HARRY POTTER: THE LOST LEGACY

by peverell.magic

It was on a cold October evening that this story began, an evening that, in the eyes of many people, marked the advent of a new era, an era of great upheavals, although it would affect only a certain category of individuals.

20. CHAPTER 20: THE TRUE FACE OF THE VENERAB

CHAPTER 20: THE TRUE FACE OF THE VENERABLE SORCERER

The month of October now succeeded September, just as the rainy day that had taken place today had given way to a rather calm night, only disturbed by a few short showers lasting rarely more than ten minutes. But it was not a time to venture outside, especially at this late hour of the night. Midnight had struck several minutes ago, but the two occupants of the living room seemed unwilling to go to bed, too engrossed in reading the latest edition of the newspaper they had made a habit of perusing. Even though most articles looked alike, revolving around a common theme, obtaining information about the latest accounts of victorious battles and political tensions still held a certain interest and fascination.

At least, that's what Marie-Louise thought, comfortably lying on a sofa and scanning the pages unfolding before her with a concentrated gaze. Illuminated by candlelight and the fireplace, she passionately read the lengthy columns narrating the latest wartime events in her country, as well as the recent political announcements that influenced the lives and mindset of every French citizen.

However, in these dark times, only one subject constantly recurred in every article her eyes fell upon: War, again and always war. The narratives sprawled across almost every page, praising numerous soldiers who bravely fought the enemy forces and died honorably in battle, when not addressing decrees for general mobilization to bolster the armed forces' ranks and restore the greatness, prestige, and power of their rulers and institutions. It had been nearly thirteen years since one could read a line that did not involve France intervening in some conflict, and constantly reading about the thousands of deaths in every battle, both on land and at sea, did not help ease her mind or think about more pleasant subjects. Moreover, it seemed evident over the months that her country was indeed controversial among others, and all of Europe apparently harbored resentment, leading to constant battles.

Even now, the second coalition succeeding the one that concluded with a peace treaty confirmed this notion. While the campaign in Italy was about to conclude after the French troops' victory at the Battle of Marengo against the Austrian opponents, the front now stretched farther north, where numerous conflicts had already erupted between the French and various German principalities encompassed within the Holy Roman Empire. France, with aspirations for the left bank of the Rhine and the Belgian territory it shared until then with the Netherlands, had before it a resilient but desperate enemy struggling to effectively combat, and the balance heavily favored the former.

To add to this state of grace, several adversaries like Russia, Prussia, Sweden, and Denmark, who had been enemies of France, were finally turning away from their English ally, gradually withdrawing from the ongoing war, leaving the British to effectively battle their longstanding adversaries. They had, in fact, managed to turn the tide and disrupt the course of the Egyptian campaign, which would enter its fourth year in a few months. The French had defeated their Ottoman allies in the Battle of Heliopolis a few months earlier, but the British, more numerous, better armed, supported by local populations, and benefiting from almost exclusive control of the route to the Indies, continuously supplied them with provisions and materials, were gradually regaining ground and recovering the confiscated lands. Malta, retaken on September 3 of this year, was a perfect example.

Perhaps the conflicts would soon end? Marie-Louise hoped so, especially since the wizarding world had been living in perfect harmony for a long time now, and friendships between communities in European countries had rarely been better, which was far from the case for Muggles.

Even without an official representative or a political force worth mentioning, French wizards still managed themselves quite well, and society itself did not seem to suffer from the absence of authority dictating their conduct. In contrast, Muggles had undergone another coup, jeopardizing the fragile authority governing them.

This episode, called "the coup of the eighteenth Brumaire," had seen the end of the Directory after the resignation of three of its five representatives—Barras, Sieyes, and Ducos—who saw the opportunity to shake up the current regime and establish a new one, with the complicity of the Council of Elders and certain high-ranking military officials. The man who was to embody this change was already found: a longtime rival of the Directory, Napoleon was logically the most capable to carry out this coup, and he willingly complied, thinking about the repercussions this affair would have on his career and the new powers he could gain in return. It was also disturbing that the beginnings and the implementation of this coup were arranged in the apartments of Josephine de Beauharnais, his wife, who had dedicated herself for years to seeing her husband quickly climb the ranks that could lead him to power.

Thus, after a multitude of machinations and various lies aimed at sowing confusion, the French parliament and its deputies voted for the dissolution of the already severely weakened Directory, and the First Republic was simply brought to an end, replaced by a provisional government consisting of three consuls: Sieyes, Ducos, and Bonaparte.

Napoleon was indeed appointed "First Consul," one of, if not the highest political distinctions in the country. This new situation allowed him to do as he pleased, notably by changing the country's constitution to replace it with another largely based on his ideas.

However, the semblance of democracy that resulted could not hide the fact that France was now living under a totalitarian regime in which its highest representative enjoyed unwavering support from the army, and opposition was quickly silenced. Consequently, Napoleon could wage war as he pleased, and his military aspirations only intensified. The coming years promised more wars and more deaths to mourn, and this alone was enough for Marie-Louise to sigh sadly as she folded her journal.

"Not very uplifting news, is it?" confirmed Louise-Elisabeth, also reading the same newspaper. "This Napoleon is leading us to ruin, waging incessant wars at the cost of thousands of human lives."

"The situation doesn't currently allow for anything else," affirmed Princess de Lamballe, sighing again. "These endless wars risk, in the long term, ruining all of Europe and weakening each country. Our neighbors have been eyeing us and the territories we've acquired over time, and it only took a pretext for them to launch into a new conflict where we would, of course, be the targets."

"Nevertheless, the consul is playing a risky game, my friend. Can you imagine? The Russians almost single-handedly approached Nice, annihilating the entire Italian army! It took little for them to overturn the current power..."

"Who cares? It might even be good for us if we ever want to see the monarchy at the head of our country again. We would thus stop all these conflicts of interest and cease to continually destroy ourselves. Without the political and military ambitions of our dear first consul, the country would be much better off, I assure you."

Yet, war was the least of her worries, though sooner or later, her son would unfortunately experience it bitterly, and that within a few years. The subject that had been weighing on her mind for the past few days concerned a seven-year-old girl who distinguished herself by her absence and silence, a little girl she would have liked to see again and get to know, but who persisted in not sending any signs of life or even asking about her. For a moment, Marie-Louise thought that something might have happened to her, and several times lately, the urge to go to her herself to inquire about her situation tempted her, only to remember each time that she didn't know where she lived.

"You're thinking about that young girl, aren't you?" argued her friend, observing her with concern.

"You would have made a good Legilimens, Elisabeth," affirmed Marie-Louise, trying to appear detached. "But yes, I was thinking about Rosie. To tell you the truth, I'm surprised she hasn't reappeared since our last meeting, and I'm starting to wonder if something hasn't happened to her."

"Maybe she doesn't want to come back here anymore?" suggested the Marquise de Tourzel, shifting her attention back to the crackling fire in the fireplace. "Maybe she has come to her senses, and this adoption idea now seems inconceivable to her..."

"I doubt it, you see. She was determined to achieve her goal, and I didn't even have to dig very deep into her mind to realize that. Her body and actions spoke for her, and her will was unyielding. I think that if that were the case, she would have had the courtesy to come and tell me that she was giving up on this project so as not to leave me in the dark. The problem must lie elsewhere, probably on her mother's side..."

Louise-Elisabeth simply sighed loudly, a rather surprising gesture coming from a woman usually so in control of her emotions.

"I don't want to discourage you, my friend, but don't hope to see this young lady again soon. She was indeed quick to become your daughter at the time, but time may have played a role in this prolonged absence... Perhaps see it as a negative response from her."

"Maybe, yes," Marie-Louise agreed absentmindedly, folding her journal and placing it beside her. "The distance caused by Gabriel's entry into his academy may have played a part in this desire of mine to see her again as soon as possible, to know her mother's answer and to take advantage of her presence to occupy my mind. It must be said that the castle is particularly quiet when my son is not here to liven it up with his mere presence, and even the servants complain about the calm that has prevailed for a few weeks now."

"You now understand what I can feel when I am separated from my children," replied the Marquise de Tourzel, smiling amusedly. "I never thought that this would happen to you one day, I must admit. Well, you had to go through this test... I myself must admit that Pauline's new departure for Paris saddens me greatly, especially since I know absolutely nothing about these new receptions for wealthy young Frenchmen she attends..."

"I unfortunately know no more than you do about it, except that these young people are all from noble families or the French bourgeoisie, and these meetings are an opportunity for them to establish new political and financial alliances... Gabriel may be called upon one day to attend them as well if he wishes to make a name for himself among these people, especially with the support of his great-uncle Louis-Xavier, there is no doubt that he will be highly sought after when he starts turning to this activity himself."

"I heard from Apolline that she also wished to send her eldest daughter to start getting acquainted with what she already calls 'business dinners.' She undoubtedly knows more about it than we do. We would do well to question her about it when we see her again..."

Both fell silent for a moment, each immersed in her thoughts. While Louise-Elisabeth wondered about her daughter's activities during these evenings, Marie-Louise was already thinking about the opportunity that was offered to her son to meet the next politicians who could help him establish his first contacts within the small group of French politicians. Moreover, with the support of his great-uncle Louis-Xavier, there was little doubt that he would be a highly coveted man when he started to turn to this activity.

"Speaking of your son, you weren't very talkative the last time you received a letter from him. What did it talk about?"

"Curiosity is an ugly trait, Elisabeth, have you forgotten?"

"Don't I have the right to inquire about my nephew's news?" she said, blushing slightly nevertheless. "I may be just a... What do you call it again? Mollish?"

"Muggle," corrected Marie-Louise, barely holding back a laugh.

