Entering into His World
"I thought we might go for a ride today," Draco said as he finished breakfast. Hermione stared at him and he saw clearly the hesitation in her eyes.
"I haven't ridden…In three years," she said. Remembering the last ride. She and Mona had fought during the entire ride out, and on the way back Mona ran Top Hat full out down the trails. She thought that her hard work might have killed Mona that day…But thankfully, both girls made it back to the barn safely. Dream had come up lame the next day, and Lara had demanded to know what had happened. She had to scratch Dream from their show the next week. Hermione had nursed Dream up until she left, but Lara was still pissed when she waved Hermione off on September 1st. Mona didn't say goodbye.
"Doesn't matter. We'll take it slow. Riding isn't something you forget very easily Mione, you know that." Hermione considered this before slowly nodding.
"Okay…I'll get Isabella to make us lunch and then we can leave," she said as she put all the dishes onto the tray and carried it back to the kitchen. Instead of Isabella she found Maria washing down the counter and stove.
"Could you make me a picnic lunch to take on a trail ride Maria?"
"Of course, whatever Miss Hermione desires," Hermione managed not to flinch and smiled, if somewhat pinched.
"Where did Lucia keep her riding gear?"
"Up in the tower. All her clothes are there. Isabella can show you," on cue Isabella appeared. She took Hermione's hand and lead her down the hall and up a spiral staircase, hidden by a tapestry.
"Lucia demanded the tower room be cleared out. It has a beautiful view was what she told Michael. He argued…But she always got what she wanted. She kept her clothes up there, and her books…well the important ones. She used to do the bookwork there." As she finished, they reached the top. Hermione had counted one hundred steps. She opened the door and stepped into the room. Unlike the rest of the house, which was furnished in deep purple, this room was furnished in red and gold.
"She was a Griffindor you know." Isabella said, as if an explanation was needed. "I'll wait outside," as with another soft smile she closed the door. Hermione looked around. The room was all windows. You could see every paddock. She closed her eyes, and saw the view from twenty years again. A large cluster of mares and foals. Each stallion's paddock holding pedigreed stallion racer or eventer. With bloodlines to die for. It was beautiful. She blinked and found her way instinctively to a chest carved with horses. She opened the top and dug around. The top was filled with worn breeches and stained blouses, grass stains and otherwise. She finally pulled out a pair of new breeches, and of worn broken in tall boots. She changed quickly and pulled the boots on. They were, of course, her size.
They made the return journey quickly. Draco had the lunch already, slung over his shoulder in two saddle bags. They made their way to the stables in a companionable silence. Dan was waiting. He had Jewel and Sky saddled up. Jewel was wearing a western saddle and Sky an English.
"I thought we were going to take out some of the older horses…" Hermione said, unsure if she could handle a spirited Thoroughbred mare. Dan sighed.
"Miss Hermione, you have not ridden until you've been on one of these two. I wanted you to take Oddball down there out, but Draco wouldn't hear of it. Now he's a spirited one. Wonderful mount though. Ride 'em before Jewel's too far along," Hermione caved in. It was every riders dream to ride a Welton Horse. Especially one with perfect composition and training.
"Why didn't she ever compete?" Hermione asked, as she buckled a helmet on and swung up.
"Been waiting for you. We keep 'em exercised, but she's young yet. Especially for an eventer." Hermione nodded and Dan let go of Sky's rein. The young mare danced in place. Hermione settled her and managed another question while Draco mounted.
"I thought all of the mares were bred?"
"We decided not to breed Sky. She need to compete. To much talent wasted. She was supposed to breed, over in Kentucky…To Dream Flight, we cancelled though."
"Thanks," Hermione said impulsively. She was glad that she and Sky would be able to form a bond over the summer. Perhaps even show…Plans raced before her eyes. Draco finally mounted, after double checking the saddle bags, and they set out at a walk. Dan waved them off. Jewel walked patiently, the picture of a perfect riding horse. Sky tested Hermione, playing with the bit and trying to speed up. Finally a good two hundred yards from the barn they picked up a slow trot. Hermione instinctively fell to posting, and they talked of Draco's horses. His childhood companions.
