Ok, so here's the new chapter..Hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think!
Groaning when she heard her alarm going off, Natalia opened her eyes and saw it was 5:30 am. Lazily waving her hand to turn the alarm off, she sat up and yawned. Shaking Breeze awake, she whispered, "Come on girl, it's time to get up. We've got to train."
Getting out of bed, Natalia stumbled over to her cabinet and pulled out a black tank top and some black, baggy shorts and pulled them on tiredly. Going to her trunk, she pulled out a wooden staff, wooden practice sword, and two wooden practice batons. Holding the staff with her left hand wrapped around the middle, Natalia squeezed slightly, making both ends contract. Hiding the practice weapons on her body, Natalia pulled on some slippers and called for Breeze to follow her out of the dorm. Silently slipping out of the common room, Natalia shadow walked outside while Breeze disappeared in a flurry of snowflakes. Reappearing beside the Black Lake, Natalia slipped her slippers off and dropped her staff, batons and sword beside them. Stretching her legs thoroughly, she started jogging around the lake with Breeze.
Picking up her pace on her fifth lap, Natalia paced her breathing as she started running around the lake. On her last lap, she looked down at Breeze who was running with her. "You wanna race, Bre?"
Breeze gave a bark of acceptance and started running faster. Natalia grinned feraly and pushed herself harder, quickly catching up to her familiar. "Okay, girl, just like at home. Ten feet until we reach the finish line, you know what to do." Natalia dropped back some as Breeze ran faster, a few feet between them. "Now, girl!" Natalia called, watching as Breeze turned and breathed pure ice at her. Grinning, Natalia pushed a little extra strength into her legs and launched herself up in the air over Breeze's ice attack, holding her hands in front of her, palm open, and creating an ice slide that she landed on. Sliding down her ice slide, Natalia laughed lightly as she came to the end where a small ramp had been made, launching her into the air where she did a small flip and landed silently on the ground on all fours.
Catching her breath slowly, Natalia stood and moved to grab her practice batons. Closing her eyes and breathing in deeply, she slowly fell into the familiar movements of her katas that she'd learned from traveling with Merlin. As her body moved, Natalia stretched her senses out to her surroundings, feeling the creatures that lived in the Forbidden Forest and the witches and wizards inside the castle. Opening her eyes when she finished her katas, Natalia started going through her normal morning workout. About two hours later she finished, sweating heavily under the morning sun, and put her practice weapons away in one of her shorts pockets. Lifting the bottom of her tank top, she folded it up so the cool morning air could hit her glistening muscled stomach. Opening her eyes from when she'd closed them for her wind down katas, Natalia froze when she saw different magical creatures in front of her. It looked like at least one of every creature that lived in the forest was in front of her.
"It was foretold in the stars that the young Leader of the Light would come to Hogwarts during this dark time," a Centaur said before the gathered creatures bowed respectfully before Natalia.
"Please, do not bow to me," Natalia said softly, knowing they would hear her. "I may be the Lord of the Light but I do not wish for you to bow to me. When the time is right, I will rid the darkness from our world and make it so that everyone, be it a witch, wizard, or magical creature, is equal."
"Your words are spoken like a true Leader of the Light," the Centaur said as he and the other creatures stood tall again. "When you need us, we will come when you call for us. Be safe, young Lady."
Bowing her head in acknowledgment, Natalia watched as the magical creatures disappeared back into the forest. When the last one was out of sight, Natalia whispered, "I hope you have not misplaced your faith, my friends."
Grabbing her slippers, Natalia made her way back into the castle, silently making her way up to Gryffindor Tower. Casting a silent Tempus, she found it was 7 am. The castle occupants were just waking up. Slipping inside the portrait hole, Natalia headed up to the girls dorm to take a quick shower and change. Closing the drapes around her bed where Breeze was sleeping, Natalia grabbed her book bag and left the dorm, heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Stepping into the Great Hall, Natalia saw that it was empty of students and only her Head of House was at the Head Table. Taking a seat at the end of the table near the doors, she nodded at her professor in greeting and started eating breakfast.
