One of the best things about the aftermath of the second task was that everybody was very keen to hear details of what had happened down in the lake, which meant that Ron was getting to share Harry's limelight for once. Although, Bastila noticed that Ron's version of events changed subtly with every retelling, something that made her break into fits of laughter every time she caught him telling his stories to other students. She'd had one of these laughing fits at Breakfast in the great hall and had spat food everywhere, which caused more than a few heads to turn her way. At least, more heads than usual.
Annoyingly, she was also being hailed as a legend of sorts. Her flawless performance in the first two tasks, combined with her award for apprehending Crouch, and then the news finally being released by the Ministry about her capture of Voldemort had made Bastila a very famous person. She had initially refused to be given an Order of Merlin for the defeat and capture of Voldemort and, and to a lesser extent Peter Pettigrew, stating that it was overkill and she wasn't interested in any reward for ensuring that the evil bastards were caught, but she had given in eventually at the urging of Severus, Albus, and the Minister for Magic himself.
And despite her protests, Bastila was being followed around by mobs of students and reporters nearly every moment of every day. Thankfully Dumbledore had put an end to most of this, and had at least banned the reporters from entering the grounds and had told the other students to give Bastila her space after such a traumatic ordeal. Still, the students crowded Bastila every chance they could get. Some wanted details on what had happened, some just wanted to say they had talked to her or touched her. The students that didn't approach her were no better, in her opinion. Always staring at her, gossiping and whispering about her behind her back.
Still even more annoying than all of this was the fact that everyone wanted to be her friend! The irony wasn't lost on Bastila. In the Muggle world, her above average academic performance had caused her to be viewed as an outcast by everyone in the school. Now, in the Wizarding world, everyone at Hogwarts was friendly and kind to her, and wanted to be her friend and get to know her. But of course, in the Muggle world, Bastila hadn't captured two mass murderers.
On the day before it would be exactly a month until the third task, Bastila found herself in Hogsmeade, spending time with Severus. Severus had initially rebelled against being pulled away from the dungeons and his precious potions, but he had soon given in to the girl's demands due to the very attractive idea of being free from grading school assignments for a few hours and having to deal with "Unruly children".
"Of which you are most certainly not, I assure you." He had proclaimed at the look on Bastila's face. And so she had dragged Severus around Hogsmeade, marveling at all the magical candies and other items. They'd gone by a magical shop for pranksters, a sweets store, and finally had ended up in the most well respected pub around, which was called "The Three Broomsticks."
"What can I get for you?" Asked Madam Rosmerta, smiling at her two newest customers.
"Two Butterbeers please." Bastila answered as she and Severus seated themselves at a table in a corner of the Three Broomsticks. "I'll pay." She added, throwing a sideways glance at Severus. He scowled at Bastila, looking as if he wanted to protest, perhaps because he thought it wouldn't be the fatherly thing to do to allow her to pay, then gave a sigh of resignation.
"You heard her." Severus told Madam Rosmerta curtly. Rosmerta gave a brief smile and told them to wait a few minutes while she got their drinks.
"I am beginning to rethink my decision to leave the Castle." Muttered Severus. At the hurt expression that passed over Bastila's face, he was immediately ready to kick himself.
However, instead of shooting back with an angry remark, or expressing her hurt feelings in any other way, Bastila simply laughed. "It's been a while since you've been out just for fun, hasn't it?"
"Yes." Severus admitted, his voice barely audible now, least he be overheard by any of the students at the other tables. Hogsmeade was teeming with students, owing to the day being a sunny Saturday afternoon. "Not since I was a student at Hogwarts..."
"Well, you'll have to get used to it with me around." Bastila said, smirking broadly at him. "Especially come summer!"
"Oh I have no doubt about that." Severus replied wryly. "Believe it or not, I'm well aware of the amount of time that teenage girls spend out and about. They hardly enjoy staying anywhere for too long."
"How did you come by that information? Hogwarts sweetheart?" Bastila teased.
Now it was Severus's turn to look hurt. But a brief expression of pain was all he showed. "Indeed." He said slowly. "She forced me into coming to Hogsmeade with her many a time, and in much the same way you have today."