"Mum used show, she was really talented. Her and Lily competed together at the local shows. Lucius made her give it up though. He made her give up a lot," he sad softly. Hermione was slowly seeing another side to Draco…And to his mother.
"He wasn't a very good father, was he?" she asked softly.
"No. He wasn't. He's abusive and cynical. Mum hates him. Had the Black not betrothed her at birth, she would have left him far behind…She liked Snape…Don't know why. But she had no choice. She was friends with Lily and James, and of course Sirius, they were cousins. He was abusive then, when they dated. She slowly changed, accepted it. Became what he wanted, left her friends, joined his. She cries at home…drinks a lot. We both do. She's done a lot of drugs too." He said softly, a solitary tear slipping down his cheek. Hermione sighed, but he ended their chat before she could ask another question.
"Let's gallop, I'll race you to the lake." She laughed at his challenge and urged Sky forward. The younger filly leaped forward eagerly. Draco was ahead of them, but Sky inched ever closer. A small brown dot grew in the horizon, slowly growing larger. Draco slowly began to curve outwards, Hermione urged Sky forward. The shortest distance is a straight line, she thought eagerly. Kneading her hands along the mare's neck she began to count strides, Sky took off without a command. They landed with a thud, and Sky raced on. When they reached the sand Hermione slowed her and turned, cantering, then trotting down the sandy beach a ways. Draco followed, catching up and slowing. They finally walked, letting the horses cool before finding a slightly shaded area and stopping. He dismounted and removed Jewel's tack, slipping a halter on and letting her loose. Hermione followed suit, though was reluctant to let her mare's halter go.
"Dan said they'll come back on a whistle. They're used to this type of stuff." Hermione nodded and let the horse go with a light tap on the side, Sky trotted after Jewel. It was three hours after their breakfast at that point, but neither was hungry. Hermione spread a blanket out and Draco flopped down, she lowered down next to him.
"So what about your childhood. Picture perfect?" He questioned.
"Compared to yours, easy. But from my eyes it wasn't. Me and Mona were always in trouble. I had detentions every other day. Stupid things, but fun. We had a lot of fun," she said wistfully. Her prank days were over. "Then June before Hogwarts I was expelled. When we got the letter my parents were surprised, well they acted it. They said I had to turn around, be more group. No more detentions…So I changed. Magic became everything. Friends, Boys…Fun. Faded. Plus I picked things up easily, so learning the spells was fun." Draco merely nodded and Hermione trailed off. He sat up, wrapping his arm around her. They looked out for a while at the lake before her turned to her, catching her eye.
"Mione…I think I'm in love with you," he said softly. He looked completely at peace, his eyes betraying his love, for once not hiding everything behind closed shutters. She smiled, and kissed him softly, then more urgently, searching for something. Meanwhile something deep inside of her snapped, he laid back and she followed, kissing and searching. When his hands began to search her body she let them, her own hands beginning to search his body. Slowly the kissing stopped and Hermione became aware of the fact that her blouse was unbuttoned. She rolled over, off of him, and buttoned it. Draco looked ashamed of himself, something completely new to her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean…I lost-" he began, not completing any sentences and looking confused and lost. Unsure of himself for once, which was obviously as new to him as it was to her.
"Sshh…" she said laying a finger in front of his lips. "We both did. It's not your fault…And it's not a big deal," she finished with a soft, relaxed smile. He to relaxed, happy he didn't ruin it. She curled up next to him, and he wrapped his arms around her. They laid like that for an hour before her stomach began to growl and they finally opened up the lunch.
Maria was an excellent cook, and they ate every crumb of her food. Ham and cheese sandwiches, loaded with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. Cookies, soft and delicious, warm as if they'd just left the oven minutes ago. There was a bottle of wine, expensive and old. Draco left it in the saddlebags and dug around for two sodas, those that he'd added himself. It was obvious Maria was from a different age, and though Draco enjoyed wine, Hermione was only partial to it…And he knew that if he started drinking he wouldn't stop for quite some while. Ruining a perfectly good day.
