Chapter Fifteen
September 5th, 1944.
The air in the hospital was stilted, and Mia had picked up on it as soon as Poppy had come in after lunch to begin her lessons. The younger girl had entered with a smile and a skip to her step, spotted Lucas Fawley studying upon his gurney, and all of her cheerfulness had drained out of her in seconds.
Initially, Mia's plan had been to have Poppy look over the boy and run basic diagnostics for his next hourly scan. It was a good opportunity for the younger girl to gain some hands-on experience. After Poppy's reaction, Mia wasn't sure that would be wise. She didn't know what happened between the two but whatever it was it made her apprentice uncomfortable and that would not do.
Instead, Mia gave her a book on herbal healing, muggle-style, and asked Poppy to study in her office for the day.
Mia had been working on her own research and watching the potions she'd been brewing. Poppy was deeply immersed and scribbling notes down when the hospital wards alerted Mia to two people heading straight inside. Leaving Poppy to her work, Mia exited her office to see a middle aged couple sweep through the double doors.
The Fawley Parents, Mia told herself as she observed them rush to the young Mr. Fawley's bed.
"My Lucas, oh are you alright?" The woman was asking. Perching herself on the bed, she wrapped her arms around her son and squeezed.
Lucas' hand came up to pat his mother's back awkwardly. "I'm fine Mum, on the mend already."
The elder Mr. Fawley, for his part, stood beside the bed with his arms crossed over his chest. A faint sneer marred his otherwise handsome features. Mia had never been partial to light haired men, probably residual from how much she'd despised Draco Malfoy, but even she had to admit the elder Mr. Fawley wasn't hard on the eyes. His large stature, robust beard, and clearly Northern features reminded her of the depictions she'd seen in history texts of what the Viking's looked like. His wife was quite the beauty as well, less fair skinned but still a blonde. The woman was small, almost dwarfed by her giant husband. Mia could see Nina in her father, despite the height difference, and Lucas more in his mother.
"Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Fawley," Mia began. "I'm Healer Gardner, the new mediwitch here at Hogwarts." When the three just stared at her she suddenly realized that Nina seemed to be a cheerful anomaly in this family. "Yesterday your son came in after a Potion's mishap. The majority of his face and chest were unrecognizable under third degree burns. As you can see, a few still remain. He'll need between two to five more applications of the salve to completely restore him but he's going to be just fine."
"I would like to know what Professor Slughorn was thinking, allowing students access to private potions labs without supervision?" Mr. Fawley said, his voice low and body ridged.
Mrs. Fawley, who had released her son but squeezed his hand in hers, was squinting at Mia, a slight crease forming on her forehead.
Lucas lowered his head. "It's my fault, Father. I should have been more careful with the ingredients. It won't happen again."
"See to that, Lucas. We don't need any more embarrassment brought down upon House Fawley. You're our last chance to right what your Grandfather and your faggot sister have done to us."
Mia drew in a long breath, ready to put a stop to this as it began, horrified at Mr. Fawley's slur but she was cut off as another person approached the hospital wing.
Tom Riddle entered the room with a subtle grace, his head up and shoulders back as he clutched the wrist of his right hand in his left. Seeing the three others, his eyes narrowed just slightly, but he didn't break stride. If Mia hadn't been paying attention to him she wouldn't have noted that he seemed uncomfortable.
Mr. Fawley whirled around when he heard Riddle enter, his face a picture of festering anger as he laid eyes on the newcomer. "Well now, if it isn't my fathers ward. Come to receive treatment for some petty injury?"
Ward? Mia thought. How was that possible? The Tom Riddle of her time had grown up in a muggle orphanage.
Harry had never mentioned Riddle being taken in by a pureblood family.
Danger flashed in Riddle's eyes as he stopped just short of where Mia stood, his dark eyes scanning over Mr. Fawley. He placed a pleasant, unbothered smile on his face and schooled his voice into something diplomatic. "Mr. Fawley, a pleasure to see you again. I heard of Lucas' mishap in Potions, I trust everything has turned out well?"