Natalie looked up when she heard students entering the Great Hall, catching sight of her friends heading her way. Greeting them when they sat, Natalia looked up at the Head Table when she remembered the aura of darkness that Professor Quirrel had. Switching to her Mage Sight, Natalia stared at the man, noticing that the darkness was mainly coming from two different points; his left forearm and the back of his head. Looking at the professor beside Quirrel, Natalia noticed that Professor Snape also had a darkness in his aura that was centered around his left forearm. Shaking her head, Natalia switched back to her normal eyesight and turned to her friends.
"Hey, Venom," she called quietly, making sure no one would over hear. "Death Eaters, aren't their Dark Mark on their left forearm?"
"Yeah, that's the only place they've been found on Death Eaters," Fred said, looking at Natalia questioningly. "Why do you ask?"
"Up at the Head Table, two professors have a darkness in their auras that's focused around their left forearm," Natalia said, motioning towards Quirrel and Snape. "Also, I think there is something on the back of Quirrel's head. I just don't know what yet."
"We'll just have to keep an eye on them then," George said seriously, believing Natalia. Looking down the table, he said, "Schedules are getting passed out."
Natalia looked up when her godmother stopped behind the twins who were sitting across from her. "Morning, Professor."
"Morning, Miss Potter," Minerva said, nodding at her goddaughter. Handing Natalia her schedule, she said, "I hope you enjoy your classes and learn something. Merlin knows I could use someone who is competent in Transfiguration as James and Lily were only average and lets just say Mr. Potter isn't too well gifted when it comes to such things."
Chuckling at Minerva's subtle insult to her twin brother, Natalia said, "I'm sure I'll perform well in your class, Professor. I seem to have a knack for changing stuff into something else if I really concentrate."
Minerva only smiled, walking out of the Great Hall to set up for her first lessons.
Fred and George stared at Natalia in amazement, neither twin had ever heard their professor insult someone like that, even subtly. Nor had they ever seen her smile. Natalia Potter was officially their new hero.
Rolling her eyes as she and Neville walked out of the Great Hall to Fred and George's continued praise, Natalia snickered quietly as they headed to their first lesson, Transfiguration. Being the first ones there, Neville and Natalia sat in the front row, spotting the grey tabby cat watching them. Natalia cocked her head to the side, staring at the cat for a minute before smirking and winking at it. She snickered when the cat seemed to look at her haughtily, going so far as to stick it's nose in the air. Because of her being an Animagi and having Mage Sight, Natalia could tell if an animal was an Animagi or not.
Natalia looked around the classroom when the bell was about to ring, inwardly smirking when she realized her twin and Ron Weasley weren't there yet. Openly smirking when the bell rang and they still weren't there, Natalia waited for the show that would undoubtedly happen. Sure enough, Harry and Ron came bursting into the room a few minutes after the bell rang, looking around and sighing in relief when they couldn't see their professor.
"Oh thank Merlin ol' McGonnogal isn't here yet," Harry said, panting. "I thought for sure I'd of had to use my fame to get us out of trouble."
"Too late for that, Potter," Natalia said, smirking at her brother. "Professor McGonnogal already knows you're late."
"Oh? And where is she, freak?" Harry sneered, glaring at his twin.
Raising an eyebrow, Natalia just stared at her brother. "You do know that calling me a freak, you are therefore calling yourself a freak as well. Actually, you're calling everyone in this room a freak, since we're all magical."
By that time, Minerva had jumped off her desk and changed forms in midair. "Misters Potter and Weasley, ten points each for being late and disrespecting a teacher. And another ten, Mr. Potter, for disrespecting a fellow student. Take your seats immediately." When both boys were seated, Minerva stood in front of her desk and started, "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."
After listening to their professor's speech and writing down the notes on the board, the students started working on trying to transfigure a match into a needle. Looking around at the other students that were struggling, Natalia simply shrugged and visualized in her mind what she wanted to happen while waving her wand over the match. She watched, satisfied, as her match transformed into a shiny, silver needle. Looking around the classroom, Natalia sniggered to herself when she saw her twin's match disappear, only to reappear stuck inside his ear. Shaking her head, she turned to help Neville with his match.
