Classes settled into a routine at Hogwarts for Rhea. Snape took her up on her suggestion and her Potion's class experience dramatically improved. Sure he was grading her work on NEWT and Mastery Potions as if they were part of the 3rd year curriculum, but as far as Rhea was concerned she was essentially in a self study class under the watchful eyes of a Potions Master who could rival her mother. Despite some snide remarks, it was actually a lot of fun. Certainly more fun than Herbology. With all due respect to Professor Sprout (She had to have some dryad genes with a name like that, right?) she really didn't need to supply her own potions stock from a garden, especially when said garden magical plants either refused to let themselves be touched by her or simply seemed to go dead limp in her hands until she left them alone. Plants and Death, despite her affinity to Earth Magic, don't mix.
Binns, as Helena predicted, became more like your typical history teacher and actually followed a proper syllabus rather than droning on about Goblin Rebellions. The other students were stunned by the change and some even grumbled about losing their nap time, but Rhea was really enjoying the class, the way she expected when she heard a ghost was teaching. Arithmancy was just mathematics with numbers having magical significance and Runes with Babbling was both self study and refresher. At least Babbling just had her read a book on Hieroglyphics. She'd be able to read an original tablet of the Egyptian Book of the Dead by next year. Sweet! Maybe she could convince Mom and Dad to go on vacation on the Nile. She heard it was quite beautiful.
DADA kept being a bit of a disappointment. Sure she got the work done and her classmates and friends were passing with some tips from her but Lupin's problem with her seemed to just get worse. Especially after the Boggart incident. When Lupin said they would be facing a Boggart, Rhea pulled the Ravenclaws aside and warned them that they could refuse. One's greatest fear was a private matter and the school was not required to force a student to face their fears without parental authorization, and Flitwick wasn't there to give his support either. Many of them agreed and the Ravenclaws stood their ground. Even Susan and Hannah joined the protest, though Sally did decide to face it. She ended up being a vicious dog that rushed her and would have hurt her if Rhea hadn't raised a barrier. Sally eventually gathered the courage and cast the counter on the Boggart (a poodle with pink bows and no teeth was decidedly funny).
Lupin left her for last and probably expected her to refuse, but Rhea wasn't a Marauder's daughter for nothing. She put her Occlumency Barriers on high and focused on a single thought she would let slip. After the Boggart went crazy trying to find out anything from her mind and failing, it latched onto the thought and the result was exactly as planned. She thought that the scariest thing in the world was nonexistence. Lo and behold the Boggart willed itself into nonexistence. The absolute silence of the class and the dumbfounded look on Lupin made it worth the wait. She was so sending that memory to mom and dad!
Eventually the day she dreaded came. Dueling class with Lupin and Flitwick. She didn't dread the course, Dad had been thorough in his instructions and mom was decidedly mean and cruel and Rhea loved her tips. Dad had refused to practice dueling on Mom and she had just smiled at him. Wise man, for occasionally being a Neanderthal. No, what she dreaded was being near Henry. He was supposed to have been her twin brother, but the Potters and Dumbledore ruined that. She would look at the Patils and the Weasleys and would almost ask them. But there would be no point. The link between them was severed beyond repair. Helena did a good job helping her deal with the rage the prat tended to inspire in her when he badmouthed her family. She now wondered if she should add a figurine of a little brother to her Samhain altar since it would seem her brother had indeed died the day she had been sentenced to hell on earth.
She watched as the 3rd year students moved into the Great Hall, dueling platforms set up at intervals in the room. She noticed that Snape accompanied the Slytherins and stood in the back, watching. How odd. She managed to get some friendly words with Daphne and Draco before Lupin and Flitwick called the class to order and started setting up the students in duels to gauge their reflexes and spell repertoire. The class would be divided among skill groups. Neat! She hears pairs of students called up. Susan was put up against Granger, who Rhea would admit knew a good variety of spells. Not much help against a girl trained by Auror tutors. The fight lasted 2 minutes and was Susan's from the start.
