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Chapter 16- Estella's Gift

"Harry? Harry! Are you awake?" Harry Potter woke up to the dulcit tones of Ron Weasley from the cubicle next to him. He rubbed his eyes wondering why they were both in the hospital. Then memories came flooding back to him. Voldemort was finally dead and Hermione was no longer the muggle born he had thought she was. Then there was his mother! He had never had such a wonderfull surprise.

"Hi Ron!" he called happily. "I'm awake. Can I come through?"

"Sure," replied Ron.

Harry quickly got dressed and put his school robes on; it was the first day of the summer term. He then pushed back the curtain to Ron's cubicle. He was sitting up in bed, his hair standing on end almost as much as Harry's usually did.

"You're dressed?" he asked in surprise.

"Yeah."

They sat in silence for a minute, then Ron said quietly, "Tell me everything that happened after you fell off that horse, and don't leave anything out."

Harry took a deep breath and told Ron everything, from Estella's visit and the revelation of Voldemort's daughter to the appearance of Voldemort himself in the library and Harry and Hermione's battle against him. At the end the sun had crept round to the window and Harry was feeling slightly hoarse.

Ron sighed, "I know you're Harry Potter and all that, but how can you take it all so easily? I mean, you're just killed someone; your friend's father. And think- this all signifies that Hermione is the daughter of the heir of the most evil wizard ever and has just killed her father in cold blood. That's patricide!"

Harry thought about this. He had not considered it at all in that way, "But even so, Voldemort was only her father biologically. The equivalent would be her killing Mr. Granger. He wasn't a father to Hermione." He paused, "I'm proud of her."

Ron was about to reply when Hermione herself pushed back the curtain and came in, "Hello Harry, Ron. I heard you talking so I thought I'd come through. I've been reading. What, aren't you dressed yet, Ron? It's quarter past eight and classes start soon. Madame Pomfrey's taken Irene down to breakfast already. She said we were to go if we felt up to it. Harry and I will wait out here while you get dressed."

Before she left the cubicle, she warned them not to say anything of what had really happened the day before to anyone, "We had a very interesting stay; riding and walking. We got back so late yesterday that we had to stay in the hospital wing so as not to wake people up. That's the story, right? Irene has nothing to do with us, by the way. We'll see what Dumbledore says before we go giving things away."

Harry followed her out into the corridor. He was about to start a conversation on what had happened, but he suddenly noticed a glimmer on her hand.

"A ring! Where did you get that from? That's the first piece of jewellery I've ever seen you wear."

Hermione turned her left hand towards her and said guardedly, "It was a present."

"Who from?"

"I do hope we get the NEWTs results soon. I'm afraid I lost some marks in Transfiguration because I hesitated before doing the practical exam," was the only reply Harry was entitled to and she resolutely kept the conversation up till they were halfway to the Great Hall. At last Harry in desparation (for he didn't want to discuss the exams anymore) asked her what she had been reading. Ron shot him a horrific glance. This subject seemed just as unpalatable to him as the exam results. Hermione seemed happy to talk about her reading materials however.

"Oh it's a marvellous book!" She enthused, "Really. It's written as an autobiography of one of history's most important and influential woman ever!" She paused for effect then said, "Lady Diana Gryffindor!"

She could have saved her pause, for Harry looked nonplussed and Ron said, "Who?"

Hermione looked increduously at them, "You mean you've never heard of Lady Diana? The mother of Godric Gryffindor and the sister of Salazaar Slytherin's father! Born Miss Eleanor Slytherin and died Lady Diana Gryffindor."

"Wait a minute," questioned Harry. "How could she change her Cristian name like that?"

"Very easily. Her real name was Elena but everyone called her Diana because she reminded them of the moon goddess, Diana or Artemis because she was so pale skinned and dark haired. In fact, when she and Lord Simon were married they were called Apollo and Artemis because he was just like the sun and she was the moon.

