Chapter 12 – Things Are Coming to Light

Liliana was not able to sleep, so she tossed and turned in bed. The moon was starting to peek through the window next to her bed. 'I'm glad that I decided to leave the curtains open tonight.'

She laid on her side to get a better look at the moon. 'It reminds me of home,' she thought as she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

-- -- -- -- --

Liliana was in a pale blue dress that fell down to the floor and swayed from side to side as she walked to her father's private chamber. She loved wearing that dress because her father always told her that she reminded him of a clear pool of water, which would then remind him of her mother.

Once Liliana reached the door of her father's private chamber, she took a deep breath and knocked for permission to enter. 'I wonder what my father would want to talk about?'

"Enter," a deep, baritone voice from inside the room said.

Liliana opened the door halfway and gracefully entered the room without displacing any of the papers that were stacked on the floor near the door. 'Will he ever learn that he cannot leave important papers such as these on the floor?' She graceful knelt to the floor, picked up the stack of papers, and then proceeded to stand and walk over to her father.

Her father was sitting on the floor in front of scattered papers. He appeared to be in his early twenties but in actuality he was over 100 years old.

"There is something missing…" Liliana's father spoke out loud to himself.

Liliana decided to sit next to him and take a look at what he was looking at. Her father was looking at articles from the wizarding world that talked about a young boy-who-lived. It had seemed that her father had personally cut out just the articles, no pictures and no non-related articles. She saw that he was laying the articles in chronological order and noticed that there were some articles missing. She looked at the small stack of papers in her hands and realized that they were the missing articles.

"Is this what you are looking for, father?"

"Huh? Oh! Yes, thank you."

"Not a problem, but if I may ask, why do you have all of these articles, father?"

Her father blinked a few times, just realizing that she was there. "Princess, when did you get here?"

Liliana just smiled sweetly at her father, "I knocked and entered when you gave me permission to."

"Really? I didn't realize that anybody knocked. Hmm. I will have to work on that."

Liliana rolled her eyes as she said, "Father, I am sure you will, but you did not answer my question. Why do you have all of these articles?"

"Oh, I found this young man to be rather interesting. I also have noticed that trouble seems to follow him around. But this is not the reason why I wanted to talk to you."

"Then, what is the reason?"

Her father's face fell, "I want to tell you the prophecy about the women of this family. It seems that I have to tell you this now and then I will have to send you away."

"What? But why, father?" Liliana asked thinking, 'What could be so dangerous that I would have to leave?'

"You will understand when I have revealed everything to you. Now, hush. And listen carefully…"

-- -- -- -- --

A very distraught Madam Pompfrey woke Liliana up, "Liliana, dear, I need your help. Please come quickly."

"Yes, Madam Pompfrey," Liliana said as she threw the covers off of her and dressed quickly. "What is the matter?"

"Just follow me." Madam Pompfrey said as she walked out into the common room. Liliana noticed that Leon was waiting with Dumbledore. 'What's going on?'

"What is going on, Headmaster?" Leon asked when he saw Liliana enter the common room. He was a little annoyed at being woken up in the middle of the night. And now seeing Liliana awake at this hour made him more alert and a little bit angry.

"Follow me," Madam Pompfrey replied as she turned and exited through the porthole into the hallway. Dumbledore has gestured for Liliana and Leon to follow Madam Pompfrey as he was going to follow them. But Dumbledore just stood still and moved his hand as if laying it onto something that could not be seen.

Madam Pompfrey proceeded to walk briskly to the infirmary, with Liliana and Leon directly behind her. As they entered the infirmary, a loud groan was heard from the end of the infirmary. Pompfrey rushed to the bed to check on her patient. "Severus, it's Poppy. I have Miss Forest and Mr. Wood here."

There was no reply from Snape to indicate that he had even heard her. His head just tossed from side to side as if he was living his worst nightmare over and over again.

"I don't know what is wrong with him. He was st…" Madam Pompfrey stopped herself before revealing too much. "…He was starting to come down with a fever, but nothing serious that would cause him to be in the infirmary. Then he just collapsed."

Liliana looked Leon in the eyes before she turned and said, "Madam Pompfrey, are you telling us that you brought us to the infirmary to help Professor Snape?"

