───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

As they got back to 12 Grimmauld Place, it was silent among the group. They were still thinking about what they had seen at the Longbottoms. Blair was about to go up to her room with Harry and Ron when Ginny suddenly gripped her arm.

"Blair, can I talk to you?"

Blair nodded and led her to the living room. She smiled at Ginny. "What's up, Gin?"

"Well, first off, I want to tell you... I-I like Neville." Ginny said shyly, blushing so hard.

Blair's jaw dropped. "W-What? Really? So, Neville and you like each other?"

It was silent. Blair clapped a hand over her mouth while Ginny's blush became as red as her hair. "W-What?"

Blair knelt down and begged with a pout. "Please don't tell anyone, please don't tell Neville. I-I'll do anything."

Ginny started laughing at how pitiful Blair looked before calming down slightly. "Okay, okay. Well, er, about Neville, do you know if there's any way- any way that I can help him or comfort him?"

Blair's face turned serious and she sat back in her seat. She was silent for a while, staring at the nervous Ginny, before she smiled slightly. "Well, Gin. I know Neville likes you and that would be enough for him. Just be there for him and let him open up to you. That's the best thing we could do for him."

Ginny smiled widely and hugged Blair. "Thanks, Blair."

"Anytime, Gin. You and Nev are perfect for each other."

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Kreacher, it transpired, had been lurking in the attic. Sirius said he had found him up there, covered in dust, no doubt looking for more relics of the Black family to hide in his cupboard. Though Sirius seemed satisfied with this story, it made Blair uneasy.

Kreacher seemed to be in a better mood on his reappearance, his bitter muttering had subsided somewhat, and he submitted to orders more docilely than usual, though once or twice Blair caught the house-elf staring avidly at her or Harry, always looking quickly away when he saw that either of them had noticed. Though they did mention their suspicions to each other, they did not mention it to Sirius, whose cheerfulness was evaporating fast now that Christmas was over.

As the date of their departure back to Hogwarts drew nearer, Sirius became more and more prone to what Mrs. Weasley called "fits of the sullens," in which he would become taciturn and grumpy, often withdrawing to Buckbeak's room for hours at a time. His gloom seeped through the house, oozing under doorways like some noxious gas, so that all of them became infected by it.

Blair did not want to leave Sirius all alone again with only Kreacher for company. In fact, for the first time in her life, she was not looking forward to returning to Hogwarts. Going back to school would mean placing herself once again under the tyranny of Dolores Umbridge, who had no doubt managed to force through another dozen decrees in their absence.

Then there was no Quidditch to look forward to now that she had been banned; there was every likelihood that their burden of homework would increase as the exams drew even nearer; Dumbledore remained as remote as ever; in fact, if it had not been for the D.A. and of course, Hermione, Blair felt she might have gone to Sirius and begged him to let her leave Hogwarts and remain in Grimmauld Place. Then, on the very last day of the holidays, something happened that made Blair positively dread her return to school.

"Blair, Harry, dears," said Mrs. Weasley, poking her head into Blair's, Harry's and Ron's bedroom, where the she and Ron were playing wizard chess watched by Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Crookshanks, "could you come down to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with you."

Blair did not immediately register what she had said; one of her castles was engaged in a violent tussle with a pawn of Ron's, and she was egging it on enthusiastically. "Squash him — squash him, he's only a pawn, you idiot — sorry, Mrs. Weasley, what did you say?"

"Professor Snape, dears. In the kitchen. He'd like a word." Blair and Harry stared at each other in horror. They looked around at Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, all of whom were gaping back at them. Crookshanks, whom Hermione had been restraining with difficulty for the past quarter of an hour, leapt gleefully upon the board and set the pieces running for cover, squealing at the top of their voices.

"Snape?" said Harry blankly.

"Snape? Severus Snape?" said Blair.

"Professor Snape, dears," said Mrs. Weasley reprovingly. "Now come on, quickly, he says he can't stay long."

"What's he want with you two?" said Ron, looking unnerved as Mrs. Weasley withdrew from the room. "You haven't done anything, have you?"

"No!" said Blair indignantly, racking her brains to think what she could have done that would make Snape pursue him to Grimmauld Place. Her face suddenly fell.

"What is it?" Hermione asked urgently.

"I may have charmed his robes to change to red and gold for Christmas." Blair said quietly. The whole room burst into laughter except for Hermione who was holding back her laughter, to look at Blair disapprovingly.

A minute or two late, Blair and Harry walked into the kitchen to find Sirius and Snape both seated at the long kitchen table, glaring in opposite directions. The silence between them was heavy with mutual dislike. A letter lay open on the table in front of Sirius. Blair and Harry immediately stifled their laughter at the sight of Snape's red and gold robes.

