Corridor of Black Tiles
Hermione had not intended to gather almost all of Gryffindor in the common room. She had intended to gather everyone who had joined their defense group—the group Edelweiss had renamed Dumbledore's Army in a hopefully vain effort to remove the Headmaster from Hogwarts or some other nonsense—so that they could learn what would become of their lives at Hogwarts, now that their group had been revealed. Would they be expelled? Her wand snapped? Could they be imprisoned in Azkaban? Ever since she had learned of magic, Hermione's world had been irrevocably changed. There could be no future without the magical world, no matter the price she might pay.
Now I sound like Edie, Hermione thought sourly. Worrying about some price I might need to pay.
In the midst of gathering those who would be affected, others had gotten dragged into their business. It began with a trickle of seventh years. But eventually, the other NEWT students joined them. That was followed by the third and fourth years and the few second years still awake. Hermione even spotted two of the first years, gathered by the roaring fire. They fought sleep, yawing widely in the massive plush chair they shared.
Yet they were present nonetheless.
Her gut twisted at the sight. It reminded her painfully of those simpler days when all they feared was Professor Snape plotting to steal the Philosopher's Stone from under Professor Dumbledore's nose.
The common room rippled with conversation and speculation. A dozen theories floated about. The most common held that Edelweiss would be suspended and her wand snapped. Others proposed she would be shipped off to Azkaban instead of merely being suspended. Hermione knew what Edelweiss wanted from this incident. That nobody had yet to suggest Dumbledore might be removed from the school was unsurprising.
She was the only one who knew. Who cared. Who feared that outcome.
The Fat Lady's portrait swung open suddenly. The room fell silent as Edelweiss ghosted through the hole. Her glowing emerald eyes scanned all gathered. She appeared unfazed, despite the fact nearly every Gryffindor stood before her. She stepped forward. Gryffindors parted before her like the Red Sea before Moses.
Edelweiss stopped at the room's center. "Why are you all out of bed?" she asked, voice soft and smooth. There was nothing in her tone that suggested she was in trouble.
Did Edelweiss's plot work? Is Professor Dumbledore gone?
Several garbled answers met the posed question. Hermione picked out one consistent element: her name. She swallowed as Edelweiss's gaze found her, eyes glinting with dark intention. Hermione nearly retreated, but she held strong. She was a Gryffindor for a reason. She was brave, courageous, and always sought to do the right thing, regardless of her hunger for knowledge.
Hermione grabbed that courage and stepped forward. "I wanted to gather everyone who would be affected by what happened tonight."
"You could have been patient. We both knew I would slip through Umbridge's fat grubby hands." Edelweiss glanced at the ceiling. She then closed her eyes as a rumble of astonished whispers rippled through the common room. Hermione pursed her lips at the black markings that consumed all of Edelweiss's eye sockets. How her friend could ruin her appearance was beyond her. She might not care about her appearance as much as Parvati and Lavender, but she still cared enough. "However, not everything is well within Hogwarts."
"What happened?" demanded a seventh-year.
Edelweiss allowed her gaze to flicker to Hermione before casting her emerald gaze across the common room. "Dumbledore has… left the castle. He is no longer our headmaster. Worse, the Ministry has decided to prevent the transition of the Headmastership as dictated by the school's charter. Instead of the Deputy Headmistress becoming the interim headmistress, Professor Umbridge has been carefully… selected for the role."
Gasps of horror and outrage filled the common room. Hermione knew this was what Edelweiss wanted. But to hear it aloud made her sick. Worse, Edelweiss sounded truly regretful that these events were coming to pass. How had she come to be such a foul liar? Had there been some secret perversion of her character?
Perhaps that was where Edelweiss's terrible marks had come from. Their source was the same as the evil that now festered in her heart.
"Umbridge has already begun to wield her new authority. She has removed me from the Gryffindor Quidditch team." Edelweiss's gaze landed on the chasers. "I'm sorry. You will need to find someone to fill my position."
Angelica Johnson nodded gravely. She seemed unsurprised to Hermione. But then Angelica had already needed to replace the Twins. To have three new players would hurt the team. Everyone knew that.
"There's something else, but it only concerns those I have been teaching. The rest of you. Off to bed."
Shockingly, they followed Edelweiss's command. Hermione gaped, outrage and frustration churning within her. She had wasted several minutes attempting to send most gathered back to bed where they belonged. They had ignored her, more interested in Edelweiss's words than in what she had to say. Her! A prefect!
Once only those who had been in their defense group remained, Edelweiss sighed. "I'm afraid to inform you that Umbridge will be doling out detentions to the rest of the group. She decided that instead of giving me detentions, it would be better to inflict them upon the other members. I was the one in charge. The one responsible for all of you. This will hurt me as much as it does the rest of you."
Hermione shivered. There was something about Edelweiss's tone that convinced her the detentions would be terrible.
"And she has already picked out her first two victims."
"Ron and I," said Hermione.
Edelweiss nodded. "You begin tomorrow, at seven."
Hermione sighed while Ron grumbled under his breath.
"I should warn you," continued Edelweiss, "that she will force you to write lines with a quill that I am confident was made using dark magic. It will draw blood from you and scar the back of your hand with the words she has you write."
"And how did you avoid having those words when you had detention with Umbridge?" asked Seamus Finnegan, sounding frustrated. Their world had been tilted upside down in an evening.
Edelweiss waved a hand over her face. Hermione bit a yelp, watching as those strange black markings vanished, revealing the pale face she knew well. After a few seconds, they shimmered back into place, masking the true Edelweiss Potter. "I can affect their appearance. Whether or not anyone can see them"—there were sudden gasps—"or if only one or two can see them."
She then winked at Hermione, lips drawn into a wry smirk.
"Still," Edelweiss said, returning to a serious tone, "Umbridge will have a story of her own, concerning a false title: Dumbledore's Army. The page we all signed was disfigured to have it at the top." She sighed and shook her head. "This is my fault, for I did not dare write any other title or name. None of you have done anything wrong, though I will not fault anyone if they wish to part ways with me.
"But I will not allow her to win. This was only a setback."
Hermione watched with astonishment, having heard from Edelweiss's lips exactly what she was going to do, as every Gryffindor who had been in their defense group—who had been in Dumbledore's Army—stood tall and told Edelweiss in no uncertain terms: "I'll remain faithful." Nobody said it the same way, but their words meant that nonetheless. Hermione went last. Done on purpose by Edelweiss, no doubt. Her friend had become a master manipulator when she had not been paying attention. Perhaps the truth was that only Hermione understood what Edelweiss did. Not always the why, but enough to try and guess. Never had she fathomed a Gryffindor would be so capable of guile and deception.