"I guess I should be glad it still works on you after all this time." Bastila dared to say after an uncomfortably long silence.
Severus smiled lightly. "Perhaps."
A short time later, and Rosmerta had returned with their butterbeers. Bastila handed Rosmerta the Galleons and thanked her, and Rosmerta bustled off to to another table.
"I hope you have not been abusing your Ligillimency prowess. The use of it on an unconsenting person is illegal, barring extenuating circumstances." Said Severus after they had finished their Butterbeers, and were wandering around Hogsmeade once again.
Bastila frowned at his words, but kept silent as she walked. She hadn't known it was illegal, as no one had informed her, and the book on Ligillmency that she'd been given by Severus had only helped to train her in its use, and hadn't said anything about the legality of the magic itself. Sure, she'd known it would obviously be rude and intrusive to go around looking into peoples heads, hence why she'd given Draco the magic ring that produced mental shields, but she hadn't known it was illegal.
She wondered for a brief second why Severus would bring it up now, out of the blue, and then she thought that maybe it was a test of some sort.
Maybe Severus wanted to know whether she had been using it wantonly, to see how she'd react to knowing it was illegal, to test her morality and ethics.
Well, Bastila wasn't going to disappoint him.
"I've only used it during our sessions, and once on Cedric during Christmas." She replied honestly. "I already know it would be pretty rude and wrong of me to go peeking into peoples' minds, but I didn't know it was illegal."
"I'm pleased to hear that."
"Why didn't you tell me? You could have said something at any time this year. Someone could have said something in Dumbledore's office at Christmas, too. Now that I think back on it, why didn't anyone?"
"It was of no consequence, considering the situation. It must have simply slipped everyone's minds." Severus smirked at his own wit and let out a soft laugh.
Bastila was about to reply when she was struck in the back by a ball of cold, hard snow. She groaned, knowing who she'd see before she even turned around. "Decided to abandon your studying?" She said, turning and smiling at the blonde haired girl who was preparing to toss another snowball.
"Yeah. I thought I should spend some time with you instead, and daddy dearest." Daphne flashed a grin at Severus, who scowled. Daphne conjured a fresh snowball out of the air, then sent it flying towards Severus. The potions master disintegrated the snowball with a wave of his hand, looking sour.
"I never should have told you about that spell." Bastila said, laughing at Daphne and Severus's antics.
"Now we're even." Daphne countered. "Do I have to remind you about Serpensortia?"
"You just did." Severus interjected, a small smile on his lips.
"How close are you to finishing the Manor?" Bastila asked, cutting into Daphne and Severus's banter.
"It will be ready for your arrival by the time Summer starts. Don't worry." He answered, putting a hesitant hand on Bastila's shoulder.
"And what about Daphne?" Bastila gestured at her Girlfriend, who was now very quiet and still. "Would it be alright if she maybe came over sometimes?"
Severus's eyes moved between the two girls, and then he sighed. "I don't see why not. However, I will ask that the two of you try your best not to destroy the place with your...High-spirited behavior."
"It won't be anything a good Repario can't fix." Daphne vowed. Then she hugged Severus without warning.
"What, might I ask, is this for?" Severus said quietly, staring down at the girl in confusion.
Daphne pulled away and stared into Severus's eyes. "My parents aren't the best. It would be good for me to stay away from them as much as possible." She answered, unhesitatingly.
Severus stared back at Daphne for a long time, so long that Bastila suspected him of using Legillimency, and then he broke eye contact. "I see. You're welcome to enter my Manor any time you wish." He said, his voice strikingly gentle. He busied himself with straightening his black robes, then turned to Bastila. "I sincerely doubt I will be getting any sleep whatsoever come Summer holiday."
Bastila smiled widely, though her eyes were on Daphne, who was looking triumphant behind Severus's back. "You're probably right."
After another hour of wandering, Severus announced it was time to go back to the Castle. Bastila and Daphne complained, but still heeded Severus's words and followed him back. Severus parted ways with the girls at his private quarters, so Bastila and Daphne were left with no choice but to go to the Slytherin dormitories.
