Chapter 9: Normality

Hermione woke up Helen and they went down to the Great Hall together. Katie Bell came running to their table.

      "I'm Gryffindor Captain." Katie shouted excitedly.

      "Awesome." Ginny grinned.

     "Hey Harry...Dumbledore says your lifetime ban Umbridge gave is off."

     "Great." Harry said brightly.

     "Well Anyway Quidditch Try Outs are this Friday at 5:00."

     "Cool." Harry and Ron replied.

     "Yeah and Gin...you said you wanted to try out for Chaser?"

     "Yes." Ginny nodded.

     "Well that'll mean we need another chaser and we NEED new beaters. Kirke and Sloper are dreadful. Anyway see you then...oh and umm...Kevin...welcome to Gryffindor." she blushed.

      "Thanks." Kevin answered bashfully. Hermione noticed Helen didn't look happy.

"Thanks for waking me or else I would probably have missed all our classes." Helen thanked Hermione." Speaking of which...do we get individual schedules?"

    "McGonagall will pass them out." Harry explained. "Usually after post."

The second he said that, hundreds of owls soared in and started dropping letters and packages at students. Two tawny owls headed their way. One dropped a letter at Harry, the other at Helen. They looked at each other unsurely and opened their letters. Hermione and Ron looked over Harry's shoulder to read his while Kevin looked at Helen's. Harry's read...

          Harry,

 You are to continue your Occlumency lessons with Professor Severus Snape.

Lessons will be on Mondays and Wednesdays at six o'clock.

You know how important these lessons will be now.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

"You get this too?" Harry asked Helen. They swapped letters and Helen's was different.

             Helen,

You have the natural born talent of reading and interpreting the emotions of others, however, there is still much you could learn.

On Mondays and Wednesdays at six o'clock I would like you to

come to my office where I will teach you Legilimency.

Yes, you know what others are feeling but it would be useful

to see memories people have...that way you could see

why some are the way they are.

Sincerely,

Alby

p.s. As I remind you of all things you've learned...please

use your gifts wisely and respect others' privacy.

"Well that's interesting." Helen affirmed. Hermione folded up the Daily Prophet.

    "Anything?" Ron asked.

"Nothing." Hermione confirmed. Professor McGonagall came up behind them and handed their schedules.

       "Why've you guys taken all those classes?"

"I don't know about Hermione," Helen said "but I'm taking them in case I change my mind on what job I'd like in the future."

       "Good idea." Kevin mused, smiling.

       "Glad you agree."

       "Well I'd better get my books ready." Kevin said, getting up. "I have Herbology. See you."

Hermione looked up to say goodbye and she saw that many eyes followed his progress out of the Hall. Ron however, looked enlightened.

    "Madam Marchbanks! Professor Marchbanks was also here to give us our O.W.L. examinations!" Ron realized.

     "I didn't even remember!" Hermione said raising an eyebrow. "Nice detective work, Ron."

Ron beamed. His beam turned into a frown as he remembered that Gryffindors and Slytherins had Double Potions. Helen didn't know why he was so worried but she soon found out.

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Helen walked into Professor Snape's classroom. The Slytherins sat to the left side of the room while the Gryffindors remained on the right. She noticed that there weren't as many students as she'd expected. It was true that getting an "O" O.W.L. was the only way to get into N.E.W.T. potions but she'd expected more people.

"Settle down." said a snarly yet cold voice. Helen wondered why he said that when no one was speaking. She focused on him again when he started talking. "You all are in this potions class because you've gotten top scores on your O.W.L.s although I am surprised to see certain faces." he stared in Harry's direction. "But otherwise most of you got your scores based on actual 'talent' "

Helen didn't know if she was just being suspicious but it seemed like he was talking about Harry.

No, that couldn't be the case. Yeah, she knew Snape's past. She'd seen him a few times with Alby but as crooked as he seemed to be she never though of him as unreasonable. In fact he looked like the type of person who you felt sorry for because he had the appearance of someone who hadn't had enough love as a child. In any case, she had to be making a big deal out of nothing…right?

"Now last year you made Strengthening Potions so this year you will be starting with Weakening Potions. The instructions are on the board and ingredients are where they normally would be. Might I add a little warning...I made a large batch of Strengthening Potion which will allow your weakening potions to be tested on yourselves and if you've done it wrong then that would be very unfortunate for you because you could get yourself poisoned. Begin."

