A/N: I didn't have much time to write lately, but the summer holidays started today and so I should be able to write. I just hope to get this story done before HP and the Half Blood Prince comes out... and remember to review! Reviews keep me going!
Chapter 11 - Butterfly Thoughts
The chandelier threw bizarre, flickering shadows on the wall of the Slytherin's Girls dorm. Only the steady breathing sounds of the girls could be heard. Rhiannon sat on her bed and tried to concentrate her thoughts on Vanora d'Arbanville.
She failed miserably.
The shadows distracted her and the feeling of Draco's lips touching hers still lingered on her lips. God knows what would have happened if Rowena hadn't shown up then...
Rhiannon smiled, but it didn't last long. The thought of Vanora's request came back too quickly. Maybe, she thought, Vanora should have told her straightaway. Rhiannon sighed and let herself fall backwards onto her bed.
No way was she going to concentrate on anything tonight. It was simply not possible - she felt like her head would explode any moment from the massive information overload she'd received today.
Her mind was made up at once. She stood up silently and put on her azure-blue silk kimono. She needed to go on a walk and get some fresh air. The possibility that she could be caught and lose Slytherin a lot of points didn't bother her too much.
Rhiannon sneaked down into the common room and from there into the hallways of the dungeons under Hogwarts. She wandered around in them for awhile. The air was chilly down there, she could see wisps of her breath hanging in the air, but it smelled faintly like something dead. Slowly she went to a small tower that had a balcony.
The air outside was fresh and even more chilly than the one in the dungeons. Rhiannon pulled her kimono tighter around her body and took a few deep breaths. She felt a bit better now.
The snow on the Hogwarts grounds glittered like a hundred little diamonds in the moonlight. The view eased her mind. When something could look as beautiful as this, then how could anything bad happen to her? The sky wasn't clouded and so she could see the stars clearly too. For a brief moment one star seemed to shine brighter than the others. Rhiannon blinked in confusion and when she looked at the star a second time everything was normal again. She sighted and looked over the grounds again. Her thoughts began to wander.
How would she -could she- defeat Voldemort? Why did fate decide to pick her, of all people, for that task? And how did Vanora fit into the picture? How did Draco-
A sound coming from behind her woke her from her thoughts. She looked over her shoulder and saw Snape.
"Miss Chastain!" he hissed. His brows were narrowed and all in all he looked rather angry.
"Why are you not in your dormitory?"
"I was... not feeling too well and just wanted to catch some fresh air." Rhiannon turned around fully and gave the Snape her most innocent look, hoping to get away with her excuse.
It didn't work.
"Into my office - now." He stepped to the side and held the door open for Rhiannon. They walked to the office with Snape walking behind Rhiannon to make sure that she didn't try to run away. Not that it would have made things easier, but that was how Rhiannon felt. A part of her brain was trying to work out if she could hit Snape with an Oblivion charm and let him forget about this.
When she sat down in front of Snape's desk she decided that she couldn't.
"Miss Chastain," he said, standing on the other side of the desk. "I believe you know that the school rules say that no student is allowed to walk around the castle after the allowed time. If you had really been feeling sick you would have gone to the Hospital Wing. I think you are intelligent enough to think of this. So, tell me, what were you doing out there?"
"Catching some fresh air?" she asked hopefully. From the expression her teacher had on his face Rhiannon already knew that he didn't believe her.
Snape groaned and it sounded decidedly frustrated. He slumped down into his chair and put one hand to his forehead.
"You are in a very delicate position, Miss Chastain, and you and I know very well that you should not walk around without protection." He looked at her expectantly. "Well?"
Rhiannon blinked. She was confused and silently asked herself what Snape was talking about.
"What position?" she asked finally. Snape let his hand sink and now he too was confused.
"What do you mean with that? I'm warning you, Miss Chastain, if you're trying to-"
"I'm not trying anything!" Rhiannon protested. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
For some seconds they stared at each other. Snape was the first to speak again.