She noticed some disagreement between the Professors until Lupin called out. "Black vs Zabini." She was heading towards the platform when Blaise spoke up, "I withdraw." Silence spread through the Hall. Lupin sighed. "Miss Greengrass vs Black then." Snape cuts in, "As interesting as it would be to see Miss Black fight against a member of my House, I am afraid that no Slytherin will be raising their wand at Miss Black." Rhea turned and looked at Professor Snape. Wait… he didn't say the third years wouldn't, he said no Slytherin would. Snape was blunt but he always measured his words. Which means he meant it. She eyed Draco, who blushed and looked away from her. Is this what having an overprotective brother was like? It felt…warm.
"I'll take on Black if the snakes won't!" And now she felt cold. She started doing the mental exercises that Helena and Mom suggested as she stepped up the platform and stood opposite of Henry Potter. Mustn't kill the prat, Mustn't kill the prat, Mustn't kill … "Miss Black, wands out." She eyed Lupin. "I will be keeping my wand holstered until required, Professor." Both Potter and Lupin sputtered, but the Slytherins, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs laughed. "As mentioned, no harmful spell only and please vocalize the spells. Ready? Start!" "Expelliarmus!" Rhea just stared at her brother and didn't even bother to move. The spell hit and nothing happened. She raised her arms and twiddled her fingers, "Please tell me you understand what that spell does Potter. Sort of useless when your opponent isn't currently armed."
The entire Hall burst out laughing at the embarrassed look on Potter's face. And was that…was Snape smirking? Damn it! She needs to buy more memory vials. "Incarcerous!" Ropes snap towards her and she just dodges out of the way. "Stupefy!" A quick turn of her body and it sails straight past. "Locomotor Mortis!" Rhea jumps up and the spell just hits the floor. On and on he repeats the same spells, except the disarming spell, and he misses every single one. Getting bored and already having enjoyed her makeshift duelling practice she summoned her wand from her holster. Potter didn't even hesitate, "Expelliarmus!" Rhea smiled, moved her body slightly and aimed her wand. "Protego!"
Silence filled the room as Potter went sailing out and landed at the edge of the platform, his wand tossed out into the throng of students. Potter's spell didn't hit a shield as expected, nor did it bounce off one. No shield manifested from Rhea's wand and she simply let the expelliarmus sail past her. "Miss Black, I said all spells must be verbalised, 10 points from Ravenclaw." Rhea turned to Professor Lupin, clearly pissed at her. "Perhaps you should amend your rules then, Professor. You said all spells should be verbalized, you didn't say they should be verbalized accurately. It's standard practice in Dueling circuits for opponents that verbalize their spells to cast anything other than the spell spoken." Lupin looked like he wanted to curse her. Rhea holstered her wand and walked off the platform.
The class continued for an hour and 30 minutes more but she wasn't called again. She did get a surprise as she left the Hall though. "Miss Black, 20 points to Ravenclaw." She turned and looked at Professor Snape, "Whatever for, Sir?" Snape smirked and Rhea made a new tally in her head, next to McGonagall's Huffs and Flitwick's Squeaks. "Displaying proper duelling posture, providing entertainment to your fellow students and putting an attention seeking prat in his place." He turned, his robes billowing behind him dramatically. Rhea had a spring in her step the rest of the day. Maybe Duelling class wouldn't be as bad as she thought.
Everything seemed to be going fine until October 31st. She had just let her friends know during lunch that she would be stepping out of the castle and heading home to take part in her family's Samhain preparations when one of the people she was trying to avoid decided to stick his nose into her business. "Miss Black, I regret to inform you that you won't be permitted to leave the castle." She pulled her shoulder bag up and turned to look at the Headmaster who was standing next to her. She could see her Head of House coming towards them. "Headmaster, I assume you are intimately familiar with the Hogwarts Charter, correct?"