"Hello?" said Blair to announce their presences.

Snape looked around at them, his face framed between curtains of greasy black hair. He glared at Blair. "I knew it. It was you."

Blair shrugged before smiling innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about, Sir." Blair winked sneakily at Sirius, who smiled back at her.

Snape looked absolutely furious before he said in a cold voice. "Sit down, Potter, Wood."

"You know," said Sirius loudly, leaning back on his rear chair legs and speaking to the ceiling, "I think I'd prefer it if you didn't give orders here, Snape. It's my house, you see." An ugly flush suffused Snape's pallid face. Blair and Harry sat down on either sides of Sirius, facing Snape across the table.

"I was supposed to see you two alone, Potter, Wood," said Snape, the familiar sneer curling his mouth, "but Black —"

"I'm their godfather," said Sirius, louder than ever.

"I am here on Dumbledore's orders," said Snape, whose voice, by contrast, was becoming more and more quietly waspish, "but by all means stay, Black, I know you like to feel... involved."

"What's that supposed to mean?" said Sirius, letting his chair fall back onto all four legs with a loud bang.

"Merely that I am sure you must feel — ah — frustrated by the fact that you can do nothing useful," Snape laid a delicate stress on the word, "for the Order." It was Sirius's turn to flush. Blair glared at Snape whose lip curled in triumph as he turned to Harry.

"The headmaster has sent me to tell you, Potter, that it is his wish for you to study Occlumency this term."

"Study what?" said Harry blankly.

Snape's sneer became more pronounced. "Occlumency, Potter. The magical defense of the mind against external penetration. An obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful one." Blair frowned at that. None of them were being possessed.

"Why do I have to study Occlu — thing?" Harry blurted out.

"Because the headmaster thinks it a good idea," said Snape smoothly. "You will receive private lessons once a week, but you will not tell anybody what you are doing, least of all Dolores Umbridge. You understand?"

"Yes," said Harry. "Who's going to be teaching me?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "I am," he said. Blair's eyes widened in horror. Harry looked quickly around at her and Sirius for support, but Snape continued on.

"And you, Wood, will be taught by the Headmaster himself. He expects you at his office at six o'clock on Monday evening."

Blair furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Why was she having separate lessons from Harry? Harry looked at her, frowning, while Blair stared at Sirius, asking for help.

"Wait, why are they having separate lessons? Why can't Dumbledore teach Harry?" asked Sirius aggressively. "Why you?"

"I suppose it is none of your business, Black," said Snape silkily. "I assure you I did not beg for the job." He got to his feet. "I will expect you at six o'clock on Monday evening, Potter. My office. If anybody asks you two, you are taking Remedial Potions. Nobody who has seen you in my classes could deny you need them, Potter. Wood, the reason would be I will be failing you instead of giving you a detention for this." He pointed to his red and gold cloak. He turned to leave, his red and gold traveling cloak billowing behind him.

"Wait a moment," said Sirius, sitting up straighter in his chair.

Snape turned back to face them, sneering. "I am in rather a hurry, Black... unlike you, I do not have unlimited leisure time..."

"I'll get to the point, then," said Sirius, standing up. He was rather taller than Snape who, Blair noticed, had balled his fist in the pocket of his cloak over what Blair was sure was the handle of his wand. "If I hear you're using these Occlumency lessons to give Harry a hard time, you'll have me to answer to."

"How touching," Snape sneered. "But surely you have noticed that Potter is very like his father?"

"Yes, I have," said Sirius proudly.

"Well then, you'll know he's so arrogant that criticism simply bounces off him," Snape said sleekly. Sirius pushed his chair roughly aside and strode around the table toward Snape, pulling out his wand as he went; Snape whipped out his own. They were squaring up to each other, Sirius looking livid, Snape calculating, his eyes darting from Sirius's wand tip to his face.

"Sirius!" said Harry loudly, but Sirius appeared not to hear him.

"I've warned you, Snivellus," said Sirius, his face barely a foot from Snape's, "I don't care if Dumbledore thinks you've reformed, I know better —"

"Oh, but why don't you tell him so?" whispered Snape. "Or are you afraid he might not take the advice of a man who has been hiding inside his mother's house for six months very seriously?"

"Tell me, how is Lucius Malfoy these days? I expect he's delighted his lapdog's working at Hogwarts, isn't he?"

"Speaking of dogs," said Snape softly, "did you know that Lucius Malfoy recognized you last time you risked a little jaunt outside? Clever idea, Black, getting yourself seen on a safe station platform... gave you a cast-iron excuse not to leave your hidey-hole in future, didn't it?" Sirius raised his wand.

