Chapter 5: Of inheritance and power
"If you glance at the doors one more time Melody" I spoke, my eyes focused on the chicken that I was currently cutting, "I will hex you."
"I don't know Linds, I just feel like she needs us, and we aren't there for her." Responded my sister and I looked up, only to see that she was, in fact and despite every warning she was given, looking back to the doors of the entrance of the Great Hall. I glanced to my right, only to see that Clo was also staring at the doors, but she, unlike my sister, was eating.
"Eat Melody" I commanded, taking a bite out of my chicken. "And don't talk nonsense."
"That's not nonsense!" exclaimed Melody, making more than a couple of Hufflepuff heads turn. We were now guests at their table, something that I greatly disliked, and the nervous badgers were glancing at their Golden Girl, worried that her evil sister would start hexing everyone on sight. Idiots.
"Yes, yes it is." I replied, rolling my eyes at her.
"Well, she has only been gone for an hour or so." Responded Clo, glancing towards the doors again. "I say we give her a little bit more time, and if she's not here by dinner time, we go and look for her."
"Brilliant, let's do that" I spoke, getting up and picking up my bag. "I'm off to my common room, I need to write my Potions essay. I'll see you lot for dinner."
I took out my wand and waved it, making the plate in front of my sister hit her arm and as she yelped looking up at me for explanation I spoke :"It won't stop hitting you until you finish your meal. And don't even try to leave, I've charmed it to follow you about. So, the way I see it, you either finish your meal here, or have the plate follow you about the castle for the rest of the day. Your choice."
"Don't baby me Linds" called she after me.
"Then stop acting as a child and eat your lunch!" I called back, smirking to myself. She would eat it, and it made no difference to me whether she wanted to eat or not. She had to. And Arielle would have a lot to make up for when she got back, especially for worrying the two stupid girls at the Hufflepuff table. And then, I'd give her hell for making me listen to their whining.
I stood in front of the wall that hid the entrance to my common room, and just as I was about to say the password, the wall slid open on its own accord. I heard giggling on the other side, and a distinctly male voice. It was very familiar to me, and as the wall slid open completely, I understood why.
In front of me stood Blaise Zabini, his hand rather low on the back of none other than Rebecca Blishwick. I guess she got a reward for the favour.
Her smile disappeared from her face as she saw me, and I noticed that she pulled closer to Zabini, standing so that he partly hid her from my view.
He was another case altogether.
His eyes turned angry as he saw me and I could see that his fingers twitched. He slowly raised his hand to his coat pocket, taking out his wand and raising it slightly. I had my wand out as well, and the silence that ensued between us was deafening.
"Going for revenge Zabini?" I sneered at him, raising my wand so that it stood at level with his and tipping it downwards, in my usual duelling stance, the one I used when I was serious. Because idiot or not, Blaise Zabini was a good wizard, and a skilled duller. I would not do myself any favours by underestimating him or his duelling skills.
He just narrowed his eyes at me and I raised my eyebrow at him, choosing not to hex first.
"No." spoke he finally, "why should I bother? "
"As if you could win." I sneered back, "Or are you trying to defend your little girlfriend here?" As I mentioned her, my wand moved to Rebecca and I could see that she shivered in fright.
"She's not my girlfriend." Responded he, and she turned to gape at him in shock.
"Entertainment then." I concluded, turning to Rebecca. "I'd run from him if I were you, he'll just use you and then, when he gets bored, move on to the next naïve girl that walks past him in a skirt hitched just a little bit too high."
"We all have our fun" spoke he, a cold sneer crawling up his face.
"Indeed. And Rebecca dear is rather lucky, I could have used her for fun as well. You do remember how I have fun don't you? " I spoke, glancing down at his lip that was cut open a couple of days prior.
He didn't respond at that and I stepped past him, entering the hallway that led to the common room.
"Is what she said true?" I heard Rebecca's voice ask. I had assumed that he would lie, but like in so many other aspects, it seemed that I was wrong about Zabini.
"Yes" was the last word spoken before the doors shut closed behind me.
