The next two months passed by quickly but peacefully for Bastila Phoenix. Her Occlumency training had started off with a bang, so to speak. She'd managed to easily grasp the concept and repel Severus from her mind, something that astonished the potions master. Apparently, Bastila was something called a "Natural Occlumens". Someone with shields already around the deep parts of her mind and someone who could master Occlumency with ease. Bastila was very pleased with this. And she'd only been getting better and better at it. She was even learning Legillimency in the hours that she had alone to herself at night. She hadn't told Severus this, though. But she figured she should know both skills.
And it wasn't just Occlumency and potions she was excelling in. Bastila was succeeding in every single one of her other classes as well. Every spell, every charm and jinx, she was mastering on the first try. She also found she had a knack for Herbology. She'd loved gardening when she was little, so this made her ecstatic! Then there was her magical combat lessons with Draco and Daphne out on the school grounds. It was in the middle of these on Thursday afternoon, Halloween day (the day that the Goblet of Fire would choose its' competitors for the Tri-Wizard Tournament after dinner) that something unexpected happened. They gained an audience.
"Expelliarmus!" Daphne cried, her wand aimed at Bastila.
Bastila held her wand tight and dived aside to avoid one of Draco's stinging hexes. Bastila sent two stunning spells each at her friends before they could even react. Both hit Draco full on and he crumpled, unconscious. But Daphne avoided both of the stunners intended for her by throwing herself at the ground. "Stupefy!" Daphne replied, shooting a stunner at Bastila's legs. Bastila leapt over the spell, but that gave Daphne enough precious seconds to get back on her feet.
"Bombarda!" Bastila said calmly. She heard the crowd of students around her gasp, as Bombarda was an explosion spell, but Bastila didn't intend to hurt her friend. Her wand had been aimed at the ground in front of Daphne. The exploding spell hit the ground, sending dirt, grass, dust and rocks into the air. Bastila muttered a disillusionment charm, turning herself invisible under the cover of dust and dirt, then she moved to the far left of her previous position.
Bastila smirked to herself when the dust had cleared, revealing a confused and slightly shaken Daphne. Bastila pointed her wand at Draco's unconscious form and whispered Wingardium Leviosa, moving Draco out beyond the crowd for safety. She'd have to be very careful with what she was planning to do next...
"Where are you Bas? You can't hide forever, whatever spell you're using." Daphne said with a laugh. "I'd bet a disillusionment charm. I saw you practicing that one last week, and you're the only student I know who could use it so completely as to turn yourself TRULY invisible."
Bastila pointed her wand at her own throat and giggled out, "Sonorus Distorta." It was a varient of the megaphone spell. Then she spoke in a loud, deep voice. "The end is near, young Daphne Greengrass!" Bastila boomed, trying to keep from laughing as she approached Daphne while still invisible. The Sonorus spell made it so no one who heard it could tell where it was coming from, specifically. So Bastila was using it to her advantage.
A secretive grin came over Daphne's face. "Is it? Finite Incantatem!"
Bastila felt a warmth spread from the top of her head down to her feet and realized she wasn't invisible anymore. 'Time to put the plan into action, then...' She thought with a sigh. She REALLY hoped this didn't get out of control. Daphne sent out another Stupefy, which Bastila blocked easily by throwing up a shield charm with a cry of "Protego!". Bastila then steadied her breathing. Her shield was taking spell after spell from Daphne, but none of them were even coming close to breaking through. Bastila pointed her wand straight out in front of herself, focused her mind on exactly what she wanted and shouted clearly "Serpensortia!" Then she lowered her shield.
The end of her wand exploded. Daphne watched, aghast, as a long green snake burst out of it, fell heavily on the grass between them and raised itself, ready to strike. The crowd started to scream, and Bastila immediately started speaking to the snake in furious Parseltongue. *Hey! I didn't summon you to attack her! She's my friend, and this is just a practice duel alright? I just want you to..Maybe scare her a little. But don't hurt her or I'll turn you into dust.*
The snake turned it's head and stared at Bastila in surprise, considering her. *Very well, Human. I will do as you wish.* The snake said, revealing itself to be a male. Then it began to move toward Daphne, slowly and deliberately.
"This isn't fair!" Daphne cried, looking uncertainly at the snake. "What did you say to it?!"
Bastila rolled her eyes. "Relax. I just told him to scare you."
"He's doing an EXCELLENT job of it!" Daphne retorted, her wand still on the serpent. "I never should have told you about second year." She muttered angrily.
"Do you give up?" Bastila said, breaking out into giggles. The snake was now winding circles around Daphne's feet, brushing up against her legs.
