Chapter 10
"I know, I know. But you're missed." Rebecca kissed Fred sweetly before he could try and refuse saying hello to another person on their extended exit of The Three Broomsticks.
First Nigel had gone by their table, then Louis a few minutes later. Then Yara. By the time Harry, Ron, and Hermione had finished their drinks and were ready to start on the snowy walk back up to the castle, Rebecca and Fred were conversationed out.
"I'm making George close the shop and come next time." Fred warned. "He lives for this."
"Like you don't like a little bit of fame." Rebecca teased.
Fred grabbed her hand and spun her before stopping her against him, gazing down at her with a heat behind his eyes. "Sure I do, but not when it's taking away from my time with you."
Rebecca stared up at him for a moment, the brown depths seeming darker--more exciting, more alluring than ever before. "Christmas will be here soon enough."
"And?" Fred laid a hand on her hip, the other resting on her shoulder to kiss her.
"And there'll be plenty of time for that."
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"This is it." Fred said gently as they stopped at the entrance to the walkway from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts. He turned his back to the others and kissed Rebecca deeply, wiping at the tear that made its way down her cheek before the others could see. Fred frowned and kissed her lightning bolt before standing upright. "Don't."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, either." Fred cleared his throat, finding it hoarse at the realisation that their time together had already come to an end. "And definitely don't be sad."
"You've got the notes, the sweets, and you're going to tell everyone that-"
"That you love and miss them." Fred glanced over his shoulder at how the others were shuffling in the snow. "You've made your instructions very, very clear. Check the tunnel--that's where I'll leave news when I hear anything."
Rebecca nodded and knew she would be thinking about the tunnel underneath the castle far more than she ever had before. She brought a hand to the side of his face and kissed him one last time. "I'll leave more of whatever I finish there then. Be safe."
"I will if you are." Fred took a step away and continued backwards to not have to look away from her yet. "I love you."
"I love you!" Rebecca waved as he turned the corner, staring after him a moment longer until Hermione put her arm through hers.
"Ready to head back?"
Rebecca forced a laugh. "Yeah, bloody freezing out here."
Hermione led Rebecca a few feet ahead of Harry and Ron, distracting Rebecca with conversation about anything else.
"Did you hear her back there?" Ron whispered to Harry, though the girls wouldn't have been able to hear their conversation anyway. "About me and her snogging?" Harry wiped at his face as if snow had landed on it to hide a smirk. "As if!"
Harry would have liked to indulge Ron in being a more attentive listener, but he couldn't help but rush them ahead so that they were on either side of the girls. It had occurred to Harry that it might have been better if Rebecca and Fred had not seen each other between breaks to have as few goodbyes as possible, but he knew that was impossible.
Harry put his arm around Hermione and Rebecca put hers around Ron. "Don't go worrying, any of you." Rebecca chastised, mustering a small smile at their care.
Harry chuckled. "Yeah, because we-"
Ahead of them, a scream cut through the air. The four of them rushed ahead, their wands instantly making way to their hands.
"I warned her! I told her not to-!"
Another scream escaped Katie's body from where she was sprawled out on her back. Something was sliding Katie from side to side roughly, her limbs jerking too and fro.
Rebecca felt a little bit of relief when she saw Tonks running towards them from the very tunnel Fred had exited from, but when she faced Katie again, the relief was gone. Katie was levitating in the air, her arms extended while her head was pulled backwards so her flitting eyes could just barely be seen.
As quickly as she had risen into the air, Katie was thrown to the ground forcefully.
"Get back, all of you!" Tonks commanded as she pushed past them. Tonks crouched next to Katie and felt for a pulse. Rebecca was the only one to break from the group, stepping towards the bod that Katie had opened. "Do not touch that." Tonks gestured around the box. "The wrappings only, do you understand?"
Rebecca scooped it up carefully, holding it well away from her body. Tonks put an arm under Katie's neck and lifted her easily. Their procession was silent all the way to the castle's entrance where Tonks brought Katie to the Hospital Wing and McGonagall ordered the rest of them into her office.