"Is she still not back?" I asked, sitting down at the Ravenclaw table next to Clo.
"No…." responded she, biting down on her lip in her nervousness.
"Don't worry" I spoke, taking a plate of beef in gravy and putting some on my plate "she'll be here."
"And what if she's not?" whispered my sister "you saw her! What if it's something serious, what if something serious happened to her? What do we do then?"
"I'm sure it's nothing Mells" spoke Clo, taking her hand and squeezing it in a sign of comfort. "We would have known if it were something bad."
"I just hate waiting for news…" spoke my sister, squeezing back Clo's hand.
"Oh, don't whine " I snapped at them "the idiot is fine. But she won't be for long when I get a hold of her. I swear, I'll strangle her with my bare hands. On second thought, I'll hex the life out of her, and then I'll bring her back so I can strangle her to death again."
"There she is!" exclaimed my sister and I turned to glare at Arielle who was approaching us with a wide grin on her face.
"Where were you?" asked my sister as soon as the blasted Gryffindor was in the earshot. "We were so worried."
"They were so worried" I corrected irritably.
"Sorry" smiled Arielle at us, that stupid grin showing off all her teeth.
"Sorry doesn't cut it you idiot!" I hissed at her " I had to listen to these two whine about your unfortunate demise that had surely taken place. So forgive me, but a sorry does not even begin to justify you, you dimwit!"
"I'm fine girls, don't worry!" laughed she "I was just a bit preoccupied. "
She leaned across the table and hugged my sister, and I noticed from the corner of my eyes that her amulet glowed a radiant yellow.
Arielle let go of my sister, grinning at her like a maniac.
"What's wrong with your locket?" asked Clo, and as she reached for it, it glowed a dark blue colour.
"Don't touch it!" I snapped swatting her hand away and as my skin brushed across the medallion it glowed a bright emerald colour.
"It's magical" I spoke, eyeing it warily. "But the trouble is, it wasn't magical a day ago. So what changed , what did you do?"
The last question was directed at Arielle who grinned at me.
"You're wrong" laughed she enjoying this as it seemed "It was always magical, it just woke up now. "
"Five hours ago," I spoke, narrowing my eyes at her "to be precise. Arielle, I'm not joking, what did you do? If this is one of your stupid tricks..:"
"I didn't do anything" laughed she again, "that's the beauty of it! I had nothing to do with it!"
"What is it?" asked my sister, lost in our little conversation "What happened?"
"We're going on an adventure my friends" smirked she, thinking she was mysterious. Idiot. She knew damn well I hated mysteries.
"The only place I'm going is my dorm room, to sleep this day away " I spoke, standing up.
"No." exclaimed she, grabbing a hold of my hand. "You'll want to hear this."
"Then talk." I spoke, glancing down at her hand on my own and having her let go immediately.
"Not here, come one girls" responded she, getting up and leaving without even turning back once to see whether or not we were following.
"Where are we going?" asked Clo, running to catch up to the prat.
"Someplace private" grinned the idiot back and I rolled my eyes, especially as she headed to the entrance to the castle.
"Not there you moron" I spoke, walking past them and heading to the dungeons. I heard footsteps echo across the halls and I was sure that they were following me. I walked past the potions classroom, Snape's office, the entrance to my common room, an empty classroom, turned left and walked through a narrow hallway, ducked slightly on a hidden nook in the wall calling out "Watch out for the nook" and hearing a soft thud, accompanied by a yelp from Arielle, who was by far too tall for the corridor.
I took another sharp left and noticed that the light was very dim in this part of the castle, despite the torches set alight in the hallway and I took out my wand muttering "Lumos!"
I heard my friends call out the same and I stepped forward confidently, having walked through this part of the castle many a time on my own.
"Watch out for the third step from the top, there is none" I spoke, descending the stairs, mindful of the aforementioned trap.
After another sharp right, we emerged in a rather well-lit hallway, with doors on the left. I counted five before entering the sixth and extinguishing the light from my wand with a muttered "Nox!"
We found ourselves in a small, oval office, illuminated by the glow of a fire with bright purple flames licking the stone fireplace.
