Ch 12
A/N: Just a few things before we begin this chapter. Once more I would like to thank all of you for reading and a special thanks goes out to my reviewers, you guys are awesome. I would like to put all of you to a little challenge here, when you get down to the part where Dumbledore says five words they are real words, I want to see how many of you will actually find the meanings of them (if you can't find them don't worry). I would also like to put a little disclaimer on this chapter, tarot reading is a very imprecise form of reading the future and has many ways to interpret it. This is simply the way it fit best with the story so I am sorry if any of you are better at reading than I am. As always if you have any questions about the story please pm me.
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Minerva got to breakfast early that morning, having barely slept the night before; images of her baby girl going through her head. The moment Minerva had seen Victoria she couldn't help but wonder. There were so many things; she had the same raven hair as Minerva, her slim but tall build, the same blue eyes as Albus. The thing that really made her wonder, however, was when she'd said her name. It took everything in Minerva to not stop walking and stare at her. This girl could so easily be her daughter, but how was it possible? Her Victoria had been adopted by a family in the States. She shook her head telling herself that she was just being silly. It couldn't possibly be the same girl. Yet, the idea continued to nag her.
A little while later Dumbledore took his seat next to Minerva. He seemed pleased with something that morning and Minerva didn't know if she should ask the questions she wanted to or just leave him to his happy thoughts. She watched him for a moment as he loaded his plate up with breakfast meats and eggs. As he started in on his breakfast she continued to push around the food on her plate with her fork without actually bringing any up to her lips. After a few bites he looked up at her, "Good morning Minerva."
"Good morning Albus." She answered dully continuing to play with her food.
He looked at her curiously, "Is breakfast not to your liking this morning?"
"No," she shook her head shrugging, "it's not the food, just things on my mind."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" He continued to study her.
"No, it's quite alright. Thinking of the past mostly." She sighed, and then chose to change the subject, "I met Poppy's new apprentice yesterday."
"Did you? That is wonderful." He smiled again, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses.
"Where ever did you find her?" Minerva asked.
"It is a remarkable story." He took another bite of eggs, pausing for a moment, "I shall tell you the story sometime, however now is neither the time nor the place."
She couldn't help but wonder at his evasiveness. "I am happy that Poppy will have some help this term. I was worried that she would be alone."
He chuckled, "Were you concerned my dear?"
"It's quite a bit to do alone." Minerva countered quickly.
"I am not trying to imply that it is not. And she is getting on." He added with a wink in her direction.
"Getting on! She and I are the same age I will have you know!" Minerva's temper raged hearing him basically refer to her best friend as old.
"I do remember. I fear you forget I was your Professor at one time."
"I vaguely remember a Professor named Dumbledore." She joked only giving him a slight smirk. "I believe he was much older than us."
He gave her a hurt look, "It is unfair to throw an old man's age in his face."
It took everything Minerva had not to bust out laughing at the look on his face, "I am sorry Albus, but you did have it coming."
"So I did." He laughed continuing on with his breakfast.
"If you'll excuse me, I must go prepare for my first lesson." Minerva excused herself.
…
Victoria awoke the next morning with questions darting around in her mind. She had been wracking her brain most of the day yesterday when she heard the name McGonagall, where she'd heard it before. It suddenly dawned on her. McGonagall, how could she have been so stupid? It was true that she'd given up the search for someone with that name, assuming that they'd be married by that time and would most likely have changed their name, but she couldn't believe that she didn't remember.
Victoria thought back to the woman she'd seen in the office the previous morning, her hair was the same shade as her own, but how many people in the world had that same color. They had a very similar build, but that didn't prove anything. However, when she thought about all of it together is when she really started to wonder if she'd found the person she'd been looking for.
Shaking her head she pulled the covers off and glanced at the clock. It was already 9 which meant she's already missed breakfast and was going to be late meeting Poppy if she didn't move. She sighed pulling herself out of bed, 'Just what I need, to be late my first day."
…
"Welcome!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Welcome everyone to a new year at Hogwarts! I would like to say a few words before the feast begins. They are: retroition, obambulate, quatervois, anagnorisis, and ziraleet." He sat back down smiling as everyone else inside the Great Hall looked at him as if he'd lost his mind.
It was the first time that Victoria had been to a meal in the Great Hall. The only word that came to her mind at that moment was overwhelming. The plates filled themselves in front of their eyes; the noise from the hundreds of conversations reverberating throughout the hall; the beauty of the night sky reflected in the ceiling; the hundreds of candles giving off a soft glow, it was all just so amazing.
Victoria was seated at the staff table sandwiched between Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey. After a moment of eating in silence Poppy turned to Victoria studying her. Noticing the intense gaze Victoria looked at her, "Is there something wrong?"
Poppy shook her head, "It's simply remarkable."
"What is?" Victoria asked curiously.
"You and Minerva, I don't know how I never noticed it before!" Poppy exclaimed catching the attention of Minerva as she spoke.
"What do you mean Poppy?" Minerva inquired looking at Poppy over her glasses.