"Yes. He was in the state you see him in now, until he sat up abruptly and yelled your names out loud." Madam Pompfrey replied as she casted another warming spell on Snape's bed sheets.

'What the bloody hell was going on! He and Liliana were awakened in the middle of the night to help Snape!' Leon thought as he ran his hand over his face. 'Well, at least they didn't find out about her…'

-----------

Dumbledore was thinking as he walked up the Gryffindor stairs to the boys' dormitory, 'Why would Severus shout Leon and Liliana's names like that? Do they know something that I don't know?'

Dumbledore slowly opened the door as not to disturb the room's occupants. He watched as Leon snapped his eyes open and as Leon's hand went under his pillow as he approached the bed. Then Dumbledore spoke, "Leon, my boy. I need you to come with me. No questions, everything will be explained in due time."

Leon was a little annoyed as he slipped his hand from out under the pillow and sat up. Leon looked at Dumbledore in the eyes and said, "I will meet you down in the common room, Headmaster."

Dumbledore nodded his head as he watched Leon pushed the covers off of himself. Then he turned and quietly walked down into the common room thinking, 'I wonder if he is capable of protecting the Princess. And does Harry ever sleep? Always trying to pretend that I can never see that he is too quiet, too still, that boy is always getting himself into trouble, especially when he eavesdrops.'

Leon stood up and dressed as he whispered over to Harry, "What do you think this is about?"

"I don't know, but I want you to keep your guard up," Harry replied as he himself got dressed.

"Yes, of course, Harry. You don't think that he has caught on to us and the Priestess?" Leon asked as he put his shoes on and placed a small object inside his shoe.

"No, he would have just waited until after breakfast to talk to us," Harry replied as he grabbed his invisibility cloak.

"Then what could it be?" Leon puzzled over the question as he walked to the door and waited for Harry.

"We will just have to find out, won't we?" Harry answered as he put on the invisibility cloak and walked towards the door.

Harry walked into the common room and waited off to the side. Leon yawned as he sat down and half-shut his eyes. Both Leon and Harry were watching Dumbledore as he stood in front of the fire. He seemed to be watching the flames jumping around, before he moved towards the bottom of the stairs as Leon heard footsteps coming from the stairs causing him to stand up and move next to Dumbledore. Madam Pompfrey and Liliana appeared at the bottom of the staircase.

-----------

Dumbledore noticed the look that Liliana and Leon shared before Leon asked what was going on. 'Well that's interesting? He doesn't seem to realize the effect that she has on him…or does he? This is an interesting development. What is the real connection between these two? And what of Harry and Ginny?'

He gestured for Liliana and Leon to go after Poppy so that he could better study their behavior, but realized that there was someone else in the room. He lifted his hand and placed it on something that could not be seen by the normal eye. He waited to speak until the common room was empty, "Harry, my boy. Why are you up?"

Harry brushed off Dumbledore's hand as he took off his invisibility cloak, "I was just going to get a midnight snack."

Dumbledore didn't like the look in Harry's eyes. The look was of a man being backed into a corner. 'Why would Harry have to look at me like that? I would never do anything to harm him.'

"Harry, my boy, don't you think that you were more intent on following our small group to see what was going on." Dumbledore stated with a smile and a small twinkle in his eye.

"I don't know what you are talking about Headmaster. I was going to get myself a midnight snack. That was when you were able to grab my shoulder before I could even get across the room." Harry replied in a very cool tone looking Dumbledore in the eyes.

"Harry, if you really are hungry for a small snack..." Dumbledore said as he pulled something out of his hand and held it out to Harry, "…why don't you have a lemon drop."

-----------

Unknown to anyone but him, Ron was listening to what was said between Leon and Harry in the boys' dormitory. 'What the bloody hell is going on?'

Once he was sure that Leon and Harry had left, Ron got out of bed and quietly walked to the door. He placed his ear up against the door to make sure that nobody was walking outside the door. He was about to open the door until he heard footsteps walking down the stairs. He waited for about a minute before he proceeded to go downstairs to see what was happening.