Mr. Fawley's jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. No doubt coming to the same conclusion of Riddle's involvement that Mia had the night before. "Indeed."
Realizing that if she didn't intervene she would lose control of the situation, Mia addressed the Fawley's. "Give me a moment to check Mr. Riddle's injuries and I'll return for a full debrief on young Mr. Fawley's condition."
Mia strode over to Riddle and gestured for him to sit on one of the gurneys on the opposite side of the room from the others. She flicked her wand at the privacy curtain, letting it cover them from the Fawley family's view.
Almost more happy to be in front of Riddle than with the man who just called his own daughter a slur, Mia released a very slight breath. "Let me see your wrist, Mr. Riddle," she took his hand in hers and began a scan, fingers gently pressing into the fine bones and lightly twisting here and there to see what would cause pain. He hissed when she turned it to the right.
She felt his eyes on her as she worked like two burning embers leaving scorch marks behind as he trailed over her face and body. She held his limb in one hand, beginning to cast with her wand in the other as she spoke to break his trance; "You've got a fractured radius Mr. Riddle; it's a simple fix. Might I ask what happened?"
Riddle clenched his jaw, feeling a strange tingle emanating from where Healer Gardner's fingers lightly gripped his wrist and hand. It made his chest feel lighter and he fought the shiver as she healed it and pulled away.
"It would seem that bones fracture when slammed against stone walls." He said, examining his now healed wrist and giving it a good twist, lips upturned when he heard a faint crack, to check mobility. She could believe that may have been a partial truth. Whatever the real cause for his injury, he simply stated with a mild shrug; "It was Defense, we were sparring."
Mia, happy that Riddle had been in pain for even as long as it took to get to the hospital wing, smiled sweetly at him. "Well, it's all taken care of now."
As she peeled back the privacy curtain, Mrs. Fawley's voice rang out across the room.
"Vanessa Dubois."
The name caused Mia to freeze, heartbeat a sudden fast drum in her chest as she turned to look at Mrs. Fawley. The woman was standing, her head tilted to the side as she observed Mia. Riddle was beside Mia, curiously glancing between the two women.
Mrs. Fawley smiled at Mia. "I'm sorry, it's just that you look just like a brunette version of Vanessa Dubois. Do you know her?" She asked, taking a few steps away from her son to get a closer look at Mia.
"My mother." Mia lied easily, recalling her alias and thanking every paranoid cell in her body for thinking to incorporate aspects of her first few aliases into this one. "You knew her?"
The woman smiled, the kind that was almost predatory and it had Mia instinctually on edge. "She was my grandfather's Potions apprentice. She was quite gifted for a mudblood. She tore the family apart trying to find her when she vanished. Most of us didn't think she was worth the trouble but my father and grandfather insisted on finding her. I was very young at the time. My name is Chantel Wright-Fawley," the woman drew closer and offered her hand. Mia took it just to be polite but her skin crawled at the contact. "Is your mother still alive?"
Mrs. Fawley was Cassius' youngest, Chantel. She was a mere toddler when Mia had left France for America. How could the girl remember Vanessa so well? "Unfortunately no, she passed on a few years back. Dragon Pox."
"That's too bad," Mrs. Fawley hummed with a self satisfied smile, looking like she was ecstatic to learn that Vanessa had passed on.
Mr. Fawley seemed to have had enough of his wife's side conversation. He huffed impatiently and sneered at Riddle.
"Nevermind that, Chantel. Lucas is hurt, in case you've forgotten, and that boy is here taunting us - low life beggar he is." Mr Fawley began and then ended on a mumble, his face turning a rather unattractive shade of red the more worked up he became. More to himself than to the room at large, he continued. "Father's lost his bloody mind. It was enough that he was forcefully deposed as Minister. What my father is thinking keeping that disgraceful queer in the family after I threw her out and an orphaned half-blood as a ward I'll never know. "
Tom Riddle went completely still beside Mia and she could feel a coldness of dark, malevolent magic emanating from him. She barely spared him a glance but tensed for a fight anyway. If Mr. Fawley said any more Mia came to the understanding that Tom Riddle might be unable to control his rage, if it was already beginning to seep out of him.
