Telara’s first term at Hogwarts continued along relatively smoothly. Even with Hermione’s help, she was still terrible in Arithmancy. But she didn't feel nearly as lost as she usually did. She liked her other classes much better. She was learning so much even though it seemed her brain would explode sometimes. What she cherished more than anything was having friends with whom she could be totally open and honest.
The students had finally become accustomed to running every morning. Telara wasn’t entirely sure Neville was going to survive the first week. But he did and surprisingly seemed to be almost enjoying himself during the runs. Telara began to enjoy running about the school grounds herself as her body became adjusted to the routine.
Her new friends still thought she was crazy for enjoying Potions. Her enthusiasm had not diminished in the least. Telara suspected that Professor Snape had actually come to respect her skill though he would never ever admit it. He had even selected Telara to make Professor Lupin’s Wolfsbane Potion for the first full moon of the school year. She was confident that she had done a good job, but she was still anxious to see Professor Lupin after the full moon to make sure he was alright. His weary but bright smile upon rejoining the school gave Telara the assurance she needed.
The first Quidditch game of the season was an incredible experience for Telara. She had no idea of how fast and exciting a real game would be. Seamus told her that professional Quidditch was even faster but Telara couldn’t quite imagine that yet.
Gryffindor won its first game against Ravenclaw easily. Harry caught the Snitch only five minutes into the game. Ron didn’t get to block even one scoring attempt.
The next game against Slytherin would be another matter entirely. Ron and Harry were out late many nights practicing and spying on the Slytherin practice sessions. The December game was soon upon them.
Ron had done an excellent job as team Captain and Keeper. Harry had been offered the position of co-captain along side Ron, but he declined wanting his friend to have the spotlight to himself for once. He was proud of how well Ron was managing the team.
Ron’s new plays worked quite well against Slytherin. After half an hour of play, he had let in only one goal. Harry was circling the Pitch in search of the Golden Snitch. It was being quite elusive. Telara saw that Malfoy kept on Harry’s tail instead of looking for the Snitch himself.
Not so brilliant after all, are you Malfoy? Telara thought.
The score was staying pretty low. The Slytherins were using all means possible to waylay the Gryffindor Chasers. The Gryffindors protested when Goyle sent a bludger at Ginny’s head. But she dodged it and still managed to score a goal.
All of a sudden, Harry sped off toward the Gryffindor goals. Malfoy took off after him. Telara saw the snitch about twenty feet in front of Harry. Harry’s Firebolt was doing a great job of catching up to it, but Malfoy’s Nimbus 2001 was close behind him. Both had to perform a quick U-turn as the Snitch sped back toward the Slytherin goals. This put Malfoy even with Harry in the chase. Neither Seeker was able to reach for the Snitch. They were too busy trying to knock each other off their broomsticks. As they flew within inches of the Gryffindors, everyone gasped and braced for possible impact. Telara was the first to recover from the shock and shouted “Go Harry!”
Without even thinking about it, Malfoy turned to glare at the familiar voice. This gave Harry the advantage he needed. He put on an extra burst of speed and plucked the Snitch out of the air. The Gryffindors went wild as their team descended to the ground and began celebrating their victory.
The Slytherin team slinked back to the locker rooms. Malfoy was furious as he changed back into his school robes. There was no way he would take the blame for losing the game for Slytherin.
It’s that damn American’s fault for pulling my focus, he seethed as he slammed his locker closed.
The rest of Gryffindor house rushed out on the field to congratulate their team. Telara found Ron first and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before he was lifted onto the shoulders of his dorm mates. As he and Harry were carried back up to the school, Telara couldn’t believe that she had kissed Ron.
What got into me? she wondered.
The common room barely held the victory party that continued until early the next morning. Fred and George would have been proud. Around midnight, Ron came across Telara in the midst of the crowd. Both were flushed with the warmth of the room and the surprise of seeing each other.
“Well done, Ron,” managed Telara.
“Thank you,” grinned Ron. “Can I ask you a question?”
All Telara could force out of her brain was a nod.
“Would you go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?” asked Ron.
Telara couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. “I would love to!”
“Great! I’ll see you,” Ron began before half of the Gryffindor team grabbed him by the back of his robes and pulled him to the stairs to make a speech.
“Well,” Ron began, “Thanks so much for your support. We couldn’t be such a great team without all of you. The Quidittich Cup will be ours again this year!”
The room erupted in cheers as the celebration kicked back up again. Telara wasn’t able to find Ron again in the crowded room and settled for girl talk with Parvati and Lavender by the fire.
The girls decided it was bedtime around two o’clock in the morning. As they made their way toward the stairs, Hermione joined them. Once they reached the quiet of the room, the conversation gravitated to the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend.
“Does everyone have dates for this weekend?” asked Parvati.
“I’ll be going with Ernie, of course,” said Lavender.
“I still can’t believe you’re dating him,” interjected Parvati. “I really can’t believe he had the courage to ask you out in the first place.”
“Let’s just say I gave him the right inspiration,” Lavender responded with a suggestive gleam in her eye.
“Ewwwww,” responded the other girls. “Too much information!”
The giggling continued for the next few minutes as they struggled to suppress it.
“Well, Hermione, I’m sure you’re going with Ron and Harry. What about you, Telara?” she asked.
“Oh, well,” she began as she looked at Hermione nervously. “Ron asked me to go with him so I guess I’ll be joining you.”
The room became deathly silent. It seemed like an eternity passed before Telara decided to break the tension.
“So, Parvati, who are you going with?” she asked.
“Um…um,” mumbled Parvati. She was not sure they should stay on the topic. Hermione looked like she might lose it any second. “I’m going with Terry. He caught up with me after the Quidditch game and asked me.”
“Well, it should just be a wonderful weekend then,” mumbled Hermione before she walked dejectedly out of the room.
“I was afraid of that,” revealed Telara. “She fancies Ron, doesn’t she?”
The other girls nodded in agreement. Everyone looked distracted as they got settled in for the night.
Hermione stormed back in the room and headed quickly for her bed.
“Hermione,” Telara began.
“I’m tired and really don’t want to talk right now,” sighed Hermione as she pulled the curtains around her bed closed.
When Telara woke up the next day, Hermione had already left the room. Telara made sure her roommates know that she hadn’t meant to upset her.
“We know,” responded Lavender.
“Ron’s the one who asked you out. It’s not your fault,” added Parvati.
