Heiress to Slytherin's Legacy
Author's note: Hello everyone! How are you doing? I've been trying hard to add consistency to the chapter's length so they stay around 3.5 K each but as you have probably noticed by now, or will soon find out, it is not working. So, considering I am not willing to butcher up chapters just so they stay relatively the same length, I hope the extra words will make up (even if just a little bit) for the time it takes me to update.
Thank you to those who have liked, followed and/or reviewed the story, and as per usual let me know what you thought and happy reading!
p.s. I don't know if you noticed, but we are finally getting the intro to the real drama of the story and I am super excited about it.
-M
DISCLAIMER. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, only the OC belongs to me.
Chapter 5
As Black's scream died out, Loraleen's mind battled with the strenuous amount of thoughts trying to make sense of what had happened. Her racing heartbeat echoed in her ears, dulling the outside noise as one by one her classmates started to react. Eyes unwavering, she witnessed as Potter pulled his friend back by the robe as Sirius' eyes closed and his knees buckled under him, stopping him from getting acquainted with his desk face first. His hazel eyes filled with overwhelming worry as he met Lupin's eyes, helplessly asking for support. The young boy jumped up from his chair, leaving behind his shock at the magical display in favor of undisguised trepidation. Between the two of them they managed to keep Black in a somewhat upright position, clapping his check softly as they called his name, hoping for a reaction of any sort.
A strong hand gripped Loraleen's forearm, gracelessly whirling her around on her spot.
"What on earth did you do, Ollerton?!" Yelled an irate looking Professor Fontaine, her eyes wild with unconcealed anger as she demanded answers Loraleen was in no position to provide.
Bewildered, Loraleen's eyes locked with Evans', a speechless agreement settling as silver met green. Holding in the burst of frustrated anger at Fontaine's lack of objective priorities, she shook herself free, strapping her wand back in her holster as she did. Unconsciously, her voice had left behind the sweetness it usually carried, becoming toneless and succinct as she ordered with the regality of someone who had learned to face chaos with a cold face, "To the Hospital Wing."
Potter and Lupin seemed to have been thinking along the same lines as her, for no sooner than the words had fallen from her lips, they were efficiently stepping through the door. Evans being Evans was already holding true to their understanding, pulling rank as a prefect she ordered everyone to stay put and in a flurry of robes she left the room announcing she would fetch the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall.
Loraleen followed the trio down the stairs without uttering another word. Staying out of their way, the only evidence of her presence was the constant clink, clink of her heels as they met the stone. The double oak doors appeared within sight and quickening her step she outran the boys. Drawing all her strength, the witch laid a hand on each door and pushed, throwing them open with a sonorous blast as the wood hit the walls.
"Madam Pomfrey!" Yelled Lupin as they walked though, a sheet of sweat covering his brow.
A startled matron exited the adjoining office, a frown marring her otherwise sweet features. Dressed in a burgundy robe with a white apron covering most of it, the healer approached them, instructing the boys to lay Mr. Black down on the first bed. The Hospital Wing consisted of two rows of beds whose headboards stood parallel to the walls. Each bed was separated from the others by turquoise privacy curtains on either side, an empty chart hanging from every bed's railing. Two black chandeliers hung from the arched high ceiling, candles currently off as the mornings' bright light streamed through the large windows, casting a diamond shaped pattern on the floor.
Loraleen stood back, eyeing the proceedings with a poker face that gave nothing away. Her back was as straight as a wire with her arms neatly crossed over her chest. To the regular passerby she was the example of calm and righteousness but hidden behind her silver orbs a storm was wagging with the strength of a hurricane. Her memories replaying on a loop as she waited for a diagnosis.
Madam Pomfrey quickly gathered a summary of the events leading to her new patient's state without surprise or shock at the weird circumstances. She simply asked the boys to stay back as she worked and focused on her casting, eyes flying back and forth as she interpreted the results she was getting.
Loraleen analyzed her memory to the last detail. Ransacking her mind for a clue or an idea in the long passages she had read while learning how to cast the Patronus Charm. She reviewed every conversation with her mother and her instructor, trying to remember if such a display as the one her Patronus had given had ever been recorded. She carefully considered the way her adder had soared around him, assessing and then curled in his arm in a way that could be described as possessive. She thought about the almost sentient look the Patronus had taken as it decided to take a bite.
Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore walked in as they waited, followed by a concerned Lily Evans. One look in their direction told Loraleen that Lily had filled them in, so much was obvious by the unease lines drawn on their foreheads. Loraleen nodded at her, acknowledging her actions with an approving look but remained silent, nonetheless.
"Wait outside children," instructed Professor Dumbledore without room for argument.
The four sixth years ushered themselves out, with painful reluctance on the boys' part as they witnessed the Headmaster holding a shushed conversation with Madam Pomfrey, who was frowning the way someone did when something puzzled them.
Feeling regret and worry beyond words Loraleen stood like a guard outside the doors as Professor McGonagall closed them behind them, locking them out. Sighting her inner frustration, Loraleen focused on Potter, who had sat on the floor across from her with his head on his knees. Lupin had his hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture, yet his other hand was balled in a fist.
"I must head back to the classroom, the Headmaster wants me to deliver a message for Professor Fontaine," said Lily softly. "I'll take your bag back up to our dorm, Loraleen." Facing the boys, she added, "I'll ask Peter to do the same with your stuff as I suppose you won't be leaving this hall until you receive news."
Potter didn't answer, just nodded in acknowledgement. Lupin said thanks for all of them and with one last sympathetic smile that didn't match the troubled look in her eyes, Lily walked away, leaving behind a trio in despair.
Funny, thought Loraleen, a dementor wasn't even needed to suck their happiness away.
Silence reigned for a while, minute after minute seemed to stretch in the most irritating way.
"What could possibly be taking so long?" Snapped Potter as the first half an hour came and went without updates.
"They are probably just trying to figure out what exactly it is that happened," uttered Lupin optimistically.
"They can do all that after telling us that Padfoot will be just fine!"
None of them pointed out what the three were thinking, the fact that perhaps they weren't saying anything because he wasn't going to be.
"Do you even know what it was that your Patronus did?" asked Potter with hostility.
Loraleen couldn't find it in herself to blame him, had she been in his place she would have been cross as well. Unfortunately for everyone, she truly had no idea and it was precisely that what scared her the most. Not knowing how to fix it, not knowing what had caused it. Most importantly, not knowing what consequences the bite would have.
"I don't," replied Loraleen simply, tonelessly.
That seemed to be the last straw for Potter. As he processed her short answer, a frown marred his features, causing him to look at her with firm resentment.
"Why did you cast it then?!" exclaimed the boy.
"Prongs," said Lupin warningly but Loraleen's own anxiousness made her eyes flash, letting her emotions break through the surface and take control once again.
"Excuse you!" Snapped the girl through clenched teeth. "That was not my first time performing that charm! I have done it in front of my parents and instructors and other family friends before and this has never happened! How was I supposed to know?"
Potter opened his mouth to argue back but as if hearing the imminent fight, the door opened and out came Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore, wearing solemn expressions. The three teenagers straightened at the same time facing the faculty with equal amounts of expectation and worry.
"Mr. Black is still unconscious," said the Headmaster. "But we are confident he will wake up as soon as his body recovers its energy, hopefully sometime this afternoon."
The words washed over them like the sweetest balm and relief coursed through their bodies. Loraleen closed her eyes momentarily, relishing the fact that Black was going to be just fine.
Facing the boys, the Headmaster continued, "However, he needs rest and as such I must ask you to retire to your Common Room, you are dismissed from the rest of your classes if you so desire, although I strongly advice to keep your minds busy as that will make time fly faster." Turning to Loraleen, he said, "As for you Miss. Ollerton, please follow me to my office."
Expecting such outcome, Loraleen kept her poker face on as she turned her back to the Infirmary doors and followed Professor Dumbledore to the Headmaster's Tower. Potter and Lupin's arguments against leaving his friend's side grew dim as she walked, until they couldn't be heard anymore. Soon enough they stopped in front of a carefully crafted gargoyle, Loraleen eyed it with wonder as it stepped aside, showing a secret staircase leading the way up. The Headmaster motioned for her to follow him and together they made their way up. The stairs opened into an ample circular space, filled to the brim with all kinds of trinkets, books and other items covering every available surface. The walls were covered with portraits and as she walked to the desk, dozens of curious eyes followed her every move.