"Yes, Muggle, but I am not indifferent to Gabriel's success in the field he has chosen to integrate, even if what he learns there still eludes me, and his future is as dear to me as that of my children."
" You have won" sighed Harry's mother, conjuring with a snap of her fingers the latest letter from her son that had arrived a few days earlier. "Do you want me to read it to you, or would you prefer me to narrate the main points of his letter?"

"Hm... I would prefer you to give it to me!"

Her arm outstretched, ready to hand over this famous letter, Marie-Louise was, however, interrupted by a new gust of wind from the chimney, and the flames that once again animated it had once again taken on a greenish tint. While she supposed it could possibly be Rosie, despite the late hour, her friend grumbled darkly at this new interruption preventing her from reading her godson's news.

"Can't you forbid visits in the middle of the evening?" complained Louise-Elisabeth, grumbling in a very immature manner.

"It's better not to; it could be important, and I want to be informed as soon as possible of any problems that may arise," she replied, keeping her eyes fixed on the green flames, which a moment later revealed a rather tall silhouette.

Rosie was indeed there, but not in the state Marie-Louise had hoped for. Held in Remus's arms, who had also made the journey, the young girl seemed unwell and in very bad shape. Seeing the alarmed expression on Harry's godfather's face, there was little doubt that what was happening to Rosie was very serious for him to come to her. Shiny skin, rolling eyes, and arms hanging pitifully towards the floor, Rosie would almost give the impression of being dead if she did not continually emit plaintive moans accompanied by sobs.

Less than two seconds after their appearance, Lily also arrived in her living room. Even though she seemed at first glance healthier than her daughter, Marie-Louise noted with dismay that Rosie had not lied to her: her mother looked like a real wreck. Emaciated face, heavy bags under her eyes, an emaciated body floating in clothes now too big for her, supported by thin legs that kept trembling with each step, Lily was pitiful to see, but not as much as her daughter.

Marie-Louise, who had immediately risen from her seat upon seeing them arrive, was about to question them about their late visit and the reason for it. To her great surprise, Lily rushed towards her, clutching her robe like a madwoman, her eyes bulging.

"Madame Potter?" she stammered, looking at her intriguingly. "What's happening to you?"

"Please, I need your help!" she implored with an alarmed voice. "Rosie is not well at all for a few hours, and I didn't know who to turn to! I have absolutely no idea what to do to help her, and I tried everything to heal her, but nothing works!"

"Put her on this chair," she ordered her firmly while Louise-Elisabeth stood up to give them all the space. "I don't know if I'll be of much help; my knowledge of medicine is rather limited. But I will do my best to help you."

Lily simply nodded as she released her to help Remus, who delicately laid Rosie on the cushions of the chair. Despite her efforts, Rosie let out a groan of pain as she awkwardly tried to move, but her sore body prevented her from even moving a finger.

"Can you explain to me how she became so sick?" she asked Lily while checking Rosie's temperature. "There must have been symptoms before!"

"N-no, absolutely nothing!" Lily desperately affirmed. "She was in perfect health for most of the day, and then she started complaining of pains all over her body. The pains came and went as quickly as they came, like a needle pricking the skin! Then she suddenly started to feel very hot, and the pains intensified to the point that she couldn't even take a step without excruciating pain... twenty minutes ago, she collapsed on the ground screaming in pain, and since then, she has remained in this state of great suffering!"

"Hm... We may be dealing with a benign illness or food poisoning... Did she eat anything special recently?"

"No, she ate the same as me! It's... In fact, she was the one preparing the meals today, and given her age, she could only offer us a loaf of bread and some raw vegetables!"

Other spells to elaborate a diagnosis were used, but none allowed them to have a clear answer to the disease that seemed to be consuming Rosie.

"We will move her elsewhere to be able to treat her in better conditions," declared Marie-Louise, getting up. "Sonorus," she said, pointing her wand at her throat. "Martine, Françoise, come immediately to Diane's room with some wet towels and a basin of water!"

Her voice, amplified by the spell, resonated throughout the castle, and it seemed impossible that the two maids couldn't hear it.

"Homonum Locomotor," she continued after canceling her spell, this time targeting Rosie's motionless body, which she immediately made levitate to a good height. "Follow me," she added, heading towards the exit.

The corridors they crossed were particularly dark on this evening, and even the multiple candles arranged around them on chandeliers and chandeliers could not traverse them without risk. At least that's what Remus thought, who immediately began to light their way with his own wand, for which Marie-Louise was very grateful. She herself had a hard time maintaining control over Rosie's body, and her spell required constant concentration; any mistake or relaxation could lead to Rosie falling to the ground and possibly worsening her condition.

Lily and Louise-Elisabeth awkwardly tried to lift this fragile body, keeping their arms under it to anticipate any fall. Luckily, nothing unfortunate happened until they reached the room. The two maids were already there, standing next to the bed, looking at them confusedly. But when they saw little Rosie and her painful gasps, the gravity of the situation became as clear as spring water, and without losing a minute, they helped to install her as comfortably as possible on the huge bed prepared for her.

"Undress her," ordered their mistress before they immediately set to work, leaving Rosie in only her underwear. "It's better to have access to her entire body to prevent all risks..."

Wearing only her undergarments and a short intimate shirt, Rosie's body was fully visible to all, although she was absolutely unaware of it. Her breathing continued to be choppy and erratic as she vainly tried to get comfortable on the mattress, painfully attempting to move her body.

"What do you think is happening to her?" Remus asked, looking gravely at Rosie's state. "Is it... an illness? Something she might have caught somewhere or by consuming something that was no longer edible?"

"I unfortunately have no idea," Marie-Louise admitted, using spells on Rosie's entire body. "In any case, it seems far too important to be a simple flu..."

Several other spells were used, but not one could allow her to know what illness Rosie might be suffering from or even the origin of this disease. Not the slightest scratch or wound that could possibly suggest poisoning or infection was visible, no more than a mark on the skin or inflammation... In other words, she was drawing a blank.

"It's incomprehensible," she sighed in despair, shaking her wand fiercely to make the smoke disappear when she pulled it out. "The spells I used are generally intended to diagnose any disease to prepare the antidote that will defeat it, but the smoke should automatically give me the known name of this disease, which is not the case here..."

"What does that mean then?" asked Remus as Lily, who was leaning over her daughter, tried to calm her by stroking her hair.

"That this young lady is as healthy as you and me..."

"But... But you can't ignore the symptoms she's currently experiencing!" Lily exclaimed, turning her attention back to her. "How can she not be sick when she's as hot as a cauldron!?"

"My spell is formal," retorted the Princess of Lamballe. "The smoke would have turned reddish if your daughter were sick. However, it stayed white, a sign that she has no harmful germs for her health."

A piercing cry from Rosie interrupted them in their discussion, and if at first, no one understood what had happened to her, all eventually noticed that a halo of blood was beginning to form under the girl's body at her hip, spreading on the sheet. Surprised, Marie-Louise delicately lifted Rosie's frail body to understand where all this hemoglobin could come from, and the answer, as horrible as it was, quickly became apparent to her.

"Good heavens!" she exclaimed upon observing the appearance of a deep gash across her patient's back. "What on earth is this?!"

"Oh my God!" Martine exclaimed, immediately placing her wet cloth on the wound to clean it and stop the bleeding.

"No, let me do it, Martine," her employer insisted, pushing her hand away. "Just moisten her whole body to try to lower her temperature. Episkey!" she added, pointing her wand at the wound, which immediately closed.

Hardly had she finished with this injury when another immediately appeared on Rosie's stomach, staining her clothes with blood again and eliciting a new cry of pain from Rosie.

"This... I had never seen anything like this before," Marie-Louise admitted, bewildered, lifting the shirt to immediately tend to the long cut across Rosie's body. "It is now certain that it is not an illness unless we are witnessing the emergence of a new ailment."

"You can't do anything then?" Lily asked desperately, looking at her with teary eyes.

"I... I have never come across this oddity, just as none of my books mention it unless..."

Her sentence hung in the air despite the numerous intrigued looks she received. The truth had just become as clear in her mind as if it had been written in front of her on a huge piece of paper. This ailment, this sudden fever, these cuts appearing out of nowhere... No doubt now: the source of all these symptoms was purely magical, and the only way, in her opinion, to achieve such results was certainly in the darkest arts of magic.

"Have you found anything?" Remus asked, noticing her furrowed brows.

"I'm not sure, but I might have an idea of what is causing all this."

A new piercing scream escaped Rosie's mouth, and a new gash appeared on her chest, letting a trail of blood stain her shirt even more. Marie-Louise immediately tore it apart with a swift wave of her wand and healed the wound as soon as it was in her sight. However, before closing the cut, she quickly collected some blood, letting it flow into a small bowl that she took care not to let overflow. Then, placing it on the bedside table, she asked Remus to keep an eye on Rosie and be prepared for any eventuality regarding her health and strange symptoms. Her intuition told her that the origin of this ailment might be in the blood, and with quick analyses, she might finally find the truth about this strange phenomenon. Enchantment, after all, required the use of blood, and given how Rosie's tormentor delighted in mutilating her, there was no doubt that they had to act fast to prevent her from being dismembered or even decapitated.

"What will you do in the meantime?" Remus asked, seeing her perform numerous gestures with her wand above the bowl.

"Find answers to my questions," she simply said, continuing her maneuvers without giving him a glance.

Minutes passed, disturbed by Rosie's cries and pleas with each new cut, Lily's continuous tears as she felt helpless in front of her daughter's suffering, and Marie-Louise's incomprehensible murmurs as she continued to work above the collected blood. The two maids, meanwhile, continued to diligently sponge Rosie's frail body, disregarding her convulsions and abrupt movements with each new cut that appeared on her skin. Despite their efforts, they noticed with dismay that the heat emanating from Rosie kept increasing, and her body temperature must now be well above that of a perfectly healthy person. It was a heartbreaking sight for everyone to see this lively young girl suffer like a damned soul in bed, and even if no one openly suspected it, the idea that Rosie could die that evening unfortunately crept into everyone's minds. But surrender was not a solution, and each person was working to try to save her, even if it meant spending the entire night.

