Disclaimer: All of Harry Potter belongs to Ms. J K Rowling. I am but borrowing the plot, using it to create another story.
Chapter 4
"Sandrilene?"
The familiar voice, now tinged with blatant incredulity, had the glassy look in Harry's eyes turn focused once more. Confused and frightened, the girl answered uncertainly, "Professor?"
Now that her senses had returned her, the presence of the Dursleys had her trembling in fear. Indeed, she had all the reason to be terrified by them, she had done the one thing that was forbidden in this house and was caught for it - magic. And it was a series of strong magic, no less. Unconsciously, she shrank further into her corner of the room, and this had the Dursleys glaring at the girl even heatedly. However, the potions master shot the muggles an icy glare that had them reverting their stares and shuffle their feet in unease.
Returning his gaze back to the black-haired girl, Severus frowned darkly at the numerous welts branded on her arms whilst Dumbledore remained stunned by the name his colleague had announced, and the girl seemingly admit. Sandrilene wasn't a common name, and the only time he had heard, or actually seen it was…
"What did your family do to her?" Severs snarled, carefully walking towards the girl and taking her in his arms. Her trembling aside, the way she shrank away from his embrace spoke volumes, and it was an action he worried. No… he did not like it at all.
The black-haired man's outrage snapped Dumbledore out of his reverie, and on looking at the girl's injuries, he too, became furious. Sapphire eyes turning cold, he started in a deceptively calm tone, "Mrs. Dursley, I do not remember your family to be abusive to children."
His voice, so filled with power, had all three Dursleys shrinking away in fear. Shaking violently, Petunia Dursley answered, "But Mr. Dumbledore, I've never seen this girl before?"
Glowering, Severus 'looked' into the wounds with his magic, inspecting its source critically, inwardly astounded by the amount of pain the young child had endured, and yet, lived through without entering a hospital. Finally, he answered, obsidian eyes cold, "Most of this whip marks are by your hands, Dursley."
With that, he walked over to the fat man, growling, "And they have been accumulated through time…" Here, the potions master drew out his wand, asking silkily, "Now, give me a reason why I shouldn't hex you to oblivion?"
"I-I've never seen her be…" Vernon Dursley trailed off, feeling the accusations to be ridiculous when he had never even seen the girl before they came. He had only hit one child under this roof, and it had been Harry Potter. Glancing over at the girl's broken wrist that was held together by a dirty torn cloth, he scowled, realizing who the 'girl' was. Infuriated by how the child had tricked him, the man barked, "Why you cheeky little…"
"Silencio." Severus growled, not being able to stand the muggle anymore. Moving over, he was about to hit the man when the same feminine voice sounded once more in all their heads.
"Enough shadowmaster. My mistress needs tending to now."
Her words, so filled with power, stopped the two men immediately. Dumbledore, knowing whom had spoken, bowed slightly at the source before lifting the wards within Privet Drive, seeing as it was no longer required. Then, he hurriedly directed Severus to carry the girl, much to the displeasure of said man. However, when the potions master faced Sandrilene, his expression had softened very much, "Come, let's get you to Hogwarts."
With that, he was about to scoop the girl into his arms when Harry stopped him, "Please sir, my things…"
"Does the owl know where it is?" Severus asked.
"Yes."
"Then Albus will take care of them. You need to see Poppy now."
His words silenced Harry, and in compliance, she allowed herself to rest against the potions master's chest. As Severus stood up, he frowned, not particularly pleased with how light the girl was.
What had those muggles been feeding her?
Enscounced in the warm embrace, Harry felt the phoenix sing another soothing lullaby. In those arms, so firm and comforting, the girl felt safer than she had for years… and the lullaby served its purpose effectively.
She fell asleep.
"She's woken, Godric." Helga murmured, amber eyes glazed as her focus slowly returned to the roaring fire. Godric, who had been lying on Salazar's lap by the fireplace, got up immediately, stunned by the sudden announcement. It was a revelation that the three remaining founders had waited for sixteen years, and Salazar demanded anxiously, "Sandry has inherited our powers?"
"Yes."
"Godric. Let's go!"
"Salazar, at least allow her rest until she reaches Hogwarts. Her health isn't exactly stable."
