Now if it is okay with you I would just like to return to my dormitory and go to sleep. I still need to complete your assignment on Strengthening Solutions, sir. May I go?"
"Do you mean to tell me that even after inquiring about my report you are not being punished!?! You are not above the rules! You need to learn to abide by the rules!"
"Professor, please. May I please go? I am not feeling well. If you would like I will report to your office after dinner tomorrow to continue this conversation."
Snape was amazed. First at her tears. Then at her lack of smart remarks. Finally at her willingness to resume the conversation when she is not crying.
"You may go. Just don't let me find you in the corridors after curfew again, Miss Black."
"Yes, Professor. Good-night."
"Good-night, Miss Black."
When Clarice returned to the Gryffindor common room Fred and George were awake. They wanted to know if she was in trouble.
"No, I'm not guys. But, I'm kinda tired and just want to go to bed."
As she came closer to Fred and George in the firelight they noticed she was crying.
"Clarice, why were you crying? How much trouble are you actually in for hexing Malfoy?" asked Fred.
"You can't really be in that much trouble, can you?" asked George.
"Really, I'm not in trouble. I just actually admitted the truth about something. Something I didn't want to let sink into my mind set."
"What is it?" asked Fred.
"I need to tell you two something. I just really hope you won't be mad at me for not telling you sooner."
"What is it, Clarice?" asked George.
"You know I'm an orphan, right?"
"Yeah," said the twins in unison.
"Well, I found out the day before I came back to school that I'm going to live with the MALFOYS. Dumbledore reminded me of it when he said that he was gonna have to send a letter to Mr. Malfoy explaining what happened to his son."
Fred and George understood why it would upset her. This time, when she said she would talk to them in the morning because she was going to bed they just let her be. She wasn't ready to tell them that she was the Headmaster's granddaughter.