Next chapter!

We get some recovery from the troll with a visit from Dumbledore. A bit more ahead as well.

Thank you also to those of you reviewing, especially a certain Gryffindor, at least, one who I assume is Gryffindor. You push me to write more in each chapter, so thanks.

Without further ado, let's get on to the next chapter

—0—

Albus Dumbledore rubbed his temples as he sat at the head of the teachers conference table.

"We should see her suspended from classes, Albus!" Minerva spoke. "Merlot Scortwit went against our word and killed an endangered species of mountain troll!"

"Minerva-"

"Suspended? It's incredible that she even survived Minerva! And I have yet to hear proof of Miss Granger's word against her." Pomona Sprout pointed.

"Are you questioning the word of one of my ravens?" Flitwick glared.

"I am just pointing out that Miss Granger has been known to be competitive, especially in regards to Merlot Scortwit."

"Ah, interesting." Flitwick huffed. "Always willing to place the blame on another house, great display of Hufflepuff Loyalty."

"ENOUGH!"

The teachers all jumped as Albus slashed his wand in the air, causing a blast like that of a cannon to reverberate around the room.

"Minerva, while I value your opinion in these matters, I must admit that suspension would be well beyond Miss Scortwits' needs. Filius, I admire you for defending your house, but Pomona had a point. You should know better than all of us how Miss Scortwit feels about injuring others, including magical creatures. I sincerely doubt that she sought out the troll, wishing to kill it."

Professor Flitwick's mouth shut with an audible click. Albus stowed his wand and glared at the collection of teachers.

"I expect better of all of you in the future. This is a child's education which we are dictating! A bout with a rogue troll cannot be an instantaneous cause for its end, especially for a child with such a good track record!"

Minerva and Filius both looked at the headmaster incredulously.

"Albus, this isn't just dealing with a rogue troll. She killed the beast in a brutal manner!"

"I agree with Filius. The troll was brutalized!"

"And the only side of the story which we have heard is Miss Grangers." Albus pursed his lips. "And Pomona is correct, your student does have a competitive side, Filius. I wouldn't be surprised to find that Miss Scortwit killed the troll in self defense."

"Self defense? Albus, surely-"

"Minerva. I sincerely doubt that any true malice could come from Miss Scortwit as she is now."

Minerva sniffed. "We knew that she had too good a control of her emotions. I for one believe that her control may have… slipped."

"It isn't so simple." Flitwick shook his head. "The wound dealt to that troll speaks to a practice of dark magic. It is illegal, Albus!"

"Filius. If the girl has studied dark magic it is for one terrible reason, one which is not harming others. The only one that Merlot Scortwit wishes to harm, is herself."

Snape snickered, but remained quiet as Albus's gaze shifted to him.

"Something you'd like to add, Severus?"

"Simply that she has such a great mind. Are you certain that she would want to be her own undoing?"

Albus's eyes twinkled. "Believe me, what you all have experienced is a mere scratch upon the surface of her talent. I firmly believe that Merlot Scortwit has the capacity to be the greatest witch of the age."

"Well it is wasted." Filius spoke harshly. "She has conducted herself in a way that has seriously breached our code of conduct! She has violated not only our country's law, but also a law put in place by the international confederation of wizards!"

"I know the law well, Filius, and I also know that there is a clause that is in place should a wizard or witch be placed in a lethal situation by an endangered magical creature. Especially considering that it was not just Miss Scortwit who was endangered, but also the lives of Neville Longbottom, and Miss Granger. Now tell me, do you think that if the circumstances were different, and if Miss Scortwit was not there, would either have them survived without permanent damage?"

The table was silent. Snape cleared his throat. "Now would most likely be the perfect time to mention that Mr. Longbottom did face the troll when it stumbled across them. He told me that his spells had no effect on the beast."

Albus nodded. "In addition, once again I am forced to remind you that Merlot Scortwit does not enjoy injuring, or much less killing, any creature. Big or small, thick or thin, human or not. Her reaction towards you pushing her hand should show you who is telling the truth in this situation."

Filius nodded and leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers together. "My apologies…"

"House loyalties are always accepted here, and I understand that your emotions may be tried, especially when the merit of one of your ravens is called into question. However, once again. This is a child. A child whose fate is bound to the word of a single girl… We cannot deal out our harshest punishments based on the information present!"