“Well, I still feel bad. Do you think Ron likes her too?” asked Telara.
“I always thought he did,” answered Lavender. “But if he’s asking you out maybe he’s given up on her.”
“Let’s go,” said Parvati. “They’re going to start running without us.”
I am so stupid! Telara berated herself. How am I going to get out of this mess?
The girls got down the front steps just as everyone started off on the run. They stretched a bit before bringing up the rear of the group. Telara saw Hermione at the very front with Neville. She didn’t think she would be able to catch her without losing her breath and the ability to speak in the process.
By the time the Telara, Parvati and Lavendar got back to Gryffindor tower to clean up for breakfast, Hermione was already out the portrait hole.
When the girls arrived in the Great Hall, Telara spotted Hermione and started towards her. Telara was glad that she didn’t seem to notice her entrance. She was sure Hermione would run off if she noticed her heading that way. She had almost gotten to Hermione when she heard a leering voice shout at her across the room.
“I suppose you think you’re a big hero now!”
Telara froze as Hermione suddenly became aware of her presence. Hermione grabbed her things and ran off as Malfoy approached Telara.
“You have bloody perfect timing, you know that, Malfoy?” Telara shouted.
“Didn’t you hear what I said?” challenged Malfoy.
“Not really and I’m not really interested in knowing,” retorted Telara as she ran back out of the Great Hall to find Hermione.
Draco Malfoy was not used to being cast aside. He was used to everyone hanging on his every word and satisfying his every whim. Telara greatly unsettled him and he didn’t like it one bit.
Telara searched the staircase and surrounding corridors for Hermione. There was no sign of her anywhere.
She is fast! thought Telara.
Telara was so busy looking for Hermione that she arrived at the greenhouse barely in time for class. Hermione ended up working with a couple of Hufflepuff girls so Telara couldn’t talk with her. She tried to catch her after class, but Hermione eluded her again.
As she approached Hagrid’s hut for Care of Magical Creatures, Telara spotted Hermione inside Hagrid’s hut. She didn’t come outside until Hagrid started teaching so Telara couldn’t talk to her yet again.
When the class ended, she barely caught sight of Hermione practically sprinting up to the castle. As Telara stood there not quite sure all this effort was worth it, Ron and Harry came up beside her.
“What’s wrong with her?” asked Ron.
“You probably did something, Ron,” joked Harry.
“I swear I didn’t. I’m innocent this time,” declared Ron.
Telara couldn’t quite bring herself to explain the situation to Ron and Harry. She had enough aggravation in her life at the moment. She didn’t want to rehash the whole thing.
They walked back up to the Great Hall for lunch. Hermione wasn’t there.
Well, she won’t be able to avoid me in Arithmancy. Telara vowed to herself.
Telara ate quickly and made her way to the Arithmancy classroom. Hermione sat on the floor beside the door reading a book. She looked up when she heard Telara’s footsteps. She sighed deeply and turned her head back to her book.
Telara sat down in front of Hermione on the floor.
“I’m sorry I’ve upset you,” said Telara. “I won’t go if you don’t want me to.”
“I know you are. I’ll be fine,” quietly responded Hermione, “We’ll have fun showing you around Hogsmeade.”
Hermione’s smile and words seemed a bit forced, but right now Telara would take what she could get.
“Thank you, Hermione,” whispered Telara as the corridor filled with students coming from lunch.
Even though Hermione was not openly avoiding Telara anymore, there was still tension between the two as they sat through Arithmancy and headed to dinner.
Ron and Harry were already stuffing themselves in the Great Hall when Telara and Hermione joined them.
“Goodness, boys,” scolded Hermione. “Are we hungry?”
“Well, you must be feeling better,” commented Ron.
“I feel just fine. Thank you very much,” responded Hermione.
Dinner was its usual lively affair with everyone discussing their day and complaining about their mounting piles of homework. Telara was relieved that she had survived the day with her friendship with Hermione intact. It may not be quite healthy again, but intact nevertheless.
The rest of the week passed by quickly and before Telara realized it, it was Friday evening. Ron found Telara studying on the sofa by the fire and sat down next to her.
“You want to meet for breakfast in the morning before we head to Hogsmeade?” asked Ron.
“That would be nice,” answered Telara.
“Good! Well, I’ll meet you down here at eight o’clock then,” said Ron, “Good night.”
“Good night,” echoed Telara.
Once Ron was gone, Telara got up and found Hermione in their room.
“I just spoke with Ron. We’re meeting for breakfast at eight. I hope you and Harry will be there too,” said Telara.
“Yeah, we’ll be there,” responded Hermione.
Hermione didn’t sound too enthusiastic, but Telara didn't want to screw things up with Hermione again so she didn't push it.
Despite her apprehension, Telara was excited to explore the village she had only seen briefly through a carriage window. She was exhausted after her emotionally charged day and fell asleep quickly.
Telara woke early the next morning. She was ready for her first real trip to Hogsmeade. It didn’t take her as long as she would have liked to get showered and dressed. She still had an hour to burn before it was time to meet Ron. She headed downstairs to find something to help pass the time. She sat down in front of the now empty fireplace and attempted to read her Transfiguration textbook.
“Couldn’t sleep in either?” asked Ron.
Telara jumped a couple of inches off the sofa in her surprise at hearing Ron’s voice. They both laughed as Ron sat down next to her.
“Do you have any idea what you want to do in Hogsmeade?” asked Ron.
“Nope. I’m just going to let you show me the popular spots. I’m all yours,” Telara answered.
Ron blushed as thoughts crossed his mind that he wouldn’t dare express. They sat and talked until Hermione and then Harry came downstairs.
“Well, let’s eat!” exclaimed Ron.
“Yeah. Let’s get some real food before we buy out Honeydukes,” added Harry.
The girls fell in behind Ron and Harry as they walked out of the portrait hole. Telara glanced at Hermione but couldn’t quite determine her mood.
If she’s upset, she’s putting on a good face to hide it, thought Telara.
Telara still couldn’t believe there was a village that consisted of only wizards. She had a few galleons left from her visit to Gringott's and was ready to shop.
The boys insisted that Zonko’s be their first stop. Hermione rolled her eyes as she gave in to their exuberance. Telara was impressed by the joke shop. She still liked the Weasley’s store better, but this one was fun too. Telara got some mischievous ideas of what she could do to Malfoy, but decided that ignoring him would be the better option.