"Okay, Nev, when you're changing one thing into another, it helps if you visualize it in your mind," Natalia said softly, encouragingly. "See in your mind what you want to happen to the match, visualize one end becoming the point and the other end the eye."
Neville nodded, closing his eyes and picturing the match in his mind, slowly changing shape to look like a needle. With the picture firmly in his mind, Neville waved his wand over the match, mumbling the incantation. Hearing Natalia's excited exclamation, Neville opened his eyes, surprised to find the match had changed into a needle perfectly.
"Good job, Nev," Natalia said excitedly, patting her friend on the shoulder.
"Congratulations, Miss Potter, Mr. Longbottom," Minerva said when she stopped in front of the pair. "You two are some of the only First Years that completed this assignment on the first try."
"Thanks, Professor," the two Gryffindors said together, smiling up at their Head of House. Minerva just nodded before walking back around the room, helping those who were having problems. Natalia pulled out one of her potions books she had gotten from her dad, searching through the index for the potion that could revive victims of insanity by torture. Smiling when she found it, Natalia quickly flipped to that section, reading over what the ingredients were and how long it would take to brew.
Grinning when she read it would only take a few days, Natalia decided to make it as soon as possible so her friend could get his parents back. Jumping slightly when the bell rang, Natalia shook her head slightly and put her stuff away as she listened to her godmother assign homework.
"I want each of you to write a 12-inch essay about what the assignment was today, with the exception of Miss Potter and Mr. Longbottom who actually managed to transfigure their matches." Minerva said sternly as her students packed up.
"It's the first day and we've already been assigned homework," Harry complained as the Gryffindors made their way down to the dungeons for their second class, Potions, with the Slytherins. "And from our own bloody Head of House."
"Quit whining, Harrison," Natalia sneered, overhearing her twin's conversation. "If you had actually learned anything from your supposed 'training' then you would of known how to transfigure the match into a needle."
"Shut up, freak, no one asked your opinion," Harry spat, glaring at Natalia. "And don't call me that, my name is Harry."
"We've already had this conversation, Harrison," Natalia said snidely, sneering at her twin. "You calling me a freak means your calling everyone in this school a freak. And your name is Harrison, you dolt."
The Slytherins around them snickered at Natalia's insult, appraising the Gryffindor who seemed to have a mind of her own and hate her twin brother.
"I'm telling mum what you said," Harry said smugly, thinking Natalia would apologize.
"Tell your mother what you wish, Potter, I don't care," Natalia sneered as they walked into the potions classroom. Grabbing Neville's arm, she pulled him to the opposite side of the classroom, away from the other Gryffindors and beside the Slytherins. Dropping down at the last table behind the Slytherins, Natalia smirked when she saw the other Gryffindors and Slytherins looking at them in shock and anger.
The class jumped when the door banged open, the potions professor stalking into the room, his robes billowing behind him. Seeing most of the students still standing he sneered, "Find a seat quickly. There will be no foolish wand waving in this class so I should not see it." Standing in front of his desk, he grabbed a piece of parchment and checked attendance. He stopped when he reached Harry's name, looking up to sneer at the arrogant Gryffindor. "Harry Potter, our resident celebrity. While you might get it easy with your other professors, Potter, you will not get it easy in here. You will work for your grade. Tell me, Potter, where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"
"A bezoar's store?" Harry said arrogantly, earning snickers from the other Gryffindors.
Natalia groaned silently, mentally cursing her twin for his stupid answer.
"And what is the difference between monkswood and wolfsbane?" Snape asked, smirking at the Gryffindor.
"One is more important," Harry guessed, soaking up the attention he was getting. "Though I'm sure you could ask the girl behind me."
Natalia groaned aloud this time, banging her head lightly against her table. Lifting her head, she shot a glare at her twin.
"Is there something you wish to add, Miss Potter?" Snape asked silkily, turning his glare to Natalia.