"M-Mom, it hurts!" Rosie gasped between sobs, seeking through the blur of her tears the reassuring silhouette of her mother. "Where are you, Mom?! Mom, don't leave me!"

"I'm here, sweetheart," Lily informed her, immediately taking her hand to futilely try to console her. "Everything will be okay, darling, Mom is here, and she won't abandon you! Never!"

Rosie then attempted a smile, but her face contorted in pain as another cry of agony escaped her mouth. Lily, on the other hand, felt the flow of a liquid in the palm of her hand, and when she slightly loosened her grip on her daughter's hand, she saw a new and deep wound that had just appeared, from which a considerable amount of blood was already seeping.

"Ep-Episkey!" she stammered, breaking into tears at this sad sight. "Episkey!" she tried again without success as her wand trembled heavily in her hand.

"Episkey," Remus muttered, coming to her aid.

Rosie's wound immediately closed, but Lily's wound opened at once. Brokenhearted by her daughter's illness and the last few weeks of depression she had experienced, her tears flowed continuously down her cheeks as she struggled to regain control of her emotions. Staying calm while her daughter suffered in front of her was an effort she was currently incapable of, and everyone understood that without needing to question her about her condition. Remus simply wrapped an arm around her to silently assure her that he was there for her in this trial and that he would not let her down. Rosie continued to whimper now, her body becoming increasingly painful as she continued to sweat profusely, quickly wetting the sheets.

Marie-Louise, on the other hand, had made progress in her analysis, and after multiple manipulations, the blood in her bowl now formed two small reddish puddles separated from each other with no possibility of mixing. In truth, the genetic makeup of Rosie's blood was revealing itself to her in this way, and if the blood on the left carried the genes of James Potter, the one on the right was more akin to Lily's. Her supposition would finally find an answer, and after dipping her finger into the blood that was similar to Lily's and finding it perfectly normal, James's blood was particularly hot and almost burned her finger. No doubt was now allowed: the enchantment was discovered.

"Touch it," she instructed Lily, offering her the bowl. "Don't hesitate to dip your finger in; you'll understand more easily what's going on."

Lily obeyed immediately, but not without some apprehension. Barely had her finger come into contact with the blood when she withdrew it immediately, surprised by its warmth. For her, plunging her hand into a pot full of boiling water would have had the same effect, and, in truth, she doubted that boiling water could be as hot as the blood she had just touched. The only conclusion that came to her at that moment was that all this was not normal, and, to her knowledge, no illness heated the blood to this extent.

"It's not an illness," Marie-Louise informed her, anticipating her question. "No known disease causes such strange symptoms, let alone cuts appearing so suddenly all over the body... There is no doubt now that someone has bewitched your daughter through some process, and currently, they are using their little discovery to torture your daughter for a specific purpose. The blood you just touched carries the genes of your husband, at least those he passed on to your daughter, while the one you haven't touched yet is more like yours. Needless to say, it's not as burning as the first. So, we can assume that your daughter has been enchanted by someone using, obviously, your husband's blood to achieve their ends."

"Enchanted?" Lily exclaimed, looking at her horrified. "Do you mean someone is having fun brutalizing my daughter and making her bleed as they please without even caring about her life!? But who on earth could be cruel enough to do such a thing!?"

"There's no need to look far; the answer is obvious..." Marie-Louise said, frowning.

Initially skeptical, Lily soon understood who was being referred to, and for her, only one person could be capable of such a thing: James. However, her husband was incapable of carrying out such a machination, despite all the respect she had for his magical abilities. But a magical ritual of this nature was certainly not in James's skill set, just as it was hard for her to believe that he would go so far as to harm his daughter like this. Wasn't he her father? Shouldn't he protect and defend his children at the risk of his life? Wasn't he supposed to swear love and affection towards them? These thoughts seemed immediately ridiculous to her, given that James had so far been far from such behavior with Harry and Rosie.

So, there remained only one other person capable of knowing and using a technique as intriguing as repulsive, a powerful technique rare enough not to be known to the common folk, or else everyone could use it for revenge as they pleased. Only a person knowledgeable enough to understand all its subtleties could fill this role: Dumbledore.

"It's... It's Dumbledore, isn't it?" she asked to confirm.

A simple nod broke in an instant the little esteem she still had for the old wizard, the so-called embodiment of the good side, defender of the weak, Muggle-borns, and oppressed, vanquisher of the dark wizard Grindelwald, president of the Wizengamot, and supreme authority of the International Confederation of Wizards... Did he even deserve all these titles? Was a man capable of torturing a little girl, imprisoning a woman in her own home, forcing parents to abandon their child, sending someone on dangerous missions with the unspoken aim of seeing them disappear, and using his influence to push through decisions without resistance, genuinely a good person? Lily doubted it, especially seeing the disastrous state her daughter was in. As for James, realizing that he was willing to participate in such an abomination only confirmed to her that her husband was a scoundrel.

But another problem now arose: What to do to stop this enchantment? Was there a single remedy or even a spell to put an end to the torture her daughter was going through? What was her course of action now? As many questions as she rushed to ask, but if she hoped to hear a reassuring answer quickly, she was quickly disillusioned:

"The only possible solution for now would be to eliminate the person currently using this ritual, failing which we can reason with them. Other solutions are possible, but they take much more time, and we don't have enough time to even consider using them."

These words hit her like a whip, and, in fact, hurt her as well. The only possibility left to her now was to go directly to Dumbledore and ask him... No, beg him to stop his ritual, taking an immense risk of being trapped by him. Resolute to this solution, Lily began to slowly move towards the exit to the incredulous eyes of the others.

"I-I can't stay here in that case; I... I'll go turn myself in!" she suddenly announced, heading for the exit. "It's a matter of my children's survival!"

"You will stay here!" Marie-Louise ordered, slamming the door of the room with a wave of her wand.

But Lily did not take heed of her order, and without further ado, she took out her wand to simply explode the door and rush into the corridor to go home and stop Dumbledore and James's diabolical plan. The entire surrounding universe was now nothing more than a vague whirlwind of darkness as she ran quickly towards the exit, without a glance behind her. No other thought crossed her mind, except the one that assured her that by acting in this way, she ensured the safety and health of her children, even if it meant sacrificing her freedom. Her children's lives were worth much more than hers, and if it took enduring her husband's bullying and blows for that, then she was ready to do it.

However, her will to flee was abruptly interrupted by a powerful grip around her waist, preventing her from moving any further. Turning her head slightly, Lily realized that the person preventing her from moving was none other than the mistress of the house, who persisted in trying to restrain her against her will. Couldn't she understand that she had to do this for the sake of her children? That even if she didn't want to, her daughter's life and the safety of Rosie and Gabriel were worth such a sacrifice? It was pondering these questions that she began to struggle and try to break free from this embrace that held her tightly.

"I told you to stay here, Lily!" Marie-Louise exclaimed, continuing to hold onto her.

"Let go of me! I told you to let me go! I have to save my daughter! You can't force me to stay here and watch her die without reacting!"

There's always a solution to every problem, and it's not by falling into Dumbledore's trap that you'll resolve it! So, you're going to come back into this room, sit next to your daughter, and stay with her through this tough time. Do you understand me?

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING!" she finally yelled, attempting to free herself from the embrace of her host, who clung tightly around her waist to prevent her from leaving. "MY DAUGHTER COULD DIE ANY MOMENT, AND YOU DON'T SEEM TO REALIZE IT! HOW CAN YOU ASK ME TO STAY HERE AND WATCH HER BE TORTURED WITHOUT EVEN TRYING TO DO ANYTHING!? LET GO OF ME IMMEDIATELY OR I WILL..."

Lily couldn't finish her sentence as a sudden slap interrupted her. Her cheek stung and burned as she looked, astonished, at Marie-Louise in front of her, who still held her hand in the air, as if threatening to strike again if she tried to leave. Too surprised by the gesture, Lily fell silent and limp, unable to think or process the situation. The only thing she remembered was the pain on the left side of her face as she tried to soothe it by gently caressing it.

"Now you will listen to me, or should I give you another one?" furiously demanded Princess Marie-Louise, glaring at her.

Not knowing what else to do, Lily finally admitted defeat and simply nodded her head to indicate that she now had her full attention.

"The reason Dumbledore is torturing your daughter is clear: he's aiming for you, and his goal is straightforward. He wants you to come back home, to return to your old life and your loving husband, to serve once again as his outlet for his mood swings. Therefore, he will never risk killing your daughter if she is the only leverage he has over you! You are an integral part of his plans, Lily, and he believes that by acting this way, you will come back on your own to resume the life you led before your escape. Is that what you want, Lily? Do you really think throwing yourself headfirst into his trap will solve your problem? Do you truly believe he cares even for a moment about your daughter's life?"

"But if I don't go, he will eventually..." she began before being interrupted.

"And if you go, he will use this method to blackmail you and make you obey. Every time you attempt to rebel, he will use this means to break you and make you return to the path he has set for you, and you will once again become the submissive and vulnerable woman you were just a few months ago. Choosing to go back to Dumbledore will not help anyone; on the contrary."

"I-I could leave Rosie with you for safekeeping..."

"That won't stop him from wanting to retrieve her as well by threatening to use this voodoo technique to force you to confess where she is, and at the same time, make you reveal where Gab... Harry is. A sword of Damocles will then constantly hang over you and your children, and you will live in fear and anguish."

Suddenly, Lily's trembling legs gave way, and she collapsed on the floor, realizing the horror of the situation she was in. Plaintive sobs immediately escaped her mouth as she buried her face in her hands to hide the stream of tears flowing from her eyes. Lost, that's the state she was in, and apparently, nothing could help her get out of this situation. This helplessness took a toll on her psychological state, and for a brief moment, she felt the urge to end all these problems, to end all the horrors in her life, to simply end it all to stop suffering.