"Albus-"

"Minerva. My recommendation is that Miss Scortwit serve one month's worth of detentions with Professor Quirrell. Certainly that would be a decent arrangement?"

"Quirinus? The poor man wouldn't know what to do!" Minerva exclaimed. "He was terrified of the troll itself… how do you think he'd respond to the one who killed it?"

Albus leaned forward. "I cannot trust any of you here to be fair in your punishments of Miss Scortwit. When it comes to other professors, we all know that Sybils detentions are meaningless. As for Septima and Bathsheda, you would find that she would end up giving the two of them more of a run for their money."

The four heads of houses blinked. Septima Vectors detentions were quite legendary among early years. They were only given out for extreme acts, such as the prank that made Severus bald for a whole month. The Weasley twins had been terrified after their experience, where the woman held them in desks until they finished three pages of seventh year curriculum. Bathsheda's were even more well known, as she would draw out experimental ward circles and have the students repair them, and then break in and out of the wards that they themselves created. For Albus to say that a student would walk through such detentions easily was quite high praise.

"What do you mean by that, Albus?"

The headmaster leaned back in his chair and drew his wand, before summoning a folder of papers from his office, just a ways down the hall.

"What is that?"

Albus licked his index finger before opening the folder. "A study on runic arrays and nexuses, by M. L. Scortwit."

"A study? She's written a book?" Filius sat up straight.

"Currently working on writing. These are just her essays and diagrams, but I am pushing her to publish it. Her work is phenomenal, well beyond the normal Hogwarts rune major."

"A first year? No. It isn't possible." Minerva leaned back.

"You seemed quite impressed with her advances in Transfiguration, why don't you believe in her abilities in runes?" Albus smiled. "In fact, you were quite quick to write her off for expulsion… Why is that, Minerva?"

The witch stiffened, before letting out a huff. "You saw what she did to that troll, Albus. I am simply trying to protect the students!"

Albus nodded. "I see. Well, apart from that, there is no reason to not believe her abilities in Runes. I have overseen her work lately, and it speaks to her skill. Ridding the school of such a bright mind would undoubtedly do more harm than good."

"So that answers that… but still. What about detention with Filch?"

"I believe it would do more harm than good, to be barked and raged at for not having magic." Albus twinkled. "So, that is that? One month of detentions with Quirrell."

The four heads of house looked at one another, before nodding. "One month…" they all replied.

"Wonderful!" Albus clapped, before getting to his feet. "Now, I apologize but I must cut this meeting short. Poppy informed me before the meeting that Miss Scortwit is awake, and I feel that I would be the best suited for speaking with her now."

With that, the headmaster left the table and walked down from the new room, heading for the medical wing.

Albus sighed as he crossed through the castle. The troll had been a masterful diversion on Quirrell's part. He had suspected the man at first, but once Severus has caught him, everything clicked into place.

The man was an astounding actor. His false stutter had been what threw Albus off at first. It was stunning, well practiced. The first tip back to the side of the dark was his knowledge of the suture charm. The man had no medical background, and that spell was only taught in such classes.

Now it was Dumbledore's turn to make his move. One month of detentions would serve to keep Quirrell in one place until winter, when the final trap would be placed in the forbidden corridor. One of his finest ideas in years, especially as it came without the aid of Light.

A few mutters found their way to Dumbledore's ears as he stepped into the medical wing. Madam Pomfrey was fretting over Merlot, who was sat hunched over on the medical bed, her hands clasped together.

"Honestly, what is the point of being in the medical wing if you're just going to hurt yourself more? Open your hands, you're bleeding far too much."

"It isn't small enough yet… it won't hold a permanent charge at this size, I need to-"

"Miss Scortwit. Hands, now!"

Albus raised an eyebrow as he drew closer to the bed. "Having trouble with your patient, Poppy?"

The witch jumped before whipping around. "Oh! Albus. You should knock on the door next time, or say something when you enter!"

Albus walked by the witch and sat down on the side of Merlots bed. "Are you feeling better?"

Merlot smiled, a few rings beneath her eyes. "I'll be up in no time, sir."

"I am glad to hear it. I wondered if I might inform you of a few things in the coming weeks."

Merlot nodded. "I'm in trouble… aren't I?"

Albus missed the girl's hair. "I managed to keep you from expulsion. However, you have earned yourself a month's worth of detentions with Professor Quirrell."

Merlot nodded. "I figured… Hermione said something, didn't she?"