With two horcruxes already, his mental state would have deteriorated enough that he may have more trouble holding back. She couldn't be sure, but she was unwilling to find out.
(A part of her - in the back of her mind where she buries such things - wondered if Riddle would reel in his wrath before it boiled over. The dark, twisty, vibrating feel of his magic gently brushed her and pulsed around her. Such a heady thing, dark magic. It was so addictive and Mia missed working with it as she had in Russia. Curiosity - just a spark of it. What would it be like to go toe to toe with another dark magic practitioner? Toe to toe with Tom Riddle in his youth?
Toe to Toe with Voldemort, as she was now.)
"Father, this is the school hospital…" Lucas began, his eyes blown wide and voice trembling slightly.
Mr. Fawley opened his mouth to retort, eyes narrowed upon Riddle. Unable to fathom that she was about to defend Voldemort, Mia threw her shoulders back and stepped directly in between Mr. Fawley and Tom Riddle, acting as a shield.
Her eyes hardened and she felt her hair begin to crackle with electricity. "You will not speak to or about students of Hogwarts that way, Mr. Fawley. Not within these walls. I will see you thrown out of this castle if you persist, even if I have to launch you through a window myself."
"Threats?" Mr. Fawley scowled and stepped back. "You would dare? I'll have my son checked over by more competent healers at St. Mungos." He strode over to Lucas and wrenched him up by his arm. The younger man cried out as his father jostled some of his unhealed burns. "It seems we cannot trust Hogwarts to look after the children properly. Come along, Chantel."
With one last scathing look at Mia, the Fawley trio disappeared out of the double doors.
Bloody hell, I'm going to be in trouble with Dippet. Mia thought. With a quick inhale to steady herself, Mia turned back to Tom Riddle. She'd had her back to him and he hadn't killed her, but it wasn't wise to leave him in that position, especially with the dark magic still radiating off him.
"Your wrist should be fine now, Mr. Riddle."
"Yes," he said, giving it another twist. Riddle worked his jaw a bit, and his body began to relax as if someone released his pressure valve and he was deflating - his malevolent magic fading as well. "Thank you, and apologies, Healer Gardner. I would have waited to enter until after they were gone had I known they were here."
"As a student of Hogwarts you shouldn't have to worry over who is inside to enter the hospital wing for treatment. Never apologize for that. As for whatever they were so hung up on," she gestured towards the double doors, "-ignore it. They're clearly the self-important type. I wouldn't worry about the opinions of people like them.
Riddle made a small noise of agreement, his eyes never leaving Mia's face. "It likely had less to do with me and more to do with the former Minister, Hector Fawley, in any case."
Mia paused at that. Tom Riddle was the ward of the former Minister for Magic? Harry had never explained that. It couldn't be… what the bloody hell had happened to cause that shift in the timeline? Surely nothing she'd done could've resulted in…
Oh bloody buggering hellfire, Mia internally swore as the puzzle began to piece itself together.
Mr. Fawley had mentioned his 'disowned daughter' and he'd mentioned that the former Minister Fawley had taken the girl in and had taken Tom Riddle as a ward.
Chantel Wright was probably never meant to marry Mr. Fawley, which meant that Nina and Lucas shouldn't exist.
Nina was likely a follower of Riddle. She might have gotten her grandfather to take Riddle in?
For the first time, Mia began to wonder if she hadn't fallen back in time, but fallen back into another dimension.
How much had she changed? Did Riddle even have two horcruxes yet? Surely he was still going to be Voldemort, that much seemed clear just in her basic interactions with him. This had been what she was afraid of for forty years; irrevocably changing the timeline and somehow making Tom Riddle stronger, more powerful.
She'd tried so bloody hard not to change things, but she'd changed them within her first decade back?
Riddle loosened his stance and sent her a charming smile, seemingly unaware of the turmoil Mia's mind was in. "I am impressed at how easily you regained control of the situation as it began to spiral." He drawled, eyes lazily roaming her face.