Helen left to get her ingredients and then looked at the board.

1. Make a Starter Potion.

Helen racked her memory. What were the directions for the starter potion? She believed it was nearly stewed cabbage mixed with daisy roots, vera beetles, and glass monixes. She walked back over to the store cupboard, grabbed the things she needed but she glanced over and saw Snape whispering something at Harry, who was looking like an angry bull struggling not to be irritated.

Maybe Snape was just venting a little bit of steam off Harry. In any case she'd need to try help.

"Uh...sir." Helen asked.

      "Normally we raise our hands in this classroom Miss Cliff."

      "Yes sir. I was just wondering how much time we have."

      "An hour and twenty minutes." Snape said, striding to his desk.

Helen dropped her ingredients into her cauldron and in twenty minutes she'd finished making her starter potion. Next step.

2. Cut five pieces of 1" cubes and add one every two minutes, each time stirring in the opposite direction as the previous time.

Helen reread the instructions again. She wasn't a hundred percent sure she had gotten it correctly so she tried reading it once more when she saw Snape whispering to Harry again and this time it looked like Harry was going to lose it. Helen shot her hand in the air but Snape paid no notice. Helplessly she looked around for a distraction. She noticed an empty glass being unwatched.

 "Wingardium Leviosa" she mumbled as it rose a few inches in the air. With a flick of her wand it cracked as it hit the floor, making everyone in the room jump. Snape repaired it with his wand and was turning back to Harry when he noticed Helen's airborne hand.

   "Yes."

   "On question two it says each time stirring in the opposite direction. Does that mean that after I add one cube I should stir it left and then after two minutes add a cube and stir to the right?"

    "If I need to answer that then maybe you shouldn't be in this class Miss Cliff." he snapped. Helen raised an eyebrow at him but kept silent.

3. Lower the heat and sprinkle powdered lopilus herbs counterclockwise while stirring clockwise. Potion should turn purple after five minutes.

4. Increase the heat and add mudflies and twigmeat into the potion simultaneously. Stir after every five minutes for a total of fifteen minutes. Should be silvery grey at this point.

Helen rolled her eyes. This potion was annoying her a bit. Sure, it wasn't half as complicated as some of the potions she'd made before but it was tedious nevertheless. After she'd completed a few more steps she realized that Snape was trying to talk to Harry again. She definitely was NOT imagining it and before she knew it Harry opened his mouth and thankfully what looked like swears coming out of his mouth was blocked completely as someone's potion exploded from the Slytherin section of the room. Most of the potion hit the walls but Pansy Parkinson got full blast of a very nasty looking liquid that covered her hair, entire face, and arms. She started screaming frantically as if it was burning and then steam started to fill the room and they realized that it actually WAS burning her face. Snape ordered someone to take her to the hospital wing.

    "WHICH IDIOT MADE THAT POTION?" Snape asked angrily. Everyone turned to look at Goyle who looked a bit frightened actually. He stared at his feet and looked like he was going to admit it when suddenly Malfoy opened his mouth.

     "Potter." he drawled.

     "WHAT." All the Gryffindors shouted in union.

     "Some of Potter's potion flew through the air and landed on our side of the room."

     "Well in that case...due to the damage to Miss Parkinson...fifty points from Gryffindor." Snape replied.

     "WHAT!" The Gryffindors yelled again in union.

     "Professor!" Helen choked; simply astounded. "We all saw Goyle with it and besides...you were standing right by Harry so you know he couldn't have done it."

     "Potter has gone to great lengths to cause trouble. It wouldn't surprise me and I think I recall seeing something fly past."

      "Yeah! From Goyle's cauldron!" Helen pressed.

      "Miss Cliff...might I remind you once and for all this is my classroom. I am the teacher here and it is my observations that count, not yours." Snape spat. "Just because you've been around the headmaster a few times does not give you the nerve to disregard the respect of a teacher. Do I make myself plain?"

     Helen's entire face seemed to darken somehow and she looked at Snape with an expression that made him take a step backward and almost topple over Harry's chair. He looked shaken up about something but recovered quickly and turned away.

     "There w-won't be enough time to test your potions so instead of leaving here knowing your grade you will receive it when you come to class next. Bring your samples to the front of the room and for homework write an essay, a foot's length of parchment on what you think went wrong today and what you could do to fix it. Class dismissed."

