The Green Flame Torch

Chapter 12: Sins of the Father

After his release from the hospital wing, Nigel walked down the hall that led to Professor Binns' office. He knocked on the door. The Professor appeared at the door, translucent and dreary.

"Can I help you?" he droned out.

"Yes, I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me?" asked Nigel.

Professor Binns let him in.

"What do you want to know?"

"Well, first," said Nigel pulling out a folded piece of paper from his pocket, "What is a mission? I think that's what it's called."

The Professor stared at him. Nigel opened the paper and read the questions he had, making sure he had said the word right.

"Mission?" asked Binns.

"Yes, as in a wizard back when would go on a mission. What does that mean?" asked Nigel sitting down.

"Oh, well, a mission was when a apprentice wizard, around seventeen or eighteen, was sent out into the world. Separated from their teacher for the first time, they would try to find their place in the world and promote magic. That is why you finish your lessons around this age, it is a tradition. Why do you ask?"

"I read it in a book and was confused." Mumbled Nigel avoiding Binns see-through eyes.

Binns floated around Nigel and read the paper over his shoulder.

"I see you have more questions." He said.

"Er, yes. What is a nih-moo-ey?" asked Nigel.

"Nimue?"

"Does it have something to do with gold?" suggested Nigel.

"No. It is the name of the apprentice of Merlin who trapped him in a tree . . . or was it a tower? I hear so many versions of those stories."

"What stories, sir?" asked Nigel, confused on why Helga would trap Merlin in a tree.

"The Arthurian Legends."

Nigel thought for a moment.

"Were the founders at all involved with King Arthur?" he asked.

"The founders of Hogwarts? I don't doubt it. Rowena was Merlin's daughter so they could have been, even slightly, involved."

"Oh, right."

"Is that all?" asked Binns.

"No, one more thing. What is a san-greh-eel?"

Binns stared at him for a moment and floated around him again.

"The Celtic word for the Holy Grail. The cup, dish, or bowl, that gave ever-lasting life or granted wishes. There are many tales of what it could do as well." Answered Binns. "May I inquire as to which book you read these in?"

Nigel racked his brain.

"Er, the, er, . . . Le Morte D'Artur." Declared Nigel.

He hoped he wouldn't be asked about the book. He had never actually read it, only knew that his sister Margaret had and that it had something to do with King Arthur. The most Nigel knew about King Arthur was what he saw in Disney's, The Sword in the Stone.

***

Lilah sat in the Slytherin common room doing her potions homework, alone. The odd thing was, not having anyone helping her was far more helpful for her. She felt less flustered and the lessons began to make sense. She looked at the clock on the wall. She had to meet Nigel in ten minutes. Draco sat across from Pansy who was shamelessly flirting with him.

Lilah began to put her books, quills, and parchment away. She stuffed them in her bag and put them in her room. As she made her way back out she saw her reflection in a mirror. Her hair was frizzing out. She combed out the frizz, fixed her bangs, reapplied her lip-gloss, and headed back down stairs.

"Off again to play with your toys, I mean boys?" giggled Pansy as Lilah passed by.

Lilah turn and glared at Pansy.

"Ha, ha, ha, Pansy." Lilah said in monotone. "You really are the funniest girl in that chair."

Pansy rolled her eyes and continued to flirt with Draco. Lilah turned to walk away when she noticed that Draco wasn't at all paying attention to Pansy and staring instead at her. She pretended not to notice and flowed to the door, slightly swinging her hips. When she had stepped out of the common room, she was appalled. What was wrong with her? Was she was trying to look sexy for Draco?

She hurried down the hall towards the Hufflepuff Common Room. Nigel was seated inside waiting for her. When she entered he smiled stupidly and followed her back out like a puppy. Sally-Anne, Hannah, and Susan exchanged worried looks.

As they walked Nigel informed Lilah of his last vision and what Binns said.

"So let me get this straight," drawled Lilah, "Now, Helga is Nimue, who Merlin was in love with, who she trapped him in a tree, while Salazar was making the Holy Grail and fighting over Helga with Godric, who was hiding the torch, which he wants me to find, for no apparent reason."

"You're hurting my head." Whined Nigel.