It was decorated with three chairs, a desk, and a master chair to which I promptly walked up and sat down upon, motioning for the three girls before me to do the same.
"Colloportus!" I spoke, aiming my wand at the doors, "Muffliato! Cave inimicum!"
I observed the doors for a second or two more, before deciding that it was safe to talk now.
"Alright, now, you can talk." I spoke, narrowing my eyes at Arielle who was walking about the room, taking this or that book from this or that dusty old shelf.
"Wow, this is really , really old." Spoke she, gently tracing the binding of some old potions book. "What is this place?"
"It's the old office of the Potion Master of Hogwarts, it hasn't been used in decades… hence the old books." I spoke, motioning to them with my hand. "It seems to me that he left in a hurry, and never came back for his belongings. Nor is it likely that he will be returning."
"Can I borrow this?" she asked, not looking back and gently lifting a book in the air.
"You can take it for all I care" I spoke, rolling my eyes at her.
"No, she can't " exclaimed my sister, ever the goody two-shoes. "They don't belong to you."
"They don't belong to anyone sister dear, the old man is dead." I muttered and received a glare from her in response.
"Akhm" spoke Clo to the side and I turned to her, only to see that she was staring pointedly on the amulet on Arielle's neck. Oh right, the magic locket that shines. Perfect. "We came here to talk about the locket, remember?"
"Oh right, " grinned Arielle, "sorry."
"So, what is this magical rainbow locket that you're wearing?" I asked, eyeing it warily.
"Always so eloquent "laughed Arielle, but as her fingers reached up for her locket, she turned serious.
"You're not going to believe me, hell, I don't know if I believe me either" spoke she, glancing at each of us warily.
"Oh just spit it out!" I snapped, annoyed at her mysteriousness.
"This pendant recognizes soul heirs." Spoke she, looking down at us as she wouldn't sit down like a normal person would. I did a double take as I looked up, trying to see whether she was joking or not.
"Come on Arielle," smiled my sister, obviously thinking that the idiot was pulling another stunt. The trouble was, she was deadly serious. "What does it really do?"
My sister got no answer, and she glanced about the room, expecting for someone to tell her what exactly was going on. Clo looked confused and I took a second to realize that she wouldn't know what a soul heir is.
"I'm not joking, this really recognises soul heirs" spoke Arielle, for once deadly serious.
"But that's just a legend!" exclaimed my sister, obviously very mad at the prospect of being mocked so mercilessly.
"You know what grandma always says… every legend has to start somewhere" I spoke, looking away from them, and into the wall. If this was true, and if I really was a soul heir, I would be able to acquire power beyond what I dreamed possible. I could kill Bella, I could even kill the Dark Lord himself.
"What legend?" demanded Clo, seemingly really frustrated at the fact that she was the only one that did not know what we were talking about. A rather unusual situation to be found.
"It's one of those old stories that every wizarding child that has at least one magical parent knows. We all grew up on them…. The Tale of the Three Brothers, The Fountain of Fair Fortune, Babbity Rabbity and her cackling stump…. And of course The Heritage of The Four." I responded, closing my eyes and placing my fingers on my temples. This prospect needed serious contemplation. If one of them was true… if only a part of that story was true…. This had to remain secret. It was imperative.
"But what is the legend?" demanded Clo, obviously upset that she was still kept in the dark.
I looked up to Arielle, who finally sat down and I addressed her "I assume that we are not familiar with the full story, or at least not the original version?"
"No." responded she, shaking her head for emphasis, "the story you know is just for the public, there is a much older, much more…. Serious version passed down in the family of the guardians ."
"And I suppose that would be your mother's family?" I asked, and she nodded in confirmation. "Let's have it then… " I spoke, "narrate away."
"Aren't we bossy?" asked she, with a smirk.
"Aren't we all important?" I responded, smirking as well.
"Akhm" coughed Clo," Arielle, the story if you please."