Wanting nothing more than to be rid of him, Mia huffed softly and gestured to the door. "It's not the first time I've had to corral belligerent people. Good day, Mr. Riddle."
With a slight nod, and a deep chuckle he turned to leave. His honeyed voice washed over her, tickling her spine quite like the feeling she got when she sipped sweet wine. "Good day, Healer Gardner."
Once he was gone Poppy poked her head out of Mia's office with a deep frown.
"I should've warned you about the Fawley's; I didn't realize they'd be coming."
"What do you mean?" Mia asked, re-entering her office to take a seat at the desk, looking over Poppy's work. When the younger woman didn't begin, Mia added; "You can speak plainly with me, Poppy. When you're in this office you're not just a student of Hogwarts, you're my apprentice. I won't be upset with you if you say things your Professors would dock points for."
"Well," the younger girl wrung part of her uniform skirt in her hands, "not everyone knows about it but Nina Fawley is… I suppose the term is bisexual? Her brother, the one that was in the hospital wing just now, has spread the rumor around the seventh year girls in Hufflepuff and given that the Ravenclaw girls are close with them we've heard it too."
Mia frowned deeply, heart hurting for the bright, cheerful girl who'd happily showed Mia her jogging trail without hesitation. Despite now wondering how deeply entrenched with Riddle Nina was, the girl was still like a little ray of sunshine. Nina didn't seem like the type to let things bother her, she'd even said she was made of steel.
"People are attracted to who they're attracted to, it's as simple as that and it's nobody else's business." Mia said, leaving no room for argument.
Poppy nodded, her face a mask of steel resolve. "I agree. It's just that Lucas has been spreading rumors that Nina is some kind of… of predator. I may not like her much myself but…" Poppy paused with a grimace, stopping herself though she seemed like she had more to say on the matter as her hands curled at her sides and her jaw clenched. " In any case, Lucas is a homophobe, and he's unnecessarily cruel to his own twin. He has most of Nina's house turned against her out of fear. We Raven's know how to spot an ugly rumor when we hear it but still, the damage is done. It's unsurprising that his parents are bigots as well, throwing about slurs like they're meant to be said in polite conversation. I'm horrified, and I'm sorry you were subjected to it. I'm sure it's not the first time you've heard such words but what Mrs. Fawley said about your mother was wrong."
Mia had actually forgotten Chantel had called Vanessa Dubois a mudblood. It had been quite some time since she'd heard the slur but she'd been so desensitized to it in her original life that it didn't even register to her now.
Mia smiled at Poppy, a warmth for the younger woman beginning to spread in Mia's chest. "Thank you, Poppy. For now, just worry about your studies. I can handle a couple of prejudiced purebloods."
September 6th, 1944.
"...removes fluid from the lungs safely in seconds. It's a charm I've known since before I started training and it's saved many lives since."
Poppy, wide eyed, was nodding furiously and jotting down everything Mia said with a new ball point pen. Mia had ordered several notebooks and pens for the two of them. Poppy took to them right away. Less mess and she could write faster!
Mia watched Poppy's face light up as she understood the new concept.
Then she dumped five large tomes on the desk with a loud thunk.
Poppy startled from where she'd been scribbling in her notebook. Mia suddenly realized how much fun having an apprentice was, and why Master Claudius, Shen Li, and Master Katiya had tortured her so much.
"Look through these and if you've already read it let me know. If you have already, and subsequently for each tome, I'll have you verbally identify the key points so I know you've grasped the reading and give you something else."
"Yes, Master Mia." Poppy said, plucking through the tomes to observe their titles. "Master Mia? These are Muggle books."
"That's right." Mia responded. "I built everything I now know on a foundation of Muggle medicine. You'll find the skinny one is a Magical verse Muggle anatomy dissertation written by an extraordinary mediwizard from the States."
"Incredible." Poppy breathed, plucking the smaller book from the pile. "When do you want me to have these read by?"
Mia hummed, staring out of the large window in her office. "How's your course load this semester?"