"Most people study magical history from the founding of Hogwarts and seemed to forget that there was existence before then, which is very sad. Godric Gryffindor was important but perhaps his parents were just so as well. Diana's story I find fascinating. I have just reached the first meeting of Simon and Diana. They met at a party Diana's brother gave and Lord Simon was the only non Slytherin there. And of course there was the added thing- they had the Unbreakable Link and they knew it the moment they met."

Hermione stopped to draw breath and Harry slipped in a question, "Who was it by?"

"A never heard of before author called Star White. I think though, that it's my mother- Estella Green writing under a pseudonym."

"Really? I suppose it's possible."

Ron let out a massive yawn and pushed the Great Hall doors open. When they reached the Gryffindor table they saw, inbetween Ginny Weasley and Pippa Spinnet; Irene Malfoy.

"You're in Gryffindor!" Ron cried in surprise.

She nodded gravely, "The Sorting Hat had quite a lot of trouble with me, but eventually it put me here. I'm quite happy with the arrangement. Ginny and Pippa are being very kind." She smiled for the first time, "It makes so much difference not being under the Imperius Curse and always in danger. I can be myself again. At least I'm not with my odious cousin."

"Talking about Malfoy," said Harry glancing at the door, "here he comes- with his bodyguards."

Sure enough, Draco Malfoy flanked as usual by Crabbe and Goyle approached the Slytherin table and sat down with Pansy, Blaise and Millicent.

"Did you know that Crabbe and Goyle have got Zabini and Bulstrode to go out with them?" whispered Pippa in Harry and Ron's ear. She could always be counted on to know all the latest gossip, "I don't know how they could bare to be with those two goons. Ugh!"

Harry couldn't see how Crabbe and Goyle could have wanted to date those two girls either.

All six Gryffindors watched Pansy say something to Malfoy and point in their direction. Soon Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle walking respectively about a foot behind, began to approach them. The pupils having breakfast stopped talking to watch. When Draco Malfoy looked like that then there was going to be trouble. Watching it was as good an entertainment as any.

He took up his stand directly in front of Irene and she raised her eyes to meet his. No-one said anything for a few very long seconds. Then Draco said cooly, "I think you've come to the wrong table, Irene."

Irene ate a piece of toast and did not reply. At all. Malfoy looked quite disconcerted. After all, it is difficult to argue with a brick wall. Soon he recovered himself and tried another attack, "I am absolutely furious that Dumbledore has admitted such scrum as you to Hogwarts. Mudbloods were bad enough, but letting muggles come is too much. It's lucky I only have one term left here."

Irene kept resolutely silent, though her cheeks had reddened almost imperceptively. Out of the corner of Harry's eye he saw Hermione lay her hand restrainingly on Ron's arm. He was once more aware of her ring.

Meanwhile neither Irene nor Draco had moved. The latter seemed to be stumped. Suddenly Irene jerked her head up and stared vaguely at Draco. At last she spoke, "Sorry cousin, did you say something? I wasn't concentrating."

Red spots appeared on Malfoy's cheeks. He wasn't used to being ignored. He reached inside his robes for his wand. Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles in anticipation of a fight.

"Just you wait, squib; I'll make you pay," he hissed preparing to curse her.

"Malfoy!" Hermione stepped forward. He turned around and suddenly she held up her left hand towards him, her palm facing herself. A jet of purple light left the ring and hit Malfoy's wand arm.

"Ow! What have you done? Filthy mudblood!"

Hermione's voice rang out clear across the hall, "Next time, pick on someone your own size. I may not be persuaded to join in then. In answer to your question, if you don't know what this ring does then you should. Call yourself a Slytherin and you don't recognise it! And really Malfoy, it seems to be you not Irene who needs to check the geography of the room. You sit over there."

"Do you want to duel, Granger? I'm quite ready."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. However I'll be very happy to oblige, if you're sure."

"Now Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger," it was little Professor Flitwick who had decided that it was more than time to interfere, "20 points from Slytherin and 10 points from Gryffindor. I hope I never hear such language and threats from you again, Draco, and remember; no curses out of class, Hermione. Now finish your breakfast quietly."

