Kuro: No reviews for chpt 13? I'm shocked at you people.
Kaze: Really, it makes us depressed.
Kuro: How can I get through my day knowing that our readers don't love us anymore?
Kaze: Um...by having Faygo and sugar. But really people, please review. Let us know you care and like the story.
Kuro: Yeah, or I'll delay the posting of my second HP fic even longer.
Kaze: Um...Kuro, can we not go there? Now, for the people who did review, we thank you. Keep it up.
Kuro: Onto chpt 14!
Kaze: Yes, remember we own nothing but ourselves and pets.
Kuro: Enjoy!
Review Response:
Whoops, I forgot about one review. But that doesn't excuse the ppl who have been keeping up with the story and didn't review.
Black Roses of Death- Thanks, I'm glad you like it.
Truth Lies in the Shadows
Chapter 14
The holiday break had finally come. The Entrance Hall was full of students and their luggage waiting for the Hogwarts Express to pull into the station. After the students' departure, the castle would seem so empty except for the few people staying behind, including the three demons.
"Harry!"
Said boy halted his descent on the stairs. Looking over his shoulder, Harry saw Neville struggling to get down the steps quickly without falling. Somehow he managed to reach the famous boy with no injury to himself or others. "Oh, hello, Reina." he said when he noticed the girl at Harry's side. The half-demon returned the greeting kindly. "Harry, you saw the demons from Hagrid's class, right?"
"Yes," replied Harry slightly irritated. Too many people had come up to him in the past two days asking about the demons. They were the talk of the whole school.
"Is it true that they're two hundred years old?" Neville asked excitedly.
Reina's eyes widened in shock and then narrowed. 'Oh, that is so insulting. I do not look that old. Father's not even one hundred fifty yet.' she thought annoyed.
"I don't know, Neville." Harry said. After a few more words, Neville wished them a happy Christmas and left. The other two Gryffindors went down the remaining steps to find their friends. It didn't take them long to find Ron, Hermione, and Kaze waiting by the door. Not long after meeting up, the gigantic double doors opened. In something not even close to an orderly fashion, the students exited the castle heading for the train station.
The Gryffindor trio held off on boarding the train just yet. They stood chatting with Reina and Kaze for about five minutes before Kiku was seen running towards them. After another short time of talking, the five kids said their goodbyes. Kiku then ran off to say goodbye to her Slytherin friends. Kaze left next saying she had to go feed Fireball. But Reina stayed to see them off.
As the trio boarded the train, something in the back of Reina's head cried out to her. She tried to ignore it, but it insisted on bothering her. In the end, that something won out. "Harry, wait!" The half-demon shuffled over to the platform where the boy was about to step onto the train. "I need to tell you something."
Harry looked down at her with concern. His friend's eyes showed an inner struggle going on. Immediately his thoughts went to the sudden lapses Reina had been having. He stepped off the platform and turned to her. "What is it?"
The half-demon opened her mouth, but refrained from speaking. Her senses returned and told her this wasn't the time. She refused to ruin Harry's holiday with surprising and terribly unexpected news. The hasty decision made, Reina smiled at the boy before her. "Happy Christmas, Harry."
It took a moment for Reina's words to register. Something wasn't right. The sudden change in her attitude suggested that she was hiding something. Harry wanted to find out what it was, but the timing was all wrong. The whistle of the train sounded through the winter air. Startled out of his thoughts, Harry glanced at the train and back to the half-demon. "Happy Christmas, Reina." he said and then quickly got onto the metal monster.
Reina stepped back away from the tracks as the wheels started spinning. Smoke puffed from the front of the station, rising high into the sky. Watching as the train pulled out of the station, Reina saw a hand waving from one of the many windows. When that particular window passed her, Harry and Ron could be seen inside looking out. This brought a smile to the lone girl's face, which stayed alive all the way back to the castle.
