A Glimpse
Drifting to consciousness, Hermione opened her eyes slowly. Her head felt like it was floating before she could finally sit up. Once her eyes were clear, they widened. She realized she was in a different place than before. She looked around her to see that no one was with her.
“It seems that you were sent here to obtain me?” A voice, strikingly similar to the Narcissa she saw a while ago, was heard.
Hermione stood up from the ground and looked around the expanse of darkness that surrounded her. Her body seemed to be glowing, providing some kind of light.
“Obtain you? I am here to obtain a Grimoire,” Hermione answered, craning her neck everywhere to search for where the voice was coming from.
“Shall we change the setting then?”
Hermione heard a snap of fingers and the room changed easily. When she looked around her this time, she could tell that she was inside the Ravenclaw Common Room. The figure appeared and Hermione raised her eyebrows to see that it was once again Narcissa Black, only in a much younger version of her. She was wearing the uniform of Hogwarts, her hair braided to the side and her blue eyes glowed.
“You again?” Hermione said.
The female looked confused at her but then a realization seemed to come to her. “Ah, the Chamber took my form, didn’t it? Though, how? You haven’t even seen what Narcissa looked like just by seeing your memories.”
It was now Hermione’s turn to be confused and seeing this, the younger Narcissa who looked like a ghost began to explain. “The Chamber can see through your memories as soon as you entered this room, all in order to ascertain that if you ever were to be able to take a book from this place, it would not be used to evil. The Room also takes the form of anyone you ever desire.”
“Then why did the Room decide to turn into Narcissa?” Hermione thought it was because they wanted to obtain Narcissa’s Grimoire that the room took the form of her. Apparently not only that.
“Perhaps there was one of your friends who has a great desire to see her again,” the spirit said as she shrugged her shoulders.
The world around them seemed to change then. Hermione watched in awe as the Room easily weaved its magic. “This is?”
“Her memories,” the ghost that looked like Narcissa Black spoke.
Hermione arched up her head to look at her. She seemed even younger and her face expressed no emotion as she began to watch her surroundings.
“Is it not yours?”
The ghost shook her head. “I am but a remnant of her magic imbued in the Grimoire that you seek and awakened by the Chamber to see if you are worthy to inherit her Grimoire. I suggest you watch carefully, Miss Granger. The trial has begun.”
Hermione went silent as the scene around her changed again. This time, she saw the memory of Narcissa sleeping on the couch. Her face looked peaceful.
“When was this?”
The ghost answered her blankly, “In the middle of the First War.”
Hermione’s mind went on to remember reading that when the First War erupted, Narcissa Black already fled. She was said to be searched by both parties as the War continued. The Vampires were now overrun by the Dark Lord. Those who did not follow him created the Order to help in the War. She was about to think more on her readings but a sudden sound came from the sleeping Narcissa snapped her back to present. A few moments later, Narcissa bolted to one of the doors.
Hermione followed her to see what was happening but then she saw that what Narcissa entered was the lavatory where she was puking her guts out. From behind Hermione, a figure appeared and helped Narcissa as she patted her back carefully.
“There, there. Let it out.” She was an old woman. Grey hairs were already starting to show from her pitch black hair. She was wearing a shawl over her light lavender dress.
“Thank you, Mrs. Clarke,” Narcissa croaked out.
The old woman just shook her head as if it was nothing. Hermione realized that the woman was Marius’ grandmother. He really was close to Draco, she thought.
“It’s alright now, dear. What did I tell you about calling me that?” Narcissa gave the old woman a small smile. “Now, let’s move to the sitting room so you can rest.” But before the old woman could help her stand, Narcissa protested. She instead began to crawl to a different direction of the house.
“No. I can’t rest now. They need me. The balance is about to tip and the werewolves are dying. Please, Regina.”
Regina—the old woman—sighed heavily. With a heavy heart, she assisted Narcissa to one of the rooms where she kept all of her potions.
Narcissa balanced herself in what seemed to be a stone carved table. In the middle of it, there was a basin that contained something that Hermione had never seen before. It looked like normal water but the way it glittered made it known to her that it was not simply just water.
“Show me, Gryffindor Lands.”