"Well if I didn't know any better I'd say that Victoria could be your daughter." Poppy said looking between the two women.
"It couldn't be," Minerva stated waving her hand as if to wave away the conversation.
"I know that Minerva, but look at you two. I mean she's the image of you when you were that age." Poppy shook her head still amazed by the two.
"She's right Madam Pomfrey. I'm from the States. She couldn't possibly be my mother." Victoria remarked, not wanting to get into her sordid past.
Minerva had just picked up her goblet when she heard Victoria say she was from the States. Stunned, the goblet slipped from her hand and fell, clattering to the floor. Minerva threw her napkin on the puddle of pumpkin juice and continued to listen. Poppy spoke again, "I'm not saying that she is, but the resemblance is simply uncanny."
Poppy knew to stop the discussion before she said something she shouldn't. Poppy was the only person that knew about Minerva being pregnant, having lived with her at the time Minerva didn't have much of a choice but to tell her. Poppy had promised to keep Minerva's secret and over the last 28 years she had kept it.
Victoria took a sip from her goblet, giving herself time to find another topic for discussion. She glanced up and down the staff table, noticing that she knew almost no one there. Obviously she knew Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey, and she saw the large man that Dumbledore had called Hagrid at the last Order meeting. There was one other person at the table, however, that she recognized.
The man sitting on Dumbledore's left was dressed in a long flowing ebony robe with greasy hair of the same shade that hung around his shoulders and his skin looked like he desperately needed some sunlight, exactly as he'd been the last time she'd seen him. Their eyes locked for a moment and she noticed that his black eyes held the same curiosity that she'd seen in them that night so many years ago, but they also held something that she couldn't recognize. The shock of seeing him nearly made her choke on her drink.
Victoria turned to Poppy, "Who is that man sitting next to Professor Dumbledore?"
"You mean Professor Snape? He's Potions master. He's been with us for nearly 10 years now." Poppy explained between bites.
Victoria couldn't help staring at him. She couldn't believe that he was actually a teacher here. This was the same man that had fought so hard with the Death Eaters against her and the Order. It astounded her that Dumbledore would trust this man. Victoria couldn't drop the subject that easily, "Wasn't he a supporter of Voldemort?"
Poppy was visibly shaken by the word, "I… I had heard rumors, but Professor Dumbledore trusts him. He must know something we don't."
Victoria shook her head, still unable to understand Dumbledore's mentality. She was shaken out of her thoughts when she heard Dumbledore speak again, "Miss Knight, I am curious to know how you find Hogwarts in relation to the Academy."
Before she had a chance to speak Poppy asked, "The Academy? Did you go to the Academy?"
"I did," Victoria smiled proudly. "Hogwarts is an incredible place Professor," she went on now turning back to Dumbledore. "The Academy is much more like a muggle school; however, all of our announcements are done in three languages."
"Three languages?" Poppy asked on her other side.
"Yes, the Academy, or the North American Academy of Magical Arts serves as the only Wizarding School for all of North America. That means we have students from the States, Canada, and Mexico. It makes for a very diverse population." She paused taking another drink from her goblet. "The main difference is that the Academy isn't a boarding school. I mean I lived there because my parents were teachers there and the staff lived there, but most of the students use the floo network to get to school."
"How do you get all the students there on time?" Minerva who'd been listening intently asked.
"Our entrance hall looks a lot like the Atrium of the Ministry. There are fireplaces lined up all across it," Victoria explained. "Not everyone uses the floo network either, since not everyone has a fireplace. Some use muggle transportation."
"It sounds to me like you are much closer to muggles there." Poppy stated still curious.
"We are," Victoria shrugged. "There aren't any strictly wizarding areas in the States so we have to be closer to them to blend in. We don't even use wizarding money; it's not worth the hassle of changing it over."
Dumbledore looked over at her smiling, "Is the start of term the same there?"
"Not at all!" Victoria exclaimed. "We don't have the beautiful feast that you have here. We have a barbecue a few nights before the classes start. All of the students and staff go out to the front lawns and we have huge grills set up where the staff cooks for us, mainly just burgers and hot dogs. Later on in the night we light a few fires and roast marshmallows while the teachers tell us about their days at school. It's not much, but it gives us a chance to get to know the other students and the teachers."
On the other side of Poppy, Victoria heard another voice, almost too soft for her to hear, ask, "Excuse me dear, but did you say that you parents were teachers at the Academy?"
"Yes," she answered eyeing the woman warily. Victoria couldn't help but wonder about the woman as she caught sight of what she was wearing. A gauzy shawl was draped over her spindly arms; beads, chains, bangles and rings covered so much of her arms and neck there was almost no skin to be shown. Her eyes were obscured by thick glasses, and her hair frizzed out in every direction.
"Your mother must be Shannon Knight." The woman said excitedly.
"She is," Victoria answered now even more inquisitive.
"Ah!" the woman exclaimed. "She was in my year! I'm Sibyll Trelawney, Divination."
"Nice to meet you." Victoria smiled at the woman, still wondering if she was as crazy as Victoria thought her to be.