"Just that Harrison needs to learn when to keep his mouth shut, sir," Natalia said, looking Snape in the eye. "And that if he doesn't know an answer, to have the balls to admit it."
Snape's lips quirked slightly, as if he were going to smile, before settling into a smirk. "And do you know the answers to the questions, Miss Potter?"
"Yes, sir," Natalia said evenly. "Bezoars are found in the stomach of a goat and there is no difference between monkswood and wolfsbane, except their name."
"Very good, Miss Potter," Snape said, nodding slightly.
"Professor, can I ask you a question about a potion?" Natalia asked politely.
"You may, Miss Potter," Snape said, looking at the Gryffindor curiously.
"Why isn't the Reconcilio Potion used anymore?" Natalia asked curiously. "It was proven to awaken those who were comatose."
"The Ministry declared it a Dark potion about twenty years ago, Miss Potter," Snape said honestly. "The ingredients used in the potion come from dangerous, Dark creatures."
"But that's not true, the ingredients don't come from Dark creatures," Natalia argued. "They are just extremely hard to obtain."
"The Ministry declared the ingredients Dark, Miss Potter, and the Ministry would imprison anyone they suspect to be using anything Dark, be it potions, artifacts, or magic." Snape explained shortly before continuing with his lesson. "I will split you into pairs and you will brew a Calming Draught that you will turn in to me by the end of the period or it will be a zero."
Natalia stood from her seat, walking a few rows up to stand beside her partner, Pansy Parkinson. Looking at the Slytherin she asked, "You want me to get the ingredients?"
"Yeah, I'll start setting up everything else," the black-haired girl said.
Natalia nodded, moving over to the cupboard to get the ingredients they needed. Waiting impatiently for her twin to move, Natalia snarled, "Move Harrison, other people who actually know what they're doing need to get ingredients." When Harry refused to move, Natalia subtly flicked her hand to the side, wandlessly pushing her brother to the side, making him bump into a heavy-set Slytherin boy. Snickering at his predicament, Natalia quickly got what she needed and walked back to her station. "Bloody git."
"You don't really like your twin, do you?" Pansy asked, having heard Natalia's comment.
"What possibly gave you that idea, Parkinson? The fact that I call him Potter or Harrison? Or the fact that I insult him when I can?" Natalia asked sarcastically. Snapping her head up to look at the Slytherin, she said, "I'm sorry, Parkinson. I just really dislike having to spend any time with the brat. The only Potters I consider family are my two younger siblings, Rose and Jamie."
"Why only them? And why didn't anyone know that Potter had a twin sister?" Pansy asked, waving the apology off.
"The night Voldemort disappeared and he was declared the Boy-Who-Lived, my loving family left me on my muggle aunt's doorstep," Natalia said, sneering the word loving. "Rose and Jamie weren't born yet and when I met them, they were dressed in clothes only slightly better than rags while my twin was dressed in the finest clothes money could buy. Rose and Jamie don't deserve what Lily and James have put them through, openly favoring one child while their other two children stand in the background. And this is all because of Dumbledore. He told my parents that I should be placed in my aunt's home since I would only be jealous of Harry's fame and special attention."
Pansy stayed quiet, stirring their potion as she thought about what Natalia said. She knew that even a pureblood family wouldn't subject their child to an abandonment like that, nor would they neglect their children. Pausing in her stirring, Pansy looked at Natalia. "Even a pureblood family wouldn't do that to their child, no matter what. We may seem cold when in public but behind shut doors, we're loving and warm when with our family. I can't believe I'm actually going to do this but, I have a feeling things are going to change around here with you." Pansy said softly, turning down the flame to let their potion simmer. Turning back to Natalia, Pansy held out her hand. "I don't know you that well but I think you're a good person, Potter. So I'm offering you my friendship."
Quirking her lips in a half-grin, Natalia took the offered hand in her own. "I accept, Parkinson, and I think you aren't so bad yourself. But please don't call me Potter, call me Shadow."