The old man brushed his waist length beard and seemed to preen. "Of course my dear. I am…" Rhea cuts him off, "Then that means you are aware that the Founders themselves expressly forbid anyone, themselves, their Heirs and the staff, including the Headmaster from impeding a student's needs to celebrate their established days of worship, regardless of religion? And that said rule prevents any amendments from overriding this directive? Which would mean that one of your previously spoken sentences is a lie. So which is it, the blatant attempt to impede a student's established religious and magical rights or lying about knowing the Hogwarts Charter?"
Rhea mentally wonders if she should make a tally for making entire rooms go silent. You could hear a pin drop in the Great Hall. Dumbledore's ego apparently couldn't take it for long. "I believe a 15 points deduction and a night of detention are in order, Ms. Black." Rhea lifted her eyebrow at him. "If that is how Hogwarts' Headmaster handles himself when a student reminds him of his duties and restrictions it's no wonder that my father has been so busy since getting on the Board of Governors. Now excuse me, Headmaster, I have a ritual to prepare for." That seemed to make the Headmaster's skin pale, "Miss Black, rituals at your age are extremely dangerous. Via my authority as in loco parentis I…" Rhea snapped, "Do nothing. My Head of House signed all the necessary documents banning ANY staff member from possessing in loco parentis powers over me. Professor Flitwick, could you escort me to your office? I would rather not play host to the deceased in any more of a foul mood. Good Day, Headmaster. Enjoy your Feast."
Rhea spent the next few minutes running through mental exercises while walking through the halls of the school towards her Head of House's Office. She sighed, "My apologies for not having a pleasant conversation Professor, it is never wise to have one's magic overly active due to anger, and the Headmaster's blatant disregard for the rules and my rights did a number on my emotional state." Flitwick nodded. "Not a problem my dear and it's perfectly understandable. Though I doubt going to my office will do you much good. I imagine the Headmaster has closed of floo access." Rhea enters the office and turns around towards her professor. She makes a silencing motion with her finger on her lips. "Care to learn a secret Professor?" Rhea then opens the window and calls her familiar.
Flitwick looks between his student and her black owl curiously. "What secret would you share?" Rhea grinned mischievously and switched to Goblin Speech, " You can't ward against that which you don't know about. " With those final words, Rhea vanished without any noise, except that of a gust of wind, leaving behind a properly startled Professor.
Sirius wrapped his arms around Sabrina's waist as she finished preparing the altar. "Sirius, behave. Our daughter will be here soon." Sirius kissed her shoulder, earning him a moan and a playful slap. Sirius grinned. "Come now love, it's been a while and we always behave on Samhain." Sabrina was about to respond when someone else did. "I didn't need to hear that." Sirius jumped as a wandless stinging hex (one of the few new spells Sabrina could do wandlessly) hit him in the inner thigh. Sabrina looked towards her daughter, whose vision was obscured by the black owl's outstretched wing. Sabrina shivered at the owl's judgemental eyes. "Nyx, is it safe to look now?"
A soft hoot and a lowered wing and the next thing she knows is that her 13 year old daughter is hugging her. Sabrina hugged her back and sighed. How she had missed this. "Welcome home, Rhea. Have you decided who to call tonight?" While Sabrina hardly ever asked, the last Samhain was still fresh in her mind. Rhea nodded. "I was going to call Cygnus." Sirius hissed and Rhea pulled away and hugged him too. "I know you hate your uncle Dad, but we need to know what happened to Bella and he is the only one who can tell us." Sirius sighed and hugged his daughter tightly. "Ok, just be safe, please?" Rhea nodded into his chest and pulled away. Sirius smiled sheepishly, "Though there has been a small change in plans." Rhea cocked her head and Sirius pulled her towards the sitting room on the first floor and Sabrina finished working on the basement.
Two hours later and Rhea was excited. Andromeda, Ted and her cousin Nymphadora were joining them! This would be Ted and Nymphadora's first Samhain ritual and Andromeda's first in 20 years. The floo flared and Rhea quickly took a soft bow. "Welcome to Grimmauld Place Lord Malfoy, Aunt Narcissa. We thank you for joining our ritual tonight and hope it may become a more common occurrence." Lucius smiled and bowed his head, "It is good to be amongst family this night and I am honoured to be invited, Heiress Black. Draco has been speaking highly of you."