"This whole thing makes no sense." Moaned Lilah, "Shall we to the library?"

***

Lilah and Nigel dug through books again, all afternoon. They looked up King Arthur, Nimue, Merlin, the founders, anything they could think of.

"Lily listen." Said Nigel, "It says here: Merlin was a great friend to Godric's family, being that Godric was his daughter's (Rowena's) closest friend. He even took up Myrddin, Godric's eldest, as an apprentice in magic. Myrddin followed him all through his adventures in Camelot, with Niniane Merlin's second apprentice. Blah, blah, blah. Oh, here it says: Most Muggle scholars have confused Niniane with a sorceress named Nimue who appeared in Camelot in the later years. They claim she was a young apprentice whom the aging Merlin fell in love with. This is most certainly not true. Most possibly because Nimue, in an ancient dialect of the Celts, means "Golden One." Niniane is often described as dark in hair and complexion. Many historians have now learned that Nimue was actually a nickname given to Helga Hufflepuff by Merlin, this rules out any romantic attachment between Merlin and both women, whom he revered as granddaughters."

"Well, I guess that sort of explains that." Mumbled Lilah turning back to her book.

"Can't find anything?" asked Nigel.

"Not really, just some nonsense about the Sangrael giving you whatever food you wished for."

"Oh." Sighed Nigel reading his books again.

Lilah closed her's and went to another.

"Hey, did you know that Rowena's daughter, Morgause, married some chap named Lot who was a ally of King Arthur?" asked Nigel.

Lilah leaned over and scowled.

"How come you get all the good books?" she whined.

Nigel shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess Binns was right. The founders were slightly involved with King Arthur." Said Nigel.

***

That next evening Lilah was seated in the Slytherin common room reading. As usual the Slytherins and her were denying each other's existence. Lilah caught Draco looking over at her several times, trying to get her attention. Lilah ignored him. She put her book down from boredom and looked around the room. It was quite lonely in there, although the room was full of active children. Even the portraits were busy socializing with each other. Lilah watched young Lucius Malfoy dragging a reluctant young Severus Snape to a portrait with some Slytherin girls giggling in it. Lucius had Severus by the arm and stopped at the edge of his frame. In between his frame and the girls was a gap. Lucius stared off at the gap with an odd expression on his face. Lilah's attention was diverted to it. She had noticed the gap the first day of school. The grime from the years had created an outline of where a portrait used to hang. Lucius scowled at the gap then turned back to the struggling Severus and pushed him out of the picture. Lilah looked back at the gap. She approached it and began to size the height and width with her hands. It was around the same size as the portrait she found of her mother in her uncle's office.

She speedily made her way out of the common room, on her way to Snape's office. She was determined to get something out of him. But of course he wasn't in his room.

"Why aren't you ever here when I need you!" she yelled at his door.

Lilah trudged back to the common room, questions buzzing in her head. Why was her mother left for dead? What did Snape and Lupin and Dumbledore and McGonagall know that they wouldn't share? And, yes, Lupin! What was he protecting her from? He always was so pained and guilty about dealings with her mother. Why didn't he just get it off his chest and . . .

Lilah stopped walking.

Yes, Lupin was always guilty when she channeled him. And, he knew her mum and Uncle Severus was keeping Lupin from telling her something about her mother.

Lilah felt her feet beneath her picking up speed. Her direction changed and she was heading down the hall to Lupin's office. The pieces falling into place. She wondered why she hadn't figured it out before.

Lupin was her father.

She arrived at his office and banged on the door. It opened and Lupin appeared looking paler then usual.

"It's a bit late isn't it?" he asked, "Your uncle was just here. He won't like you walking about at this hour."

"Why was he here?' Lilah asked making her way into the office.

She noticed a steaming goblet of something on Lupin's desk.

"Oh," said Lilah, "For your medicine."

Lupin gave a half smile.

"Er, right." He sighed, "Now you really should be in bed."

He seemed to be trying to get her to leave, already.

"I know, but I really need to speak to you." She replied.

"Okay, but, please be quick. I don't mean to be rude, but I have some things I need to attend to." Sighed Lupin taking his seat at his desk.

"Okay. Well here goes." Lilah took a deep breath, "My mum ran away and everyone thought she was dead and no one wants me to know why. But I know why."