"What Miss Granger said holds no bearing. However, given your general attitude, I am surprised that you caught onto her… issues."

Merlot looked down at her clasped hands. "I try my best to be nice to her. It is simply the way she is, I suppose. Competitive."

"She is jealous of you." Albus nodded, his eyes twinkling. "But you are most likely the worst rival for her."

Merlot cocked her head, pushing Albus to continue.

"Simply put, she will never surpass you. I can sense a great future that awaits her, yet not as great as yours. She will be an incredible witch someday, it is certain. Yet to compete with one who simply ignores her… it is demeaning, and she will lose much from her jealousy."

"And you're going to lose too much blood from your hands." Madam Pomfrey chimed in. Albus raised an eyebrow and wrapped a hand around Merlot's wrist.

"Let me see."

Merlot sighed, before nodding. She pulled back her hands to reveal the skin had been stripped from her palms. Both of her hands were slick with fresh blood, which continued to flow and gather in the cups of her hands.

"Dearest me! Miss Scortwit, whatever did you do?" Albus whipped out his wand and began mending the girl's hands before Poppy could get another word out.

The girl flexed her fingers as her wound healed over, the skin crawling together like a curtain. "Another idea of mine, using a concept in blood wards."

Albus raised an eyebrow as Merlot plucked what she was working on from her lap.

A cube of polished oak, with tiny runes etched into its surface. The perimeters glowed silver and the inner circle gold, while the remaining were blood red.

"For you, Headmaster. Give it a go."

Albus breathed in sharply and accepted the cube, opening his empty palm and rolling it upon his bow open hand.

As it landed, the runes upon the cubes surface flashed yellow, before the air was filled with a pleasant scent.

"Citrus… then this truly is-"

"The culmination of two months of work, all down to the last Futhark."

Albus stared at the cube in his hands, turning it over carefully and inspecting each angle. "Magnificent… so your blood…"

"Works as a medium to anchor it to environmental magic. I'm not sure how to cast spells which use magic like that, this is the closest I've come."

Albus nodded. "It is a skill that is rarely developed. Only the greatest sorcerers in history have ever shown an aptitude for controlling the magic around them. It is incredible that you've already come this far."

Merlot smiled as Dumbledore turned the cube over in his hands again.

"Yes… in fact, this reminds me of a legend of many hundreds of years, about three brothers… Perhaps the use of three dimensional runic arrays was discovered some time ago, but lost." The headmaster turned his gaze back to Merlot. "Thank you… you have just helped me to solve one of my greatest puzzles ever."

Merlot nodded and turned as madam Pomfrey huffed and marched away. As the witch left, a glint of royal blue caught Merlot's eye.

"Chocolate frogs?"

Dumbledore nodded and stood up. "It appears that in your months here, you've made quite the impression on many students. Many from your house of course, always loyal Hufflepuffs… and here, an apology from Miss Granger! Hm, how interesting."

Merlot blinked as the headmaster handed her a note along with a package of Bertie Bott's every flavored beans.

Merlot,

I'm sorry for lying about the troll. While I would have wished to defeat it myself without relying on you, it doesn't change the fact that you did indeed save me. Thank you.

I'm going to be better than you one day. Keep an eye out.

Hermione Granger-

"Quite the way with words."

Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed. Short and sweet. I have been meaning to ask what sort of spell could have caused her to lie about you, what did you use on the troll?"

Merlot's cheeks flushed. "I had used a composite charm, as you were talking to me about earlier that day."

"You figured it out that quickly?" Albus blinked. "I am impressed."

"It… it was wrong. I tried to use it but- I forgot the last part of the incantation. I substituted it for a word that just popped into my head."

"What word?"

"Perdere."

The wizards eyebrows rose, and he nodded. "That certainly would yield the effects which I observed… quite interesting…"

"I didn't mean to kill it, I just wanted to save-"

"It is quite alright my dear." Dumbledore twinkled. "In fact, you have shown something which I have longed to see from you since the beginning of the year. A need to learn."

"To learn?"

"Yes." Albus smiled, looking over the pile of sweets. "You see, you are quite knowledgeable, and you are quite powerful magically. By the standards of Hogwarts- beyond that, by the standards of the wizarding world- you are by every definition a prodigy. The issue that comes up with prodigies is that they try to shut away parts of themselves that they see as weak, or irregular. In your case, you are shutting out a violent side, you fear it, you try to ignore its presence, and when you least expect it, it retaliates."