The surface of the water rippled before what was happening in the lands of Gryffindor was reflected there. Werewolves were shown there, fighting against vampires in every direction. Their numbers were dwindling and it seemed to make Narcissa’s breath hitched. With a flick of her wrist, the water showed Andromeda trying to create a barrier in Ravenclaw Lands where witches seemed to attack. Another flick of her wrist and everything disappeared, leaving only the glittering water and the tremor that caused her body to shake. Narcissa almost fell, but Regina held her shoulder.
“Calm yourself. You just used a huge amount of magic and not even used the proper spell. It drained you, child,” Regina said as she sat the now frail looking Narcissa on one of the chairs in the room.
“I have to help them, Regina. I have turned my back on them, but it is not yet too late to help,” Narcissa answered as she puffed out air. She looked so exhausted in Hermione’s eyes and it made her wonder what made her that way.
“I know, Narcissa, but the child…“ She discontinued her sentence and Narcissa understood what she meant as she placed a careful hand on her stomach. She caressed it and Hermione then realized—
She was pregnant.
“Please, Narcissa, you have to rest.”
Narcissa closed her eyes. They looked heavy as she nodded her head. The old woman then helped her to walk back to her room.
The scene suddenly changed and once again it showed Narcissa who looked distressed sitting on one of the couches. Regina Clarke, sitting next to her, held her hand in her lap. Her voice was soft and cautious as she spoke to Narcissa in a calm manner.
“You have to choose, Narcissa. You cannot go into the war with a child. Your body could not bear it.”
Narcissa looked about to cry and Hermione could understand her position just a bit.
“So, you are asking me to just abandon those who need my help?”
Regina’s mouth opened as if to retort, but then she closed her eyes instead. Hermione could see that she was conflicted as well.
“If I could help you in any way that I can, I would. But this is your choice and yours alone.” She tucked a strand of Narcissa’s hair in her ear as she continued, “We could wait until your child is born in the world and then you can aid them in the war.”
“I can’t.” Narcissa’s voice was soft, barely a whisper, but the old woman seemed able to hear her. “If I don’t help them now, there will be no world to save. Please, I want to be alone.” The old woman seemed to understand and left her alone in the house.
"My little one, Mother is distressed. Regina knows I cannot choose because that would mean that I would lose you and I—“ Narcissa’s voice broke as sobs began to rack her body. She rested her hand on her stomach where her child grew. “I cannot lose you too, just like your Father. But my child, I don’t know what to do. People are dying. Time is running out. Many are calling my name for help. I just—I don’t know what to do.”
“I wonder, if it were you, with your Father’s stubbornness and my wit… I wonder just what choice you would choose.” She closed her eyes as if to feel the presence of her child in her stomach. When she opened them, a smile was on her lips and Hermione recognized this as unconditional love. She could not help but feel envy at how much Narcissa loved her child. “I wish I would get to hear your answer, my little one.”
Soon, the scene was changing as a bright light appeared. Hermione was pulled back to where she first woke up.
“This is your trial, Miss Granger. Tell me what Narcissa choose. If you get the answer right, you get everything you came for. If not…” Something was left unsaid as Hermione then began to rack her brain. She could not understand what she just saw,
Narcissa had another child? Because it would be impossible if that child were Draco Black. He would be too old and Remus had said that he was only a year below them. How come she had never heard or read of this? Then she remembered there were only a few records of Narcissa in the History books. She was almost non-existent.
“One life or everyone’s,” rang the spirit’s voice and Hermione’s brain went to work. She then recalled the way Narcissa would touch her stomach. The look of pure and utter love for her child was displayed there so it would be impossible for her to sacrifice her child for the war. But there was no news of her having another child. During the sealing of the Dark Lord, she was not pregnant at all.
Could it be that she lost her child? Is that the reason why she left as soon as the war was over? Something does not add up. Hermione could feel her instinct screamed that there was something missing from the memory, something she did not know and that was the answer to the question.
“What do you choose, Miss Granger? Time is running out,” the ghost-like appearance of Narcissa Black whispered to her as she stood awaiting her answer.
“She chose to save everyone,” Hermione replied, her eyes closed as she said so.
“How can you say so?” the spirit asked.
Hermione’s face twisted in pain as she thought of the pain Narcissa had endured in making that decision. She didn’t answer because she could not believe that the Narcissa she saw in the memory would be capable of doing that.
“That is enough, I guess.” Hermione lifted her face up as she stifled a sob, looking at the spirit with a shocked look. “I was merely testing you, child. Testing if you have what it takes to succeed her Grimoire. Having this Grimoire, you will hold a huge responsibility as it contains spells that will help you in your way. But. You should remember everything has a price.”