"Never! Just because Nyssa is such a sweetie doesn't mean I'm afraid to hurt a serpent!" Daphne declared. From out in the crowd, a sharp hissing was heard, startling several students. *I am not a sweetie, I'm a vicious pack of scales!* Nyssa said, affronted. She was completely visible and hovering in the air now.
Bastila mentally sighed. Her father was going to be very upset that Nyssa had revealed herself, especially because of something so minor. But, surprisingly, none of the students seemed too concerned about her. In fact, some of the girls were cooing about how beautiful she was in the sunlight.
Bastila came out of her thoughts just in time to see the snake at Daphne's feet turn into black smoke, and to witness a stunner sailing her way. Bastila, reacting quick as lightning, threw up her shield once more. It barely came up in time.
"You can't hide behind a shield forever, Bas!" Daphne mocked playfully.
"Yes I can." Bastila stated matter-of-factly. "I could do this all evening."
Daphne scowled and lowered her wand. "Well...Don't. For the sake of the duel! It has to end soon or we'll miss getting to see who the Goblet of Fire picks for the Tournament."
Bastila smiled and indulged her friend, lowering her own wand and dissolving her shield. "Alright. I'll let you win this one. Stun me so we can go to the dungeons. We can play Wizards Chess or something while we wait for dinner and this whole Goblet of Fire thing. I still think the Wizarding World has overly-dramatic ways of doing things..."
Daphne grinned and casually flicked her wand. "Stupefy."
Bastila fell to the ground, unconscious. But she and Draco were both back to normal within seconds. "How did she win this time?" Draco groaned, rubbing his head where he'd struck the ground as he got to his feet.
Daphne smiled. "She didn't, this time. She surrendered. After a bombarda and a disillusionment charm combo, and a snake summoning spell."
"You never should have told her about that bloody duel!" Draco accused.
Daphne laughed. "I said the same thing."
"Daphne and I are going to head back to the Slytherin common room until dinner. Do you want to come with?" Bastila asked Draco.
He shook his head. "No. I'm going to talk to a friend."
"You have friends?" Bastila said, pretending to be shocked.
"Besides US?" Daphne cried, joining in, trying her best to look hurt.
Draco scowled at the two girls. "That's right, now piss off. I'll see you at dinner."
"Right." Daphne replied, while Bastila nodded.
The three went their separate ways, with the crowd of students still following after Bastila and Daphne. Or more specifically, Bastila. One girl however, a Slytherin in the same year as Bastila and Daphne, came up to Bastila. "Hey! I'm Tabitha Bainbridge. You kind of forgot Nyssa." She said, gesturing to the winged serpent who was currently resting comfortably on her shoulders as she would with Bastila.
"I didn't forget her." Bastila laughed. "She comes and goes when she pleases, for the most part. But usually she's invisible, and resting on my shoulders like she is now with you."
"She's really beautiful." Said Tabitha, keeping in stride with Bastila and Daphne.
Bastila giggled. "She's VERY beautiful." Nyssa suddenly slipped off Tabitha and glided through the air to land on Bastila.
*I am a proud serpent, a bringer of poison filled death and magical burns! I have a reputation! Being around these children all the time is making people underestimate me.* Nyssa hissed out grumpily.
*That reminds me. I never asked you what you were doing before you were in Diagon Alley.* Bastila said as they continued toward the castle entrance.
*I was living the life all serpents wish they could have. My home was an old tree out in the Forbidden Forest, as a matter of fact.* Nyssa hissed out, seeming wistful. *I had all the rats I could eat. I still know the spot, Bastila. That is where I have gone to feed these last few days, as well as when I was under the care of Albus Dumbledore during your coma.*
Bastila smiled and nuzzled her cheek against Nyssa affectionately. *Well, I'm glad we met.*
*I feel the same way.* Nyssa hissed back.
Bastila and Daphne, along with Nyssa, entered the Slytherin Dungeon as dawn settled in. It was nearly thirty minutes to dinner. Bastila and Daphne were chatting animatedly to each other about their earlier duel. Nyssa flew off from her perch on Bastila's shoulders and landed in front of the fireplace, where she lay down and curled up. The two girls went into their dormitory.
"That was an amazing duel!" Bastila exclaimed as she lay down in her bed, feeling tired and overheated.
"How many times are you going to say that?" Daphne giggled, laying beside Bastila and wrapping her arms around her just as she had been doing for the past weeks.
Bastila grinned and snuggled up closer to Daphne, completely at ease. She was no longer embarrassed by Daphne's affections, knowing it was just how her friend was. And, if Bastila was honest with herself, she liked being close to Daphne. On a level that went beyond friendship. Bastila enjoyed it all, and often times she would lose herself in it and do things she'd never have done if she had time to think about it. She knew Daphne felt the same way, as the girl had moments of her own where her hands and lips had strayed...