"Oh sorry" grinned she and I had a distinct urge to smack her. "Well… here goes. A long time ago, so long ago that the memory of that time has become a legend in itself, in a time when the four founders were still alive, a great evil roamed the land. Each of the four founders sought out the evil , sought out the wizard so cruel that his memory is only a whisper in the darkest of minds, and each failed to rid the earth of his cruelty. As powerful as they were, the four founders no longer stood united, and so … each of them lost. And yet, each of them knew that they cannot win anymore, that the unity that had created their most famous achievement, the great castle of stone, was gone. The wisest of them, Ravenclaw sat and thought for six days and nights, and on the sixth night a thought came to her mind. If they no longer had unity, the unity had to be inherited by their children. They were the future, and the only ones capable of ridding the world of the horrible, vile, twisted man. The four founders had children, you see, children unburdened by the prejudice of their parents. Through that unity, they inherited power, the same power that had created the castle. And so, the four children gathered and together they embarked on the most noble of quests. And won. The wizard was defeated… dead. But alas, the unity would not last. The children grew up. And they fell out, losing their power. The first to go was the child of Ravenclaw, disappointing her mother so that she never spoke of her again. Rowena swore that her legacy, the legacy of power would be given only to a worthy child of the Ravenclaw house, of wizard birth or not. Slytherin swore that his heir would only be one of his own blood, and Gryffindor, in mockery of that decision, swore that only one brave enough to face the blood of a snake could earn his heritage. The fourth founder, kindest of them all, was not worried about power or blood or wit. She only wished for one thing in her heir, kindness, to all. Only that who is capable of showing kindness to his enemy can inherit the power of Helga Hufflepuff. And so , the heritage was passed on, awoken in every time of need of the wizarding word. The heirs were born in every generation, and shall be, for as long as the wizarding world remembers the power of four."
We all stayed silent for a while and I closed my eyes firmly, trying to think about this rationally.
"So… we're soul heirs?" asked Clo, her voice carrying the doubt all three of us felt.
"Yeah…" responded Arielle, and I opened my eyes to see that she gave us an uncomfortable crooked grin: I could never understand why she forced herself to smile when smiling was the farthest thing from her heart.
"This story is nice, but it's just a story!" exclaimed my sister, and I could see that she was on the verge of tears. And I stood up, walking to her chair and sitting on the arm of her chair. I placed, my arm around her shoulders in a rare sign of comfort and she hugged my side.
"It's not…. I don't think it is." I spoke, eyeing Arielle.
"What do we do now?" asked Clo, looking expectantly at Arielle.
"Well.." spoke she, glancing at me "my mother sent us a trunk. It's magical, sort of like a hidden training grounds. The only trouble is… we can't get in."
"Why not?" I asked, and I noticed that my sister clutched a fistful of my robes.
"Because it's locked, and I don't know how to open it." Responded she.
"Hmmm." Hummed Clo, "I'll try the library, do some research, although I'm still not sure that I believe this entire ordeal"
"Yeah…. I figured you might be a bit sceptical. But once we get in the trunk we'll know more." Responded Arielle, scratching her hand, something she did when she was nervous.
"Don't worry Ari" spoke Clo, giving her a small smile "we'll figure this out". She then got up, heading for the doors and disappearing behind them.
We stayed silent for a while, each of us lost in our own thoughts.
"She doesn't know yet right?" asked my sister and I stood up abruptly, moving to stand in front of the fireplace.
"NO. And she doesn't have to know. At the very least not yet. The three of us can carry this burden on our own. There is no need for her to suffer as well." I responded, clenching my hand into fists.
"I can't help thinking…. If we had known back then…." Spoke my sister and I could hear the tears in her voice.
"We did all we could Mells" spoke Arielle "What happened couldn't have been prevented."
"But that's just it. We don't know what happened, we don't know anything at all about that night." Spoke my sister.
"I know enough. And Bella dear is going to pay." I spoke, barely containing my anger. Some time more was spent in silence before I heard the scraping of chairs and my sister left.
"You worry her you know" spoke Arielle.
"I know" I responded. "But she has nothing to worry about. I won't die. Bella dear will suffer and she will burn, but I won't let her harm my family again."