Ron and Harry both had their arms full as they headed for the register. Telara and Hermione both shook their heads wondering if boys would ever change, but hoping deep down that they really wouldn’t.
Telara was much more impressed by Honeydukes. She laughed when she saw the ice mice candy.
So Papadore’s sweet tooth rules his choice of passwords, chuckled Telara to herself.
Hermione and Telara got their revenge by making Ron and Harry go into Wizard’s Gladrags. The boys looked bored to death as Telara and Hermione tried on as many robes as they could. When the girls were sure they had tortured the boys to their breaking points, they suggested that they were ready for lunch. Ron and Harry leapt from their chairs and practically ran out of the store.
They entered the Three Broomsticks and managed to grab a table. Ron sat next to Telara but she took care not to sit to close. She didn’t want to trouble Hermione when they were having such a nice time. Ron, Harry and Hermione took turns telling Telara about their adventures during their first six years at Hogwarts.
The group split up once they entered a gift store. Each seemed to have the others’ Christmas presents in mind and wanted a bit of privacy to buy them. They met up outside each holding big bags full of gifts.
“Well, my list is finished for the day,” stated Hermione.
“You had a list! No way!” scoffed Ron.
“Very funny, Ronald. Do you want to see the Shrieking Shack, Telara?” asked Hermione.
“Ooh, yes! After the stories you’ve told, I have to see it in person,” Telara replied.
The group started off down the street in the direction of the Shrieking Shack. They would have to hurry since the sun would be setting soon. As they passed an alley, Telara caught someone watching them out the corner of her eye. She looked around just in time to see a black cape swish out of view. She stomach took a sudden plunge but she talked herself out of being scared of something she wasn’t entirely sure she saw correctly.
As they approached the fence surrounding the grounds of the Shrieking Shack, Telara felt a sense of dread permeate her. She didn’t know why she was afraid. The trio had told her how the Shrieking Shack had gotten its reputation for being haunted. She had no reason to fear it. She felt herself trembling slightly as Ron came up beside her and put his arm around her shoulders.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “You look a little freaked out.”
“I don’t know,” responded Telara. “Something just feels wrong around here. I can’t figure out what it is.”
At that moment, they heard movement in the trees and turned to see the source. They briefly saw a hooded figure in black before it disappeared deeper into the trees.
“I saw that person as we were leaving the village. I think he’s following us,” said Telara.
“Harry, Hermione, let’s go!” commanded Ron as he whipped out his wand. “Right now!”
“What’s going on?” demanded Harry as he struggled to keep up with Ron and Telara.
“Someone’s following us. We need to get back to Hogwarts,” explained Ron.
Hermione and Harry exchanged nervous glances as they too took out their wands and sped along with Ron and Telara.
They didn’t relax until their carriage passed through the gates of Hogwarts. As they headed inside, Harry proposed a plan of action.
“Ron, you get Telara to the common room. Hermione and I will go talk to Dumbledore. We’ll meet you in a little bit,” said Harry.
“Thanks mate,” said Ron.
As they went in opposite directions, Ron’s arm went back around Telara. He guided her through the portrait hole and to the sofa. Telara was glad to have him there to lean on. She snuggled up to Ron when they sat down. Ron was enjoying the smell of her hair when she sat up a bit and looked up at him.
“Thank you for everything today,” smiled Telara. “I had a wonderful time even with that scare at the end.”
“You’re welcome,” Ron whispered as he moved his face toward hers.
Telara was so tempted to give into the kiss that was coming, but the thought of Hermione’s feelings pulled her out of temptation’s way. As she pulled back from Ron, he gave her a surprised look.
“I’m sorry Ron,” gasped Telara. “I can’t.”
Ron’s face turned from surprised to puzzled as he noticed Telara struggling to breathe normally. He obviously had an effect on her. What was the problem?
“Ron, I have to tell you something. When you asked me to go to Hogsmeade with you, Hermione was just devastated. She really likes you Ron, and I think you like her too. I don’t want to stand in the way of that. You two have been through so much together and share a bond that should never be threatened,” quickly stated Telara.
Ron’s face once more changed. This time he was dumbstruck by the news that Telara had just given him.
“Do you like Hermione in that way, Ron?” Telara asked.
Ron was a bit embarrassed to be discussing this with a girl he had come within a centimeter of kissing mere seconds ago. But as he thought about her question, there was only one answer he could give her.
“Yes, I do,” admitted Ron. “I had given up after all this time. I didn’t think she could ever want me in that way.”
“Well, then, you have some thinking to do,” insisted Telara as she got up to go to her room.
“Yeah,” mumbled Ron as he started staring into the fire and processing all these new possibilities in his head.
“Good night, Ron, and good luck,” encouraged Telara as she kissed him on top of the head.
Telara laid in bed thinking about all that had happened that day. She remembered the wonderful memories she had made that day. She tried to not dwell on the fear that the hooded figure had caused. She also regretted turning down Ron even though she knew she did the right thing.
Sometimes having a conscience is a pain in the rear, she thought.
She looked up at the clock and noticed that two hours had already passed since she came up to her room. Hermione should have been back by now. She grinned to herself as she pictured what might be happening downstairs. She finally was able to turn off her mind and fall asleep just before a very happy Hermione snuck into the room.
The next morning Telara woke up very late. She was glad it was Sunday and she had the whole day to lounge around. She drowsed for a bit enjoying her warm bed and the quiet of the deserted dorm room. She eventually dragged herself out of bed at the insistence of her rumbling stomach. She put on some comfy jogging pants and sweatshirt and headed down to the common room.
Telara’s first vision as she entered the common room was a bushy head of hair in her face as Hermione flung herself upon her. She grinned as she returned Hermione’s bear hug.
“So, did you have a nice talk with Ron last night?” Telara asked in her most innocent sounding voice.
“You know good and well that I did,” replied Hermione with a big smile.
Hermione turned serious for just a minute as she looked at Telara.
“I can never thank you enough for what you did,” she stated with tears in her eyes.
“You can thank me by being happy,” responded Telara. "As long as you're not mushy all over the place," she added with a wink.
Ron walked up and took Hermione by the hand. He looked blissfully happy and any regret Telara might have been harboring vanished immediately.
The rest of the day was spent being extremely lazy in the common room. End of term exams were over and their only concern was packing for Christmas break. Telara tried to master Exploding Snap over the course of the day. When she got tired of that, she played chess with Ron. Telara found the only way she could win was if Hermione was next to Ron to distract him. He was very good at it.
