Chapter 13
Daisy couldn't even hold her head up by the time they reached the castle. Any one who had seen them walking together must have thought Harry had a new girl. Daisy had decided it was wise to cover her face and so had her hood up hiding her face. And now that her head was resting on Harry's shoulder no one could see her face. Well maybe a first year, but what were the odds of running into one?
"Harry! Harry! I've been looking for you everywhere!" Allen Dumbledore called, running up behind them in the Entrance Hall. When he saw Harry had a girl on his arm Allen started to apologize. "Er, sorry to bother you but...Daisy?"
"Yeah. Geez, lower the decibels, Len," she said closing her eyes in pain.
Allen Dumbledore gave Harry Potter a scathing look. "And just what are you doing?"
"Helping me up to see Uncle," Daisy answered before her brother could continue to harass her friend.
"Oh, so you know? Why is he helping you walk?" Allen continued not missing a beat.
"Because he is." Seeing this answer would not satisfy the protective eleven- year-old she quickly lied. "I took a spill while out for a walk. Did a number on my ankle. Harry found me. And what do we know?"
"That Uncle wants to see us in his office. All of us. Come on," Allen said, sure his sister was lying but he contented himself knowing she would get what's coming to her. "That is if your ankle can handle the stairs." And with that he was off.
"I think he knows you were fibbing," Harry said as they began to tackle the steps.
"I know. Must be all the time he spends with his Slytherin friends."
Harry and Daisy finally made it to Professor Dumbledore's office. Allen had gone ahead of them and they assumed he was already there. But they heard a bit more noise than just two people.
"Listen, they're talking about us," Daisy hissed quietly stopping Harry from opening the door.
"Allen, I thought you said they were coming." A woman's voice said.
"I did," answered the youngest Dumbledore. "And they are. Daisy said she twisted her ankle. She was lying, but she still needed Harry's help to walk."
No body spoke for a moment until Alexander Dumbledore spoke. "You three are her closest friends. Is she in any sort of trouble?"
"Well, to be honest sir, we've all been a little worried about her lately." That was Hermione.
"She doesn't seem to spend much time with us anymore. And half the time we don't know where she is." Ginny added a little hesitantly.
"What do you think Ron?" asked another familiar voice, Remus Lupin.
"I think that we haven't been as close as we thought. She hides everything. Getting information out of her is like pulling teeth, even if it's simply how she did on her last Potion test."
"Which was not up to her ability at all," chimed in the Potions Master.
"What about Harry?"
"Sirius!" Harry said excitedly under his breath.
"Well," Hermione said again, "we are starting to worry about him also. Since he broke up with Cho, he's been, distant."
"They've both been through a lot," Remus said. "Maybe they're just trying to sort it all out for themselves."
"You know," Daisy whispered, "if this is some sort of intervention, I really don't want to go in there."
"What?" Harry whispered back. "You don't need help with your out of control drugs abuse."
She gave a short derisive laugh. "Not for nearly three years now."
Then the silence inside was broken by a voice neither of them expected, Draco Malfoy. "Why don't you just ask them if you want to know about how they are?"
"What a novel idea!" Daisy said as Harry opened the door.
It was a strange site from both sides of the door. Harry and Daisy looked in to find Allen, Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Draco Malfoy sitting across from the Headmaster's desk, which Professor Dumbledore occupied. And scattered about the room were an assemblage of adults, including Daisy's parents, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black in human form, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Arthur, Bill, and Charlie Weasley, Hagrid (taking up an entire corner), Mad Eye Moody, and to Harry's amazement, his old baby-sitter Mrs. Figg, and a few other teachers, and others they didn't know.
Then of course there was the flip side. Harry was half carrying Daisy, neither of them looking very pleased. Daisy's eyes were glowing gold again, which is always freaky, but now her pendant was glowing a weird bluish silver color. They were both dirty and sweaty from their trek through the forest and back to the castle.
"Great Light!" Annabelle Dumbledore said. "What happened to you two?"
"It's a long story," Daisy sighed. "Can we sit?"
The Headmaster gestured to two open seats in front of him. Harry helped Daisy to the seat next to Malfoy and then took the end chair himself, rubbing his now freed arm.
"Sorry," Daisy whispered to him.
He smiled and shrugged. "Helping damsels in distress, one more thing to add to my resume."
"Git," she said with a smile.
"So you wanted to see us, Uncle?" Daisy asked.
"Yes. Welcome children to a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore said.
Daisy and Allen looked awed. The other five looked slightly confused. "A name give to us by your mother, Harry."
"Never thought it would stick," Sirius said.
Dumbledore smiled. "Yes but it did, for the past twenty years. It is the band of those of us who continue to work against Voldemort. (shudders around the room again) When we reconvened this summer we couldn't help but use the old name. It's the only one most of us could think to work under."
"Okay," Harry said cautiously, "but why are we here?"
"To help, Harry," said Sirius as he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"You seven are in most danger from Voldemort, (more shudders) and so you are to be given a choice. You can help us actively or you can just go under our protection, which you already are," the headmaster said kindly.
"What if we don't want either?" Malfoy asked.
"Then we will not offer you either. The choice is yours, Draco," Snape said from behind.
"So what exactly will we do if we help?" Hermione asked.
"We all play to our strengths," Dumbledore said. "Allen who doesn't have as much magical training as you would not be put into a dangerous situation."
"None of you will be put in a dangerous situation!" Annabelle nearly shouted.
"At least not a situation you can't handle," corrected her husband.
"So what's your decision?" Dumbledore asked.
"I'm in!" Allen said with his characteristic gusto.
"We don't get any more time?" Hermione asked.
"I'm afraid not, my dear," came the response from Professor McGonagall. "There isn't any more time."
Hermione nodded. "I'll help," she said.
"Me too," Ginny answered.
"All for one, and all that, right?" came Ron's reply. "I'm in too."
Now it was Malfoy's turn. "If I do this, it goes against everything my father ever taught me. I'll probably end up going against my father himself!"
Daisy put her hand on his shoulder. "Draco, you know what you want to do. Just do it."
"Alright," he sighed. "I'm in too."
"Me too," Daisy smiled, "but then you already knew that."