As Ron was going down the stairs, he stayed as close to the wall as much as possible so as not to be seen. He quietly kept going down the stairs until he could hear what was being said clearly.

He was able to make out Leon asking what was going on. Then, Ron heard Madam Pompfrey telling Leon to follow her. 'What the heck is going on? Why is Madam Pompfrey here? AND why does she want Leon?'

Ron stood still as he heard footsteps, and then realized that they had left. He still kept to the wall as he started to back up the stairs, until he heard Dumbledore speak. 'Who is the Headmaster talking to?'

Ron's question was answered when he heard Harry's voice. 'What is going on?' Ron could not hear clearly what was being said, so naturally being curious to what was going on. He went back down the stairs and stopped when he heard Dumbledore ask if Harry wanted a lemon drop.

-----------

Harry cautiously looked at Dumbledore before he took a quick glance at his hand. Once he determined that Dumbledore was just offering him some lemon drops Harry looked him in the eye, "No, thank you, Headmaster. If there is nothing else you want from me then I will be going to bed now."

"Harry, my boy, wait." Dumbledore quickly said as Harry had turned to go back up the stairs. "I need to talk to you about something."

Harry had turned back around to look at Dumbledore as he stopped right in the middle of the common room. "What exactly do you have to tell me?"

"Why don't you have a seat, this might take awhile." Dumbledore said as he gestured for Harry to take a seat.

Harry looked at Dumbledore again before he sat in the chair that Leon was sitting in earlier.

Dumbledore waited for Harry to get comfortable before he, himself took a seat. Once he was settled he turned to look at Harry, "I received a letter from Gringotts on your birthday."

Harry just sat there waiting for Dumbledore to continue, and then he realized that Dumbledore was going to need some prompting. "What did the letter say, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore pulled the letter out of his robes and handed it to Harry as he replied, "You have inherited the entire Potter Fortune and the responsibility that comes with it. You own 5 estates with 5 million galleons accredited to each of them. A few of the estates were entrusted to other pureblood families for your ancestors."

Harry took the letter as he listened to what Dumbledore had to say, and then read what the letter stated in order to confirm what Dumbledore was telling him was true or not. 'Wow, I'm rich. Wait, the estates were entrusted to other pureblood families?'

Harry looked up from the letter not seeing where the names of the estates or who was living in them. "Which pureblood families?"

"That does not matter now. You now have to maintain and manage these estates. What does it matter who resides in them?"

"It matters to me. Now, which pureblood families?" Harry said in an even tone as he looked Dumbledore straight in the eyes.

"The Weasley's, Snape's, and Malfoy's."

Harry really didn't know what to say all he could do was smirk as he thought, 'I'm richer than Malfoy. That's just ironic.'

Dumbledore saw Harry smirk, "You will do nothing to upset those families, understood?"

Harry looked Dumbledore in the eye, "Headmaster, I don't think that you have 'any' say in what I will or will not do with MY inheritance."

Dumbledore was taken aback by Harry's response, 'What is the matter with him? I have never seen him like this before. He is always obedient. What changed?'

"Harry, my boy, I'm not telling you do anything. I was trying to advise you the best course of action to take." Dumbledore tried to amend.

"Well, Headmaster, it sounded more like an order than advice. And if it was only advice, then I don't have to heed it." Harry replied as he realized that this conversation was over.

"I know that, Harry, my boy. But I was only suggesting that you don't cause any discontent throughout the Deatheaters ranks. That could possibly cause an attack on helpless muggles or on your life."

"Headmaster, what I do has nothing to do with you," Harry said as he felt as if unseen force was forcing him to say, "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to go to bed. I have things that I will have to attend to tomorrow while in Hogsmeade."

'What could he possibly have to take care of?' Dumbledore thought.

-----------

Ron didn't know what to say to all the information he just obtained by just simply eavesdropping. 'Harry owns our estate…what is he going to do tomorrow in Hogsmeade. He can't be thinking of evicting us. He wouldn't do it, would he?'

-----------

Harry stood up as he heard the portrait door open and closed, looking at the clock he realized that 4 ½ hours had pasted since Dumbledore started to talk to him.

