Caly's Abilities
It was mid November before Caly received any news on the attack on her and James. To be honest she wasn't worrying about it anymore. She figured that he had realised she didn't have anything worth having. Besides nothing else had happened. The things she was more worried about was her magical ability, or lack of, and beating James at chess. They had started a little ritual of playing every Saturday when the Gryffindor team had their longest practise.
She was sat eating toast and moaning about the fact that they had all their lessons with the Hufflepuffs even if meant having the two lessons Caly could do. Atticus had become even more annoying after James and Colin and Fred and his gang had pranked him non-stop for a week. He was worse than the Slytherins but then again they didn't see much of the Slytherin's, after all everyone was asleep in the only lesson they shared with them, history of magic.
Caly didn't look up when the post came. She never got mail, why would she? Occasionally Fawkes came to join her for breakfast so she wasn't surprised to see him sore out of the sky and down beside her plate and nibble her toast. She was surprised to see a letter attached to his leg. She quickly untied it and checked the address. Miss C. Hautly. It was definitely for her. She opened it and read.
Dear Miss Hautly,
Would you kindly come to my office at 11 am sharp. We have a few matters we wish to discuss with you.
Prof. M. McGonagall
P.S. Armando Dippet
"Who's Armando Dippet?" Caly asked with a confused frown on her face.
"Old headmaster of Hogwarts. Why?" Asked Scorpius.
"McGonagall wants to see me at 11 and she wrote Armando Dippet at the bottom."
"It'll be the password." Rose said off-handily. Caly stared at her. "The headmaster or mistress' office is guarded by a gargoyle, you need a password to get past it. Didn't you read Hogwarts A History?"
"I didn't buy it. It wasn't on the booklist. I didn't have money spare."
"Oh." They went back to eating.
"I wonder why she wants to see me in her office? I've never been sent to any professors office. Hell I don't even know where it is!"
"Ask James." said Al "He knows where everything is."
Caly got up and walked over to him, Colin and the Scamander twins.
"Hey James."
"Hey Caly."
"Ummm. You know where McGonagall's office is?"
"'couse, the map."
"Oh yeah."
"So you got summoned there, too, at 11."
"Yep."
"We should go together."
"'kay. See you."
At 11 Caly and James met at the portrait hole and set off to McGonagall's office. James was much more chatty than he had been last time they had been alone. He talked about pranks he'd pulled and about how much he was looking forward to the up coming Quidditch games and the holidays. Caly didn't say very much, mainly nodded and made noises of ascent in the right places. Though she didn't mind him talking it was slightly irritating to listen to him for nearly 10 minutes. She didn't understand how Al had spent 10 years living with him.
"Armando Dippet" They told the gargoyle and he sprung aside. They climbed the winding spiral stair case and came to the door. They knocked once and received the call to enter.
On entering Caly was given a lot to look at. Firstly there were the people assembled. Professors Longbottoom, Slughorn, Flitwick, Sprout and, of course, McGonagall were there a long with Hagrid and a man who looked like an older version of Al, in fact the similarities were uncanny. It was Scor and his father except the eyes were the same this time. It didn't take James shout to work out who he was.
"Dad!" James ran and hugged the man who chuckled slightly at his son's enthusiasm. Caly took the time to study the rest of the office. There were bookshelves lining the wall. A glass cabinet containing strange objects. But most fascinating of all were the portraits, thought they were asleep. Caly read the plaques and realised quickly they were the old headmasters and mistresses. Her eyes searched for Armando Dippet and then Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape.
"Take a seat." Caly stopped staring at the sallow skinned man with black hair and dropped into a seat next to James. She noted his fathers hand rested protectively on his shoulder.
"Now I'm sure you have guessed why you're here." Caly and James nodded. It didn't take much guess work why they had been called together.
"Did you find him then, Dad?" James said excitedly.
"No." Mr Potter shook his head sadly. "We did receive an anonymous tip off awhile ago that named a man but we believe he has fled to the states and relations are… not so good so we haven't been able to locate him."
"So why are we here?"
"Because." Mr Potter bit his thumb, thinking "I don't want you two doing anything stupid." James seemed to get what his dad was saying, Caly on the other hand was confused.
"Stupid?"
"Don't go looking for the attacker."
"Why would I do that? I can't perform magic."
"Well you never know, I also want to ask you a few questions."
"Okay."
"Now he was definitely male, right?"
"Yes."
"And he didn't say what he wanted?"
"No. I've told you this before."
"I know, I know. I just want to finalise everything 'cause this is really serious."
"Sorry."