Rhea beamed, "Draco and his friends have been most kind. Daphne Greengrass has been of great help in Herbology. While I am good with processed plants, I am dismal with living ones. Daphne, Tracey and I have been partnering together a lot." Rhea suddenly gets a thought, "Oh, was Draco responsible for Slytherin not practising duelling with me? I haven't had a chance to ask but he did look a little guilty after Snape mentioned it in the first meeting of our class." Lucius coughs dramatically, "While the reason is a bit more complicated, Draco was part of it. No need to worry about it my dear, it just means that Slytherin considers you family and we never harm our own." Lucius relaxed on seeing Rhea beam at him before she led them to the dining room. Only two members of the House of Black didn't attend that night, with Draco wishing to spend the night among friends.
A few hours after sundown the ritual chamber in Grimmauld Place began to settle, as members of the House of Black awoke. There wasn't a dry eye in sight. Lucius moved towards his wife and hugged her. Sirius, the first to wake amongst his immediate family went to him. Lucius looked at him carefully, "You knew." Sirius smiled softly, "I have been in a Samhain ritual with my family for the last 4 years. Each one has been the same. So yes. Do you regret it?" Lucius shook his head as he took a deep breath. "No. Seeing my father again, hearing his voice. Seeing my mother as I left. I could never regret this. But how?" Sirius turned to his daughter as Sabrina woke, her own face covered in tears. "My little girl is a Necromancer." Both Lucius and Narcissa take in a sharp breath of air. "This isn't something we want out. Not yet. But you are family and have proven it in the last few years. Sabrina and I agreed to invite you and Rhea couldn't be happier."
Lucius looked at the little girl still out from the ritual. So much change and all because of her. "I can see why you have done what you have. Educating the students about rituals, teaching them the values of the Olde Ways. Dumbledore and his Light sycophants won't like a Necromancer reshaping Wizarding Britain." He looked down at his wife who nodded at him. Lucius turned to Sirius. "Your daughter's gift is safe with us. At least until you order otherwise." Sirius smiled and was about to reply when a string of Greek and Goblin expletives were said by his now awake daughter. "Language!"
Rhea looked at everyone and blushed, "Sorry Dad!" She moved closer to her mom and rested her head on her mother's shoulder. "Cygnus Black was mad after Andromeda escaped the marriage contract he had planned for her. He knew he had nothing to worry about with Narcissa but Bellatrix didn't like LeStrange, so he forced her." Rhea looked up and stared into her fathers eyes, rage simering inside of her. "He used a slave contract on her!"
Rhea popped back into Hogwarts during breakfast, though she had already eaten. She went to Slytherin's table first. "Morning Cousin." Draco looked at her. "Morning Cousin. You missed the excitement last night." Rhea sat down to his right and passed him a package. "What excitement? If it's the Halloween Feast I was quite happy to miss it. This is a care package from home. Mom, Aunt Andy and your mom worked on it together. There are also some letters from your parents, Cousin Dora and Dad." Draco took the package and opened it, noting some tasty smelling pastries and cookies. "Wow, did my parents stay till morning?" Rhea nodded. "They did. The ritual last night left them a little winded and it would have been bad manners to let them go back home like that. Our fathers had some coffee in the office and everyone else just gathered in the kitchen. Kreacher was quite put out by the ladies deciding to bake without him." Draco laughed.
"You'll have to do better than that Black if you want to get me killed!" Rhea's blood went cold again as she sighed. "I don't know what you are talking about Potter. I was home with my family." Potter seemed to glare at her. "So last night you disappeared and all of a sudden your crazy Aunt Bellatrix decides to break into the castle. Not buying it Black!" Rhea really wanted to smack him but decided to look at Draco. "This the excitement you mentioned?" Draco nodded. "Bellatrix somehow made it onto school grounds, dodged the Dementors, reached the entrance to Gryffindor Tower and tried to break in. Burned the Fat Lady's portrait all the way. Good thing she fled into other frames or the castle would be missing a painting."