They talked more of Hermione's past during the lunch, she told him about the town and reiterated Mona's talk on public schools. She told him of the different pranks they'd played, nailing doors shut, packing lockers with tampons. Leaving dissected fish on the principles car, frogs in teachers drawers. Finally being expelled when they caught her carefully stenciling the principles name under "go to hell" on the side of the school, she pushed Mona away. Taking the blame…Mona couldn't afford to be expelled. It was hard to believe she was such a trouble maker, she tried to explain that the principal was a prick and deserved the torture, and insisted that hell probably wouldn't except him anyway, but Draco just laughed.
Finally Draco whistled and the horses trotted up. Hermione tacked them up, having more experience than Draco in that department while he cleaned up their trash and repacked the saddle bags. They finally remounted and made the ride home in a companionable silence. Basking in the other's company.
They arrived at the stables and two grooms materialized from no where.
"We'll take the horses for you," the younger sandy haired boy said. Barely more than fifteen he gave Hermione a once over and she raised an eyebrow.
"I'm very capable of putting my own horse up, thank you…Though, Draco probably would like the help."
"It's my job ma'am. I don't mind," he said.
"I'll be quite glad to groom my own horse." Dean appeared from the inside of the stable and waved the older groom off to exercise one of the horses.
"John take care of Master Malfoy's horse. Miss Hermione won't give you hers with out a battle. She's Lucia's daughter, don't expect to groom any horse she rides," the sandy haired boy, John, nodded and took Draco's reins as he dismounted, leading the horse away. Hermione dismounted and took her helmet off, leading Sky inside she slipped of her bridle and slipped a halter over the mare's head. Clipping cross-ties on she pulled off the saddle and Draco led the way to the tack room. She put the tack in it's proper place and took a minute to look at all the gear inside.
The room was decorated with saddle racks, each full. There was every type of saddle imaginable, there were bare back pads and regular riding pads, a bridle for each horse made of expensive Italian leather and carrying a nameplate with the horse's show name on it. Sky's was newer, but Cloud's was greatly worn in, a newer one laid carefully behind it, barely used. She smiled softly, running her fingers along the name plate, and grabbed one of the cherry boxes marked Sky. She carried it back to the cross-ties, shadowed by Draco. Together they spent the next half-hour grooming Sky who basked in their attention. When Hermione released the mare into the paddock she pranced around like the Princess she was.
Draco took his leave that afternoon, saying he'd be back for dinner and Hermione spent the day exploring the house, Isabella by her side.
"Lucia was a wonderful person. She was a wood elf you know," Isabella said, the pride of this flowing from her words. It was plain that she had loved and adored Lucia from the moment the young woman stepped, or was carried, through the door.
"So the rumor was try?"
"Oh yes! She used to heal magical creatures. No one knew that though. You used to go with her. The forests have been whispering of you return for a long while. They loved you. Some knew you'd do great things."
"Who?"
"The centaurs of course. Before you were born they told Lucia that you would right and old wrong. You would bring peace among the Chosen People, and you would turn a dark soul- to light."
"The Chosen People…Elves right?"
"Yes. Lucia was beautiful. She had long hair, milky brown, her ears were so beautiful. Pointed just the right amount, she hid them beneath her hair though…It wasn't that she was ashamed of her heritage, she just didn't want people mocking her. Elves have never really been well-respected. It's sad really…Wood elves are the kindest people. But she took her ability to change her appearance in stride, Dumbledore coached her through the training necessary and she learnt it well enough."
Like Tonks…Hermione thought softly. "Why was she raised by humans?" Hermione asked softly.