"So you're saying you don't know what plans the Dark Lord has with you?"
"I only know Mr Malfoy has plans with me," replied Rhiannon. 'And I like those plans, thanks for asking,' she added mentally.
Snape leaned back in his chair, looking as if he was debating if he should tell her everything or nothing.
"Recently the Dark Lord got hold of some information concerning you and a supernatural power that he could use to his advantage. But it heavily relies on you if this power helps him or not."
Rhiannon's eyes widened. Did he know about Rowena and more importantly: what did Voldemort know about her that she didn't? Rowena had always talked about the defeat of Voldemort. She had never mentioned that Rhiannon could also help him to bring chaos over the world.
"Your face tells me you know what I'm talking about," Rhiannon heard Snape say.
"I think I know what you're talking about."
"Well then," Snape said and stood up. "Go to bed and don't let yourself get caught by someone. Someone different might not be as forgiving as I am."
"Yes, Sir. Good night." Rhiannon stood up too and had already opened the door when Snape spoke again.
"Oh, Miss Chastain, if you value your life, I'd suggest you let Harry Potter get to the Dark Lord before you do."
Rhiannon did not know much about Harry Potter. Yes, yes, she knew he'd faced Voldemort four times and had always won. For that he was seen as a hero in the Wizarding World. Rhiannon exactly didn't see him as a hero, but someone who deserved her respect.
Apart from that she only knew him as a small, black-haired boy with ugly glasses, who was a good Seeker and supposedly nice boy who hung out with Ron Weasley, the son of Lucius Malfoy's private nemesis, Arthur Weasley, and Hermione Granger, the best witch in the school, grade-wise.
Rhiannon thought that she should have known it - Harry Potter had been declared Voldemort's foe the day he was born. It was clear to everyone that he would be the one to bring Voldemort down. It would not be her.
She reached her dorm again and this time she tried to sleep instead of concentrating on her Defense against the Dark Arts Professor. She closed her eyes and slowly sleep overwhelmed her.
Rhiannon would remember the dream she had that night for all her life.
She was in a long hallway painted in white, high windows were on the left side, framed by long ivory-coloured curtains and on the right side were white doors. Sunlight streamed in from the windows and the curtains were swayed by a gentle breeze, giving it an airy look. It looked beautiful to her.
Footsteps sounded behind her. Rhiannon turned around, but this time it wasn't Snape.
It was Rowena.
"I knew we would end up here sooner or later," she said.
"What is this place?" asked Rhiannon. "And why are you here? I thought you couldn't leave Avalon."
"This place holds all your memories. You called me here subconsciously because you think I can solve everything for you."
Rhiannon looked down to the floor, she was a bit ashamed of herself. Probably she had hoped that Rowena saw how much trouble she had concentrating and that she would come to help her then.
"Yes," Rhiannon admitted finally. "I..." Rowena walked closer and put a hand on her shoulder and Rhiannon suddenly understood how she could be here. She didn't feel the weight of Rowena's hand on her shoulder - the woman was a simple illusion.
"I suggest that you begin to look around your memories, Rhiannon, just open the doors."
Rhiannon nodded and walked towards the closest door. She opened it and before her lay the garden of Blackheath Manor, where she had spent most of her life. Behind some bushes she could hear Lucius Malfoy's voice and that of one of her governess. They seemed to be arguing about Half Bloods. An inner voice told Rhiannon that this was not what she was looking for.
She closed the door again, walked over to the next one and opened it.
She had entered a small living room. Bookshelves lined the walls and old chairs were grouped around a small round table that was loaded with papers and books. There were also two dark-green velvet sofas that looked very battered. On one sat a couple and the woman cradled a baby in her arms. They didn't do anything except sitting there and doing nothing. Rhiannon went closer into the room. The man looked nice, she decided. But it was really the woman that caught Rhiannon's attention.
Her hair fell over the half of her face and she smiled. She looked like her.
"Yes," said Rowena from behind her. "Evander Chastain... and Vanora d'Arbanville. Your parents."