"Only if you call me Pansy," Pansy said, grinning slightly as they shook hands. Letting go, she turned back to the potion and grabbed a vial to pour some in to. Labeling the vial with their names, Pansy took it up to Snape's desk before returning and helping Natalia clean up their station.
Natalia inwardly smiled as she thought about her new friend. From what she'd seen and read so far, Gryffindor and Slytherin had a huge rivalry. It was so different from her parents time, where all the students were friendly no matter what house. She wanted to bring the houses back together, like they're supposed to be. Glancing at Pansy from the corner of her eye, Natalia asked, "Why does Slytherin and Gryffindor have such a big rivalry?"
"It's rumored that the houses became rivals when the founders, Salazar and Godric, got into a huge argument about who should be allowed to attend Hogwarts. Salazar didn't want muggle-borns to be allowed in while Godric believed everyone deserved the chance to learn," Pansy started as she finished cleaning off the remaining ingredients. "The other founders kicked Salazar out of the school and after a few years, he came back and built a secret chamber called the Chamber of Secrets. From then on, Gryffindors and Slytherins never got along and challenged each other in everything."
"Where the bloody Hell is all this rubbish?" Natalia asked incredulously, staring at Pansy wide-eyed.
"It's all in Hogwarts: A History," Pansy said, shrugging. "Also, Slytherin house has been believed to have only Dark wizards and witches come from it."
Shaking her head, Natalia muttered, "Nothing in that book has any ounce of truth to it. Who wrote it?"
"Dumbledore wrote most of it back when he defeated Grindelwald," Pansy said just as the bell rang, signaling the end of class.
Natalia packed up her stuff, her mind going over what Pansy said about Gryffindor and Slytherin becoming rivals. Walking beside Neville, they made their way outside for their first flying lesson. Natalia smiled excitedly, she loved the freedom that flying gave her.
"You look like you're about to burst from excitement, Shadow," Neville commented, smiling at his friend.
"Maybe because I am," Natalia replied, giggling. "I can't wait to be able to get up in the air and feel the wind against my face."
Neville just shook his head as they continued outside to the Quidditch pitch. Dropping their stuff near the bottom of the stands, Natalia and Neville stepped up beside two brooms, waiting for their flying instructor, Madame Hooch, to tell them what to do.
"Alright, step up to the left side of a broom, put your right hand over it and say up," Hooch said, her yellow hawk-like eyes watching the group closely.
Raising an eyebrow, Natalia held her right hand over the broom. Her voice was soft, commanding as she said, "Up." The broom flew up into her hand immediately, nearly vibrating in her hand. Smiling slightly, Natalia tightened her grip on the broom. Looking around she saw only one other person's broom fly up into their hand.
Later in the day, Natalia, Neville, Fred, and George were sitting in a quiet corner in the common room discussing pranks. Natalia smiled slightly at some of the pranks Fred and George planned to play on some of the professors. Especially what they wanted to do to Dumbledore.
"You guys are seriously going to make everything taste like lemon drops to him?" she asked incredulously, snickering at the mental image.
"Well, we wanted to make it so it tastes like vomit or something disgusting but we haven't found the right ingredients to mix together," Fred said, laughing along with his twin and Neville.
"So lemon drops will have to do for now," George said, finishing his twin's explanation. "Well it's late and we'll need to get a good nights sleep so we can fully enjoy our prank on Dumbles in the morning."
Bidding the boys goodnight, Natalia made sure she was alone before silently slipping out of the portrait hole. Gently closing the Fat Lady's portrait so as not to wake her, Natalia quietly made her way through the corridors until she reached the fourth floor and stood before a painting of a gryffin, badger, basilisk, and eagle. Smiling at her parents' Animagi forms, Natalia whispered in parselmouth, $Founder's Heir.$
Stepping inside the hole that formed beside the painting, Natalia looked around the room to see if anything had changed since she'd been there last. It looked exactly the same except for four portraits on the wall and a letter addressed to her on a table in front of the portraits. Looking at the portraits closely, Natalia gasped quietly in shock when she saw that they were of her parents'. Grabbing the letter, she opened it gently and read.