The spirit looked at Hermione and smiled. She could see the worry and determination painted on the girl’s face and that was then she knew she could place the Grimoire in her hands. She placed both of her ghostly hands on each of Hermione’s cheeks.
“I know you had a hard time choosing and as a being with power, sometimes the situation you face will force you to make hard decisions such as those. But there are also times when you could save both. Remember that there is always a third choice, you just have to find it.”
The spirit smiled and Hermione’s eyes widened.
A light then began to emanate from her chest and a book materialized. It was a thick tome, its cover just but a simple leather. As Hermione held it in her hands, she could feel a warm magic enveloped her. A mark appeared on her arm, similar to the mark that is engraved on the front of the book as if linking her to it. She then opened it, only to find that the pages were blank. She tried to emit her magic like in the library, but no words appeared.
“That was a good try but to reveal the contents of that book, you have to know what you seek.”
Hermione looked up again at the spirit. She looked more blurry than a while ago.
“What did she choose? Narcissa, I mean.”
The spirit smiled and answered truthfully. “She chose both”
“But if she did chose both, how was she able to protect her unborn child?”
“I guess there would be no harm in telling you. Narcissa was pressured. She had to choose between saving her child or she could fight to save millions. Time was running out and lives were dwindling each day that she almost lost hope. But, the heartbeat of her child pushed her to choose what is right. She chose to seal her pregnancy in a time-based spell to stop it shortly but also assuring that her child would be safe.”
Hermione gasped at that. Time-based spells were the hardest to cast, almost impossible.
“She chose to give birth after the Dark Lord was no more, but there are consequences of her actions. Time was not to be trifled with. In exchange for it, her life span was cut down and her magic weakened, that she was merely only able to seal the monster but not cut it down. She never regretted it for a moment as her child was her joy, her happiness, her everything. Her life. I am the last bit of her magic that remained before she sealed away her Grimoire in this Chamber.”
“She was weakened when she fought the Dark Lord?” Hermione asked and the spirit looked at her with narrowed eyes.
“I know what you are thinking. If she fought him with full power, she would’ve won.”
Hermione was startled. She felt ashamed of herself but the spirit merely smiled.
“That is what everyone would say.” Hermione looked up at the spirit who turned serious. “Even if she fought that monster with her full strength, the monster would live in another vessel and return once again.” Hermione’s eyes widened and she could not help but ask but before she could, the spirit spoke again. “She found out why the monster was so strong despite being a mere vampire bitten by the Elder Vampire Lucius Malfoy. She left me the key to defeating the monster and hoped that the next generation would do what she could not.”
Hermione could not believe what she was hearing.
The Dark Lord has a power that they did not know? And what did she mean by ‘the monster would live in another vessel’?
“And what is that?”
“Break his chains of power.”
Hermione blinked, confusion clear on her face. She was about to ask, but the look on the spirit face told her she wouldn’t get what she wanted.
“And that is what I leave for you to find out, Hermione Granger. You are smart after all. Prove to me that you truly are worthy,” the spirit said before everything became black.
…..
Ginny sucked in a deep breath as she sat up, breathing heavily. She looked around her to see that there was nothing, just plainly darkness.
As she blinked, suddenly the world around her was different. The soft wind blew, there was grass on her feet and the sky was eerily blue. Her eyes widened as she felt it so real. But that would be impossible. She knew this was but a magic of the room and she had to wake up. Her friends might be in danger, especially Marius who was left undefended.
“I can hear your mind working from miles away.” A voice, clearly male, was heard.
Ginny snapped her head towards where the sound came from. She could see where the man was but the problem is, she could not see his face. It seemed hidden by a black fog.
“Who are you?” she asked cautiously.
The male merely chuckled. “You will meet me soon.”
Ginny then relaxed as if understanding. Her hands were lowered to her side from their previous crossed position over her chest and she felt a sense of happiness knowing that she would get to find him soon.
“You’re my mate,” she said breathlessly and the silhouette nodded. Ginny wanted to run up to him but she could see that he was just an illusion of the room. Then, her defenses were up again. Her eyes turned serious and the man as if amused by her actions raised both hands.
“You are an illusion,” Ginny said as she felt herself so fooled again.
The man easily nodded. “I may be, but my personality and who I am is not. The room shows what you truly desire and even if I’m not really here, I am happy that you are looking for me.”