"Be careful Linds." Warned Arielle "Don't let your hate blind you. Don't make revenge be your motivation. It's very dangerous."
"I can handle it Arielle. I always have been able to handle it."
At that time, I truly believed that revenge would help, that it would save us, that it would end this suffering. I was wrong.
The next two days were long and tedious for me. My mind kept wandering to the legend, and between my schoolwork, my social engagements and research that I had to do to help get us into the blasted trunk, I had hardly any free time to sit down and do what I loved most. Sit down on my sofa near the fireplace and read a good book or two.
I finally found some time to do so on Tuesday evening, and just as the common room mostly emptied, and I was just beginning to immerse myself into the book I was currently reading, I noticed two short figures approaching me from the corner of my eyes. I glanced up shortly , only to see that they were my younger cousin and another boy, with very light skin and moss green eyes. Henry Meliflua, I concluded.
I glanced downwards again, waiting for them to approach me and therefore feel like they have the upper hand. I was curious, however, as to what the Meliflua boy could want from me. He was always rather silent in my presence and I knew that he belonged to the branch of my house that wished to see me overthrown from my position of power in the house.
He was not as subtle as he should have been about it as well, because I was aware of his affiliations from the very moment he had made them. I had eyes and ears everywhere in this house, it was a rather simple matter to find out.
"Hello Linda "greeted Tori and I smiled , still not looking up from my book. She was careful, which could only mean trouble.
"Hello Tori, Mister Meliflua" I responded, fighting back a smirk as the boy flinched as I addressed him. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"We have a problem" spoke my cousin and I allowed the smirk to appear on my face again, growing, only to be swept away by her next words "One we cannot go to Professor Snape about."
I glanced up at this, quickly searching Tori for any signs of trouble. She seemed fine, and as I turned to the boy my eyes immediately focused on his hand. It was red, with what appeared to be blood.
"Show me your hand Mister Meliflua" I asked, holding my hand out in invitation.
He seemed rather worried as to what I might do, and he glanced nervously to Tori, making me realize that she was the one to initiate this meeting, most likely forcing the boy to come and see me.
"Your hand Henry" I called and he reluctantly stepped closer to me, stretching his hand out for me to take.
I took it gently, and he flinched as my fingers, which were most likely cold, traced the wound.
"Who did this to you Henry?" I asked still observing the wound.
He stayed silent, and I looked up, only to see him look away.
"It wasn't a member of the student body, because you could talk to professor Snape about it, so… it must have been one of the staff. I don't think any of our current professor would use such dark methods, or even know of their existence, because, this wound must have been caused by a blood-replenishing quill. Therefore… only one person could have done this. Dolores Umbridge." I spoke, and he glanced down at me, his eyes filled with terror, confirming my suspicions.
"I will help you Henry, under one condition. This conversation never leaves this room. What happened just now, and what will happen does not leave this room. If one of your friends needs help of this sort, or any other, you are to do for him as Tori did for you, you bring him to me. But you are never to tell another soul about what happened here." I warned.
He nodded in acceptance and I stood up, putting away my book with a great amount of regret. It seemed I would have no peace this evening.
"You will wait for me here, along with Tori." I spoke, assuming what Arielle called my "bossy tone". "When I get back, I assure you, Dolores will never think of punishing you in this manner again. Or any other Slytherin for that matter."
"Can you do that?" asked he, speaking for the first time that evening. "Do you really have that much power?"
I smirked down at him "I have power and influence beyond your wildest dreams Henry, now give me your hand."
He did as he was told, albeit he flinched a little as he saw that I had drawn my wand "Episkey!" I called and the wound healed for a moment, before reopening in another moment.
"Oh for the love of Merlin!" I hissed, glaring at the wound. He made to pull his hand away from me but I gripped it, giving him a warning glance.
It seemed that dearest Dolores spared no expense on her quills, these seemed to be of top quality.
"Vulnera Sanentur!" I called and the blood of the wound disappeared, "Vulnera Sanentur!" I called again, and the wound healed, leaving only a pink scar in its wake. "Vulnera Sanentur!" I spoke for the final time, and the pink scar disappeared.
