You know it, I don't own it.
Chapter 6: Old Friends and New Ones.
When the letter had finally stopped glowing and settled back on Albus’ desk, everybody leaned in to read the new words on the parchment.
Selena Anarya
Proles Ater
Even the former Headmasters all flitted to the painting of Armando Dippet, located behind Albus a little to the left, trying so see these extra words, guessing what the implications might mean. Phineas Nigellus was the first to break the silence that had settled on the room, coughing a small cough he startled everybody. Flitting from painting to painting, he settled back in his high backed chair and with a smug smile he looked around knowingly, nose up in the air.
“Phineas, why don’t you tell us what you make of these words.” Albus knew the former Headmaster and Slytherin always liked to make a show out of his knowing an important answer when nobody else did. It was similar to how Severus Snape would enter a room. Arrogant, all-knowing, and impressive.
“Of course, Albus, but I must say I expected you to know the answer, as well as young Master Malfoy here.” He paused for a few seconds for effect. “Especially, since he is one.”
Not answering anything with these words Phineas smiled at Draco, who was looking between him and Albus, question and curiosity in his silver eyes. He did not know who the man in the painting was or what the old man knew about him, just that, obviously, he had been a Slytherin. Even if his colours hadn’t been green and silver, his manners betrayed his old House, and Draco was Slytherin enough to recognise them. Draco wanted to ask why he should know, but it was the Headmaster who spoke next.
“I do know the answer, Phineas, but what troubles me is the sequence of the words.” Albus’ eyes moved to Draco when he spoke; silently telling his student that everything would be fine. Draco, feeling he wouldn’t get a straight answer right now, let go a bit of the tension he was feeling. Seeing the look on his Headmaster’s face, and the change in the painted man’s face, he knew he would get the story somehow.
Phineas had started to look less smug, his nose coming out of the air. If Albus was talking about the wording then he did indeed know, and Phineas had no idea why the words were twisted. He fell silent, gesturing with his hand that Albus was to continue. But it was Hermione who voiced her thoughts first.
“Why should Draco know, sir, and what is wrong with the wording?” Draco turned to Hermione, completely stunned. Not only had she spoken up when it was most inappropriate, but she had used his name, his first name.
It had been her Gryffindor courage that had spoken up, not really thinking whether it was her place or not to speak. Hermione looked shyly back at Draco, an apologetic look in her eyes. Draco wasn’t sure though, whether he wanted her to apologise for it. It didn’t suit her to be like this, shy and apologetic. Besides, he had liked it somehow. Giving her the smallest of friendly smirks and receiving a small smile in return, he turned his attention back to his Headmaster. He still wanted an explanation.
“The answer to your question is fairly simple, Miss Granger. Whenever a child is born into the family of Black, even if it is only in blood and not in name then there will be a proclamation made. A Child, Proles, of Black, Ater, with the name of the newborn child underneath. Mr. Malfoy here, whose mother is Narcissa Black, was presented as Proles Ater: Draco Lucius Malfoy.”
“So it means she, Selena, is a child of Black, but her name was written down first. I still don’t understand what that means, sir.” Hermione hated to be left in the dark, to not understand what everything meant, even if she still felt like an outsider, which she no longer was.
“It also doesn’t tell us who the father is, sir.” Draco had been listening intently, the proclamation of his own name and the difference between his and his sister’s name, especially the lack of a last name. ‘Lack of a last name, but a Black.’ It was as if lightning had struck him for the second time today, but this one was bigger than what he had felt the first time he had read the letter. The truth finally sank in, ‘I have a sister. She is my sister, Selena, my younger sister. A pure-blood, a Black, but with a different father. Who?’
“No it doesn’t tell us who her father is, but it will allow you and Miss Granger to find her. It is the magic of the Secret-Keeper and it will guide you to her.” Albus sighed and looked worried again, just as he had at the beginning of the conversation.