Rhea hummed and turned to Potter, "So since I was nowhere to be found, you just assume I let her in. If your Dad makes the same leaps of logic, no wonder he has pissed off so many of the old Houses." Potter's face reddened. "Don't you dare talk about my father like that, you snake? I know you're working with her to get me killed and Dad will drag you and your crazy aunt to Azkaban himself." He spun on his heels and left. Rhea looked over at her cousin, "Is he always that dim and dramatic?" Daphne snorted, and the others nearby looked at her, "Sorry, it's just Draco is the worst person to ask that to. He is the most dramatic of our year, barring Potter." Rhea laughed full heartedly at Draco's "Oi, I resent that!"
Ignoring Potter's glares, Rhea had a great week. Luna's exercises were getting her improved control over her Fae Sight and she loved the book on Fae Rhea brought back from her library. That and the fact the Ravenclaws now knew not to bother her had resulted in her smiling much more. Rhea loved her smile. While most of the school was gearing up to watch the upcoming Quidditch game, which changed from Gryffindor vs Slyrherin to the Lions taking on the Badgers, Rhea focused more on her Healers studies. Madam Pompfrey said that it was highly likely they would be getting some injured Quidditch players, so Rhea focused on treating falls, blunt force trauma and splinter removal.
The night before the Quidditch match Rhea had been reading her non-magical medical book when she noticed her detection spells catch something in the food. She stopped Luna from eating before telling her it was tampered with. She sent an animated paper message to Susan in Hufflepuff and Draco in Slytherin before passing on her observations to the rest of Ravenclaw. Half an hour later the thing she noticed became evident. Everyone besides a bunch of Ravenclaws, most of Slytherin and half of Hufflepuff had their skin and hair changed to match their house's colour. Funny enough, almost all of the Gryffindors were affected. "Messers Weasley!"
Rhea looked towards the Gryffindor table again and spotted the Weasley Twins standing up and taking a bow, proudly showing that they too had taken the potion ingredients. Rhea shook her head as she went back to eating her now inert meal until someone tapped her shoulder. She looked over and saw an older Hufflepuff boy with a Quidditch Captain's pin and Hufflepuff colours smiling at her. "Susan said you warned her about the prank. Thanks for that. We are all for house pride, but I don't think I would look good on the pitch with bright yellow skin. We managed to keep the team clear of it so thanks. Oh, I am Cedric Diggory, Team Captain and Prefect."
Ahh, this was the boy most of the girls in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were crushing over. Don't see why. He is nice enough though. "Not a problem. Though you don't stand much on tradition, do you Heir Diggory?" He blushed and Rhea could swear she heard half the girls swoon. Really? "Sorry, my family is of the Noble Lines but we haven't kept up with tradition as much. Being Light and all." Rhea looked at him and sighed, "No, I don't suppose many Light families are sticking with tradition. Hope they had good chroniclers. I'd offer your team a prayer or luck if I didn't think my Head of House would take it poorly. For an intellectual, he certainly enjoys Quidditch a bit too much for my tastes. See you around, Heir Diggory." Diggory nodded and left. Rhea went back to eating but stopped when she noticed half the girls in Ravenclaw staring at her. "What?"
Pomfrey's prediction came true as the doors of the Hospital Wing flew open as soon as the Quidditch game was over. 4 girls and 3 boys from both teams were helped in, some on stretchers. One of the guys, the one on the stretcher, had a familiar mop of messy hair. "Rhea, the ladies are yours, I'll handle the boys. Make sure you document everything." Rhea took her notepad and a dictaquill. She asked her patients questions as she did her scans. "You have broken ribs, and some bruising, but no internal injuries. You are showing signs of shock, exhaustion and early stages of hypothermia. All should be easy to care for and you should be out by tomorrow. Please stay flat on the bed, I will be back with your medication."