Hermione sat down and all Gryffindor craned their necks to see her and Irene. No-one really knew who the new girl was, but Malfoy's interference had rendered her most interesting.

Shortly afterwards Dumbledore followed by Lily, Arabella and Sirius entered the room and sat down at the teachers' table. A string of hushed comments and queries followed Lily as well as she made her towards Harry and the Gryffindors.

She greeted them and then said in a low voice to Harry, "Dumbledore has entirely acknowledged me as his daughter, I am glad to say."

"Did he know already that Miss Thompson had had a child?"

Lily sighed and glanced at the table. "I would tell you, Harry, but I think it best if what passed between me and Professor Dumbledore stays between us only."

Harry understood but still wished he could know. After all, Dumbledore was now his grandfather! His mother continued, "However, since he believes that Aïda did not want my true parentage to be known, he is going to honour that wish. I am going to appear as his niece."

"But... but, are you going to be my mother?"

"I am your mother Harry! But yes, I am going to be introduced as Mrs. Potter. The professor will say a few words about what happened yesterday and he will mention Epithanos. Hermione will be credited with inventing it, but the school will be told that that is how I survived. It will not hold water for the more important people like Miss Goldfinger, but she shall be told the truth."

"In that case, Hermione won't get the credit!"

"You'd rather Hermione got the credit than me? Dear me! Well, she will get it. I used it without really knowing what it was."

"That's not going to work!"

"You'd be surprised how many people will believe things like that." She shrugged and then continued, "I was talking to Severus last night and I think you deserve a explanation."

"An explanation?" said Harry in surprise.

"I know he's been horrid to you since the very first day you arrived."

"And you know why?"

"Yes." She sat down next to him and stared into space for a while before speaking again. "You have heard that the reason Snape hates you was because of your father- of James. That's only partly true. The reason he hates you is because of me not James. James was always civil to Severus- in the beginning at least."

"So what went wrong?"

"I came along. I hated Severus Snape with a blind prejudice. So did Sirius and Arabella. We played tricks on him, we teased him. We generally made life a plague to him. Of course it could only get worse when he fell for me. I hated him and he loved me. Knowing his partiality only gave me something more to tease him about."

She paused and Harry punctuated with an, "And?"

"This is where it gets difficult. You know Harry, I was a partner in a fun dating agency at school. I prided myself on being able to tell who was in love with each other perhaps before they knew themselves. I still can actually. I could tell who were life partners and who just had crushes. I was very vain of this talent but one thing it lacked was telling who liked me! Even in our third year Severus says he could tell that there was something between James and I. So then he hated James for liking 'his girlfriend'! He was always jealous of James- his quidditch skills (Severus never made it onto the quidditch team though he tried many times), his intelligence in class, his bravado and the way he was even nice to him. Then James saved his life, risking his own life. And when they returned afterwards I completely ignored Severus and went to James. After that James became less tolerant of Snape and started playing his own tricks which I have to say, were far more slick and accomplished than mine. It ended in bitter hatred. Now, the reason he hates you, Harry, is because he knows you're like James and also because you're my child- mine and James'. He can't bear to think that you could have been his child!"

Harry was starting for the first time, to feel sorry for Snape.

Lily sighed, "Well, he has given me his word that he shall be nicer to you now. Not that I think much of his word. He may not be a bad man, but he's not the most pleasent fellow I ever met. He'll try to get over hating you for my sake, but I'm afraid, scandalous as it is for teachers to like different pupils more or less than others, he doesn't actually like you for your sake. Still, you tolerate him and perhaps he'll tolerate you."

At that point they were interrupted by Dumbledore who had stood up and clapped his hands for silence. The whisperings in the hall slowly died.

Dumbledore started, "Good morning everybody! Before I let you go to classes, I have a few notices to give out. Five, in fact. Firstly, I would like to welcome a new student to the school. Miss Irene Malfoy was sorted into Gryffindor last night. She will be in the fifth year. Stand up, Irene please!"

