Chapter 3. Memories…

After their mock date, Ace had placed a gentle kiss upon her lips for many in the hall to see before heading back to the dungeons. Whispers surrounded them as they separated.

Chuckling to herself, she headed back to her common room. Checking her copy of the Marauders map, she took a short cut behind a statue and whispered the password at the wall. It opened and she found the small staircase easily in the dark.

Sitting lightly on the steps, she buried her hands in her hair. She wasn't ready to go back to the common room just yet, she wanted Braedus to think she was out having a grand time. "Lumos," she whispered, her wand tip igniting. She unfolded the map and looked to see where he was. Sitting in the common room, waiting on her, no doubt. Sighing, she folded it back up and stowed it in her robes.

Turning on the steps, she stretched her legs out and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. Her mind went back to the day she had duplicated the Marauders Map, so that both herself and Lily could have one. It was her third year. She remembered her father laughing, "Why didn't I ever think of that?" he had asked. "Because, she gets that from me," her mother replied, quickly pecking Harry on the lips and laughing.

"Slytherin cunning," Lily had suggested, drawing a dark look from their father.

Her mind went further back at that thought, back to the day of her sorting…

She walked down the center of the Great Hall, caught up in the line following her Aunt Hermione, the Transfigurations Professor and head of Gryffindor House.

She patiently awaited her turn with the Sorting Hat, expecting that she would be placed in Gryffindor.

Her name was called, and she stepped up and sat on the stool. The hat was placed on her head and she smiled. "SLYTHERIN!" it called. Her face fell instantly and she looked at her Aunt, who was apparently in just as much shock as she was. Walking slowly over to the Slytherin table, she sat and folded her hands in her lap. Fred's son, Philip – Flip for short – stared at her in disbelief. He was a year older than her and was Gryffindor. She knew her father would not be pleased.

The next morning, owls swooped down on the students at breakfast and Cerridwen, her beautiful hoot owl, landed in front of her. Taking the rolled parchment from the owl, and feeding her bits of toast and jam, she opened it to find a letter from home.

Betony,

I understand that you have been sorted into Slytherin. Hermione owled us last night with the news. I am very disappointed, darling, but not with you. I suppose, as part of Voldemort was transferred to me, I have passed it on to you as well. I will be coming for a visit this weekend, and I hope you are doing well. Please don't worry, I am not angry with you. I know I said, "gods forbid my children ever get Slytherin," but, Darling, I didn't mean it. Your mother and I still love you, no matter what.

Daddy.

The letter had made her feel much better, and true to his word he had visited.

The moment he entered the front doors, she was waiting on him. He swooped down and picked her up, embracing her tightly and planting kisses on her cheeks.

"Daddy!" she giggled as he sat her down on her feet. "You're just in time for lunch."

"I want to talk to you after, but let's grab a bite. I'm starved, and I remember how good the food is."

They ate in silence at the Slytherin table.

"Never in my life would I have dreamed I would be sitting here," he said curtly, but laughed.

After lunch, they walked around the grounds and sat near the Black Lake.

He took a deep breath, he had always known she was fascinated by snakes, and that had truly frightened him. He had known she was Parseltongue, they had conversations just between themselves. "I should have considered it an option, you were always a dark child."

"But I don't think I am, Daddy, I don't thirst for power. Only knowledge. I want to be an Auror like you, Daddy!"

"Ah, but knowledge is power. In it's own form."

"Daddy, I am not like Voldemort! I'm not!" she cried as tears formed in her eyes.

He looked startled, he hadn't meant to upset her.

"I don't want to be Slytherin, Daddy! I want to be in Gryffindor. I want the hat to resort me! I want to be in Gryffindor!" she said, tears rolling down her pale cheeks.

He looked into her face, that was so much like his…Wild black hair, bright green eyes…his mother's eyes…and remembered a conversation he had held once upon a time, at the end of his second year as he gazed upon the bloody sword of Godric Gryffindor. His heart felt loads better, knowing that his daughter wasn't thrilled with her placement either.

"I'm afraid, Darling, that that is impossible. I'll share with you a secret."

She perked up at this, she loved secrets and prided herself on being able to keep them.

"When I was sorted, the hat thought about putting me in Slytherin, but I begged it to put me in Gryffindor instead. What were you thinking about when you were sorted?" he asked.

"I was sure I would be in Gryffindor. It never crossed my mind, any other thought," she admitted.

He nodded knowingly, "That smugness… That may have been one of the reasons, I doubt the main one, but a reason nonetheless…"

She sighed and consulted the map again, checking to see if Braedus was still in the common room. He was. She stood and slowly walked up the stairs and approached the portrait of the two teens wearing Slytherin robes: a beautiful blonde boy and a lovely auburn haired girl, both wearing badges bearing a silver H on them.

A/N: In the Celtic Pantheon, Cerridwen is the goddess of dark prophetic powers. She is the keeper of the cauldron of the underworld, in which inspiration and divine knowledge are brewed. I felt this name fitting for an owl belonging to a girl who loves knowledge.