And every one turned to Harry. He looked down at his hand in his lap. "I just wanted to be a normal teenager." After a moment he turned up to look at Sirius. "I guess that's just not possible, huh?"
Sirius didn't quite know what to say. He gave Harry's shoulder a slight squeeze and said simply, "I'm sorry, but no. I wish things could be different but..."
"I know," Harry said, then looked to Dumbledore. "I'm in."
"Well, now that your all members, I suppose we should bring you up to date." Remus said. "As you know Harry's scar connects him to Voldemort. From the dreams he had this summer we were able to ascertain quite a bit of information, including that Voldemort is not going to make any massive offensive moves for some time yet. This is why we took our time to bring you into this, except for Daisy and Allen who were helping this summer." At this news every one looked at the two young Dumbledore's, but no one said any thing so Remus continued. "At the end of the summer Harry began taking a dreamless sleep potion. Only a very strong vision could brake through it."
"Saved my sanity," Harry said.
"Yes, well I'm afraid you can't be given anymore for awhile," Sirius said reluctantly.
"I know. The Headmaster already talked to me about that. I stopped taking it last week," Harry said offering his godfather an encouraging smile.
"And then there were the abductions," Snape cut in.
"Yes we didn't see that coming." said Mrs. Figg.
"We should have Arabella," Mad Eye Moody grumbled. "We should have been more vigilant!"
"And so," Remus said rather forcefully, "we've been working to help those people, find information on the Dark Lord and his followers, and form a force of our own."
"We've got the giants, and large number of werewolves, and vampires, a few trolls and elves, and the Gringotts goblins, which is almost all of that lot." Hagrid supplied.
"And that's not to mention the wizards and witches who are with us," said Arthur Weasley. "Only a small fraction is represented here."
Daisy was not holding up well in the meeting. She vaguely heard Ron ask, "And about the Ministry, Dad?"
"You all right?" Harry asked in a whisper.
"Do you have any more pumpkin pasties?" she asked with a weak smile.
He handed her pasty as he enlarged it. "Thanks," she said.
"When you two have quite finished!" Professor Snape said coldly from behind them.
Daisy looked and him and he was visibly shocked by her face she was so pale! She was paler than Snape and Malfoy combined. Her light smattering of freckles across her nose stood out like ink stains on white robes. And her eyes still glowed gold.
"Sorry sir," she practically whispered.
Snape looked up. They others were still going on with the meeting. Sirius had gone over to Mr. Weasley to talk about the Ministry's faults, such as convicting innocent men without trials, and refusing to admit what was known fact. Even the Headmaster was drawn into the arguments. No one was paying any attention to Daisy, not even her parents.
"Annabelle!" he said getting everyone's attention. "Before we go on I think you should make sure your daughter is alright!" he said than stalked over to her and gestured at the girl in question.
"Oh, I'm alright, sir," she said.
"Your back is glowing too," he said by way of response.
"I was wondering where that would show up," she said distractedly.
"Where what would show up? Daisy Clotilde Dumbledore, what is going on with you?" Annabelle said as she came over and took her daughter's face in her hands and examined it.
With her mother's hand still on or face she leaned back so she could see her little brother. "Full name, I think I'm in trouble."
The joke did not go well. "You will be if you don't answer your mother, young lady," her father joined in.
"Yes sir. I was just waiting until I could speak," she said.
Everyone was quiet for a moment. Professor Dumbledore settled back behind his desk. "No one will stop you now my dear. Please, tell us what's wrong."
"I, um, went to see the centaurs," she began.
"You went alone into the Forbidden Forest?" her father asked.
"Um, yeah." she answered.
"Daisy, how could you be so foolish?" he said the disappointment evident in his voice.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, Harry saw me and followed on his broom. And Midnight was there."
"Oh good. A fifth year student and that winged pest!" he said.
"Not that this isn't fascinating," said Mad Eye Moody, "But maybe you should wait to lecture your child."
"Midnight is not a pest!" Daisy insisted, albeit under her breath. "And what I have to say is important if you could just listen. You won't be happy with me but I had to do this. I had to help. I wanted to be useful and to, to know I wasn't crazy. Because I've felt like that." Here she turn to looked Albus Dumbledore straight in the eye. "You've been making me feel like that. But I was right. Trewlany is a good Divinations teacher, but I would never have made any headway with her methods. I went to the centaurs for help for two reasons. They are skilled diviners, and I felt like I didn't have anywhere else to go. So today, when things reached a point I just couldn't stand anymore, I went to the centaurs for help. I Called the Stars for clarity."
"Oh!" Annabelle said. Her father said nothing he just turned away.
Severus Snape was thoroughly disgusted with their behavior. He looked at Daisy with a newfound respect in his eyes and said, "So the glow form your back is the mark of the Calling."
Daisy nodded. "Grandmother's was on the back of her shoulder, but Sagar told me it manifests differently for each Seer who under goes the ritual."
Snape nodded. "I remember when we went ten years ago. I wondered why she was so instant that you go. That still doesn't explain why she wanted Ro and me there," he mused, mostly to himself.
"It's really quite clear if you think about it, sir. She never expected mom to train me. She knew that I'd be at Hogwarts. She expect me to be able to go the you or aunt Ro for help."
Daisy said all this as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Which still left the burning question of why on the minds of almost everyone there. At least until Annabelle supplied a reason.
"Our mother was insane!" She said.
Snape said something very fast in a language most of them recognized but didn't understand, the gypsy's old tongue. Annabelle answered seemingly angry. Then Daisy joined in quietly.
"What do you mean 'at least were on the same side?'" Snape said.
"I've lost my sister. Don't lose yours," was her answer.
"What do you mean you've lost you sister?" Snape asked.
"What do mean don't lose yours?" Ron echoed.
"Oh, Ron, do be quite. Professor Snape is Daisy's uncle," Hermione said.
"Who aren't you related to, Dumbledore?" Malfoy asked.
Daisy ignored her friends' comments and started digging in her pocket. She pulled out a small mirror about the size of Knut, with a little silver stand. She sat it on the Headmaster's desk in front of her. Apparently, Harry wasn't the only one who shrank his Hogsmead purchases from that morning.