Ginny spluttered, her cheeks reddened. She quickly got rid of it by shaking her head. She was about to say something in return, but something tugged her hand. When she looked down, her eyes widened as she looked at a nine-year-old child staring right back at her.
Unlike the man, the child’s face was seen. He had pale features and curly brown hair with the most beautiful blue eyes that Ginny had ever seen. His form was also not fading like the man that claimed to be her mate.
“Wh—what?” She stuttered out as the boy released her hand and stood next to the man. The two then held hands and slowly, the boy and the man became one.
Ginny didn’t know why but she felt something in her heart suddenly broke.
She frowned, hand fisted in the front of her cloak, right above her chest. "What does that mean?"
The man looked at her and Ginny’s eyes watered without her consent.
“Please, don’t cry. I want you to smile, G, like you always did. Remember, you will face a lot of things in this life but despite it all, you have to live. Know that we will meet again at the end of all of this. I love you, G. Always remember that.”
“Wait!” Ginny screamed as the vision became dark and tears rolling down her cheeks, a dozen questions in her mind.
….
Luna awoke to see herself in the mirror where she usually communicates with her Master. Her eyes widened. She looked around her to see if any of her friends were there with her and she released a sigh finding out that she was alone. She stood up from where she was seated and she passed by the huge walk-in mirror of their dorm when she noticed something.
Luna walked back to see what it was that she saw, only to have a gasp emanate from her as she covered her mouth. She looked back and there he was, standing with a small smile gracing his features. Then with trembling hands, she held up her hands to touch her Father's cheek only to find out that he was real. Then without any more words, she hugged her Father with all her might, a strained sob being released from her lips as she snuggled her head into his chest.
“Daddy,” she cried in his arms and her Father soothed her with his words, hugging her daughter as tight as he could.
“Forgive me, Luna. I could not protect you,” he voiced out to his daughter and the blonde shook her head in his chest as she slowly eased herself to look at her Father’s face.
“No. That’s not true. You protected me for as long as I can remember,” she said, holding her Father’s face in her hands, memorizing the feel of it in her hands as she was sure moments like this do not last. Then she remembered her order, what she had to do in order to see her Father, for real this time.
She knew that this was just a figment of what she desired. She realized it as soon as they entered the room and Narcissa Black was the one that greeted them. The strength of Marius’ desire to see her again made the room fulfill that desire.
Her Father then began to speak and she released him in order to look at his Father once again. She wiped away her tears.
“I no longer need to say much to you. Your path may have begun in the darkness but it will lead you to where you are meant to be. Be brave, be strong. Your mother’s blood will not betray you. It will be your saving grace,” Luna smiled as tears fell from her eyes, not understanding what those words mean but for now but she knew someday she would understand.
“Thank you,” her not-Father showed a look of surprise before shaking his head.
“I bid you good luck,” and Luna closed her eyes as she felt her real self-waking up now.
….
“They are awake,” Rowena voiced out to Marius and they both stood up to see that the three were now slowly sitting up. As soon as their eyes met Marius, Rowena was back once again to her previous form. Narcissa Black smiled down at the three of them.
"How was the past, Miss Granger?" Narcissa asked as she held out her hand for her to take. Hermione almost thought twice before she took it and stood up.
“Left me with more questions than answers.”
Narcissa chuckled then and she turned to a shocked Ginny who was helped up by Marius.
"Believe the future, Miss Weasley,” she merely said as she passed and went to Luna who relied on without her saying anything.
“Thank you. Seeing the present gave me something to think about.”
Narcissa smiled at the witch. Marius looked curious but one look at Hermione and he knew that she would explain it to him later on.
He looked at her and saw that she was successful as the witch was holding on to the Grimoire that he once saw long before it was sealed. He felt a bit envious as that Grimoire was supposed to be his, the remaining memory of his mother. But he shook his thoughts. He had no need for things to remind him of his mother as he had her in his heart always and that was the most important.
“I am glad. Everything turned out alright,” Narcissa voiced out as she looked at the three witches with a smile on her features. When her eyes found Marius, he understood they spoke about what the three was going through when they were left alone, along with his plans. But her voice still rang in his mind as if a never-repeating record.
"I cannot show you what the future, the past or present plan for you, Marius, as your fate is already set in stone.”
Until now, the way she said those words made Marius—Draco’s stomach twisted, an odd feeling of impending doom filled his whole being.