"As many times as it takes to get it out of my system. Your spellwork is incredible." Bastila told her friend, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Daring today, aren't we?" Daphne replied, pretending to be shocked at the kiss. In response, her hand, which had been resting on Bastila's lower back, slowly slid further down.
Bastila startled at the contact. The deliberately made advance. She grinned and rolled herself over so that she was on top of Daphne, then she started kissing down along Daphne's neck and shoulder. She pulled away after a moment, looking into Daphne's eyes.
Daphne smiled up at her. "That was unexpected." She whispered, her face flushed.
"Not the only thing..." Bastila murmured, leaning down and planting a deep kiss on Daphne's lips. It was nothing like their previous "Accidental" kisses that they both knew were anything but. It was a raw, emotion filled kiss. As Daphne drank into the kiss, her hands now openly roamed Bastila's backside.
It was a long time before they drew apart again, and a long time after until they woke up. They had fallen asleep together.
Later in the evening, they woke to the sound of two girls whispering.
"Look at them! It's cute!"
"It's disgusting! Phoenix isn't even a Pureblood. Greengrass is going to bring shame to her family. Not that she hasn't already done that..."
Bastila sat up straight, fixing the girls with a glare. "Get out." She said levelly, pulling out her wand. One looked to be a fourth year, and the other a sixth year.
Daphne just covered her rapidly blushing face with a pillow.
"Wait until your mother hears about this." The sixth year girl taunted Daphne.
Bastila narrowed her eyes even further. "Out. Or I'll make you get out."
The girl considered Bastila's wand, and her expression and decided she really didn't want to be hexed. "Have it your way then, Phoenix." She muttered, reluctantly leaving the dorm and dragging the fourth year girl with her.
Daphne sat up in the silence, setting the pillow down again.
"Why would your mother care about you...With me..." Bastila struggled to find words to express herself.
"She's just...Not good." Daphne answered after a long pause. She wrung her hands and seemed unaware that she was doing so.
"What's your family like?" Bastila persisted. "You haven't said a word about them and we've known one another for months now. Every time I try to bring it up you get all evasive!"
"Not good." Daphne repeated. "What about you? You have to wonder about your father, don't you? And your mother? I mean the ones who gave you to..."
Bastila sighed, reluctantly deciding not to press the issue. "I don't know. I haven't thought about them very much. I don't even know where I'd start to look for them or get information about them."
"There is one spell..." Daphne said quietly. "But it's considered Dark Magic. It's...frowned upon."
Bastila narrowed her eyes. "Tell me. Please." She added.
"Okay. Well, it's called the Lineage Spell. It does what the name implies, basically." Daphne explained. "It allows the caster to know all the ancestors of the person the spell is cast on. It's thought of as a Dark Spell because in ancient times the spell was used to discover heirs and children of royalty. Many kings and queens used it to cut off their rival bloodlines, or future rivals, before they could ever rise up to challenge them."
Bastila smiled weakly. "I had no idea the Wizarding World was so...So..."
"Dark?" Laughed Daphne.
"Right." Bastila nodded, blushing. "So can you use it on me? To find out who my real mother and father are?"
"My family passes the spell on from generation to generation. I know how to do it, yes." Daphne said slowly. She looked away, as if it was painful to admit.
"Then do it!" Bastila said, overjoyed. She was finally going to get some answers about her real parents. All it was going to take was one spell.
Daphne smiled at Bastila's enthusiasm. She got to her feet and stood in front of her, drawing her wand and pointing it at Bastila's forehead. Still, she hesitated. "You can't tell anyone about this alright? I mean it. Dark Magic isn't entirely illegal, but even the legal spells and potions are looked down upon. It's Dark Magic for a reason."
Bastila nodded, taking her friends other hand. "I promise. I'd never do anything to hurt you Daphne. We're friends, remember?"
Daphne smiled, instantly feeling the tension diminish at Bastila's touch. "Okay." She took a breathe and looked around the room. Then she said softly, "Aperio Genus."
There was a rush of noise, as if a draft had entered the room, followed by a flash of dark purple from Daphne's wand tip. A dark purple halo appeared over Bastila's head. It traveled down, expanding as it went down over her body and back up above her head again. The purple ring stayed there for a few moments before vanishing into thin air.
Daphne was standing completely still.