"Lemon drop?" offered the Headmaster signaling a large bowl full of candy as he sat down.
"No," said Loraleen, taking a seat opposite him. "Thank you."
"Well Miss. Ollerton, I think we can both a agree that this has been a rather eventful first day," said the wizard lightly.
Loraleen considered that to be the understatement of the year, however, her mind was currently focusing on two rather distinctive concerns and the one sitting in front of her held the answers to one.
"Will Black truly be alright?" asked Loraleen directly. "Could Madam Pomfrey identify what happened to him?"
Professor Dumbledore sighed softly and answered, "Mr. Black will be perfectly fine, according to Madam Pomfrey, there is no physical proof of his interaction with your Patronus. As to what caused his black out," he left the sentence die out and Loraleen thought for a second they had not discovered anything but then he continued, "It seems he exerted himself and his magic far too much in the past few days. Today's shock was the breaking point."
Loraleen thought back to their interaction just a few hours ago during breakfast. His playful remarks and relaxed manners did not match the picture presented to her. For shock to have had such a strong effect on him, he must have had to have been on the edge of tiredness, he wouldn't have been able to hide it.
"It seemed like my adder had bit him," started Loraleen. "Were his robes pierced? Were there any punctures on his skin?"
If Loraleen's objective attitude surprised the Headmaster, he didn't show it. "None, as I said there is no physical evidence, nor any aftereffects. But it does bring the question forth, what did your Patronus intend to do?"
Loraleen leaned back against her seat and looked at the wall behind Professor Dumbledore. For the third time that day she had been asked to explain her Patronus actions and for the third time, she didn't have an answer.
"From what Miss. Evans could tell it was not your first time casting the charm," said the wizard kindly. "When did you learn?"
Loraleen eyes stayed fixed on the wall as she replied, "Last year." Knowing she would be required to elaborate she continued, "Both my parents know how to cast it and as a child they would use it to cheer me up. Once they deemed me strong enough, they taught me how to cast it myself and I've done it countless times since them, never with today's results though."
Loraleen though about the memory she had used to bring her Patronus to life. Ironically, it was precisely one of her earliest memories of her and her parents surrounded by her father's playful red fox and her mother's charming dolphin. The tree of them laughing and cheering them on as the animals chased each other, not going far away from their caster's sides.
"I understand it must have been a rather shocking display, magic has ways of surprising us when we believe we have finally understood it," said the Headmaster. "As it is, I was hoping you could cast your Patronus once again for me."
Loraleen recognized his words for what they were, an order not a request, and she certainly did not appreciate them.
"Will all due respect," started the witch firmly. "I won't be casting the Patronus Charm again until we are completely certain Sirius Black is okay, I will not take the risk with you or anyone else."
Dumbledore nodded, "A remarkably noble decision. However, Miss. Ollerton, we could benefit from knowing what caused the unusual behavior, it might have been a random coincidence, but I am sure everyone would feel more at ease if it could be proved as such."
"I agree," conceded the witch. "But I will not cast it until Black is out of the Infirmary and can confirm Madam Pomfrey's assessment."
Professor Dumbledore's displeasure with her decision sparked in his eyes for a brief second. Had Loraleen blinked she would have certainly missed it but as it stood, she hadn't, and mistrust started building inside her heart.
"Very well, Miss. Ollerton, I can respect that. Have you found your dormitory comfortable?"
Loraleen was taken aback by the sudden change of topic. "I have," she said slowly. "The Common Room and the dorms are magnificent. So are the people in fact, everyone has been incredibly kind." Snape's face flashed across her mind as she said those words, but she dismissed it almost immediately. She would tackle that issue some other time.
"I am glad Miss. Ollerton. Although I must admit I was surprised at your sorting, I thought you would be a Ravenclaw like your mother or a Hufflepuff like your father."
Loraleen repressed a snort, "We are a diverse family."
"Indeed." Silence filled the room for a moment, unspoken secrets floating in the air. "Well Miss. Ollerton, you are free to go. As I told your classmates, you are excused from class today if you desire to rest but I strongly advice against it. I'll seek you again once we have established Mr. Black is completely safe."