Everyone put up their samples and left the class quickly but Helen stayed behind while waiting for everyone else to leave. As Harry, Hermione and Ron left they heard Snape saying 'I have another class' before the door slammed shut.

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"What in bloody hell was up with Snape?" Ron ranted. "Fifty points! That-"

He said a long stream of swears...extreme and some made up.

    "Ron!" Hermione scolded. "I agree but supposing someone hears you!"

    "I don't care!" Ron raved. "That son of a bludger has gone too far! Did you see how he spent the whole time getting on Harry's case?"

    "And it's a good thing Helen kept interrupting Snape before Harry lost it."

    "How?"

    "She kept asking questions and she broke Gregory Bogweil's glass." Hermione explained as they walked down the grounds.

    "Well it didn't do much since he still managed to take fifty points off me!" Harry spoke for the first time in a very wrathful tone.

     "Well mate..."Ron said brightly, "Hermione will win those back in a snap!"

     'I guess."

By this time they were standing with the rest of their Gryffindor classmates as well as the Slytherins.

      "'ello, class." Hagrid beamed. Harry couldn't help but cheer up. "Welcome back ter another year of Care of Magical Creatures."

      "Yes we all look forward to it." Draco drawled sarcastically.    

"Firs' off we'll be studying the Jarvey. Anyone know what a Jarvey is?"

Hermione raised her hand and Hagrid called on her.

      "The Jarvey is a magical creature that resembles an overly large ferret-" she looked at Malfoy and he turned a bit pink, "but it can say a few short phrases in almost a constant stream. They can be found in Britain, Ireland, and North America."

      "Righ' yer are, 'ermione. Ten points." Hagrid grinned. "Yeah, Jarveys can talk but they mostly say rude words. They like to live underground but during the day I keep 'em in these crates. Now I want all of yous ter form groups of two and feed the Jarveys some live rats."

The girls gave a loud screech and backed away. Hagrid seemed to notice this.

       "They eat moles, voles, and rats so in this case I guess the boys can toss rats into the crates."

While the boys reluctantly did this Helen finally showed up, though hanging back a bit.

     "Why'd you stay behind?" Ron asked, creeping away from the rats too.

     "No reason." was all Helen replied with.

     "What was Professor Snape talking about when he said you hung out with Dumbledore?" Draco asked.

     "Why are you so interested?" Helen asked.

     "Wondering if your parents are mudblood lovers too, like the Weasleys."

     "What's it to you?"

     "Why not answer my question? The Cliff's only had one pureblood branch left but they all were supposed to be dead."

     "Well obviously not all of them are." Helen answered sourly.

     "So you ARE a pureblood."

     "Of course she is!" Bianca answered for her. "She's my best friend isn't she?"

     "Then why does she hang around Weasel trash?" Draco said turning to Bianca.

     "Who ARE you?" Helen asked in disgust.

     "Draco Malfoy." he said with a nose in the air.

     "Figures." Helen sniffed. "Death Eater families ALWAYS believe they're better than others, even though they worship an ugly freak like Voldemort."

Draco's eyes grew if possible, even colder.

     "Clearly, Bianca, your friend doesn't share the same views that you do." Draco muttered.

     "What are you talking about?" Helen asked, narrowing her eyes.

     "You mean you haven't told her, Bianca? Keeping your opinions of mudbloods a secret, eh? You sly thing." Draco said "A true Slytherin."

     "Bianca doesn't agree with your prejudiced pureblood standards, Coco."

     "It's DRACO."

 Bianca looked a bit nervously and then changed the subject.

     "I think class is over."

The students back towards the castle and went into the Great Hall for lunch.

_____________________________________________________________________

    "How can Bianca stand being in a group with those arrogant jerks?" Helen muttered, jabbing forcefully into her salad. "I mean what gives them the right to be so mean to people without getting to know them first? My gosh!"

    "Bad first day?" Kevin asked kindly as he sat down next to her.

"Those Slytherins! AUGH! How do you guys put up with it?" Helen asked moodily.

    "That wasn't as bad it could be." Harry grumbled. "But it figures. Snape's head of their house."

"They get especially aggressive for Quidditch." Ron warned.

    "AUGH." Helen yelled and stabbed her salad. Kevin took the knife gently from her hand and replaced it with a fork.

     "Don't worry about it." Kevin said soothingly. "Hey...you didn't go for a run today did you."