"Could some one enlarge that please?" she asked.
A moment later someone had. She wasn't sure who, but it didn't matter. "For those of you who don't know what we're talking about by the 'ritual,'" she began.
"That means you Weasley," Malfoy said quietly.
Ron was actually mature and ignored him.
"Its proper name is the Ritual of the Calling of the Stars," she continued. "Basically, my conscience, my soul, the very essence of what I am, what ever you call it, is separated from my physical form, including my magic. It's a risk for me to perform spells. I shouldn't fly. We probably could have flown back if I just let Harry be in control, but I didn't want to risk interfering with his magic, since it was so soon after the ritual. The Mark of the Calling is a physical representation that body and soul are reunited. It will stop glowing, and so will my eyes, but the point is that the Calling was successful. I've Seen through the blocks I developed."
"And what did you see about Belle?" her mother asked.
Daisy couldn't look at her. She fixed the mirror on the desk so that it looked at her face.
"Daze, you told me at Christmas Belle was gone. That she changed and wasn't the same. Is that what you mean?" Allen asked.
Daisy couldn't answer. She was thinking about her sister, the beautiful blonde who she always tried to emulate. If she was honest with herself, and she really was, she would know that it was Belle she was following four years ago, not Guy. Yet she had never been angry with Belle. She had never cried that her sister lead her astray, only her brother. But it wasn't Guy. It was always Belle.
"No," said Draco in the seat next to her. "Belle Blanc is a traitor. She's been working with Voldemort for months."
"How dare you!" Annabelle started.
"Because it's the truth," Daisy said. "I'm sorry Mama, but your Belle Enfant is a traitor."
"I wont believe it!" Annabelle stated.
"I know," Daisy countered. "That's why I've brought a means of proving it."
She looked into the mirror. Her eyes began to show flexes of silver before the irises went to a nearly pure white blue. Her eyes glowed the color of her necklace. Then the mirror began to change. The surface was no long a reflection a pretty fifteen-year-old with glowing eyes. It swirled gray. Anyone who had every taken Vericlearvoicium would have recognized the gray between worlds.
~~~~Visions from the mirror~~~~
the room was dark and the figures hard to make out. There were roughly eight, with a ninth hidden in the shadows. This shadow figure was the focus of the other eight.
Suddenly torches flared. Everyone became visible, yet the ninth figure was somehow still in shadow. A large snake with deadly looking green diamonds on it's back seemed to judge the waiting eight. They stood in various states of fear, with hoods covering their faces. The shadow man seemed pleased. That this was communicable even thought the mirror attested to how pleased he was.
He then walked down the line. He stopped at the last figure. "You do not seem afraid, my dear."
"I am not my Lord," she answered. It was Belle's voice.
"And why isss that?" he hissed.
She shrugged. "Either you take me into your service were you know I would useful be to you, or you will kill me and be done with me. That was the arrangement. I knew that coming here." A smile played on her partially hidden lips. "My mother my not have taught me much, by it was drilled into me; always know what your getting yourself into and except the consequences."
"Your mother was a gypsy? And she taught you the code? I believe that is the fourth rule." He said in amusement. "But what of this one next to you? He is a gypsy. Why does he seem afraid?"
Belle gave a snort of a laugh. "Be cause he is an idiot. He cannot follow simple orders. He could not even keep one girl form nearly killing herself under his watch."
"Your sister you mean?" he asked. "I have caught up on news. She had a nasty incident a few years back. This one was there?" the Dark Lord asked as if the young man was not standing right in front of him.
Belle laughed again. "I told him to watch her. And what does he do? He practically poured the fatal dose down her throat for the high he got!"
"You should not have taught him how to make it so well," said the man.
"I now that now Lord. I need guidance as well. That is why I want to join you. I failed on my own, but with you direction, I don't see how I could fail again."
He smiled and the poisonous red eyes of Lord Voldemort could now be seen. "I think I could find use for you my dear. Oh my yes."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"She had to do that!" Annabelle exclaimed. "She was spying for us. She still is. She reported that meeting. She said she gave the answers she knew he would want to hear!"
"And did she report who the boy next to her was?" Snape asked. "Did she tell you that Daisy was mentioned? Even if not by name. The Dark Lord doesn't make idle references or chitchat with recruits! Voldemort does not chit-cat at all! Do you even know what kind of danger your younger daughter is in now?"
"No, she doesn't," was the quiet answer from Daisy. "Even if it was reported, Uncle Sev, it would have been kept from her. It wasn't of course, but there have been suspicions since."
"Daisy, love, be reasonable. If we knew you were at risk, we would have..." Alexander tried to reason with his daughter, but she stopped him.
"Don't father. Don't dig yourself in any deeper. You knew and I know you knew. Don't make me prove it in front of everyone."
He looked at his daughter speechless. Then he hung his head. "We will need a bit more than that, to convict Belle," he said.
"No one is being 'convicted!'" Sirius said. "We are not a court of law. If Belle has truly joined Voldemort we should..."
"What Sirius?" Remus said. "Try to reform her? She will not be reformed. What she said is true. I have only known her once to go into something without knowing all the facts. And even then she was only off a bit. If she has gone over, she knew what she was doing and is set in her ways."
"Moony, are you really saying you think the woman you love is a Death Eater?" Sirius asked.
"Sirius, as if I am still in love with her. But if I was willing to admit the possibility shouldn't we see it through? Daisy is there anymore you can show us?"
Daisy swallowed and shook her head yes. This was obviously hard for her, but went on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Idiot!" Belle screamed and backhanded someone. "You couldn't give her the proper dosage the first time. I don't why I thought you could now!"
"But I, I got the house elf. She will be able to get her the V-clear. It is suppose to be slipped into her food. We have only to give the potion to the elf."
"Yess, a flash of intelligence which has saved you." Voldemort said.
"Thank you my Lord." said the wretched man.
A wave of his hand and the young Death Eater was dismissed. He went over to Belle who was seething with her back to them. He placed his hand gently on her shoulders.
"You should not let the fool upset you, my dear," he said.
"I know, I know. But this is my plan. I want so to please you," as she said this she turned to him with a slight pout on her face and her deep blue eyes large a Sickles.