The evening was spent talking by the fire. Ron and Hermione had disappeared so Harry sat with the other members of the Quidditch team going over their spectacular victory against Slytherin in precise detail. Telara half listened to them and half listened to Parvati and Lavender talk about their trips to Hogsmeade. She had dozed off when Parvati shook her shoulder around midnight.
“Time for bed?” Parvati asked.
“I guess so,” replied Telara. “How long have I been asleep?”
“Only about an hour. You missed Ron and Hermione try to sneak back into the common room,” giggled Lavender. “I guess they didn’t expect many of us to be up still.”
The girls found a flushed Hermione brushing her hair as they entered the room. Everyone tried to act normally, but it didn’t take long for the first laugh to burst out. Pretty soon, their laughter could be heard from the common room. The boys that were still up just shook their heads. They would never be able to understand girls.
The girls finally settled down and got into bed. A few more giggles erupted here and there but everyone was asleep within an hour or so.
The Gryffindors had no idea that their tower was being watched. This time the hooded man would not lose track of his prey.
Telara was almost giddy at breakfast the next morning. The Great Hall was buzzing as the students were talking about their different Christmas destinations before their departure on the Hogwarts Express.
Lavender and Parvati were spending Christmas at home with their respective families. Ron, Hermione and Harry would be staying at the Burrow for the holidays. Telara and her parents would be at her uncle’s house in London during the break.
After breakfast, the Gryffindors returned the dorms to collect their trunks before heading to the carriages that would take them to Hogsmeade.
The boys were standing in the common room waiting impatiently as the girls tugged their trunks down the stairs.
“We’re not going to get a compartment together if you don’t speed things up a bit,” complained Ron as he took Hermione’s trunk and strapped it to his own.
Hermione smiled at Ron’s chivalry as he strained to get both trunks through the portrait hole.
Despite Ron’s warning, they did find an empty compartment. Telara loved the old train instantly and cherished the entire ride back to London. They practically bought out the food cart when it came by and spent a happy afternoon eating and talking.
The view outside the window became more and more urban as they approached London. Telara was sorry the ride was ending but she was very excited to see her Nana and Gramps. She had never been away from them for this long.
When the train stopped at Platform 9 ¾, Ron and Harry got everyone’s trunks down. They said their goodbyes before leaving the train. They knew once they got on the platform, their families would demand their attention.
Once they stepped off the train, Telara searched the crowd for her Nana and Gramps. Ron, Harry, Ginny and Hermione were pulled into a big hug by a red-haired witch that had to be Ron’s mother. She pulled them towards the portal that connected the platform to the Muggle train station.
At the edge of the crowd, Edward stood with his brother and Bridget. He spotted Telara first and waved to get her attention. Telara saw him and fought her way through the crowd lugging her trunk behind her. She dropped the trunk and flung her arms around Edward’s neck.
“Telara, I can’t breathe,” gasped Edward.
“Sorry, Gramps,” smiled Telara. “I’m so glad to see you! Your turn, Nana!”
Telara took a gentler hold on Bridget.
“Happy Christmas, Nana,” Telara murmured in her ear.
“It’s a Happy Christmas now that we’re together,” responded Bridget as she pushed Telara out to arm’s length to assess the state of her daughter.
Once Bridget had determined that Telara had been well fed and well cared for, the group made their way to the portal.
Telara gave her Uncle a quick squeeze as they started walking. Since he was pulling her trunk, she would have to wait until they got to his house for a hug. There was a car waiting for them as they exited the train station. The driver took Telara’s trunk and they all fit comfortably in the magically enlarged back seat. Telara talked at top speed during the short drive to the Leaky Cauldron. She told them about arriving, Hagrid, the Sorting Hat (leaving out the warning part of it) and the feast before they arrived at the tavern.
They moved as quickly as they could through the tavern packed with last minute shoppers from Diagon Alley. The brick arch was still in place from the many witches and wizards going back and forth. Telara was thankful that her Christmas shopping was done as she fought her way through the throng toward her Uncle’s shop.
Mr. Ollivander’s home was behind and above his wand store. If you looked at it from the back, you would never guess that Diagon Alley and a store were on the other side. It was made of a rich red brick with blazing white trim. There were many windows that made the interior bright and airy. In contrast to the wand store, there was not a speck of dust or a cobweb anywhere.
“Uncle, you really should let Missy clean the shop,” commented Telara. “She does such a great job on your house.”
“I wish I could,” replied her Uncle. “But wizards get nervous when house elves have access to a wand. Much less a store full of wands.”
“Oh, I guess that’s true,” conceded Telara. “Too bad.”
Telara put the presents she bought under the tree before she let Edward take her trunk up to her room. She laid down on the bed and reveled in how big it was and how quiet her room seemed after living in the dormitories for a term. She closed her eyes.
I’ll just rest for a minute, she thought.
“Telara! Telara, dear, wake up. It’s time for dinner,” Bridget prodded.
“What? What time is it?” Telara asked.
“Seven o’clock,” answered Bridget. “I came up here to help you unpack and found you snoring.”
“I do not snore,” Telara argued.
“Yes, you do,” calmly insisted Bridget.
“I’d know if I snored,” asserted Telara.
“Hmm…that’s what your Gramps says,” Bridget grinned.
“Grrrr!” playfully growled Telara.
Bridget had gotten her there. You could hear her Gramps snore through a brick wall. No use continuing to argue. Bridget had won.
Telara untangled herself from her sheets and got out of bed. She kissed Bridget on the cheek before dashing down to the dining room. All the food she had eaten on the train was just a memory and she was ready for her Nana’s cooking.
Telara continued relaying the events of the past term throughout dinner. She had to repeat herself a lot, though, since she kept trying to talk with her mouth full.
Everyone moved into the living room where Edward started a roaring fire. Telara continued her stories of her first term at Hogwarts. Bridget laughed as Telara told her about the painting that helped her to Defence Against the Dark Arts on her second day.
“That would be Sir Ellsworth Palmer!” Bridget reminisced. “He helped me find your Gramps one day when I wanted a little revenge for a prank he pulled. Ask him for his Bloody Baron impression next time you see him.”
Edward blushed as he remembered how scared he and his roommates were when they thought they were locked in one of the dungeons with an angry Bloody Baron. It wasn’t the last time Bridget bested him at something. He soon joined Bridget in laughing over the memory.
