Cho shot up like a bullet, the covers flying off of her stiff body and tumbling onto the cold, wooden floor. Her ears perked up and she sat still, steadying her breath, listening. Every muscle in her body tensed as she strained her ears to hear what was going on. But only silence answered her pleas.
Cho wasn't satisfied with the silence. Something was wrong, dangerously wrong. She just knew it. Carefully climbing out of her bed, she tiptoed to her door and cracked it open. Her mother was coming up the stairs softly, as if afraid to wake her.
She wanted to yell out to her mom that it was all right to make noise, because she was awake, but something held her back. It was as though her throat had clamped shut and she couldn't push the words through the barrier.
Her mother caught her confused stare and treaded softly into her room. She didn't explain anything, she simply looked Cho square in the eye and said one word, "pack."
Cho obeyed as her mom disappeared, knowing it was in her best interest to keep quiet. She shoved the first items that came to mind in her Hogwarts trunk, then sat down on the lid, forcing it shut. She bit her lip as she waited for her mother's return. She wondered what was going on, but was afraid to ask. Her father, Ruan Chang, was an important member of the ministry, and Cho supposed someone was threatening his life again. It wouldn't be the first time. Ruan worked just below the minister himself, Cornelius Fudge, as a magical consultant who was more or less Fudge's right hand man. Whenever publicity about Fudge turned sour, Ruan found himself in a bit of a predicament. Cho assumed that was what was happening now. She sighed, thinking of all the countless times she had moved. It seemed like just when she started to settle in and become at home in her new house, they always had to pack up and leave again. But never in the dead of night. And she never had to be so quiet about it.
The next five minutes of Cho's life trekked by in slow motion. Her mother returned carrying her own suitcase and led Cho outside. Ruan was nowhere to be found, but Cho assumed he had already left to find a place for them to stay. Cho was then instructed to follow her mother two blocks down the street at a pace that Cho could hardly keep up with, since she was lugging her portable life in her trunk. Finally her mother stopped, pointed to a broken coffee mug that lie deep in the ground and ordered Cho to pick it up. The two clutched the object at the exact same time.
Cho tried to scream as her body rippled around her, but her throat was still blocked and no sound emitted. She felt like her body was being torn into a million pieces, and then, suddenly, it was jammed harshly back together again. She and her mother stood in between two houses on a very unfamiliar looking street.
Before Cho could ask her mother one of the millions of questions floating around in her head, her mother pulled out a piece of paper and she nudged Cho, silently ordering her to read the words. Cho spoke, not processing any of which she read, only recalling faintly something about a number 12 Grimmauld Place.
The next thing Cho knew the air in front of her seemed to be ripped apart and it expanded, squeezing a huge looking three story house in the already narrow yard between the two houses on which she stood. Eyeing her mother nervously, Cho clutched her trunk firmly then marched up the staircase, her mother trailing behind her. She had the feeling that she needn't knock, because whoever was inside already knew she was there. Opening the large wooden door, Cho braced herself for the unexpected and walked inside.
It was dark and silent, not at all what Cho had been expecting.
Cho's mother shut the door behind them, the pale moonlight now locked out.
"Lumos", a masculine voice coughed, and suddenly the room lit up. Cho peered around. She was standing in a large entranceway, with a staircase directly in front of her, and doors of various sizes to either side. She nearly gasped when she saw who the man who created the light was.
"Lupin?" she asked incredulously.
Remus Lupin smiled as Cho leapt towards him, embracing him. He and Cho had been close when he taught at Hogwarts. In fact, aside from the Gryffindor trio, she was probably his favorite student, with her feisty determination and her quick wit.
As Cho
pulled away from Remus, she noticed the odd way he
stared at her mother, and she instantly realized they were not strangers.
Perhaps they had went to school together?
"Hello Chase," Remus said softly.
Chase Chang forced a smile. She was indeed happy to see her old friend Remus, but certainly not under these conditions.
The reality of the situation Cho was in finally hit her and she worked up the nerve to ask the two a question. "What exactly is going on?" she asked, knowing already that she wouldn't like the answer she received. Chase stood silent and Remus flinched. Knowing her mother's odd tendency to not speak during tough moments, she turned to Remus expectantly.
"Err…" Remus began, as though not sure quite what to say, or even if he should say it. He glanced at Chase who nodded. "Cho, your father, Ruan…"
"Might as well tell her the full truth," Chase said, sighing. She turned to Cho. "Ruan Chang isn't your father."
Cho couldn't have stared at her mother more incredulously if she had sprouted ten heads. "Yes he is," she responded automatically.
"No, he isn't," Chase insisted. "He…he raised you, but that's only because your dad couldn't."