"The ministry came to the forest her mother's coterie inhabited and demanded they move to the mountains. Her mother knew the long journey would kill her. She begged the captain to take her daughter…He spit on her feet…So she lied. She told him that his father was a human, and her tribe would kill them both. How could he refuse? She was the wife of the leader, he took the girl. She spoke a spell over Lucia, slowing her aging until she entered school…Then the man made her leave, he took the girl and stowed her away in his truck, her mother attended her wedding. She brought Cloud's dam, heavy and in foal. It was pretty reunion afterwards, but her mother left, and Lucia never was able to visit the coterie in the mountains…Her work to the Ministry took over. They never saw each other again. Her adoptive father regretted brining her home when his own wife finally had their own child, and she became more of a household servant then a daughter. She received her letter, and attended Hogwarts on a scholarship."
"Michael loved her even though she was an elf?"
"Oh yes. He loved her enough to take the risk of leaving her hundred of years before she followed. She loved him enough to become far more attached then she should of…"
"But they died together."
"Almost…" Isabella shuddered, tears sliding down her face. "We was here, when it happened. Maria and me. We tried to protect them, but we wasn't able to. Lucia ordered us out, telling us we was to protect her daughter, to leave until you was to return. So we had to leave. We wanted to protect them, but we couldn't disobey orders…Michael died first…You see, Voldermort despised the Ravenclaw clan…He was only looking for you, so he could produce the heir everyone prophesied about. Lucia believed that he thought he was the reincarnation of Salazar, but he knew that he wasn't. We heard him talking to one of his people afterwards. He told them to find the you, he would take care of the Potter boy, leaving an easy way of uniting the two of you without worry. But the gods protected him, and he lived."
"Who is the dark soul I'm supposed to make light?"
"Lucia never found out. The centaurs were more open with the Chosen People, but they never gave her the name. They told her you'd know. She spent a lot of time looking at omens. Reading you aura and your future. It was always vague. She yelled after me, as me and Maria was retreating, she told me that you was to find the fair dragon, to turn him light…To make him whole, and fix his soul."
"But that doesn't make sense…Dragon's aren't human…" Isabella just shrugged and they made their way to the library. Hermione browsed the books, finally choosing a few to bring to school with her.
"I thought we might go for a ride today," Draco said as he finished breakfast. Hermione stared at him and he saw clearly the hesitation in her eyes.
"I haven't ridden…In three years," she said. Remembering the last ride. She and Mona had fought during the entire ride out, and on the way back Mona ran Top Hat full out down the trails. She thought that her hard work might have killed Mona that day…But thankfully, both girls made it back to the barn safely. Dream had come up lame the next day, and Lara had demanded to know what had happened. She had to scratch Dream from their show the next week. Hermione had nursed Dream up until she left, but Lara was still pissed when she waved Hermione off on September 1st. Mona didn't say goodbye.
"Doesn't matter. We'll take it slow. Riding isn't something you forget very easily Mione, you know that." Hermione considered this before slowly nodding.
"Okay…I'll get Isabella to make us lunch and then we can leave," she said as she put all the dishes onto the tray and carried it back to the kitchen. Instead of Isabella she found Maria washing down the counter and stove.
"Could you make me a picnic lunch to take on a trail ride Maria?"
"Of course, whatever Miss Hermione desires," Hermione managed not to flinch and smiled, if somewhat pinched.
"Where did Lucia keep her riding gear?"
"Up in the tower. All her clothes are there. Isabella can show you," on cue Isabella appeared. She took Hermione's hand and lead her down the hall and up a spiral staircase, hidden by a tapestry.
"Lucia demanded the tower room be cleared out. It has a beautiful view was what she told Michael. He argued…But she always got what she wanted. She kept her clothes up there, and her books…well the important ones. She used to do the bookwork there." As she finished, they reached the top. Hermione had counted one hundred steps. She opened the door and stepped into the room. Unlike the rest of the house, which was furnished in deep purple, this room was furnished in red and gold.