Recent and old memories were exchanged this way until the grandfather clock in the entryway chimed midnight.
“Oh my goodness!” exclaimed Bridget. “It’s high time for bed. Telara, get upstairs.”
Telara just smiled at her Nana. It seemed odd to be sent to bed after almost four months of independence.
She gave good night kisses to her family before she went upstairs to get ready for bed. She relished having a bathroom to herself as she brushed her teeth and washed her face. It had only been five hours since her nap, but Telara was ready to go to bed again. She sank into the bed and pulled the duvet up around her ears. She smelled the comforting scent of freshly washed sheets and heard Bridget bustling around downstairs. It was all very soothing to Telara. When Bridget stuck her head in thirty minutes later, she found her daughter fast asleep.
The next days of Christmas break continued in similar fashion. Bridget made Telara do her reading and homework assignments early so she could be free to enjoy her holidays. It almost seemed to Telara that she was back home in Texas being home-schooled again. Except if she was in South Texas, Telara could be wearing jeans and a light shirt instead of thermal underwear and flannel.
Telara lay in bed Christmas morning. It was ten o’clock, but Telara didn’t want to get out of her cozy bed just yet. She could faintly hear Bridget in the kitchen and the low rumble of her Uncle and Gramps’ voices as they talked in the living room.
The sun coming in the window kept Telara from falling back to sleep. She finally flipped back the duvet and got herself out of bed. She put on her warmest slippers and ventured downstairs.
“Well, there she is!” exclaimed Edward as Telara appeared in the living room.
“Mornin’,” Telara yawned.
Bridget stuck her head in from the kitchen and asked, “Presents or breakfast first?”
“Presents!” yelled Telara as she headed for the tree.
“What a surprise!” commented Bridget as she took off her apron and sat down on the sofa.
Bridget and Edward had bought Telara a bunch of new clothes from her favorite American store, Abercrombie & Finch. She squealed for five solid minutes as she held up each item for inspection.
Bridget smiled at her first present from Telara. She had written four rolls of parchment titled, “What I Have Learned at Hogwarts, A Summary”. Telara knew her Nana would want to know her progress now that she was on her own. She came up with the idea soon after the start of term and had kept it up as her classes progressed.
Telara had also purchased stationery for Bridget and Edward with the Gryffindor seal embossed on it. She knew they had to be running low with all of the letters they had sent to Telara over the past term.
Telara’s final gift to her parents was a framed picture of her in the Gryffindor common room. She knew they would enjoy the sight of Telara in their own common room. Bridget and Edward spent a while reminiscing with Telara, showing her where they studied and where they had their first kiss.
Okay! thought Telara, I didn’t need that piece of information.
Edward glanced up at the mess of wrapping paper and ribbon.
“Well, can we eat now?” he asked.
“I know, I know,” laughed Telara. “Your favorite part is Christmas breakfast. I’ll help you set the table, Nana.”
Bridget had fixed pancakes, sausage, bacon, toast and eggs. Telara set the table while Edward and his brother cleaned up the mess in the living room. They were just sitting down to eat when Dumbledore appeared in the doorway.
“Papadore!” yelled Telara. “Happy Christmas!”
She threw her arms around Dumbledore’s waist as he patted her head and gave her a quick hug back.
“It looks like I’m just in time,” commented Dumbledore.
“Yes! Please sit down and join us,” offered Edward.
“I think I will,” said Dumbledore.
The warm kitchen was made cozier by the laughter and love that flowed among its inhabitants. Once they were done eating, Dumbledore gave Telara a little embroidered pouch closed by a gold cord.
“What is this, Papadore?” Telara asked.
“It’s a present, though it’s not really from me,” said Dumbledore.
Telara opened the bag to find it contained probably 30 galleons. Telara gasped as she quickly pulled the cord to close the bag.
“Papadore, why are you giving this to me? You’ve done so much already!” exclaimed Telara.
“As I said before, the money is not from me. I have finally gained access to your Mother’s vault at Gringott’s. I have been searching for her key for years without luck. I finally completed the goblins’ requirements for gaining access to a deceased person’s vault. Bill Weasley has helped me finally convince them that you are her heir and that I could act on your behalf. They have provided you with a new key which is in the bag as well,” explained Dumbledore. “I wanted you to somehow have a present from her so I kept it a surprise.”
Telara was quite struck by this news. She didn’t have many things to help remember her mom. A vault full of gold wasn’t exactly personal, but she felt that her mother was somehow reaching out to her and taking care of her. She reached into the bag and pulled out the key. It lay small and glittering in her hand. She smiled as took off the gold chain that was always around her neck and slipped the key onto it.
“You’ll probably want a slightly more secure place to keep that key,” suggested Bridget.
“I know,” responded Telara. “But right now, I’ll keep it close to my heart.”
Telara leaned over and laid her head on Bridget’s shoulder. They stayed like that for a minute before Telara sat back up and placed the pouch in front of Bridget.
“What are you doing, child?” Bridget demanded.
“I want you and Gramps to have this,” Telara insisted. “I didn’t get you much for Christmas. And after all you’ve given me in my life, this isn’t really much in comparison.”
“You are the sweetest girl,” praised Edward. “You are also crazy if you think your Nana and I will be taking your money, but sweet nevertheless.”
Telara looked over at Bridget. She had her “don’t you dare talk back” face on. Telara chuckled as she reached to take back the pouch.
Dumbledore broke the silence by suggesting that they go to Diagon Alley for Boxing Day.
“Yeehaw!” shouted Telara. “Shopping!”
Everyone laughed as Telara sprang up and starting cleaning the breakfast dishes. She had a lot of energy all of a sudden and had to do something with it.
As morning turned into afternoon, the excitement of Christmas morning caught up with the Ollivanders. Dumbledore excused himself with a promise to return in the morning to join the family shopping.
Telara stumbled up to her room and collapsed on her bed. Christmas day naps were one of Telara’s favorite traditions. She fell asleep with a smile on her face as she dreamed of Diagon Alley and dress robes.
Boxing Day dawned bright and clear. It was cold but beautiful outside. It was a perfect day to spend in the shops of Diagon Alley. Telara didn’t get up as early as she had the day before, but she was still ready in plenty of time. Luckily, the shops opened early on Boxing Day.