On the way there, Bastila suggested they go to the library instead, reasoning that Severus had only told them to return to the castle and hadn't said anything about exactly WHERE in the castle they had to go. Daphne had just shrugged and smiled, going along with the change of plan with dignity, though she had stressed the point that lunch started in half an hour, and that she was VERY hungry. Bastila assured Daphne that they'd make it to the Great Hall in time, and left it at that.
"What are we here for?" Daphne asked as soon as they entered the Library.
Bastila didn't answer, instead she stalked right up to Madame Pince, who looked up in surprise at the confident girl approaching her. "Could we get access to the restricted section please?" Bastila asked, her voice light.
Madame Pince narrowed her eyes instantly. "Do you have a permission slip from a teacher?"
Bastila just smiled. "No."
"Then why are you wasting my time with this?" Snapped the Librarian.
"Well you see, I was hoping I could find more information on Voldemort." Bastila said, her eyes locked with the Librarian's.
"I doubt there's anything in the restricted section that you couldn't learn from a history book." The Librarian snapped.
Daphne was now looking extremely uncomfortable, and she began tugging on Bastila's arm in an effort to drag her out of the library.
Bastila ignored Daphne, focusing her eyes solely on Madame Pince. "I disagree." Bastila said softly.
"Whether you disagree or not, is irrelevant, Miss Phoenix! Now get out of my library!"
Bastila heard faint whispering in her head, and she felt a surge of insane, twisted rage. How DARE this mere Librarian try to keep Bastila from what she wanted? "I think a child has the right to know about her father, and you are NOT going to keep me from finding out everything that I can about him."
Bastila's magic holster, sensing the rage in Bastila's magical core, dropped her snakewood wand down into her waiting hand.
The Librarian's eyes went to Bastila's wand, which was still held at her side, pointing at the floor, and then back up to Bastila's face. "Miss Phoenix, put that wand away this instant! I don't know what nonsense you are trying to throw at me, but no matter what stories you concoct you will not be getting access to the restricted section of this library without a signed permission slip!"
All through the Librarian's rant, the whispers in Bastila's head had grown stronger and louder until the voice was all but screaming at her, and she felt sick to her stomach with rage and the craving for violence. She was sweating now, and her face had gone pale.
"Bastila!" Daphne shouted, grabbing Bastila's wand arm and pulling it aside just as Bastila raised her wand. Huge bursts of blue flames exploded out of Bastila's wand, coming perilously close to scorching the bookshelves. Had Daphne not redirected Bastila's wand, Madame Pince would have been the recipient of those flames.
Daphne trapped Bastila's arm between hers, twisted her around and tripped her, sending Bastila to the floor. The snakewood wand fell out of Bastila's grasp and went clattering across the floor.
Bastila was oblivious to Daphne's shouting, and to Madame Pince's screams of alarm as the old woman drew her wand. Bastila fought with Daphne wildly, throwing elbows and knees at Daphne, rolling around on the floor with her. Bastila untangled herself and got to her feet, her eyes glittering dementedly. Bastila's gaze fell on the Librarian, who was aiming her wand at her. Bastila opened her mouth to speak, and a jet of flames burst forth.
The Librarian threw up a shield, and Bastila's flames engrossed the magical dome protecting the person she furiously wished to murder: To make pay for stopping Bastila from-
Bastila felt a spell hit her square in the back. The flames disappeared. Then her vision went black, and she fell to the floor.
"That was very quick of you Miss Greengrass." Madame Pince said, staring down at Bastila.
Daphne ignored the Librarian, instead she got to her knees beside Bastila and ran her hand through Bastila's hair, wondering just what in the world had happened to the girl she loved. It was as if she had been possessed, Daphne thought, recalling the insanity that had blazed in Bastila's warm, kind eyes...
"I think we should take Bastila to the Headmasters office." Daphne said shortly. She got to her feet and suspended Bastila in the air with a quick spell.
"That would be best. But I'm coming with you, Miss Greengrass." Said Madame Pince, still flustered and weak from blocking Bastila's flames. She would never have admitted it, but it had taken almost all of her magical energy put into her shield spell to hold back the flames.
Daphne retrieved Bastila's wand from the floor, then started off out of the Library with Bastila floating beside her, and Madame Pince trailing behind with her wand pointed at Bastila's unconscious form.