"Daphne-" Bastila started, but was stopped short at the sight of a purple glow around the outer edges of Daphne's body. Like the ring, this too, soon disappeared. Daphne's face was pure white, and she was staring at Bastila as if she were terrified. Her eyes were wide, and her wand was shaking along with her entire arm.
"Daphne?" Bastila said again, now very worried about her friend. She reached out for Daphne's hand again, but Daphne stepped backwards, her wand still aimed at Bastila.
"Stay away from me." Daphne whispered in a high pitched voice. Her entire body was now shivering as she continued to back away from Bastila.
"Daphne! What's wrong? What did you see?" Bastila demanded, feeling angry now. Why was her friend now treating her like some kind of monster? "Look, Daphne. You said your family wasn't good, but I'm not judging you for it, so stop acting like this about ME! If my father or mother is someone dark just TELL ME!" She was shouting now, and her wand was out and pointed at Daphne in a heartbeat.
Daphne didn't respond with words, but instead with a flash of red light and a shout of "Stupefy!". She had cast the stunner when Bastila's wand had come up. Bastila, however, was quick on her feet even with the surprise attack. She was already tossing herself aside off the bed when she saw the burst of red light. Bastila rolled to her feet and blocked another Stupefy, holding her shield firmly in place after a hastily muttered "Protego."
Daphne sent a constant stream of random spells at Bastila's shield, her voice panicked and uneven.
"STOP IT DAPHNE! WHAT THE HELL HAS GOTTEN INTO YOU?" Bastila shouted as her shield was weakened bit by bit. Then Daphne bellowed out, "BOMBARDA!" Unlike their earlier duel, however, Daphne was aiming directly at Bastila.
The explosion spell hit Bastila's shield, shattering it and sending Bastila, as well as her bed and a few other items, flying back against the wall. Bastila hit hard and slumped to the floor, feeling a terrible pain in the back of her head and felt wetness on the spot of impact. She shook her head, trying to clear it and take stock of the damage. She was acutely aware of the large amount of blood coming out of her head. She let out a faint cry of pain when she tried moving her left arm. She almost passed out when she looked down at it. It was trapped underneath her nightstand, shoved up against the wall by her bed. It was covered in blood, and a sliver of bone was clearly sticking out the side. Bastila kept her arm motionless as she looked up to see Daphne standing there, looking like she'd gone mad. She deliberately aimed her wand at Bastila and screamed "Diffindo!" Bastila felt as if an invisible sword had sliced through her chest, and she looked down to see a huge bloody gash from her left breast down to her right hip. When Bastila looked up again, gasping in shock and further pain, she found that Daphne was gone. She had fled from the dormitory. And she had attacked Bastila over who her parents were.
*Bastila!* Came the worried and fearful voice of Nyssa. The serpent flew over to Bastila's side. The snake looked Bastila twice over and sighed. Or at least as much as a snake could sigh. *Did Daphne do this to you?! She ran past me and I...I'll find her and rip her throat out!*
*She...Did this to me. But, Nyssa, it was just a...A misunderstanding.* Bastila replied, feeling dazed and disoriented as she sat there on the floor.
*A fractured skull, a broken arm and a...Bastila!* Nyssa's voice became even more concerned as Bastila started to close her eyes and lean on her broken arm trapped by the nightstand. *I'm going to tell the Headmaster!* Nyssa turned and flew out of the dormitory, past the common room and out into the rest of the castle as fast as she could. She put all her magic into her flying abilities, determined to reach the Headmaster before Bastila was lost!
She was winding through the halls faster than she'd ever flown before, over the heads of startled students of all ages. But Nyssa was only concerned about ONE student. HER student. Her Bastila Phoenix. Nyssa reached the Gargoyle into the Headmaster's office and hissed out the password. *Lemon drop!* The statue turned aside to reveal the spiral staircase, and Nyssa had the fleeting thought that perhaps the magic of the staircase transcended language barriers. She rushed up to the top of the stairs and gathered her magic within herself, then slammed her tail against the door. It burst open as if hit by an explosion, startling Professor Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Severus Snape who had been deep in conversation.
Nyssa flew over to Dumbledore, floating back and forth in the air before him impatiently. She again gathered her ancient serpent magic, then she did something she'd never done before. Something she didn't even think she could possibly pull off. She focused her thoughts and let her magic loose. Green, glittering words appeared in the air in front of Albus.
"Daphne Greengrass attacked Bastila Phoenix and fled. Bastila is in the Slytherin Dungeons in the Girls Dormitory. She has a Broken arm, fractured skull, heavy bleeding. Death is imminent."
The words hung there for a moment. It was deathly quiet. Then Albus was on his feet, as were Severus and Minerva. Severus, however, was far ahead of his colleagues. He was already out the door and rushing down the stairs.