Dumbledore arrived just before nine. They came from the house through the back of the wand shop to find quite a crowd. Edward decided to stay at the shop to help his brother since there were so many extra customers. Telara’s galleons were begging to be spent as she decided which store to go to first.
Dumbledore seemed preoccupied with the extra activity on Diagon Alley. His eyes kept scanning the crowd while they walked down the street. Telara had to pull on his robes to get him to follow her into Madam Malkin’s. It was packed with holiday shoppers and women trying to return gifts that weren’t quite right.
Telara spotted Parvati and Padma looking at robes, but only got to say a quick hello in the chaos. She eyed a beautiful violet dress robe with embroidery around the collar and down the front in royal colors and gold. Bridget agreed with Telara’s choice and helped her fight her way to the clerk to pay for it. Dumbledore had stayed by the door watching the ladies in the store with amusement.
They made their way back out onto the street and next door to Flourish and Blott’s. There was a new book on Medical Potions that Telara had wanted since it was published earlier in the year. The purchase made her pouch considerably lighter, but it was worth it. The crowds were starting to get to Bridget so she offered to take the new purchases back home so she could get some peace and quiet. Telara and Dumbledore followed Bridget out of the store before saying a quick goodbye.
“Why don’t we stop for a snack?” suggested Dumbledore.
“You’ve been wanting ice cream ever since we passed Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor, haven’t you, Papadore?” teased Telara.
Dumbledore smiled at his goddaughter. She knew him well.
“Now that you’ve mentioned it, I would like something sweet to eat,” he responded innocently.
“Whatever,” laughed Telara. “Let’s go!”
Telara and Dumbledore sat contentedly licking their ice cream cones while they watched the shoppers around them. Telara had a strange feeling begin in the pit of her stomach. She wrote it off as too much sugar too early in the day and threw the rest of her ice cream cone away.
Once Dumbledore had finished his cone, he and Telara strolled up the street to look at the animals at the Magical Menagerie. There was a pen just inside the door with six kittens crawling all over each other. Telara was petting one of them when the owner of the store walked up to her.
“How do you like our new litter of Kneazles? They were just weaned from their mother a couple of weeks ago,” commented the owner. “This one seems to like you a lot.”
Telara smiled as the owner picked up the kitten and handed it to her. The kitten crawled up to her shoulder and began purring in her ear. Dumbledore scratched the kitten’s head as Telara rubbed her cheek on its soft fur.
All of a sudden, the kitten looked up and scrambled to stand on Telara’s shoulder. She hissed as loudly as her little kitten mouth would let her. Dumbledore and Telara spun around to look outside just in time to see a dark cloak disappear down an alleyway.
“I think it’s time to return to your Uncle’s house,” Dumbledore remarked.
Telara didn’t want to leave the Kneazle kitten behind, however. She had possibly saved her from another close encounter with the shadowy figure. She convinced Dumbledore to let her stay for just a minute to buy the kitten. Dumbledore carried the kitten’s food as he hurried Telara back to the wand shop.
Just as Dumbledore placed his hand on the doorknob, Diagon Alley erupted in screams. Dumbledore turned to find the Dark Mark floating above the stores. Telara wasn’t able to see anything as Dumbledore pulled her into the store. Mr. Ollivander and Edward rushed to the window to see what the panic was about. Dumbledore explained hastily as he guided Telara through the store and into the house.
Bridget was in the kitchen and was brought up to date on the situation. Telara was instructed to pack her trunk and a wicker cage was conjured to keep the new kitten while everyone prepared to move to a safer location.
When Telara returned to the kitchen with her trunk, her Uncle and Edward were there as well. They had locked up and warded the store before helping the patrons in the store floo back to their homes. The kitten was mewing in her cage until Telara stuck her fingers in to scratch her chin.
Dumbledore came into the kitchen carrying an umbrella in one hand and his wand in the other. He pointed the wand at the umbrella.
“Portus,” he uttered.
The umbrella glowed and vibrated before returning to its normal appearance.
“Telara, you go with your parents. This portkey will take you to a safe house. Mr. Ollivander, would like to join us?” offered Dumbledore.
“No, I’ll stay here. I won’t risk anything happening to my shop or home. I will be fine,” insisted Mr. Ollivander.
“All right then. Everyone please touch the portkey,” instructed Dumbledore. “In 3, 2, and 1.”
Telara kept bumping from Bridget to Edward and back again as they were pulled along by the portkey. They landed in a dark foyer very different from the house they had just left. Telara’s eyes were trying to adjust to the darkness as she noticed a man walking towards them.
“Please follow me upstairs,” he whispered. “I’ll get you settled in.”
“Professor Lupin?” Telara asked.
“Yes. Shhhh!” insisted Lupin.
He and Edward each took an end of Telara’s trunk and they headed to the second floor. Even the kitten was quiet as they crept upstairs.
They entered a bedroom that had three twin beds, three writing desks and three small wardrobes. Once Lupin had closed the door, he turned to his guests to explain.
“I’m sorry if I was a bit short with you downstairs. We have a portrait down there that is quite unsettling if she is disturbed. Telara, you will stay here with Ginny and Hermione. Bridget and Edward, your room is down the hall.”
Telara opened her trunk as Bridget, Edward and Lupin left the room. She hung her clothes in one of the wardrobes and put her books on the desk that was underneath the window. She pulled back the curtains to find a grimy window that blocked most of the light trying to come through.
Nasty, she thought. Thank goodness for these curtains!
The kitten started scratching at the door to her cage, so Telara opened the door and let her explore the room. She wondered if anyone would be coming back to get her or not. She didn’t really want to investigate the creepy house on her own. She finally lay down on the bed next to her desk. The kitten jumped on her and began kneading her stomach.
“Ouch, kitty!” exclaimed Telara. “Watch those claws!”
The kitten just nuzzled her hand as if to say “Pet me! Pet me!”.
“I guess I need to give you a name, don’t I?” Telara asked the kitten.
“How about Broomhilda?” teased Telara. A playful bite conveyed a definite no.
“Ouch! Okay, not Broomhilda. What do you look like?” Telara pondered as she held the kitten up in the air.
“Lucy! You look like a Lucy to me,” decided Telara. She put the kitten down on the bed to see if another playful attack would ensue. The kitten proceeded to lick Telara’s hand before laying down and closing her eyes.
“OK, Lucy it is!” declared Telara.
There was a quiet knock on the door before Hermione’s head peeked in.
“Are you alright, Telara?” asked Hermione.