"Headmaster." Daphne greeted as she entered the office with an unconscious Bastila floating next to her, and an exhausted Madame Pince right behind her.
Albus could tell that this wouldn't be a lighthearted visit. "What has happened?" He asked immediately, his eyes concerned as he got to his feet and swept over to examine Bastila. He drew his wand and began running diagnostic spells, frowning as he listened to Daphne and Madame Pince tell him about what occurred in the Library.
"Round up the rest of the staff and tell them to meet me here as soon as possible." Albus told Madame Pince. The Librarian spared a last look at Bastila before leaving the office in a hurry.
Dumbledore went back to his desk and sat down. He smiled at Daphne and gestured at the chair opposite him. Daphne reluctantly sat down, fidgeting and looking at Bastila every few seconds, who had been layed down on a small bed Albus had conjured for her.
Bastila was still stunned and unconscious. Laying there, she looked incredibly peaceful, oblivious to what had happened. To what she had done.
"What's going to happen to her? She attacked a staff member. She won't be expelled, will she?" Daphne asked bluntly, chewing her lip in worry. If Bastila were to leave Hogwarts, then so would Daphne. Daphne didn't even have to think about it.
"No. She will not be expelled." Albus said gently. "It seems that fate has conspired to do everything it can to keep yourself and Miss Phoenix at Hogwarts..."
"What do you mean?"
"When you attacked Miss Phoenix earlier this year, I was forced by the circumstances to allow you to stay at Hogwarts. Now, the circumstances regarding Miss Phoenix's situation has given me no choice but to allow her to stay as well." Albus offered a kind smile. "Destiny must have something quite extraordinary in store for you and Miss Phoenix."
"I can understand Bastila being so important. She's powerful, smart, beautiful, and Tom Riddle's daughter. She fought him and won. But I don't get why destiny and fate would take an interest in me..." Daphne shook her head, again looking back over at Bastila.
"Perhaps it is not what you can do for the world directly, but rather what you can do for Miss Phoenix." Albus said with twinkling eyes. "You are very important to Miss Phoenix. Perhaps you are meant to be with her to support her, and to help and encourage her."
"Maybe." Daphne shrugged. "Are you going to tell the teachers about her being the Dark Lords kid?" She suddenly asked, surprising Dumbledore.
Albus sighed. "That is my intention, yes. This incident with Madame Pince has made me believe it cannot be kept hidden from them any longer. Surprisingly, Voldemort himself has seemingly opted to remain quiet on the matter. As has Barty Crouch Junior."
There was silence between them for a long time as they waited for the teachers to arrive. Daphne spoke up again after a good five minutes. "What Bas did with the flames...After she lost her wand...It was incredible wandless magic. I've never seen anything like it before, but it sounds like what she told me she did in the Graveyard. It wasn't just an accident. It was controlled. Powerful. But how did she do it? How can she?"
"Your guess is as good as mine." Albus said thoughtfully. Just then the door to his office opened, and in came Severus Snape, followed by Minerva McGonagall, Filius Flitwick, Professor Sprout, Madame Pomfrey, and Madame Pince.
Severus ignored everyone and headed straight for Bastila, kneeling down beside the bed and beginning to examine his daughter for injuries.
"What is all this about an attack in the Library?" McGonagall asked, her eyes on Albus.
"Yes, yes, and that the perpetrator was Bastila Phoenix!" Filius squeaked, looking at the unconscious Bastila. "That girl is very controlled and level headed, even with all her troubles! I can't believe she would make an unprovoked attack on anyone, let alone a member of the staff!"
"Miss Greengrass, if you would please tell the rest of the staff what you have told me?" Albus said, his eyes growing serious.
Daphne nodded, then retold the entirety of the events in the Library to the other teachers. She made sure to stress Bastila's crazed appearance, the almost desperate seeming blows that Bastila had rained down on her. "I think she was under the influence of a cursed object, or some kind of spell." Daphne said firmly, looking at each of the teachers in turn.
"That is my thinking as well." Dumbledore agreed. "I believe Miss Phoenix was under the influence of something very dark, though whether curse or spell, I cannot say."
Severus looked distraught as well as furious at the fact that someone could have managed to bewitch his daughter.
