Soon enough, the day that the students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were set to arrive dawned, thankfully on a Saturday. Rhea had to admit that the month and a half of peace and quiet was nice. Henry had effectively forgotten she existed as she continued to spend some time with Hermione, whose competitive spirit for being the top student of the year was fueling Daphne's own. The two bookworms were damn scary when obsessed. Rhea was partly glad her work would be different from those two, as it essentially allowed them to have a fair fight for the top spot for their courses, but she knew her continued advanced work would pose a problem for said ranking. At least, if everything goes as she and Flitwick planned, she'd be graduating a year or two ahead of them, letting her friends take their rightful place in 7th year.
Dueling with Moody was a definitive eye opener and she had to give it to her dad for her own training regimen, as she was able to keep up with the mad Auror in class from start to finish. The only other students who came close were Potter, Longbottom, Susan, Daphne and Theo, all of whom still wiped out 30 minutes before the end of class. This of course only fueled Susan's campaign to get her to sign up for the Dueling Tournament, as her ability to hold her own against Moody, even if both were limiting what spells they were each using, made her the best candidate for getting Hogwarts a Dueling victory. Rhea, as much as she wanted to say yes if only to silence the intense little redhead, refused to take part. It was hard enough that she couldn't explain exactly why she wasn't interested to her friends.
Her explanation to the group was the truth, but not the whole truth. Rhea honestly hated fighting with a passion, as the idea of harming another was simply sickening to her. Sure, the moment someone threatens her, her family or her friends, her aversion goes right out the window but she honestly hates hurting people. It makes her feel no better than the Dursleys. The worst part about all of it is how easy it is for her to hurt someone. She knew why her Grandmother Dorea was considered a terror by her enemies, as having intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the human body was beyond useful in a fight. Moody could never land a hit on her because she could see just how his missing leg and injuries slowed down or altered his form. The man wasn't stupid though and had already adjusted his dueling form to compensate, but his physical limitations hampered his ability. Rhea could always see how to take advantage of it.
Add in her talent for Blood Magic and Death Magic and she could literally kill someone who simply stepped in the wrong place. Sabrina's training for Rhea in duelling was only partly as a way to defend herself with the main focus being to make sure she didn't kill someone accidentally. Her Death Magic had grown too sensitive to her state of being because of her time as Halley and it had taken so much effort to get it to relax, to behave itself without harming anyone outside of her needing it to. The duels back home had gotten her used to the fear a magical fight can inspire in a person, so unlike others, she would never panic when spells start flying, even the dangerous ones. The duels at school had given her a feel for duelling with others around, keeping her senses trained and focused while always looking out for a problem. Which is why she was currently embarrassed in the Hospital Wing.
Durmstrang had arrived with their underwater Ship (sails and all) and the Hogwarts student body had been lined up to receive them and the yet to arrive Beauxbatons students. Rhea was saddened to hear that only 6th year and 7th year students were coming from both schools, with a few talented exceptions, as it meant her Prasinos cousins were going to miss the Tournaments. They had all had a blast at Yule last year at the Chateau and she loved playing with them, especially in the snow. The heavy uniforms for the Durmstrang students looked great on them and were definitely a great mix of utility and style. The animal pelt coats were a nice touch.
The sudden intake of breath from the students around her made her look around, unsure of what could have that reaction. Ronald Weasley's awestruck whisper of "It's Victor Krum!", followed by squeals from the girls didn't make it any more clear for Rhea though. She felt Cho tap her shoulder, "Victor Krum was the Bulgarian Seeker in the World Cup this summer, who caught the snitch, even if the team lost the game. A big name with lots of fans for those who follow Quidditch." Rhea looked back at the Ravenclaw Seeker and smiled, "Thanks Cho. So, what would you prefer; him as Durmstrang's Champion or Seeker on their Quidditch team?" Cho shivered, "Champion. Please, for the love of the gods and goddesses make him Champion. Even if Potter played Seeker, Krum would wreck all other teams mercilessly."