McGonagall waved her wand so that her desk was cleared before motioning for Rebecca to put the parcel down. After a brief filling in, McGonagall looked to Katie's friend Leanne. "You're sure Katie did not have this in her possession before entering the Three Broomsticks?"
Leanne's face was marred with tracks left by the tears that had stopped falling minutes before. "It's like I said. She left to go to the loo, she came back with the package. She...she said that it was important she deliver it."
"Did she say to whom?" McGonagall questioned.
"To Professor Dumbledore."
McGonagall took a sharp breath. "Thank you. That will be all, Leanne. You may go." Rebecca watched Leanne leave, the power of McGonagall's gaze too much to be faced head on. "Why is it when something happens it is always you four?"
Ron sighed. "Believe me professor, I've been asking myself the same question for six years."
"Severus!" McGonagall waved him in, talking to him quickly. Snape picked up the necklace and inspected it carefully. "What do you think?"
Snape tutted, narrowing his eyes at the blue and black jewel encrusted necklace with his wand. "I think Miss Bell is lucky to be alive."
"She was cursed, wasn't she." Rebecca's words included a question, but her tone did not. "I know Katie. Off the pitch she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was delivering that to Dumbledore, she wasn't doing it knowingly."
"Yes, she was cursed." McGonagall looked away from the necklace for Rebecca and the others.
Harry raised his head, speaking without thinking. "It was Malfoy."
McGonagall's eyes widened. "That is a very serious accusation, Mister Potter."
Snape straightened, the words of his vow echoing in his ears. "Indeed. Your evidence?" He lowered the necklace back onto the case he had raised it from.
"I just know." Harry managed through gritted teeth.
Hermione winced.
"You just...know." Snape smiled cruelly. "Once again, you astonish me with your gifts, Potter. Gifts such as I, a mere mortal, can only dream of possessing. How grand you two are! How it must be to be the Chosen Ones."
McGonagall's eyes flitted to Severus a brief moment, startled by the malice he had laced 'the Chosen Ones' with. "I suggest you return to your dormitories. All of you."
Rebecca stayed a moment longer while Harry stormed out the second McGonagall had finished dismissing them. Her eyes bore into Snape's, a green lit with such a fury Snape found himself transported to hi spast.
Hermione pulled Rebecca's wrist, leading her from the room. "You go on ahead," Rebecca said, slowing to a stop at the corridor that would lead to the infirmary. "I want to check on Katie."
"Madam Pomfrey's not going to let you disturb her." Hermione sighed. "But you know that, don't you?"
"It's the effort that counts."
Hermione turned to Harry and Ron. "You two go on up and we'll go to the Hospital Wing."
"I'm more than capable-"
"Good idea." Harry interrupted. Ron grumbled something as they walked away, something about Hermione ordering them around.
"I could have come by myself." Rebecca said once they two were on their own again.
"Yes, you could have." Hermione climbed the stairs alongside Rebecca slowly, still adamant that Fred had to have reacted differently than Rebecca had said he had. "So he's just accepted this? With the tree and the stories?"
Rebecca turned at the top of the stairs. The view out the window revealed that the snow from before had continued to fall. "Accepted what? Hermione, everything I found could be wrong or off or...or nothing! It could all be nothing!" They were quiet again, Hermione waiting for Rebecca to finish what she was clearly still forming. "And, again, I wasn't asking permission. I wanted to know what he thought."
"And what about what I think?" Hermione countered. "Or Harry and Ron?"
Rebecca chewed at her lip. "It's taken into consideration."
"Oh no!" Madam Pomfrey's voice ended any follow up by Hermione. "Out you both get!"
"I have to speak with them, Poppy." Tonks stood up from the chair beside Katie's bed, the young witch looking older than Rebecca had ever seen her.
"Outside then. This is a place of rest and quiet." Madam Pomfrey eyed Rebecca, a hint of saddened-amusement playing across her face. "Not qualities that tend to follow this crowd."