"She was a Griffindor you know." Isabella said, as if an explanation was needed. "I'll wait outside," as with another soft smile she closed the door. Hermione looked around. The room was all windows. You could see every paddock. She closed her eyes, and saw the view from twenty years again. A large cluster of mares and foals. Each stallion's paddock holding pedigreed stallion racer or eventer. With bloodlines to die for. It was beautiful. She blinked and found her way instinctively to a chest carved with horses. She opened the top and dug around. The top was filled with worn breeches and stained blouses, grass stains and otherwise. She finally pulled out a pair of new breeches, and of worn broken in tall boots. She changed quickly and pulled the boots on. They were, of course, her size.
They made the return journey quickly. Draco had the lunch already, slung over his shoulder in two saddle bags. They made their way to the stables in a companionable silence. Dan was waiting. He had Jewel and Sky saddled up. Jewel was wearing a western saddle and Sky an English.
"I thought we were going to take out some of the older horses…" Hermione said, unsure if she could handle a spirited Thoroughbred mare. Dan sighed.
"Miss Hermione, you have not ridden until you've been on one of these two. I wanted you to take Oddball down there out, but Draco wouldn't hear of it. Now he's a spirited one. Wonderful mount though. Ride 'em before Jewel's too far along," Hermione caved in. It was every riders dream to ride a Welton Horse. Especially one with perfect composition and training.
"Why didn't she ever compete?" Hermione asked, as she buckled a helmet on and swung up.
"Been waiting for you. We keep 'em exercised, but she's young yet. Especially for an eventer." Hermione nodded and Dan let go of Sky's rein. The young mare danced in place. Hermione settled her and managed another question while Draco mounted.
"I thought all of the mares were bred?"
"We decided not to breed Sky. She need to compete. To much talent wasted. She was supposed to breed, over in Kentucky…To Dream Flight, we cancelled though."
"Thanks," Hermione said impulsively. She was glad that she and Sky would be able to form a bond over the summer. Perhaps even show…Plans raced before her eyes. Draco finally mounted, after double checking the saddle bags, and they set out at a walk. Dan waved them off. Jewel walked patiently, the picture of a perfect riding horse. Sky tested Hermione, playing with the bit and trying to speed up. Finally a good two hundred yards from the barn they picked up a slow trot. Hermione instinctively fell to posting, and they talked of Draco's horses. His childhood companions.
"Mum used show, she was really talented. Her and Lily competed together at the local shows. Lucius made her give it up though. He made her give up a lot," he sad softly. Hermione was slowly seeing another side to Draco…And to his mother.
"He wasn't a very good father, was he?" she asked softly.
"No. He wasn't. He's abusive and cynical. Mum hates him. Had the Black not betrothed her at birth, she would have left him far behind…She liked Snape…Don't know why. But she had no choice. She was friends with Lily and James, and of course Sirius, they were cousins. He was abusive then, when they dated. She slowly changed, accepted it. Became what he wanted, left her friends, joined his. She cries at home…drinks a lot. We both do. She's done a lot of drugs too." He said softly, a solitary tear slipping down his cheek. Hermione sighed, but he ended their chat before she could ask another question.
"Let's gallop, I'll race you to the lake." She laughed at his challenge and urged Sky forward. The younger filly leaped forward eagerly. Draco was ahead of them, but Sky inched ever closer. A small brown dot grew in the horizon, slowly growing larger. Draco slowly began to curve outwards, Hermione urged Sky forward. The shortest distance is a straight line, she thought eagerly. Kneading her hands along the mare's neck she began to count strides, Sky took off without a command. They landed with a thud, and Sky raced on. When they reached the sand Hermione slowed her and turned, cantering, then trotting down the sandy beach a ways. Draco followed, catching up and slowing. They finally walked, letting the horses cool before finding a slightly shaded area and stopping. He dismounted and removed Jewel's tack, slipping a halter on and letting her loose. Hermione followed suit, though was reluctant to let her mare's halter go.
"Dan said they'll come back on a whistle. They're used to this type of stuff." Hermione nodded and let the horse go with a light tap on the side, Sky trotted after Jewel. It was three hours after their breakfast at that point, but neither was hungry. Hermione spread a blanket out and Draco flopped down, she lowered down next to him.