"I already told you where I stand," Hermione said. "But I won't follow you mindlessly. Somebody needs to tell you when you're going wrong."
Edelweiss grinned—grinned!—at that. "I would expect nothing less from you, Hermione. You might not be my oldest friend, but you're my dearest. My most trustworthy."
Hermione blushed and smiled, even as something in her gut told her that she was being deceived. That she was being told the words she wished to hear, regardless of their validity.
Yet she had not enough courage to call out Edelweiss for her lies and trickery. She was too weak to do that much.
The Great Hall cloyed with solemn air the next morning. Only the Gryffindors, last to arrive, knew what occurred the previous night. No owls arrived as the student body awkwardly sat at their tables, eating in pained silence. But the owls would come eventually. And when they did, they would bear copies of the Daily Prophet that would gleefully report the coup that took place at Hogwarts in the night. Edelweiss sensed the gazes of those in her defense group who were not Gryffindors. She would seek them out soon and speak with them as she had done with her Gryffindors. She was greatly pleased they would look to her for guidance and reassurance. All she had to ensure now was that none learned what Hermione knew. Only the Slytherins would appreciate the kind of manipulation and deception necessary to depose Albus Dumbledore.
Edelweiss knew she set herself on this path of suspicion the moment she revealed that the parchment of names bore "Dumbledore's Army", writ large and bold at the top, to Hermione. She reached out to Hermione with the Force and nearly gasped, discovering her friend was uncertain of how to handle her suspicions and her anger from the prior night.
Umbridge arrived soon enough that Edelweiss set aside her concerns about Hermione. Her old pink cardigan had been discarded in favor of a flowing pink robe. Edelweiss swore the witch now challenged Dumbledore for the ghastliest robe to grace the halls of Hogwarts. She approached to the gaudy golden throne at the center of the Head Table and stood before it proudly.
Gossip spread immediately. Edelweiss sensed confusion and fear from all party to her defiance. She closed her eyes, focused on each of their minds with the Force, and replaced their fear and anxiety with cool serenity false to all but Edelweiss herself. She sensed a few jump, startled by what they felt, but most echoed with relief having their fear or anxiety drawn away so it would not overwhelm them.
Umbridge cleared her throat with that obnoxious "hem, hem" sound, silencing the gossip. She waited several seconds to ensure the Great Hall remained silent. She then began speaking. "Last night, a conspiracy against the Ministry of Magic and this nation was discovered in the hallowed halls of Hogwarts. The main conspirator was revealed to be the former Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. Instead of allowing himself to be taken into custody so that he might stand trial for his crimes, he evaded arrest by the aurors and fled the castle. Even now, he remains at large.
"He committed his treason by organizing through a particularly divisive member of the student body. She convinced those who believed they knew better than the Ministry of Magic to learn unorthodox and dangerous spells instead of trusting and following the guidance of their professors. She has accepted her punishment, and those who were party to this treason shall be punished as well."
She then drew out a small scroll, one that Edelweiss did not recognize. But she already had a feeling of what it said. "By order of the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, I, Dolores Jane Umbridge, have taken up the position of Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Gasps. Shock. Panic and fear. Edelweiss felt them all flow into her. Each emotion filled her with dark side energies. It slid through her veins like magma rolling downhill. She had to breathe slowly else she risk being overwhelmed by the burst of emotions that so easily transformed into the dark side of the Force. She could become intoxicated from the wash of fear crashing into her.
"Edie?" whispered Ron, staring not at her face but at her hands. "Are you alright?"
She blinked and glanced down. She had twisted the fork and knife she held, warping the metal in her hands. She released them and grimaced at how her fingers bent and curved the previously straight lines of her utensils. They vanished a moment later, replaced with fresh copies.
"If anyone knows anything else about Dumbledore's plot against the Ministry, my door shall remain open to all," continued Umbridge. She then smiled widely. "I will also be continuing to instruct Defense Against the Dark Arts until a time at which a new instructor can be provided by the Ministry—"
The far doors groaned open. An older man in red auror robes stepped through the gap. Edelweiss blinked. She recognized the auror from the summer, and then recalled he had not been present the prior night. He was alone and appeared undisturbed by the confusion his sudden arrival sparked. He crossed the distance of the hall, gaze focused solely on Umbridge. She did her best to mask her emotions, though Edelweiss sensed unease under the surface. She had expected some time to pass before her classroom replacement arrived.
"Headmistress," the auror said, holding out a letter. "I was to give you this. Madam Bones didn't say what my orders were other than to await what you have to say."
Umbridge took the letter as though it might burn her skin. She unfolded it carefully before blanching. She read it over several times before weakly saying, "Congratulations on your assignment, Professor Proudfoot. You will be instructing Defense Against the Dark Arts until the end of term."
He nodded. Edelweiss sensed his discomfort. She was quaintly surprised by the appointment. But then she suspected Madam Bones pulled strings at the Ministry to get an auror she could trust into the castle. What those had been, she could not fathom. Perhaps the Minister remained worried about Edelweiss and her influence, so he went to the sole figure at the Ministry who had any sway with her. If so, then he acted in error. She did not know if she could use this new figure at Hogwarts yet, but there was no harm in trying.
Edelweiss was left wondering as she ate just how Auror Proudfoot's presence at Hogwarts would destabilize all Umbridge sought to put into place. She had a feeling, deep down, that they just could not work together. She just could not say why.
That did not stop her from leaving the Great Hall that morning with a slight smile. It was time to move forward with removing Umbridge from her perch.
In the days that followed Umbridge's ascent to the office of Headmistress, Edelweiss stepped up into the role of reassuring those who followed her into "her treachery", as Umbridge dared call it. The Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Slytherins of her defense group sought her out, always careful to not be noticed and always wary of wandering Inquisitors. The names of those who had been in her group had become an open secret, though few dared act against them. Fear of Edelweiss's power and teachings grasped many throughout the castle. They expressed fear of what Umbridge would do to them. In response, she said: "Hold fast and stay true. And most of all, do not submit in spirit. Her title is a false one, usurped from Dumbledore. She cannot last. And do not forget that only we can sweep away the refuse that would be Umbridge's legacy."
Miraculously, her words heartened them. Edelweiss assumed that happened because they trusted her so. Yet that conclusion always felt wrong to her. She was the last person to trust, for the reason they were found out in the first place was to advance her vendetta against Umbridge. The woman needed to seize Dumbledore's office to reach the position natural for her ultimate destruction.