Leon stopped with Liliana right next to him at seeing Harry and Dumbledore in the common room, "Harry, what are you doing up?"

"I was just having a talk with the Headmaster. What about you?" Harry replied as he gestured with his hand to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore decided to stand up as he said to try to not draw himself into the conversation, "I think that it is late, why don't we all call it a night."

Leon looked at Dumbledore and then back before he could say anything, Harry forced him to look at Liliana, "Going to bed sounds like a good idea." Liliana had just yawned, while slightly blinking her eyes.

Leon looked back at Dumbledore, then Harry as he said, "I think that is a great idea, goodnight."

Leon then turned to Liliana and guided her up the stairs to the girls' dormitory, "Come on, Princess, it is time for you to get some rest." When he reached the top of the stairs Leon thought that he saw something, but when he looked back again, nothing was there.

-----------

One week prior to Snape's injury…

Leon and Harry were talking under the tree that they and the girl's relaxed under.

"I think it is time that we do a little more walking in Hogwarts, don't you?" Harry asked Leon with a slight smirk.

Leon just looked around the area to make sure that nobody would be able to listen in on their conversation and said as two first years pasted by on their way back to Hogwarts, "I think that would be a grand idea."

Once they were able to talk freely Leon asked, "Are you thinking about going after that woman that we saw in the window the other day?"

"Yes, I have this sinking feeling that she may be someone to be wary of."

"If you feel that way, then why are we going to find her?"

"I'd rather know something about my enemy or possible ally before actually meeting them if I can." Harry said as he leaned his back onto the trunk of the tree and looked up at the tree limbs that blocked the bright sun from his eyes.

'True, but what are you thinking Harry? If we went wandering in a forbidden part of the castle…nobody would be able to help us if there was trouble. Or if we get caught,' Leon thought as Harry finally slid down the tree to sit on the ground.

"Harry, what exactly do you expect to discover on this 'walk' of ours?" Leon said as he took a sit next to Harry and watched Harry's face out of the corner of his eyes waiting for his reply.

'I don't know, but things just don't seem to be adding up. The attack at the train station and what Snape let slip afterwards. He wasn't talking about Leon or Liliana. He had to be talking about someone else.' Harry thought as he closed his eyes and saying out loud, "Something."

After sitting under the tree for a few minutes, thinking of what could possibly happen on their 'walk' around the forbidden tower. Harry finally broke the silence, "Let's go ahead and head out. And see what we can find."

The boys were able to get half way up the tower stairs without so much as a person passing by. The stairs were short and narrow only allowing them room to walk single file. As they got to the top of the stairs they were surprised by the large hallway that only led to two large maple doors. They were halfway to the doors, when they heard some muffled yelling on the other side of the door. They looked at each other at the same time wondering what was going on behind those doors.

Leon was able to snap back his attention to the door as he heard the footsteps of a person coming to the door. He quickly pushed Harry and hid behind one of the columns that ran along the foyer. They were able to get out of sight just as the door burst open and a very angry Snape stomped through the door and down the stairway, without even noticing his surroundings.

The door didn't close completely behind Snape. It was open a few inches, at least from what Harry could see. Once he was sure that the coast was clear he silently walked up to the door to see what laid beyond. 'What would have gotten Snape angry? What if the woman I saw is someone that he loves?' Harry thought as Leon watched Harry cringe a little as he walked up to the door staying behind to keep an eye on the stairway, should anybody else arrive.

Harry was able to walk behind one of the fire pits that stood on either side of the door. He stopped when he heard low voices speaking…

"…no way he is able to keep you safe. He cannot even keep his temper. That is something that will cause him to be irrational in a battle, Priestess."

"You do not understand. The professor is important and quite capable of handling himself in battle. Under any conditions, he will do his duty, even if it should cost him his life."

"I do not understand, how He could be important to our future."

"He is someone that will be important to not only our future, but the future of all mankind. That is all you need to know and all you need to do is keep him on…"

"What was that? Caleb, Calen, go check it out."

With their orders given the two bodyguards proceeded to silently flank the door to see what would be on the other side of the door, when they realized that the door was slightly ajar they looked at each other knowing someone had to be ease dropping.