An: Please vote on the poll for this story on my profile, I would like your opinions on the issue.
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The days passed and eventually it was the day of the Hearing. Thankfully all had ended well and Harry had been cleared of all charges. A small party celebrating Hermione and Ron's appointment to Gryffindor prefects followed In the wake of his exoneration. Sadly the brief celebratory mood resulting from these two events was quickly surmounted by the never ending tedium of their continued efforts to in Mrs. Weasley's words, "make the place suitable for human habitation."
Thankfully they'd managed to get most of it somewhat under control and her earlier fervour seemed to have died down somewhat, something they were all grateful for.
Life at number 12 Grimmauld Place continued for the most part much the same with the occasional meeting and visiting order members. They continued to come and go, some occasionally staying for a meal or a chat.
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Eventually with a resigned air Carmilla at last made good on her promise to investigate the creature in the drawing room desk. Moody's eye for some reason had been unable to see exactly what was inside, when he'd tried to his vision had been impaired by whatever piece of magic was in place on the Desk.
Conferring with Carmilla the two had examined the piece of furniture carefully and come to the conclusion whatever was inside had probably been inadvertently or perhaps even purposely strengthened by whatever was blocking Moody's eye. Whatever was inside it would be better not to take chances and they'd decided to err on the side of caution with both being present when Carmilla dealt with whatever was inside.
Curious as to what the desk contained and lacking anything better to do most of the others had joined them to watch, though Moody at least seemed disgruntled about it.
All stood at what he deemed a "safe distance" which for the most part translated to out of the way as they began to examine the desk in detail
"Doesn't seem to be anything funny about the desk," Moody growled out.
Carmilla seemed to think about it for moment, before speaking, "whatever's blocking your eye must be inside then, perhaps a collapsed expansion charm? I've heard about all sorts of nasty things happening when they fall through, add in all the dark artefacts lying around, who knows what could have happened, there might have even been some in there originally."
"You're probably right," he swore before limping forward to wave his wand in a complicated pattern over the desks surface, "I've seen stuff like this before, nasty pieces of work."
At his words the desk rattled ominously and those watching huddled just a bit closer together. Hermione in particular was clutching onto Harry's arm tightly.
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With one last cursory check Carmilla let out an aggrieved sigh before motioning Moody back to stand next to the rest of them.
Then striding forward she'd opened it with a flick of her wrist.
As she opened the door light spilled out emanating from whatever was inside. Tendriled and smoke like it writhed and billowed and a horrible, terrible feeling filled the room. A collective shudder swept the room; it was ancient and hungry, yearning to devour.
Several agonizing moments since the lights appearance it begins to shift and slowly coalesce into the form of a woman. In looks she resembled an older Carmilla, but she was far colder and far more terrible.
Entwined languorously around the object that formed with her she let loose a single word, "Daughter."
That single word felt like ice spreading through their veins, setting their teeth on edge.
Even more chilling the object that had appeared from the light with her.
A Laura without eyes and instead horrible gapping empty eye sockets that trickled blood gazed sightlessly out of an ornate upright glass coffin filled with blood and bound in silver chains and arcane seals, screaming soundlessly.
The blood drained from their faces and several of them retched violently.
This was Carmilla's greatest fear? It was truly horrific. The sight was beyond words.
Carmilla watched with a sort of horrified morbid curiosity, standing as still as a stone as the scene played out, seemingly unable to look away.
"Mother," she croaked.
Carmilla's mother's voice was like a sirens call, beguiling sweet and poisonously, deadly.
"Darling there's nothing for you to fight, and nothing for you to fight with."
"You my glittering girl are a diamond. Stone cannot love flesh."
Carmilla's eyes hardened, and for the first time they saw her truly angry.
With a powerful circular wiping motion of her arm a swarm of shadows like black crows scratching and clawing burst forth from her tearing and screaming as they savaged the creature who had taken the form of the eyeless Laura and Carmilla's mother.
It was every bit as terrifying as what had come before, shadowy crows filling the air, shrieking and whirling about them, and then, it was over.
Turning to them she spoke, voice as calm as ever, "You were right, It was a boggart."
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They ate lunch in an uneasy silence thinking about what they had just seen and occasionally glancing over to where Carmilla sat. Mad-eye had left before they started and Carmilla wasn't touching her food, instead only drinking occasionally from a bottle of... something. After several minutes she excused herself to go back to the room she shared with Laura to presumably go back to sleep.
After she left discussion started up again, all talking about what they'd witnessed in the drawing room.
"Oh the poor dear," Mrs. Weasley fretted, "I should never have let her deal with that horrid desk."
"Now, now Molly dear it'll be all right," Mr. Weasley tried to reassure his wife.
"Oh but Arthur that boggart, it was so horrible," she shuddered while her husband held her.
"Her mother almost made Mrs. Black seem nice," muttered one of the twins.
"Yeah that was bloody terrifying, but what was all that about stones not being able to love flesh she was going on about?" Ron's question seemed to jolt something in Hermione's brain because she sat upright all of a sudden, face displaying one of those looks she only got when she was thinking; she started muttering loudly to herself.
"Oh, oh, so that's why Laura showed up in her boggart and why..." she trailed off mumbling incoherently.
"What are you going on about Hermione?"
"Nothing," she shook her head, "it's not something I should talk about without talking to them first, it's their private business."
With that she stood, rushing off after quickly thanking Mrs. Weasley for the meal.
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An: I know that Carmilla isn't biologically related to her 'mother' but since we don't see her I've made her resemble an older Carmilla as if they were biologically related. Also as you've probably noted the boggart in this fic was substantively more powerful than ordinary as explained earlier.