Natalia,
While you are in your time, we figured you would visit this room as it is yours. We wanted to leave you something special so your dad placed our portraits in here for you, so you could visit us whenever you wanted. The portraits have our every memory of you, from the time you were brought to us until you left to go to Hogwarts in your time. Unfortunately, our portraits were taken before Alex and Liz were born. We wish you well, daughter, and hope you have fun even though we aren't with you.
Love,Mom, Dad, Father, Mother
Natalia smiled through her tears at her parents thoughtfulness. Looking up at the sleeping portraits, she decided to leave them be and visit another time. Folding the letter and putting it in her pocket, Natalia left her room and headed back to Gryffindor Tower to get some sleep. As she was walking past the tower that housed the Ravenclaw house, Natalia heard muffled crying coming from behind a closed door. Frowning she walked up to the door and carefully opened it, her eyes falling on an older girl sitting on the floor with her knees drawn up to her chest and her face buried against them as she cried softly. Kneeling down behind the girl, Natalia wrapped her small arms around the girl and hummed a lullaby she learned from her mother.
The girl stiffened at first when she felt arms come around her but quickly relaxed when the person behind her started humming an old lullaby softly. Wiping her eyes when she calmed down after a few minutes, the girl turned her head to look at the person holding her.
Natalia smiled softly at the girl when she turned her head to face her. "Hey there, I'm Natalia. What's your name?"
"Tonks," the girl said quietly as she eyed the other girl curiously. "What are you doing out this late? And how did you find me?"
"Tonks huh?" Natalia asked smiling. "I like it. As for being out, I was bored and needed to visit a place. As I was walking back to Gryffindor Tower, I heard you crying in here. Are you okay?"
Blushing in embarrassment, Tonks mumbled, "I'm fine, just some personal problems."
"You know it helps if you talk about it," Natalia encouraged softly, unconsciously rubbing Tonks' arm.
Sighing sadly, Tonks said, "I've been dating this guy for about two weeks. I thought he was different then the others, someone who likes me for me but he turned out to be just like every other guy I've dated. He only dated me because I can change what I look like and tonight he asked me to change into someone else."
"You're a metamorphagus," Natalia whispered softly, smiling at Tonks. "Are you a full metamorphagus or can you only change certain things?"
"I'm a full one," Tonks said smiling slightly.
Looking over Tonks' form, Natalia could tell that it wasn't her true form. Tonks had short, spiky pink hair with sparkling blue eyes. "You don't show your true form, do you?"
Tonks looked at Natalia in shock, no one knew that the form she used everyday wasn't her true form. "How did you know this wasn't my true form? And no I don't."
Smiling innocently Natalia said, "I don't think pink hair is a natural color. And most metamorphs change what they look like."
Tonks chuckled a little as she stared at Natalia. Breaking away from the younger girl, she stood and stretched before reaching down to pull Natalia to her feet. "Thank you for listening, Natalia."
"No problem, Tonks," Natalia said as they stepped out into the hall. Waving to Tonks, she turned and made her way quickly and silently to her dorm room.
The next few months passed quickly and before Natalia knew it, it was Halloween. Waking up to her alarm going off, the Founder's Heir sleepily reached out and turned it off. Throwing the covers off, Natalia slowly sat up, groggily getting out of bed and making her way to the bathroom. After a quick shower and changing into her workout clothes, Natalia grabbed her practice weapons and made her way out of her dorm and out of the common room. Stepping into the shadows, she shadow walked out of the castle to the Black Lake. Dropping her stuff, she stretched quickly before starting her jog around the lake.