Irene stood up and endured all the stares and comments with a very good grace. After a minute she sat down. Dumbledore continued, "If you think you have heard the name 'Malfoy' before you are right! Miss Malfoy is Draco Malfoy's first cousin." The mutterings increased. "Miss Malfoy has not been attending school before now because she is a squib." Dead silence. "However, she has been sorted and I intend to introduce squibs to the school on a regular basis. My colleague, Professor Sinistra has kindly volunteered to teach them the quickspell course. Irene is our guinea pig!"

The mutterings were general again. Dumbledore waited for them to die down before moving onto his second notice, "I would also like to introduce my neice, Mrs. Lily Potter!" The hall went wild with shouts, gasps and general confusion. Professor McGonagall clapped her hands and called loudly, "Silence please!"

Dumbledore picked up the thread, "I know what you are thinking. Yes, Lily is the mother of Harry Potter. However she is not dead as you can see! Quite by accident she found a charm to counter Avada Kedavra!"

"What?!" cried someone.

"Due to a variety of circumstances she has not been able to return until now. She will be staying here for some time and I hope she will accept a teaching post here."

Lily smiled, "Thank-you, Professor!"

"I have already mentioned the counter curse to Avada Kedavra. This is actually the counter curse to an ancient Greek curse, Thanos. It was actually found by a student while she was on holiday last year. Miss Hermione Granger, please stand up!"

There were a few gasps and some boos from the Slytherin table. Harry, Ron and Lily all clapped very loudly.

"I am afraid that as this research did not take place in school, I cannot award house points, however I am sure the Minister of Magic will have something to say about it at the Laurels' Ceremony. Sit down, Hermione."

Dumbledore waited for the school to digest this new imformation but even when silence had set in he did not speak. The pupils began to figit. When Dumbledore eventually spoke it was in a much more serious tone. "I do not think that there isn't one person sitting here who is not aware of the existance of Lord Voldemort."

He paused and there were quite a few shudders at the mention of the name. The older students looked rather frightened. Some could remember Cedric Diggory and his death. Dumbledore's tone of voice indicated some catastrophe of the like. They were not all that wrong.

"There has been a death." Dumbledore paused before continuing just as seriously, "Some of you may know that last week Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger went on holiday. The holiday was a trap. Yesterday, two of them encountered Lord Voldemort and managed to defeat him!"

The Great Hall was still with shock. "I am pleased to say that the Dark Lord is no more. He will never be able to terrorise your families again. I think we should just take a minute to remember all the people that were killed by his hand and the families broken up by him." He bowed his head and the rest of room followed suite. Soon all that could be heard was Dumbledore's quiet voice, "The following were some of the victims of Voldemort. The McKinnons, Geoffrey, Alice and Laura; the Crouches, Bartemius, Godfrey and Jane; the Potters, Samuel, Clemence, James and Elizabeth; the Weasleys, John and Harriet; the Shortstraws, Monty, Cidilla and Eleanor; the Browns, Derek and Rosemary; the Bones, Charles and Helena; Mary Chang; Bertha Jorkins; Rose Birchwood; Cedric Diggory; Aïda Thompson; Richard Harding; Peter Goldfinger; Sean Newman." He stopped talking and after a minute of silent reflection everyone of one accord looked up. Dumbledore cleared his throat. "If the Ministry has no objection, I would like the 20th of April to be set aside for remembrance."

No-one appeared objected and everyone felt rather sad. Lily sighed and said to Harry, "I was at school with John Weasley, Arthur's brother, and Harriet Walpole. They were good friends. Rose Birchwood was in my year as well and Cidilla French-Shortstraw was one of my closest friends. I wasn't even aware she had died."

Dumbledore was speaking, "However, this is a time for rejoicing! Voldemort is gone at last and thanks to the bravery of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley."

This time there were cheers. However, Ron elbowed Harry and whispered, "Look at Malfoy!" Harry looked. Draco Malfoy looked as if he had swallowed a lemon with extra vinegar. Harry grinned and whispered back, "Aw, poor Malfoy- he can't become a death eater now!"