Rhea's soft laugh calmed everyone around her as the Durmstrang students were being guided into Hogwarts by the Prefects. The faculty had discussed the seating of the foreign students in the Great Hall and had decided on a rotating schedule for the first few months so that the students of all the Houses had a chance to talk and get to know the new arrivals. After that, the students of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons could sit wherever they like, though the designated tables would be Ravenclaw and Slytherin since they were the two houses with the smaller student populations. These would also be the first tables they would sit at for tonight. Potter's shout of "In the sky!" got the Hogwarts students looking up.
The Beauxbatons students' arrived in a beautifully ornate coach carriage drawn by a dozen Abraxans. Rhea found the Abraxan's nice looking but Thestral would have been her preference for horse drawn carriages, though she had to admit that she and very few others would be able to appreciate her tastes. Rhea had found that Thestrals were typically kept at the Peverell Ancestral Home and while she wasn't sure she'd personally ever make use of the place in her lifetime, she was already planning preparing it for future residents. She refused to let a part of her legacy be tarnished just because wasn't as invested in it. Though the word from the Goblins about the Castle's wards was worrisome. As soon as the carriage landed and the door opened, the largest woman Rhea had ever seen stepped out. Cousin Louise and Marieh weren't kidding, their Headmistress was bloody tall, with Rhea's Mage Sight confirming she had some Giant ancestry.
The sighs from the male population that followed were confusing. Sure the outfits the Beauxbatons' students were wearing are nice and definitely show off their bodies well, but there's no reason to be so uncivil-. Her mind became ensnared in the sight of a beautiful blonde girl with silver highlights, the nicest blue eyes, red lips she could kiss, bite- Rhea's body began to shake violently as her breathing became ragged and her legs collapsed from underneath her. Cho and Luna were right at her side, not that Rhea could really tell. Her mind was stuck in an endless loop, her imagination waging a war with her memories and her body failing to keep up. Rhea remembers feeling grass on her back as her vision blurs. She feels the familiar touch of a diagnostic charm. She raised her occlumency defences as best she could. "Sorry Madam, I think I am going to be a patient of yours tonight. I need to compartmentalize something so a small supply of Sleeping Draught would be greatly appreciated. See you in a few hours." Pomfrey must have taken her advice, she was out like a light.
When Rhea woke up and saw her parents, her cheeks went red. This was going to be an embarrassing and humiliating experience. Madam Pomfrey walked into her field of view. "What was the last thing you remember, Miss Black, before your collapse." Rhea's blush deepened. "I… was watching the Beauxbaton students walk past when my eye got caught on someone and then, I don't know. My emotions went crazy. I wanted to do things…" Rhea shook, disgusted with herself. Sabrina sat down beside her and hugged her, singing her daughter a soft melody in Greek. Pomfrey looked over at Sirius, "That matches everyone else's description of what happened. Beauxbatons Healers notified me about possible reactions to a Veela's Allure, but this wasn't one of them." Sirius looked at the Matron and back at his daughter, who was now crying. He took out his wand and waved it around scanning for everything from eavesdropping spells, and familiars to animagi. Moody had sent all his old students an updated list after Pettrigrew's arrest in order to maximize privacy and this conversation was going to be private.
After checking to make sure everything was clear and his privacy wards were up, he was about to continue when Rhea spoke up. "Typsy." An elf popped in beside his daughter. "Yes Miss Black?" Rhea kept her head in her mom's shoulder. "Tell the elf in the corner to leave before I break my policy on respecting Fae. My father's scans caught everything else and I don't want anyone hearing about this, least of all the Headmaster. If they are of Hogwarts, remind them of who and what their loyalty is to. If they are not, try to have them reveal their loyalty before casting them out of the wards. I don't mind them serving their families but they will not violate another's privacy like this within the school grounds. Warn the others too. Check in with Helena and keep your eyes open." The little elf nodded, "Of course, Hogwarts understands. Hogwarts elves will protect the privacy of its students." The elf vanished, followed by a small yelp and another pop. Sirius looked at his daughter who just clinged harder at her mother.