Dumbledore turned to Minvera, his face grave as well as alarmed. "Please try to find Miss Greengrass. Ensure that she has not brought any harm to any other students, or herself, then take away her wand and bring her to my office, if you would."
McGonagall's nostrils were flaring with her barely controlled fury. "Certainly. And what of the rest of the students? What of Beaubatons and Durmstrang? And Barty Crouch? They will all be in the Great Hall VERY shortly for the dinner feast and the selection-."
"I am aware of that, Minerva." Dumbledore said, waving his hand as they reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped into the hall. "I will be going to the Ministry, and in the event that this situation is not resolved by the time of the feast, I would like you to inform Flitwick about the situation and ask for him to explain it to the Great Hall."
"Of course." Minerva nodded. "I believe we may have found a student more danger prone than Potter." She said under her breath.
Dumbledore acted as if he hadn't heard McGonagall's remark, then focused his energy on the Castle, calling upon Hogwarts itself. "One of our students has attempted to murder another. Please help us to locate her."
Immediately a deep voice boomed out. "HOGWARTS HEEDS THE CALL OF THE HEADMASTER. THE ONE YOU SEEK HIDES AT THE ENTRANCE TO SYTHERINS HIDDEN CHAMBER ON THE FIRST-FLOOR."
"Moaning Myrtles bathroom." Minerva shook her head before moving off down the corridor. "The entrance to that dreaded Chamber of Secrets."
Albus returned to his office and threw floo powder into the fireplace and then stepped into it. "Ministry Headquarters, Atrium." He disappeared in a burst of green flames.
Severus breezed through the Slytherin common room and rushed into the Girls dormitory, his cape billowing behind him like a bat. His wand that had been clenched tightly in his palm was held even more so as he stared at the destroyed room. His eyes landed on Bastila. The girl was sitting against the wall, furniture pinning her there. Severus's face paled when he saw the blood smeared on the wall behind Bastila and pooling on the floor around her. She was leaning against the furniture, her eyes closed, her body unmoving.
Severus rushed over to her and lifted the furniture away with a wave of his wand. He caught Bastila as she fell and almost felt sick at the sight of her mangled arm with a white, bloodied bone sticking out of it. There was also a huge bloodstain on her front, and a large gash going from her chest down to her waist. Severus immediately identified it as coming from Diffindo. The cutting curse. He checked to make sure she was breathing and he sighed with relief. Then he set about healing her chest. The blood receded into the wound and sealed itself up, leaving a long scar along her front. When that was done he focused on her arm. The bone slid back under the skin and mended itself. The skin resealed the same as it had on her cutting injury.
Severus did as best he could to mend her her skull, but he knew it was beyond even his abilities. Fixing a broken arm was one thing, but fixing a bashed skull, as well as whatever unknown brain damage might have occurred, was something else entirely. He gave a frustrated snarl and carefully picked up his unconscious daughter in his arms, and left as quickly as he could for the Hospital Wing.
Minerva McGonagall opened the door to Myrtle's bathroom with her wand raised, ready for anything. She found Daphne Greengrass sitting in a corner, staring at the wall. When McGonagall approached, Daphne got to her feet and spun around, instantly launching a Stunning Spell. McGonagall blocked it easily, but she was still shocked that she was being attacked by a student! And that wasn't the only spell to come her way. Daphne followed the first stunner with two more, and then a bombarda.
Minerva blocked the spell, surprised by the power behind it. "Miss Greengrass, stop this at once!" She shouted at the girl.
"YOU STOP THIS! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSES! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE IS!" Daphne screamed back, shooting off more stunners.
"What who is? Bastila-" But Minerva's words were drowned out by a flurry of bombarda spells hurled her way. McGonagall blocked each and every one, and finally went on the offensive. She flicked her wand at the faucets, wordlessly bringing the water out and twisting it, sending tendrils aimed for Daphne. The water wrapped around the girl's arms and solidified into ice, then McGonagall hit the girl in the chest with a Stupefy of her own, ending the duel. McGonagall sighed and melted the ice away. She bound Grengrass with an Incarcerous spell, sending out black ropes to tie her up, then levitated the girl and made her way out of the bathroom, stopping only to retrieve the child's wand from where it had been dropped.
Severus Snape barged into the Hospital Wing, much to the surprise of Madam Pomfrey. She was about to ask what was wrong when she clearly saw her answer. Bastila Phoenix was held in his arms, blood stained and unconcious. Her clothes had been cut from the top down along her front, as if she had been sliced by a sword. They were also soaked with blood.