"What was that hogwash about Miss Phoenix's father being You-Know-Who?" Flitwick piped up. "Clearly the girl was bewitched, and was being used to get access to dark books!"
"She spoke the truth, Filius." Sighed Dumbledore. "Miss Phoenix is the child of Lord Voldemort." Everyone gasped and flinched except for Daphne, Severus, and McGonagall.
"But how is that possible, Albus?" Asked Madame Pomfrey, who was next to Severus, looking over Bastila.
"I do not know, Poppy. But I do know that it is the truth." Albus said, refusing to elaborate any further.
Pomfrey huffed and looked between Severus and Minerva. "I suppose the two of you know about this as well?"
"Yes." Severus said shortly. McGonagall gave Poppy an apologetic nod.
"If the truth of this were to ever get out, Miss Phoenix would be in terrible danger." Said Albus gently.
"She is already in considerable danger, Albus!" McGonagall exclaimed. "The poor girl has been Imperiused by a Death Eater impersonating a teacher, kidnapped by a man we thought to be dead, dueled with the Dark Lord, and now she's been put under the influence of someone with no doubt just as nefarious purposes as her previous attackers!" McGonagall's outburst shocked everyone in the room. She rarely questioned Dumbledore. And she wasn't done yet. "I believe the secret of her heritage is already out amongst the dark forces! If it isn't, then her fame alone in beating and capturing the Dark Lord is cause enough for dark wizards to take an interest in her just as much as the Ministry and the rest of the wizarding world has! And I think it would be highly advisable for serious arrangements to be made to protect the girl!"
"What would you suggest?" Severus asked quietly. Minerva looked at him with soft eyes.
"A teacher could accompany Miss Phoenix to and from every class, and we can have one member of the staff with her at all other times outside the classrooms, such as Hogsmeade visits, weekends and study times." McGonagall said readily, obviously having thought it through a great deal in the past few minutes. "We would also do well to have guards posted outside the Slytherin dormitory during the night."
"With respect, Professor, I'm with Bastila almost all the time and these things have still happened." Daphne said, feeling frustrated. "All those overblown protective measures aren't going to do a thing to stop Dark Wizards and Death Eaters if they really want to get at her so badly. Can you wake her up now, anyway?" She added, turning to Severus.
Severus got a nod of approval from Dumbledore, and then waved his wand at Bastila. "Ennervate." Severus murmured softly. Everyone waited, but Bastila didn't even stir.
"I don't understand. Why is she not waking up?" Said Minerva, shaking her head.
Daphne felt the creepings of panic setting in, and took a few deep breathes. It didn't help. 'Oh God, all I did was hit her with a stunner! Please be okay Bas...'
As Pomfrey began casting medical spells, Severus lay a hand worriedly on Bastila's arm and started stroking it gently. "Bastila my child, please wake..."
A hand. A hand was on her, rubbing her arm in the darkness behind closed eyes. That was the first thing Bastila was aware of as she awoke. Or maybe it was the hand that had woken her. Bastila stayed as still as she possibly could, hoping the hand would leave her. She was terrified and panicked beyond belief. Her brain was locked down. She couldn't think. All she could do was focus on the hand, and how horrified she was at her situation.
Bastila heard whispered voices within her head, talking to her, pleading with her. But the voices were unclear. Bastila couldn't tell what they were saying to her. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. She pushed her fear and panic down into the depths of her mind. Bastila opened her eyes. She was staring right into the face of Severus Snape. Only for a brief moment, the face wasn't Severus's, but that of a man she didn't recognize. Her horror rushed to the surface of her mind like a bursting dam. How could Severus be DOING THIS TO HER?! How could he be violating Bastila IN HER SLEEP?! Bastila shut her eyes tight, then opened them again. Severus was still there, still muttering, staring at her, his hand now moving up to her shoulder! Bastila didn't even think. She rolled violently to the side, falling off the bed she had been laying on and taking Severus down to the floor. Bastila aimed a quick punch at Severus's face. His nose broke with a loud "crack". Bastila grabbed Severus by the sides of his head and slammed his skull against the stone floor, then got to her feet. Her eyes scanned the room, finding several teachers standing in front of the door! Bastila didn't calm her wild breathing, and she didn't notice the little wimpers she was making. Bastila had spotted the door, and she bolted for it. The teachers drew their wands and pointed them at Bastila, but too late. Bastila was already plowing into McGonagall, twisting Minerva's wand arm towards the wall even as Bastila aimed a kick at Flitwick that connected with the side of the little dwarfs head. Bastila shoved the surprised Mcgonagall aside with strength borne of her desperation to leave this room, to leave the place where the teachers she trusted had been keeping her and had been VIOLATING HER!