Rhea went about her work, Pompfrey looking over at her from time to time. Rhea brought each of the diagnostics to the Madam who confirmed her treatment selection and allowed her to administer the potions and balms. Of the four girls, 3 shared the same symptoms and would be out by morning. The third, a Hufflepuff, had a concussion as a complication. Rhea called the Matron over, showed her the scan and asked her if she could verify before proceeding with the treatment. Rhea looked at the girl, "You took a nasty hit to the head and it's why you're having trouble keeping your eyes open. I will be administering a potion to relieve the swelling and another so you can sleep through the night. Your cracked ribs will have to wait for tomorrow as it's not safe to mix the potions. We will check on you in the morning and administer more potions, but it's likely you will be here till Monday morning to make sure you're right as rain. Ok?"
Most of the ladies were out like a light, the girl with the concussion thanks to the Dreamless Sleep potion. Rhea would occasionally cast diagnostic spells from time to time and revise their state in her notes. A few minutes later the doors of the Hospital Wing burst open. Rhea, operating on instinct cast a strong noise dampening spell on her patients and a silencing spell on the newcomers. The Matron came out of her office, "What do you think you're doing?" Noting that the people in front of her were silenced she looked over at Rhea, "Miss Black, please cast noise canceling spells on the rest of the patients." Rhea agreed and did so, smiling as she saw the Matron try to lift the silencing spell on the students and fail. "Miss Black, would you please lift your spell from the intruders." Rhea smiled, "I was planning to do so after you reminded them that this is a Hospital Wing with patients, not a Quidditch pitch."
Madam Pomfrey had an amused smirk on her face. "I appreciate the sentiment but I can handle them myself." Rhea shrugged, dispelled the students and went back to work. The rowdy students spent most of their time around Potter, at least until the two people she never wanted to see walked through the doors and went to their son. Madam Pompfrey went to the Potters but noticed Rhea tensing up. She also noticed the girl cast a spell on herself. "Mr. and Mrs. Potter, your son, as you saw, took a nasty fall and suffered some Dementor Exposure. I have already given him all the necessary medication. He will be staying here overnight but will likely be up by morning. I can wake him now for you but he will be taking Dreamless Sleep for tonight."
The boy talked happily with his parents about the game and his father promised to replace the broom he lost. It wasn't until the boy noticed who else was in the room that the mood in the Hospital Wing soured. "What's she doing here?" James Potter looked at Rhea and frowned. Madam Pomfrey clarified, "Miss Black is a certified Advanced Healing student and has been here with me caring for the injured students from the game." James looked her over, "She can't be over 15." Lily chimed in, "She's in Henry's year." Pomfrey eyed James carefully, "She performed her work perfectly, with a bedside manner that many in St. Mungos would be envious of. She made sure to confer with me all her diagnostic results and had me verify one since it was a head injury. She's currently monitoring to make sure the medication is doing its job."
Henry didn't seem to care. "It doesn't matter. She's a Black. She spends a lot of her time with Malfoy and his ilk. I swear she's helping Lestrange get into the castle." "Mr. Potter!" Henry cringed at Pomfrey's tone while James' eyes were glued on the girl. "It would probably be wise to ask her a few questions." Pomfrey stopped him from approaching her. "Ms Black's parents have blocked anyone from having any authority over her in the school beyond academic reasons. You and Black are already in a bad place. If you interrogate her without his permission you will be bringing hell on your head."
James bristled. "I can't just ignore a potential lead on Lestrange. She already broke in here and went for Henry. There is nothing stopping her from trying again." Pomfrey pinched the bridge of her nose. "I can ask her if she's willing to be interviewed by you but I can't force her and If you try to I will personally toss you off the school grounds, Mr. Potter." His jaw was set but he nodded. Pomfrey went to Rhea and moved in front of her. She was surprised to see her with her eyes closed, muttering under her breath. It sounded like Greek. A memory flashed of a Healer in World War II; bronze hair, blue eyes, a stubborn streak and would constantly switch to Greek when agitated. Rhea's hair had streaks in it of bronze that matched her memories, and as she listened closely, the muttering was actually counting.