She eventually concluded that the reminder Umbridge had not come to her position appropriately heartened them. She had seized it by illegal means—and they would play a role in seeing her removed from Hogwarts.
Perhaps they assumed it would be alive. Edelweiss would not dissuade them of their delusion.
The student body picked up on a quiet defiance from her followers. She sensed their feelings toward them, and it made Edelweiss proud. Neville Longbottom walked the halls of Hogwarts, tall and proud. Tracey Davis no longer cowered before those who had blood purer than hers. Susan Bones appeared to rule over all of Hufflepuff, leveraging her house's pliant nature to great effect. Even dreamy Luna Lovegood, once the most easily tormented child at Hogwarts, went about her day protected by an unknown power.
Edelweiss witnessed as days passed by that those four—and others taken under her aegis throughout the school year—inspire change elsewhere in the school. The process was slow, for the ever-present threat of the Inquisitors weakened their influence. Yet it happened, slowly brewing under the surface. A day would come before June when the school might wake up, rise up, and cast down their unwanted Headmistress.
And for all Edelweiss desired to further influence events at Hogwarts, the Force had another desire for her. As the spring continued, she began to dream of a fateful place.
A place with corridors of black tile.
Days passed before she realized where those dreams dragged her. Minister Fudge had called that place "the Department of Mysteries" when he visited Hogwarts back in December. She still remembered that night, when she first walked the halls of that place in her dreams. But she had not gone as Edelweiss Potter, but as Darth Gladiolus. She had assumed that dream was a vision of the future to come.
But what if it was not?
She had been ignorant about events that night, for worries about Arthur Weasley had plagued her mind then. But now that months had passed, she had become curious how she achieved that feat, how he had been able to see her, and whether or not she could take her mortal form along.
Edelweiss meditated before sleeping the next night. She dreamed of herself within the Department of Mysteries again, though she arrived dressed in her nightwear. With some concentration, she changed her clothing into the garb of Darth Gladiolus. It would take more work to make the journey dressed as she wished—and to take it a step forward, to be garbed as she wished and present in body and mind.
The next day, she ventured down to Ziost Hangar and told Lord Salazar what happened. Only he of the Sith Lords she knew understood the magical ways of Earth. He stared at her for several seconds before murmuring, "So astral projection is possible with the Force. Rowena thought as much, but I rejected her ideas. I barely managed to apparate…"
She tried to not be disappointed that Lord Salazar knew little of astral projection, as he called it. Edelweiss did confess herself annoyed he rejected the pleas of Rowena Ravenclaw to experiment with such power. But she surmised Lord Salazar denied her because though he learned much of Earth's magical ways, he never dared combine them with his Force powers.
Perhaps arrogance is not the right way to think of him, she thought in those following days. Shortsighted, or merely unwilling.
Regardless of which it was, his failure set Edelweiss behind in understanding the full extent of the power she had stumbled upon. She had combined magic and the Force before, but never in a manner as mad or dangerous as astral projection. What she did learn through her nights venturing forth with astral projection was that meditation allowed her to retain awareness. Even after falling asleep, she retained the shred of consciousness necessary for astral projection. And since that consciousness was no longer synced with her body, she could travel as she wished.
At first, she remained conservative with her efforts. Edelweiss returned night after night to the Department of Mysteries. She took her night appearance as a sign that none would spot her as she slunk about the department, learning as many of its titular mysteries as she could. In the other rooms, she found a giant tank with brains, hundreds of time turners, an extensive library, and a strange stone chamber with an onyx archway that shimmered with death.
But on most nights, she returned to the chamber she mentally named the Hall of Prophecy. Edelweiss did not wander the chamber. She kneeled beside the entrance and meditated as she bathed in the pale, low light that filled the chamber. The Force whispered to her, begging and demanding she drift further in. It was tempting to follow the whispers, but she remained suspicious of those whispers. Was it something about the chamber, or was it related to astral projection? Elsewhere in the Department of Mysteries, there was always a feeling she was in the wrong place. As though the Force wanted something of her from that place.
Perhaps it is time to go elsewhere, Edelweiss decided. She woke back in her bed and rolled over, content to plot another night.
Amidst April, Edelweiss decided the time had come to experiment with place when astral projecting. Time and again she had gone to the Ministry, snooping about the Department of Mysteries. She feared what might happen to her should she never experiment. Go further. She did not desire her power of astral projection to be bound to the Ministry, nor to only send her mind. Both would serve her poorly in the future. Her ambitions required her to travel beyond that place.
As always, Edelweiss meditated for some time before climbing into bed that night. Unlike recent efforts, where she only went in mind, she would seek to project her body to another place. On this night, more than a shade of her person would travel. Her mind conjured up the form of Edelweiss garbed as Darth Gladiolus and then allowed the dark side to sweep her away. When she opened her eyes, she stood on a familiar muggle road, lit by a few glowing lamps. It was silent at this late hour. Her cloak hid her features in shadow. A glance at her hands revealed their outline was sharp and clear.
The dark side had carried her to a familiar place, and her body had come along as desired.
Her gave swiveled across the cookie-cutter houses along Privet Drive. One house, where she recalled Miss Figg living, had a "FOR SALE" sign posted out front. Slapped over that with a bright red "SOLD" marker.
As Edelweiss peered up and down the street, she thought over what she needed to do to ensure her presence went unnoticed. A smirk crossed her face. The Force was all she needed, for magic would risk exposure. She stared at the nearest lamppost and willed the light to disappear. She had to focus more intently than usual, for her hands remained at her side. But as inevitable as death, the light flickered out with a pop. Sparks fell to the asphalt street, dying as they bounced off the dark surface.
Good, she thought, turning her gaze to the other lampposts. They popped out as well, drenching the street in darkness.
Edelweiss approached Number Four, malice ablaze in her heart. She strode up the path she had strolled down in August when she embarked out into the wider world. It was fitting that she returned as she approached the cusp of her ascension.
She reached out to the door. With the Force, she unlocked it and pushed it open. Edelweiss entered and closed the door behind her with a flick of a few fingers. No need to alert the neighbors something would happen in Number Four this night.
The house was as plain and grotesque as always. Edelweiss climbed the stairs, silent as death. Her cloak slithered behind her. She came to the junction with the doors to her room and Dudley's on one side and the way to the master and guest bedrooms on the other. A slight snoring sound stopped her from heading straight to the master bedroom.
Dudley was home. Why would he be home? His school, like hers, had dormitories.