He laughed, a cold and mirthless sound. "Don't try your gypsy charms on me, Belle. Do you put that in you your 'reports' to Dumbledore and his fools?"
Now she laughed, just as cruel as he. "Merlin, No! I could just see my mother now!" She was still laughing. "You know sometimes I think she believes my father was really going to turn spy. As if he would!"
"That's what Dumbledore influence will get you. And I am afraid your mother is sick with it. Do you really think your sister can be cleansed of it?"
She smiled viciously. "The Little One would follow me into anything. She followed me to Haven, after all. Even if I did have to do a bit of, oh what's the word? Manipulating."
He laughed again. Apparently Belle kept him in a good mood. "And you are sure your brothers are as valuable?"
"Oh yes. Quite as valuable. They just won't be as easy. Allen might come quickly after we have Daisy, but Guy? I do not think he would come willingly."
"Having the Dumbledore heirs would be a victory in itself. But they are also valuable in their own rights. The boy will be as strong as the old man some day, and with proper training... And I am determined to have the young Seeress. She would be invaluable. She is close to Potter now? Good. All the better. Though you may be right about your brother Guy." He chucked here. It was not a warm sound. "He reminds me much of Severus at that age. But then there's always Imperious."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I can't believe it!" Annabelle said. Allen got up and put his mother in his seat before she passed-out. He held her hand tightly. Alexander went and put his hand on his wife's shoulders.
Daisy stared down the row of chairs at her family. She felt quite alone. Then there was a hand taking each one of hers. Harry and Draco, she held tight to them, but they weren't family. However the hands now her shoulders were. She looked up and tried to smile at her mother's youngest brother. He did not smile back, merely nodded, but it was enough.
"It seems we have our answer," Professor Sprout said.
"I just can't believe it!" Professor Flitwick said. "I knew her when she was at school. She was in my house!"
The adults at the meeting deliberated for a moment. It seemed that they forgot Daisy sitting there, until Draco said, "What I want to know is, what does this mean for Daisy? He wants a Seeress and he seems determined to have her."
"He'll have to get through us first!" Ron said.
"But he already has, Weasley. Daze, which house-elf was it?" Draco asked.
"It doesn't matter. I found out. I've talked to her, and we worked it out so that she won't be put in the position to slip me anything else," Daisy said.
Snape said something in the old tongue to her, his low voice barely more than a grumble. What ever he was saying, it was have quite an effect. The tears she had been holding back were threatening to pour out now.
She answered in the old tongue. She spoke quickly and at length. What ever she said had an equally shocking effect. A few other adults in the room obviously spoke the old tongue. There were several gasps. And finally she collapsed on Draco shoulder. He asked her what was wrong.
She was sobbing now. She had never cried like this, never. She whispered in his ear. His eyes went wide. "By Merlin no! Oh, Daze," and he just held her.
She was still clutching Harry's hand too. He didn't know what was wrong but he could feel her pain. Her heart was braking. Hermione was wiping tears now. Ron looked very uncomfortable. And Ginny looked to be on the verge of tears.
"I think this has been too much for you, child." Albus Dumbledore said from behind his desk.
Her head shot up and she glared at him. "Don't call me that! I am not a child! My childhood was taken away from me by my own stupid decisions and blind assumptions. But it was taken just the same! I have Seen too much to be a child, or a small one, or what every other demeaning appellation you try to use. I am none of it. Not anymore! And Great Light I wish I were. Do you know how old I will be when I marry, or bare my first child, or the last, or when I will die? Because I do! I know when I'm going to die! Most Seers are spared that. Most don't have to See their own lives. I do. I'm to close to too many people. I am a thread woven through the center of the tapestry. With out me the picture couldn't complete. Whatever innocence I managed to maintain through everything I've been through in my short life, I gave up today. I did it willingly and without complaint. I knew what I was doing. But I am no longer a child."
The room was stunned into silence. No one had ever lectured Albus Dumbledore like that. "No," he said, "apparently not. And I owe you an apology. You managed to sort out your food problem."
She nodded. "Dobby is the only elf to go near my food. He is very good at his job. He has been a great help. As you know, it was impractical for me to fix my own meals constantly. But Dobby is a good alternative. And watching him have a special job has made some other the other elves wonder about freedom," she added that last bit with a glace a Hermoine.
"Good then, I think you should go to the Hospital Wing, immediately. Severus, please see her safely there. The other will fill you in on the rest of the meeting." Dumbledore said.
Daisy stood. It was only then that she realized through her entire tirade she had still held firmly to both Harry and Draco. She gave them each a light squeeze before she let go.
"Mother, Father, good-bye," she said as she picked up her mirror and put on her glasses.
"Daisy, will be down before we..."
"There's no need Mother. Thank you. Good-bye." At that moment it was clear she was related to Snape. She turned and left, her uncle at her elbow.
"That was quite a performance," Severus Snape said slowly, watching for Daisy's reaction.
She shrugged. "I've gotten to watch you for the past six months. Potions isn't the only thing I've learned."
"So it would seem," he said as he held open the door to the infirmary. "I'll go get Madame Pomfery. Sit down."
He was gone before she could protest being ordered around. She was actually kind of grateful for that. She didn't have the strength left to argue. She closed her eyes and layback on the bed, legs still dangling over from her knees. She should be upset. Her sister was a traitor and trying to kill her, or worse. Her parents had forgotten she existed yet again. They used to notice her only when she was in mortal peril. They didn't even seen to work now. She looked down at the dragon ring Ron had given her for Christmas. It looked completely normal; she was safe, for now. She knew she was safe. She knew way too much.
She dimly heard Snape and Madame Pomfery arguing and coming into the room.
"I will not decide what to give my patient before I examine her, Professor."
Daisy couldn't help but smile. Her grandmother would have told Uncle Sev and Aunt Ro what potions would heal best after the Calling. Then it hit her, "Aunt Ro! Uncle Sev, I know where Aunt Ro is! Madame Pomfery quick, may I have a quill and parchment?"
After a moment, and a little prodding from Daisy and Snape, Madame Pomphery came back with requested items and Daisy was scribbling away every detail she could remember about Rosmerta's capture and confinement.