"You must come to my rooms after dinner!" Sibyll stated, her jewelry clanging together in her excitement.
Ignoring the quiet groan from Minerva and the eye roll the comment had gotten from Poppy, Victoria answered, "I'd like that."
"Splendid." Sibyll smiled.
Just as they all quieted down and finished eating Dumbledore stood again, "Now that we are all finished eating I would like to make a few announcements. You would do well to remember that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students, as well as the village of Hogsmeade for any student under third year. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to remind everyone, yet again, that magic is not to be used between classes or in the corridors. Quidditch try outs will be in the second week, any student wishing to try out should give their name to their head of house or Madam Hooch. As you can see there are new faces in our line up this year, Professor Sinestra, has graciously joined us to teach Astronomy, and Miss Knight will be apprenticing with Madam Pomfrey. I wish that you will make them feel welcome. Now I'm sure your top priority is the bed awaiting you. Therefore, I wish you all a good night."
…
An hour later Victoria found herself in Professor Trelawney's room, a tower room filled with stuffed furniture and little tables. The air in the room was thick with a perfumed smoke rising from the fire that was blazing in spite of the already warm temperature outside, making the room stifling.
Sibyll smiled at Victoria as she set down a cup of tea for each of them. "How is your mother dear? She and I were both in Hufflepuff. We were best friends in fact," Sibyll smiled, and then a sadness filled her eyes, "that is before she and your father moved to the states."
"I don't know." Victoria replied honestly. "I haven't seen my parents in nearly 11 years now. There's no easy way to contact them from here."
"I see." Sibyll seemed upset, but took a sip from her cup, trying to cover. Victoria watched as the woman's face lit up, "You must let me do a reading for you. It's the only way to really get to know someone."
Victoria nearly laughed, but held it together. She didn't take any part of divination seriously, but knew better than to tell Sibyll that. "Sure, I'm game."
"Wonderful!" She clapped her hands together, setting her bangles clinking against each other again. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a pack of well-worn tarot cards. The edges of the cards were splitting and torn and some of the pictures were nearly worn off. Sibyll handed the cards to Victoria who shuffled them. She had been through the process many times with her mother and knew what to do. When she felt that she'd gone long enough she set the cards down on the table and cut them handing the pile back to Sibyll. Sibyll smiled, "I see you've done this before."
"My mom had me help her every chance she got. I was never very good at it, but I know the theory very well."
"We shall see." Sibyll smiled taking the first card from the pile. "As always we start with the past, the Chariot. Do you remember what that is?"
"Um… let's see… perseverance, a journey, a rushed decision, adversity, and turmoil."
"Very good." Sibyll continued to smile, picking the next card. "Your present, the five of cups, but it's reversed."
"If I remember right that's sorrow, loss of a loved one, a broken marriage, disillusionment, vain regret. Doesn't sound very good."
"No dear, you're thinking of it upright, this is reversed."
"Oh, right… that's return of hope, new relationships are beginning, return of a loved one, courage is summoned from within."
"Good, good." Sibyll was all but beaming now, turning over the last card, "And your future, the seven of wands."
Victoria wracked her brain, but was suddenly at a loss. "I don't remember that one."
"That's alright dear. It's the ability to 'hold one's own' against adversaries, a fight one may have to face soon, victory, energy, and courage."
Victoria thought about it for a moment, not entirely sure how to piece all of it together. "So all in all what do you see?"
"I see that you've been on a journey, filled with much turmoil. Luckily there is hope now and the beginning of some new relationships for you. In the future you will have a fight that you will have to face, but you will be able to stand your ground and come out victorious." Sibyll explained gathering the cards back up and placing them back in her robes.
Victoria took another moment to think about what she'd said. It sounded as if she actually did have some good luck coming her way, although she did have another fight to go. Unfortunately she wasn't one to put too much faith in the cards. "Well thank you for the reading and for the tea Sibyll. I hope we can do this again sometime, but it's getting late and you have to prepare for your classes tomorrow." Victoria got up and crossed the room to the door.
"Yes my dear, you're right. Have a pleasant evening and I'm sure we will get together again." Sibyll closed the door behind her.
…
When Victoria made her way back to her room she got ready for bed immediately. The time she spent with Sibyll took much longer than she'd imagined. As she slipped between her blankets that night and got comfortable she opened the diary again.
January 3, 1959
Well I never got a chance to talk to him, and now the term has started again. It is so strange to sit in his class after what happened between us. He is trying to act like nothing has changed, but I know he feels it too. He has finally gotten to the point that he will look at me again, but hardly speaks to me. Earlier today I was holding my wand incorrectly, mainly to see if he would notice, and he didn't even bother to correct me. It wasn't like him at all. I missed having that contact with him, the way that I would feel a surge of electricity travel through my body with just the slightest touch of our hands. I don't know if I will ever have that feeling again. I know I'm just being a silly school girl with a crush on my teacher, but I feel that there really is more to it than that. I still feel that there is a chance for this year to be different. After all it's only the beginning.
Victoria put the book down and turned out the light with the last sentence running through her head, how right it was, "After all it's only the beginning."