"Dear heavens, Severus! What happened? Put her here!" Pomfrey led him over to a bed, and he lay Bastila down on it gently before stepping back.
"She was attacked in the dormitory by Daphne Greengrass. I managed to heal the damage the cutting curse did to her front-side, and I healed her broken arm as well as I could. Bones are not my expertise, I'm sorry." Severus apologized, speaking quickly and softly. "I..Also could not do anything for the base of her skull. When I found her in the Slytherin dormitory she was pinned to the wall by her furniture, as if she had been blown back and hit the wall. That would certainly account for the-"
Pomfrey gasped as she turned Bastila's head to the side, staring at the back of the girls head. She didn't need Severus to explain any further. She conjured several potions and poured them down Bastila's throat, then roamed her wand over Bastila's chest and stomach. Severus turned his head away when Pomfrey ripped Bastila's shirt open with a flick of the wand to inspect the scarred over injury. Satisfied with the healing, Pomfrey inspected Bastila's arm, then returned her attention to the back of Bastila's head. Pomfrey cast a quick diagnostic spell and set about the intense work of setting the skull right again. After a long while, she sighed and stepped away from the bed.
She turned to Severus with an expression the potions master hadn't seen on her face since he was a child. Since he'd been told of his mothers' passing. "Severus, I...Bastila..." She started, taking calming breaths.
"Poppy." Severus said gently, using her first name for the first time in years. "Tell me my daughter will be alright."
Pomfrey shook her head sadly. "It's difficult to tell, Severus. Her physical injuries will heal more fully, with time. A few days, at most. But the mental damage..."
Severus stood straighter, looking alarmed. "Mental damage?" He said sharply.
"As you should know from all the Quidditch matches, concussions can cause dizziness, loss of coordination, confusion, and any number of temporary symptoms." Said Pomfrey quietly, taking Severus's hand. "But a brain injury this severe, so much so that she almost died from it, never-mind the cutting curse or the broken arm...It's bound to cause permanent side effects."
Severus closed his eyes for a moment. "What kind of side effects?" He asked, taking a deep breath.
"The Muggle world has more experience with this sort of thing." Pomfrey began slowly. "But from what I know there could be changes in her personality, sudden recurring emotional outbursts, memory loss, or perpetual confusion. Even permanent physical effects like loss of coordination, the inability to move parts of her body. Loss of sight, hearing, smell or even taste."
Severus sighed as he looked at Bastila, her face peaceful despite the circumstances, and he wondered just what she'd be like when she finally awakened.
The doors to the hospital wing opened.
"Severus." Minerva said, striding up to Severus and Pomfrey. "Dumbledore needs you in his office. No need to bring a vial of Veritaserum. The Ministry sent one of their own along with Auror Shhacklebolt."
"Then I take it you have found and detained the culprit of this...This brutal attack?" Severus said, trying to control his breathing as he glanced again at his daughter.
Minerva followed his gaze, her face softening. She nodded.
Severus sneered at the thought of seeing the girl who'd quickly become friends with his daughter. And just as quickly betrayed her and attempted to murder her. "Good."
"Why did you attack Bastila Phoenix?" Dumbledore began, his expression serious and harsh as he stared at the girl sitting across from him at his office desk. Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mad-Eye Moody were standing behind Daphne, flanking her. Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall were doing the same, standing to either side of Professor Dumbledore.
Daphne sat with her back straight, staring right into Dumbledore's eyes. Her face was drained and pale. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes were dark. All in all, she looked insane. But her demeanor was one of confidence. "All this time, Dumbledore, and you never knew." She said without mirth. Her voice was a combination of fear and disgust. Though for Bastila or Dumbledore, no one could say.
Albus stared at the girl curiously, but when she didn't continue speaking Dumbledore said. "I am unaware of a great deal of things, Miss Greengrass. The most important of which is the reason why you attacked Miss Phoenix."
Daphne surprised everyone in the room by breaking into high pitched laughter. "They're one and the same thing! I tried to kill her, you don't know why, but if you did you'd have done the same thing!"
Dumbledore's face was expressionless. "I would never try to murder one of my students, Miss Greengrass, whatever the reason. Now, kindly tell us YOUR reason."
Daphne's laughter subsided. She ignored Dumbledore and flashed an ugly smile at Professor Snape. "This is going to be fun for YOU the most. I wonder how much will it hurt when you find out who you've really adopted."
Severus stared at the girl for a long moment, then sneered. "This girl is deranged. We will not be getting any answers willingly. Administer the Veritaserum, Shacklebolt." He said, giving a nod in Kingsley's direction.
Kingsley stepped forward with the flask in hand, and Daphne seemed to come back to herself. "WAIT! I'll tell! Just don't make me drink that!"