Her words had all of them tensed in a split second. Helga Hufflepuff sighed at the shocked faces, feeling as helpless as them at this very moment. Not surprising, they had been waiting for five years to get in contact with the child, and now, the first news she had been able to see was of Sandrilene's ill health.
"Do not tell me that those muggles actually hit her?" Godric questioned the blond woman, his voice turning colder with every second. heat started to gather around his hands, and a bright light started to emanate from the man's powerful form. Helga, noticing the surge of light energy, starting in a warning tone, "Godric, your powers."
Her words startled the fuming man out of his anger, and apologetically, he shielded his abilities, his hold on his lifebonded never loosening. Not surprising, Salazar hadn't exactly been controlled when dealing with anything associated with Sandrilene, and this recent news was inciting much anger from the powerful wizard. Indeed, Salazar was living, but his outward appearance betrayed none of his fury, save those emerald orbs - they had become chips of iced jade.
Rowena Ravenclaw, noticing the man's stiff posture, walked over to face him, murmuring gently, "Salazar, please, look at me."
Her voice felt hypnotic, and Salazar could not help but turn to gaze into sapphire eyes that were starting to turn bluish-green. Godric too, relaxed on noticing that Rowena was extending her healing magic to Salazar again. A natural healer since young, Rowena was considered the most powerful healer of their era. Taking similar pale hands into her own, the black-haired sorcerer spoke, "Brother, she'll be all right. I trust the Headmaster of her time to take care of things, as well as that shadowmaster whom you've spoken highly of."
Tendrils of wind magic drifted from Rowena to Salazar as she spoke, and in its wake came calmness that soothed the tensed man inexplicably. Turning her gaze towards Godric, she continued, "You too, Godric. Furthermore, I'll be going over to see her first, won't I, Helga?"
"Yes, Rowena. I should be able to send your spirit there for only a few moments. But it should allow you to heal Sandrilene." Helga smiled, though inwardly, she knew that she would exhaust her powers for at least a few days after she finished the spell.
After all, despite being the master of time, traveling through thousands of years is still a forbidden task. Still, she knew that Rowena is the best healer to ever grace Gaia's world, and her help would definitely speed up the healing of their niece's condition.
With a wave of her hand, Rowena Ravenclaw disappeared from the Founders' suite, leaving two anxious parents to pace the room bare, and a Helga Hufflepuff who was glowing purple…
Hogwarts, Hospital Wing
Madam Pomfrey, medi-witch of Hogwarts, was busy scolding a blond boy who had tried sneaking out of the hospital wing when he ought to be resting now that most of his injuries had finally healed. After the last war, many students had entered into the hospital wing for injuries of all kinds, released only when the holidays commenced. This boy, however, was one of only two whose injuries deemed too major for the medi-witch to allow for their discharge. Still, this boy was one of the most uncooperative student she ever had the misfortune to meet, and she had to force-feed him dreamless sleep to keep him in bed.
And this was how Severus Snape found the medi-witch, half slouched against the hospital bed after finally making the blonde sleep. Despite the somber situation he was in, the potions master could not help but chuckle, "He gave another struggle?"
The rich baritone startled Poppy out of her short rest, and on seeing who it was, complained exasperatedly, "He's getting too agile for me. I had to hex him before force-feeding him dreamless sleep!"
Her words had the professor arch an eyebrow, but before he could give any comment, the medi-witch noticed the burden in his hands and gasped, "What happened?"
Walking over to Poppy, who beckoned him to place the girl next in the bed next to the blonde, he answered, "We found her like this in the hands of a bunch of muggles."
He did not give any specifics, knowing that it would blow up the entire matter. Poppy, on the other hand, was already outraged enough by what the muggles had done to the young girl. The injuries she spotted aren't light, and what skin she could see were marred by welts and bruises of varying sizes. The only portion of her exposed skin that wasn't as badly hurt was her face, and already, there were quite a few colored bruises on her face, all in different stages of healing.
And that was apart from the severe malnutrition that was obvious in the girl's gaunt features, and the broken bones she could see with her naked eye. No doubt the internal injuries were worse. Chilled by what she had seen, Poppy whispered, tears starting to gather in her eyes, "Merlin's beard… How could they do this to her?"
"I have no idea, Poppy…" The potions master replied bleakly, equally upset by the fact that someone had tried to abuse a child - a girl no less - to such an extent. Gathering his thoughts, he continued, "I have to go see Albus. Can you help heal her?"