“I’m fine,” assured Telara. “Actually, I don’t really know what is going on. I guess I should be worried, but I don’t know why.”
Hermione looked down at Lucy laying on the bed.
“Aww! When did you get her?” Hermione cooed.
“I bought her today,” answered Telara. “She’s a Kneazle. I named her Lucy.”
“Crookshanks will have a friend now,” commented Hermione. “They should get along well. They want us down in the kitchen straight away. You better keep Lucy in the room for now. There are too many places for her to get stuck or lost in this house.”
Telara poured some food in a bowl while Hermione got Lucy some water from the bathroom. She seemed content as Telara and Hermione left the room.
When they entered the kitchen, Telara discovered that the whole Weasley clan was there along with some wizards so didn’t recognize and some Professors from Hogwarts. Harry was at the table rubbing his forehead vigorously. Hermione walked quickly to sit beside him and they whispered for a few minutes before Dumbledore commanded their attention.
“Thank you for meeting on such short notice. I’m relieved to inform you that the Dark Mark that appeared earlier today did not indicate a murder. We are not sure why it was conjured but we have a theory,” he gestured to Harry to continue.
“Voldemort is extremely angry right now,” Harry began. “My scar started throbbing a few minutes after the Dark Mark appeared. Someone is in a lot of trouble, I think.”
“I don’t think whoever conjured the mark had the authority to do so,” theorized Dumbledore. “I do think, however, that we should be on guard. Severus Snape should be here soon to give is an update. He is putting himself at great risk by stopping by.”
Dumbledore looked over his glasses at his students as he continued, “Now it is time for you to go upstairs.”
All five of them protested as they rose to leave. Telara was more confused than ever and wanted an explanation. The rest knew that it was useless to argue but didn’t want to leave without voicing their disapproval.
George was standing near the door and pressed something into Harry’s hand as he passed by. He winked as Harry looked at him.
At that moment, Snape came through the door much like he did when he entered a classroom. His face was set in a scowl and his robes billowed behind him as he walked quickly toward Dumbledore. Snape handed him a roll of parchment as they spoke. They had a quick whispered discussion while the rest of the room waited patiently for his news.
The group quickly left the kitchen and headed up to the girls’ room. As they entered, Lucy jumped up and scurried around everyone’s feet. Ron had to hold on to Hermione to keep from falling over and crushing Lucy beneath him. Telara picked Lucy up and held her as they all found places to sit.
Harry looked at the item that George had given him. It looked like a compact mirror that girls carry around in their bags. He opened it up, but found no mirror. Ron just shrugged as he took it for closer examination. Just as Ron was about to close it, Snape’s voice filled the room. Ron placed the listening device on the bed as they all concentrated on the object.
“The Dark Lord is strategically placing his followers for a strike on the Wizarding World,” Snape reported. “His timeframe has been moved up because of this afternoon’s event, but he is still ready and able to do a considerable amount of damage. This surprise has not lessened his fervor.”
Snape directed his focus back to Dumbledore. “I must go complete my designated task,” he explained and flew back out the door.
The group upstairs heard the parchment being unrolled and a creak as Dumbledore sank into his chair.
The room remained silent as Dumbledore read about Voldemort’s plans. He finally stood wearily and sighed.
“We must call every Order member here immediately. It will take all of us to stop this,” he conveyed.
Harry had a look of deep concentration on his face. It seemed to Telara that he was preparing himself for whatever laid ahead. Ron and Hermione sat together holding hands and looking at Harry with concern. Ginny sat at Harry’s feet and laid her head on his knee. No one spoke.
Two hours passed before they heard footsteps on the stairs. They all looked expectantly at the door as it opened and Dumbledore came into the room. To everyone’s surprise, he asked Telara to follow him to the Drawing Room. Telara placed Lucy in Hermione’s lap and followed Dumbledore back down the stairs.
As he closed the doors behind them, Dumbledore motioned for Telara to sit down. He conjured a fire in the fireplace and sat down across from Telara. He looked much older all of a sudden to Telara. She was frightened as he looked her in the eye.
“There is something I have to tell you, Telara. It’s about your Mother and Father,” he began.
“My Father?” asked an astonished Telara.
“Yes, dear one,” Dumbledore continued. “I haven’t told you because this story is not a pleasant one. I didn’t want you to live with this knowledge unless you had to.”
“And I have to now,” questioned Telara.
“Yes,” insisted Dumbledore.
“I don’t know where exactly to begin,” said Dumbledore. “I think you need an untold history lesson to start with.”
Telara did her best to hide her frustration. If she had her way, the discussion would go straight to the identity and location of her father.
“When Voldemort was rising to power the first time,” Dumbledore continued. “He was obsessed with immortality. He traveled the world to find the Dark Magic necessary to transform him into a being that could defy death.”
“Nana told me that when asked her about his return two and half years ago,” interrupted Telara.
“The transformation was a long and arduous process than would wipe Voldemort of many of his human qualities,” resumed Dumbledore. “While he was prepared to make those sacrifices, he would miss many pleasures that indulged in. That is where your mother comes into the story.”
“My mother had contact with Voldemort?” asked an astonished Telara.
“Not of her own choice, but yes,” stated Dumbledore. “Your mother was a member of the first Order of the Phoenix. We had come together to fight and hopefully defeat Voldemort and his Death Eaters. The group you saw downstairs is the Order regrouped for this war.”
Dumbledore paused to let this information sink in to Telara’s mind. She looked at him expectantly after a minute so Dumbledore continued his story.
“Your mother was a favorite student of mine. She came from a family of Muggles and was the first in her bloodline to have magical abilities. She was a good student and a good to her small group of friends. She seemed to like being in the background and enjoyed her studies more than anything. She was disowned by her family and spent every break of her seven years here at Hogwarts. I tried to ease the burden by befriending her and being an adult that she could talk to.”
“She found a well paying job at Gringott’s once she finished school. She was particularly good at curse breaking and quickly became the Assistant Head of that department. Her access to information at Gringott’s was extremely valuable to the Order. Because of her information, we could tell whose money was supporting Voldemort. Unfortunately, she was caught trying to access files by an undercover Death Eater.”
Telara gasped as this was revealed. Dumbledore had gotten on a roll, however, and continued with the tale.
“We were so worried when she missed the next Order meeting. We found out that she had been seen leaving her office but not leaving the building. We knew what she had planned on doing that afternoon and suspected that we weren’t the only ones with spies inside Gringott’s.”