"You do?" gasped Lupin, "How do you know?"

"Well, it's a bit obvious, you so shocked about meeting me on the Hogwarts Express and my family refusing to let me know who my father was...is."

Lilah looked in Lupin's pale face.

"Your mother was very young and easily impressionable. You can't judge her too harshly." Lamented Lupin.

"Her? What about you?" asserted Lilah. "You never did anything to look for us."

"I didn't know you existed until about ten months ago. And, I did search for your mother with the rest of them. Nobody wanted to believe that she joined them, so they just believed she was dead. I guess it was easier to take."

Lilah asked slowly, "Joined who?"

"You know . . . I mean . . . you said you knew." Stammered Lupin.

"I meant I knew who my father is. What is this joining crap?"

Lupin closed his eyes and sighed, "Oh God. I thought you figured it out. I'm sorry. I guess no sense in hiding it now . . . Your mother, when she was a sixth year ran away and from what your uncle said was forced into joining up with You-Know-Who."

Lilah stomach clenched and she felt dizzy.

"Lily, I'm sorry." Said Lupin, "But it wasn't her fault. I believe Severus in that much. Many claimed to have been put under a spell and forced to do The Dark Lord's bidding, but I genuinely believe your mother was a victim."

The tears began to stream down Lilah's face as she walked over to Lupin.

"But, I thought" she whimpered, "I thought she ran off with you."

Lupin looked up at her pityingly.

"Lilah," he said softly taking her hand, "You think I am your father?'

Lilah nodded.

"Oh, darling, I would be honored to be so, but I'm sorry to say, I'm not."

"But you were so close to her and was always guilty when I spoke about her." She sobbed.

"Well, yes, I always felt guilty for her running away." Said Lupin avoiding Lilah's eyes.

"Why?"

Lupin turned from Lilah and rested his hands on his desk.

"Well," he began, " you see your mother was a bit rebellious back then. It was her reaction to feeling so stifled in her life. Her parents telling her exactly who to be friends with and how to act. Severus and Viviane didn't help much either. Don't get me wrong, your uncle loves his sister very much, but it was the smothering type. You see Imogen was stuck in Slytherin and all her friends were in Gryffindor. She just couldn't take the pressure anymore. And us, her own friends, didn't see the signs."

Lupin sighed and glided his hands fondly over a map of some kind on his desk.

"Yes, we were close." He said, "I tried to go after her, but . . .what on earth!"

Lupin's attention was directed towards the map. Lilah saw some dots running about on it. Lupin jumped out of his seat.

"Lilah, I'm really sorry, but you must head back to your room now." He urged.

He took Lilah by the hand and headed down to the dungeons. He ignored Lilah's questions and walked quickly. Once near the dungeons he apologized and ran off. Lilah stood dumbfounded watching Lupin disappear into the dark corridor. She turned and walked right into her uncle.

"Uncle Severus!" she gasped in surprise.

Millions of questions about her mother filled her brain, but before she could voice them Snape asked, "What are you doing out here?"

"I was talking to Professor Lupin and then he had to hurry off somewhere."

"Where did he go?" asked Snape urgently.

Lilah pointed down the hall behind her. And with that her uncle was off in the direction Lupin had left. But, not, or course, without telling her to go to bed.

Have all the Professor's gone mental? Lilah asked herself and entered the Slytherin common room.

***

Nigel sat in his bed reading a book from the library titled, Merlin, by Sir Bedeviere. Justin was beating Ernie with a pillow for accusing him of being in love with Susan. Nigel ignored them and kept reading. He had just gotten to the accounts of Arthur's incestuous relationship with his sister Morgan.

"I don't fancy her you twit!" yelled Justin bringing down the pillow on Ernie's chubby ash blonde head.

"That's not what Sally-Anne said!" shouted Ernie making a break for the door.

"You believed her! The girl's delusional!" yelled Justin chasing Ernie out of the dorm.

The room was peaceful once again. Nigel continued reading. Slowly the door reopened. Nigel looked up and standing in the doorway was Hannah.

"Hi, Han!" waved Nigel.

She closed the door and walked over to him, her eyes looking distant.

"You okay?" he asked closing the book.