"Of course!" The medi-witch wiped tears from her eyes as grim determination set in, "She's in worse form than young Harry when he was brought in after the last battle…" And I had actually been unable to heal his heart.Those words were never spoken out loud. She wisely kept it to herself, knowing that the potions master would only express disgust at the idea of healing the boy's heart. She knew of Severus's dislike for the boy-who-lived, though the reason still seemed ridiculous to her. Then, despite the fact that Severus had actually mellowed towards the boy in the past two years, he was still too stubborn to admit it, and Poppy wasn't one to tear away the man's façade.
"Please heal her as best as possible." The black-haired man spoke quietly, surprising Pomfrey greatly. Severus was seldom kind to anyone but his Slytherins, and this girl doesn't seem to be a Slytherin. Nodding her head, she gave her silent assent, and the potions master went out of the wing.
With the hospital wing entirely to herself, Poppy Pomfrey hurriedly grabbed vials of potions from her cabinet before going back to the sleeping girl's bed. Even in her sleep, she tossed and turned restlessly, her distressed whimpers indicating that she was experiencing a nightmare. Sighing, the medi-witch fed the child a few drops of dreamless sleep and a numbing potion before examining her injuries.
The diagnosis wasn't good.
Apart from the numerous welts, the girl sustained several broken ribs, a fractured wrist, dislocations on her left ankle and right knee, and a back of slashes that were still bleeding. Her back, full of criss-crossed lashing had Poppy pained, but it was her punctured kidney and gut that had her fretting. It was a miracle that the child was still alive, and the medi-witch was about to lift her wand to perform a complex healing spell when a pale, slender hand touched her wrist, causing her to jump.
"What in Dilys' name…?" Poppy muttered in irritation at whoever had interrupted her work. She was about to give the person a thorough lashing when she stopped, mouth agape at the lovely woman in front of her. The black-haired lady just gave a slight smile, and Pomfrey murmured in a daze, "It can't be… I must be going mad… Lady Ravenclaw?"
"Hello, Madam Pomfrey, is it?" Rowena asked politely, her gaze level and calm. Poppy gasped, shocked to see the most revered Healer in front of her, conversing to her no less! Confused, the medi-witch muttered, "It can't be. You're dead for thousands of years!"
"I've been sent here to help heal Sandrilene." The Founder replied softly, turning to see her niece, now sound asleep. Through her magic, she could map out the entirety of her injuries, and what she saw wasn't comforting. How could the muggles do this to Sandry? She was enraged, and had the right to. This was far beyond abuse - it was almost an attempt for murder.
"Madam Pomfrey, can you help me heal her external injuries? I'll take care of the internal injuries and broken bones."
Her words, despite being an inquiry, was so filled with authority that the medi-witch agree immediately. In silence, Poppy went about doing her job, first helping the girl out of her tattered clothes before muttering a string of healing spells that had the welts healing rapidly. Rowena smiled at her comrade's efficiency and placed her hands above the girl's chest. It glowed a warm golden, and through her mage gift, she 'saw' the bones begin to heal. First marrow, then muscles began knitting together in a rapid pace, and it took but a few minutes for all seven ribs to heal to their original state.
Her manner of healing had Madam Pomfrey shocked, but she quickly recovered to return to her task at hand - the child's back. Muttering a levitation spell, she had the girl floating at turned sideways as she placed healing spells on the child's back, inwardly reminded that the scars like eerily similar to a person she had healed before. Rowena just continued on healing the broken, fractured and dislocated bones, all the time muttering about how Salazar and Godric was going to kill the muggles responsible for this.
By the time Poppy had finished with Sandry's back, Rowena had left but one more task ahead of her. Motioning the medi-witch to place the girl in a comfortable position, she murmured an arcane spell that the medi-witch could not understand, and magicked a needle before pulling a strand of hair from her crown of black tresses, and looping it into the needle.
Then, the most shocking thing happened.
Rowena's hand submerged itself into Sandrilene's abdomen, and the Founder started stitching the punctured organs back, infusing her magic along with the hair to strengthen its healing. The entire process took almost ten minutes before the whole process was done, and the woman had not a drop of blood in those pale hands.