Once she was out of the chill air, the half-demon found herself walking circles around the ground floor. For the first time in weeks Reina's thoughts were totally focused on her cousin. Things had been so busy lately that she hadn't really had the time to think about the reason she was at Hogwarts. It felt as though she was there just to learn like every other student. But she wasn't like the others, not even close. She wasn't even like Kaze and Kiku anymore. They could enjoy their stay at Hogwarts because they didn't have to carry the burden that Reina was forced to.
Keeping her true identity a secret was more demanding that Reina originally thought. There were a couple of close calls in the past when the concealing spell wasn't cast. And that spell was draining more and more energy from the half-demon everyday. Why it was happening was a mystery, which also added to Reina's irritation, most of it stemming from Darikk's secrecy. However, the worst part of this whole situation was Harry's involvement in it all. Reina and Harry had become good friends over the past few months. This was having a great impact on Reina's moves to tell Harry the truth. Doubt had found a way into her heart making her question even telling him. It was all so confusing.
"Miss Krone,"
Reina looked up from the floor at the soft sound. "Good morning, Headmaster." She remained still as the old wizard approached her.
"Good morning." Dumbledore noticed something missing from the young woman's face…a smile. Usually Reina would greet the Headmaster cheerily, but not this morning. She didn't look like herself, she looked ill. "How are you today?"
"Fine, sir."
"You know, Reina, I have been dealing with teenagers for quite some time. Whatever it is that's bothering you I'm sure I can be of some help."
The half-demon slid her hands into her jeans' pockets, dropping her eyes back to the floor. "I appreciate your concern, but I doubt you can consider my problems those of a normal teenager." she replied with a smirk not of her nature.
"I see." Dumbledore said after a short silence. He moved to Reina's side and put a hand on her back. "Come with me."
From the deserted corridor, Dumbledore led his student through the halls to his office. They both sat down in chairs facing each other. For a while they just sat in silence with an occasional coo from Fawkes. Eventually Dumbledore decided to address the situation directly. When he looked up from the papers on his desk, he realized that Reina had dropped her disguise and now sat with her eyes closed.
"I assume that the concealing spell on your body is still giving you troubles." said Dumbledore. He believed that the girl's health was the more important issue at that time.
A heavy sigh escaped as Reina leaned back in the chair. Rubbing her eyes, she answered saying, "Your assumptions are correct." She looked back at the wizard with exhaustion written all over her face. "It feels as though the spell is draining my energy while trying to keep from fading. Because of that I have had to excuse myself to the restroom several times this week just so I could get a reprieve. Not to mention it's affecting my sleep."
"I see." Dumbledore propped his elbows up on his desk, fingertips pressed together lightly. "Have you noticed anything else that seems odd or unusual?"
"Actually I have. Lately I've been losing control of my powers. It's normal for me to slip up occasionally, but things are going wrong with the simplest techniques."
"Why didn't you come to me like I instructed you?"
This caught Reina off guard. Dumbledore did talk to her about coming to him, and she remembered that quite clearly. She redirected her gaze to the fireplace, where all remnants of a recent fire were gone. "There are more urgent issues that need attention beside my own. I thought it would pass, that I could take care of it myself." She paused and then continued in a voice barely above a whisper. "I'm used to dealing with things alone."
Dumbledore slowly dropped his hands and placed them palms down on the desktop. "Reina, you are not alone. You don't have to hide these things; we're here to help you. Please understand that." This appeared to work because Reina fixed her lavender eyes on the wizard. With her attention given, Dumbledore began again.
"Now, I am at a loss for what's causing this reaction to the spell, but I assure you I will find out. In order to do that I will need your cooperation, meaning you must do what I ask. Reina, do you trust me enough to do that?"
There was a long silence following Dumbledore's words, during which the half-demon stared intently back into the soft blue eyes behind those half-moon spectacles. Reina was strangely reminded of her father then. The tenderness embedded in the man's gaze matched that of Darikk when he would look at his daughter. Like a pendulum transferring motion, the thought of that unnatural kindness gave the push to bring up another memory, one where that same sincerity was also directed towards Reina. It was Marina. Reina was only a few weeks old when it happened, but she could still recall the lingering memories of her mother's gentle touch.