"Potions, Transfiguration, Defense, Herbology, and Charms. Since I'm specializing I decided not to take extra courses this year so I can focus on more Healing related diversity with you."
"Before I'd agreed to teach you?"
"Well, I hoped you would." Poppy brushed her hair behind her ear and looked down. "If you hadn't I would've sourced the library for all healing related topics I haven't already read through."
"I see." Mia's eyes softened. "Have them finished by next Wednesday, that gives you a week."
Before Poppy could respond a firm knock rapped across the wooden door of Hermione's office and Albus Dumbledore's head popped in through the crack as he pushed it ajar.
"Good afternoon, I hope I'm not interrupting?" He was.
"Oh!" Poppy grinned and stood from her seat at Mia's desk, knocking her hip off the corner of the desk in her haste. Mia's brows lifted of their own accord as the young woman flushed and stammered, rubbing a hand over what would surely be a bruise. "G- good afternoon Professor."
"I see you're studying hard already, Miss Pomfrey, well done." Dumbledore twinkled. "I was hoping to have a word with Healer Gardner."
"Of course." Poppy began to pack her things at once as if commanded by the Minister himself, she looked to Mia and said; "I'll have these read within the week and in the meantime I'll practice the charms you've shown me on the dummy you taught me to conjure."
Mia nodded, arms crossed as she pretended like she was just fine with Dumbledore waltzing in and ending her session with Poppy like he had the right. "Alright, just don't forgo your coursework. If I hear a peep from any of your professors that you're lagging behind I'll cut our sessions."
Poppy was already out of the door, books floating dutifully behind her as a faint 'yes ma'am' sounded in the infirmary.
"Apologies for dropping in," Dumbeldore began, taking Poppy's vacated seat at Mia's desk (Mia's own seat, actually) with an easy confidence. "I haven't had a moment to spare lately. How are you adjusting to your work at Hogwarts?"
Mia flicked her wand and sent Dumbledore hurdling out of the chair. His arms flailed as he regained control of his footing just in time to see Mia perching herself upon the chair with a grace that might have made even Narcissa Malfoy nod in approval back in the day.
Mia smiled politely at him, then gestured at the chair she had in front of the desk for students, faculty, and parents. "Please, do sit. I'll have Whimsy bring us tea, if you like."
With a slight chuckle and wide eyes, Dumbledore took one of the offered chairs. "I'll have to pass on the tea, thanks. I don't have too much time; would you believe I'm already up to my beard in essays?"
"I'd imagine if you weren't alright with that you wouldn't have assigned so many," she laughed, leaning back more comfortably in the chair, "as for my adjustment, it has gone well. Thank you."
"Good, I'm glad to hear it. I see that you have enough time to take an apprentice, do you believe you've enough time to spare for another endeavor? It's weekly; on Friday nights only."
Mia sighed heavily, leaning back and resting her elbows on the armrests of the chair. "It's a dueling club, isn't it?"
"It is, yes."
"I suppose you're not actually asking then, as my presence is ultimately required for you to proceed; in the interests of the students and faculty remaining intact."
"Correct, however," Dumbledore's eyebrows rose and a smile stretched his face, he held one finger up as if to stop her from speaking further, "I'd also like to invite you to participate. So far the only staff willing to duel me are Professor Hassat and Professor Prince. Professor Merrythought opted out, she says she's overloaded as is."
Professor Maynard Hassat was the Charms teacher. Mia didn't know where Flitwick was just yet but she supposed he wouldn't be employed for a while. He wasn't quite that old when he taught her, after all. And Professor Alaric Prince taught Divination, Mia wondered how viable his dueling skills were.
The thought of someone like Trelawney dueling Dumbledore caused one side of Mia's mouth to quirk up before she stamped the urge to grin.
It didn't escape her that there weren't any women involved, and she considered this while she pondered the offer. It was best for the female students to see a woman in roles that aren't typically considered feminine.
And for the chance to stick it to Dumbeldore while his guard was down had her thinking it may be a good idea.
If Riddle was in the club and saw her perhaps he'd think twice before he tried her. That could work to her advantage.