Dumbledore raised a hand and waved Kingsley off. He stared at Daphne expectantly, clasping his hands together on the desk.
"It started in the dorm." Daphne began softly. "We had come back from a dueling practice match with Draco out on the grounds and-"
"Good lord, all the commotion and rumors of the past few days have been about you three?" Minerva huffed. "Dueling isn't permitted unless officially sanctioned by the staff."
"If you want to find out the truth about Phoenix you better not interrupt me again, you old hag-"
"GREENGRASS!" Dumbledore bellowed, his eyes blazing. "You will tell us the truth without Veritaserum, but I will not tolerate your disrespecting the staff!"
Daphne, to her credit, didn't even flinch. Instead she grinned at Dumbledore. "As I was saying, Phoenix and I went down to the dormitory after the match and we started talking about family." She continued, as if she hadn't just been interrupted again. "She wanted to know about her real parents. She asked about any spells that would help her with that, so I suggested the Lineage Spell."
Everyone gasped and gave expressions of shock except for Dumbledore. "Continue." He prodded simply, his anger giving way to curiosity.
"Well, it went off without a problem. And I found out who her real parents were." Daphne said casually. Though everyone in the room could see she was starting to tremble. "I didn't recognize the name of her birth mother. Now her father on the other hand...He's someone I know all about."
"You tried to kill my daughter over the identity of her birth father?" Severus said, his voice dangerously silky. Minerva shot him a warning look.
Daphne was shaking very visibly now, but not because of Severus. She looked about to be sick. She looked down at the floor and whispered, as if to herself, "Of course I did. Who wouldn't? She's the daughter of Tom Marvolo Riddle."
Kingsley and Mad-Eye Moody didn't react. But McGonagall, Dumbledore and Severus did. McGonagall gasped, Severus went white with shock. Dumbledore simply unclasped his hands and set them flat on the desk, showing remarkable control. "Kingsley, give her the Veritaserum."
"No! I told you the truth! SHE'S THE BLOODY HEIR TO THE DARK LORD!" Daphne shouted in panic, rising from her chair. "SHE'LL KILL EVERYONE IN THIS ENTIRE SCHOOL AND YOU'LL LET IT HAPPEN IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME!"
Dumbledore simply stared at the raging girl before him. "If what you say is true, then you have nothing to fear from Veritaserum. We will not ask any questions that don't pertain to the subject at hand, I assure you."
Kingsley pressed his wand to Daphne's stomach, causing her to freeze up. But she hadn't been hit by a spell. "Please do not make this difficult." Kingsley said smoothly. Daphne sat back in her chair again, silent as she opened her mouth and drank the truth potion.
They all waited a few seconds for it to take effect, and then Dumbledore began with the questioning. "What is your name?"
Daphne didn't hesitate under the effects of the potion. "Daphne Greengrass."
"When were you born?"
"July 4th, 2001."
Dumbledore leaned forward slightly as he said next, "Did you attack Miss Bastila Phoenix in the Girls dormitory earlier today?"
"Yes." Again, she didn't hesitate. She just sat there calmly.
"Did you cast the Lineage Spell upon Miss Phoenix?"
"Yes."
"Did it reveal to you the names of her birth parents?" Dumbledore said.
Again, Daphne answered with a yes.
Albus paused before asking the next question. "Did it tell you that her father was a man named Tom Marvolo Riddle?"
Severus gripped the back of Dumbledore's chair tightly, but Albus didn't seem to notice.
"Yes."
Dumbledore slumped in his chair, resting his head on the desk. No one said anything for a long time. Mad-Eye hit Daphne with a stunning spell, muttering "Constant vigilance. Never ignore an enemy..."
"Professor Dumbledore, who is this Tom Riddle?" Kingsley inquired.
Dumbledore raised his head again, looking distraught. "Tom Riddle is the young man who grew up to become Lord Voldemort." He replied softly.
Kingsley was aghast. "Albus, you cannot be serious."
Dumbledore sighed. "You heard it from the girl yourself, Kingsley. I'm afraid that Bastila Phoenix is indeed the Heir to the Dark Lord." Dumbledore rose from his chair and turned around to face Severus, who was standing completely still. "I'm so sorry, my boy." Dumbledore said, grasping Severus's shoulders.
"No. This is impossible." Severus said stiffly. "She...Cannot be. She is NOTHING like the Dark Lord. She is kind, curious, caring, and gentle."