Reina's fingers rubbed over the ring hanging from the chain around her neck. "Yes," she said at long last. "I trust you. You trusted me so now I must return the favor."
"Good. Is there anything else going on that you haven't told me?"
Before answering, Reina remembered the promise she made to Harry the other night. She swore she would get help. And that's exactly what she planned to do. "Yes, there is." Over the next half hour, Reina and Dumbledore discussed the unexplainable episodes that had been coming over the half-demon.
"I suggest we set up an examination with Madam Pomfrey. Hopefully she will be able to confirm or disprove my theory." The wizard took out a clean piece of parchment, dipped his pen into the ink bottle, and began writing out a letter to the magical nurse.
"Um, sir, what is your theory?" the half-demon asked feeling much better.
"In time, my dear child. In time." Dumbledore replied without looking up from his work. "First, there is one more subject matter that we must discuss." Reina kept quiet while he finished up his writing. A minute or two later, the feather was laid down and the parchment folded up. "Have you thought about telling Harry the truth?"
"I haven't lied to him." Reina said sheepishly.
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Alright, then how about showing him the truth." Long slender fingers gestured to the girl who let fall the lock of blue hair she was occupying her own fingers with.
"Uh, yeah." The half-demon's arm fell back onto the arm of the chair.
"I will take that as a 'no'. Do you know how you are going to tell him?" Reina shook her head. "Well I suggest you devise a way over the next couple of days. I've already sent out a request to the Weasley household for you to visit on Christmas day. After thinking it over, the idea of a cousin for a gift began to sit nicely with me, and I believe Harry would enjoy it also."
Throughout the whole time it took him to say it, Dumbledore was calm and collective as though there was absolutely nothing wrong. On the other hand, Reina was staring at the man in disbelief, her lips slightly parted in awe. She was speechless, unable to work through this bombshell. Eventually, when her senses returned, the half-demon could speak but wasn't sure of what to say.
"Are you serious?" she managed to get out.
"Quite. You can thank Miss Soran. She's the one who gave me the idea." He didn't know why, but Dumbledore was enjoying the liveliness in the girl's eyes, despite it being made up of confusion, nervousness, understanding, and a hunger for revenge. "If there is nothing else you wish to talk about then you may go. But please report to the Hospital Wing tomorrow night after dinner. I will not be there, however, I will speak to Madam Pomfrey ahead of time."
"Thank you, sir."
Reina stood up with haste, the chair rocking from the force, and went to the door. As she closed the door behind her, she heard Dumbledore clear his throat. She popped her head back into the room. "Yes?"
"Be sure to come her to my office at midday on Christmas."
With a curt nod the half-demon disappeared into the stairwell outside. Skipping several steps as she ran down, Reina made it to solid ground in a few seconds and continued to run through the halls. It was time for a stern talking with the mischievous wind demon.
It didn't take long for the young shadow demon to reach the library where Kaze and Kiku were according to a telepathic message she received during her meeting with Dumbledore. Walking towards the back, Reina tried to suppress the urge to yell at the wind demon as soon as she sees her. As hard as that was she managed t pull it off when she turned the corner.
"You and I are going to have a talk later."
Kaze cocked her head at he friend's words. At first she was unsure what Reina was talking about, but then it occurred to her where the half-demon had come from. "So, I take it you know your plans for Christmas." she said smirking.
"Huh?" Kiku looked from one girl to the other in confusion. "What's going on?"
"I'll tell you later."
"Oh, come one. Don't leave me out!" the water demon whined.
"Later. Now what are we doing here?"
Kiku stopped pouting and suddenly became serious. "Something strange is going on with Malfoy. Last night after our fight, Draco left the common room following Snape. I found it suspicious so I sent Hashi after him." She paused to stroke the fox pup in her lap. "It turns out that Draco snuck into Slughorn's party. Snape caught him and they were talking about something in the next room. It sounded like they were planning. And what makes it really weird was that Draco blew up at Snape and he said nothing."
"How did a fox tell you this?" Kaze interrupted.