"Did the Beauxbatons Healers send any notes on the effects of Veela on victims of systematic sexual abuse and rape?" The Matron paled and looked at her student, who was starting to shake again. "I… No. They didn't. I don't even know if there was a study like that ever conducted." She eyed Rhea who was calming down again with her mother's Greek words whispered to her. "I will leave the more intimate discussions to you, Lady Black, but Miss Black will likely have to notify the Healer from the Beauxbatons' delegation and possibly the young Veela. The documents they sent made it clear that a reworking of the occlumency barriers can prevent the effects of the Allure from manifesting, but your daughter has reached an age where she will be confronted with intimate relations, so resolving this situation is also advised." The whine out of Sirius' mouth makes both the Matron and Sabrina smile a little, though the latter is still stressed. "As much as my husband would prefer our daughter from ever hearing about this subject, you are correct. This incident has just made our timing more clear now. May I use your office? I think I need to cover more than what a mother would prefer and my husband is scandalized enough."
Sirius watched his wife take his daughter into the adjacent office and the Matron eventually left them to it, closing the door. Her eyes went straight to Sirius' and he had to admit, he had never seen murder in the Hogwarts Healer's eyes before. "I take it… that your break with the Potters wasn't just the fact that they not only abandoned one of the twins, your Heiress for that matter, but the fact that something like that happened at all?" Sirius sighed. "Was I mad that my brother in everything but name abandoned his daughter just because she was supposedly a squib, beyond a doubt? But to fail to guarantee her safety, to in some degree be responsible for my little girl being introduced to the most vile acts any adult can do to a child under their care? … Rhea needing a loving father in her life and not in Azkaban is the only reason I haven't murdered James Potter, not to mention Henry, despite his poor behaviour, deserves to have his father as well. My family may have let go of squibs in the past as well, but they were always monitored, supplied and cared for. Family comes First, no matter what. Dorea would have been the first in line to murder James had she still been alive."
Pomfrey nodded as she looked at the closed door, "The animals that did it?" Sirius couldn't bring any sadness into his voice, "Dead. The moment is really confusing in Rhea's memories of the night, though I am sure she now has a better grasp as to what happened, but she won't talk about it. Her only comment on the matter is deadpan, "They spent 7 years bringing Hell upon a little girl. Magic paid them back in a matter of seconds. It was too good for them." Pomfrey sat down at one of the patient's beds and cupped her face. "Hecate help me, but she is right. Those animals were bloody fortunate. May Hades have no mercy in their suffering." Sirius smiled sadly. Tonight was going to be a long night for his little girl. He silently whispered in his mind a prayer. "Persephone, watch over our little girl. She has named you her patron, so please, watch over her as blessed Demeter watched over you."
Draco rushed over to his cousin and pulled her into a hug. She stilled in his arms but relaxed and hugged him back. "Morning Cousin." Draco released her and looked her over. "You ok now?" Rhea smiled back, her cousin's concern warming her heart. "I am now. What did I miss last night?" She looked over and saw the Beauxbatons delegation at the Ravenclaw table. She started to sweat. The altered barriers were up but until the Veela student was around her, she wouldn't know if the alterations worked. She hoped that Pomfrey reached out in time to the French Healer who accompanied the students to spread the word to the students. They really needed to figure out what to do. For now though, "Do you think that the Slytherins would mind if I joined you all for breakfast today?" Draco dragging her to the table was the only answer she received. She saw concern on the faces of her friends across the Houses, including Hermione.