"There. This should do it." Rowena murmured in relief when it was finally done. Madam Pomfrey, who had gaped at the surgery of sorts, asked in shock, "Lady Ravenclaw, how did you do that?"
"It is a magic that was passed down from my mother. No doubt you've never seen it in action." The lady replied, somewhat amused by the medi-witch's look of astonishment.
"But why not use magic instead?"
"It won't heal as well as this. Magic at times has its flaws." The black-haired Founder whispered, kissing the pale girl on the cheek. Turning back to the still-dazed medi-witch, she started, "Please look after Sandry. Her health hadn't been good since the last war."
"Don't worry. I won't let her out of the wing until she's fit enough to walk about." Poppy gave her promise, knowing that Lady Ravenclaw was truly worried about the child.
Rowena, I have to take you back now.
The familiar voice had Rowena sighing. Give me another minute.
All right. But I cannot hold on to you after that.
Thank you.
Walking over to the next bed, she gave a gentle smile at the sleeping boy. Brushing his bangs aside, the lady kissed his forehead, relieved that he was almost well. Turning to see Madam Pomfrey for the last time, she murmured, "Thank you for looking after him so well."
With that, she dissolved into nothingness, disappearing entirely from the hospital wing. Poppy Pomfrey stared at the empty place where Lady Ravenclaw had stood, rubbing her eyes, wondering if she had been dreaming. A glance at the sleeping girl, who looked much better than when she first came in, told her that it had not been a dream.
Rowena Ravenclaw had been present in this room!
Shaking her head at the experience, she went over to the young girl who had been the reason for the Lady's appearance. How did Lady Ravenclaw know her, and my name? This thought kept surfacing in her mind until she walked over to her office, placing that thought in the pensieve.
Feeling lighter, she went back to the girl's bed, still pained for what she had suffered through. In a maternal manner, she patted the girl's soft locks, absently brushing the young girl's messy bangs from her forehead…
And stopped short at what it revealed.
No… It can't be!
Hogwarts, Headmaster's office
Albus Dumbledore was pacing around his office, a rare occurrence that had all the headmasters' portraits looking at him in an amused manner. Several of them were looking at the wizened mage in a quizzical manner, puzzled by what had the calm wizard this troubled. Dumbledore however, ignored the ex-headmasters' gazes, mind poring through what had happened earlier on…
The ice phoenix had brought him to the cupboard under the stairs to gather her mistresses things. She had commented that Harry Potter had lived in that small space for his entire childhood, being forced to do household chores since young, and that had him shaken very badly. He never knew of this, and the sudden revelation of how the child of James and Lily Potter had to stay in such a dingy place, and be a virtual slave for his relatives, had him shocked to the core.
He had always been sure that his decisions would help, but now, he was starting to regret having placed Harry Potter with the Dursleys… Then, he had taken out Harry's diary and small stash of food, and knew that the boy had mistreated even after the Order's warning to the Dursleys at the end of Harry's fifth year…
The phoenix had trilled a note, and all of Harry's luggage, along with Sandrilene's trunk*, had disappeared, leaving him to apparate back to the edge of Hogwarts anti-apparation wards with a heavy heart.
So depressed was he that he failed to hear the door opening to bring in an equally somber Severus Snape.
"Albus." Severus started quietly, inwardly surprised by the headmaster's action. Dumbledore, hearing his young colleague's voice, gave a strained smile, "Severus. How is the child?"
"Poppy is tending to her. She'll be fine." The potions master replied quietly. Somehow, he felt the urge to reassure the headmaster of Sandrilene's health, for this was the first time he'd actually seen Dumbledore this distracted, and worried. Sitting heavily into his seat, Dumbledore asked, "How did you know her name, Severus?"
"Her?" Severus echoed, not surprised that this was the headmaster's first query. Still, he sighed, "Slytherin had wanted me to look after Sandrilene, but never said why. I had asked him who she was, but he diverted the subject entirely, asking me to look after Harry instead. As for why I know it's her, she looks like Gryffindor and Slytherin superimposed unto one another…"
"Sandrilene?" Armando Dippet interrupted, as did Phineas Black. Everard just glared at the two headmasters, though he did speak aloud, "Is he referring to the same Sandrilene I suspect?"