"I don't want it to retaliate…"

"Then you must make peace with it, understand it. Your father told me of how you came into his care, there is pain there. I know that you are pushing it all away, but it will only grow stronger until it controls you, and when it does that, there will be much more than killing, much more than inflicting pain. The knowledge you have already… coupled with a burning fire of anger, it will burn away at society as a whole. You can prevent that."

"But how?"

"You must make peace with yourself. How? I do not know. It is up to you to discover that." The headmaster nodded, before spying the package in Merlot's hands. "Ah! A package of Bertie Bott's every flavored beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one… may I?"

Merlot nodded and opened the package, holding it out for the headmaster. The man waggled his fingers as he looked over the assortment of tiny treats. "I believe a nice toffee would suffice."

Merlot watched as the elderly wizard picked out a brown colored bean and popped it into his mouth.

"Alas, earwax."

Merlot giggled, causing Dumbledore's eyes to twinkle.

"I shall take my leave. Rest up my dear, I have no doubt that tomorrow will be taxing."

Merlot nodded as Albus left. With a small smile, she set down the beans and picked up a chocolate frog.

The royal blue wrapping was something she felt quite fond of for some reason. The golden lettering of the sweets name was gilded across the top of the packaging and sparkled with a dim sheen.

Merlot undid the packaging and popped the top of the box open, allowing the frog to leap out into her hand, where she quickly froze it with a charm.

Nibbling on the sweet, Merlot looked into the package to see a new wizard card, one which she would undoubtedly have to add to her collection.

The card displayed a man in a long red cape, holding a wand in one hand and a ruby encrusted sword in the other. In the distance, several shapes moved towards the wizard, with one landing in front of the man and revealing itself as a Gryphon.

Godric The Brave

In 963 the young Godric (last name unknown)faced down a swarm of Gryphons just outside of what is now Shaftesbury. The battle was long and fierce, lasting three days and three nights. When the sun rose, all that remained of the Gryphon swarm was a pile of bloodied feathers. Godric was given the title of 'Gryffindor' and later joined three more magicals in raising a castle that would come to be known as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Merlot tucked the card away into one of her bedside drawers before laying back on the medical bed. It was quite amusing how she kept getting cards that referenced the four founders of Hogwarts. Maybe it was just a sign that she was meant to be there.

Yet, on the edge of her mind, she still bore hate for her magic. She held a hate for the Horcrux, which had turned her life into a living hell with the Dursleys. And she abhorred the Horcrux for twisting her words as she uttered them, forcing her to kill the troll.

It was laughing at her. Merlot knew it. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Harry Potter with red eyes, cackling away like a madman as the troll's death replayed over and over again.

The creature's demise would haunt her for years to come, that much she was certain of, and although she wished that she would never have to harm again, she felt as though it was another certainty. Unfortunately for her, she would most likely find herself in those situations. It would be wise for her to join in Flitwicks dueling class and put effort into it, then she would know how to handle danger without killing people.

Merlot sighed, fiddling with her fingers a bit as she adjusted her head. It was something to look into. On the upside, she had concluded her runic nexus theory and proven it to be a viable way of permanent enchantment. She could spend a bit more time on new projects while setting runes aside, perhaps she could begin compiling her notes into the book that Dumbledore suggested.

These thoughts and a few more ferried her into the land of dreams as she closed her eyes, the pillow beneath her head feeling like soft unicorn fur, catching the wind of her snores and pushing her away from the storm of laughter that emanate from the Horcrux's storm of nightmares.

And as she drifted off to sleep, Merlot smiled.

"I'm not afraid of you…"

—0—

Another one gone and another one gone

And another one bites the dust!

Obviously the Horcrux will continue to cause problems, but I felt that this was a good first step towards Merlot combatting the influence of Ella Gaunt.

I don't want to go the normal occlumency route. I'm actually changing the normal definition of occlumency. In the books, it is taught as a way to defend the mind from attacks and probing. Legilimency is the opposite, used to read minds and view information pertaining to an individual.

I am adding a third, Delemancy, derived from the term "Delegate." This practice is to sort the mind, and is the precursor to learning Occlumency and Legilimency. There will be more on this in future chapters, but most likely not until after the christmas chapters, or at most, until the start of second year.

Anyways, as always, leave a review. Until next time,

Adios.