A few hours later, finished with her workout, Natalia wandered through the halls on the fourth floor until she came to the portrait guarding her rooms. Hissing the password and entering, Natalia greeted her parents before walking into her personal potions lab. Stopping in front of a cauldron with a silvery potion in it, Natalia nodded in satisfaction and filled two vials of it. Labeling them with Neville's parents names, Natalia pocketed them and walked out of her lab. Saying goodbye to her parents, she walked out of her rooms back to Gryffindor Tower. Since it was the weekend and they had no classes, Natalia was going to give her friend his parents back. Ignoring the few students up, Natalia went up to her dorm and changed quickly as the other girls were just getting up. Dressed in black slacks, Slytherin green button up shirt, Ravenclaw blue belt with a gryffin and badger buckle and black boots, Natalia pulled her hair back into a ponytail with a silver snake clip and placed her secondary wand in the holster on her left forearm. Smirking in satisfaction, Natalia ignored the other girls' stares and walked out of the dorm room heading down to the common room where she knew Neville would be by now.
Seeing her friend seated in front of the fire, Natalia headed that way only to be stopped by her twin and his two friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. "What do you want, Harrison?"
"What the bloody Hell are you wearing Slytherin colors for?" Harry asked, glaring at Natalia.
"If you haven't noticed, Harrison, I'm wearing all the house colors," Natalia sneered. "I've got Slytherin green shirt, Ravenclaw blue belt with a gryffin and badger buckle. Now leave me alone, I've got stuff to take care of." Ignoring their spluttering, Natalia walked over to Neville. "Hey Nev, you got any plans for today?"
Shaking his head, Neville said, "No, I just figured I'd hang with Venom and Valkyrie."
"Well, now you do," Natalia said, grabbing his arm and pulling him up and out of the common room. Pulling his arm until they were outside, Natalia turned to her confused friend. "We are going on a little trip away from Hogwarts."
"But won't we get in trouble, Shadow?" Neville asked nervously, looking around them.
"Nope, 'cuz nobody is going to find out," Natalia said before turning and leading them further away from the castle. When she was sure no one could see them, Natalia turned back to Neville. "I know how shadow walking makes people feel so we're going to ice walk instead."
Neville didn't get a chance to reply as Natalia grabbed his arm tightly and they disappeared in a flurry of snowflakes. When he could feel his feet on firm ground again, Neville exclaimed, "That was wicked, Shadow. What was that?"
"That was my ice elemental ability, Snare," Natalia said smiling. Looking up at the building they arrived in front of, Natalia pulled Neville behind her into it. Pulling him into an empty lift, Natalia faced her silent friend.
Neville stayed silent as Natalia pulled him into a building he recognized as St. Mungo's. When they were in the empty lift, he asked stiffly, "Why are we here, Natalia?"
"Remember the potion I asked Snape about our first lesson?" Natalia asked. Seeing Neville nod shortly, she explained, "That potion can wake anyone up from a coma, whether they've been in it for a week, month, or year. It also has the ability to bring back those who have been a victim of torture. I made the potion a few days ago and I am giving it to your parents today so you can have them back."
"But Snape said the ingredients are from Dark creatures and the Ministry would arrest anyone who used anything Dark," Neville said, excited at the prospect of getting his parents back but worried about his friend.
"I know but those ingredients don't come from Dark creatures, Snare," Natalia said comfortingly. "Plus, no one is going to find out who made the potion except for the healer taking care of your parents. That way we both get away with it and nobody gets in trouble." By the time they had finished talking, Natalia and Neville were in the ward that housed his parents.
"You two seem to be a little too young to be wandering around by yourselves. Are you lost?" a female asked from behind Natalia and Neville.
Turning to face the woman, they two First Years glanced at each other quickly before Natalia spoke up. "We were just looking for my friend's parents room, the Longbottoms."
The woman, whose nametag read A. Tonks, looked between the two children before nodding. "Alright, young ones, just follow me and I'll lead you to the Longbottoms' room."
Breathing a sigh of relief, the duo followed behind the healer as she led them to a secluded part of the ward. When they stopped outside a door, the healer turned to the two children. "This is the Longbottom's room. I'm Andromeda Tonks, I'm assigned as their permanent healer. Who are you two?"
"Tonks? Do you have a daughter that goes to Hogwarts, a Seventh Year Ravenclaw?" Natalia asked curiously, noting slight similarities between her metamorphagus friend and the healer before them.
"Yes, Nymphadora goes to Hogwarts." Andromeda said, looking slightly shocked. "Do you both attend Hogwarts?"