Tonks managed a weak smile before Madam Pomfrey closed the door. "Muffliato." Tonks turned around them, continuing to enchant their surroundings. "There, we can speak freely." First, Tonk demanded to know that they were alright. Upon two affirmatives, Tonks' relief was more than evident. "Good. That's good."
"What's the Order saying?" Rebecca asked quietly. She had never been on the other side of these enchantments and wasn't sure if it would muffle their words or mask them entirely.
"Nothing good. Such an obvious attempt at Hogwarts? It doesn't bode well." Tonks held a hand to the bridge of her nose, the little pink that remained in her hair fading to a dark purple.
"But it didn't work, did it? That's got to show for something." Rebecca tried.
Tonks shook her head. "All it means is they--whomever they are--are going to try again." Tonks looked between the two girls carefully. "I'm making you two swear this because I know those boys haven't half the sense between them as you both do alone: Don't go anywhere on your own."
Rebecca raised an eyebrow, not understanding the connection.
Tonks frowned. "You don't really think Dumbledore is Voldemort's only enemy at Hogwarts, do you?"
Hermione's breath caught as Tonks plainly alluded to the fact that Harry and Rebecca were prime targets as well. "Y-you can't know that."
"Come now, Granger. I just said you had sense."
Hermione looked away, ashamed. "I mean, do you have any proof? Besides the centaurs and the-"
"What do you know about that?" Tonks demanded sharply.
"That's rich!" Rebecca wouldn't tolerate the accusatory tone used towards Hermione. It made her angry to hear Tonks speak so harshly to Hermione when she hadn't done anything to deserve, not at all. "You want to know what we do? We know what we've figured out on our own since the Order doesn't trust us enough to tell us anything!"
Tonks grabbed Rebecca's arm. "I would tell you lot everything in the world, but then I won't be told anything. What good is it if we're all in the dark? Now, tell me what you know and don't bother lying."
Rebecca pulled her arm back. "The centaurs are having a celebration."
"And?"
"And it's got something to do with Voldemort." Rebecca didn't say anything else. "Care to fill in the blanks?"
Tonks narrowed her eyes at the two sixth years, boring holes through Rebecca. "No. Get out of here before you bring Poppy down on us all."
Rebecca and Hermione moved to the edge of the area Tonks had charmed.
"Rebecca?" Tonks called so they both turned back. There was a slight smirk along Tonks' lips. "That was good."
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"What does Goldstein even see in her anyway?" Ron demanded. His hands were clasped over his chest like he was in his coffin. "It's Ginny!"
Harry had the Marauders' Map open on against his knees, tracing Hermione and Rebecca's path as they made their way back to the common room after standing outside the door to the Hospital Wing with Tonks for what had felt like ages. "What does she see in him?" Harry countered, thinking over the boring Hufflepuff in his head.
Anthony's head was far too long, his nose too short, his arms resembling twigs compared to the rest of him. All in all, he was unimpressive.
"Anthony? He's fine?"
Harry rolled his eyes, turning the map to the back side and seeing Draco's footsteps wandering down a hall. "You called him a slick git five hours ago."
"That was when he had his hands all over my sister, you understand. Something snaps, you've got to hate him. You know, don't you?"
Harry sighed. "I'd like to say yes, but I don't. Not really. Rebecca's made it far to clear that she's got it handled." Harry paused a moment before continuing. "But it doesn't matter anyway. I think she and Fred are right for each other."
Ron nodded, agreeing. "So, what do you think Goldstein sees in her?"
"I don't know. She's smart, funny. Attractive."
Ron's brow furrowed as he looked at Harry out of the corner of his eyes. "Attractive?"
Harry looked up from the map. He hadn't meant to say the last word out loud, he hadn't even meant to think it. "You know, she's got nice skin."
"You're saying he's dating my sister because of her skin?"
"No! I'm just-I'm saying it could be a contributing factor."
Ron thought on that for a moment. "Hermione's got nice skin. Wouldn't you say? As skin goes?"