*************************************
Daisy couldn't even hold her head up by the time they reached the castle. Any one who had seen them walking together must have thought Harry had a new girl. Daisy had decided it was wise to cover her face and so had her hood up hiding her face. And now that her head was resting on Harry's shoulder no one could see her face. Well maybe a first year, but what were the odds of running into one?
"Harry! Harry! I've been looking for you everywhere!" Allen Dumbledore called, running up behind them in the Entrance Hall. When he saw Harry had a girl on his arm Allen started to apologize. "Er, sorry to bother you but...Daisy?"
"Yeah. Geez, lower the decibels, Len," she said closing her eyes in pain.
Allen Dumbledore gave Harry Potter a scathing look. "And just what are you doing?"
"Helping me up to see Uncle," Daisy answered before her brother could continue to harass her friend.
"Oh, so you know? Why is he helping you walk?" Allen continued not missing a beat.
"Because he is." Seeing this answer would not satisfy the protective eleven- year-old she quickly lied. "I took a spill while out for a walk. Did a number on my ankle. Harry found me. And what do we know?"
"That Uncle wants to see us in his office. All of us. Come on," Allen said, sure his sister was lying but he contented himself knowing she would get what's coming to her. "That is if your ankle can handle the stairs." And with that he was off.
"I think he knows you were fibbing," Harry said as they began to tackle the steps.
"I know. Must be all the time he spends with his Slytherin friends."
Harry and Daisy finally made it to Professor Dumbledore's office. Allen had gone ahead of them and they assumed he was already there. But they heard a bit more noise than just two people.
"Listen, they're talking about us," Daisy hissed quietly stopping Harry from opening the door.
"Allen, I thought you said they were coming." A woman's voice said.
"I did," answered the youngest Dumbledore. "And they are. Daisy said she twisted her ankle. She was lying, but she still needed Harry's help to walk."
No body spoke for a moment until Alexander Dumbledore spoke. "You three are her closest friends. Is she in any sort of trouble?"
"Well, to be honest sir, we've all been a little worried about her lately." That was Hermione.
"She doesn't seem to spend much time with us anymore. And half the time we don't know where she is." Ginny added a little hesitantly.
"What do you think Ron?" asked another familiar voice, Remus Lupin.
"I think that we haven't been as close as we thought. She hides everything. Getting information out of her is like pulling teeth, even if it's simply how she did on her last Potion test."
"Which was not up to her ability at all," chimed in the Potions Master.
"What about Harry?"
"Sirius!" Harry said excitedly under his breath.
"Well," Hermione said again, "we are starting to worry about him also. Since he broke up with Cho, he's been, distant."
"They've both been through a lot," Remus said. "Maybe they're just trying to sort it all out for themselves."
"You know," Daisy whispered, "if this is some sort of intervention, I really don't want to go in there."
"What?" Harry whispered back. "You don't need help with your out of control drugs abuse."
She gave a short derisive laugh. "Not for nearly three years now."
Then the silence inside was broken by a voice neither of them expected, Draco Malfoy. "Why don't you just ask them if you want to know about how they are?"
"What a novel idea!" Daisy said as Harry opened the door.
It was a strange site from both sides of the door. Harry and Daisy looked in to find Allen, Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Draco Malfoy sitting across from the Headmaster's desk, which Professor Dumbledore occupied. And scattered about the room were an assemblage of adults, including Daisy's parents, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black in human form, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Arthur, Bill, and Charlie Weasley, Hagrid (taking up an entire corner), Mad Eye Moody, and to Harry's amazement, his old baby-sitter Mrs. Figg, and a few other teachers, and others they didn't know.
Then of course there was the flip side. Harry was half carrying Daisy, neither of them looking very pleased. Daisy's eyes were glowing gold again, which is always freaky, but now her pendant was glowing a weird bluish silver color. They were both dirty and sweaty from their trek through the forest and back to the castle.
"Great Light!" Annabelle Dumbledore said. "What happened to you two?"
"It's a long story," Daisy sighed. "Can we sit?"
The Headmaster gestured to two open seats in front of him. Harry helped Daisy to the seat next to Malfoy and then took the end chair himself, rubbing his now freed arm.
"Sorry," Daisy whispered to him.
He smiled and shrugged. "Helping damsels in distress, one more thing to add to my resume."
"Git," she said with a smile.
"So you wanted to see us, Uncle?" Daisy asked.
"Yes. Welcome children to a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore said.
Daisy and Allen looked awed. The other five looked slightly confused. "A name give to us by your mother, Harry."
"Never thought it would stick," Sirius said.
Dumbledore smiled. "Yes but it did, for the past twenty years. It is the band of those of us who continue to work against Voldemort. (shudders around the room again) When we reconvened this summer we couldn't help but use the old name. It's the only one most of us could think to work under."
"Okay," Harry said cautiously, "but why are we here?"
"To help, Harry," said Sirius as he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"You seven are in most danger from Voldemort, (more shudders) and so you are to be given a choice. You can help us actively or you can just go under our protection, which you already are," the headmaster said kindly.
"What if we don't want either?" Malfoy asked.
"Then we will not offer you either. The choice is yours, Draco," Snape said from behind.
"So what exactly will we do if we help?" Hermione asked.
"We all play to our strengths," Dumbledore said. "Allen who doesn't have as much magical training as you would not be put into a dangerous situation."
"None of you will be put in a dangerous situation!" Annabelle nearly shouted.
"At least not a situation you can't handle," corrected her husband.
"So what's your decision?" Dumbledore asked.
"I'm in!" Allen said with his characteristic gusto.
"We don't get any more time?" Hermione asked.
"I'm afraid not, my dear," came the response from Professor McGonagall. "There isn't any more time."
Hermione nodded. "I'll help," she said.
"Me too," Ginny answered.
"All for one, and all that, right?" came Ron's reply. "I'm in too."
Now it was Malfoy's turn. "If I do this, it goes against everything my father ever taught me. I'll probably end up going against my father himself!"
Daisy put her hand on his shoulder. "Draco, you know what you want to do. Just do it."
"Alright," he sighed. "I'm in too."
"Me too," Daisy smiled, "but then you already knew that."