"Now I understand why she uses her last name but honestly, Nymphadora isn't so bad," Natalia muttered, slightly louder than she meant to. "Um, yes we go to Hogwarts. I'm Natalia Potter and this is my friend Neville Longbottom."
"I wasn't aware the Potters had a fourth child, let alone two sets of twins," Andromeda said shocked. "Well, Miss Potter, Mr. Longbottom, I'll leave you two to your business."
As the healer walked away, Natalia said, "No one really knows anything about the Potters', Healer Tonks. At least not the truth." Turning, Natalia grabbed Neville's arm and pulled him into the room with her before silently casting a locking and privacy charm on the door. Turning back to Neville she said, "Nev, I need you to cast a body binding charm on them so I can pour the potion down their throat." After the elder Longbottoms were bound to their beds, Natalia dragged a chair between the beds and climbed on it so she could reach. Before pouring the potion down their throats, she warned, "After I administer the potion, they'll jerk around for a few minutes while the potion takes effect so don't worry. Keep the binds on them until they settle and then take them off."
Neville nodded, watching as his friend poured the potion down his parents' throats. Almost immediately, they started convulsing and the monitoring charms on them started beeping rapidly. He ignored the sounds of the door being forced open and Healer Tonks rushing in to find out what was wrong. The only thing he was aware of was his parents thrashing around and Natalia's comforting arm wrapped around his shoulder. After nearly five minutes, his parents stopped moving and became very still.
"Take off the binds, Nev," Natalia instructed her friend, watching as he instantly cancelled the binds. They, along with Healer Tonks, watched as Neville's parents slowly sat up, trying to get their bearings. Natalia held Neville back when he tried to approach the bed. "Wait a minute, Nev, we need to make sure they are fully healthy. Let Healer Tonks check them out."
Taking the hint, Andromeda slowly stepped up to the bed where Neville's parents were sitting. "Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom, can you tell me how you're feeling?"
Alice Longbottom looked up from where she'd been staring at the bed as her memory slowly came back. Seeing a woman who looked vaguely familiar, she asked hoarsely, "Who are you? Where am I? Where are Frank and Neville?"
"I'm Healer Andromeda Tonks, you're in St. Mungo's," Andromeda answered softly. "You've been confined in this ward for almost ten years, since November 1, 1981. Your husband is in the bed next to you and your son is behind me beside the door. Can you tell me what you last remember?"
"I-uh-I remember Frank and I putting Neville down for bed when the door to our house was blown open," Alice started, stuttering slightly as she remembered. "Four Death Eaters came into the nursery but only two attacked while the last two seemed to get into an argument. I remember Barty Crouch Jr. and Rabastan Lestrange immediately started cursing Frank while I stood in front of Neville's crib and watched as the last two, Rodolphus Lestrange and Bellatrix Lestrange argued before Rodolphus cursed Bella and put her in a body bind, forcing her in a chair and forcing her watch as he and the other two started Crucioing Frank and I."
"Are you saying that Bellatrix didn't have anything to do with torturing you and your husband?" Andromeda asked in shock, not believing what she just heard.
"Of course not, Bella wouldn't curse us," Alice said forcefully. "She came to Frank and I about six months after she was forced to marry Rodolphus, asking for help and saying that Rodolphus had forced her to join Voldemort by giving her an Imperio potion. Since Frank is a skilled Legilimens, he knew she was telling the truth and we helped her as best we could. In return, she volunteered to be a spy for us, passing on information of Voldemort's moves and such. The night of the attack, I could see that she was trying to fight off the effects of the potion and that's when Rodolphus put her in a body bind."
"Why didn't anyone else know about Bella being a spy?" Andromeda asked, fighting to keep her composure.
"Because we knew that there was a spy in the Order and we didn't want to risk Bella's safety like that," Frank answered hoarsely, speaking for the first time. He looked towards the door, his gaze settling on Neville and recognition flashing in his brown eyes. Standing carefully, Frank made his way over to his son and pulled him into a tight hug, tears leaking from his closed eyes.