Harry glanced at Ron who was staring up at the roof of his bed. "I've never really thought about it. Yeah, I suppose."
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"Knocked up and knocking on my door!" Caractacus Burke laughed loudly as he sloshed his drink onto the table in front of him.
At the end of the next week, Harry and Rebecca had been summoned for another lesson with Dumbledore. They materialised in a grimy bar slightly reminiscent of the Hog's Head if, Rebecca thought, Aberforth wasn't actually a softy and he had abandoned all cleanliness.
"Got this ugly beast from the Gaunt woman, Merope." The man lifted a necklace up over the counter for the crowd of men around him to see. "Some relic, 'pposed to go all the way back to Salazar Slytherin."
"What's she pawning fer?" The man next to him slurred. "Ain't she wi' tha' Riddle?"
Caractacus threw his head back and laughed even louder than before. "He split! Apparently she'd been slipping a little potion in his juice!" The man wiped at his eye, his boisterous laughter bringing tears. "Now she's got the bastard and he's back where he came from."
"That's Tom they're talking about, isn't it?" Harry clarified with Dumbledore.
Dumbledore pointed to the locket the man still held tightly. "You've seen him as a child, I wanted you to see where he came from." The memory faded from existence and Rebecca and Harry lifted themselves from the cool water of the pensieve back in Dumbledore's office.
Rebecca wiped her face quickly, walking back and forth as she tried to sort out her thoughts that seemed especially jumbled. So many men so clearly intoxicated left her feeling jumpy, shadowed. Too familiar with it. "What happened to Merope? Why did he end up in the orphanage we saw?"
Dumbledore eased himself into his chair, holding his blackened hand against his chest. "Merope Gaunt passed in childbirth; leaving Tom to a harsh and loveless youth."
Rebecca snorted. "I don't feel badly for him, if that's we were supposed to after that. Harsh? Loveless? No excuse." She stopped pacing and turned away from Harry and Dumbledore.
Harry watched Rebecca carefully. She didn't talk about her child, not usually. With the darkened atmosphere of Hogwarts though, they had all noticed how in moments of quiet she seemed to be somewhere else--somewhere dark, almost like she had been before Rebecca had become the person she was underneath everything.
The gloom that had settled over the castle reminded her of what had been her life before the Weasleys. The slinking gait of the first years, creeping out of the common to face the day as quickly as possible before they could escape back into the refuge that Gryffindor Tower had become.
Rebecca couldn't stand it, seeing the younger students miserable. Pranks seemed to follow her like shadows followed the setting sun. Harmless, of course, just meant to bring some laughter back into the corridors.
Rebecca's sigh pulled Harry from his thoughts, she had warned him that she planned on asking Dumbledore her questions and Harry had begged her to wait until they had their next memory-meeting. He had hoped that the time would give him a chance to convince her away from removing the locket, but he hadn't been able to.
"There's something I have to ask, professor."
Dumbledore chuckled and took out a bag of sweets. "I wouldn't expect anything else, Rebecca."
Harry took a sweet and tossed it up into the air, catching it in his mouth.
"Well, you see," Rebecca hadn't expected a jest to start the conversation. "You've thrown me off my script now." Rebecca sank into a seat and took the sat Harry offered.
"You want to know if you should remove the wards between yourself and the Wollstone's Wood, don't you?"
"The what?" Rebecca sat up straighter. "Is that what the tree's called?"
"Yes, and I trust you will research it and its lore furthern."
"Sir?" Rebecca squinted, confused.
"Very, very little goes on in this castle that I am not privy to."
Harry chuckled, but was ignored by Rebecca who continued with her questions. "Is it true then? The centaurion histories say-"
"I did say 'very little.'" Dumbledore leaned forward curiously. "Where have you learned centaurion? That's a feat even I have yet to master entirely."
Rebecca smiled. "I haven't." She explained the French Fancies and how she had tampered with their makeup for other applications to get to the Centaur translation. "I've been keeping one on me in case I find myself with some time in the library. You can...have it if you want? I've got it here somewhere?"