"Not a problem. Now the last thing is have either of you seen anything strange around the castle, because it is possible that the man had inside help." James shook his head instantly but Caly paused. Should she mention Professor Hardingly and Overy, or the arithmancy professor. No that was private. Just as she was going to say no she remembered her first lesson. Were teachers allowed to invade the minds of the pupils? Did professor Hardingly do it to everyone?"Caly?"
"No."
"Sure?"
"Yes."
"James could you leave." James got up hugged his father goodbye, waved to Caly and then left.
Caly shifted awkwardly in her seat. She was now in a room full of adults, all looking at her very seriously. She had painful memories of the last time this had happened. She had got mad and blown up the water pipes all round the school. Mr Potter seemed to sense her unease and said gently.
"It's okay you're not in trouble, we just want to talk to you about your magic." Caly felt her heart sink. Was she going to be thrown out of Hogwarts because she wasn't magical enough?
"You see." Professor Longbottom continued. "When Hagrid went to give you your letter." Hagrid winked at her. "You told him you were 'suppressing your urges to do magic' is that correct?"
"Yeah and he said he'd tell Professor McGonagall."
"And he did the moment he came back. I did a bit of research and found that most people who suppress it, which is very few, end up dieing when it comes exploding out of them. They have magical fits, per se, when they get angry and scared."
"You think I have that."
"No because you did magic in Ollivanders which Hagrid also told me. But even this wasn't normal magic because when the wand chooses the wizard it tends to choose them instantly instead of after half a minute like you. Also out on the steps when you were attacked you would expect your magic to come out but it did not."
"What are you saying?"
"That I think there are two options. The first I have pretty much discarded but I'll tell you it anyway. You suppressed the magic because of the er… consequences that came from using it."
"Yes."
"My first thoughts therefore, were, that, now you found yourself in an environment where using magic is acceptable and well the right thing to do, it might come out. Once you felt safe."
"But I feel safe and at home and that hasn't happened."
"I know that's why I have discarded it. My other theory is that it all comes down to your mind power. To 'feel' the magic is not something wizards do. Then to suppress that to the extent you cannot feel it requires extraordinary mind control. You may have a mental capacity that surpasses anything we've seen."
"Is there anyway to prove this?"
"Two. One is occlumency and the second is illegal. I'd like to do them both to be sure but you don't have to do the second."
"What's occlumency?"
"It's defending your mind from legilamency, which is when someone invades your mind." She looked at Mr Potter who was giving her the definition. "It's not easy though."
"Can I try?"
"Sure. Stand up." Caly stood and faced Mr Potter. "I'll attack without warning."
"What do I do?""Clear your mind, rid yourself of all emotion." Caly watched as his eyes subconsciously flicked towards the portrait of Severus Snape who smirked at him. Caly forced herself to concentrate and tried to rid herself of all thought and emotion. But it was near impossible. Then the force was back.
It was the same as the one she had encountered with professor Hardingly. Caly realised she didn't need to rid herself of emotion. She just needed to push. She opened her eyes and looked straight at Mr Potter whilst pushing away the resurfacing memories. She pushed and pushed until…
She heard a man shouting, a women screaming and high cold laugh. Then a flash a green light and the scene changed. A boy who looked like Al had his hands against the face of a man who's face was blistering. More screaming. Then it changed. A girl with bushy hair lay frozen on a hospital bed. A large chamber where a small ginger girl lay, dead or asleep. A giant snake reared, a 16 year old boy laughed. 100 dementors sped towards a man lying on the ground. A boy no older than 17 lay dead on the grass. A skeletal man rose from a cauldron. A man fell through a fluttering archway. Dumbledore was killed by Snape and falling from the astronomy tower. A small creature with huge ears lay in a grave. A boy with ginger hair lay still, dead, while his family wept around him. A tiny boy with mousey hair was also dead. Further on were the bodies of two people, man and wife, laying together, one could almost believe they were asleep but they weren't. Death.
Caly recoiled and fell backwards, sweating and shaking. She understood everything she had seen. It all fitted what Al had explained to her but seeing them was very different. Mr Potter had his hands over his face and Caly knew he had had to relive some of the most painful memories of his life. She felt a surge of pity for him and a surge of anger towards Tom Riddle, Lord Voldermort, whatever people wanted to call him. All that death and suffering because of him.
"I'm sorry." She said the words in a shaky voice.
"It's okay." He was gripping James vacated chair very tightly, breathing hard. "Don't expect you got most of that anyway."
"Er… actually I got it all. Al explained on, like, my fourth day, or something like that. I understood all those memories."
"Oh." There was silence then he asked "How did you do that. I did it once but that time I bounced the jinx back at the caster."
"I pushed it back."
"What?"