“Weeks passed with no information on her whereabouts. We had no choice but to assume that she had been killed. When she turned up barely alive on the doorstep of our headquarters, we were very grateful that we had been wrong. She had been beaten and cursed so badly. It didn’t look like she would ever be able to make a full recovery.”
“Once she had gotten some of her strength back, your mother summoned me to her bedside. What I’m about to disclose to you has never been repeated. It will be hard for you to hear, but you must understand.”
Telara squirmed in her chair. She just couldn’t get herself comfortable in mind or body.
“Your mother was brought to Rodolphus Lestrange who was one of Voldemort’s inner circle. She did an amazing job of feigning ignorance and convinced the Death Eaters that she was not a spy. She told them she was muggleborn since she knew that they would not consider a muggleborn to be capable of intelligence work. While it did help in that aspect, the Death Eaters’ knowledge of her heritage put her at another risk. They took her down to the dungeons where they kept female prisoners. She was to do anything she was told or she would be killed. As she looked at the other prisoners, she quickly understood what he meant. The women around her had been abused in the worst sort of ways.”
Dumbledore took a deep breath as he continued onto the most difficult part of the story.
“At this time, Voldemort was preparing for his final transformation. It would be the last night that he could enjoy the mortal pleasures of eating, sleeping and…” Dumbledore paused as he struggled to finish the statement, “sex.”
Telara began shaking uncontrollably as she began to comprehend what he was about to tell her.
“He went down into the dungeons to find a suitable victim for his last night of gratification. Your mother was a pretty woman and of course unblemished since she had just arrived. Voldemort’s choice was an easy one that night. Your mother endured that night and was returned to the dungeons. Once Voldemort’s transformation was complete, he began a new series of attacks with a vengeance. Because of this, your mother and the other victims had a temporary reprieve from Death Eater visits.”
“It was during this time that your mother realized that she was pregnant. While this terrified her, she had a reason to not only survive but to escape. She suffered many beatings and worse abuses in the coming weeks. The Death Eaters had to sneak in for quick visits in between their assignments and were increasingly agitated with their increased work loads. They took it out on the women in the dungeons. But your mother noticed that in their hurry, the Death Eaters were often careless with the locks and wards that kept the women imprisoned and waited for her chance.”
“That chance came on a night on which Voldemort had planned a massive attack. The dungeons were full of Death Eaters who assumed that it might be their last night on earth. All at once, the Dark Marks emblazoned on their arms glowed brightly and painfully. They rushed out climbing over each other to be the first to reach their Dark Lord. Once the corridor became quiet, your mother and the other women ventured out into the dark hallway. They saw a bit of light up ahead and headed for it.”
“The light was coming from a stairwell. Your mother was the first to brave the assent into the unknown. The stairwell led to the main floor of a dark mansion. It seemed deserted so your mother continued through the house. The group of women made it to the kitchen where they found the first proper food and water they had seen in weeks. They exited the house though the side entrance and were finally free. Everyone went their separate ways once they found the neighboring village and could ascertain where they were and how they could get home.”
“And mom came to you,” said Telara.
“Yes, she did,” replied Dumbledore. “As you could see from her picture, the effects of her imprisonment never truly went away. The only joy in her life was the baby she carried. She knew you would not end up like your father. She would make sure you were happy, cared for and raised to be good.”
Telara was trembling badly at this point. It seemed too much to take. She was mad that she had to live with this terrible knowledge, mad that her mother had been taken from her so early, mad at how quickly her life seemed to be spiraling out of control. Questions started to flood her mind.
“So how did I come to live with Nana and Gramps?” Telara asked.
“Bridget and Edward were members of the Order. Bridget helped care for your mother and for you when you were born. Your mother requested that she be the one to care for you if anything were to happen to her,” explained Dumbledore.
“Why did we move to Texas?” Telara continued questioning.
“Once your mother died, I wasn’t sure if Voldemort would be able to, for lack of a better word, feel you. He is a powerful Legimens and I was worried he could pick up on your presence. The connection between parent and child is strong. Bridget and Edward volunteered to take you to America and raise you there,” Dumbledore clarified.
“They left England just for me?” pondered Telara.
“Yes,” Dumbledore responded. “You and Bridget had formed a tight bond and she would have done anything to keep you safe. That is why she has been so protective of you over the years. That is also why you did not attend the Wizarding school in Massachusetts. We tried to keep your existence as quiet as possible while still giving you a quality life.”
“So,” Telara began, not sure she wanted to know the answer to her next question. “Why bring me back now?”
Dumbledore sighed and hung his head. He was not happy about what he had to tell her.
“I am sure that Voldemort does not know of your existence. I suspect he is starting to feel your presence though it’s probably not very prominent in his mind right now. Your appearance in his life would certainly cause a disruption in his focus. You will need to confront him at the right time for our plans to defeat him to work. The fact that you are his daughter and share his blood provides some protection for you.”
“I’m a distraction,” Telara realized.
“I suppose that’s one way to put it,” responded Dumbledore. “But I think that it’s important for you to face him so you can evolve past this part of your history. I want you to see what the dark side of magic can turn a person into. I want you to conquer your father’s influence that lives inside you.”
“If I survive,” Telara stated.
“You will survive, Telara,” Dumbledore assured, “And you will be able to live the rest of your life in peace knowing that the darkest wizard ever born was defeated with your help.”
“Peace? I don’t think so,” retorted Telara. “I can’t even imagine it now.”
“As time goes on, you will come to understand your part in this and see your life beyond it,” consoled Dumbledore.
Telara was worn out. She had finally stopped trembling, but only out of exhaustion. She needed time to process everything that Dumbledore had just told her.
“I need to go to bed,” declared Telara. “What do I tell the others?”
“Nothing,” instructed Dumbledore. “Harry will be told tonight. There are many things I must discuss with him. But for now, say nothing.”
Telara left Dumbledore staring into the fire as she made her way out of the room. The stairs were difficult to climb with legs that seemed to be made out of lead. She finally made it to her room where everyone sat in the same positions. They looked concerned at Telara who appeared much more troubled than she had when she left the room a mere hour ago.
“I’m sorry to break this up,” mumbled Telara. “But I need to go to bed.”
“Is everything okay?” timidly asked Hermione.
“No,” answered Telara. “I don’t think it ever will be.”
Four pairs of eyebrows shot u