And every one turned to Harry. He looked down at his hand in his lap. "I just wanted to be a normal teenager." After a moment he turned up to look at Sirius. "I guess that's just not possible, huh?"
Sirius didn't quite know what to say. He gave Harry's shoulder a slight squeeze and said simply, "I'm sorry, but no. I wish things could be different but..."
"I know," Harry said, then looked to Dumbledore. "I'm in."
"Well, now that your all members, I suppose we should bring you up to date." Remus said. "As you know Harry's scar connects him to Voldemort. From the dreams he had this summer we were able to ascertain quite a bit of information, including that Voldemort is not going to make any massive offensive moves for some time yet. This is why we took our time to bring you into this, except for Daisy and Allen who were helping this summer." At this news every one looked at the two young Dumbledore's, but no one said any thing so Remus continued. "At the end of the summer Harry began taking a dreamless sleep potion. Only a very strong vision could brake through it."
"Saved my sanity," Harry said.
"Yes, well I'm afraid you can't be given anymore for awhile," Sirius said reluctantly.
"I know. The Headmaster already talked to me about that. I stopped taking it last week," Harry said offering his godfather an encouraging smile.
"And then there were the abductions," Snape cut in.
"Yes we didn't see that coming." said Mrs. Figg.
"We should have Arabella," Mad Eye Moody grumbled. "We should have been more vigilant!"
"And so," Remus said rather forcefully, "we've been working to help those people, find information on the Dark Lord and his followers, and form a force of our own."
"We've got the giants, and large number of werewolves, and vampires, a few trolls and elves, and the Gringotts goblins, which is almost all of that lot." Hagrid supplied.
"And that's not to mention the wizards and witches who are with us," said Arthur Weasley. "Only a small fraction is represented here."
Daisy was not holding up well in the meeting. She vaguely heard Ron ask, "And about the Ministry, Dad?"
"You all right?" Harry asked in a whisper.
"Do you have any more pumpkin pasties?" she asked with a weak smile.
He handed her pasty as he enlarged it. "Thanks," she said.
"When you two have quite finished!" Professor Snape said coldly from behind them.
Daisy looked and him and he was visibly shocked by her face she was so pale! She was paler than Snape and Malfoy combined. Her light smattering of freckles across her nose stood out like ink stains on white robes. And her eyes still glowed gold.
"Sorry sir," she practically whispered.
Snape looked up. They others were still going on with the meeting. Sirius had gone over to Mr. Weasley to talk about the Ministry's faults, such as convicting innocent men without trials, and refusing to admit what was known fact. Even the Headmaster was drawn into the arguments. No one was paying any attention to Daisy, not even her parents.
"Annabelle!" he said getting everyone's attention. "Before we go on I think you should make sure your daughter is alright!" he said than stalked over to her and gestured at the girl in question.
"Oh, I'm alright, sir," she said.
"Your back is glowing too," he said by way of response.
"I was wondering where that would show up," she said distractedly.
"Where what would show up? Daisy Clotilde Dumbledore, what is going on with you?" Annabelle said as she came over and took her daughter's face in her hands and examined it.
With her mother's hand still on or face she leaned back so she could see her little brother. "Full name, I think I'm in trouble."
The joke did not go well. "You will be if you don't answer your mother, young lady," her father joined in.
"Yes sir. I was just waiting until I could speak," she said.
Everyone was quiet for a moment. Professor Dumbledore settled back behind his desk. "No one will stop you now my dear. Please, tell us what's wrong."
"I, um, went to see the centaurs," she began.
"You went alone into the Forbidden Forest?" her father asked.
"Um, yeah." she answered.
"Daisy, how could you be so foolish?" he said the disappointment evident in his voice.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, Harry saw me and followed on his broom. And Midnight was there."
"Oh good. A fifth year student and that winged pest!" he said.
"Not that this isn't fascinating," said Mad Eye Moody, "But maybe you should wait to lecture your child."
"Midnight is not a pest!" Daisy insisted, albeit under her breath. "And what I have to say is important if you could just listen. You won't be happy with me but I had to do this. I had to help. I wanted to be useful and to, to know I wasn't crazy. Because I've felt like that." Here she turn to looked Albus Dumbledore straight in the eye. "You've been making me feel like that. But I was right. Trewlany is a good Divinations teacher, but I would never have made any headway with her methods. I went to the centaurs for help for two reasons. They are skilled diviners, and I felt like I didn't have anywhere else to go. So today, when things reached a point I just couldn't stand anymore, I went to the centaurs for help. I Called the Stars for clarity."
"Oh!" Annabelle said. Her father said nothing he just turned away.
Severus Snape was thoroughly disgusted with their behavior. He looked at Daisy with a newfound respect in his eyes and said, "So the glow form your back is the mark of the Calling."
Daisy nodded. "Grandmother's was on the back of her shoulder, but Sagar told me it manifests differently for each Seer who under goes the ritual."
Snape nodded. "I remember when we went ten years ago. I wondered why she was so instant that you go. That still doesn't explain why she wanted Ro and me there," he mused, mostly to himself.
"It's really quite clear if you think about it, sir. She never expected mom to train me. She knew that I'd be at Hogwarts. She expect me to be able to go the you or aunt Ro for help."
Daisy said all this as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Which still left the burning question of why on the minds of almost everyone there. At least until Annabelle supplied a reason.
"Our mother was insane!" She said.
Snape said something very fast in a language most of them recognized but didn't understand, the gypsy's old tongue. Annabelle answered seemingly angry. Then Daisy joined in quietly.
"What do you mean 'at least were on the same side?'" Snape said.
"I've lost my sister. Don't lose yours," was her answer.
"What do you mean you've lost you sister?" Snape asked.
"What do mean don't lose yours?" Ron echoed.
"Oh, Ron, do be quite. Professor Snape is Daisy's uncle," Hermione said.
"Who aren't you related to, Dumbledore?" Malfoy asked.
Daisy ignored her friends' comments and started digging in her pocket. She pulled out a small mirror about the size of Knut, with a little silver stand. She sat it on the Headmaster's desk in front of her. Apparently, Harry wasn't the only one who shrank his Hogsmead purchases from that morning.