Dumbledore nodded quickly and waited for her to find the bag in her pockets with the single red boiled sweet inside. He held it to the light, studying it. "How resourceful."
"Thank you, sir." Rebecca tried to decide which question was best to ask next. "I wanted to ask about-"
"We shan't answer all the universe's questions in one night, no?" Dumbledore looked especially tired, bringing about no argument from Rebecca or Harry. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you two to see yourselves out--I'm feeling quite knackered. I will send word when we are to meet again."
Harry followed Rebecca out of his office, thinking. "You've shocked Dumbledore; that's got to make you happy."
Rebecca only shrugged. She wished she was able to run up the boys' stairs to tell Fred and George about it. "It's alright."
Harry sighed and turned down the next set of stairs instead of up. "Let's go. You'll only end up walking back later if you don't."
Rebecca walked quicker, relieved that he had not-very-subtley offered to walk down to the tunnel behind the one-eyed witch to see if Fred had left any news yet.
"Go on," Harry shooed her into the darkness. "I'll keep watch for you."
Harry ducked against the wall, shadows thrown out from behind him as Rebecca illuminated her wand and hurried to the box that hadn't been there the day before. Inside was a long scroll of parchment. Rebecca tucked it safely under her arm, feeling that she needed to open it in the safety and privacy of her room. "Have I told you I love you lately?"
Harry was relieved to find a smile of a strength he hadn't seen on her in too long.
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"Fred finally left word." Harry whispered to Ron as the boys climbed into their beds later that night. "Rebecca looked like it was Christmas already."
"What did he say?" Ron chuckled, imagining Rebecca's face.
Harry's own-smile faded into a pout. "I don't know. She said she wanted to read it alone and that she would tell all of us tomorrow."
"Right, like she's not over there telling Hermione and Ginny right now." Ron rolled his eyes as Harry pulled his Potions text out. "Again?"
Harry sighed. "Yes, Ron. There's a lot in here, a lot we haven't covered yet. Never know when it will come in handy."
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Rebecca stared at the scroll as she sat on the edge of the tub, pretending she didn't know that Hermione and Ginny were whispering out in the room about her. Her thumb traced over the wax seal, toying with the idea of tearing it open but able to convince her fingers to do it.
"It's just a letter, you idiot. Open it and stop being a bloody baby." Rebecca scolded herself harshly, but her fingers still refused to access the letter.
Truth of the matter, Rebecca was afraid to. She had spent so long telling the others that she would take whatever course of action she thought was best, but if Fred had changed his mind--if he had asked her not to take the locket off, Rebecca wasn't sure if she would be able to.
There was a soft rapping at the door. "Becs?" Ginny's voice was muffled. "Good or bad?"
Rebecca stood up and opened the door, not surprised to Hermione beside Ginny directly outside. "I-" Rebecca held the scroll over. "I can't."
Ginny nodded and took it while Hermione motioned for Rebecca to sit on the edge of her bed. Once they were seated, Hermione lay her head on Rebecca's shoulder. Ginny lifted the seal and began to read the letter. "Outloud, maybe?"
Ginny laughed. "Oh yeah, forgot."
"Love," Ginny made a face before reading on. "I'm sorry this has taken so long. Voldemort's on the move, this time after any history that isn't strictly about pure-blooded lineages. Entire wizarding libraries have been destroyed--record buildings leveled. This has made my research a little difficult; I couldn't find much. It's too dangerous to get into the Ministry right now to look further, too.
I want to know what you learn, I need to know. We'll deal with it together, like we said.
Tunnel, November 14, Midnight.
No news on the other front, though mum says there's no two people in the world who are more capable of handling trouble. I know this will worry you, but I want you to remember that R and S have gone through a lot worse.
I love you more than you can know,
Fred/darling
Ginny looked up nervously as she read through the end of the letter. "That's not bad, right?"
