It was night, but the surroundings of the astronomy tower could easily be identified. A chart and some parchments were laying on the ground near Mary and Theodore. Mary was in Hogwarts' robes, observing the sky through a telescope. "Voldemort grows stronger every day, and soon, we will be sucked into a war nobody of us wants to fight in." She murmured as she set the telescope aside to mark her chart.
Theodore stood silent for a moment, looking ahead. "Everyone will have to decide. You can only choose once and live with the consequences forever." He added, his eyes resting on his left forearm.
The memory switched as Dumbledore started to navigate between the layers of her memories, trying to go deeper.
Mary was on the street with Dumbledore in front of a row of old Londonian houses. Her face was similar to the one she bore right now in her fifth year. She was looking, amazed, at the tall and dark facade of 12 Grimmauld Place, invisible to everyone else on the square. The house was gloomy compared to its neighbors. The windows were dark and shut with heavy curtains, the property was surrounded by a wrought iron fence. As she reached for the fence, she was surprised by an oppressing mumbling and instinctively flinch. The feeling was gone as swiftly as it came, replaced by a certain calmness.
They creeped down a long and dark hallway, crowded with portraits and various objects she didn't recognize. Everywhere around her, she could smell magic. The essence of it mixing with the air tingling on her skin. The Black family magic's brewing beneath her skin.
Fog started to appear and to reduce the sharpness of the memory as they were passing a wide oak staircase.
A tall lady was standing behind a desk in front of Mary. She was wearing a black tunic draping the ground, preventing any part of her body from being revealed. A head piece was covering her head, cheeks and neck, its colour was black and white. A belt of woven wool was secured around the waist over the tunic, from which a jewel cross was hanging.
Mary's attire was the same as previous : her dark hair was braided in two sections, and she was wearing a simply white dress and black moccasin. She had an identical cross jewel hanging at her neck. She was smaller than in any of the memories they saw, probably around six or seven years old.
"Was it you ?"Asked the nun, her demeanour was calm, but her voice had an angry undertone. "Why do I even ask, it is always you. And over what ? A stuff toy ?" She pursed, snatching a reindeer-shaped stuff toy from the desk.
Mary's eyes followed the movement with attention, and shyly blurt out "It's mine."
The nun stiffened and let the stuff toy on the desk once more before gripping a belt with her left hand. Mary's right foot made a backward move as her eyes became wide open, panic shining through them.
"In here, nothing belongs to you. Everything is share and everything belongs to the orphanage." She took a moment to observe the child before setting the belt aside. "It does not matter. There is no silly thing such as those in here." Snatched the deer stuff toy from her desk and walked to the end of the room.
"No." Yelled Mary at the top of her lungs, fists clenched at her sides. The Matron's body seemed to move back a little, as if pushed by Mary's yell.
She angrily turned around and seemed to hesitate between pursuing her path or disciplined the child. "You... devious little thing, are always causing trouble."
Mary could hear the sneer and accusation in her voice. She knew the nuns weren't happy with all the accidents that happened near her. She had tried explanations, those things just happened, she wasn't doing anything. She tried the apologizing profoundly. She tried prayers, taking on more chores. The nuns' opinions weren't bulging, she was the devil child. She knew what the matron's glance meant and a pry of her wanted to crawl away into herself to escape. Something else took over, a courage she didn't knew she possessed, she stood her ground instead. "It's mine, I always had it."
The nun, standing next to the fireplace, simply huffed before carelessly throwing the stuff toy into the flames.
Mary's eyes watered for a few seconds only before silent tears filled them and run down her cheeks. She felt anger, bulging inside, replacing her sadness. Her rage felt bigger than her, she couldn't contain so much in her body, there wasn't enough place. Cracks were suddenly heard from the windows, before they were shattered into shiny dust. A glass piece cut Mary's cheeks, waking her from her stupor.
She heard the matron shout in rage and looked down, studying the pattern of dust ingrained into the floorboards.
"I will give you something to cry about, child of the devil." Was shouted before the memory muted into another.
