The Secret of Riddles

Chapter 4: Restricted Knowledge

The Headmistress looked out upon her pupils, the new ones began to follow in and it was not hard to spot the flaming red hair that was Lily Potter. She looked towards the Gryffindor table and spotted the other two, Albus and James. Albus was seated a couple people over from James, talking animatedly to his cousin Rose Weasley. James, however, was talking secretly to his group of friends and Minerva McGonagall was a little uneasy at the thought of what he may be planning as a beginning of the year prank.

McGonagall tried very hard to pay attention to the sorting, but to no avail. The only one she noticed was that Lily had joined her brothers at the Gryffindor table. Her mind forbid her from thinking about anything other than the conversation she had witnessed between the two most recent Headmasters and the elusive Alexis. At that very moment, she knew that Dumbledore and Snape were absent from their portraits and discussing with a group of people that were, to put it bluntly, dead.

At the end of the sorting McGonagall stood and began to give her beginning of the year speech. "Welcome everyone, new students and old, another year at Hogwarts begins. Mr. Filch begs me to remember to tell you that the Forbidden Forest is off limits and that the third floor corridor on the right had side is, once again out of bounds for anyone who does not wish to... well. Let's just say since the early nineties we wish you not to go in there." Several of the staff smiled in reminiscence. "Weasley products are banned from the common rooms, classrooms, and hallways, if you are to use them at all, such as the fireworks, then please do so outside." A slight smile appeared on James Potter's face. "This year is turning out to be, eventful, in more than one way. I discourage any attempt to trick one of the few teachers who know how so into telling. There are some secrets that are meant to be kept."

Minerva took a deep breath before continuing.

"I also ask, for the umpteenth time, that none of you speak of You-Know-Who at all. For those of you who have not been told there are some who wish for the war not to be remembered." Her eyes flickered towards the Potters. "And I want you all to respect their wishes. Thank you. Now let the feast begin."

~

James returned his attention to his friends. "So anyway..."

"James!" a high voice called from a few people over.

He looked down the table at his cousin Rose as she began to beckon him over. "What?" he called back, but she just kept ushering him over.

James stood up and walked over to where his family was sitting together. "Now what do you want?" he asked.

Rose glared at him from across the table. "Were you or were you not paying attention at all?" she asked.

"Of course I was paying attention. She told us the usual drabble about this and that. I wish she would come up with something new to say," James replied.

"Rose thinks that there may be something behind the Headmistress' façade this year," Al said.

James rolled his eyes. "You two are unbelievable."

"No really, James," Rose began. "She looked at the three of you when mentioning the war and the certain other events. It seems that she knows something that has to do with you. Remember what she said? This year is turning out to be, eventful, in more than one way. I discourage any attempt to trick one of the few teachers who know how so into telling. There are some secrets that are meant to be kept. Have you any idea what that means?"

Albus, Lily, and James looked at her like she was growing four heads. Hugo nudged the three of them. "She does that all the time," he said to them. "Stop scaring the lot of them," he said to his sister.

Rose rolled her eyes. "What I am trying to tell you three is that some of the teachers know something that they aren't telling any of us about the war with You-Know-Who and during the entire sorting she was barely paying attention."

James recalled the far away look in the Headmistress' eyes during the sorting. "Now that you mention it she did look a little out of sorts," James whispered.

Rose smiled. "Told you so."

"Gloating is rude, Rosie," James said. "How are we going to find out what really happened?"

Rose shrugged. "I hadn't thought that far yet."

Albus gasped. "The Library!"

James laughed. "Turning to Aunt Hermione and Rose's solution to everything are we? If Rose hadn't found anything in there in your two years and the beginning of what is now your third I doubt that we will."

"No, James," Albus said. "I meant the restricted section."

Rose's eyes grew large. "Are you telling me you want to break into the restricted section of the library?" she asked.

"Does it necessarily involve breaking in?" Albus asked uncertainly. "Can't we just get permission?"

Rose sighed. "Sure, we can just go up to a teacher and ask for permission to look for a book containing what we are not allowed to know. Yes makes perfect sense, Al," she said.

James smiled. "Well then, it looks like you are going to need my help in getting what we want."

Hugo and Lily looked at each other, confused. "What do you mean," she asked of her brother.

"Dear, Lily, you have no idea why there were so many owls sent home from here do you? In that case I guess you could say that I am a pretty large trouble maker," James said smiling, proud of his reputation for trouble.

"If anyone could get us into that section it's James," Rose concluded.

"My services are well known," James said then looked at the mounds of food before him. He looked at the kid sitting next to his brother. "Hey you." The boy turned. "Move over will ya?"