"Yes, he is." Dumbledore answered quietly, knowing that the room will be filled with babbles now that he had given them the confirmation they need.
"But it can't be!"
"She should be dead by now!"
"Merlin's beard! The child would shock the entire Wizarding world!"
"It's not possible. There's no way she could have entered this time."
"But Dippet, Albus had said that it's her!"
As expected, the office did become a place where a gossipmonger would love entering, and Dumbledore sighed, motioning for the younger man to enter into his private sanctum.
In the headmaster's lounge, Severus felt calmer, having been confused by the sudden chatter of the previous headmasters. They seldom become this noisy even when they were alone, and the excited undertone of their voices puzzled him even more. Dumbledore, noticing his puzzlement, gestured him towards a large, covered portrait. Giving a sad smile, he muttered, "Revelo."
As the velvet cover tied itself to its side, a sunny portrait revealed itself, and Severus could not help but suck in his breath. It was a beautiful, hand-painted portrait of Salazar and Godric playing with a young girl who looked remarkably like Sandrilene. The colors used were bright, and had the aura of joy emanating from it. The family were laughing as Sandrilene was raised high by Godric, whilst Salazar looked on, a smile playing on his handsome features. The painting was done muggle-style, and thus, did not move, but it did capture that particular moment of happiness, and Severus had to give it to the artist who painted it - he definitely had talent.
Seeing the potions master's look of awe, Dumbledore spoke up quietly, "This was drawn from imagination by Helga Hufflepuff. Somehow, she was able to portray it so well that all of the headmasters of Hogwarts - and now you, are attracted very much to the picture, especially the young child, Sandrilene. She's the first child to be born in Hogwarts, and the supposed heir of this castle."
"How did you…"
"Know this?" Dumbledore chuckled, "The explanation, by Lady Hufflepuff, is written behind the portrait. And no, Severus. Only the next headmaster of Hogwarts is permitted to read it."
Severus grimaced a little at the teasing, but made no move to read it though he was truly curious of what Lady Hufflepuff had written. As he stared at the smiling faces, he realized that despite the smile, sadness still lurked in Salazar Slytherin's eyes. He wondered why this could be so when Lady Hufflepuff should have known how happy Salazar would be of playing with his child. However, he was not given a chance to further his thoughts, for Madam Pomfrey's head popped in from the nearby fireplace.
"Albus, ah Severus, you're here too. Can both of you come to the hospital wing now? It's rather urgent." The medi-witch looked preoccupied as she disappeared from the fire, and both men dreaded what might have happened. Tossing floo powder into the cavernous fireplace, Severus went through the floo network first, followed by Albus, both of whom were worried about the girl.
"What is it, Poppy?" Albus asked the medi-witch. Poppy was seldom this distracted, and only when the situations were dire would she become this lost in thought. Leading the two wizards over to the bed, Madam Pomfrey muttered, "I should not have let him out of my sight should I've known what would happen when he got back."
"I beg your pardon?" Severus interrupted silkily, unable to comprehend the witch's words. Poppy, however, just continued tutting, "I'm such a fool. I should've known that he'd do anything to get out of here."
This time, it was Dumbledore who questioned the nurse, "Poppy, what are you talking about?"
"This!" The medi-witch exclaimed angrily, gesturing to the sleeping girl. Glancing at her, both men could not understand how an unconscious girl could have angered the witch, and looked at Poppy in question. Their looks had Poppy muttering swearing about ignorant men under her breath as she gently lifted the girl's bangs to reveal a familiar lightning-bolt scar.
Stunned, both headmaster and potions master of Hogwarts gaped at the scar in disbelief.
"Harry?"
End of chapter 4
Phew! I've finally gotten this chapter out! Sorry about the long wait, but my A's are coming, and my results haven't exactly been good, so I'm kinda stuck with revising for the science subs. They're killer!
Rest assured though, I will finish the story. It'll be slow, but I'll finish it somehow. Also, about the trunks, Dumbledore doesn't know that Harry's trunks and Sandrilene's trunks are all owned by the same person, thus the differentiation.
Well, this note will be short, but I'd truly like to thank all of you who've actually reviewed! I'll be putting up a review note soon... I'm sorry, but my sis's complaining about my hogging the PC, and I have to end now if I wish to post this up immediately. So, until next time...
Ephirel