Rebecca shook her head before bursting into tears. Hermione had tissues in hand in seconds and Ginny moved to sit beside her.
"Why're you crying if it's not bad?" Ginny questioned.
"It's perfect. It's exactly what I should have known he would say." Rebecca breathed in relief. She had fully expected the worst and forgotten to prepare for the best. "It's perfect." She repeated.
Hermione glanced at Rebecca, feeling her worry grow. "So you're going to try?"
Rebecca wiped at her face before standing. "Tonight."
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"So you've returned." The voice in the clearing spoke in Rebecca's mind, the voice with power in every syllable.
"I had no choice." Rebecca turned in a slow circle, keeping an eye out for the rot from her dreams before. "I have too many questions that I can't answer. What is the Wollstone's Wood?"
"That is I, child." The eyes on the tree opened slowly, filled to the brim with depths knowledge. "Sit and ask, I will answer."
Rebecca sat on the winding roots, abandoning her survey of the surroundings. She seemed to be alone with the tree. "With the truth?"
The tree chuckled in Rebecca's mind. "To answer without the truth isn't to answer at all, is it?"
"Who are you?" Rebecca asked, ignoring the word games.
Rebecca felt the sadness pour over the tree and splash into her mind, a sadness that wasn't her own. "I am the last to live on. Look around, all these trees--this forest. Once, eons ago, magic wasn't in us; magic was around us. It permeated the air, more present in some lands than others. Why else do you think Hogwarts stands where it does?" The tree's branches rearranged and Rebecca could see it as the action of an old woman adjusting herself in her chair. "My name was Wilhomena and this forest was once the ground in which we, the witches, gave up our earthly lives to form these woods."
"What does that mean?"
"There has always been darkness." Wilhomena answered vaguely. "There has always been, and there always will be."
Rebecca hated the half-answers, hated that every word she heard only brought more questions. "Could you bring people back from the dead?" Rebecca glanced at her hands. "Did you mark them?"
Wilhomena's answer came quickly. "Why else would I have brought you here?" The clearing was silent a moment. "It's hard to do this. I have to bring myself out of a level of unconsciousness you cannot imagine to bring myself out enough to converse like this. I will not be able to reach you ever night."
"So talk quickly."
Wilhomena's eyes sparkled, a strange sight to see on a tree. "Yes, I brought back my child when he was but an infant. A fever had hold of him and I couldn't sit idle. Later, when he was still not a man, he was taken from this world by those who thought magic ought be restricted--given to some and barred from others. My own time's act of evil." The leaves shuddered. "He was felled in the greatest battle of my life; he died defending those who couldn't defend themselves. Many passed that day, the day this forest was formed."
Rebecca glanced around. She knew how vast the Forbidden Forest was--how big was the battle Wilhomena described for the dead to have formed such a formidable woods.
"More trees that not were once magic. Before the magic was scattered, we let it into us and relinquished ourselves to it. Magic itself deemed we become the guardians. The others...there has always been the option to fade into oblivion, but I once faced a life without my son and I refuse to return to him until I have saved some as he saved those he died for." The tree's voice grew in volume, growing stern and unyielding. "You have brought back more in your short life than any before you, and there have been few with powers envied by all. Act in caution, you cannot give more than you have."
Rebecca mulled over what had been said so far, needing more. "There's more I have to know." The branches sank lower, though Wilhomena did not argue against this despite the tax it was taking on her. "What did you do to Regulus Black?"
"Regulus...Regulus was my greatest failure." Wilhomena's voice was soft and Rebecca didn't know if this was because of emotion or exertion. "He called for me, he needed my guidance in his darkest hour; I didn't have the strength to respond. I watched--unable to help, unable to aid--as he perished in the very way I was leading him away from."
"How?"
"Understand this, if nothing else." Wilhomena grew grave. "I am not here on my own volition.
When the one who can mark has gone,
When the darkness is done,
When life and death are pawns no longer and
When magic is once again stronger:
One will rise. One who will bring about the end of ends
At a cost one cannot comprehend."