Bastila was oblivious to anything anyone was shouting or saying. She was going to reach the door, and she was going to get the hell out. Bastila grabbed the front of Madame Pomfrey's hospital robes and spun her around, sending the nurse stumbling across the room. Bastila didn't care where or in what condition the nurse landed, she was satisfied with only the sound of the woman crashing to the floor.
Bastila's hands fell flat against the wooden door. She pulled the iron ring door-handle, but it didn't budge. She pulled again and again, putting all her strength into it, but it never even moved an inch. She screamed in frustration and panic, then spun around and put her back flat up against the door when she heard footsteps approach her. It was Severus.
"STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!" She screeched, her voice reaching a level of high pitched she never would have thought possible. Her breathing was uneven and crazed, and even to herself she sounded like some kind of wild animal.
"Bastila, I-" Severus began, his face bloodied. He never got to say anything more. He had taken another step forward.
"NO!" Bastila lashed out with her fists, her feet, and everything she had. "I TRUSTED YOU! AND YOU TOUCH ME IN MY SLEEP?!" She drove Severus back, pushing, hitting and scratching the potions master with all her strength and ferocity. Bastila turned on her heel, rounding on the teachers as they took aim with their wands again. "FUCK ALL OF YOU! YOU LOCK ME IN HERE AND LET ME BE TOUCHED IN MY SLEEP! STAY BACK!"
Bastila's eyes fell on someone standing in the corner of the room. Someone with blonde hair and familiar eyes. Voices whispered in Bastila's head. "NO." Bastila choked out, shaking her head and backing away from everyone, back to the door. "No! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!" Bastila's back hit the door. She slid down to the cold stone and drew her knees up and wrapped her hands around her knees. "No no no...Daphne how could you, how could you let them do this to me..."
Bastila stared at the floor, sobbing hysterically. Anyone that tried to get near her was promptly screamed at, or in some cases, struck with fists and feet.
Half an hour later, Bastila had descended into complete silence. She sat there, motionless and unblinking, as if she were dead inside.
At least, it appeared that way to Albus Dumbledore. Albus felt his heart ache for the girl. It was as Severus had feared in his discussions with Albus about the girl. She had to have suffered some form of traumatic event in her childhood, a raping, and now it appeared she was having a mental breakdown. Given the girl's words about the situation, it seemed fair to say that Albus could make a guess on the exact circumstances of her assault. "You touch me in my sleep..."
Albus had never personally dealt with, nor witnessed any of his students suffering the after effects of such traumas. But he'd certainly heard about it all many times from the other teachers and Head of Houses, and so knew the details of the depths of the suffering these children went through. But to see it first hand was an entirely different thing for Albus, and it shocked him to the core. The look in Bastila's eyes, so desperate, so terrified and unreasonable. Her voice like that of a wounded animal, the ferocity behind her attacks...
Albus couldn't have done anything but stand there and watch, for so shocked was he at the girl's behavior. After the girl had gone into her almost empty looking state, which didn't seem better than her blind terror, Albus had had to restrain Daphne from trying to approach Bastila. After a few tries, no one else had attempted to get close to her either. But Albus had also had to hold them off from stunning her, for attacking the girl wouldn't help her at all in her present state. Though Albus did surreptitiously flick his wand at Severus, healing the man of his injuries, for which he received a grateful look. Then Severus had returned to staring at Bastila from across the room.
"Let me out." Bastila spoke. Her voice was flat, devoid of any expression or inflection. Combined with her dead eyes, it was just as terrible as her previous, wild demeanor.
"I am afraid that I cannot allow that." Albus said gently.
Bastila continued to stare straight ahead. "Let me out." She repeated.