Of course, it could have the opposite effect as well. Again, it began to grate on her nerves how much she didn't know about him now that things had changed in the timeline. The only way she'd learn is by throwing herself into situations where he'd somehow be involved. So perhaps she should test him, and let him start testing her.
It would be a dangerous game to play, but if the timeline was already changed because of her then she'd need to decide how to proceed.
It would hinge on how different Tom Riddle was now in comparison to what he was in her timeline.
She'd be required in the room for Dueling Club whether she dueled or didn't. Shouldn't she have some fun with it? There was only so much fighting against training dummies could do, even if they were as advanced as hers were.
"I'd like to join, but if I end up hurt and have to treat myself we'll have to stop immediately. I can't get hurt and then also heal students if they're harmed. Adding me in general is probably skating the line already."
"We staff will only duel the first night. The following weeks we'll be taking protegees and teaching them, that's why we needed three or four staff involved. There's already a signup sheet for those in fifth year and above with thirty names on it." Dumbldore said, then laughed at Mia's face. "Oh don't be cross. If you like, when we can both spare some time, you and I can set up duels between us in the quidditch pitch."
With a smirk that boarded on wicked, Mia said; "You truly know how to sweeten a deal, Dumbledore."
Irma was buried in between six stacks of books taller than herself when Mia stepped into the library. There were students milling about between the shelves and a few sitting at individual tables, already immersed back into the school year though it had only begun two days earlier.
Mia stepped up to the Librarian's desk and looked over the piles. "What are you doing?"
Sitting cross legged and not bothering to look up from the two books in her hands, Irma immediately shushed her. Mia had a quick flashback of the older Madam Pince doing the same thing whenever she, Harry, and Ron got a little loud arguing over something. Pushing aside the pang of sadness, Mia laughed quietly.
"Taking to your role well, I see." She whispered, stepping around the pile so Irma could see her.
Irma looked up, and the retort on her lips died when she noticed it was Mia. "Merlin, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was you. I'm certain you can imagine; I've heard a lot from former classmates about my new position."
Climbing into the book-fort Irma had made for herself, Mia took a seat next to the younger woman and plucked the smaller book from her hand. A newer book, just a few years old, about the migratory patterns of African swallows. "I bet it's been trying, you poor thing. So what are you doing, then?"
"Reorganizing everything that was written in the past decade. We have a specific row of books for newer releases, but it gets overloaded every new year, so at the start of the year the books that are ten years old get circulated back into the rest of the library to make room for the new inventory."
"I see," said Mia, "other than the comments from your former classmates, how has your transition been?"
Irma groaned, putting the book she held down atop the smaller stack in front of her. "Well, for starters the elves did a fine job keeping up with the Library's needs during the last few years. The only issue I've found is that, while they were efficient, they didn't really mind much about the records or how strict of a system we had. I've found many books sorted out of their section and into another based on their author. And we hardly have names documented for what's been borrowed from the library. The numbers are showing that at least two hundred books were never returned in the past few years. I'll have to find a spell to help me hunt down what's been taken."
Mia frowned at that. She immediately wondered if half of the missing books might be in Riddle's possession. "You'll tell me if there's anything I can do to help?"
"Of course," Irma waved, face pinched and lips pursed. "I may need to develop something to attach to every book that makes it impossible to keep them longer than their return date. By the way, I've just remembered; I received a letter from my cousin. You know her, Auror Irina Pince? She mentioned that she meant to speak with you before you accepted this position so she told me..." Irma flicked her wand and a letter soared into her hands. She unfurled it and scanned a few lines before her eyes lit up. "Ah here it is; she says she sends you well wishes and congratulations. She says she's sorry she couldn't see you before you shipped off to Hogwarts and 'hopes you don't get into too much trouble without Auror's there to shadow you."
"Ah, I didn't realize she was your cousin. I quite like her. Now that I'm looking, you two do share a few features." Mia said, heart hammering in her chest. This was really not the place for such a conversation.
Irma looked at her with a critical eye, not judgemental, just curious. "I'm wondering why you had an auror shadowing you? I know it's none of my business but I'm quite curious."