"I don't even advise you to try," suddenly warned Marie-Louise, resuming a harsh tone. "Ending your life is the most cowardly act and also the most selfish because you leave behind two children who will have to live the rest of their lives with the memory of a mother who chose to disappear in such a way without daring to face the obstacles on her path."

"What do you advise me to do then?" she asked with a voice interspersed with sobs, without even questioning the fact that her interlocutor was aware of her dark thoughts. "Wait quietly for Rosie to bleed out? Wait for Dumbledore to cut her head off when he loses patience? Pretend to endure this ordeal without suffering when it's not the case!?"

"As I said, there is always a solution to every problem, especially when it comes to magic. Dumbledore's voodoo ritual uses a branch of magic called blood magic, often considered dark magic, but I occasionally use it nevertheless. As the name suggests, blood is constantly used for its use, and one essential point to know when you want to use it is that blood can always be modified to intensify a spell, for example, or conversely to protect against curses like the one currently affecting your daughter. Moreover, adopting your son by myself could eventually be considered another function of blood magic."

"I don't see how a lesson on blood magic could help in the situation we're in! We don't have time for these things!" Lily exclaimed again.

Marie-Louise sighed rather than worsening their discussion and, kneeling to be at the same level as Lily, she then pressed Lily's shoulder with a friendly gesture, strangely calming her abruptly.

"To fight blood magic, you also have to use it. Runes requiring blood to be activated, for example, are much more powerful than ordinary runes and the only way to combat them is to use the same principle. Therefore, to heal your daughter, you need to use a method that effectively fights against Dumbledore's and follows the same principle. Do you understand me so far?"

Lily simply nodded, hanging on Marie-Louise's words as she hoped to hear the words that would shed light on her daughter's problem and inform her of a possible solution.

"Dumbledore uses the blood flowing in your daughter's body to control her at will and subject her to the worst possible punishments. He consequently uses your husband's blood to achieve his goals because Rosie's blood carries half of his genetic heritage. You've had proof of this earlier when comparing the temperature of the blood I placed in the bowl. Therefore, we need to completely change her blood and expel that of your husband to break the bond between them. Otherwise, Dumbledore might end up killing her. But living without a part of what makes our identity is impossible, and not replacing your husband's blood would be just as dangerous as leaving things as they are."

"Do you mean someone needs to adopt her, like... like you did with Harry? So that she can have new blood to escape Dumbledore's or her father's curse?"

"Among other things, but rest assured, I wouldn't suggest this if there were other possibilities, especially if time allowed me to find alternative solutions. Your daughter came to me some time ago, asking me to do the same thing I did with Gabriel, to prepare the same potion for her to be adopted like him. Her desire to have no connection with her father was immense, much greater than her brother's. Using Legilimency, I found out she was ready to do anything to achieve her goal, even resorting to emotional blackmail towards me. I told her that I wouldn't make that decision alone anymore, that your choice would be crucial. Nevertheless, I agreed to prepare the potion in advance if your decision turned out to be positive. It's been ready for a few days now, waiting for your approval to start the procedure. However, circumstances seem to push us to act in this way, with or without your blessing. But the choice is yours, Lily: Do you want to save your daughter and accept her adoption, or do you prefer to wait until we find another solution, risking her death?"

The question didn't even cross Lily's mind. Despite the discomfort of the idea of seeing her daughter adopted by this woman she had resentments towards, she was still willing to comply if it meant saving Rosie's life. There could be nothing worse than seeing her daughter die without trying anything. Even though she struggled to admit it, Harry didn't seem to have suffered in the presence of Marie-Louise and appeared in perfect health when she saw him in July. Her son was ultimately very different from the one who lived with James Potter, and this woman who had become his second mother had perfectly filled the emotional void he had in the absence of his mother and a father figure.

Her thoughts then turned to James, the man she had married a few years ago and who had changed drastically since Voldemort's fall. Almost immediately, a black rage engulfed her, thinking that he had been capable of subjecting his daughter to such treatment just to try to get her back. How could a father dare to do that to his own child? How could a man act so selfishly and irresponsibly, playing with his daughter's life to achieve his goals? She never would have believed it, especially coming from him, and Lily now disgusted herself for having once married such a vile and horrible man. Even Lucius Malfoy wouldn't stoop so low, nor would Voldemort if he ever had the opportunity to have a child. It was now difficult to know who were truly her friends and who were the enemies she absolutely had to beware of. The cards were reshuffled, and the chessboard on which the fate of the world played out was disrupted by these changes. Black or white? Good or evil? Difficult to say now.

One thing was certain to her, however: This Marie-Louise de Savoie was not like them, at least in appearance. Nothing seemed to show that she was as bad as the two designated leaders of the camps of good and evil in Great Britain. This woman had so far shown only the good sides of her personality, and except perhaps for her selfishness and tendency to control the world around her, she seemed perfectly pleasant and of good nature.

Lily suspected that her judgment might be skewed by the harsh night she was experiencing and the very rare moments she had spent in her company. Nevertheless, a woman who chose to take care of a boy who was not hers and raise him lovingly as a son, wasn't she, after all, a good person? What did she risk now by accepting her proposal to adopt this time the sister of that same boy? Not much, except perhaps to playfully fight with her to ensure her position as the biological mother.

From this moment on, Marie-Louise appeared to her in a new light, and Lily judged her much more capable of fulfilling the role of the second parent for her children than James. After all, there was little chance that she, too, would try to play with the lives of her children for personal and particularly selfish gain. As for the personalities of these two people and the stature that James and Marie-Louise each had, there was little doubt that the latter far surpassed her husband in all respects.

Her choice was made, a difficult choice indeed but one that would resolve many problems, and it was with a certain apprehension for the future that she then leaned towards resignation.

"Okay," she eventually agreed, placing her hand on her interlocutor's. "If it means saving her, then I'm willing to let you... um... adopt her."

"I'm delighted," replied the Princess of Lamballe with a smile. "But let's not delay now, your daughter's life is..."

"Our daughter," Lily suddenly corrected, as Marie-Louise widened her eyes at what she had just said.

"I, um... Yes... Well, go back to her and stay with her while I fetch the potion," she said, getting up to walk hurriedly through the corridor.

Lily remained on the floor for a few more seconds, long enough to hear Marie-Louise mutter a vague "Our daughter... Merlin, that sounds strange to hear" before hastily returning to the room where her daughter was and finding the rest of the adults privy to this affair. The gaping hole she had made in the wall allowed her an excellent view of Remus, who had taken his place near the bed and was trying his best to heal Rosie's wounds while keeping his hand firmly attached to the little girl's. The two maids continued to wet Rosie's body unnecessarily, still hoping to lower her body temperature. Louise-Elisabeth, for her part, was sitting on the other side of the bed, and perhaps realizing that she had no real usefulness at the moment, she awkwardly tried to reassure little Rosie by whispering some comforting words to try to calm her.

Feeling a certain jealousy but also shame at the deplorable state in which she had left the room, Lily coughed slightly to make herself heard and thus stop Louise-Elisabeth's affectionate gestures towards Rosie.

"Lily!" exclaimed Remus as soon as he saw her. "Merlin, I really thought you were going to Dumbledore! Do you realize the foolishness you were about to do!?"

"I'm sorry, Remus," she murmured, advancing towards the bed. "I don't know what came over me; I... I lost my reason for a brief moment, and I thought this solution was the best to save Rosie."

"It's the nerves," argued her friend, tapping her arm sympathetically. "But in the meantime, we still have no solution to free Rosie from this voodoo ritual."

Rosie, in fact, let out another cry of pain as a deep cut ran down her thigh to her hip. Remus hastened to heal the wound, praying inwardly that Rosie would bear no scars from this injury while Lily immediately took her place beside her daughter to reassure her with her mere presence.

Barely had she settled on the mattress of the bed when her daughter's head turned towards her immediately, albeit with difficulty. With nearly rolled-back eyes, a slightly open mouth, and a breath resembling a gasp, Rosie was pitiful to behold. Still, Lily refrained from collapsing again in the face of such a dismal sight. It was better to put on a brave face, to show resilience in the face of adversity, and not to succumb to tears and sadness so as not to further distress her...

"M-Mom?" Rosie stammered as she felt her mother's warm hand delicately grasp hers. "Wh-where were you? I th-thought you were gone..."

"Sssht, fear not, my love. I won't leave you again," Lily assured her while gently stroking her daughter's hair. "Mom went to talk to Mrs. Lamballe to find a solution to your illness, and we may have found a remedy..."

"R-really?" inquired her daughter, a voice infused with a hint of hope, while the other four adults all raised their eyebrows. "I-is it... Is it going to work?"

"I'm convinced it will," she assured her, hoping herself that this solution would truly resolve all their problems.

"You... You found a solution?" queried Louise-Elisabeth, looking at her curiously. "Forgive me, but unfortunately, I'm not a witch, so it's still difficult for me to conceive that you can interrupt this... this enchantment without encountering the instigator of this outrage."

"You, however, know the solution to this problem," argued Lily, suppressing the urge to smile amusedly at the confused expression of the Marquise de Tourzel. "At least, I believe so... To tell you the truth, this solution has been ready for a few days now, and it seems that I had to give my approval for it to be given to my daughter and thus free her from Dumbledore's influence..."

"You giving your approval?" Louise-Elisabeth exclaimed. "But the problem only appeared today... How is that possible? I absolutely do not understand what you... Wait... Don't tell me that..."