"Could some one enlarge that please?" she asked.
A moment later someone had. She wasn't sure who, but it didn't matter. "For those of you who don't know what we're talking about by the 'ritual,'" she began.
"That means you Weasley," Malfoy said quietly.
Ron was actually mature and ignored him.
"Its proper name is the Ritual of the Calling of the Stars," she continued. "Basically, my conscience, my soul, the very essence of what I am, what ever you call it, is separated from my physical form, including my magic. It's a risk for me to perform spells. I shouldn't fly. We probably could have flown back if I just let Harry be in control, but I didn't want to risk interfering with his magic, since it was so soon after the ritual. The Mark of the Calling is a physical representation that body and soul are reunited. It will stop glowing, and so will my eyes, but the point is that the Calling was successful. I've Seen through the blocks I developed."
"And what did you see about Belle?" her mother asked.
Daisy couldn't look at her. She fixed the mirror on the desk so that it looked at her face.
"Daze, you told me at Christmas Belle was gone. That she changed and wasn't the same. Is that what you mean?" Allen asked.
Daisy couldn't answer. She was thinking about her sister, the beautiful blonde who she always tried to emulate. If she was honest with herself, and she really was, she would know that it was Belle she was following four years ago, not Guy. Yet she had never been angry with Belle. She had never cried that her sister lead her astray, only her brother. But it wasn't Guy. It was always Belle.
"No," said Draco in the seat next to her. "Belle Blanc is a traitor. She's been working with Voldemort for months."
"How dare you!" Annabelle started.
"Because it's the truth," Daisy said. "I'm sorry Mama, but your Belle Enfant is a traitor."
"I wont believe it!" Annabelle stated.
"I know," Daisy countered. "That's why I've brought a means of proving it."
She looked into the mirror. Her eyes began to show flexes of silver before the irises went to a nearly pure white blue. Her eyes glowed the color of her necklace. Then the mirror began to change. The surface was no long a reflection a pretty fifteen-year-old with glowing eyes. It swirled gray. Anyone who had every taken Vericlearvoicium would have recognized the gray between worlds.
~~~~Visions from the mirror~~~~
the room was dark and the figures hard to make out. There were roughly eight, with a ninth hidden in the shadows. This shadow figure was the focus of the other eight.
Suddenly torches flared. Everyone became visible, yet the ninth figure was somehow still in shadow. A large snake with deadly looking green diamonds on it's back seemed to judge the waiting eight. They stood in various states of fear, with hoods covering their faces. The shadow man seemed pleased. That this was communicable even thought the mirror attested to how pleased he was.
He then walked down the line. He stopped at the last figure. "You do not seem afraid, my dear."
"I am not my Lord," she answered. It was Belle's voice.
"And why isss that?" he hissed.
She shrugged. "Either you take me into your service were you know I would useful be to you, or you will kill me and be done with me. That was the arrangement. I knew that coming here." A smile played on her partially hidden lips. "My mother my not have taught me much, by it was drilled into me; always know what your getting yourself into and except the consequences."
"Your mother was a gypsy? And she taught you the code? I believe that is the fourth rule." He said in amusement. "But what of this one next to you? He is a gypsy. Why does he seem afraid?"
Belle gave a snort of a laugh. "Be cause he is an idiot. He cannot follow simple orders. He could not even keep one girl form nearly killing herself under his watch."
"Your sister you mean?" he asked. "I have caught up on news. She had a nasty incident a few years back. This one was there?" the Dark Lord asked as if the young man was not standing right in front of him.
Belle laughed again. "I told him to watch her. And what does he do? He practically poured the fatal dose down her throat for the high he got!"
"You should not have taught him how to make it so well," said the man.
"I now that now Lord. I need guidance as well. That is why I want to join you. I failed on my own, but with you direction, I don't see how I could fail again."
He smiled and the poisonous red eyes of Lord Voldemort could now be seen. "I think I could find use for you my dear. Oh my yes."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"She had to do that!" Annabelle exclaimed. "She was spying for us. She still is. She reported that meeting. She said she gave the answers she knew he would want to hear!"
"And did she report who the boy next to her was?" Snape asked. "Did she tell you that Daisy was mentioned? Even if not by name. The Dark Lord doesn't make idle references or chitchat with recruits! Voldemort does not chit-cat at all! Do you even know what kind of danger your younger daughter is in now?"
"No, she doesn't," was the quiet answer from Daisy. "Even if it was reported, Uncle Sev, it would have been kept from her. It wasn't of course, but there have been suspicions since."
"Daisy, love, be reasonable. If we knew you were at risk, we would have..." Alexander tried to reason with his daughter, but she stopped him.
"Don't father. Don't dig yourself in any deeper. You knew and I know you knew. Don't make me prove it in front of everyone."
He looked at his daughter speechless. Then he hung his head. "We will need a bit more than that, to convict Belle," he said.
"No one is being 'convicted!'" Sirius said. "We are not a court of law. If Belle has truly joined Voldemort we should..."
"What Sirius?" Remus said. "Try to reform her? She will not be reformed. What she said is true. I have only known her once to go into something without knowing all the facts. And even then she was only off a bit. If she has gone over, she knew what she was doing and is set in her ways."
"Moony, are you really saying you think the woman you love is a Death Eater?" Sirius asked.
"Sirius, as if I am still in love with her. But if I was willing to admit the possibility shouldn't we see it through? Daisy is there anymore you can show us?"
Daisy swallowed and shook her head yes. This was obviously hard for her, but went on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Idiot!" Belle screamed and backhanded someone. "You couldn't give her the proper dosage the first time. I don't why I thought you could now!"
"But I, I got the house elf. She will be able to get her the V-clear. It is suppose to be slipped into her food. We have only to give the potion to the elf."
"Yess, a flash of intelligence which has saved you." Voldemort said.
"Thank you my Lord." said the wretched man.
A wave of his hand and the young Death Eater was dismissed. He went over to Belle who was seething with her back to them. He placed his hand gently on her shoulders.
"You should not let the fool upset you, my dear," he said.
"I know, I know. But this is my plan. I want so to please you," as she said this she turned to him with a slight pout on her face and her deep blue eyes large a Sickles.