     "No." Helen admitted.

     "Run?" Ron asked.

     "Yeah. At Salem Helen and I used to go for a run every morning. It calmed our nerves enough to bear the rest of the school day, but don't worry." Kevin added quickly after seeing the look on her face, "I was too tired to go jogging today but I plan on it tomorrow."

     "Cool." Helen smiled.

After lunch was over they headed to Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

______________________________________________________________

"Good Afternoon, class."

     "Good Afternoon, Professor Marchbanks."

"Wands away and quills out." she commanded. "Now, I reviewed what the Ministry believes you all should be studying in this class and I can say that I find it might challenging for seven year olds but definitely not 6th years, so therefore I will teach what Professor Dumbledore advised. For the few weeks I'm here, I'll be teaching-"

     "What?" Ron blurted.

"Excuse me, Mr.Weasley?"

     "You aren't teaching this whole year?"

"Well since I am the head examiner of O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s it would be perfect for me to teach you in Defense Against the Dark Arts seeing as I know everything that will be on the examinations, however, I am here at Hogwarts merely as a substitute until Dumbledore finds a suitable teacher. Back to the topic...I'll be teaching you how to defend yourself against certain afflictions and ailments Dark wizards and witches can place on a person. The one I'd like to talk with you about today is the Vener Curse. Can anyone tell me about it? Yes Miss...."

     "Granger."

"Yes Miss Granger."

     "The Vener Curse is a curse that is not commonly used because the slightest mispronunciation would leave the curser in a worse condition than the curse itself can even give."

     "Very good. Five points to Gryffindor. Can anyone tell me what the curse, when effective, can actually do? Yes Miss..."

     "Cliff."

"Cliff? Oh. Okay yes Miss...Miss Cliff."

Helen looked at her strangely before answering.

    "The Vener Curse gives the person a rash for a day and if it isn't stopped it turns into giant painful blisters. If the counter curse isn't performed within two days then the blisters become holes in the skin and blood pours out. The person eventually bleeds to death."

     "Another five points for Gryffindor. Yes those are some of the common effects of the Vener Curse, however there are a few rare cases where some just die from the rash. The entire thing is extremely painful really. The curse can also be performed on animals. Now would Mr. Weasley please pass out these frogs. I put the Vener curse on all of them. Now the countercurse is 'Tottleprefa'. Ten points to everyone who masters to heal their frog by the end of class. Quills and parchment away now. Wands out!"

Everyone eagerly was trying to heal their frogs but it was a difficult task. The frogs the curse had been subjected to were in immense pain. They were either rocking all around the boxes they were in or doing some crazed movement. With ten minutes to go Hermione successfully healed the frog and at the last second Helen did as well. Professor Marchbanks was pleased and awarded thirty points. Twenty to Hermione and Helen and ten to the rest of the class for trying. Harry, Hermione, Helen, and Ron cheered up a great deal now that they'd won back all the points lost from potions.

___________________________________________________________________

      "That was the absolute BEST lesson we've had in Defense Against the Dark Arts since Lupin!" Ron cheered happily on their way to the Great Hall for dinner. "No homework at all, mates! None! Imagine winning thirty house points in just one class! Too bad she isn't staying for long."

      "You all look happy." Kevin smiled.

      "That Marchbanks is great." Ron grinned. "And no homework!"

      "Lucky you." Kevin grumbled. "N.E.W.T. year. Packing with homework! I'm telling you!"

      "What job are you trying to get?" Hermione asked.

      "I couldn't decide between Healer, Auror, or something in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes but then I ruled those last two out because I'd be working with the Ministry and besides...Helen wants to put away dark wizards so if she gets hurt I'd better be a healer to help her!"

      "But you said you ruled out the last two because you'd be in the Ministry but it needs good wizards to keep it from collapsing!"

      "Well that's what Helen's there for." He laughed. "She'll have the pleasure of that."

      "Yeah real pleasure." She said sarcastically. "Work with the same people who wanted to throw Alby in Azkaban and discredit the two people who deserve it least. Alby did more great things in his life than the last two ministers of magic did combined and multiplied by five, and Harry's been saving everyone's butt each year and then the idiots want to make jokes about him? Crackpots."

With that last note everyone finished their dinner. Ron and Kevin went to the Quidditch field to practice. Hermione went to the library, meanwhile Harry went to Snape's office for Occlumency and Helen went to Dumbledore's for Legilimency.