Pomfrey wasn't a Mind Healer but she was trained to spot the signs. The girl was doing everything in her power to not lose control; Distraction, Sensory Deprivation, more than likely Occlumency exercises. Poppy thought back to when the change in the behaviour started. The girl had been fine with the patients. She didn't flinch with Henry Potter in the room. She handled Potter's teammates perfectly. But when James and Lily Potter stepped in she tensed. Moments later she turned around. Followed by the sound canceling spell on herself. The Potters precipitated the change and if she talked to them directly, it would probably be catastrophic. But she still needed to get her denial. She used a soft diagnostic spell on her and her hunch was right. The girl recognized it and her magic and didn't panic, but she was now very aware. The deafening spell drops, "Yes Madam Pomfrey?"
Pomfrey sighed, "I know you would like to be left alone but I still needed to ask. Mr Potter of the Aurors wishes to interview you about LeStrange's activities. I assume you aren't willing?" No flinching, but no relaxing of her body. Eyes blink in a controlled and steady manner. Her breathing is even. Too even. She is occluding her emotions hard. "You would assume correctly." She turned her eyes away and began to cast diagnostics again, writing down her observations. Mr Potter had not liked being denied but Pomfrey controlled the wards in the Hospital Wing and he could do nothing. He and his wife left after she administered Dreamless Sleep to their son.
She brewed a fresh cup of tea and placed it in Rhea's hand. She didn't draw her wand, only opened her eyes. "Calming Draught in the tea." Pomfrey smiled and led her to her office. She felt the sudden casting of privacy wards. The girl knew. "I assume you wish to know why I just closed myself off in their presence?" Pomfrey shook her head, "I only wish to know if there is anything I can help you with. A reaction like that means there is a problem that needs addressing." Rhea drank the tea, but her shoulders remained stiff. "I have enough training in both the mind and body arts to know you can't fix everything. Even time has the limit of a person's lifespan. Some hurts are too private, too deep and too overwhelming."
Pomfrey drank her own tea, her mind thinking of how the Potters could have hurt this 13 year old. "You remind me of someone. From Grindelwald's War. I was a Healer Trainee helping out wounded witches and wizards of the Coalition. One of the Healers had some similar mannerisms to you. Her name was Selene. Can't remember her family name. She was a close friend of another healer, at least they became friends later, one of your relatives actually. Dorea Black." "Prasinos. My Grandmother. She died before my time. My Mom learned medicine from her. She taught me what Grandma taught her." Rhea smiled a genuine smile and pulled up her sleeve, revealing a Lunar Bracelet, her fingers brushing against it gently. Pomfrey remembered seeing it on Selene. "Your Grandmother's." Rhea nodded. "Mom gave it to me 4 Yules ago. Haven't taken it off since. I can feel Grandma's magic from it, makes me feel closer to her even though I never really got to be with her." Pomfrey nodded and smiled fondly.
The next few hours, with breaks to check on their patients, were spent with Pomfrey reminiscing about her Healer days with Dorea and Selene. Rhea's smile never left her face. There was no doubt in her mind the girl loved her family. She never mentioned James or his relationship to Dorea, though she was sure Rhea knew. Best leave the source of the wound alone for now. For now, the old Healer focused on seeing her student heal, a few words at a time.
A few days after the near meltdown in the Hospital Wing, Rhea was packing up after completing the Wolfsbane potion for Professor Lupin under Snape's careful eyes. She could have made the improved version her mom developed but she didn't. Lupin was still being a git. He could use the pain. "I must admit Miss Black, despite my best attempts, your brewing skills are indeed those of a professional. Your mother's influence, I take it?" Rhea nodded. "Mom and I had an impasse about chores in the house. We settled on dividing all the work, which meant I got to help brewing. It was fun. However, I had to pick up the reaction table quickly. So far my record stands at one melted cauldron." Snape hummed, "A fine record indeed. Keep it up."