“I’m sorry that I’m changing the subject of this conversation around so suddenly, but I feel these words will lead us to Selena, quite literally, and we need to think about how to get her to safety tomorrow. After that, you two will go down to dinner and spend the evening with your friends. Now Mr. Malfoy, I believe you have your own apartment…”
~
Two hours later Hermione and Draco were slowly walking through the hallways together. The plans were set, tomorrow they would find Selena, but for now they needed food and rest. Arriving in the Entrance Hall where so many hours ago they had crashed into each other and started all this…this…well this whole thing, they now found the other students returning from Hogsmeade.
Remembering that nobody was to know about their situation and also the animosity between them and their friends, Draco quickly put on his scowl and stomped off towards toward the Great Hall. He was surprised how easy he could put his old mask back on when he felt as if his whole life had been turned upside down already, even without having met his sister. When he settled at the Slytherin table he looked up just in time to see Hermione walk in with Harry, Ron, and Ginny. Harry glared at him, as did Ron. Draco glared back, before catching Hermione’s eye, smirking at her and turning away. ‘So much for change in that department.’ His smirk quickly disappeared at the next sound he heard. It was coming from Pansy.
“Draco, darling, where have you been all day? I missed you! I told you yesterday I wanted to go to Hogsmeade with you and you didn’t show up.” Pansy sat down in the spot next to him, almost throwing herself into his arms and pouting.
‘Oh Merlin, this is going to be a long night,’ he thought, rolling his eyes. He started to gather food towards him.
“I had better things to do than hang around with you all day, Parkinson.” He wasn’t really hungry but he knew he needed his strength tomorrow. Besides, it kept him from looking at Pansy, or Hermione for that matter. He ate as quickly as he could, looking forward to the solitude of his room for the second time today.
Meanwhile at the other side of the Great Hall, Hermione and the others were settling themselves at the Gryffindor table. Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table again and noticed Draco being fawned over by Pansy. She turned her attention to her food, slowly moving it around her plate, not really eating any of it, and listening. Everybody around her was talking about their day in Hogsmeade.
“You should have been there, Hermione, we had such a good laugh.” Ron was trying to get her attention; she had hardly been listening to whatever it was that had happened inside Zonko’s.
“Hermione, where are you?” A hand waved in front of her face. “And where have you been all day? I know you wanted some time to yourself this morning, but we haven’t seen you all day until just now.” This time it was Ginny who was trying to get her attention. “Are you okay?” there was a note of concern in her voice and Hermione noticed.
“Sorry guys…” Hermione looked it too. “I was about to meet you guys in Hogsmeade this afternoon but then something came up and I spend the afternoon talking to Professor Dumbledore. I wasn’t able to leave until just now.” She was looking at and playing with her food again, not really wanting to lie to her friends. She knew she couldn’t tell them the truth.
“What did you talk about?” Ron was gazing at her over his plate, not taking a single bite; Harry was looking almost sceptically at her, but it was Ginny who had spoken again.
“All kinds of things, I don’t really want to talk about it right now.” Hermione looked at her friends in turn, pleading with her eyes to please, please, change the subject. Harry got the hint. Picking up his knife and fork, he looked at Ginny.
“So what do you think the end feast is going to be like?” Hermione gave him a thankful smile.
“No clue, it’s going to be top-secret until the feast itself. Besides, it’s not as if I’m allowed to come,” Ginny sighed.
“Of course you can come, you’re Harry’s girlfriend aren’t you? You’ll just have to come as his date.” Hermione smiled from Ron to Ginny, who was blushing. It was nice to see that Ron finally approved of Ginny’s choice of boyfriend. Then she looked at the boyfriend in question and saw a frown.
‘I’m letting you off the hook here, Hermione, but you weren’t alone in Dumbledore’s office, I saw who you were walking down the stairs with.’ Harry thought glancing at Hermione for a moment before taking a quick look at the Slytherin table. She noticed.
‘Thank you, Harry, I know you suspect something but I can’t tell you, not yet.’ She gave Harry another thankful smile, then watched as Draco made his way out of the Great Hall, stealing a quick look in her direction. Tomorrow is going to be a strange day.
AN: Proles means child, descendant or young one. Ater is Latin for black. I am absolutely no good at Latin, only took Latin class for one year, so if I’m completely and utterly wrong in what I did with these words, then please let me know.