Rhea finally notices the item in front of the Staff Table. She had to practically shield her eyes when she used Mage Sight on it. "Does the overly enchanted Cup with Flames have anything to do with the Tournaments?" Daphne answered for her, "That's the Goblet of Fire. The item selects the Champion based on what its enchantments read off a piece of paper with the person's name and school and on Samhain night will decide who competes. The signup sheets for the Quidditch and Dueling Tournament are the two Parchments next to it. People will be allowed to sign up to 2 nights after the Champion Selection, just in case a person chooses to participate in case the Cup fails to pick them." Rhea hummed and looked around, seeing a few people walking up to the Goblet and dropping their names in. "Is there a condition in keeping people's names from being submitted against their will?" The silence at the Slytherin's table surprised her and she looked at everyone's face. The dawning horror of her words spread across the entire length. Draco's sudden "Not that we were told" was followed by the closest Prefect making a sprint towards Professor Snape at the Staff Table.
The discussion among the Hogwarts Staff and the Heads of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang delegations got quite loud and heated after that, with Professors Flitwick and Moody taking charge. Consider the Head of Ravenclaw House and the ex-Auror were aware of her desire to stay out of the tournament and how high her skillset is compared to every other student, Rhea felt a bit warm about the concern they were expressing, since she was more than likely someone who could suffer the lack of foresight. Rhea really hated how little the Magicals of the world used their brain. She did note that conversations at the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables were getting louder. She was just finishing her meal when an animated paper bird landed next to her hand. After scanning it wandlessly, she opened it and read the note. Rhea leaned over to Draco. "Susan wants me to come over and talk over an issue she is having. I'll see you guys later." Rhea tapped Draco on the back and smiled at him, getting a smile back and a nod.
Susan doesn't waste time and hugs Rhea as soon as she sits down. "You scared the hell out of us! Everything ok?" Rhea tapped her shoulder to get Susan to let go, "Working on it. Need to get a few things in order before I am good as new. What can I do for you, Sue?" Susan lets go and points across from her at Cedric Diggory. "Diggory here is conflicted about putting his name up for the Triwizard Tournament. You are the best at convincing people with logic, so it's your job." Rhea stares at Susan who eventually sighs, "Please? I promise to stop bugging you about the Dueling Tournament if you do it." Rhea didn't hesitate. "Alright Heir Diggory, why are you still interested in the Death Sport of Magical Europe?" Susan's slap to her shoulder didn't deter Rhea from smiling.
Cedric sighed, "I guess I want to prove I am more than just a pretty face and a Quidditch player. The 1000 Galleons would be nice and just participating in it will be part of me forever."
Rhea just stared at him, "Ok Cedric, let's put the Tournament aside. You're a 6th year, so in 2 years you will be taking your NEWTs and going out into the world. What do you want to do then? Ministry Employee, ICW delegate, Auror, Unspeakable, or Wizengamot member?" Cedric actually takes a moment to think about it and Rhea looks over at the Staff Table. Dumbledore looks tired but is still arguing with the Durmstrang Headmaster. "I would like to maybe play professional Quidditch. It's a lot of fun and definitely pays well. I wouldn't mind working in the Ministry, but I don't really see myself at a desk every day. Not much for brains or heroics so no Unspeakable or Auror work. I will probably be on the Wizengamot when my Dad hands over control to me, though I hope it's a few years away."
Rhea nods, "Nice, now let me ask you this. What will look better for a Quidditch career, Triwizard Champion or Seeker for the first Inter House Hogwarts Quidditch Team in centuries? Let's be honest, Potter is going to be in the Triwizard Tournament, whether you put your name in or not. Hell, I could see him still getting dragged in even if you won the Hogwarts spot because he is just a bloody trouble magnet. That means two things. If you are in the Tournament with him, there are going to be issues that Dumbledore and the Organizers won't foresee and people can get hurt or killed for it, and that's not counting the dangers already programmed for the blasted event. On the other hand, that means your biggest competition for the Quidditch Tournament is out of the running, Draco is my cousin but he is a better Chaser than Seeker and he knows it and Cho is only a little bit better than Draco and that's when she's not staring at your ass. Oww!, Sue, what the hell?"