Edelweiss smirked, for she believed the Force had delivered all of her enemies to her this night. She brushed open his door with a slow gesture and stepped inside.
Dudley's room was a pigsty, just as his second room had been when she first moved into it. She stepped carefully as the dark side filled her. She approached his bedside. Her cousin was sound asleep, snoring where he lay like a pig ready for the slaughter.
A fitting image, thought Edelweiss as her lips peeled back in a sardonic grin.
She reached out with the Force and felt his heart. It was overburdened from a life of sloth and gluttony. A little pressure and it shuddered, struggling against her grasp. Edelweiss closed her right hand slowly. Her cousin's heart strained and struggled. Dudley's heart stilled before he could wake. With a final breath, he died quietly, unaware his end had come.
Dudley Dursley, her childhood tormentor, was dead. Dead! And by her hand!
Edelweiss nearly laughed, then and there. Oh, how easy it had been! Why, she could have acted years ago! A little mistake in the kitchen would have been enough to bring about a similar end. Why, she could do this again!
Twice over, even.
Her gaze flickered between emerald and yellow as she peered over her shoulder toward the master bedroom. Her work was not finished yet.
She slipped from Dudley's room, sealing the door behind her with the Force. She could not allow signs of foul play to linger in her wake. The magical world might not be easily fooled, but the muggle investigators would reach the conclusion she desired. They might even turn the Dursleys into martyrs: the tragic, cautionary tale of American vice infecting merry 'ol England.
Edelweiss glided to the master bedroom, opening their door just as she opened Dudley's. The master bedroom was obnoxiously clean compared to their son's. They had a spotless floor and a carefully maintained bedside. Even their king-sized bed looked quaint with their mismatched bodies beneath covers and sheets. Vernon rumbled, snoring away, while Petunia was silent, her face covered with a cloth mask and a pale cream meant to slow aging or some rot. Edelweiss cared not. She glanced between her two tormentors and swiftly devised how she would end them.
The sardonic grin that overcame her when she ended Dudley's miserable life bloomed again. She reached out, focused on Vernon's heart, and held tightly. His heart failed faster than Dudley's, for he had more time to pile up every ill-conceived vice that overwhelmed his already struggling organ. Edelweiss was almost disappointed by how easily he went.
And then a wretched stink filled the air. Edelweiss waved a hand over her face and conjured a bubble of stale, yet sweet-smelling air. She had not considered what Vernon's death would cause, for there had been no terrible smell when she finished off Dudley.
Petunia's nose wrinkled. After a few seconds, her nose drew up so harshly it nearly disappeared into the rest of her face.
"Vernon, dear, what is that smell?"
After a few seconds, Edelweiss cheerily proclaimed, "Why, that's Vernon, Auntie!"
Petunia stiffened. "No… No! It can't be—"
Edelweiss clenched a hand and the Force responded. Petunia gasped weakly as her throat tightened. Her hands came up to grasp and claw at her overly long-neck. Edelweiss brought up her other hand and restrained Petunia's hands. She then drew those hands with their long, bony fingers and sharp nails from their destination. There could be no sign to the investigators that what happened at Number Twelve was little more than a horrible, horrible tragedy.
"I want you to know before the end that this is all your doing," whispered Edelweiss. "You could have treated me well. You could have cherished me, loved me as my mother would have loved Dudley… and I would have been yours to mold however you wish.
"But you allowed resentment and hatred to fester in your heart. The jealousy of being born plain, where your sister was truly gifted. And from that fertile soil of hatred, I shall be reborn."
She relaxed the pressure on Petunia's throat. The woman coughed several times before rasping out, "You're a monster! You've always been a monster!"
"One of your making."
And with that, she collapsed the windpipe. Edelweiss no longer feared evidence of foul play being found on the corpse of Petunia Dursley. She weaved a slight compulsion along the woman's neck. The muggles would see what they wanted, and no witch or wizard would think these deaths were worth their time.
When Edelweiss felt Petunia perish, she released the Force. A shuddering breath passed out of her as she felt the molten embrace of the dark side race through her once more. It was enthralling. In an instant, Edelweiss understood why Voldemort killed so easily and readily. The rush of possessing the power of life and death over others, and watching as they died…
She could easily become addicted to it. Unlike him, though, she would always act in the name of justice, peace, and security.
Two days later, breakfast was interrupted by the arrival of Madam Bones, flanked by a pair of aurors. All three bore grim expressions, yet their postures failed to suggest they feared confrontation. Edelweiss sensed their concern they might encounter resistance and maintained a blank expression as they made a beeline to the Gryffindor table. She knew why they had come. She did not need the Force to guess. Yet it was only when Madam Bones softly said, "Miss Potter. Could I speak with you privately?" that she knew for certain.
The Dursleys had been found and they wished to speak with her about the matter.
Edelweiss rose to her feet, wiping her hands clean of crumbs. "I know a place where we won't be overheard."
Madam Bones nodded. She glanced at her niece at the Hufflepuff table before saying, "Lead on, Miss Potter."
They walked for five minutes in silence. Edelweiss took them into one of the less used parts of the castle near where she initiated her cleansing ritual. She held the door open. One of the aurors entered first, followed by Madam Bones. The other, whom Edelweiss only then recognized as Tonks, flicked her head into the room.
"I'll stand guard out here."
"…if that's what you wish."
Edelweiss entered the room. The door closed behind her. She was left alone with one auror and Madam Bones. "So, what did you wish to tell me? That is the reason you're here, Madam Bones. Yes?"
The two adults shared an awkward look before Madam Bones asked, "Has there been any strange interruptions to your mail home?"
"No," Edelweiss said carefully. "I might live with the Dursleys, but there's no love between us. You should poke around the cupboard and learn more than enough about my childhood—and about how they feel about me."
Their already grim expressions twisted into something disturbed. Edelweiss reached out with the Force carefully. She did not sense suspicion from them, yet their emotions remained murky and troubled when it came to her.
"Then I'm afraid to be the bearer of bad news," Madam Bones declared. "About thirty hours ago, someone entered their home in Surrey and killed all three Dursleys."
"…all three?" asked Edelweiss, feigning confusion. "Dudley attends a boarding school, as far as I know. If someone went after the house on Privet Drive, then they only should have been able to kill two—and the blood wards—"
"No such wards were found around the house," the auror said snidely. "There were hints something had been established, but they had fallen long ago."
"Huh." Edelweiss was unsurprised to hear the blood wards had failed. But then she had never bothered to check if Dumbledore had spoken the truth about those very wards. "Still, my point remains. I cannot fathom how Dudley would be home."