Loraleen uttered her goodbyes and left, taking a deep breath as she emerged into the corridor, the giant gargoyle retaking its rightful place as guardian of the tower behind her. The young witch eyed her watch and noticed lunch was almost over and as such the halls would be full of students making their way back to class from the Great Hall any minute. Intent on avoiding everyone at least until dinner, so she could wrap her head around everything, she set off to the seventh floor, assuming her dorm would be empty at this hour.
"Did you hear what that Ollerton girl did?" asked an unknown girl as Loraleen neared the Common Room's corridor, not noticing her approach. Hiding quickly behind a corner, she spied a group of tree girls, all younger than her, as they walked away from the Common Room. "Anika just told me she attacked Sirius Black during Defense; he is still in the Hospital Wing."
"Attacked him? What a despicable witch! Perhaps we could visit him at..."
Loraleen rolled her eyes at the last part but didn't stick around to hear what else they had to say about her and walked away, figuring that perhaps going to the Common Room was not the best idea just yet. The witch rapidly found an empty and quiet corridor still on the seventh floor, its walls were bare of portraits and the only decor consisted of a tapestry showing Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls how to dance ballet. Under regular circumstances Loraleen would have found it ridiculously odd and would have laughed at the mere idea, but as she paced back and forth with her fingers rubbing circles on her temples, the tapestry didn't seem as amusing as it could have. She could only think of how much she wished she could speak with her parents without having to write a letter. She wished to tell them everything and brainstorm ideas and solutions as they always did.
Disheartened she ran her hands through her hair and came to halt as she glanced at the previously empty wall. Frowning, she closed her eyes tightly and opened them again, wondering if perhaps they were playing a trick on her. Right next to her, opposite to the tapestry a walnut door with an intricate design carved on its surface had materialized out of nowhere. Its silver knob glinted as light caught it and Loraleen became completely sure there was no way she could have possibly missed it before.
Glancing both ways she waited, thinking someone would show up, but no one did. Remembering the way the Gryffindor Common Room and the Headmaster's Office were hidden in plain sight she approached the door and eyeing it carefully she grasped the knob and turned it. Darkness waited past the threshold and as Loraleen closed the door behind her, she wished for some light. As she readied her wand to cast a simple Lumos the fireplace gave a roaring sound, its fire clacking as it built, instantly warming the room and making her jump. A series of candelabra stuck to the walls lit up, making her raise her wand and adjust her grip.
"Hello?" she asked, her voice stable. "Anybody here?"
She turned on her spot, taking in her surroundings. The cozy study had no windows, nor doors, other than the one she had come through. Two of the walls were lined with bookshelves, while the third one held an old map of the grounds framed in gold. A sofa and two armchairs laid near the fire, with a small table in between. Behind the couch a completely empty desk with a light sheen of dust found its place, making it seem like the little office had no owner. Or at least that it hadn't been visited in the near past.
Considering her options Loraleen turned back to face the door and deeming the place safe enough, she locked it. Sighing audibly, she approached one of the armchairs and after unbuckling her heels she let herself drop down rather gracelessly on it. Observing her wand, she pondered her situation and tried to come up with a decent course of action. She needed to speak with Sirius, that was for certain. She also needed to apologize, even if it had not been intentional, her charm was still responsible for him being stuck at the infirmary.
It seems he exerted himself and his magic far too much in the past few days. Today's shock was the breaking point. Dumbledore's words echoed inside her head, but they didn't make more sense that they had before, she simply could not discern whether he was hiding something from her or not. Licking her lips, she raised her wand and summoned her Patronus.
Her silvery adder burst to life in a shower of sparks, just as it had before and Loraleen could not help but smile at the sight. Her adder, her loyal companion, would never fail to cheer her up. The snake made a quick lap around the room and came back to her caster, seeming rather unpreoccupied.
"Why did you do it?" asked Loraleen with a rueful glint in her eyes, not expecting an answer.
The adder floated for a second, not doing anything, but then it made a hissing motion and Loraleen snorted, "That better be an apology," said the witch good naturedly. "And to answer it, yes, you are forgiven." Her focus faded and her Patronus disappeared once again, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
The fire crackled again, and she eyed it curiously for a minute, as if it held all the answers she needed. On top of the fireplace, a crystal urn full of silvery powder caught her attention and as realization sank, she straightened herself with wonder and newfound determination.