I released his hand, and the boy held it up to his eyes, examining it in wonder.
"Wait for me" I spoke, and turned, leaving for the doors. I was not aware then that another person occupied the room, and I would not be aware for a very long time, that this small act of mercy changed the course of my entire life.
My footsteps echoed across the stone hallway of the fifth floor, as I made my way to the office of my dearest professor. I was out after hours and was lucky to have encountered no prefects, or worse, Filch and his blasted cat.
I arrived in front of the doors of her office and took a moment to compose myself, pushing the cruel smile of my features. It would be unwise to scare Dolores from the start, it was in my goal to enter her office, and not have the doors slammed into my face.
I raised my hand and knocked gently on the wood of her doors two times. I heard shuffling from behind the doors and the clatter of heels for a moment or two, until they stopped in front of the doors.
The doors creaked open in the next second, and before me stood Dolores, in all her pink glory. She was wearing something akin to a nightrobe, but I could not, for the life of me ascertain if that were so, since the pink colour was so appalingly bright that I could not stand to look at it for more than one second.
"Miss Kersey?" asked she, giving out a nervous little cough of a smile. "What in the world is the matter? Has something happened?"
"Oh, don't worry Dolores" I spoke ,noting that her eyes widened at my usage of her first name. "The problem I have is quite easily solved." I waited for a second or two before asking "Are you not going to invite me in?"
She smiled again, in a nervous little movement, before responding "Oh, of course, come on in, Rosalind."
I stepped past her, wrinkling my nose at the sickly sweet smell that hit my nostrils as soon as I had entered the office.
"Miss Kersey" I corrected, taking a seat in front of her desk.
"Oh" giggled she "Of course."
"I understand it that you have a problem" smiled she sitting down.
"Yes, Dolores " I smiled, showing off my teeth, in a smile similar to that of my friend. The only difference being that she used that smile to charm and I to intimidate.
"Professor Umbridge" corrected the toad. "I am your professor here after all."
"Oh, but Dolores, you and I both know that that title is meaningless in this conversation." I responded. She just smiled in response and I continued "Now, you see, it has come to my attention that you have been using a blood-replenishing quill to punish a member of my house. You can understand how that would upset me can't you?"
"I assure you miss Kersey" started she but I interrupted her, hissing :"Don't lie to me Dolores!"
She paled visibly at that and I smiled continuing "Now, I find myself inclined to inform you that, were such a thing to happen again " I spoke, pausing "Were you to harm my housemates, or any of my friends, I will be forced to take drastic measures."
I stopped, smiling at her. "You do understand Dolores, don't you? I will bring you to your knees, I will strip you off your power, your wealth and influence. I will banish you from the magical community. And you do know that I have enough power and galleons to do so? I'm a Kersey after all, it would be truly unwise to make an enemy out of me."
The toad turned as pale as a sheet in front of me and as I continued I knew she would never do anything foolish again. At least, not in a way that would make her my enemy.
"And one more piece of advice. If you dare even think about my sister the wrong way, I promise you, I will not stop at bringing you down. I will bring down your minister, I will bring you both to your knees, and just when I think that you have suffered enough. I will show you terror beyond your wildest dreams. " I stood up at that, fixing my skirt.
"I thought you should be informed." I spoke, turning to leave. "Have a good night Dolores, I do hope you will take my words into consideration".
I waved my wand, closing the doors behind me, laughing silently to myself. This had felt good indeed. What a foolish woman, to dare anger me.
I had encountered a Slytherin Prefect on my way back, but she let me pass by her, pretending she had not seen me at all.
I walked into the common room confidently and I saw that Tori and Henry jumped to their feet upon seeing me.
"It is done" I spoke, allowing myself to smile slightly "Dolores will never act in such a manner towards you again. Rest assured."
The boy blinked at me, and a small smile appeared on his face: "Thank you."
"You are welcome Henry " I responded, "but, do remember your promise. Not one word of this conversation can ever be repeated."