"Yet he's dead, along with his parents."
Edelweiss stared at the auror for a few seconds before sighing. "I wish I could say that I'm saddened to hear of their passing. But that would be a lie. They were uncaring on the best of days… and abusive on the worst."
Madam Bones hummed thoughtfully, light glinting off her monocle. "Would you have any suspicions about who the culprit would be? Otherwise, our business here is concluded."
"I would assume it was Voldemort or a Death Eater. But since there's been nothing in the Prophet, I guess there's no signs of magic?"
"Unfortunately so," Madam Bones said, clearly frustrated. "The killer was smart. As far as the muggles are concerned, Mr. Dursley and his son passed away in the night. Shortly after, Mrs. Dursley took her own life. A terrible tragedy, they're calling it."
"A terrible tragedy indeed," said Edelweiss. She was careful to downplay the insincerity in her voice, even as she mentally crowed over how the DMLE failed to suspect her involvement in the murders. "Well, it was nice to see speak with you again, Madam Bones, even if it concerned something… unpleasant. I assume you'll spend some time with your niece before returning to London?"
Madam Bones sighed and shook her head. "Unfortunately Fudge is cutting my budget once more." She glanced at the auror with her and then back to Edelweiss. "I'd suggest you say nothing of what I just mentioned, along with your family's fate. The Ministry is keeping this one silent for now."
"Of course, Madam Bones. You have a good day."
Edelweiss remained in the room as Madam Bones and the auror went. She caught a glimpse of Tonks, who mimicked something. She cared not. The Dursleys had been found dead, and the responsible party was in the clear. How easy it could have been for them to accuse her, and how right they would have been.
Yet they failed. I remain here, one step closer to my ascension.
Discontent brewed in the halls of Hogwarts as April crawled forward. Edelweiss approached each member of her defense group after they finished their week of detention with Umbridge. Some, like Colin Creevey and Ravenclaw Lisa Turpin, bore their new, bloody scar with pride. Others, such as her Slytherin allies and Lavender Brown, requested assistance in healing their wounds. Hermione proved invaluable with that latter group, somehow drudging up large supplies of essence of dittany. The sappy substance proved effective in helping to heal scars and combat the pain. That, however, could not compare to the power of the Force.
Yet Edelweiss could not openly use it to support those who had been her followers. Between her pained commitment to secrecy and the dark side's poor capacity to heal others, it would be a fool's errand to attempt. And so when not busy with her Sith studies, she encouraged those opposed to Umbridge in their efforts to thwart the woman's control of Hogwarts.
Chief among those she supported in their efforts against Umbridge and her Inquisitors were the Weasley Twins. Once only good-natured pranksters careful to remain away from barbaric cruelty, they took Umbridge's rules and Headmistress position as a personal insult. As far as anyone could tell, they aimed to crack her mind and thus leave her so incompetent she would require long-term healing at St. Mungo's. Somehow they snuck nifflers—treasure-hunting critters—into Umbridge's office, which caused havoc with all of the glittering metal left behind in the wake of Dumbledore's flight weeks prior. The rumor mill claimed Lee Jordan aided them, but Edelweiss personally suspected it was house elf involvement that led to their success.
They continued to sell their products, as well. Fireworks were sold in equal rate to their production. Most were shot off during meals, coming from all four tables. They also sold the Skiving Snackboxes they showed Edelweiss earlier in the year. And while they also had a substance called Peruvian Darkness Powder, they would not sell it. Edelweiss thought they should rename the substance in case they changed their minds, but the Twins stood firm. Even firmer than their decision to sell none of their stockpile, though they did provide her some powder free of charge.
"Repayment for all you did to help us," they said, bowing lowly. Edelweiss had to suppress her grin. Willing minions and servants were necessary for her future as Darth Gladiolus. Fred and George had leap-frogged to the top of her list.
And it was not only the students who resisted. Professor McGonagall, following a very obvious leading question from Dean Thomas, explained how transfiguration could be effectively used in warfare, like when barricading a location or sending out scouts to see if a location was safe. The next day, a sign was posted in the Entry Hall, informing the professors they could only discuss the Ministry-approved content of their subject.
The next day, Professor Flitwick somehow slipped the Disarming charm into his second-year classes. When Umbridge tried to come down upon him, he publically announced, "The spell is a charm, and my subject is Charms, Headmistress. Thus, it falls under the purview of my subject. If the Ministry has an issue with my judgment, informed as you know by masteries in three core fields of Charms, they can inform me of the specific spells I can and cannot teach, along with the appropriate grade level. Until then, I will continue as I always have."
Unsurprisingly, a list arrived two days later, rolled up in a scroll thicker than it had any right being. Flitwick looked amused rather than furious or flabbergasted. He made a point of ignoring the scroll. Edelweiss sensed amusement and even victorious glee from the other professors as Umbridge went a furious red.
Everyone knew something major would occur soon. Something to reinforce Umbridge's authority, even prevent others from questioning it.
As the final day of April dawned, the school awoke to a loud show of crying and begging. Edelweiss sensed what was occurring long before she reached the outer courtyard, close to the main gates onto the grounds.
At the courtyard's center stood Professor Trelawney, surrounded by bags and luggage. It had been known, if implicitly, that Umbridge, in her capacity to affect educational standards and curriculum at Hogwarts, could dismiss any professor from their post. But she had never acted on those powers.
Not until today, Edelweiss thought as she glanced about the courtyard. Most of the school had shown up in their pajamas.
"Hogwarts is my home!" sobbed Trelawney. "I've known no other for sixteen years! You cannot send me away!"
"I am afraid that you are wrong on both counts," said Umbridge, prim and proper. Her pink attire clashed against the tan and grey stone around her. "While I would have been unable to dismiss you from the castle when Dumbledore still held the Headmaster's seat, I am now the Headmistress. I have the power to dismiss professors at my whim and ensure they can no longer pollute this fine institution with their presence. You were told quite politely at the end of March that you would leave the school at the end of April unless you were able to turn around the poor outcomes of your class."
Trelawney tried to defend herself, but she bubbled and sobbed instead. She skirted away from Umbridge when the woman took a step forward.
"We should do something," whispered Hermione.
"What would you do?" asked Edelweiss, keeping an eye on Umbridge and Trelawney. She decided against reminding Hermione how much she detested Trelawney. Edelweiss had never been impressed with the professor, but her friend actively hated the mad woman. "What power do you have to prevent Umbridge from removing Trelawney?"
"Are you truly going to allow Umbridge to do this? To remove a professor with Dumbledore gone?"