Weighing her options, Mia decided a bit of honesty couldn't hurt. If Irma and Irina met at any Hogsmeade weekend or over the holidays Mia guessed they'd discuss it. It was easily accessible knowledge anyways, if one tried to find out.
Bloody hell, I'm insane. She thought. What is it about Hogwarts that has me forgoing all the work I've done to shield myself for the last four decades?
"Well it's a long story, but I'll sum it up. You know I traveled before I worked for St. Mungos? Well my travels came to an abrupt end two summers back. I was in Poland healing on the No-Maj warfront when I noticed spellfire and decided to check it out." Mia took a deep breath and did her best to make herself seem slightly traumatized. "I jumped in and began healing those I saw in Auror's robes, and fighting off those who weren't. I didn't know who the Auror's were fighting but they were losing; I didn't know anything until after Dumbledore crested through a treeline fighting Grindelwald."
"Oh my!" Irma gasped with wide eyes, her hand settling on Mia's arm with a small squeeze. "What happened from there?"
"Grindelwald retreated after some impressive spellwork from Dumbledore and I continued to heal the fallen Aurors like I had been. Dumbledore and I met and he told me it was likely in my best interest to come to England where I'd be safer. Of course, the Ministry had concerns that I lied about my origins and had me followed for a year until they were able to receive documentation from the MCUSA that I was who I said I was."
Irma, books completely forgotten, leaned forward with eyes set on Mia. "So… you took a stand against Grindelwald; a mere bystander who simply rushed in to help because it was needed?" Irma laughed lightly and shook her head. "If you were a Hogwarts student I'd bet all my galleon's you'd be a Gryffindor."
Mia laughed, loudly, as Irma tried to shush her with a grin on her face.
"I've overheard something that may interest you, my Lord."
Tom raised a single eyebrow. Thoros hadn't prostrated himself before Tom like Orion had, but there was deference in the younger boy's tone, his head slightly bowed. It was the same way he would've been greeted had he remained in the Slytherin dormitories and thus Tom decided to allow it.
For now.
They were all gathered in the heads dorm now, Lytherial and Enoch were locked in a heated debate over the recent Charms essay, both with quills positioned over their parchment. Lysander was playing his violin in the farthest corner, some haunting number he'd written settling over the group. Zephyrus and Nina were at the barstools by the kitchenette, observing the relic Zephyrus had found over the summer. The others were working on their homework.
Tom was bending black fire to his will inside the fireplace, his coursework taken care of for the night. He was waiting for his rounds to begin in an hour. He'd planned to enter the chamber under the cover of nightfall and see the basilisk about any rumor's she'd managed to hear while she traversed the pipes. She'd been a good source for information over the last two years.
At least now that the pipes were repaired and she could move more freely.
"Proceed." Tom commanded.
The violin stopped at Tom's tone and everyone was silent, staring at Thoros.
"I overheard a conversation between our new Librarian and Mediwitch. From her own words, it seems Healer Gardner had a confrontation on a battlefield two years ago with Grindelwald and drew his attention. According to her, Dumbledore convinced her to come with him to England for safety purposes. She'd fought off several of Grindelwalds men and healed several Auror's at the same time."
Tom canceled the black fire.
After what Nina had said at her meeting stone about Gardner being almost exceedingly accomplished for only twenty-two, Tom had grown curious. He began to pay more attention. Gardner was clearly suspicious of him, she didn't trust his charming facade and that alone made him more weary of her.
Then, he'd discovered she had distant ties to the Wright family. Curious, unlikely, but somewhat plausible. She'd stood in front of him in his defense when Mr. Fawley had started after him like some moronic raging bull.
No one but Nina had ever defended him without using it for their own personal gain before.
The mysteries surrounding Mia Gardner kept piling up and it seemed the more he found out the less he understood.
It irritated him. He couldn't allow it.
Allowing his irritation to seep through his words, Tom addressed his knights. "I want every one of you to use your resources and scour the globe for information about Healer Mia Gardner. I want a full report of her entire history, including who she's connected to and how, from birth until now, before Samhain."