Susan wacks her shoulder, "Language and get back on topic." Cedric steals a glance at Cho who blushes when their eyes meet. "Where was I? Ah, yes. So, you are a shoe in for Seeker, Angelina from the Lions is probably your only competition for Captain and you already have a year of her experience leading the team. So, not only Seeker for Team Hogwarts, but probably Captain, against Beauxbatons who aren't known to have competitions between their own students and Durmstrang, whose best player is probably going to be in the Triwizard Tournament anyway. Is my thinking Slytherin? Sure. But it will be up to you to win the Competition. Scouts for the professional teams will be watching, so that's one thing you don't have to worry about and once you're on a professional team, your behaviour in and out of the Pitch will mark you for when you take your father's seat, so you will be a known quantity. So tell me, Cedric, you signing up for the collateral casualty list or a Quidditch Career- Oww! Quit it, Sue, I am telling him the bloody truth!"
Susan smacked her shoulder again, "You can do it without traumatizing him! And you know what you did! Now I have to call Auntie and get her to send more Aurors to cover the event because of course you are bloody right!" Rhea was sticking out her tongue at her friend who was about to wack her again before Dumbledore cleared his throat and addressed the Great Hall. "Due to concerns for the student's safety brought to our attention, please refrain from entering any further names into the Goblet of Fire until tomorrow morning, when we hope this little oversight is taken care of. I invite our students to remain here in the Great Hall and engage with our guests on this fine day, though our Prefects will be doing some tours of our Castle for all students who are interested. I am also sure that there will be some non-official tours so please remember that the Forbidden Forest is Forbidden to All students, not just those from Hogwarts. Thank you and enjoy the rest of your day."
Rhea looked at the doors to the Beauxbatons' Carriage and knocked, her stomach deciding that now was a good time to have a food fight. She really just wanted to go back to Ravenclaw Tower. Or maybe back home with Mom at the shop, even if her cousins were running the business now while Mom spent more time in the Potions Lab at Grimmauld that Dad refurbished and modernized for Mom as a wedding present. Either way, she'd be far away from the current situation that was sure to leave her with an ulcer. The door opened and a staff of the Beauxbatons Academy looked her over. Her decently accented voice didn't feel very welcoming, "Can we help you with something?" Rhea swallowed the lump in her throat, "I have an appointment with Healer Smyth. May I come in?" The staff member looked at his notes, "Prasinos?" Rhea nodded, glad she had gone with her Mother's maiden name.
The staff member stepped out of the carriage and stepped outside. "Please enter, I will take you to the infirmary in a moment." Stepping into the Carriage was like walking into a Wixen's Tent, the inside heavily expanded by magic. The carriage was either made during the height of French artistry or in imitation of it. Only Versailles could be more ostentatious. The staffer opened a door with Healer's Smyth name and title written on a plaque. When Rhea stepped inside she had to think about it for a second. "Are all the doors in the carriage portals into another time and style?" The woman in a doctors' white coat behind the desk just laughed, "Not all, but when I took my position in the Academy it came with the stipulation that I would be keeping a more modern approach to medical aesthetics." Rhea shrugged, "Madam Pomfrey's feels like it's 1941, so I would call that a small victory." Healer Smith chuckled. "I would too."
Rhea looked at the Healer. She was younger than Pomfrey but older than Mom, blonde hair cut short and loose and grey eyes. The Healer pointed at the chair in front of her desk and both sat down. "Madam Pomfrey's late night missive was quite unexpected. While I haven't covered the reasons as to why you reacted poorly, Madam Maxime and myself, offer you an apology from Beauxbatons. Your Healer was quite correct that no study has ever been conducted on a person with your … particular experiences. I won't ask you to take part in one now but do consider the value of documenting the situation." Rhea nodded, "As a Healer in training, believe me that I understand the value of such a study and I would be happy to help, but only if the strictest privacies are maintained. Something like this should only be shared with one's family and I refuse to place any further complications on my family because of me."