"What if…" wondered Loraleen aloud, eyes glinting with excitement.
She quickly rose and padded barefoot to the fire, reaching for the urn as neared it. Kneeling, she placed it on top of the rug and took off the lid. Grabbing a small fist of powder, she faced the fire with a smile and as she threw it in, she yelled, "Ollerton Courtyard!" sticking her face gleefully into the fire as it turned green.
Ollerton Courtyard was the name her parents had bestowed upon their home after they had decided not to live at Ollerton Manor with her grandparents. Even though the name suggested it, the house was not designed in courtyard style. However, the upper floors were built around the square formed by the foyer and the main staircase and so, her parents had jokingly deemed it similar enough.
Loraleen opened her eyes into the empty parlor, looking exactly the same as it had the morning before when they had left for the platform. A slim woman walked in, dark hair tied back in a ponytail and light makeup lighting up her features. She wore a deep blue robe and similar heels to the pair Loraleen had discarded earlier. Her silver eyes were vigilant as she approached the fireplace but as soon as they spotted the face created by the embers she laughed.
"Loraleen! What are you doing in the fire?" asked Cathleen Ollerton with infectious delight. "Tell me you did not sneak into one of your Professor's offices, please."
Loraleen felt her spirits lift at her mother's remark and rolling her eyes, she replied, "Hello to you too mom. And no, I did not. I found a hidden room in the seventh-floor and fortunately it had a fireplace and floo powder laying around."
Her mother raised an eyebrow, most likely at the fact her daughter had discovered a hidden room on her first day back but didn't comment on it. Instead, as she knelt in front of the fire she asked about the important word in Loraleen's sentence, "Fortunately? Is everything all right? Is this about the letter?"
Ms. Ollerton's eyes had narrowed slightly, and her tone had gone from joking to curious. After all, Loraleen's inherent ability to find herself in interesting situations had been inherited from her mother and both of them knew the idea of Loraleen spending time at Hogwarts's as a regular student had been nothing more than wishful thinking, even if they had tried to pretend otherwise.
"The letter?" asked Loraleen distractedly. With all the drama going on, she had forgotten about her mother's letter. "I haven't had a chance to read it yet, something peculiar happened today and I need to discuss it with you and dad? Is he around?"
Just as she had finished asking the question another person walked into the parlor and asked, "Someone called?" The man was wearing a black set of robes and just like her mother, his brown eyes were vigilant and guarded as he approached, at least until they spotted her. "Loraleen! What a pleasant surprise! Were you missing us already?" teased her father as he came to sit next to his wife.
"Will," admonished her mother gently, affection shinning bright in her eyes.
"I did miss you but that is not the reason I am here," explained Loraleen. With that she launched into a detailed explanation of the morning's occurrences. From the moment she had stepped into the Defense classroom and the feeling she had got from the new teacher to the casting of her Patronus, its odd behavior and most importantly Sirius reaction.
"You say it bit him, literally?" asked her mother with a perplexed frown, her mind obviously going a mile a second.
"It seemed it did but when Headmaster Dumbledore took me to his office and I asked him about it, he said there were no markings on his skin nor were his robes pierced. He said Madam Pomfrey, the matron, thought the fainting was due to him being exceptionally exhausted and that the shock caused by my Patronus had been the last straw but…"
Loraleen let her sentence die out, considering for the first time that perhaps she was making a storm in a glass of water.
"But you don't think that's the case," finished her father for her.
"No," agreed Loraleen. "I do not."
Her mother laid her chin in the palm of her hand, considering what she had heard. "I don't think that's the case either. From what you described; shock wouldn't have caused such a strong response. On the other hand, I have never seen nor heard of a Patronus acting in such a way before," she hummed for a second. "They say they didn't find anything out of the ordinary in him however, a Patronus is one of the purest forms of magic, if it did do something it is most likely it could have been overlooked, as it was probably not damaging to his well-being."