Edelweiss paused to glance about the courtyard. She tried to count the faces gathered, but it mattered not if she could. That would not tell her how many students had not gathered to watch events unfold. Few supported Umbridge wholeheartedly with her attempt to banish Trelawney from the school. But fewer wanted Trelawney around. What she did sense was the sinking dread that Umbridge revealed she had the power to determine who could and could not stay in Hogwarts. And for many students, they feared she might turn that power on them, now that she was willing to act upon it.
"She's digging her grave," murmured Edelweiss, her lips barely moving. "Think about what every halfblood or muggleborn is seeing play out."
Hermione said nothing. She knew what Edelweiss spoke of. Fear and uncertainty rippled off her.
"'Who will be next?' That is the question running through many, many minds," Edelweiss continued. She shot Hermione a pointed look. "You would be high on a list of those Umbridge would love to remove from Hogwarts. A muggleborn with little influence and power—and the wrong relationships. You would be easy to remove, especially since whatever protection I could provide you has been burned to nothing thanks to Fudge and the Prophet."
Hermione took in a deep, shuddering breath. "You can't be serious."
"I wish I wasn't. I doubt the thought has crossed Umbridge's mind, but if it does…"
Edelweiss allowed her words to drift away and thus guided Hermione's mind in the direction she wanted. It turned out that Hermione struggled to make sense of what she was witnessing, of what she had been told, and how it clashed against all she believed about magical Britain and Hogwarts.
Her beliefs had been delusions. Their true nature revealed.
Professor McGonagall swept into the courtyard with Snape, Flitwick, and Spout on her heels. All four professors bore disgruntled and annoyed expressions. Even Professor Sprout, who was generally quite cheery, looked unsettled by the matter at hand.
"What is the meaning of this, Dolores?" demanded McGonagall with a thick Scottish brogue. "The castle was awakened by screaming and crying!" She glanced at Trelawney, who flocked to McGonagall with a pathetic sop. The professor looked almost offended by the other woman's actions. She turned her offense into a glower for Umbridge. "Is there cause to remove Sybil from the castle?"
"I have relieved her of her duties as a professor." Umbridge pursed her lips, looking briefly like a distressed frog. "It was a shame she caused such a fuss. But I had warned her that she would be dismissed should nothing change."
"There is a difference between a professor being dismissed from their post and them being completely removed from the castle. Did you ensure that Sybil would have somewhere to go once she left the castle?"
Umbridge sniffed. "I assumed her family would take her in."
"She has no remaining family. Something you would know if you were thorough with your investigations into all of us. I know you inspected the backgrounds of Severus and Fillius when you inspected their courses back during the fall term—"
"My decision is final," said Umbridge, her voice echoing out over the courtyard. "I would suggest you return to your office, Minerva. Else I reconsider your position at Hogwarts."
McGonagall sniffed before turning her back on Umbridge. She did not return to the castle as commanded. Instead, she saw to Trelawney. Edelweiss reached out with the Force, working to sieve through the churning emotions of the gathered crowd so she could focus on whatever McGonagall was planning. Would she send Trelawney to Dumbledore? Edelweiss knew the former divination professor had some legitimate prophetic ability. She had predicted that Pettigrew would flee to Voldemort's side back in her third year.
"Edie," whispered Hermione.
Edelweiss withdrew slightly from her Force sieve and turned to Hermione. "Yes?"
"What are we going to do about this? You know"—and here Hermione smiled slyly—"Dumbledore's Army? What will we do?"
The single regret of Edelweiss's plot to remove Albus Dumbledore from Hogwarts was his newfound martyrdom. Behind her back, Hermione had spread that name through the defense group. And so in the hearts and minds of those she taught, Dumbledore became the symbol she desired for herself. The name had become a banner to rally under. They all knew the headmaster had been usurped from his rightful seat. After all, she had reinforced that sentiment in their minds to calm their fears. And if Edelweiss's intention with the name was to remove the man from Hogwarts, none seemed to know or care.
It troubled her she did not know which it was, as well.
She pursed her lips. "Skive Divination. Leave the classroom of whichever quack is brought into the castle to fill Trelawney's position empty and barren."
Hermione hesitated a few seconds before nodding. Edelweiss sensed the bushy-haired girl's uneasy acceptance. She was somewhat surprised since Hermione had very strong opinions about education and learning. Opinions that—ignoring Hermione's infamous storming out of Divination in their third year—she found a capacity to live by. Edelweiss suddenly felt a touch uneasy. She had expected pushback, no matter how futile it was. Instead, she received a quick, uneasy acceptance.
Maybe it's because she used that Dumbledore's Army name against me, Edelweiss thought sourly. She watched McGonagall escort Trelawney to the gates, Flitwick following behind them with Trelawney's bags and trunks levitating between them. Once they passed through a colonnaded arch and out onto the main lawn, Edelweiss turned and returned to the castle.
She hungered for more than food quite suddenly.
Ron tried to settle his nerves as he entered the common room. It was late and Hermione wanted to speak alone. And specifically without Edelweiss around. He thought her request was a bit odd. But then their friend had become something strange over the last year. He might even admit she had been odd during the summer after the Tournament, given her disappearing act. But at least then something resembling the Edelweiss Potter he had known for over four years still existed.
These days, he found himself uncertain if he should even call her "Edelweiss" these days. There were a few times when he thought there was something else staring out through those familiar emerald eyes. A creature that wore her marred face.
"Over here," Hermione called out, waving him over. She had claimed the two large, plush seats by the fireplace. The fire was low but remained burning. Ron made his way over and slumped down into the other chair.
"So what'd you want to talk about?" he asked.
"It's… It's about Edie. About what she's done."
Ron frowned. "Like what?"
"She's the reason Dumbledore isn't the Headmaster anymore. She even bragged about it."
Ron froze for a moment before he burst out laughing. "Merlin's beard, Hermione! You had me worried for a moment. Edie? Plotting against Dumbledore?"
"You don't think she wouldn't? You know she hates him now."
"Sure, but you know about her crumby childhood. Edie's blamed him for it for a while now. Started some time after Sirius went back into hiding."
Hermione sighed and leaned forward. "I'm afraid it goes deeper than that. You know how I went with her to Hogsmeade right before the Christmas hols? And we talked in private?"
"Sure. What about it?"
Hermione paused again. This time, she looked over her shoulder toward the dormitory steps. Ron frowned, glancing between her and the stairs. "Is there something wrong?"
"No… It's just—" Hermione sighed. "I'm just worried about her. I'm afraid she's becoming a monster and we're powerless to stop it."
