Professor Dumbledore raised his hands, placing his palms together, he lowered his head resting his chin on his index fingers, and he closed his eyes briefly before speaking. "Mr. Malfoy, is there anything else that you have told Miss Snape?"
Draco fidgeted in his seat, he did not meet Professor Dumbledore's eyes, "Yes, Sir."
"Draco, you can return to your dormitory," Dumbledore dismissed him, "I will see that Miss Snape gets back."
Draco stood, looking at Izabella he whispered, "I'm sorry." He turned and quickly walked out the door.
As the minutes past, Izabella sat nervously waiting for Dumbledore to say something. A loud rap on the door broke the silence. Dumbledore stood, "I will leave you to talk," he said as he walked towards the wall. He walked through the wall, the same way Izabella had walked through the barrier at King's Cross. The door open slowly, on the other side was her father.
"What has Malfoy told you?" he demanded. He stood glaring at her, his eyes narrowing. Izabella had never seen her father like this, but she was just as angry as he was. She said nothing.
She could feel him searching her mind, she let the memories flow freely, being alone on the Hogwarts Express, Draco entering the compartment with his friends, the girls and how they treated her. She watched her father flinch when he saw her memory of the only two on the train, who treated her decently, the prefects, Granger and Weasely.
Severus continued his search through her mind, determined to find the information that he was looking for, she wasn't going to make it easy for him. Izabella remembered getting off the train, Hagrid, the half-giant that met her at Hogsmeade. She did allow him to see one happy memory, him giving her Inx, but then she was left with Filtch.
Once again, another of Izabella's memory caused her father to flinch, seeing that the sorting hat had difficulties placing her.
Her next memory was in the dark hallway leading to his office; Argus Jr was staring ominously. Then, in his office, he saw her pain when he hadn't made time for her. This is when he left her mind, "Please, Izabella," he said softly, "tell me what Malfoy told you."
"What's the matter Daddy, do my memories bother you?
Sighing, he sat in the chair next to her, "I am sorry that I have not been able to spend time with you today. As I told you the day before your birthday, something has happened. I am only trying to protect you."
"Protect me from what, my cousin? Why didn't you tell me that I had a cousin?"
"What did he tell you?"
"What is a Death Eater?"
Standing quickly, the chair that he had been sitting in fell over, her father was standing over her, glaring down at her, in a cold, low voice, "WhatDeath Eaters?"
Izabella did not know this man standing before her; her father had never spoken to her like this. She looked up at him trembling, her eyes filled with tears as she answered his question.
"Draco's father is a Death Eater."
"What else?" he asked in the same menacing voice.
"And...and my mother...," sobbing, she paused to catch her breath, "and my father" getting up from her chair, she pushed her father away and ran towards the door. As she pulled the door open her father caught her arm; he pulled her close, trying to calm her. Izabella tried to pull away from him, but he held her tight.
Stroking her hair, he spoke in a warm, soothing voice, "Hush, everything will be alright," Her father said. "I will tell you everything."
Her sobs quieted, tears were still streaming down her face, Izabella looked into her father eyes. She knew that he would tell her the turth.
Near the fireplace, there were two chairs with a table between them, Severus led her to one of the chairs, with a wave of his wand, two steaming mugs of tea appeared on the table.
Leaning back into the other chair, Severus stared ahead at nothing and spoke quietly, "My first years at Hogwarts were not my favorite time, I was not accepted by the other students. Although I was pulled towards the Dark Magic that Lucius, Bellatrix, and so many of the older Slytherin's practiced, it wasn't until my third year, that they accepted me into their group.
During his last two years at Hogwarts, Lucius treated me like a younger brother, I went home with him during school breaks; it was during the Yule break of Lucius' seventh year that I was first taken to meet the Dark Lord.
"At the Manor, Lucius' father took me into the library, he explained how I should act. "...bow low. The lower the bow, the more respect you show. Most importantly, do not make eye contact until the Dark Lord addresses you." He also said that Voldemort would one day rule the Wizarding World, possibly even the Muggle World.
"After that first meeting, I was asked to return several times. I was told that The Dark Lord himself wanted me there, once again, I was being accepted. I would gladly do whatever was asked of me."
He reached for his tea, holding the mug in both hands he continued, "By the time I was in my seventh year, I never went home during school breaks, I always was attending secrets meetings, each one held somewhere different. "Never speak of what happens here", Mr. Malfoy would warn." Severus placed his mug back on the table without drinking from it.
Severus looked down at his left forearm, even through the cloth of his robes; he could see the Mark that was burned into his skin. "My last day at hogwarts was the day that I became a Death Eater. Lucius had gone through the same ceremony on his last day, as most of the other graduating Slytherin's had.
"The memory is with me as if it happened yesterday, Voldemort called me forward, "You, Severus, are the one who will be most important in the future. I know you will serve me unquestionably." As I nodded, I felt my left arm lifting on its own. As the searing pain began, I stood motionless as the Dark Mark was burned into my skin," still looking down, he ran his hand over the outside of his robes.
Rising from the chair Severus walked towards the fireplace, he placed both hands on the mahogany mantle, lowering his head, he watched the reflection of the flames dancing on his boots. "In October of 1980, I was called before the Dark Lord, Bellatrix was there with her husband Rodolphus Lestrange. We were told that Bellatrix was to have a child. I had no idea why this was something that I needed to know.
"Rodolphus exploded, "I will not allow it," he screamed. That was the first time that I saw the Dark Lord for what he truly was. Suddenly Rodolphus was lying on the floor screaming; Voldemort had simply looked at him, placing the Cruciatus curse on him. It was over as quickly has it had started. Bellatrix helped Rodolphus to his feet and he whispered weakly, "Anything My Lord desires." I still didn't undertand.
"The evil smile on Voldemort's face will forever be burned in my memory just has his mark will forever be burned into my skin. Pulling me to his side, Voldemort said, "Severus, it will be you, who will father this child." As I was led away by Bellatrix I started doubting the decisions that I had made."
"Voldemort's plan was to raise the child as his own; he wanted someone to carry on his name, he wanted a son. The child was born and was cast aside, with all Voldemort was capable of, he could not control the infant being born a girl."
Turning to face Izabella, he walked slowly towards her, dropping to his knees, he was unable to look into her eyes, looking down he continued, "Unable to fulfil the plans Voldemort had laid out, the child was of no use and was simply left to die.
"When I saw that child for the first time. I fell in love with her instantly," he took Izabella's hand in his and again met her gaze, "I fell in love with you," he said smiling.
"I brought you to Dumbledore and confessed everything. He asked if I was willing to fight with him in the coming war against the Dark Lord. I looked down at you in my arms and knew that my place was not on the dark side.
"I went to my mother, I told her everything and begged for her forgiveness. She agreed to take you to America to protect you.
"No one has ever asked what happened to the child, not even Bellatrix." Izabella let out a quiet cry at the realization that her mother never cared about her.
"What I am going to tell you must stay here, in this room. Do you agree to that?"
Izabella nodded. Her father continued, "From the day of your birth, I have been working with a group who are sworn to fight this war. The Dark Lord and his followers believe that I am that I am still one of them. They must never have reason to think differently."