"You might hurt the other students."
"I can't hurt them more then you do." Bastila's voice was still perfectly flat, her eyes still unblinking and dull.
Albus was about to reply when Severus gave him a shake of the head. Severus reached out to Albus with Legillimency, and Albus let him in for a few seconds. Long enough to receive the mental message the potions master had for him. 'It would seem she has just relived her trauma. Her dormant memories have come to the surface after all these years. Now she has withdrawn into herself to escape the terror. To engage her in a discussion of what has happened, or what she mentally perceives to have happened, would only cause her to regress into her previous state of mind. We must let her be.'
'Should I allow her to leave? I will defer to your expertise in this matter, Severus...' Albus mentally replied.
Severus didn't respond for minute or two. 'Yes. Allow her to leave. I can assure you that no harm will come to the rest of the students. She will most likely attempt to find and shelter herself in a location that is familiar and safe to her while her mind tries to process what it has experienced, or re-experienced, as it were. Her mind is in an extremely fragile state.'
'Very well, Severus.' Albus closed his eyes and brought his Occlumency barriers up again as Severus's presence left his mind. Albus unlocked the door to his office with a thought, watching Bastila for a reaction.
Bastila heard the distinct "Chink" of the door being unlocked behind her. She didn't think. She got to her feet without a word, without a change in expression and opened the door. She felt nothing. She thought nothing. She left the room after gently closing the door, barely aware of her own actions, and only wanting one thing: Safety.
Bastila sat on the lakeside, her bare feet under the cool evening waters. She looked out over the lake. She was slowly coming back to herself, and in this time she started to remember.
A child in her bed at night...A child silently crying as a pair of big, evil hands roamed her body...
Bastila shut her eyes tight against the images and feelings, blocking them out and replacing them with her racing thoughts. 'Damnit. Where the hell is this from? Why can't I remember? When did this even happen?! Why would my mother keep this from me? Did she even know?'
"Bastila?"
Bastila turned her head to find Daphne standing there, looking frightened, cautious, worried, and clearly upset. "What do you want?" She replied dully.
Daphne's eyes went wide, then she stared at the ground. "I just needed to know that you were okay."
"Right." Bastila laughed bitterly. "Well, I'm perfectly fine. Between memories I never knew I had, the occassional mental breakdown, a mass murderer for a father, and attempts on my life, I'm doing just fine thank you. What else would I be?"
"Pissed off and afraid?"
Bastila smiled a little. But the smile faded as quickly as it had come. "You can sit with me. I've thought about what happened in the Headmasters office, and I wasn't...I wasn't in my right mind."
"Seems like there's a lot of that going around today." Daphne joked. She sat down beside to Bastila.
"I don't know what the hell is wrong with me, Daph." Bastila whispered hopelessly. "I don't know what to do! I don't know what to do about anything! And I HATE that I feel like I don't know myself anymore!"
No answer.
Bastila closed her eyes, her thoughts straying back to her completely irrational, dangerous actions in the library. "You should just stay away from me. I don't want to end up hurting you anymore than I already have. Hell, Dumbledore should kick me out of school."
"You didn't mean to hurt me, or anyone else." Daphne finally spoke. "Headmaster Dumbledore understands that. He's not going to expel you. Besides, you still have to compete in the final task."
"I don't care." Bastila replied flatly.
"Damnit, Bastila, stop talking like this! It's breaking my heart, okay?!"
Bastila's eyes opened. She turned her head slowly and stared at Dahne in shocked.
"I'm sorry." Daphne said quickly, looking away. "You have every right to feel terrible. Your life has been hell..."
"Yeah...It has. But it's been good, too. I met you, and Sev." Bastila said, attempting to smile.
"What about Voldemort and his followers?"
"What about them?" Bastila asked.
"He's your father. You have an obligation to stop him. To stop them all."
Bastila shook her head. "I'm not responsible for anything he's done. And last I checked, he's in azkaban. I don't need to stop him."
"What about what he's GOING to do? What they're going to do! You know they'll find a way to break him free! His Death eaters, they have the motivation now, with his return!" Daphne said sharply. "And when they do set him free, can you really say that you'll be fine with standing back and letting him terrorize Britain when you could be out there doing something to stop him? What happens when you get out of school? Are you going to settle down, raise a nice family and IGNORE Voldemort, ignore the bodies piling up around you?"