Cho suddenly felt weary. What was her mother talking about? How could her dad not be her…well…dad. Maybe her mother was confused. Or mistaken. But upon looking into her mother's eyes, she knew this was no joking matter. Suddenly she felt hurt and betrayed. How could no one have told her? All these years…. "He knew all this time, and he never even told me…why?"
Chase sighed. "Honey, he doesn't know."
"What?" Cho asked, now extremely baffled. How could her father not know he wasn't her father? This was getting way too weird for her liking.
"It's…it's a long story Cho," Chase said. "One I regret to tell you on such terms. You see, your father, your real father, he never knew about you. We got into a terrible fight one night, and well, let's just say he was forced to leave. By that point I was engaged to Ruan Chang and, well, he never doubted your paternity."
"So you lied to dad?" she asked, still unable to process this whole mess…or the reasoning behind it.
"Well…" Chase paused. "Yes," she nodded, "I suppose so. But Cho, if you only knew why…"
"Then tell me!" Cho demanded, suddenly angry. Here her mother was telling her that her father wasn't really her father and that she lied to him and she wouldn't even explain why?
Chase inwardly debated how much information to release to Cho. "Listen baby, you know how Ruan works for the ministry right?"
Cho nodded. She knew her dad, or not dad's job had something to do with this.
"He disappeared last night," Chase said.
Cho's stomach churned. "Is he all right?"
Chase scowled. "Unfortunately."
Cho had the sudden urge to slap her mother.
"He's a Death Eater, Cho," Chase said bluntly. "He has been for years."
Cho stepped back. A…a Death Eater? Her father? The same father who had taught her to fly a broomstick and work a wand? The same father who tucked her in every night until she turned eleven and insisted she was too old for such nonsense? The same father who nearly cried when she made the house Quidditch team? Impossible!
Cho shook her head. "Is this some sort of cruel joke?"
"No," Remus stepped in. "Cho, your mother's right. I know this is a lot to take in, but you need to hear everything now. So much has been kept to ensure your safety."
"But, why?" Cho exploded. "I mean, I'm obviously not safe now, so what was the point?"
"I was trying to avoid something like this," Chase said. "I never expected…He Who Must Not Be Named to return to power…"
"Dad…he's really…?" Cho wanted to cry.
Chase nodded and hugged her daughter tightly. "I'm so sorry baby. That's why we had to leave."
Cho let her mother squeeze her, knowing it at least comforted her. But Cho's hands remained at her sides. She remained numb. She didn't want any of this to be true. She wanted to wake up from this bad dream. It simply wasn't fair.
Then, a new question formed, and Cho pulled away from her mother.
"Who's my real father?" she asked, curious.
Chase bit her lip, then let out a shaky breath. "He's dead baby."
Cho nodded, still unsatisfied with this information.
"Listen Cho," Remus interrupted. "I know you must be tired after all this. You'll be staying here under the protection of the Order of the Phoenix. Your room is just upstairs, the second door to your right. I believe Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley are sharing that room also."
Cho nodded numbly, not hearing much of what Remus had said. She grabbed her trunk and moved hypnotically up the staircase, pushing open the second door to the right.
Cho's eyes adjusted to the gray darkness, and she found her way to the empty bed facing the door. Hermione slept to the right of her, and Ginny, on a bunk bed above her. Cho tore her eyes away from them, setting her trunk down beside her bed. She wanted to go to sleep and wake up from this nightmare. She felt that if she slept long enough, all of this would be over with, and she could go back home to her own room, and her own bed, and her own dad.
The next minute, the bedroom door creaked open and a light illuminated the room immediately. Hermione shot up in bed, her head smacking against the top bunk. This woke Ginny who stumbled off the bed and onto the floor, groaning loudly. A red headed boy laughed outrageously and Cho narrowed her eyes at him. What was he doing in here?
Suddenly, everyone in the room seemed to sense her presence and all eyes turned toward her. She stood, dumbly, not able to explain herself. She wanted to tell them something to make them stop gawking at her, but no words seemed to fit the situation. She just kept staring back at them.
And then, she noticed for the first time, the person behind the red-headed boy, who she had finally placed as Ron Weasley. She noticed the messy haired, baffled boy who stood staring, not quite at her, but rather at the floor. Her eyes seemed to speak to him, for the next instant, Harry Potter looked up right into her eyes.
Cho's jaw dropped. Of all people! Why did her ex boyfriend have to be standing four feet from her, staring coldly at her, the coldest expression Cho had ever seen. It made Cho want to burst into tears, but she knew she had done more than her fair share of that already. Instead, she continued with her long spell of silence, unable to contribute any noise to the situation at all.
"What are you doing here?" Harry spat.
Cho cringed. When did Harry get so icy? Why was he suddenly reminding her of Snape? What was happening to her life?
"Well?" Harry asked, waiting impatiently.
XxX
To be continued soon! Haha…I figured I'd torture you a bit with this cliffhanger.