September 8th, 1944.
Mia had taken to Nina's route, like she'd said she would. The terrain was still rather rough on her once she got past the boulder but she could feel the burn in her legs and the strain on her breathing lessened the more she pushed herself.
There was something about running around in the Forbidden Forest that reminded Mia of her first lifetime. Over the years a lot about her life as Hermione Granger had become somewhat muddled, as things do when you live so many years into your adulthood. Your childhood begins to fade into memories of times long past and you wonder how you survived being that naive and reckless.
So many times she could've died because she didn't know how to properly defend herself in a new world that hated her because she was born to non magical parents.
She'd been underprepared and overconfident.
Yet she lived while the Death Eaters had suffered a brutal defeat; mostly by teenagers. It had to have stung.
Such a delicious victory it was. Mia hadn't appreciated it then as much as she did now.
Voldemort terrorized the entirety of Wizarding Britain into being unable to speak his name in the first war and for the years to follow. He'd only lost that war because he was so worried about a prophecy that he'd fulfilled it himself simply by listening to it, and it destroyed him.
He'd scared the adults so badly that most of them didn't want to acknowledge he'd returned. It must have been a testament to how badly the necromantic ritual and the shredding of his soul had warped Voldemort's brain that he was defeated by children the second time around.
As usual, these thoughts had Mia beginning to simmer with anger as she rounded the part of the trail that would lead her to the boulder.
She had to somehow find out what else had changed when she'd inadvertently muddied the timeline. The not knowing was getting to her and Mia was having trouble sleeping, more so than she usually did. Her mind ran the scenarios. How knowing the Wrights had caused Chantel's timeline to diverge. How Nina and Lucas Fawley played into it. How Tom Riddle was different from his original timeline.
It was all overwhelming and she had no access to the answers without getting closer to Riddle.
Did she even want to break open that can of worms? Part of her said she did. At first she hadn't wanted to destroy the timeline and she had worked hard for years trying to make it so, but now that she found evidence that she already did, what was stopping her from killing him and getting it over with?
She could do it without getting caught, too. Tonight, even. She had memories locked away in her beaded bag. All she'd have to do is find the one where Ron opened the Chamber of Secrets, lure Riddle to it by tantalizing him with her limited understanding of parseltongue, kill him and drop kick him into the Chamber.
No one would ever find his body.
Mia rounded the corner where the boulder was. Just as she was getting ready to prepare for the jump Mia noticed Nina sitting on top of it with her legs crossed, elbows on her thighs and holding her head up with her fists, eyes cast down and looking utterly forlorn. Mia jogged to a stop.
Alert, because she didn't know just how deeply entrenched with Tom Riddle Nina was, Mia asked; "Miss Fawley? Are you alright?"
"I need to talk to you… well, actually," Nina looked up, dropping her arms as a deep frown marred her typically cheerful face. "I'd rather you not attack me when I say it."
Instantly on guard, wand in hand with her wrist turned so Nina couldn't see it, Mia narrowed her eyes. "I won't attack you, Miss Fawley, what is it?"
"Well… the thing is, I mean… uhm... Healer Gardner, I… fuck." Nina fidgeted and took a deep breath, Mia watched as the younger girl's resolve hardened and she took one last deep breath before she fixed Mia with the most imploring look she'd ever seen on anyone. "I desperately need to speak with Hermione Granger."
Note: The Dueling Club in cannon was on a Tuesday night. That doesn't really make sense to me so I put it on Friday. I had to create OC's for a few of the positions at Hogwarts right now, since they're not all defined canonically. So Hassat and Prince are OC's. The cannon professors of the 40s just didn't speak to me as duelists. I dunno.
If Hermione appears disjointed in this chapter, it's because she's floundering for answers. She'd already decided that The Order defeated Voldemort in 1997 and therefore all she needed to do was sit back and wait for that to happen. Now, with the new information, she hasn't decided what to do and she's a bit spooked because of her involvement. She'll get it together soon enough. Let the girl struggle. lol