She nodded and sat next to him on his bed. Nigel looked over at her and she looked back at him.

"Han? What's up?" he asked.

She leaned over to him. And he could see her eyes were not at all normal. A bit glazed over and staring wide-eyed, barely blinking.

"Hannah, what are you . . ."

Hannah put a finger up to his mouth.

"Quiet." She whispered her voice distant and vacant.

Nigel inched away feeling frightened.

"I died on this day." She said.

Nigel fell back, almost off the side of his bed.

"W-what? . . . Are you Helga?" stammered Nigel.

Hannah nodded her head.

"Why are you in Hannah?" asked Nigel, "She has nothing to do with this."

Hannah laughed and leaned closer to Nigel.

"W-what do you w-want?" he appealed.

She put her hands out maternally and helped him sit back up. Nigel was shaking.

"Don't be afraid." Said Hannah, "You mustn't be afraid."

"On this day I died." She repeated, " I was taken from Canterbury on the 14^th of February, and Salazar and I cursed our window on the eve of Beltane or Easter. Do you understand where I am going with this?"

Nigel nodded his head quickly.

"What do you mean cursed?" he asked quietly.

"I showed you. We made wishes on the sangrael, thinking it wasn't working. But, it was. Yes indeed it was. It granted them in ways far from the way we envisioned them. It has a conscience all its own

"What do you mean?" asked Nigel.

Hannah didn't answer and looked away. Nigel felt anxious and tried to get up. Hannah reached out held him by his arm.

"Why are you doing this?" pleaded Nigel.

"Please." Begged Hannah, "Don't be afraid."

Nigel tried to calm down and she let go of him.

"Why me?" he fussed.

Hannah sighed, "You remind me of me. I thought we could relate the best."

"Was I you?" asked Nigel feeling uneasy.

Hannah giggled.

"No. First of all you're not a girl and secondly we look nothing alike."

"Oh, but how do we relate?" Nigel asked.

"We were both raised by nuns. Given to foster parents. Both unknowingly had magical blood in our veins." Said Hannah.

Nigel awkwardly smiled.

"I do have wizarding blood in me?" asked Nigel.

"Yes, some of the best." Said Hannah. "You're of the Hufflepuff line."

"I'm related to you!" chirruped Nigel, "Then, who are my parents?"

Hannah was silent again. She smiled leaning forward and kissed Nigel on his lips. He felt his body instantly become limp and warm. He fell down, down, down, into nothingness.

***

Lilah walked into the common room and seated alone by the fireside was Draco. All the other Slytherin's had gone to bed. The lights were off, except for the flickering light from the dying fire. It gave Draco a specter like appearance. Lilah quickened her pace as she headed for the girl's dorms.

"Lily." Draco said quickly.

"Lilah!" she snapped back.

"I can call you what I like!" he barked.

"Really then I can call you what I like as well!"

Draco sat up in the armchair he was in.

"You have to listen to me." He urged.

"Not this again." Lilah sighed.

"Lily, I'm afraid for you!"

"Of what?" snapped Lilah crossing her arms.

"I told you, Slytherin. He has been the one possessing your dreams, aside from Godric." Draco said.

Lilah stood speechless.

Draco continued, "You must do what he wants."

"Why should I?"

"Because he isn't going to let you off the hook for much longer."

"What is he going to do?" Lilah smirked, "Have you do another love potion? Oh no! Now girls will be in love with me!"

"I'm serious Lilah!" shouted Draco standing up. "He has his reasons for what he does."

"How do you know all this?"

"Because . . . because I've been helping him."

"What?" shrieked Lilah.

"You see you had those dreams about the torch and only the heirs know the resting place of the torch."

"You little bastard! You have known all this!"

Draco nodded.

"Slytherin believes you could help him find the torch."

"How?" spat Lilah, "I'm not his bloody heir!"

"I know. That is why he is so interested in your dreams. Slytherin was forbid from ever knowing where the torch is. His heir as well."

"But, I don't know where the damn thing is! I don't even know what Godric wants from me! I tried to find out but there isn't anything out there, so Slytherin had better just deal with that!"

"There is a lot of information actually." Said Draco to the floor.

Lilah walked up to him.

"What do you mean?" she hissed.