Healer Smyth nodded, "I thank you for your mature opinion on the matter and assure you that we will be keeping all identifying information off the records. My question to you is if you'd like to inform the student who will be helping us out of your real name. It may be hard to conceal the situation if she were to address you via a pseudonym outside of the planned sessions." Rhea took a deep breath and released it. "This problem is affecting her as much as it's affecting me. It's only fair that she knows who I am and why. I do have this, however." She pulls out a roll of parchment. "My Father and the Family Solicitor drafted it last night. It's written in such a way that neither one's life or magic is forfeit but it does stipulate some steep consequences should the information be released by the student in question with malicious intent."
Healer Smyth reads through the contract, "As the young lady in question is already 17 and doesn't require her parents' acceptance of the document, I have no problem showing this to her. If she agrees to sign it, then we can begin the session. I will be right back." Rhea stays seated in the office as she goes through the Occlumency exercises that were developed to add a layer against Veela Allure. She hoped the added changes to her Occlumency protections worked. Healer Smyth returned with the contract, "The young lady agrees with the contract's conditions. I will be acting as a witness so please follow me." The area the Healer took Rhea to looked like a dance studio, through the mirrors were either turned around or blocked out. At the edge, near a window that showed, Rhea assumed, a scene from France. Even without the Allure, the 17 year old Veela was beautiful. Her blue eyes turned and looked at her own.
Rhea sat down opposite of her and Healer Smyth at the chair between them. Once the contract was on the desk, Rhea cast2 several scans to make sure nothing had been altered. A soft voice with a heavy French accent broke the silence, "Paranoid, yes?" Rhea smiled and switched to French, " It's only paranoia if no one is out to get you. In my position, someone always is. " The stunned look on the Healer and Veela lasted till Rhea signed the contract, after which both of them also signed. The contract duplicated itself and Rhea gave one copy to the young Veela. "Kreacher." The Black Family house elf popped inside the room and Rhea handed him the contract. "Please take this to the Lord and Lady Black so they can have our Solicitor verify it and store it in our Vault. If you see Aunt Bella please say hi for me and double any desserts she has tonight." The elf beamed and nodded before popping away.
"I … take it you are the Heiress to the House of Black?" Rhea smiled at the Veela, "I wish I could say it is a pleasure to meet you, Heiress Delacour, but circumstances aren't what either of us would prefer." Fleur nodded. "I understand. Would you like us to begin?" Rhea looked at the Healer, "One session of exposure therapy coming right up." The Healer winced, "I suppose that is an accurate description. Ms. Delacour will be releasing her Allure to the level she usually keeps it when not concentrating. We hope to get you to be able to operate at the very least at this point, though depending on the results, we may have to make adjustments. Ms Delacour, you may begin."
…
…
"You like that, don't you girl!" "Please, stop! Uncle Vernon, stop!"
(Slap) "Feel that girl! Enjoy it! It's what you deserve! (Soft grunts) "s..t..op…"
"Come here, Girl! I heard what happened at school! You need to be reminded of your place!"
(A naked body of a little girl twists itself into the fetal position, tears mixing with blood on her cheeks and mattress.) "Please… don't let me wake up… please…!"
…
…
A light makes Rhea's eyes hurt after opening them as her mind starts snapping back into place. The stark white roof of the Beauxbatons carriage's infirmary comes into focus, as does a familiar face. "Sorry Madam Pomfrey, I keep ending up under your care rather than instruction." The Hogwarts Healer gives her a soft smile, "Believe me Ms. Black, I would prefer that too. How are you feeling?" Rhea couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice. "Like I just relieved one of my many traumatic nights at a monster's house." The wince on Pomfrey's face was sharp. "I believe that Healer Smyth and Miss Delacour… miscalculated the amount of Allure you were exposed to." She looked up and towards the foot of the bed where Healer Smyth was writing down on her notes. She looked horrible. Madam Pomfrey wasn't holding back. "You didn't take the effect distance had on the impact and so Miss Black took a more … concentrated dose."