The boy scooted over and James sat down and began to eat mounds of food. Rose took a good amount of food and began eating it properly, Hugo just dove into the food, Albus grabbed a piece or two, and Lily sat there looking at all of them.

James noticed her stare and asked, "'Hat?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Do you all have an attention problem? We hadn't even finished the conversation," she replied.

James dropped a chicken leg on his plate. "Well it's bloody obvious that we're going to be using the cloak, Marauder's Map, and a few distractions to get in there."

"How do you suppose we are going to all fit under the cloak?" Lily asked.

"We aren't, I think I could do the distraction with Hugo, while you, Rose, and Al go and find what you can," James replied returning to his potatoes.

"You really thought this out haven't you?" Rose asked, amazed at his ingenuity.

"Growing up with Uncle George and the fact that this is my area of expertise, then yes I have thought this all out," he said turning to Hugo. "I hope you don't mind the chance of getting caught. Though I doubt that we will."

Hugo shrugged.

James raised his goblet and the others followed suit. "To trouble, restricted areas, and Uncle George who makes the best distractions we could ever want."

~

"Minerva," Dumbledore called from his portrait, where he and a nervous looking Severus Snape were waiting anxiously for her return from the feast.

As if on cue the Headmistress entered the office and looked up the portrait. "Back I see," she said and sat down in her chair, looking up at the two. "What news is there?"

Dumbledore looked at Severus before answering. "The meeting went rather well, considering how one of us should have been there as well to make things a bit simpler."

Minerva looked around her office. "Speaking of which..."

"I'm here," a voice called from the shadows and once again, Alexis emerged from the dark.

McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "What? No loud noise to signal your arrival this time?"

Alexis smiled, this time it did not mirror the Dark Lord's. "I can be silent when I wish," she answered.

"I see your smile has improved," Snape said looking down at the new arrival.

"Thank you for that assessment, Sev," Alexis replied. "I thought if I were to scare you anymore then it should be when I want to; not an involuntary reaction."

Snape smirked at her reply.

Alexis shifted her focus to Dumbledore, "Now what is happening and why should I have been there?"

"Well, it would have been more convincing for them to see you themselves, although they do know almost everything about you now, though not all of it. They think that when he returns they should also," Dumbledore replied.

"So we wait," Alexis replied.

"Yes, we wait."

~

To be told that we were to wait for him to return is an excruciating thought. I wanted action now; I hated waiting and always had.

I looked away from the painted probing eyes and looked to McGonagall. "What shall we do about, certain others, in the mean time?" I asked.

"What we can, Alexis," she replied.

I nodded and went to leave.

"And, Alexis," Dumbledore called.

I looked back up at him to see him staring straight through me, and right into my soul. How I hated it when he did that. I looked away, the only person I was not able to look dead in the eye without any fear. "Yes?"

"The time may come when secrets need to be revealed," he said. "Including yours. Very soon."

I almost shuddered and felt my eyes burn, knowing they had flashed that wretched crimson color. "Yes, Sir." With that I turned and fled the office, turning to listen through the door.

"Her secrets should be interesting to see," Snape was saying.

"Trust me, Severus, her secrets are beyond interesting, if anything they are extraordinary and not to be taken lightly," Dumbledore replied.

I was almost fuming, though my eyes stayed cool this time, I knew that real anger was bubbling up inside me. Talking of my memories as though they were something to ogle at, something that was extraordinary and amazing, not taken lightly was an understatement.

I turned on heel and disapparated on the spot. Leaving the wizarding world behind.

~

"Her secrets should be interesting to see," Snape said when Alexis had left the room.

"Trust me, Severus, her secrets are beyond interesting, if anything they are extraordinary and not to be taken lightly," Dumbledore replied looking at the door, where he had seen her exit seconds before.

"What do you mean?" McGonagall asked, looking up at the painting.

Dumbledore smiled. "That girl has more secrets than anyone I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, she has the most to hide as well, the oddest past, the most depressing one as well. Sometimes I'm surprised she can get herself out of bed without being swallowed in sadness." Dumbledore drifted off. "Of course," he went on. "She always was a little too tough." A small laugh escaped his lips.

"So it should be rather interesting," Snape said.

Dumbledore's eyes darkened. "Do not take someone's past lightly, like I said before. Hers is anything but light. Even that was an understatement."

~

"Alright, dinner is here," Ginny said, walking into the dining room with a parade of food trays following her. Ron looked hungrily at them, Hermione inhaled the scent, Teddy licked his lips, and Harry smiled, though not about the marvelous food.

Ginny took her seat next to Harry, opposite Hermione, who was sitting next to a very pleased looking Teddy. Harry sat at one head and Ron at the other.

"It looks amazing, dear," Harry said kissing his wife.

"Thank you," she replied.