Draco heaved a sigh and dragged out a heavy looking box that was next to the armchair he was in.

"Look." He said opening the large box.

Lilah looked in it and found dozens of books inside. Lilah reached for one titled Magical Artifacts in History.

"What is this?" she growled.

"I was looking up everything I could about the torch like I said I would. But hiding it from you."

"Why!" she shrieked chucking the book at Draco, who caught it.

Lilah frantically rummaged through the box, examining each book.

"I had to. Slytherin wouldn't let me let you know anything until he was sure you were faithful."

"Faithful?" yelled Lilah pushing Draco.

Draco shoved her back.

"Every new Slytherin is put to the test in their dreams." He continued, "If you just say you are faithful he will leave you alone. But, you of course had to be stubborn."

"Every Slytherin?" Lilah asked. " No wonder you are such a cheerful lot. You mean to tell me that every Slytherin has been haunted and hasn't told anybody!"

"Most don't even know it is him in their dreams. He rarely ever shows his true self in their dreams so they wouldn't know. If he does, best be sure he is severely pissed off."

"How did you know it was him?"

"Because I was one of the stupid few not to give in the first night. That is why he had me deal with you. One's who fight back, turn out to be his strongest supporters. There has been only two, aside from you and I, who fought back: your mother and Thomas Riddle."

"My mum?" Lilah squeaked out.

"Yes, Slytherin told me. She fought back, but eventually paid the price and gave in. We all do."

"Who's Thomas Riddle?" Lilah asked.

Draco lowered his voice and whispered, "Voldemort."

Lilah felt a s spasm of fear surge through her.

"You-know-who fought against Slytherin?" she puzzled.

"Yes. He fought the longest when he went here. Years I believe. He was too full of himself to bow down to anyone. But, in truth, Slytherin was toughening him up as to make him his heir. When he was around sixteen he was offered great powers and in return gave in."

"You-know-who had nightmares for five years?" gasped Lilah, "No wonder he went mad."

"Slytherin won't be any less menacing towards you Lilah. But since Godric appeared in your dreams, Slytherin rethought his initial decision to torture you."

Lilah pushed the box away form her.

"Well, wasn't that considerate of him." She snarled.

"I wasn't allowed to show you any of this until you were faithful."

Lilah nodded her head, "I see. So you made that love potion to do so, didn't you?"

Draco nodded, his nose held high.

"You had to be worthy of the facts." He said matter-of-factly, "After Christmas he decided you were."

Lilah began to laugh venomously.

"And that is when I got the paper. Brilliant, I must say. So you stole all this from the library?"

"I had to. Slytherin told me how to disarm the anti-theft spells."

"You could have gotten that love potion from the restricted section after all. That was your mistake. Instead you used Corona's." Spat Lilah.

Draco rolled his eyes and began to put the books back.

"I bet you're pretty proud of yourself, Malfoy." Hissed Lilah while she stood back up.

"It was for your own good." Sighed Draco

"I bet." Snapped Lilah.

"Don't you see Lilah? All those nightmares, the potion, you were being punished for immediately running over to the Gryffindors."

"Well, is it my fault if I don't want to be faithful to a homicidal dead guy!"

"Didn't you notice that the nightmares lessened when you were my friend?" asked Draco.

"I thought . . . it wasn't because of my uncle's potion was it?" huffed Lilah.

Draco shook his head.

Lilah threw her hands up hollering, "Well, thank you very much Draco. You have successfully ruined my life for this ghost. What are you going to do next?"

Draco stood up meeting her glare.

"I guess I can't sleep anymore." continued Lilah, "Unless I want to turn into a conniving prat like you!"

Draco took a deep breath and said as tenderly as he could, "Lily, I really don't want to see you get hurt."

Lilah was so enraged with his attempts at being worried. She pushed him as hard as she could, causing him to fall.

"Really?" she screamed, "Well you haven't been acting that way!"

Draco got up, flipped his head to get his hair out of his face and marched over to Lilah.

"Listen," he said grabbing her shoulders, "I really am scared for you!'

She pushed his arms away.

"You only care about your god damned master and what he wants!" Lilah shrilled with a shove.

"I CARE ABOUT YOU!" Draco screamed back trying to grab her arms again.