"Don't be so sure of that, Harry!" Hermione interrupted, "I'm sure someone will step into Voldemort's shoes soon enough. He may have even left an heir, for all we know."

Ron glared at her, "Hermione, we really didn't need that!"

Eventually the Great Hall quietened down a bit and everyone finished their breakfast. Harry, Ron and Hermione all got bombarded by questions but they answered evasively.

At the end of breakfast Percy Weasley entered the room. After talking with Dumbledore and McGonagall for a few minutes he sat down and started eating breakfast.

"Whatever is he doing here?" cried Ron without any hope of an answer.

McGonagall then stood up and asked all the seventh years to remain behind.

"Why?" Harry asked no-one.

Hermione shrugged, "Probably about our NEWTs. I hope so anyway."

Harry didn't.

Hermione was right though. Percy had come to forward the Minister of Magic who had had to remain in London for the night for some reason. He hadn't brought the results himself, but had been told to tell them that everyone had passed, and that some people had results over 100%!

Professor McGonagall then took the opportunity to explain to everyone what was going to happen about the results.

"Next Friday, the 25th, is the date of this year's Laurels' Ceremony. Parents and relatives are all invited and the Minister of Magic herself will present the certificates. It will take place on the Quidditch Pitch at 14:30. Clean school robes- not dress robes- will be worn. It will also be neccessary to wear a hat, so if you haven't got one make sure you have one by Friday."

Harry had always wondered when the pointed hat he had bought before his first year would come in useful. He'd never worn it before.

"There will also be a ball on the last evening of term."

Harry and Ron exchanged gloomy glances. Their experiences of school dances so far had been catastrophic.

"This ball will not be like the other school balls you may have been to previously. This one will take place in Hogsmeade. The date is Friday, 27th June at seven pm. School finishes on Saturday, 28th. Dinner will be served there. Dress robes or muggle formal dress can be worn, depending on preference. We have no problem with what you wear providing it covers a reasonable amount!"

Some girls giggled there. Hermione looked stony faced.

"Professor Dumbledore has invited the Diagon Sinfonietta Orchestra to play for us for which we are very grateful. It is a custom at this ball for all the boys to dance with all the girls and vice versa. There are more than enough dances to manage this in. The evening has been planned in the following way: the first half will be dedicated to the faster dances. There will food in the interval. The more romantic dances such as the waltzes will be played in the second half."

"Waltzes!?" cried Padma Patil, looking horrified, "I can't dance them!"

"Not many people can, Miss Patil. Because of this there will dancing lessons taking place every Tuesday lunchtime in the Great Hall for those who want to learn how to dance waltzes, polkas, foxtrots and other dances. I remember when I was at Hogwarts, all the balls were like that..." Professor McGonagall remenised for a few seconds. "Well!" She said eventually, "Talking about extra lessons, there will be career talks on Fridays at four thirty in the Transfiguration classroom and apparition lessons Saturday mornings on the west boundary of Hogsmeade. None of these classes are compulsary, but they are all advisable." At that point she dismissed them.

Ron seemed the most excited about apparition lessons. Harry liked the sound of a careers talk. Hermione, however, seemed the most interested in...

"Dancing lessons! Hermione, why are you so keyed up about having dancing lessons? For heavens sake, anyone can dance!" cried Ron. He waltzed a few steps down the corridor, tripped over his feet and crashed into a Slytherin fourth year. Hermione let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes at Harry. "Yes, but not everyone can dance properly. The dancing we've done so far at Hogwarts has been awful- just swaying in time to something they call music. That's all very fine if you've got a boyfriend, but if you haven't then it's so boring. I'm really excited about this ball! It's going to have proper music-"

"Don't you like the Weird Sisters?" said Ron incredulously.

"Honestly Ron! You know my opinion of pop music."

"But the Weird Sisters aren't really pop! They're-"

"They sound like pop to me!"

"Well, they aren't!"

"Yes they are!"

"No they're not!"

"SHUT UP!" yelled Harry. "Do you ever stop arguing?"