    "Hello, Helen." Dumbledore beamed.

    "Hi Alby." Helen smiled.

    "Good first day?"

    "Not over yet. Hermione and I still have Astronomy."

    "I see. Well let's get to it then shall we." Dumbledore stated, rather than asked. "You won't need your wand."

     "But I thought you needed a wand to do Legilimency."

     "Most wizards do but you won't. Like I explained in the letter...you have a born gift; a talent that enables you to understand the hidden feelings and emotions in a person. To demonstrate...look at me, Helen. What do you see?"

Helen already knew what Dumbledore was talking about. When she looked at Snape she sensed alot of past pain and unhappiness. With Kevin she saw cheerfulness but a secret he kept hidden inside. She looked into Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes. Dumbledore was a bit harder to read. She stared for a moment before speaking.

     "You're pleased at the moment. So pleased that you have almost entirely put away the tension and anxiousness out of your mind. Your worries are hidden deep." Helen sighed. "But Alby, this is a no brainer. Of course you're worried with You-kn-with Voldemort. back."

     "Still not saying his name in public?"

     "It's annoying to see them cringe so it's a habit just saying You-know-who."

     "I see."

     "Anyway..."

     "Yes. Your emotion readings aren't in full detail but it's still a very good start. Once you've strengthened it you will have no troubles at all. Now...try to penetrate my mind with yours. Go!"

 (Five minutes later)

"No fair! You know Occlumency AND Legilimency. How am I supposed to progress if I don't start at a simple mind?"

      "Who says I don't have a simple mind." Dumbledore joked.

      "Alby!"

      "Try again, Helen. Patience. Be calm and be focused.

They tried it for two hours before Helen insisted they break. After another hour Dumbledore told her have a seat at his desk. He opened his cabinet and pulled out her grandmother's pensieve.

      "Now...to continue where you left off." Dumbledore spoke. Helen eagerly sat forward and stuck her hand in the swirling mist.

She was right back where she left off. Her grandmother, Anyanka (Annie), was going to tell her friend Johnny about the Lost Palace of Eumaria.

~*Chapter 2 "Clearance" *~

"Princess Eumaria's treasure was stolen by Samusotepso and she ordered he be killed. As he was dying he unleashed a curse illness to all Eumaria's people (the Eriams) that had only one cure and it was hidden beyond the widow's veil, along with Eumaria's treasure. The Eriam people who had left Egypt before the curse came into effect survived. Those who went back died. All who go beyond the veil do not return."

      "So Princess Eumaria owned the palace right?" John asked.

      "Yes." Anyanka answered.

      "Who was the thief? Samsotepza or whoever."

"Samusotepso was a healer who stole the treasure and hid it behind the veil. He's the one who put the Tepso curse."

      "What?"

      "Tepso is a sickness that causes intense heat on the inflicted person and the person dies once every inch of the body turns grey."

      "And what's this veil…the one that everyone dies with."

      "The Widow's Veil is a gateway to the dead. Samusotepso hid the cure to Tepso and the treasure beyond it."

      "So is there any saying on how it's possible to get past the veil?"

      "It's rumored that the Princess has something that only her true heir possesses. It will enable the heir to pass through the veil and come back."

      "That's the only way?"

      "Well...there's also a rumor...though my mother said she doesn't believe in this one...it's said that if the gods favored someone then they would also be able to go though and come back unharmed. That's everything I know." Anyanka finished.

      "One more question." John asked.

     "What?"

     "How did the Palace become lost?"

     "A spell supposedly. Only visible to sorcerers and sorceresses. Not non-magical people."

     "Excellent." John said with a secretive grin. "Excellent."

~*END OF CHAPTER*~ 

       "Time to go." Dumbledore said.

       "But I just got here!"

      "Yes but I dare say it will be hours before you stop thinking about what you've just witnessed and I do believe you said you had Astronomy."

      "Oh yeah..."

Helen was back in Dumbledore's office.

    "Go on to your Common Room." Dumbledore instructed.

    "Okay." Helen obeyed. Just as Dumbledore predicted she DID keep thinking about everything but was forced to put her thoughts aside when she and Hermione went up to the Astronomy tower for class. After that she finished half her assigned homework and then went to bed with the thoughts of her mysterious family background on her mind until she fell asleep.