"BOLLOCKS!" yelled Lilah struggling with him.

"I LOVE YOU!" Draco screamed.

Lilah stood quiet. She didn't know whether to smack him or burst out laughing. Lilah decided to choose the latter.

"You what?" she chortled as he let go of her.

Draco pursed his lips and said nothing.

"I think I just heard you say, you love me? Right." Lilah mused, "Of course that makes perfect sense! A thirteen-year-old boy, who talks to dead blokes by the way, can honestly say he is in love. And on top of that he helps torture the girl he supposedly is in love with!"

"Forget it." He mumbled.

'Oh, I think I won't."

Lilah felt a swelling in her chest. The ability to holds someone's heart in your hands was a great ego boost.

"Lily, please just go to bed and do what Slytherin wants." Begged Draco.

"No," replied Lilah, "I think I will go pay a visit to my uncle. I'm not dealing with this or you anymore."

Lilah headed for the exit and heard Draco running after her.

"Please Lily." He begged while grabbing her wrist.

"No!" she yelled smacking his hand, "Leave me alone!"

Draco's body tensed up and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He let go of Lilah and fell to floor without a word. Lilah felt panicked.

"Draco quit playing." She said nudging his head with her foot.

"Draco," she whined, "You're not funny!"

Without warning, his hand shot up grabbing her ankle. Lilah lost her balance and fell onto the floor.

"Let go of me!" she screamed kicking fiercely.

Draco threw himself on her, his eyes wide and crazed.

"GO TO SLEEP!" he shrieked.

"Stop it!" she grunted as she struggled to get him off.

Now being slightly larger in body mass in relation to him, she quickly enough wrestled him off, kicked him in places boys ought not to be kicked, and scrambled to the exit.

"Some one help me!" she called, suddenly realizing that no one had been attracted to the screams before. She tried to get the wall to move to let her out but nothing happened.

"Why wouldn't you listen to Malfoy?" asked Draco advancing on her.

"Draco?" whimpered Lilah, her back against the wall.

"I can feel him fighting me. He truly doesn't want you hurt. It's rather endearing really." Chuckled Draco.

"Your Slytherin!" gasped Lilah.

Draco shook his head.

"I have poor control over you lot when you're awake. I prefer you in your little dream worlds." Hissed Draco, "By the way, Malfoy charmed the room to be sound proof and hexed the wall. You can't escape."

Draco's body winced in pain and constricted forwards as the real Draco tried to come back.

"Now," gasped Draco as Slytherin took hold again and stood up straight, "I want you to go to sleep."

"Like hell I will!"

Draco sighed, "I didn't want to have to do this."

Lilah watched in horror as his arm raised up Draco's wand. Lilah fumbled to find hers, but when she did, she fell down to the floor, fast asleep.

***

Ernie ran back into the boy's dorm this time being chased not only by Justin, but also Susan. Both armed with pillows.

"Take it back!" shouted Susan.

"Nigel cover me!" called Ernie as he dove to his bed.

He looked over to Nigel's bed. And lying there, both peacefully asleep were Hannah and Nigel.

"What the . . .?" mumbled Ernie.

"Ooo." Joked Justin, "Wonder what they were doing that exhausted them so."

Susan walked slowly over, but not without bopping Ernie on the head first.

"Han?" she whispered. "Hannah?"

Susan poked Hannah on the shoulder.

She then turned to Justin giggling; "She's out like a light."

Ernie ran for the door chuckling, "I gotta get Sally."

Susan rolled her eyes at the exiting Ernie. She then reached down to Hannah's limp body.

"Justin, help me." Said Susan trying to lift her up.

"Leave her." Said Justin sitting on his bed.

"Look I know you boys don't mind a fit girl in your room, but the Professor's will, now come on." ordered Susan.

"Fine." Sighed Justin getting up to help.

A shriek was heard from the other side of the door. Sally-Anne burst in followed by a bright-eyed Ernie.

"Where are they?" she asked.

Justin ignored her and supported Hannah's head as Susan took her feet.

"Where are you taking her?" asked Sally-Anne, "My dreams have come true! Leave her!"

Justin and Susan headed for the door.

"She never sleeps this soundly." Sighed Susan to herself as they made it out the door.