A flash of understanding crossed her mind, though she was the only one to reach that conclusion. The two maids who continued to wash and refresh Rosie's body looked at each other with confusion, as did Remus, who now felt that something was slipping away in this story. Indeed, it was difficult to imagine that a solution to a problem could be put in place before it even appeared, especially since Lily herself had doubted that such a miracle could happen a short time ago. Having been absent for only about ten minutes, Remus wondered how Lily could have discovered the remedy and prepared it so quickly in such a short time. Furthermore, the absence of the mistress of the house with them seemed strange to him, but he did not show his perplexity, not even when Marie-Louise reappeared.

"Excuse me, I had some difficulty finding the dreamless sleep potion," she apologized, repairing the damage caused by Lily to the front door. "Did you tell her?"

"I haven't had the time yet," Lily admitted, observing the two vials she held.

"No matter, we must do it before administering the potion to her."

At the sight of the two vials, Louise-Elisabeth's suspicions were confirmed, as were those of the two maids who, hearing about a dreamless sleep potion and noticing the second reddish potion, also understood what was about to happen. Only Remus remained in complete confusion, but the truth would eventually emerge for him as well, and no one deemed it necessary to inform him.

"Rosie? Rosie, listen to me carefully, please," Lily said, feeling her daughter's warm hand gently squeezing hers. "Do you remember our last conversation and your request?"

"Y-yes... I wanted you to adopt me to... to be Harry's sister again... Wh-why are you asking me this?"

"I'll let your mother answer on my behalf since this also concerns her," she said, turning to Lily, who looked at her in surprise.

She remained silent for a few seconds, but in the face of her daughter's insistent gaze, Lily's apprehensions about Rosie's reaction to her decision and what it would cause for both of them disappeared, leaving an unwavering resolution to finally lift her head and take control of her destiny by ceasing to pity herself. Too many wrong decisions had been made lately, and she would never fall back into the depths of sadness and despair in which she had been until now. It was time to live again, and this evening would be a rebirth for both her and Rosie.

"Rosie, I know I should be angry with you for daring to go see that lady and ask for something so outrageous without even telling me beforehand, but now, I can only commend your rebellious and unyielding attitude that always drives you to surpass prohibitions. In other circumstances, I might have resented you for this and for hiding from me what you had in mind and what you were already planning behind my back, but now I know that all of this will ultimately benefit you..."

"I-I don't understand what you're t-telling me, Mom..."

"You should shorten the explanations," Marie-Louise advised her in a slightly tense tone. "It could be that Dumbledore has the idea to mark Rosie's pretty body again at any moment..."

"Excuse me, I forgot about it," Lily mumbled apologetically. "Rosie, to put it simply, your idea of adoption will not only permanently detach you from your father but will also allow you to heal from the ailment you currently suffer from."

"Y-you mean you ac-accept?" Rosie stuttered, managing to open her eyes wide at her mother's words.

Although unable to get up and throw herself at her mother due to her condition, everyone could easily see that for a fraction of a second, Rosie's face had expressed a joy beyond measure at the announcement of what awaited her. However, it was before a new cut appeared on her cheek this time, spreading a new trail of blood on the sheet covering the mattress.

"We should hurry," declared Marie-Louise, quickly uncorking her small vial while Lily tried to calm her daughter's tears. "Tilt her slightly forward to facilitate the flow of the potion into her body..."

The Princess de Lamballe then brought the potion to Rosie's slightly open mouth, and as she felt the bottle neck trying to pass through her lips to pour its contents into her mouth, Rosie quickly opened it wide enough to drink the liquid that would change her destiny and life in a few minutes.

"The potion will start working in a few minutes," she informed them while helping Lily lay Rosie comfortably on the bed. "I don't think I've made any mistakes in the dosages, and the reddish color is exactly the same as the one Gabriel drank. Therefore, we shouldn't have any unpleasant surprises..."

As if to mock her, Dumbledore once again cut Rosie's body, leaving a long gash almost all along her right arm as evidence of his misdeed. However, the wound did not seem deep, and Rosie herself only expressed her pain with a simple moan, far from the cries of agony she had uttered before. Not even a drop of blood flowed from the wound, a detail that did not escape anyone.

"The old bastard..." Remus commented nonetheless, furrowing his brow, more than ever eager to twist the neck of Hogwarts' headmaster.

"Do you think Dumbledore intentionally cut her arm, avoiding causing her serious harm?" Lily asked, turning to the next mother of Rosie.

"I don't think so," she argued, scrutinizing the wound that was closing on its own, much to her surprise. "The potion is already starting to take effect and act on the bond between Rosie's father and her. Physical changes will occur later. For now, the bond is weakening, and the injuries are therefore becoming less severe..."

"That's why... My arm tingles slightly?" Rosie asked, turning her head towards her. "I feel like I fell into a nettle field..."

"Among other things, yes," she replied.

"Wonderful," Rosie sighed, smiling slightly. "It means I won't be his daughter anymore but... yours now..."

Once the wound was completely healed, Harry's sister, like the others, noticed that she could now move it, albeit weakly. Her condition improved as seconds passed, and simply being able to make that gesture was already a great victory over Dumbledore.

"Do you have any questions before drinking this dreamless sleep potion?" Marie-Louise asked her.

"W-will I have pretty clothes like yours?" she immediately inquired between breaths.

Surprise crossed all the adults, before a general laughter erupted from each of their mouths. Of all the possible and unimaginable questions, Rosie had still managed to surprise them once again, and the least that could be said was that they had never believed she would address such a trivial subject...

"Designed by the best European seamstresses, and so beautiful that all the young girls in France will envy you," she assured her, smiling slightly.

"And my mom can have them too?"

"Well... Yes, if she wants to..."

"And can I h-have a... a pony?" she continued without even worrying about the embarrassing questions she was asking.

"Rosie, kindly be scolded by your mother," Lily gently admonished her daughter while the two Frenchwomen chuckled with amusement. "Your brother did get a horse for his tenth birthday, why would it be different for you? But like him, you'll have to earn it, and I expect you to be a good, studious, and obedient girl. Do you understand? This means, in particular, that you will no longer be allowed to fight, miss..."

"Oh... Too bad, I won't have the opportunity to put the boys in their pl-place anymore..."

The giggles resumed more strongly, and without anyone mentioning it or even noticing, the atmosphere that had been so grim and oppressive in the face of Rosie's health was slowly but surely softening and giving way to an unexpected serenity. No one thought, moreover, that less than an hour ago, everyone was more or less panicked at the desperate situation Rosie was in.

"Do you have no other questions not related to material things like clothes or ponies?" she questioned once again.

"Hmm... Will I be a princess like you then?" Rosie asked, already thinking about all the heroines from her favorite stories.

"It will be much more complicated than you can imagine," Marie-Louise admitted to her, suppressing the urge to sigh at the improbable story she would have to invent to explain Rosie's existence in her life. "But due to my blood and the status it confers, consider yourself one!"

Once again, Rosie's lips stretched into a very slight smile that everyone interpreted as a new sign of improvement in her health. Where once it was almost impossible for her to even move a finger, she was now able to express emotions, sensations, and feelings with a simple gesture. Her panting had become less frequent, and no new cuts had marked her skin for some time now. Even the cooling of her body by the two servants seemed to become unnecessary as she regained color. Rosie was getting better, and while everyone wanted to shout their joy at this realization, no one did, perhaps fearing to declare victory too soon, to frighten Rosie, or simply to appear ridiculous to others.

"I can't wait to learn how to become a... a lady like you," Rosie declared softly, taking her hand and squeezing it firmly. "I already see myself parading in front of James and Matt-Matthew and mocking them without them knowing who I am..."

"Your daughter seems to have a real desire and almost sadistic pleasure in wanting to belittle and ridicule those two fools," Louise-Elisabeth commented to Lily, who could only nod in agreement. "I dare not imagine what would happen if she found herself in their company..."

"I believe Hogwarts would not withstand the confrontation that would result," Marie-Louise said distractedly, too busy observing the first changes in Rosie.

Her auburn hair, like her mother's, was indeed starting to lighten to a brown color like hers, while her once brown eyes gradually took on a bluish tint. Rosie was becoming her daughter with each passing second, and this thought filled her with joy. Having a child had already been a source of unparalleled pleasure and happiness, but now having a second child, and a little girl at that, completely fulfilled her expectations, like a challenge now fully accomplished, a need that she had now satisfied.

Perhaps it was trivial for ordinary mortals, but the Princess of Lamballe was now eager to teach her daughter all the subtleties and tricks that women needed to know to manipulate men at will, not to mention the future discussions she would have with her about clothing and cosmetics, which she would delight in teaching her. Having only a son had never allowed her this before, but now the opportunity was presented to her to push her teachings onto new, unexplored grounds... She almost screamed with impatience.

"H-how should I address you?" Rosie asked in a small voice, appearing to feel better as her transformation progressed.

"Well, do as your brother does: Address me formally and call me mother, and continue to use 'tu' with Lily and call her maman. That way, the distinction will be clear, and it won't bother anyone. Now, drink this potion, Rosie," she added, handing her a small vial. "It will allow you to sleep while the most painful changes occur in your body without you suffering from them!"

"A-after the day I've just had, I don't think anything could be worse," she affirmed, smiling again before quickly drinking the contents of the vial that her new mother offered her.

It elicited a grimace of disgust, but she managed to drink it all without asking for more. Once done, Marie-Louise placed the now-empty vial on the nightstand next to the bed, and with Lily's help, they both proceeded to cover her with blankets, first making sure to clean the sheet soaked in blood and sweat. Remus, Louise-Elisabeth, Martine, and Françoise watched them, both curious and touched by the scene unfolding before their eyes. It was also unusual to see two mothers bustling around their daughter's bed.

"I hope you won't be like your brother when you wake up," the Princess of Lamballe said, sitting on the edge of the bed as Lily took her place on the other side. "I thought my bed wouldn't last long under his bouncing, but we still had a wonderful day. You will have to get used to your new environment and especially our little customs, but your brother's chambermaids, who will also be yours, will take care of teaching you all that."