They looked a little sheepish and for once, shut up. The next they spoke, Hermione asked the boys what they wanted to do.

"I'm going to be an auror." said Harry firmly.

"So am I," said Ron.

"What about you, Hermione?" asked Harry.

She didn't immediately reply but then said that she was going to train as an auror as well.

Harry suddenly remembered the ring she had used at breakfast, "You've got to tell us. What does it do? Who gave it to you?"

She held it up to the light and they watched it gleam a deep purple. She sighed, "I found it this morning in a pocket of my robes with a note. Estella gave it to me. It's an old Slytherin heirloom."

"You're wearing a-" burst out Ron then shrugged his shoulders, "Never mind. What does it do?"

"Here's the note Estella left me. You can read it." She handed a small piece of parchment to Harry and the two boys read it through carefully.

Dear Hermione,

This ring was forged for Miss Elena Slytherin, an ancestor of yours whom I'm sure you've heard of, by her brother Lucius the father of Salazaar. When she died it was given back to Caecilia, Salazaar's mother to keep. It's powers are extraordinary and yet not permanently dangerous. If you wear on the middle finger of your left hand and hold it facing the person you wish to curse, then they are robbed of all magical powers for five minutes; enough time to quickly defeat the enemy. I have an idea that it may come in useful.

There were other amulets, of course, which robbed you of your magical powers permanently. Fortunately these have all been destroyed. The reason Elena's only works for five minutes is because they thought the other curses were too powerful for a lady! The opinion of our sex in those days was not too favourable, I'm afraid!

Use the ring well and good luck! My greetings to Harry Potter. He is a very brave young man, I think.

Yours sincerely, Estella Green

"Hey, she might have mentioned me!" cried Ron, when he had finished reading.

"She doesn't know you, Ron. Why should she mention you?"

"Well anyway." For once he was content not to argue.

They were the first to Charms, and found Lily Potter sitting in the teacher's chair.

"Hi Harry, Hermione, Ron! Please sit down."

They sat and Lily explained the reason behind her presence. Professor Flitwick was going to retire at the end of the year and she had been invited to take his place. "I am fully qualified," she added, "for I started training to be a Charms teacher as soon as I left Hogwarts and I got my 'Professorship' just months before you were born. You'll have to call me Professor Potter now!"

"Even me?" complained Harry.

"Of course. Still, I don't actually start my job until September. I'm just helping Frederick until then. Any of you planning to be teachers?" She asked casually.

Deep silence. Then Hermione said, "Well, Parvati's been offered to help Professor Trelawaney as a second Divination teacher. No training required. She and Lavender almost had a fight about it, because Lavender wanted the post as well."

Lily snorted, "Looks like the next generation of students will enjoy Divination under Professor Patil just as much as you've enjoyed it with dear old Sybil. Anyone else?"

"Neville says he might train for Herbology." Ron said and Harry nodded in agreement. "Oh, he'll be good at that," said Hermione warmly as Neville himself walked in. The others and Professor Flitwick followed shortly afterwards.

At lunch the trio discussed some of the details of the fight against Voldemort with Ginny and Irene. They never found out everything and neither of them were told about Voldemort's daughter. What Ginny found strange, however, was how Dumbledore had found out that they were in danger. After all, Ron's letter to Mrs. Weasley conveyed nothing out of the ordinary and Dumbledore surely wouldn't act so promptly on that alone.

"Uh..." said Harry. Come to think of it, how did Dumbledore know? Did Estella really get there, he had not said anything about it.

"Um, I think I can explain that," said Ron.

"You?" Ginny looked surprised.

"Yeah, me. You see, I think I saw your mother, Harry."

"You did? When?"

"In the castle. I arrived back from riding and went straight to Harry's room. When I got there your mother was standing, looking out of the window. She didn't tell me who she was and she swore me to secrecy about her. She seemed to know everything about me, you, and what was going on. She dictated a letter to Dumbledore and I sent it with Pig."

"Now everything makes sense!" sighed Hermione contentedly.

"Well, all's well that ends well, isn't it?" said Ginny with a grin.