Wilhomena met Rebecca's eyes when she was done reciting the prophecy in its entirety. "That is my task, to lead the One."
"I don't want this!" Rebecca stood, shouting. 'At a cost one cannot comprehend?' "I won't do it!"
Wilhomena's voice grew in intensity. "And yet, you have it and you will do what is needed of you! The One always will." The tree shuddered and the clearing wobbled in front of Rebecca's eyes. "We cannot change our fates, child. I cannot stay longer."
"How will you reach me again?"
Wilhomena's eyes crinkled in amusement, no mouth needed for this to be clear. "Child, a charm cannot stop me. I knew you would need answers before long. I first sensed you after the unicorn, though after you brought back the boy I began pooling my strength in earnest. I've kept the worst of the premonitions from you, but you have pried some from my hold anyway."
"Were those always because of this--because of the One?"
"They have affected more of the failed One's prophecies than not, though their strength has always faded with age. Go now, your friends are worried. We will speak again."
"Wilhomena?" Rebecca lowered her head slightly. "Thank you."
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"Think she did it?" Ginny whispered to Hermione in the early morning. Rebecca hadn't moved an inch all night.
"I don't know." Hermione peeked at Rebecca's bed. Ginny crawled into Hermione's bed and laid beside her. "She's going to be fine; she always is." Hermione reassured.
The two of them only waited a little longer before Rebecca's eyes fluttered open and she blinked and sat up. Hermione and Ginny were scrambled to get in front of her, both asking questions louder to be heard over the other. Rebecca slipped her glasses on and reached for the parchment and pen on Hermione's desk, scribbling down the bulk of what she remembered and began to piece together the prophecy.
"It was a lot." That was all Rebecca said as she wrote.
"A lot?" Ginny echoed. "What the bloody hell does that mean?"
Rebecca tried to explain as she continued to write, knowing it would be good practise for when she told Fred next time they met. "And it ended with 'at a cost one cannot comprehend.'"
"And?" Hermione stared, waiting for more of an explanation.
"And what? That was it: that's the end of the prophecy." Rebecca stood and stretched, her muscles startlingly sore. "Breakfast?" Hermione and Ginny looked to each other as Rebecca began to dress for the day. "We haven't got forever, Slughorn's dessert is tonight!"
"She's being weird, isn't she?" Ginny whispered to Hermione. "More so than usual?"
Harry and Ron, upon reading the letter to Fred and after being filled in, found that Ginny was entirely correct. Rebecca continued about her day like it was any other; Charms went excellently, Transfiguration ended with a massive assignment of homeword, Defence Against the Dark Arts brought two more insults to be added to the 'Best Snape's called me' list.
And it wasn't an act, either. After hearing from Wilhomena, after hearing the prophecy, Rebecca knew what she was dealing with now. It wasn't a mystery--at least, not as much as it had been. And of course the phrase, 'at a cost one cannot comprehend' scared her senseless. But, she refused to think about it until she could talk to Fred.
And, like most problems, refusing to deal with it made it future Rebecca's problem.
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Dessert with Slughorn proved a painfully dull event. Dessert was spectacular, gigantic bowls of ice cream covered with everything from chocolate to candied walnuts. The conversation, however, was far from delicious.
Cormac was there and had been asked about his father who was some Ministry goody-goody. Then another boy began inhaling his ice cream to get out of talking about his uncle Slughorn had brought up.
Rebecca wasn't really listening, she was too busy thinking about what she always did when her mind wandered: Fred.
"What exactly does your family do in the Muggle world, Miss Granger?" Professor Slughorn hoped that Hermione's conversation would be more entertaining than that which went before her. Hermione sat up in her seat, trying to pretend she didn't notice how Cormac was eyeing her.
"You alright?" Neville asked from the seat beside Rebecca.
Rebecca nodded as Hermione answered that her parents were dentists. "Yeah, why? Are you?"
Neville took a bite of his dessert before answering. "I'm good. You seem off, though."