They both nodded to confirm their mistress's words when she turned her head towards them, both having some experience with taking care of children thanks to Harry.

"I... I'm falling asleep..." Rosie murmured finally, blinking her eyes as she yawned ostentatiously. "I hope that... all this is not a dream, and that I will wake up here and not at Remus's..."

"I don't know if I should be offended by that remark," he said without losing his smile. "I might think you don't appreciate living with me!"

"As long as I don't hear your snoring, where I sleep doesn't matter to me..." she replied, giggling slightly.

Clearly annoyed at being ridiculed in front of all these ladies, Remus crossed his arms, pretending to sulk, but Rosie unfortunately didn't have time to see him like that. With her eyes now closed, breathing slow and calm, Harry's sister slept peacefully in a dreamless but most restful sleep. They all watched her in silence, reassured by this vision that Rosie offered them, which ended a rather eventful evening on a beautiful note.

"Good night, Rosie," Lily mumbled as she leaned over to kiss her forehead while gently caressing her face.

The others kindly allowed her to enjoy this intimate moment alone by all leaving the room, although Marie-Louise hoped that soon she too could possibly witness and participate in such scenes. However, they didn't have to wait long for her to join them in the corridor because, in less than a minute, the door they had previously closed was reopened, revealing a physically exhausted but visibly relieved and joyous Lily.

"Martine, Françoise, lead Mr. Lupin to the kitchens," Marie-Louise ordered once everyone was gathered. "It seems that after such a night, a good broth and a few slices of bread would be welcome."

"But I..."

"No 'buts,' Mr. Lupin," she cut him off, raising her index finger. "One does not contradict or refuse the offer of a lady who has so kindly wanted to show charity towards you. Wouldn't it be impolite of you to refuse my help? And what would I be in the eyes of others if I did not offer one of my guests something to eat? Do you find my proposal unworthy of your person, perhaps?"

Remus was, to say the least, speechless at Marie-Louise's words, and although he didn't point it out to her, he was almost enchanted by her cunning and skill in trying to make him feel guilty for refusing to take advantage of her generosity. A true Slytherin, in short...

This feeling of guilt overcame him, and not wanting to be discourteous, Remus preferred to accept her proposal with a heavy sigh.

"You've won," he admitted, conceding defeat. "I won't say no to a good meal, to be honest..."

"That's good, my dear sir," Martine declared, taking his arm, "because you won't go to bed until you've eaten everything we give you, and given your condition, it seems we need to fill your stomach quickly!"

Then, turning her head towards Lily, Martine also scrutinized her, lingering on her thin arms and emaciated face, leaving no doubt about her health. However, as she met Marie-Louise's gaze, silently asking what should be done for Lily, her mistress shook her head slightly, indicating that Remus was the only person she was responsible for tonight.

"Come on, Mr. Lupin, it's better if we lead you to the kitchens ourselves!" Françoise decided, grabbing his other arm. "You could easily get lost in this huge castle, and without even realizing it, you might find yourself in our dungeons!"

"Which would be absolutely horrible!" her friend added, almost dragging a particularly speechless, incredulous, and helpless Remus through the corridor. "The dungeons are swarming with nasty little creatures!"

"Isn't it rather to feel the arm of this young man that you show yourself so pleasant, my dear Martine? You seem to be particularly well-built under those clothes!"

The praises continued all the way, and even though he had his back turned, Lily was convinced that Remus must undoubtedly be blushing with embarrassment. Her friend had never been particularly demonstrative in public, especially with women, with whom he was particularly shy and awkward. Remus had never had a relationship with any of them due to this emotional handicap and the fear of rejection due to his lycanthropy. Yet, he was certainly not the ugliest man despite the scars on his face, and his gentle and calm nature could easily make a woman happy if he made the effort to find one. It was quite amusing to see two servants flirting with him, and the echo of their conversation reverberating on the walls of the corridors they crossed meant that the entire castle could hear the increasingly personal questions that Martine and Françoise were having fun asking Remus, especially about his personal situation.

"This will fuel gossip for several weeks," argued Louise-Elisabeth before turning to her. "It's late, Louise, and after such a restless night, I think it's best for me to go to bed as quickly as possible if I don't want to collapse in this corridor."

"In that case, I won't keep you any longer," she replied, giving her a brief hug as a farewell.

Lily simply greeted her as well by tilting her head slightly toward her, suddenly feeling the urge to lie down in a good bed to rest after this horrible day. The proximity to Marie-Louise also made her uncomfortable, especially knowing all the horrors and resentment she had had for this woman until now. It was like having her rival or even her enemy nearby, and not knowing how to react in her presence after realizing that, in the end, the enemy was not who she thought it was. The situation was therefore painful and embarrassing...

Moreover, her gaze kept turning to the bedroom door containing her daughter, and not only apprehension but also desire and curiosity welled up in her at the mere thought that beyond this partition, Rosie was transforming and would become completely different from the little girl she had known.

"The transformation should be complete in an hour, the time for the body to be completely modified, and that can go as far as the arrangement of the veins or the consistency of the bones," Marie-Louise informed her once her friend was away and after assessing Lily's condition. "You can stay with her if you wish, or I can provide you with a room right next to hers to give her a bit of privacy?"

"I... I think I would prefer to stay with her if you don't mind," Lily informed Marie-Louise in a very friendly tone. "I'd rather be there if she encounters any problems or if Dumbledore manages to reach her again through other means."

"I understand," Marie-Louise nodded, smiling politely. "You will also have the opportunity to witness her metamorphosis, and it must be quite an astonishing spectacle!"

"That goes without saying," Lily agreed, smiling as well. "I wonder what she will look like once all of this is over. Harry... I mean, Gabriel, became a very handsome young man after your adoption. I hope it will be the same for his sister..."

"Would that be a compliment from you?" teased the Princess of Lamballe, looking at her with a mischievous air. "Are you suggesting that I am a beautiful woman, and that both of them would inherit my beauty?"

Caught off guard, Lily blushed slightly at these questions amid Marie-Louise's mocking laughter. She, too, started to chuckle a few seconds later, albeit briefly. This moment of joy was quite uplifting for her after the painful events she had experienced in recent months. The simple act of laughing surprised her, and she realized that she hadn't had the opportunity to do so for a long time now. In fact, such opportunities had been nonexistent in recent months. What was even more surprising was being able to laugh in this way with a person she had hated just a few hours ago, and this realization immediately brought Lily back to reality. Filled with sudden remorse for the accusations she had made against this woman and, especially, for her own behavior, Lily felt compelled to apologize and try to explain her actions to Marie-Louise in an attempt to redeem herself in her eyes.

"Listen, I... I wanted to apologize for my behavior on Gabriel's birthday and for the hurtful remarks I made against you, most of which were unfounded. I had no right to react that way and to question the decisions you made for my son, and..."

"Our son," Marie-Louise corrected her this time. "As for your apologies, I was not blameless either, and I may have acted imprudently and selfishly in the most important decisions. After all, you are the woman who carried him for many months and gave birth to him; therefore, your opinion was crucial, if not the most important, on the delicate matter of adoption, and unfortunately, I didn't hold it against you. I am just as at fault as you are in the end, and I hope that with time, you will forgive my eagerness to control Gabriel's life and thus alter his destiny."

Lily suddenly took her hands, and looking her straight in the eyes, she squeezed them firmly against hers, as if silently affirming that she harbored no resentment, at least that's how Marie-Louise interpreted it. This simple gesture deeply moved her, as she believed she didn't deserve forgiveness for what she had done in this poor woman's life.

"I could never hold anything against you now that I know that this adoption undoubtedly saved Gabriel's life," Lily declared. "If you hadn't done it, he would be in the same situation as Rosie at this very moment, and we would have been unable to save him in time. You not only saved our son's life by adopting him, but you also freed him from a man who hated him and spent his time constantly belittling or needlessly brutalizing him. He now has no ties to James, and therefore, no reason to ever return to his former father. You have liberated him from this burden, just as you have also freed Rosie tonight from a father willing to endanger her life simply to satisfy a personal need. So, I am immensely grateful for everything you have done for my family... We had never met before July, and we had never had the opportunity to talk, and yet, in just three years, you have done much more for Gabriel and Rosie than James has in nearly eight years now, without even asking us to repay this debt..."

Lily paused for a moment, giving herself time to put a word or phrase to each idea and thought that crossed her mind, while Marie-Louise, who had remained perfectly silent, listened attentively, suppressing the urge to drop her Occlumency shields to let all the emotions these kind and heartfelt words were provoking express themselves.

"You are an amazing woman, Madame de Lamballe, and I realize now that I judged you a bit too hastily without taking the time to get to know you and discover the woman who was my son's second mother," Lily continued, maintaining composure in the face of her interlocutor's serious expression. "Gabriel couldn't have asked for a better childhood with you, and it was undoubtedly much better for him than staying in that grim orphanage or with a violent father. You offered him the best childhood possible, both emotionally and intellectually, and if he has become what he is today, it is partly thanks to you..."

"Do not downplay your role in his upbringing," Marie-Louise interjected gently. "You raised this child for seven years now, and while I could have encountered a rude, ignorant, and mean boy, I discovered a boy who is polite, respectful, eager to do well, and as good and generous as an angel. I only gave him what he sorely lacked in your absence: the presence of a mother, even a surrogate one."

With their hands still clasped against each other, the two of them could no longer look away from each other, as if a connection or even a bond was forming between them.

"Now, I would like you to stop calling me Madame de Lamballe. Call me by my first name, just as I will call you by yours. I believe a relationship should start this way if we want to become close in the future for the sake of our children and establish an atmosphere of trust and intimacy between us and our now small family... What do you think?"

"Well... Yes, yes, gladly, Ma-Marie-Louise..."