"I think she's just too obsessed with fighting You-Know-Who," said Ron. When Hermione glowered at him, he rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean. Always going on about how she has to fight him. She has to be the one to stop him. How she's willing to kill. I think once he's gone and all the Death Eaters are locked up in Azkaban, she'll go back to normal. Or at least she'll realize there's more important things in life than fighting."
"…I wish I could share your belief, Ron. But I can't."
Ron shrugged. "Well, why don't we just ask her about the things she's keeping from us? With how she's been talking, I wouldn't be surprised if she comes clean over the summer. I doubt she'll stay with her muggles for long."
Hermione stared at him oddly. She then shook her head, bushy hair flying about. Ron was surprised by the endearing emotion that fluttered through him.
"I don't think we should try and force her to talk about it," Hermione said. Ron had a bad feeling thanks to the constrained way Hermione spoke of the matter. "We'll see what she says about the summer hols. Her family is dead and she'll need somewhere to go. After that, we'll discuss this again."
And with that, Hermione rose to her feet and headed up to her dorm. Ron shook his head. He appreciated how much Hermione cared, but sometimes she worried too much. Edelweiss would be fine. He was certain of it. Things would go back to normal before next September. Maybe they'd even have a simple school year, or as simple you could have as NEWT students.
Great, he thought morosely. I need to study. Without Hermione, there's no way I'd pass my OWLs.
May arrived with a sweet breeze and a violent swell of anxiety. A black market of tokens, potions, and totems to help push OWL and NEWT students through their revisions and tests arose almost overnight. Edelweiss struggled to not be buried under the massive pile of essays assigned every other night. It seemed every professor had become desperate enough to hammer every trace of knowledge potentially necessary for their OWLs into their soft skulls, regardless of the fact the rest acted in the same manner.
Only Professor Proudfoot took pity on them. He decided with their OWLs nearly upon them, they would practice spells in class—"As long as none of you tell the Headmistress," he added with a wink. They could not cast at each other, even when practicing shields and counters. Still, Edelweiss quickly determined which Ravenclaws had not joined her group purely through their mediocre ability. Their auror professor stared at her oddly a few times. She eventually realized that he was trying to figure out which spells she had taught and which she had not. It was amusing. Even so, she appreciated the revision of spells taught and practiced by her group both before and after the Christmas hols. She almost felt bad for those learning them now in the weeks before their OWLs.
Edelweiss found cause to be grateful for her dismissal from the Quidditch team. They came stumbling in most nights, sweaty and exhausted. The final game of the season lingered in the near distance, close to when their OWLs were. Ginny Weasley had been selected for Edelweiss's spot on the team. She happened to ride Edelweiss's Firebolt as well. That broom had not been confiscated from her, thanks to some deception and trickery.
Ron came stumbling over to the small table Edelweiss and Hermione had commandeered one night several days into the month. He slumped over, nearly dripping sweat onto their essays.
"You look miserable," Edelweiss said without looking up from her work. Her nose wrinkled. "You should shower as well."
"No time," grumbled Ron. He dropped his bag onto the floor beside him. "I'm behind on my essays for Flitwick and Sprout."
"Certainly you can do that after you shower," said Hermione. She hesitated before adding, "Edie's right. You should go shower."
Ron sighed and muttered something under his breath. Edelweiss felt his frustration and annoyance. She suppressed the impulse to manipulate the dark side so he would perform well enough to ensure Gryffindor's win. The final Quidditch game of the season between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw would determine who would win the Cup. Gryffindor had to win by a major margin, or so she heard gossiped about the common room. Edelweiss had not kept track of the Quidditch Cup given how busy she was with her Sith studies and maintaining appearances.
"Maybe he's worried about falling asleep in the shower or turning in early," suggested Edelweiss, knowing neither was true. She forced a wide yawn. "I could enjoy going to sleep early as well."
"And what has you so exhausted?" demanded Hermione.
Edelweiss glanced at Ron, then back to Hermione. They were stiff. Suspicion rippled off them so heavily she knew without listening to the Force. "I'll tell you two this summer. How about that."
They exchanged a look before nodding.
So they have been plotting behind my back. I'm almost impressed. I'll need to learn what they plot before I can punish them, though. That is unacceptable.
"We'll hold you to your word, Edie," said Ron. He grabbed his bag and rose to his feet. "I'm just gonna head up. I'm too tired to work on essays tonight."
And with that, Ron departed for his dormitory.
"Will you actually tell us?" asked Hermione, ignoring Ron's departure.
So that's the setup. Use Ron's more jovial nature to get me to open up.
Edelweiss bit back a sigh. By the time summer arrived, she would be Darth Gladiolus. The girl Hermione had been friends with for nearly five years would be dead, replaced by the Sith Lord Edelweiss was meant to become.
"You will know something by then," said Edelweiss. "As I have said time and again, I will face Voldemort soon. And when I do, I will seek to make that day his last."
Hermione nodded; seemingly satisfied with the answer she received. Edelweiss waited for any other questions that might be posed, but none came. She shrugged to herself and returned to her work, wondering all the while in the back of her mind why she bothered. OWLs mattered naught to her at this point. But studying for them was expected from Edelweiss Potter. She still had to maintain that mask, no matter how much she would enjoy tearing it away.
And so Edelweiss sacrificed an hour writing essays about magics that no longer compelled her in service of protecting her true nature.
Edelweiss's head barely touched her pillow before her spectral form appeared in the Department of Mysteries. She glanced at her hands and the hazy sheen around them. Good. She did not wish to be completely present this night. The time approached for her to plot how she would draw out Voldemort. He plotted against her, or so she assumed. She increasingly believed he coveted a prophecy. One, she feared, that connected them and even prompted his first attack on her to begin with. He dared not enter the Hall of Prophecy, for he still practiced secrecy. Yet he, like Dumbledore, sent agents whenever he could. The Unspeakables who operated the department remained clueless about their infiltrations.
Somehow, Edelweiss would draw Voldemort to the Department of Mysteries. And there, she would end him.
On this night, she would finally uncover the source of his interest and put into motion the events that would lead to his destruction. Dumbledore most certainly knew what Edelweiss sought. There was no other reason for him to place Arthur Weasley in the Hall of Prophecy back in December. And that, more than anything Voldemort had done, convinced her of the prospect she and Voldemort were bound by prophecy.
And once she found where it resided, she would plan how to bring about Voldemort's inevitable destruction by her hand. The Force would handle the rest.