"So what about your childhood. Picture perfect?" He questioned.
"Compared to yours, easy. But from my eyes it wasn't. Me and Mona were always in trouble. I had detentions every other day. Stupid things, but fun. We had a lot of fun," she said wistfully. Her prank days were over. "Then June before Hogwarts I was expelled. When we got the letter my parents were surprised, well they acted it. They said I had to turn around, be more group. No more detentions…So I changed. Magic became everything. Friends, Boys…Fun. Faded. Plus I picked things up easily, so learning the spells was fun." Draco merely nodded and Hermione trailed off. He sat up, wrapping his arm around her. They looked out for a while at the lake before her turned to her, catching her eye.
"Mione…I think I'm in love with you," he said softly. He looked completely at peace, his eyes betraying his love, for once not hiding everything behind closed shutters. She smiled, and kissed him softly, then more urgently, searching for something. Meanwhile something deep inside of her snapped, he laid back and she followed, kissing and searching. When his hands began to search her body she let them, her own hands beginning to search his body. Slowly the kissing stopped and Hermione became aware of the fact that her blouse was unbuttoned. She rolled over, off of him, and buttoned it. Draco looked ashamed of himself, something completely new to her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean…I lost-" he began, not completing any sentences and looking confused and lost. Unsure of himself for once, which was obviously as new to him as it was to her.
"Sshh…" she said laying a finger in front of his lips. "We both did. It's not your fault…And it's not a big deal," she finished with a soft, relaxed smile. He to relaxed, happy he didn't ruin it. She curled up next to him, and he wrapped his arms around her. They laid like that for an hour before her stomach began to growl and they finally opened up the lunch.
Maria was an excellent cook, and they ate every crumb of her food. Ham and cheese sandwiches, loaded with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. Cookies, soft and delicious, warm as if they'd just left the oven minutes ago. There was a bottle of wine, expensive and old. Draco left it in the saddlebags and dug around for two sodas, those that he'd added himself. It was obvious Maria was from a different age, and though Draco enjoyed wine, Hermione was only partial to it…And he knew that if he started drinking he wouldn't stop for quite some while. Ruining a perfectly good day.
They talked more of Hermione's past during the lunch, she told him about the town and reiterated Mona's talk on public schools. She told him of the different pranks they'd played, nailing doors shut, packing lockers with tampons. Leaving dissected fish on the principles car, frogs in teachers drawers. Finally being expelled when they caught her carefully stenciling the principles name under "go to hell" on the side of the school, she pushed Mona away. Taking the blame…Mona couldn't afford to be expelled. It was hard to believe she was such a trouble maker, she tried to explain that the principal was a prick and deserved the torture, and insisted that hell probably wouldn't except him anyway, but Draco just laughed.
Finally Draco whistled and the horses trotted up. Hermione tacked them up, having more experience than Draco in that department while he cleaned up their trash and repacked the saddle bags. They finally remounted and made the ride home in a companionable silence. Basking in the other's company.
They arrived at the stables and two grooms materialized from no where.
"We'll take the horses for you," the younger sandy haired boy said. Barely more than fifteen he gave Hermione a once over and she raised an eyebrow.
"I'm very capable of putting my own horse up, thank you…Though, Draco probably would like the help."
"It's my job ma'am. I don't mind," he said.
"I'll be quite glad to groom my own horse." Dean appeared from the inside of the stable and waved the older groom off to exercise one of the horses.
"John take care of Master Malfoy's horse. Miss Hermione won't give you hers with out a battle. She's Lucia's daughter, don't expect to groom any horse she rides," the sandy haired boy, John, nodded and took Draco's reins as he dismounted, leading the horse away. Hermione dismounted and took her helmet off, leading Sky inside she slipped of her bridle and slipped a halter over the mare's head. Clipping cross-ties on she pulled off the saddle and Draco led the way to the tack room. She put the tack in it's proper place and took a minute to look at all the gear inside.