"Next, allow me to propose to you once again to come and live here," she kindly suggested. "The castle is vast, and you will be safe within these walls. You won't have to hide from your husband and Dumbledore anymore, and you can even start a new life away from the troubles you knew until now. Lamballe is extensive, and you will quickly notice that its inhabitants are trustworthy... Nothing can happen to you here, I guarantee it. Furthermore, I would also like you to stay to facilitate Rosie's education and continue together the education of Gabriel. I think constantly traveling from London to here to teach our daughter everything she needs to know would be very exhausting for both her and you and me. It would be best for you and Rosie to come and live here so that we can be together to start Rosie's education under better auspices. Your friend, Mr. Lupin, could also join us; I am sure that would make Gabriel very happy..."

"B-but... Are you aware of his..."

"His lycanthropy?" she interrupted as Lily nodded. "Gabriel told me about it, and it doesn't bother me. I could even take advantage of his presence to study the condition that afflicts him and advance research on this disease... I have many rooms that once served as dungeons that could be used to protect us from all risks, and I am willing to strengthen spells if necessary to ensure the safety of all residents of this castle. What do you think?"

"Well, if it doesn't bother you, then I would be delighted to be able to live with you here," Lily confirmed, nodding affirmatively. "As for Remus, unfortunately, I don't make decisions for him, and it will be difficult for you to get him to accept your proposition: He takes great care to stay away from anyone in his presence, and I doubt he would want to take the risk of endangering someone's life by coming to live here, especially if Rosie and Gabriel are within these walls! You see, he considers them a bit like his children, at least the children he never had, and it would be a complete disavowal for him if, unfortunately, he were to attack and bite them. That's why I doubt he would be as willing as I am to accept your offer."

"I will have to be very persistent and convincing in my arguments in that case," she declared, starting to search for the arguments that could sway the mind of her son's godfather.

The seconds ticked away in an awkward silence for both of them, neither knowing what to say to break this unsettling closeness between them, especially after the tensions that had occurred in their relationship until now. It was indeed amusing to see these two women who were once enemies getting along so well in the span of a single night, and even they found it surprising, if not strange.

"You can use the room next to Rosie's during your stay if you wish," Marie-Louise began to break the moment of calm. "It is usually occupied by Gabriel, but since he is currently at his academy, I don't think anyone would mind if you took his room for a while. I also advise you to rest quickly if you don't want to collapse in the middle of this corridor from fatigue and stress. I wouldn't want to disrespect you, Lily, but your appearance leaves little doubt about your state of health, and tomorrow, I will personally take care of you to freshen you up and make you presentable again. It would be unfortunate if you presented yourself like this when Gabriel returns from his leave."

Then, with a sudden spark of mischief in her eyes, Marie-Louise continued her diatribe by making her a rather surprising proposition:

"Take advantage of the time you have tonight to find a new name for our daughter. Rosalyn is quite lovely, but unfortunately, it is far too uncommon to go unnoticed, and if we want to avoid drawing attention to us, especially from your husband, it would be better to find her a new identity to protect her and, by extension, to protect you. A French name would be best in my opinion, but I leave the choice to you. Have a good evening, Lily."

With these words, she then turned on her heels and walked away through the darkness of the corridor without even a glance back. However, with a bit of attention, Marie-Louise might have noticed the strange look that Lily now had, and at the mere announcement of the obligation to change her daughter's name, Lily was completely taken aback. This evening was decidedly the stage for many upheavals, and this one was now added to the list of oddities that Lily encountered in her life since becoming a witch. Yet, choosing a new name for a child wasn't difficult in itself: After all, it had to come to that when choosing a name for a future unborn child. However, Rosie was seven years old, and since her birth, her daughter, as well as everyone around her, had been accustomed to calling her that.

It was safe to say that she had never thought about having to face this deadline, and in a way, changing Rosie's name sounded like a guillotine falling on her daughter's existence, marking a clear break in the life she had lived with James and Matthew. Rosalyn Potter had to disappear, and another girl had to, on the contrary, come into being at the same time, thus sealing the fate of the first and decreeing that the only daughter of the Potter family would no longer exist and would die in a way.

Lily found herself realizing that a simple name could change many things, not only for the person faced with it but also for everyone around her. A decision that initially seemed easy to make turned out to be particularly difficult, as it signified the end of the life she had lived with James and Matthew. She was detaching herself definitively from them by destroying all the ties and landmarks that Rosie had with them, and the ultimate act was the denial of her own identity. Now, she had to choose a new name for her among the thousands at her disposal, but contrary to what she might have thought at first, the choice was strangely quick and without much thought. As easily, in fact, as she thought at the moment that, deep down, a part of her consciousness had known from the beginning that such a thing would happen and that she needed to adapt quickly.

"Marie-Rose..." she murmured half-heartedly.

"Pardon?" Marie-Louise said, turning around, wrongly thinking she had been called.

"I was thinking of Marie-Rose as a new name for Rosie," Lily declared, speaking much louder. "She would keep the nickname that everyone gives her and, by the same token, the name of a flower just like mine. She would also have a compound name close to yours, and since you undoubtedly drew inspiration from the Bible to choose Harry's new name and Marie also has a biblical connotation, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to be inspired by that as well... Well, it was just an idea."

"I like it a lot," she interrupted with a soft voice. "This name sounds like a mix between our two respective lives, like a past that you leave behind, taking only what is essential, and a future that would be written in my company, and that you would seal by binding me to her. It's so sweet of you..."

Lily suppressed the urge to tell her that she hadn't thought of that in the choice she had just made, but she reconsidered it when she saw the evident joy on the face of the woman who now was an integral part of her two children's lives. Yes, perhaps, after all, Marie-Louise's allusions had a truth that she hadn't even supposed.

"Give Marie-Rose my regards when she wakes up," she continued. "I will have the most nourishing breakfast imaginable brought to both of you, which will also allow the kitchen staff preparing your meals to know each of your culinary tastes and adapt them according to your desires."

After a final nod from her, Marie-Louise walked away again to disappear behind a crossroads at the end of the corridor. Now alone in this silent and gloomy corridor, Lily stared absentmindedly at the place where the mistress of the house had been just a few seconds ago, lost in her thoughts.

"This evening will have been the strangest of my life," she muttered, sighing before shaking her head as if to reorder her thoughts. "And here you are now talking to yourself, my poor Lily... You're losing your mind!"

Becoming aware of the fatigue that was setting in, Lily opted for the simplest solution to remedy it: to go to bed. She headed back to the room where her daughter slept, opened the door as slowly as possible not to wake her, but a sudden reminder made her remember that her daughter was now sound asleep, totally sedated by the dreamless potion she had been given. Sighing again at her own foolishness, she then entered without daring to light the candles, perhaps apprehensive of the sight that would greet her when she had in front of her the new appearance of her daughter. Choosing instead to simply pull a chair next to the bed, she sat down and tried to find sleep, occasionally casting a curious glance towards Rosie when she thought she heard a bone crack. Whatever was going to happen now, nothing would be the same as before, and it was on this umpteenth thought that she eventually fell asleep.

Far away, in the office of the headmaster of Hogwarts, the atmosphere was quite different, much tenser and darker than what was happening in Lily and Rosie's new residence. Dumbledore, assisted precisely by James, was desperately trying to maintain the link he had created between Rosie and the basin placed in front of him. But despite his efforts, his plan to bring back Lily by targeting her daughter was falling apart before his own eyes. His plan was simple but so little known that he had doubted until now that anyone could know how to use it and how to guard against it.

The basin actually contained a potion created by Severus that worked the same way as the link between Harry and Daphne: A single drop of blood from a missing person was needed for that. The mixture of blood and potion allowed one to know if the missing person was still alive and to try to contact them. Dumbledore, however, changed its use, and by taking a bit of James's blood while plunging Rosie's birth certificate into the mixture, the director had added a crudely sewn doll, which he bathed in the basin. The said doll then connected to Harry's sister, based on the information written on the certificate, and just like in the voodoo rituals of some tribes in Africa, Dumbledore could then torture and mistreat Rosie remotely, using drastic means to make her suffer, being careful not to go too far to the point of taking her life. Boiling the potion, for example, increased the temperature of the victim's blood, and pricking her with a needle on certain parts of her anatomy inflicted terrible pain on her body.

The potion had also been prepared for use on Harry, but strangely, it had not taken effect, as if nothing could exert control over James's eldest son. Unfortunately for Dumbledore, as Harry no longer had any affinity with his father and no longer shared his genes, it was impossible to establish a connection using James's blood. Rosie was now following the same path as her brother, depriving Dumbledore of his last means of leverage against their mother. Dumbledore had failed in his efforts, and while Rosie had initially been an exception, things had changed radically in the past few minutes, completely overturning the slight hope he had entertained in the afternoon of seeing the three strong-willed individuals who seemed to enjoy disrupting everything he undertook.

Though he would never admit it to maintain his image as a benevolent man defending widows and orphans at the risk of his life, torturing this girl had been quite entertaining. It had allowed him to spend an interesting afternoon inflicting unimaginable pain on Rosie according to his whims. However, his little pleasure was starting to backfire, and as time passed, he could feel his grip and control over the girl's health diminishing.

"I don't understand what's happening," he muttered, furrowing his brow. "So, did you succeed?" inquired James with a cheerful voice. "Do you think Lily will reappear soon?"

"On the contrary, she seems to be slipping out of my control," confessed the old headmaster, deliberately using his wand on the doll to tear it at certain places. "Her condition is improving, and nothing I do seems to tip the balance in our favor. It's as if her blood is renewing itself, and she is detaching herself from you. It's incomprehensible."