Mary, Harry, Luna, and Ron were walking in one of the Hogwarts' corridors. From their looks the memory was only a couple of weeks old or a year at the best.
Mary and Ron were arguing, while Harry seemed embarrassed by the discussion and thus had positioned himself behind the little group.
"She is." Was insisting Ron. Mary rolled her eyes and replied "No she is not. Harry, obviously, has some trouble understanding what his body is telling him. However, because I am a much more better friend than you, I do know that it is not Ginny." Ron snorted and made a grimace, both of those were ignored by Mary as they were pacing a group of older Slytherin.
Mary had slowed down to get to Harry's level, when he stepped across the Slytherin's group she discreetly made him trip. Harry, unprepared for the fall, leaned on the closest person to catch up. Mary took a deeply satisfied look when Harry started to mumble and redden in Marcus Flint grasp.
"Potter, do muggles not learned their child how to walk?" Was Theodore Nott' nonchalant observation.
"You are a wonderful friend indeed." Came Luna's tranquil voice from the front.
As the new memory began to take shape, every one recognized Hogwarts' Great Hall setting. The scene was blurry for quite a few seconds as hushing stared to envelop them. The scene came into focus when the hushing became a quiet litany that follow their viewing : The angels of God are with me, I have no basis to fear any man, any evil, any evil spirit. Because the Lord of hosts is with me, I take my confidence in Him. It is written If God be for us who can be against us? God is with me, I have no enough reason to fear, in the name of Jesus. It is written, The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life of whom shall I be afraid?
Professor McGonagall imposing was situated at the front, next to a stool. She was holding the sorting hat and frowning at a small group of first years. "Be quiet please! Mary Winter"
At the sound of her name, the litany stopped. Mary eyes look up from the ground to the Professor. She, absently, repositioned her two braids, one on each shoulder, and erased invisible folds on her dress before silently emerging from the little group. She took place on the stool, avoiding looking at anyone. The angels of God are with me, I have no basis to fear any man, any evil, any evil spirit. The hat was placed on her head and she closed her eyes.
"Well, that's interesting. Religious muggle orphan..."
Because the Lord of hosts is with me, I take my confidence in Him. It is written If God be for us who can be against us? God is with me, I have no enough reason to fear, in the name of Jesus.
"What a shame for your ancestors. Many differences and similarities, but neither of those two houses would do... Ravenclaw!"
The room was eerily quiet. For a moment, everyone just stood there staring at each other or nothingness, trying to digest.
Dumbledore had been violent and hadn't warned Mary. She hadn't been prepared when the invasion struck. She could feel the blood running from her nose, spilling into her mouth and throat. It made her cough, the noise sprung the twins into action. One reach to the closest bag to retrieve a handkerchief while the other tried to comfort her.
This entire situation, the glances and whispers, made her incredibly uncomfortable. She was reminded of those time at the orphanage when someone had been hurt during a punishment and everyone would discreetly steal a glance but no one dare to act against the nuns. She tried to indulge into the twins's care, but it was too much, she needed to get out. She was drowning in her memories, in her blood and her tears.
Quietly, she lifted herself out of the bench and walked out of the room, feeling curious and pity glances follow her out. Maybe she was just overreacting, but right now she needed out, so she walked towards the one place where she knew she would be alone.
"That was versatile, not quite what I was hoping for." Came Dumbledore's tranquil voice, he was disappointed by his lack of findings. He had been so sure he could use the muggleborn to locate the Horcruxes. Sadly, she did not seem that aware and therefore useful. Pity He scanned the Hall.
The Slytherins were not an option. If Hogwarts continues to be on lockdown, he is sure many families, amongst them the 28, would demand answers. Depending on the situation and what the school would have to reveal, he could not admit to the use of legilimency against their next generation.
The Potter child was not an option either. Harry was obviously wary towards him, and he could not risk having Fleamont and Euphemia on his bad side.
Ron Weasley was still an option, but he doubted he could provide him with useful information regarding the Horcrux.
The twins knew occlumency, or the basis of it, not an option either.
The other muggleborn, Hermione, would be his next target. He hoped she could be of use.