"Oy, mates! Leave her! Are you deaf?" called Sally-Anne.

Justin rolled his eyes and hollered over his shoulder, "If it is so important to you, you go sleep with Nigel!"

Sally-Anne thought for a moment.

"Okay!" she squeaked and skipped off towards Nigel's bed.

"Great going Einstein." Grumbled Susan.

***

Draco's eyes opened. The room around him was all dark. His squinted as his eyes tried to adjust. He had no idea where he was. He tried to sit up and that was when he felt the pain up and down his body. Draco put his hand out to a near by armchair and slowly got up, wincing with each movement. He looked down at his hand and saw his wand. He stared at it for a second as reality hit.

"Lily?" he called out.

He heard only the wind.

"Lily!" he yelled, walking staggered around the common room.

His eyes had some what adjusted to the dark. He saw the hall way to the girl's dorms. He inched his way there, then turned back. He remembered he was last with Lilah by the wall that led out. He hobbled over and sure enough there she was lying still, in a deep sleep. Draco kneeled down feeling the sharp pain between his legs.

"Lily." He gulped, "Oh shit."

He looked around searching for a solution to the situation. He couldn't tell the professor's what he had just done, he was in enough heat already. Besides Slytherin knew Lilah was only a girl. He would go easy on her. Right?

Draco reached down to Lilah and cradled her head.

"Hold on Lily, please." He whispered in the dark.

***

Lilah was walking in a deserted field. The dark clouds were forming ahead and the sun was setting.

"Hullo!" she called out, "Is anybody there?"

Lilah heard only her voice echoing softly in the wind. She began to run through the field.

"Lily!" called a faint voice.

Lilah turned in circles, but no one was near by.

"Lilah!" it called again from above.

Lilah looked up and some light was shining through the aggressive clouds.

"Who's there?" she asked, her voice bouncing off the clouds.

"Godric." It called back.

"How can I be sure!" she replied, "You could be Slytherin trying to trick me!"

"I'm not, please trust me."

"Why should I? Even if you are Godric, why should I trust you? You killed Slytherin and have been making me do your dirty work!"

"Lily, listen it is getting harder for me to be connected to you. And you and Nigel both wanted Helga and I to stop. I realize now what I am doing to you. Forgive me. My regret is that you weren't in Gryffindor. You are a Slytherin no matter what you want to believe. And the more you follow them the harder it is for me to have a hold on you."

"I'm not a Slytherin!" she yelled.

"Yes you are!" called another voice.

Lilah looked over and in the middle of the field was a ring of large stones standing up right. In the middle was a man. She could barely make him out.

"Lily!" called the voice from the sky.

"I have all the answers for you." Said the man by the stones.

"Lily, just wake up!" called the voice in the sky fading away.

"No!" she called back; "I'm not running away this time. You hear me Slytherin! This is ending tonight!"

"Lily." called a faint whisper from the sky and then there was silence.

Lilah turned to the standing stones and walked up to the man. Thunder rumbled softly in the air. As she approached she saw he was rather young. In his twenties and strikingly handsome. He smiled at her causing her to alarm. His eyes were hazel and sinister. His hair was long and brown falling in curls. He was average height and had a tanned skin tone.

"Hullo." He said his voice unlike the scratchy, horrific voice she was used to. Instead it was deep resonant and eerily calming.

"Welcome to Stonehenge." He said holding out his arms as if he expected a hug.

He sat down on the alter stone, his long green and black robe swirling about him in the breeze.

"Why am I here?" asked Lilah.

"Because, this sacred place is where I died." He said.

"Godric killed you here?" asked Lilah, "Why?"

Salazar roared with laughter.

"Godric didn't kill me. Although he wanted to. No alas, that lovely task was left up to my father."

"Your father? Why would he want to kill you?"

"I guess he was slightly mad that I slashed my sword in him, or maybe it was the fact that he thought I was trying to take over his kingdom, or maybe it was because he was so disgusted at the fact that I was also his nephew." Drawled Salazar.

"I see how that would put a damper on the relationship." Smirked Lilah.

"You think that's funny do you?" snapped Salazar.

"I was just saying . . ."

"Silence!" yelled Salazar.