After a very quick grace, in which Ron, who had volunteered, said about two sentences before reaching for the turkey with one hand and the potatoes with the other, everyone tucked in and began to eat the perfectly cooked meal.

"So, Teddy, how is Victoire? We thought now that she was done with schooling that she'd be here with you," Ginny said.

Teddy blushed slightly and his hair turned a slight shade of pink to match his face. "She's fine, but Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur wanted her to have dinner with them tonight," he replied.

Ginny winked at Harry, their godson's love for Victoire would make them happier than ever. Teddy needed someone to love in his life and someone who loved him like Harry and Ginny loved each other.

"So today was rather interesting," Ron started.

"Are you talking about Dad's fainting spell?" Teddy asked with a large wolfish grin.

"That was not funny," Ginny stated, wiping the smile off his face. However, Ron burst out laughing all of a sudden to suggest the opposite.

"Well," he began. "It wasn't until he woke up."

Hermione reached across Teddy and smacked her husband, hard. "No, Ron, it was not."

Ron rubbed his arm and looked at Harry. "Come on you didn't mind did you, Harry?"

Harry made a show of deliberating before sighing and shaking his head and saying in an almost Hermione-ish voice, "Actually, Ronald, I did." Harry kept a straight face for a few more seconds before laughing.

The laughing was interrupted by a knock on the door, to which Ginny stood up quickly and went to get.

"Who the bloody hell would that be?" Ron asked looking off to where his sister had gone.

"Ron! Language," Hermione said with a glance at Teddy, who laughed at the reference.

It was then that Ginny returned with an unpleasant face.

"What's wrong, dear?" Harry asked standing up just as McGonagall entered the room with a serious demeanor.

"Minerva wants to talk to us," Ginny replied. She looked at Teddy before adding, "Teddy, could you excuse us for a moment?"

Teddy nodded solemnly before leaving the adults to their business.

"What is it?" Harry asked the moment he was sure Teddy was gone.

"Nothing horrible, Potter," McGonagall started, using his surname as she always did when something important occurred. " I just need you four to come to my office, I have something to converse with you all about, as well as Dumbledore and Severus."

"Alright," Harry replied.

~

"Welcome back," Dumbledore said with a smile to the four when they had finally arrived.

"Hello, sir," Harry replied. "Minerva said you had something to discuss with us."

Dumbledore's face became slightly serious. "Yes, in fact I do." He motioned to the chairs before him.

They all took a seat and looked up at him expectantly.

Dumbledore sighed at looked over at Snape's portrait. "I just wanted to tell you that due to reasons known to myself and others Minerva will be in contact with you four and a few others. The nature of this contact will not be known until the moment that the person who has full control of all decisions wills it. Therefore this is a secret that will be told to you in due time, though not at the present. I just wanted to tell you that you may be getting frequent visits as well as making them."

The four looked at each other. Hermione seemed to be the only one to fully comprehend the situation. "Sir, does that mean that we will find out soon?" she asked, sounding a lot like her younger self.

"It all depends on a single person's decision and I have no control over that person's decision," Dumbledore replied earnestly.

Hermione leaned back in her seat, slightly disappointed.

"Now, I just want you to be wary of visits and I am sure I will see you soon," Dumbledore finished.

"Who all is in on this?" Ron asked suspiciously.

It, however, was Snape who replied. "Quite a few and none of them are any of your concern. They would rather remain unknown." Snape shot a look at Dumbledore at the last part.

Dumbledore gave a slight nod of recognition. "Quite right," he agreed.

Harry saw Hermione studying the two and then look at McGonagall and take in her appearance. "What is going on, may I ask?" she asked.

Snape raised his eyebrows at her. "What are you insinuating Miss Granger? I mean, Mrs. Weasley?" Snape asked.

"I would just like to know exactly what is going on here," she replied icily.

"You will find out in due time, Hermione," Dumbledore replied looking at her with a small smile.

"Harry," McGonagall started. "You have been awfully quiet during this. Anything you would like to add?"

"Yes, Potter, you have remained uncharacteristically silent. I would have thought you would have had an outburst by now," Snape added.

Harry gave a smirk at that. "I don't know if you've heard or not but I am the head of the Auror office and as such I learned to control some aspects of my character," he replied smoothly.

"Apparently you also learned eloquence as well," Snape added smirking back at him.

"Yes, I have," Harry replied, unruffled.

There was a sudden knock on the door and in walked Neville Longbottom, looking slightly ruffled.

"Headmistress..." he started before spotting Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. His face erupted into a smile. "Hey."

"Hello, Neville," they said in unison.

"What were you about to say, Neville?" McGonagall asked.

Neville smiled. "Guess."

McGonagall's head drooped slightly. "I don't think I need to. Where is he?"

"Actually it's they."