The room was decorated with saddle racks, each full. There was every type of saddle imaginable, there were bare back pads and regular riding pads, a bridle for each horse made of expensive Italian leather and carrying a nameplate with the horse's show name on it. Sky's was newer, but Cloud's was greatly worn in, a newer one laid carefully behind it, barely used. She smiled softly, running her fingers along the name plate, and grabbed one of the cherry boxes marked Sky. She carried it back to the cross-ties, shadowed by Draco. Together they spent the next half-hour grooming Sky who basked in their attention. When Hermione released the mare into the paddock she pranced around like the Princess she was.
Draco took his leave that afternoon, saying he'd be back for dinner and Hermione spent the day exploring the house, Isabella by her side.
"Lucia was a wonderful person. She was a wood elf you know," Isabella said, the pride of this flowing from her words. It was plain that she had loved and adored Lucia from the moment the young woman stepped, or was carried, through the door.
"So the rumor was try?"
"Oh yes! She used to heal magical creatures. No one knew that though. You used to go with her. The forests have been whispering of you return for a long while. They loved you. Some knew you'd do great things."
"Who?"
"The centaurs of course. Before you were born they told Lucia that you would right and old wrong. You would bring peace among the Chosen People, and you would turn a dark soul- to light."
"The Chosen People…Elves right?"
"Yes. Lucia was beautiful. She had long hair, milky brown, her ears were so beautiful. Pointed just the right amount, she hid them beneath her hair though…It wasn't that she was ashamed of her heritage, she just didn't want people mocking her. Elves have never really been well-respected. It's sad really…Wood elves are the kindest people. But she took her ability to change her appearance in stride, Dumbledore coached her through the training necessary and she learnt it well enough."
Like Tonks…Hermione thought softly. "Why was she raised by humans?" Hermione asked softly.
"The ministry came to the forest her mother's coterie inhabited and demanded they move to the mountains. Her mother knew the long journey would kill her. She begged the captain to take her daughter…He spit on her feet…So she lied. She told him that his father was a human, and her tribe would kill them both. How could he refuse? She was the wife of the leader, he took the girl. She spoke a spell over Lucia, slowing her aging until she entered school…Then the man made her leave, he took the girl and stowed her away in his truck, her mother attended her wedding. She brought Cloud's dam, heavy and in foal. It was pretty reunion afterwards, but her mother left, and Lucia never was able to visit the coterie in the mountains…Her work to the Ministry took over. They never saw each other again. Her adoptive father regretted brining her home when his own wife finally had their own child, and she became more of a household servant then a daughter. She received her letter, and attended Hogwarts on a scholarship."
"Michael loved her even though she was an elf?"
"Oh yes. He loved her enough to take the risk of leaving her hundred of years before she followed. She loved him enough to become far more attached then she should of…"
"But they died together."
"Almost…" Isabella shuddered, tears sliding down her face. "We was here, when it happened. Maria and me. We tried to protect them, but we wasn't able to. Lucia ordered us out, telling us we was to protect her daughter, to leave until you was to return. So we had to leave. We wanted to protect them, but we couldn't disobey orders…Michael died first…You see, Voldermort despised the Ravenclaw clan…He was only looking for you, so he could produce the heir everyone prophesied about. Lucia believed that he thought he was the reincarnation of Salazar, but he knew that he wasn't. We heard him talking to one of his people afterwards. He told them to find the you, he would take care of the Potter boy, leaving an easy way of uniting the two of you without worry. But the gods protected him, and he lived."
"Who is the dark soul I'm supposed to make light?"
"Lucia never found out. The centaurs were more open with the Chosen People, but they never gave her the name. They told her you'd know. She spent a lot of time looking at omens. Reading you aura and your future. It was always vague. She yelled after me, as me and Maria was retreating, she told me that you was to find the fair dragon, to turn him light…To make him whole, and fix his soul."
"But that doesn't make sense…Dragon's aren't human…" Isabella just shrugged and they made their way to the library. Hermione browsed the books, finally choosing a few to bring to school with her.