"Enough already!" Bastila cried, putting her hands over her ears. "Damnit Daphne! I know! Just...GOD DAMNIT!" Bastila slammed her fists into the dirt, letting her magic burst out. Rocks went flying in every direction, the dirt exploded up in tall plooms and the calm lake surface was suddenly disrupted by a crashing wave on the shoreline.
Daphne's face was pale, as if she realized she'd gone too far. But Daphne didn't cower from Bastila's display of magic, nor did she even flinch. She simply scooted closer to Bastila and wrapped her arms around her, holding her close. Just holding her.
Bastila stayed in Daphne's arms for a long time. "I need to find out who...Hurt me, when I was a child. I need to find out about these memories." Bastila said quietly, putting an end to the silence.
"I understand that, Bas, I really do, but I just don't see how you could ever track down whoever it was that did that to you." Daphne answered back in a gentle tone.
"I'll start simple. I'll go back to my old neighborhood in the Muggle world and ask around. I'll find out if my neighbors knew if...If A man was seen with or around my mother when I was younger." Bastila explained.
"I'll go with you."
Bastila let out a short laugh. "I expected you to say that. And...I want you with me."
Daphne turned Bastila around in her arms and hugged her tight. "I'll be with you every step of the way, and that's a promise."
"And you're right about my father."
"I am?" Daphne asked in confusion as they drew apart.
"You are." Bastila nodded. "He's my father. My responsibility. I could never live with myself if I just ignored everything he's done, and everything his followers are doing."
"The Aurors can handle it. They did it before, in the first war." Daphne assured.
"Well I don't think they can do it this time! You weren't there, Daph. You didn't see him, you didn't see all of his Death Eaters..." Bastila trailed off. Then she refocused. "It's like you said. His Death Eaters are getting together again. They're starting to murder and torture just like before, and they're probably planning a way to set Voldemort free as we speak."
"What do you want us to do about it? We're just students."
Bastila gave Daphne a fierce look. "You said it yourself. I can't just ignore what's happening, I can't go to school and act like people aren't being murdered and kidnapped daily on my father's orders, or in his name! His Death Eaters are out there, planning their next move, and none of us knows what it is!"
"Bastila, I was only saying most of that to get some kind of reaction out of you! Which I did, by the way. Besides, even if I did believe a word of it, we're just students!"
"You were still right. Voldemort's followers aren't going to just sit around and wait for us to graduate!" Bastila countered.
"So, what? You think we should just skip out on Hogwarts and go chasing after Death Eaters? Take them out on our own? Is that it?"
Bastila didn't answer. That had been exactly what she was thinking.
"We're not ready." Daphne said softly.
"And we may never BE ready!" Bastila cried, pulling away from Daphne's embrace. Bastila got to her feet and looked across the lake again, trying to calm herself. When she spoke again, it was in soft tones."They're planning something right now, and we have no idea what's coming...But it IS coming, whether we're ready...Or not." Daphne got to her feet as well and stood beside Bastila, looking out at the lake for a moment before turning to face her.
"Alright then..." Daphne took a deep breath and held Bastila's hands in her own, staring intently into her eyes. "If you want us to become the youngest Witches in all of history to single-handedly try to take down a corrupt criminal organization hellbent on conspiring against the Ministry and wiping out the good people of Britain...Then I'm with you, until the end."
Bastila leaned in and gently laid a kiss on Daphne's lips. Looking into her eyes, Bastila knew right then that the Wizarding marriage laws were something she could definitely get used to, when it came to Daphne. Bastila would marry young for this girl, this girl who was willing to die for her, willing to fight AGAINST her in Bastila's moments of dark possession to save her. That was how much Daphne loved and cared about her, Bastila realized.
Bastila also realized how much she truly loved and cared about Daphne in return, for all those reasons and more.
"Till death do us part, is how you say it." Bastila whispered. Daphne blushed and stood in shock for a moment, but only a moment. She smiled, her eyes shimmering with joyful tears, then lost herself to Bastila's passionate embrace...