Her father hummed, following her line of thought, "As for it leaving no marks, that doesn't really mean anything, does it? While your Patronus takes the physical representation of an adder, it isn't one. That is to say, it doesn't have real fangs, nor poison to inject."
"Meaning it could have had a reaction upon contact," concluded Loraleen thinking about her adder as it slithered up Black's arm. Then she snorted, "You've got to admit the biting was a nice touch, quite dramatic."
Her father laughed, "You cast it after all, sweetheart. It certainly reflects your personality."
Before Loraleen could come up with a fitting comeback her mother intervened once again. "The diagnosis spell used in healing detects injuries by identifying the consequences of a spell. For example, when a wizard uses the Cruciatus Curse on someone else, it is identified for the damage it leaves behind not for the residual magic. That's the reason why it is easier to cast a counter-curse if you know what spell was used, otherwise you would have to identify it by the effects it is causing on the subject," explained her mother gesturing with her hands for emphasis. "The spell doesn't recognize magical signatures either," added the witch after a second, waiting for Loraleen to arrive to the same conclusion she had.
Loraleen narrowed her eyes. "Therefore," she said. "The spell used by Madam Pomfrey would be rendered useless as it wouldn't be able to detect the effect the Patronus had, as it hasn't done anything physical, nor discern whether there's foreign magic in his body or not, as it can't tell the difference between my magical signature and his," inferred the witch.
"That does bring a fascinating question forth," said her father. "What did it do? Magic doesn't disappear, so unless it's waiting for a trigger the only thing it could have affected without immediate detection would be literally his own magic."
Loraleen gasped, "I do not like the sound of that."
"Don't forget Patronuses are pure positive magic," hurried her mother to remind her. "Whatever it is doing, if anything at all, it will not harm him."
"That doesn't make me feel better!" snapped Loraleen. "Positive or not I wouldn't want anyone messing with my magic!"
"True," agreed her father. "But what is done is done. Your mother and I will visit your grandfather this weekend though," he informed her. "We will check the library for any clues as to why this happened in the first place, which is as important as to what it caused. Check Hogwarts's library as well and keep an eye out for the boy, just in case."
The assurance filled Loraleen's heart, knowing that no matter what her parents would always have her back filled her with delight.
"The Headmaster did lie to me then," concluded the young witch catching their parents' attention once more.
Ms. Ollerton pursed her lips, "Not quite, what he said was true, even if he did omit information. He is a bright wizard, he must have come to the same conclusion we did, which is why I don't understand why he would blatantly state that the boy had been taxed when that could be so easily overruled as a lie."
"You said the boy's last name is Black, right?" asked Mr. Ollerton. "Your aunt Ambrosia mentioned some time ago that the current Head of House Black and his wife were rather unpleasant people. I don't want to get ahead of myself but perhaps that has to do with his exhaustion as Dumbledore pulled it."
Loraleen's frown deepened at the implications behind her father's words but went back to the matter at hand. "Dumbledore did ask me to perform the Patronus Charm again. He said he wanted to make sure its behavior and Sirius' fainting had been just a coincidence, but I refused. I told him I wasn't taking any chances."
"I am glad you did," said her mother. "Whether what happened is inherent to your Patronus or not and whether our hypothesis has merit or not, the Headmaster is known for advocating for the greater good and I know for a fact that is a double-edged sword. I do not want him meddling with your magic, nor with our family affairs, specially not with Voldemort's threat looming in the horizon."
"I do not like the picture this paints," added her father, running a hand through his unruly hair. "He should have contacted us if he suspected Loraleen's magic had done something to another student, even if he had decided not to tell her," said Mr. Ollerton to his wife, frowning.
And Loraleen agreed, "I'll stall him for as long as needed, or at least until we figure out what happened ourselves." Noticing there was nothing relevant to add, she continued, "I must get going, I want to check on Black before the day is over and hopefully, I'll get to apologize and set the record straight. I'll let you know if I find anything odd going on."
Her mother nodded, "Yes, that's for the best. Do read the letter I sent you this morning though, I wrote the details for the Warding Ceremony."
Loraleen's eyes lit up and she asked with excitement, "You don't say?! I'll read it as soon as I get back to the dorm!" The young witch said her goodbyes and as her parents' voices echoed the sentiment, she drew back from the flames, feeling better than before.