"The force."
"What force?"
"The force that entered my head. You don't have to rid yourself of emotion." Harry looked shocked at this. "What?"
"I used to have lessons in occlumency and I have never felt a force. What about you Professor?" Caly looked at the other Professors who made no move to answer his question. It was only when a drawling voice spoke that Caly realised he'd addressed a portrait.
"Never." Professor Severus Snape answered calmly. "It's unheard of as far as I know."
"Well I think that answers all our questions doesn't it." said Professor Longbottom cheerfully. "No need to do the other method."
"Wait what was the other method?" Mr Potter shifted awkwardly.
"I would use the imperius curse on you and you would have to throw it off. But it's an unforgivable curse the use of it on a fellow being earns you life in Azkaban."
"Then how could you use it on me?"
"Permission from the minister, myself and most importantly you, would allow me to do so."
"What does the curse do?"
"It gives me total control over you but you can fight it. It requires will and mind power but it can be done."
"Can I do it?"
"But there's no need!" Professor Longbottom said.
"Just to check." Caly said. She didn't know exactly know why she was begging to have this curse put on her, she guessed she just wanted to prove she could do something. To find the reason she couldn't do magic. "In case the occlu- thingy was a fluke." He looked at Professor McGonagall.
"It's up to Miss Hautly."
"I want to do it."
"Okay, I'll attack without warning but it'll be something harmless."
Caly nodded and squared her shoulders, standing once more in the centre of McGonagall's office. Mr Potter composed himself and raised his wand. A streak of light shot from it and hit her in the chest. She stumbled back and immediately felt a feeling of weightlessness. She felt like she was floating and nothing could hurt her. But a tiny voice in her mind was saying no. Fight it you don't want to feel this way. Reality is better. Then Mr Potters voice came in tap Professor Longbottom's head thrice. No. Tap it thrice. No I don't want to. DO IT! NO!
"No!" she shouted the last one in her head and it also came from her mouth. The weightlessness was gone and she could feel again. She gulped in the air and calmed down.
"Well done." Mr Potter clapped her on the shoulder. "I think it's decided, it's all in your mind. I think once it comes through you'll have extraordinary talents. It should be interesting." He pulled out a battered pocket watch that looked at least 50 years old and checked the time. "Ah, damn it I'm late again." He strode to the fire and picked up a handful of green fire. He waved goodbye to the group in the office and stepped into the grate. Caly's eyes widened when he dropped the powder shouting minister of magic's office and the vanished in a flash of green flames.
"Floo powder." She looked up at Professor Longbottom who was smiling kindly. "Run along. I doubt you want to miss your weekly chess game with James." Caly left, not even bothering to ask how he knew she played chess every week with James.
The professors looked at one an other once she'd gone.
"Incredible." said Slughorn. "Incredible." The rest nodded speechlessly.
"But how will it come out?" Professor Sprout asked. Minerva shook her head.
"I have no idea. I will have to do some more research. I don't think we need to discuss anything more." The other professors took their cue to leave, departing in silence.
Caly wondered aimlessly through the castle. She was semi lost but didn't really care. Though she wanted to get back for chess, she needed to think now. She was magical, there was no denying that, it seemed but she had prevented herself from doing magic due to fear, she knew that, and now it had become so buried it was inaccessible. But Ollivander's? What had been different? What had enabled her to do magic? Was this why her wand was different? Her wand.
Caly froze. Something was falling into place inside her head. It seemed to make sense. Had she figured it out? Should she turn back and go to McGonagall or go to her friends? She didn't know anything for sure. And she still didn't know who her attacker was. That decided it. She ran off in the general direction of Gryffindor tower, trying to avoid running into any other students who were walking the halls.
Caly stopped again. This time she was completely lost. She looked around, she didn't recognise where she was. She considered asking one of the portraits for help but changed her mind. Most of the portraits hated being interrupted and were quite rude. Then up ahead she saw a flash of red hair.
"Hey! Hey!" She ran towards the person, she thought it was one of Al's cousins. "Roxanne!" The girl stopped and turned around. She had red hair and looked a lot like Roxanne except she was white and had blue adorning her robes.
"I'm not Roxanne."
"Oops, sorry. You look really similar from the back. You're Dominique, right."
"Yeah, but it's Dom. You're Caly, Al and Rosie's friend and the only person to beat James at chess."
"Yeah. Look, I know you're not in my house but can you help me back to Gryffindor tower."
"Of course but don't you want to go to the game? It's Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff."
"Game? Wait that's today!"
"Yep, when did you think it was?"
"Next week."
"C'mon, I'll take you down to the pitch and deposit you with my cousin or some first years."