"But she is also powerful, intelligent, and socially charming. All things Tom was as well." Dumbledore rebuked him gently. "She is a Parseltongue, an ability we know can only be inherited by direct descendants of Salazar Slytherin himself. Voldemort was the last one known to us." Dumbledore gave Severus's shoulders a light squeeze of comfort. "There is also the matter of her minds' reaction when she is close to Harry. It makes sense to me now. She is the daughter of Voldemort, therefore she carries his blood in her veins, just as Harry does for Lily. Lily's protection also extends to Bastila."
"I refuse to believe this." Severus murmured.
"But you must my boy." Dumbledore said with a hint of urgency. "Because of Bastila being raised in the Muggle world by her adopted mother, she has turned out to be what Riddle COULD HAVE, had he not lived the childhood that he did. You see, Severus, Bastila Phoenix is in many ways very different from her father. She has had the life he never had the opportunity to live. She has received care, love, and nurture. Had Riddle gotten the same things he would not have become Voldemort at all."
"Albus is right, Severus." Said Minerva quietly. "Your daughter was never on the path to becoming the next Dark Lord and following in Riddle's footsteps. Rather, she is on the way to becoming the next Albus Dumbledore." McGonagall smiled wryly at Dumbledore, who beamed back at her.
"Precisely!" Dumbledore agreed. Severus finally came back to himself. "However, if you abandon her now, Severus, you will surely abandon her to a life of pain, sadness and solitude. Conditions that could very well push her towards the ways of Voldemort. at worst. And at least, an unhappy life."
"She knows nothing of our world. She still grieves for her mother. She would be lost without you." Added McGonagall.
"I...Had thought the task of ensuring she does not end up like myself would be difficult." Severus said slowly. "I had wanted to protect her from the ways I fell into after losing my own mother. Now I feel my task will be much more challenging in stopping her from turning out like the Dark Lord. She...Is nothing like the Dark Lord. She will NOT become him, I will make sure of this."
"Excellent!" Dumbledore beamed at Severus. He turned to Kingsley. "Kingsley my old friend, I believe you know what you need to do, for Bastila's sake and for that of the Order. We cannot expel Miss Greengrass without revealing Bastila's bloodline to the Wizarding World and sacrificing what protection she has in her anonymity."
"I understand perfectly, Albus." Kingsley stepped in front of Daphne and aimed his wand at her forehead.
Severus and Minerva both caught on to what he was about to do, and Minerva looked resigned to it. Severus, meanwhile, spoke up quietly. "Replace everything that happened today as far back as the duel she mentioned, Shacklebolt. Perhaps the friendship can be salvaged."
Kingsley nodded and began the Memory Charm process. Then he froze. He turned his eyes to Severus. "I think you should be the one to do this. There is...Something in her mind that I feel I should not see. I don't believe I should erase it..."
"What do you mean?" Severus raised a curious eyebrow and stepped over to Shacklebolt and Daphne.
"It would be better for you to see for yourself. It is...Before the attack, but after the duel." Kingsley said softly. "It should not be my decision on whether to erase it or not."
Severus stepped in front of Daphne, then began to use Legillimency. He searched through her mind, catching flashes of her escape. Then he saw her attack, the flashes of spells. Daphne and Bastila laying on a bed in the dormitory, kissing and feeling-
Severus withdrew from her mind, then nodded at Kingsley. "Thank you." He said gratefully. "I...Would not want my daughter to have her new-found relationship ruined. Perhaps I can ensure it suffers no damage.." Then he dived back in. He sought out the point where they had begun talking about their families, and he set to work modifying the memories. He replaced Daphne's memories of the attack and escape with memories of speaking to Bastila about her mother, and then Bastila breaking down over it. Then he planted one of Daphne rushing to Severus for help.
When he was done, he stood and looked around the office. "What?" He said harshly, to McGonagall in particular.
She looked at Severus with calculating eyes. "Miss Phoenix will still remember everything, as will her serpent. It is a kind gesture on your part to be sure, Severus, but it's impractical."
"No, it's not." Severus said softly. "I will go to the Hospital Wing and modify my daughter's memories of the same events. Pomfrey told me that due to the severity of Bastila's brain injury, certain symptoms included are memory loss and confusion in most other cases. This is a very workable solution. Nyssa must remember everything, but I will ask her to remain quiet about it. If she is to protect and help Bastila stay on the path of Light, she must remember. Nyssa spends far more time with the girl than anyone else. I will also continue with Bastila's Occlumency lessons to ensure her...Connection with Potter does not disturb her."
Albus nodded in understanding. "Very good of you, Severus, to find a way of preserving your child's happiness. I suggest you hurry along and enact your plan before young Bastila wakes."
Severus wordlessly swept from the room, his gait full of determination and his head full of thoughts.