"One boy," Hermione giggled. "Robbie Fenwick, he bit my father. He needed ten stitches!"
Rebecca gave Neville a small smile. "I'm alright, really. Thank you for asking."
Neville shrugged, his face growing hot. "I've got biscuits Ron hasn't found yet. If you ever feel like talking about anything...I'm a good listener."
The way Harry and Rebecca were trying to gain control over their laughter, Rebecca was too embarrassed to ask what a dentist was. Luckily, the door squeaking open ended the conversation for a moment. Ginny entered the room quickly, slight signs on her showing she had just been crying.
"Miss Weasley!" Slughorn greeted. "Come in, come in!"
Hermione turned to Rebecca. "She and Anthony have been fighting again."
Harry jerked to his feet, sending his chair back with his knees as Ginny laid a hand on her seat.
"I'm not usually late." Ginny explained, looking at Harry curiously.
Harry looked around the table, confused as to why the other gentlemen hadn't stood as a lady joined them. Harry's cheeks quickly became dusted with a blush and, if anyone could have heard his heart, they would have heard how it quickened at Ginny's evening-wear.
"You're just in time for dessert, if Belby's left you any." The table laughed and Harry took his seat as Ginny did. Rebecca hid her giggles with a drink of water. "So that's how Fred and I must have looked to everyone else."
Hermione looked away from Harry as he looked at them both sharply. "What?"
"Nothing." Hermione deflected.
When dessert was finished, Rebecca and Harry motioned for Hermione and Ginny to go on ahead. Both girls nodded, Hermione happy that Ginny would have the opportunity to talk about whatever she and Anthony were in a row about with Rebecca threatening violence.
Slughorn turned back into his classroom and gasped at Rebecca and Harry still being inside. Harry had loosened his tie and his appearance was showing the hours that had passed, while Rebecca in her dress looked exactly as she had when they had all left a pouting Ron in the common room earlier.
"I'm sorry, sir!" Rebecca explained, turning back to the object that had caught her attention. "I was just admiring your hourglass and insisted Harry come look too."
"It is a most intriguing object." Slughorn walked to it, loving Rebecca's enthusiasm. "The sand runs in accordance with the quality of the conversation."
"And with me here," Rebecca grinned. "It'll never run dry!" Slughorn laughed with her, but Harry joined a moment too late.
"You, no. You have nothing to worry about." Slughorn shook his head and continued to laugh. "Some of your classmates however, let's just say they're unlikely to make the shelf."
"The shelf?" Harry enquired.
"Anyone who aspires to be anyone hopes to end up here." Slughorn walked them to the table he had set up in the corner of his room near his desk similar to the one he had had in the Muggle house they had met him in over the summer. "Though you two already are someone, aren't you?"
Harry saw an opportunity and took it, though Rebecca had wished he hadn't as soon as the words had left his mouth. "Did Voldemort ever make the shelf, sir?" Slughorn kept his back to Harry. "You knew him, didn't you? Tom Riddle? You were his teacher."
"Mr Riddle had a number of teachers whilst here at Hogwarts." Slughorn kept his back to them both still.
After a lengthy pause, Rebecca shook her head at Harry and spoke over him when he went to try again. "I'm sorry. Forgive us. He-well, he killed our parents."
Slughorn turned slowly. "It's only natural that you should want to know more. But, I'm afraid I must disappoint you both." Slughorn's eyes took on a glazed, nostalgia-like look. "When I met young Mr Riddle, he was quiet, albeit brilliant, boy committed to becoming a first-rate wizard." He shook his head. "Not unlike others, not unlike yourselves, in fact."
Rebecca's face hardened into an indecipherable mask in an instant, unable to remain open at a comparison made between them and Voldemort.
"If the monster existed," Slughorn said with an air of finality. "It was buried deep within."
Harry managed a weak smile when Slughorn looked to him, but Rebecca gave nothing. Behind them, the soft tinkling of the sand in the measurer of conversations ended abruptly.
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