Healer Smyth rubbed her eyes, "Yes, I am afraid we did forget how distance affects the Allure. It's not exactly something heavy discussed, though in hindsight it is hinted at. Based on the … acute reaction we will be taking a much more staged approach." Pomfrey nodded and turned back to Rhea, giving her a potion. "Calming Draught, should take the edge off while you rebuild the barriers around your memories." Rhea downed it quickly, ignoring the taste. She sat up and looked around the room. "How is Ms. Delacour?" Healer Smyth winced this time. "Your … reaction wasn't like anything she expected. She's in the Headmistress' office speaking with her mother. She is willing to continue to help you get used to the Allure but the experience today has shaken her."
Rhea sighed, "I imagine that her people always being treated as monsters combined with stories of Veela victims of the slave trade hadn't prepared her when actually confronted with the less pleasant aspects of a Veela's effects on others." Smyth just looked at Rhea, sadness in her eyes, "That … is putting it mildly. All Veela raised outside of a conclave experience a level of victimhood, though Miss Delacour's has been less severe than most thanks to Madam Maxime and Beauxbatons' policies in general. To see and hear the effect she had on you by her Allure being twisted by your own horrors… it will leave its mark, that's for sure." Rhea nodded softly, "Would it be possible for me to talk to her before I head back to the castle?" Smyth finished writing on his notepad and headed for the door. "I will see if her floocall home is over."
Pomfrey spoke into the silence, "As much as I would like to have you heal at the Hospital Wing, Miss Black, I believe your sessions should all take place within the Beauxbatons' carriage. Your cover as a Prasinos family member can help keep the French students from guessing as to the real reason as to why you are here and the privacy of Healer's Smyth's infirmary will likely be a necessity for you. Do inform me when you are coming here from now on Miss Black, just so I know if my services may be required." Rhea smiled at the Hogwarts Healer, "I will ma'am. Thank you." The door opened and Smyth entered with a tearful Fleur behind. The Veela sat down on the chair Pomfrey vacated. " I am so sorry. When the Healer told me you fainted yesterday, I thought that was the worst that could happen. I… you screamed. I don't know if I will ever forget your screams!" Tears began to flow down her cheeks again in earnest.
Rhea smiled, " I am sorry that you now carry a share of my horrors. My parents and my deceased grandmother all carry the full extent of my memories, though muted to an extent. I know that I am asking a lot of you and if you wish to stop here, we can. " Fleur looked at her incredulously, "You… you… I should be saying that to you! How can you think of my wellbeing before your own?!" Rhea cracked a smile, "A twisted sense of self and a Healer's training?" The silence was followed by both Smyth and Pomfrey glaring at her though Rhea refused to apologize. The small smile she got out of a dishevelled Fleur Delacour was worth it.
Hermione waited for everyone else to leave before approaching Susan. The entire group meeting today had been more muted than the previous ones. Rhea was… off. She smiled and laughed with the others but it never quite reached her eyes. She told everyone that it was due to a combination of factors, one of which was a Veela's Allure. Hermione had read about them and was surprised at the negative effect it had on her new friend. The thought that Rhea was probably attracted to girls had crossed her mind, though she wasn't as blatant at it as Henry and the other boys were. Then again, she had never seen Rhea flirt before. The closest thing that came to mind was Susan and Rhea's playful banter and jostling and that Daphne clearly cared for her, but none of those seemed romantic or bordering on it. For now though, she had to put her friend out of her mind. She had something else to ask of Susan. "Do you have a moment?"