He stood up and walked up to Lilah. He cupped her face in his hands.

"I knew that first night that you were her. Your resemblance is more in your manner however." He whispered squeezing her cheeks painfully.

"Whose manner?" mumbled Lilah as he let go.

"My mother's." He said.

"Your mother?" gasped Lilah, "How in the world can I look like your mother!"

"You do. We Slytherin's have an interesting connection with our mother's don't we?" he said his eyes burning into hers, "I knew I would have fun with you. Plus you were stubborn and wouldn't say you were faithful. I always love a challenge. And the torch. You began to look for it. I thought why not have both? Have you search for the torch and then punish my mother."

"Who's your mother?" asked Lilah feeling her knees shaking.

"Have you ever heard of a sorceress called Morgan La Fae, or Morgana?"

"That's your mother!" gasped Lilah who knew enough of the Arthurian legend to know who Morgan La Fae was, "Then that makes you . . ."

"Mordred or at least that is what my name was when I was born." Said Salazar; "Rowena changed it when I went into her care for fostering. To protect me. My father raped my mother and accused her of seducing him with witchcraft. She wasn't the same after that. Especially when she found out she was to have his child."

"That means your father is King Arthur!"

Salazar nodded, "Yes. Impressive isn't it? I have a father whom everyone thought was righteous but really wasn't."

"Why would Arthur do that to his sister?"

"Because he was sick!" screamed Salazar, "When she had me she couldn't bare to touch me. Rowena was a dear friend of her's and took me in as her own and loved me more then ten mothers!"

Lilah sat down on the grass; her head was running through everything that was being said. None of it made sense. Why all this with the torch if he just wanted revenge on his mother?

"How does the torch fit in with all this and Helga?" asked Lilah.

Salazar's face was expressionless as it began to drizzle.

"Ah, yes Helga. She swore she would love me and wait for me to come back, but did she? No! She ran off to Camelot on her mission and fell in love with him."

"Who Merlin or Godric?"

"Neither you numbskull!" shouted Salazar, "With Myrddin, Godric's son."

"Merlin's apprentice?"

"Yes. You've done your homework." Smirked Salazar.

"But what does this have to do with the torch?" asked Lilah.

"She betrayed me!" yelled Salazar. "She promised me!"

Lilah suddenly had this feeling that Salazar wasn't listening to her and wanted to keep burdening her with his sorrows. The thought was burning in her brain. She felt her fists clench.

"You mean to tell me this whole thing was because you were mad at Helga?" snapped Lilah standing up.

Salazar snapped his head in her direction while lighting cracked in the sky.

"No, not with Helga. With you." He hissed.

"Me? Because I wasn't faithful? I mean get a life or afterlife or whatever you call it!"

Salazar grabbed her arms and shook her violently. The wind picked up and the rain began to pour.

"Just shut up! I want you to see what you did mother! See what you did to me!"

"I'M NOT YOUR MOTHER!" bellowed Lilah.

"You made me go after the torch. Rowena hid the sangrael it wasn't my fault! But you made me try to steal that torch. Helga made it! It was hers! You used my jealousy against me!" shrieked Salazar throwing Lilah on the ground.

The wind was hollowing and Lilah clutched her knees to her chest, shaking.

"You did it!" yelled Salazar his eyes filling with tears pointing down at Lilah, "You killed Myrddin! Everyone thought I did! But I know it was you! The only man who I ever loved as a father thought I killed his son! He kicked me out because of you!"

"I'm not you mother!" pleaded Lilah burying her face in her knees.

Salazar leaned down and grabbed her by the hair, raising her head so she could see him.

"You will pay mother." He hissed.

***

Lilah woke up her eyes staring up on the ceiling of her room. Her body ached with each movement she made. She hated nightmares. Why was she always having them? She sat up in her bed, her abdomen throbbing in pain. She heard a slight cry and looked on the edge of the bed. Lying in a small wooden cradle was a baby. He had a full head of golden blonde hair, his bright green eyes looked up at her and he shrieked again. She reached out to touch him when the door opened. A woman with a kindly careworn face appeared at the door. She had graying brown wavy hair and twinkling blue eyes. She smiled warmly and said, "I'm glad to see your up, Helga."