"You know how I can see and hear what Mayoke can?" asked Reina before Kiku could explain. The shorter girl nodded. "Same basic concept." There was a soft 'oh' from Kaze and then they directed their attention back to Kiku. "What are they planning?"
The water demon shrugged. "I don't know. They didn't say anything definite, just a lot of odds and ends. But I'm going to keep an eye on him."
"Ok, just be careful. We don't want, nor can we afford, to have Malfoy find out about us, especially you. It could end your days at Hogwarts."
"Stop being so paranoid, Rei." Kaze chirped as she poked the girl next to her in the arm. She smiled wide when Reina smacked her hand away and gave her a look that could kill.
While this little exchange was going on, the librarian had walked to the back where their table was. She stood waiting next to the table expecting the girls to notice. They didn't. "Ahem," Suddenly the three girls stopped their bickering and stared at the woman. "The library will be closed for the next hour so I must ask you to leave." Madam Pince said sharply.
"Yes, ma'am."
The girls collected their belongings and hurried out of the library. Once they were out in the hall, Hashi poked his head out of Kiku's bag. The water demon took him out and placed him on the ground. Hashi then took off down the hall. "So, what's this about Christmas plans?"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Happy Christmas everyone!"
Mrs.Weasley's jubilant wish had everyone at the Burrow smiling. It was Christmas morning and the boys had finally joined the rest of the crowd downstairs. The kitchen was overflowing with the sweet aroma of a delicious holiday meal, which spilled into the adjoining rooms. The Weasley's and their guests sat in the living room enjoying the smell. When it got closer to midday, Ginny and Fleur aided Mrs.Weasley in setting the table.
"Oh, Ginny, dear. Add one more plate at the end."
"But there's only ten of us." Ginny grumbled as she took another plate from Fleur.
"We have one more person coming. Oh, I hope we have room." Mrs.Weasley waved her wand commanding the stuffing to take flight to the table.
Harry, Ron, and the twins entered the room at that time, catching the last part of the conversation. "So Tonks is coming?" Ron asked as he sat down. Harry followed suit, but the twins remained standing.
"No, I'm afraid Tonks is busy. It's actually one of you classmates, Ron. Dumbledore sent me a letter asking if she could come visit today. He was quite vague on the reason though." his mother replied.
"She?" Fred and George said surprised. They looked at each other and then to Ron with matching grins. Silently agreeing to take the opportunity to gang up on their brother, they approached Ron's chair.
"What?" The youngest Weasley son immediately knew something was up.
"It's a she, Ron." Fred said pretending to sound shocked.
"A she from your school." George added.
"She's can be girlfriends."
"Is this she Ron's she?"
"Is it, Ronnie-kins?"
"Shut up!"
"Come on. Tell us." and "We won't blab to anyone else." Entered Ron's ears from both sides. He almost threw his fist out at one of them, but instead went with a different approach. "Mom!"
The loud banging of a steel pot against wood made everyone jump. All eyes darted towards Mrs.Weasley, whose patience was obviously wearing thin. "Fred! George! Leave Ron alone and go help your father!" she shouted with her hands placed on her hips. Without another word, a few chuckles maybe but not a word, the twins exited the room. After watching her sons leave, Mrs.Weasley crossed the room and opened the top drawer under the countertop. "Here it is. Dumbledore says her name is…"
A knock was heard from the front door interrupting Mrs.Weasley. Some shuffling went on in the front room as someone got up to answer the door. Ron, who was now officially annoyed, roughly pushed back his chair and went to see who was there. Harry stood, a lot gentler with his own chair, and followed the redhead boy. They entered the room from the side, watching as Mr.Weasley opened the door. From their position the boys couldn't see the visitor, but Ginny could and she bolted to the door.
"Hey! Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" Ginny asked excitedly.
"I didn't know until a few days ago." Came a female voice.
"You can't imagine how happy I am to see you. I've been surrounded by immature guys ever since we got home." This made Fleur frown from the doorway. "Come in." Ginny grabbed the girl's wrist and pulled her into the house.
"Reina!" Harry and Ron said in unison.