He laughed, a cold and mirthless sound. "Don't try your gypsy charms on me, Belle. Do you put that in you your 'reports' to Dumbledore and his fools?"
Now she laughed, just as cruel as he. "Merlin, No! I could just see my mother now!" She was still laughing. "You know sometimes I think she believes my father was really going to turn spy. As if he would!"
"That's what Dumbledore influence will get you. And I am afraid your mother is sick with it. Do you really think your sister can be cleansed of it?"
She smiled viciously. "The Little One would follow me into anything. She followed me to Haven, after all. Even if I did have to do a bit of, oh what's the word? Manipulating."
He laughed again. Apparently Belle kept him in a good mood. "And you are sure your brothers are as valuable?"
"Oh yes. Quite as valuable. They just won't be as easy. Allen might come quickly after we have Daisy, but Guy? I do not think he would come willingly."
"Having the Dumbledore heirs would be a victory in itself. But they are also valuable in their own rights. The boy will be as strong as the old man some day, and with proper training... And I am determined to have the young Seeress. She would be invaluable. She is close to Potter now? Good. All the better. Though you may be right about your brother Guy." He chucked here. It was not a warm sound. "He reminds me much of Severus at that age. But then there's always Imperious."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I can't believe it!" Annabelle said. Allen got up and put his mother in his seat before she passed-out. He held her hand tightly. Alexander went and put his hand on his wife's shoulders.
Daisy stared down the row of chairs at her family. She felt quite alone. Then there was a hand taking each one of hers. Harry and Draco, she held tight to them, but they weren't family. However the hands now her shoulders were. She looked up and tried to smile at her mother's youngest brother. He did not smile back, merely nodded, but it was enough.
"It seems we have our answer," Professor Sprout said.
"I just can't believe it!" Professor Flitwick said. "I knew her when she was at school. She was in my house!"
The adults at the meeting deliberated for a moment. It seemed that they forgot Daisy sitting there, until Draco said, "What I want to know is, what does this mean for Daisy? He wants a Seeress and he seems determined to have her."
"He'll have to get through us first!" Ron said.
"But he already has, Weasley. Daze, which house-elf was it?" Draco asked.
"It doesn't matter. I found out. I've talked to her, and we worked it out so that she won't be put in the position to slip me anything else," Daisy said.
Snape said something in the old tongue to her, his low voice barely more than a grumble. What ever he was saying, it was have quite an effect. The tears she had been holding back were threatening to pour out now.
She answered in the old tongue. She spoke quickly and at length. What ever she said had an equally shocking effect. A few other adults in the room obviously spoke the old tongue. There were several gasps. And finally she collapsed on Draco shoulder. He asked her what was wrong.
She was sobbing now. She had never cried like this, never. She whispered in his ear. His eyes went wide. "By Merlin no! Oh, Daze," and he just held her.
She was still clutching Harry's hand too. He didn't know what was wrong but he could feel her pain. Her heart was braking. Hermione was wiping tears now. Ron looked very uncomfortable. And Ginny looked to be on the verge of tears.
"I think this has been too much for you, child." Albus Dumbledore said from behind his desk.
Her head shot up and she glared at him. "Don't call me that! I am not a child! My childhood was taken away from me by my own stupid decisions and blind assumptions. But it was taken just the same! I have Seen too much to be a child, or a small one, or what every other demeaning appellation you try to use. I am none of it. Not anymore! And Great Light I wish I were. Do you know how old I will be when I marry, or bare my first child, or the last, or when I will die? Because I do! I know when I'm going to die! Most Seers are spared that. Most don't have to See their own lives. I do. I'm to close to too many people. I am a thread woven through the center of the tapestry. With out me the picture couldn't complete. Whatever innocence I managed to maintain through everything I've been through in my short life, I gave up today. I did it willingly and without complaint. I knew what I was doing. But I am no longer a child."
The room was stunned into silence. No one had ever lectured Albus Dumbledore like that. "No," he said, "apparently not. And I owe you an apology. You managed to sort out your food problem."
She nodded. "Dobby is the only elf to go near my food. He is very good at his job. He has been a great help. As you know, it was impractical for me to fix my own meals constantly. But Dobby is a good alternative. And watching him have a special job has made some other the other elves wonder about freedom," she added that last bit with a glace a Hermoine.
"Good then, I think you should go to the Hospital Wing, immediately. Severus, please see her safely there. The other will fill you in on the rest of the meeting." Dumbledore said.
Daisy stood. It was only then that she realized through her entire tirade she had still held firmly to both Harry and Draco. She gave them each a light squeeze before she let go.
"Mother, Father, good-bye," she said as she picked up her mirror and put on her glasses.
"Daisy, will be down before we..."
"There's no need Mother. Thank you. Good-bye." At that moment it was clear she was related to Snape. She turned and left, her uncle at her elbow.
"That was quite a performance," Severus Snape said slowly, watching for Daisy's reaction.
She shrugged. "I've gotten to watch you for the past six months. Potions isn't the only thing I've learned."
"So it would seem," he said as he held open the door to the infirmary. "I'll go get Madame Pomfery. Sit down."
He was gone before she could protest being ordered around. She was actually kind of grateful for that. She didn't have the strength left to argue. She closed her eyes and layback on the bed, legs still dangling over from her knees. She should be upset. Her sister was a traitor and trying to kill her, or worse. Her parents had forgotten she existed yet again. They used to notice her only when she was in mortal peril. They didn't even seen to work now. She looked down at the dragon ring Ron had given her for Christmas. It looked completely normal; she was safe, for now. She knew she was safe. She knew way too much.
She dimly heard Snape and Madame Pomfery arguing and coming into the room.
"I will not decide what to give my patient before I examine her, Professor."
Daisy couldn't help but smile. Her grandmother would have told Uncle Sev and Aunt Ro what potions would heal best after the Calling. Then it hit her, "Aunt Ro! Uncle Sev, I know where Aunt Ro is! Madame Pomfery quick, may I have a quill and parchment?"
After a moment, and a little prodding from Daisy and Snape, Madame Pomphery came back with requested items and Daisy was scribbling away every detail she could remember about Rosmerta's capture and confinement.
*************************************