Edelweiss came to the circular chamber that played the role of the Department of Mystery's entrance. In her astral form, she only needed to find the correct door and then pass through like a ghost. Annoyingly, the chamber spun about when she inspected each door. It was simple to keep track of which door led where. Yet the chamber continued to react as if she physically opened each door and poked her head through.
Eventually, she identified and passed through the Hall of Prophecy's door. Edelweiss paused to gaze upon the great, expansive chamber once more. It was cathedral-esque, with a great vaulted ceiling that tossed soft light into every corner, and walls so distant they appeared hazy. Energy buzzed in the air. She felt it with every false breath.
Edelweiss started forward, passing shelves five times her height. They held glowing prophecy orbs of white and blue on pedestals. Most would sit nicely in her hand, yet some were egg-sized while others were larger than her head. She paused to peer down a random aisle. There appeared to be small bronze or brass plaques under each orb. Identification for every prophecy stored in this great chamber.
The last time I came here, the Force tried to draw me toward a specific place before Arthur Weasley distracted me, thought Edelweiss. She closed her eyes and opened herself to the Force. Reveal yourself to me, prophecy. Come to me, destiny.
A terrible chill shot through her gut. Her prophecy was here. Her destiny. It called to her. Its energies sunk into her bones and beckoned.
Edelweiss drew in a long, deep breath before releasing it shakily. She started forward, walking down the chamber's center. The air was cool and stale, as though the Unspeakables did not use this chamber often. Given the impositions by both Dumbledore's Order and whomever Voldemort had set to enter and inspect the Department of Mysteries, she was surprised they had not increased their security.
That meant something else was afoot. Something that would guarantee any who entered could not steal a prophecy without authorization.
She followed the main aisle, passing shelves on shelves. She was more than halfway across the chamber when the Force pulled incessantly toward an aisle a little ways ahead of her. She froze for a few seconds, before hurrying in that direction. Soft footsteps echoed from her. Edelweiss frowned, realizing how present she risked becoming.
Edelweiss stopped for a moment. She breathed slowly and returned to her opaque state. Only then did she continue.
The Force alerted her when to stop. She glanced from side to side, trying to spot something—anything—that might explain why she was drawn here.
Deeper in, then.
Edelweiss entered the aisle and slowly followed it. She felt like a fish on the line, and the Force was cranking her in. She breathed heavily as she pressed forward.
And then she reached that which the Force had guided her to. She gazed upon all around her. One of the orbs glowed brighter than the rest. Her gaze went to the small plaque beneath it. She released a great, shuddering breath.
And this explains it all, Edelweiss thought with awe and disgust in equal measure.
S.P.T to A.P.W.B.D.
Edelweiss Potter (?) & The Dark Lord Voldemort
She nearly seized the prophecy. It would be all too easy to the orb from its pedestal. Her hand recoiled as she realized the orb would possess some kind of magical defense. She closed her eyes and relied upon the Force instead of her senses. Only a single charm clung to the orb. The charm would only allow those named in the prophecy to lift the prophecy, and thus remove it from its pedestal.
So it is keyed to us, Edelweiss thought, gritting her teeth. Only we can claim it. How fascinating. Yet since he's hiding from the public, how would Voldemort lure me here to claim it in his stead? And why would Dumbledore keep this secret from me for so long?
She realized the truth a moment later. "His essence," murmured Edelweiss, her voice hoarse and bare. "Had it remained…"
Dumbledore must have feared the connection between her and Voldemort. If she had known the contents of this prophecy, then Voldemort could have learned it from her instead of wasting time and energy scoping out the Department of Mysteries. Voldemort would have used her dreams against her, had their connection remained. He had to know she dreamed through his eyes last year.
But it was different now. Dumbledore knew she was no longer bound to Voldemort that way. Yet the Headmaster did nothing to change his war plan. It would be simple to escort her to the Hall of Prophecy and take it away. But why wouldn't he? Shouldn't he want to prevent Voldemort from knowing what it said? That was the only reason she could fathom the two men played this silly game of mind chess against each other. There had to be—
Oh! It's so obvious! Dumbledore is using the prophecy as bait. To draw out Voldemort and expose him to Fudge.
Edelweiss burst out laughing. It was a cold, cruel cackle. It echoed throughout the massive chamber. It did not matter if the Unspeakables came after her. She had realized Dumbledore's game. Why she would have her chance to slay Voldemort come June. The Dark Lord of Britain would eventually become desperate to seize the prophecy and learn the path to victory over her. He must know that he could no longer implant information into her head. Would he suspect that she knew of this place as well?
Likely yes. But how do I deceive him now?
She noticed something shimmer out of the corner of her eye. She glanced that way and watched the shimmer draw back to hide behind the far side of the aisle.
Could that be…?
She cloaked her person in the dark side, projecting a field of invisibility. Edelweiss returned to the main aisle, went down two, and headed for the far wall. She approached the shimmer from behind and reached out with the Force before he knew she was there.
The fool had mental defenses. But that did not surprise her. She expected that from a Death Eater. But she sensed holes in his defenses. Ones that Edelweiss could exploit, thanks to her retention of parseltongue following the cleansing.
"§Give me power and access§," she murmured, holding tightly to her growing influence over the Death Eater. Edelweiss smiled as her mental probes sunk in deep. Deep enough she could do whatever she wished and leave him unaware. "§Let us see what I can do…§"
Edelweiss did not learn the man's name. There was no point in doing so. What she did was modify his memories of her vanishing. He knew of her strange appearance, yet he knew nothing of how she came to the Hall of Prophecy. And so she implanted the suspicion she had gone to leave the chamber. He remained behind, in case she returned to inspect the prophecy again, or even dare take it from its pedestal. Maybe she had noticed him. Maybe she hadn't. Regardless, Edelweiss Potter was close to the goal.
She only needed to be lured into actually seizing the prophecy, since she seemed reluctant to do so.
Let the Dark Lord wonder what I can do now that our connection is broken, Edelweiss thought as she watched the false memories take shape within the Death Eater's mind. He never gained access to my thoughts and memories concerning the Force and the dark side. Let him fear what secret powers I may have but never think they make me more powerful than him.
She retreated partially from the man's mind and impressed upon him an overriding thought with the Force: I must report to my lord. Potter is ready to be lured to the prophecy. Edelweiss stepped aside as the man, still shimmering, stumbled his way toward the Hall of Prophecy's entrance. What she had just done should be enough to draw Voldemort into her trap.
She only needed to prepare for her ascension. To complete her final tasks as Edelweiss Potter, so she may finally leave that foolish girl behind.