Mr.Weasley glanced at the two boys before returning his attention to the brunette next to him. "I take it your name is Reina?" The girl nodded. "Welcome, Reina. I am Arthur Weasley." He closed the door after Ginny dragged Reina farther in, and then he walked over to Mrs.Weasley. "This is my wife Molly, my son Bill, the twins Fred and George, Fleur Delcour, and Remus Lupin." he said pointing out everyone.
There were some "Hello's" and "Welcome's" from the room's occupants. With a smile Reina returned the friendly greetings. As she glanced at each person in turn, she noticed that the man Mr.Weasley introduced as Remus Lupin was staring at her with a strange look in his eyes. The half-demon couldn't study him for long because Ginny ushered her across the room just as Mrs.Weasley called for everyone to come to the table.
Towards the end of the meal, people sat back one by one with their eyes bigger than their stomachs. A few conversations arose as plates were cleared, but none of them contained the shock and surprise that came with the knock on the door. When Mrs.Weasley answered it, there were several shocked faces at the sight of the young man standing in the doorway, some of them turning to scowls pretty fast.
"Percy!"
"Hello, Mother."
Following Percy into the house was an old man wearing a smile that was beginning to creep out the half-demon. Reina remained quiet while the strange man and Percy were talking to the family. Eventually the old wizard announced his identity as Rufus Scrimgeour, the new Minister of Magic. With no clue as to what that meant Reina was still in the dark about what was going on. She felt weird being a part of it when she shouldn't be. She felt even weirder when Harry left to show Scrimgeour around the garden.
"Reina," Lupin addressed her in a whisper. "Why don't you accompany me to the living room? This is a family affair and I don't think it wise that we stay."
The half-demon was grateful for this and followed the man into the next room. As they walked out of the kitchen, Lupin caught his foot on the rug and stumbled forward. Reina grabbed his hand to help him, but almost immediately let go as a shiver ran down her spine. Before she could stop herself, the sudden accusation tumbled out. "You're not human!"
Lupin hastened her farther into the room despite Reina's protests. When he let go of her shoulder, she spun around to face him. The small smile gracing Lupin's lips was totally unexpected. "You've confirmed my suspicions, Reina." he said. Now the half-demon was utterly confused.
"What are you?" Reina asked taking a step away from the man.
"A werewolf." replied Lupin bluntly. "But you don't have to fear me. I am a friend of Dumbledore's, and I was a friend of your mother's." He watched as the girl's eyes widened slightly, but then went emotionless.
"Remus? I remember my mother mentioning you in her journals. You were very close to Sirius and my Uncle James."
The man nodded, glad that he didn't have to explain. "You've disguised yourself well." he said sitting down in a chair. "How do you like Hogwarts?"
Crossing her arms, Reina shifted her weight to the other foot; she was too full to sit down. "It's as wonderful as my mother said it was. And Dumbledore is terrific. He really cares about every one of his students." she said sounding a bit dazed.
The Order member leaned back in the chair. "It seems you have collected a good deal of knowledge from Marina's old journals." Reina's mouth morphed into a half-smile. Lupin couldn't help but to comment on that face. "You look just-"
"Like Marina." Interrupted Reina. "I know. I've heard that more times than I care to remember." She concluded nonchalantly.
Lupin gave her a curt laugh at the slight exasperation on the half-demon's face. "I'm sure you're tired of hearing it. You and Harry are victims of heredity I'm afraid. Must run in the family."
With a sigh Reina murmured, "It just might." She closed her eyes, but suddenly reopened them at the sound of the door closing. There were some voices exchanging words then Harry called out the half-demon's name. A second later the boy entered the room.
"There you are. What are you two doing in here?"
Lupin looked up at Reina who gazed back at him with a serious face. "Could you excuse us? I need to talk to Harry." She said. The man stood up slowly. As he walked passed her, Reina heard the whisper of "Good luck." The half-demon finally turned to Harry once Lupin was out of the room. Ignoring the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, she looked at the boy straight in the eye. "Is there someplace we can talk in private?"