Dumbledore continued his work for a few minutes, dismantling the doll, cutting its throat, or puncturing it from all sides with various utensils provided. However, nothing worked anymore, and in the end, he realized that he could no longer reach Lily in this way. Rosie was now completely safe, and without knowing how, she had successfully turned the tables on his plan, leaving him without a clue. Despite Dumbledore's confidence in his infallible stratagem and the slim chances of anyone discovering his machinations and the origin of the evil that had shaken Rosie today, the truth eluded him, much to his displeasure. How could he, the most powerful wizard of his time, be in the dark? Hadn't he accomplished feats that no other wizard, except perhaps Voldemort, had undertaken since Merlin? Wasn't he the leader of the side of good, the light guiding poor mortals toward the designs he had envisioned?

Dumbledore had long seen things on a grand scale, so the fact that a little girl could thwart him and prevent him from achieving his goals filled him with black rage. It was inconceivable that a girl under ten could oppose him, and Dumbledore vowed to make Rosie pay for her imprudence if he ever crossed paths with her again.

To make matters worse, James's groans next to him did nothing to calm him, and the already frayed nerves of the old wizard threatened to snap at any moment if James continued to grumble about his wife's persistent efforts to distance herself from him. On this point, Dumbledore could only agree with Lily: if he had to live constantly with such an exhausting person, he, too, would undoubtedly have run away as quickly as possible from this nuisance, unable to let his anger explode by casting all the spells he knew to silence definitively this chatterbox.

Dumbledore even doubted that his office could withstand all the tension building up in him, and if it eventually exploded, there was little chance that James would emerge unscathed. It was better, therefore, to contain the negative impulses within him to avoid having to inform Matthew that his father had unfortunately met his end in an unexplained manner while taking the risk of seeing his weapon and the centerpiece of his ultimate plan turn against him.

Distractedly taking a lemon drop, of which he was a great consumer, his gaze landed on the man lying near the entrance, the man who had almost foiled the plan he had prepared for this day and who had precisely been responsible for the state of his office: If a stranger were to appear at this moment, there was no doubt that this person would find the situation rather bizarre between a director's office in disarray, a man pacing around while venting his hatred and resentment toward a woman who had gone off somewhere, and another lying face down near the entrance, trussed up like a common piece of meat with ropes and totally immobile due to the petrification spell cast on him to make him definitively docile and harmless.

"Maybe the potion isn't powerful enough?" James interrupted his thoughts, pointing to the inert body of the man lying on the floor. "I'm sure he did it on purpose!" he continued, approaching him before delivering a violent kick to his abdomen. "Isn't that right, Servilus!? You thought that by helping your dear Lily, you could get back into her good graces and reclaim the place you had for her before she became my companion!? My poor man, you're fooling yourself! She will NEVER care about such a miserable and repugnant individual like you!"

The man named Servilus, actually Severus Snape, was unable to respond due to the gag around his mouth. Only plaintive moans accompanied each kick to his stomach. His day couldn't have been worse, and being maltreated by his longtime enemy reminded him sadly of those same sessions of humiliation he had endured during his school days by James and his little gang.

"It's so good to see you at my feet, Servilus," James declared, continuing his kicks under Dumbledore's indifferent gaze. "That's where you belong, serpent: crawling before your superiors like the vile reptile you are! You're much less proud now compared to earlier, aren't you? Your little stunt almost ruined the plan we had prepared for Lily and her two brats, but unfortunately for you, all of that will have been in vain!"

Still immobile, Snape could do absolutely nothing to free himself from this situation. He silently allowed James to pour out all his bile on him and call him every possible insult, unable to respond in any way. The mention of Lily destabilized him, and with sadness, he thought about how she would react when she learned that he had been part of Dumbledore's plan, even unintentionally. Snape cursed himself for his gullibility and the complete lack of suspicion he had when Dumbledore and James asked him to brew this particular potion.

Discovering this plan would have been so simple if he had thought to use Legilimency on James. He cursed himself again for not thinking of it. After all, Lily's husband was known for not being very thoughtful and patient—a true Gryffindor. Occlumency required long hours of meditation and practice, and Snape doubted that he had ever considered emptying his mind to create shields protecting all the ideas crossing his head.

Yet, he had not thought it necessary to verify Dumbledore's and James's words, relying solely on their statements and the feigned sadness of Lily's husband when he explained wanting to find his wife, whose fate he cared about and sincerely hoped to bring back to their son.

As Snape realized the deception when he gave the famous potion to Dumbledore, it was already too late to act. Despite the epic duel he had triggered against Dumbledore and James, the game was uneven, and he now found himself at the mercy of his adversaries, immobile on the floor and unable to prevent the director from achieving his goals.

The only bright spot in this sad picture was that his potion had ultimately failed. Although he did not doubt his talent in this art, Snape was delighted to hear from Dumbledore's own mouth that Lily had managed to counter the effects of the voodoo ritual.

Thinking about her, Snape was overwhelmed by a terrible, nameless sadness that tore through his heart. This woman whom he had loved so much, whom he had taken pleasure in getting to know and whom he had truly appreciated, this woman for whom he would have moved heaven and earth and faced all risks—this woman to whom he would have offered his heart and love but who had broken it by associating with James and his friends—was unhappy. He had never thought of inquiring about her since the day their friendship ended. In fact, he would not have wanted to: hearing that the woman he secretly loved for more than ten years was happily in love and living a dream life that he might never have been able to offer her would have been unbearable. But discovering that it was all the opposite, that she had been a broken and beaten woman, at the mercy of an old fool and a paranoid, violent husband, was information he never thought he would hear.

Fortunately, she had escaped; otherwise, he would have gone to find her upon learning this. Now, he wondered where she could be. His only hope was that she was safe, protected from reprisals, and above all, happy. While this hope was not enough to effectively fight against Dumbledore a few hours ago, it allowed him, for the first time in a long time, to feel at peace and almost relieved. Knowing that she now hated James was also an unexpected bonus that he thought he would never forget, but this could not make him forget the situation he was currently in, at the mercy of Dumbledore and a silent spectator of the horrors that the old goat was using or intended to use.

"So, what now?" James exclaimed, turning again to Dumbledore, interrupting Snape's thoughts. "Are we giving up? Are we letting Lily off the hook without trying anything to bring her back? Don't you have any other ideas of the same kind that could shift the balance in our favor? You disappoint me, Albus!"

"I still have plenty of ideas, James," Dumbledore declared with a tone that suggested he was furious at the doubt cast on his genius. "The problem is that most of them end with the death of the targeted person, and in this case, we won't get anything more from your children. As for addressing your wife's case, I doubt you'd want to put her life in danger..."

At these words, Snape's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes, the only part of his body able to move, widened abruptly. The thought of Lily in danger was unbearable, and the ease with which her life could be played with filled him with the desire to rise and strike James and Dumbledore like a mere Muggle, rendering them incapable of harm. Unfortunately, the Petrification spell still in effect meant that the only thing he could do for the moment was listen helplessly to the two madmen plotting new horrors against an innocent woman who had the misfortune of marrying a fool.

"We should find Remus to have leverage over her, knowing the very close relationship your friend has with the rest of your family," Dumbledore suggested. "But if, as I suspect, he is with them, we will have just as much trouble getting hold of him."

"I could... Well, Sirius could help us?" James proposed. "If we play it smart, we could set a trap for him that he wouldn't expect."

"Remus is a very suspicious person, James," replied Dumbledore. "He never forms a friendship with someone without getting to know them from every angle, and he will surely suspect that a call for help or an offer to meet just to talk is utterly laughable. Sirius may play the part brilliantly, but he will never fall for it."

"So, what do we do!?" he exclaimed again. "You suggest going after Remus to reach Lily in a different way, but you don't even know how we could achieve that result!"

"Patience, James," replied Dumbledore, crossing his hands above his desk. "We must wait for him to show himself and make the slightest mistake, even the smallest one, to be able to maneuver and achieve a result that suits our purposes. Remus will not remain hidden forever, just as your little family will not stay in the shadows. Sooner or later, they will reappear, and at that moment, it will be up to us to strike a decisive blow. The plan for tonight may have been a failure, but it taught us an essential thing..."

"And what is it?"

Dumbledore did not answer, and standing up from his chair to then circumnavigate his desk, he approached Snape with a calm step to turn his immobile body toward him.

"That Lily is a much smarter woman than I would have thought, or that she has powerful allies by her side to break this powerful voodoo ritual. Caution is therefore paramount, and it is better to identify and analyze the situation before venturing into it. Gryffindor praised the merits of bravery and courage, but by acting immediately, we would demonstrate more foolishness and madness to dare face an unknown enemy."

Dumbledore then took out his magic wand, pointing it directly at Snape's face. Snape's eyes immediately focused on the tip of it, now glowing with a white light that did not bode well.

"You know far too much now, Severus, and I do not want everyone to know what I am capable of to consolidate my power. Remember that without me and without my influence over the Wizengamot, you would currently be languishing in Azkaban's cells, so do not bite the hand that feeds you," he concluded with a laugh.

Snape immediately blushed at Dumbledore's humiliating allusion, while his eyes focused on the old man's throat. There was nothing he would have liked more at that moment than to twist it with his bare hands.

"I would be truly sorry if any harm were to befall you, and without your unexpected help for my cause, it would have been difficult for me to learn about the actions of your Death Eater friends. Your role is crucial in my plans, but don't tempt fate by opposing me as you did earlier. You know the risks, Severus, and I believe I made myself clear nine years ago when you agreed to join my service to redeem your sins..."

The white light intensified even more, and blinded by it, Snape unfortunately did not see his superior begin to mutter incomprehensible words that boded ill.

"It's time you learn who your superiors are, Severus, and punishment is due. You, who constantly seek to impose the harshest sentences on your students, now find yourself in their place. How amusing!"

A final white flash struck him, and darkness quickly engulfed his vision as he lost consciousness. His cry of pain echoed in the office for a long time, but unfortunately, the rest of the castle remained perfectly silent. Everyone was now asleep, and no one suspected that the potions professor on his part was going to have a very bad night.

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