Susan nodded and sat down, "What's up?" Hermione bit her lip. "During my summer I was invited to Potter Manor and got a chance to be in the Family Library. While there I found a portrait, a picture and some stuff that might have something to do with why the Potter's and Black's are at each other's throats. I know you don't like Henry and I agree that he can be a prat at times but he is also a friend and I think he and Rhea could be friends too, but not as long as this feud remains boiling between their parents. Think you can help me out?" Susan stared at her while organising her thoughts, "Not to help Rhea and Henry be friends. I think that ship sailed a long time ago. But the feud between their parents is bad and Auntie would prefer not to see her Head Auror and her friend from the Wizengamot kill each other, so I can try and help there. What can you tell me?"
Hermione decided to go through with it. She'd stop the fight between Rhea and Henry on her own. "Have you ever heard the name Halley Potter?" Susan frowned in thought, "No, I haven't. Who was she?" Hermione sat down, "That's the thing. It feels like no one knows she exists. According to Charlus Potter's portrait and a picture I found in some magical journal belonging to Dorea Black, she was Henry's twin sister. She was born and everything, since the picture was of both Potter's holding a baby each, but after that there is nothing. Henry once told me he wished he had a sister, implying that he doesn't know he had one, so he clearly wasn't told. The portrait said that Halley's name was never spoken by anyone other than Sirius before he got sent to prison and never again till I asked. The thing that makes me feel like this might tie to the feud is that Halley had been Sirius' goddaughter." Susan froze at that, "sworn or unsworn?" Hermione thought for a second.
"Charlus said he was her sworn Godfather. Why?" Susan paled. "Hermione, a Godparent's Oath sworn is done by magic ritual. You can't break it. My Auntie is my sworn godmother. If Sirius so much as tried to hurt his goddaughter, he could drop dead. The oath also covers much more but essentially Sirius would have been like a third parent to the girl. If… we need to go to the library and check the Daily Prophet archives. Come on!" Hermione would admit that this was the first time she was ever physically dragged into the Library. It was usually the other way around. They went through the Newspaper Archives and Hermione saw the announcement concerning the death of Charlus Potter and Dorea Potter née Black. It wasn't until a few days later, after the news of Sirius' imprisonment, that the death of Halley Potter was reported in the obituaries.
Susan read the announcement and frowned. "This… doesn't make any sense. It says she died on the night of October 31st with her grandparents, but there is no such announcement in the newspapers concerning the attack. Nothing! If she had died then, why not say so." Hermione looked at the newspaper. "What if she didn't die on that night but later and they were forced to report it? Would this count?" Susan nodded but froze, "Oh, shit. If Halley didn't die because of You-Know-Who but for another reason and the Potters refused to tell Sirius… It be like a parent being denied information on their child's wellbeing. The fact that the child died would make it worse. Lord Black is furious at the Lord and Lady Potter because not only did they lie to him about her wellbeing, but they simply never told him until he got out."
Hermione could see that being an issue. Magicals took their children very seriously and if what she read about the Black's was right, they value family above all else. "What if there are more lies though? You said her death couldn't be like it was reported, but what if nothing happened as described. Could something worse have happened to Halley and Sirius only found out about it 9 years later?" Susan thought about it and agreed. "That's possible too. This is really serious Hermione, like serious enough for criminal charges. I need to tell my Auntie. She won't go public with this but she needs to find out what happened. If something bad happened to Halley Potter and Sirius was in fact her sworn godfather, then it's not an if there will be a war, it's a question of when ."
Hermione went to sleep that night full of trepidation. She had always liked the Potters. Mrs. Potter was always nice and both she and Mr. Potter clearly loved their son. But there was also supposed to be a daughter of Henry's age in the family. A girl who she should have been introduced to, someone who maybe shared Lily Potter's love of books. Or maybe she would have liked flying like James and Henry. Where once she had a clear image of the Potter's as a happy family, now it felt like there was a shadow. It had the shape of a little girl. A girl that should have been there for 13 years, yet no trace beyond a factually wrong obituary was found. She didn't know why but the thought of never having met Halley Potter made Hermione cry. For the first time since the incident with the Troll, Hermione Granger went to sleep with tears in her eyes.