She spent a few minutes cleaning up her workstation and taking the textbook he lent her with the old wolfsbane recipe. She slid it back in place and was turning to leave when she saw a familiar name on the spine of a book. "Professor, how many books do you have from Chantal Prasinos works?" Snape looked towards the bookshelf and saw the book she spotted. "That one and five others I keep in my office. Why?" Rhea pulled the book out and opened it. The edges were covered in handwritten notes. "My Mother's Family are the Prasinos. Chantal was her Great Aunt and her Instructor in Potions. Mom lost most of her copies of Grandmother's journals and notes to a fire. Dad got her some of the copies she was missing, but not all of them. I was curious if you had the ones she was missing. I would pay of course, for a copy of the original text, not your notes and annotations."
Snape noticed she skimmed the book, avoiding his notes. "Which are the Journals she is missing?" Rhea raised her head and bit her lip. Her mannerisms reminded him of someone. He wasn't sure who. "I believe she is missing the Third and Fourth Journals. She had her copies of the First, Sixth and Seventh, and dad got her the ones from his family's library of the Second and Fifth." Snape nodded. "I have the set of the First through Fifth journals. They are all annotated but I can bring them up to Madam Pince and she can make a proper copy without my additions." Rhea beamed, "That would be great, sir. Thank you!" Out of habit, she hugged the man, causing him to tense up before patting her back. "Best leave it there, Black. I have a reputation to maintain." The girl giggled and let him go. She grabbed her bag and headed for the door. "Miss Black." Rhea turned and he pointed. She blushed when she noted she was still holding the book she pulled from the bookshelf. She sent it to the bookshelf and gently pushed it in its place before skipping out of the room. Snape stared at the door and the blatant use of advanced magic.
He stepped into his office and pulled out the discussed books, placing them on the table. He also pulled out a photo album. He knew she reminded him of someone and the thought was nagging at the back of his mind. He leafed through the pages, going back years. He was about to turn the page when he saw a picture of himself and Lily working on homework at the library in 5th year. Before their friendship imploded with a history of bad decisions and one blasted word. He was about to close the book when he saw it. In the picture, Lily had the same mannerisms. Rhea looked like Lily at that moment. Snape wracked his brain. Lily didn't have any relatives beyond Petunia and there was no way that was her daughter. The similarities were there, but it wasn't enough. The girl looked like Lily but with bronze highlights and black hair…
A thought smashed right through his mind and he flipped the album all the way to 1980. Lily had been mad at him for years by then but she had sent him a letter, forgiving him for his actions at school. The letter had come with a photo, of Lily holding a little girl while James held a boy. Snape closed his eyes. Halley. The girl had been all but erased after that night on Halloween. Dumbledore and the Potter's officially declared her dead days later, but Snape hadn't seen them mourn as if their daughter had died. He remembered hearing about the boy crying for months afterwards, but neither of the parents seemed too concerned. As if she hadn't really died. He ran through all the memories of Rhea. Her hair was black, but not messy, with streaks of bronze cutting in every once in a while. Curls were visible the few times he saw it out of a braid, looking decidedly like Black. Her eyes were cyan, not green. But the shape felt right. Her skin was tanner, more Mediterranean than Lily's pale complexion, but still close.
Blood adoption. The girl had been Blood Adopted by Black and her mother. The small changes matched what a Blood Adoption would do. Blood Adoptions weren't common, usually only done if there were no more possible Heirs. Halley was a Black through Dorea, meaning a Blood adoption wasn't necessary. But they had done it with both parents, erasing all trace of James and Lily. The girl hadn't died, but she might as well have. She wasn't raised by her birth family, but she deeply loves Black and her mother. He remembered seeing her duelling Henry Potter, not an ounce of restraint beyond what the rules called for. She had been reserved but brutally efficient. She didn't care. Not for Henry or James. Not even for Lily. He closed his eyes and sighed, his words coming out in a soft whisper, "Oh Lily, what did you do to your own daughter?"