"NO!" Blair yelled, vaulting over the table and trying to get in between them, "Uncle Padfoot, don't —" Blair and Harry tried shoving them away from each other, but they were advancing still.

"Are you calling me a coward?" roared Sirius, trying to push Blair out of the way, but Blair would not budge.

"Why, yes, I suppose I am," said Snape.

"Little B — get — out — of — it!" snarled Sirius, pushing her out of the way with his free hand.

The kitchen door opened and the entire Weasley family, plus Hermione, came inside, all looking very happy, with Mr. Weasley walking proudly in their midst dressed in a pair of striped pajamas covered by a mackintosh. 

"Cured!" he announced brightly to the kitchen at large. "Completely cured!" He and all the other Weasleys froze on the threshold, gazing at the scene in front of them, which was also suspended in mid-action, both Sirius and Snape looking toward the door with their wands pointing into each other's faces and Blair and Harry immobile between them, a hand stretched out to each of them, trying to force them apart.

"Merlin's beard," said Mr. Weasley, the smile sliding off his face, "what's going on here?"

Both Sirius and Snape lowered their wands. Blair looked from one to the other. Each wore an expression of utmost contempt, yet the unexpected entrance of so many witnesses seemed to have brought them to their senses.

Snape pocketed his wand and swept back across the kitchen, passing the Weasleys without comment. At the door he looked back. "Six o'clock Monday evening, Potter, Wood." He was gone. Sirius glared after him, his wand at his side.

"But what's been going on?" asked Mr. Weasley again.

"Nothing, Arthur," said Sirius, who was breathing heavily as though he had just run a long distance. "Just a friendly little chat between two old school friends..." With what looked like an enormous effort, he smiled. "So... you're cured? That's great news, really great..."

"Yes, isn't it?" said Mrs. Weasley, leading her husband forward into a chair. "Healer Smethwyck worked his magic in the end, found an antidote to whatever that snake's got in its fangs, and Arthur's learned his lesson about dabbling in Muggle medicine, haven't you, dear?" she added, rather menacingly.

"Yes, Molly dear," said Mr. Weasley meekly.

Blair apologized to Harry. "I'm sorry, Harry, if I could, I'd bring you to Dumbledore with me."

Harry sighed before patting her on the shoulder. "It's fine, Blair. Good luck with your Potions grade though." And Blair's face fell at the thought. After doing so well at Potions, she would have to fail and get piles of homework once more. Blair could tell Sirius was trying to be cheerful, but his face fell back into a moody, brooding expression. 

When she finally got away from Fred and George, Blair sat down beside Sirius. "Uncle Sirius, you know that you're not a coward, right?"

Sirius sighed shakily. "Blair, I-"

"No, you're not," said Blair forcefully, "It takes courage to break rules and go out in the world, but it also takes courage to follow orders that you don't really agree with."

Sirius's smile grew wide and he hugged Blair tight. "Thanks, Little B."

Blair hugged him back. "You're welcome, Uncle Padfoot. Now, go on, Uncle Remmy looks like he's been waiting for his time with you."

Sirius grinned, ruffled Blair's hair and jumped on Remus. "Moony!"

"Padfoot," said Remus warningly with a grin on his face as he hugged Sirius tight. Blair chuckled and went to Harry, Ron and Hermione while Harry was telling them about what happened with Snape a while ago.

"Dumbledore wants to stop you having those dreams about Voldemort," said Hermione at once. "Well, you won't be sorry not to have them anymore, will you? But if you're having the same dreams, why do you two have to be separated?"

Blair sighed and rested her chin on her hand. "I don't know, but I don't like it either."

"Extra lessons with Snape?" said Ron, sounding aghast. "I'd rather have the nightmares!"

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

They were to return to Hogwarts on the Knight Bus the following day, escorted once again by Tonks and Lupin, both of whom were eating breakfast in the kitchen when Blair, Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrived there next morning.

The adults seemed to have been midway through a whispered conversation when the door opened; all of them looked around hastily and fell silent. After a hurried breakfast they pulled on jackets and scarves against the chilly gray January morning.

Blair had an unpleasant constricted sensation in her chest; she did not want to say goodbye to Sirius. She had a bad feeling about this parting, and she thought hard about what to say to him. Before she could think of what to say, however, Sirius had beckoned her and Harry to his side.

"I want you to take this," Sirius said quietly, thrusting two badly wrapped packages roughly the size of a paperback book into Blair and Harry's hands.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"A way of letting me know if Snape's giving you a hard time. No, don't open it in here!" said Sirius, with a wary look at Mrs. Weasley, who was trying to persuade the twins to wear hand-knitted mittens. "I doubt Molly would approve — but I want you to use it if you need me, all right?"

"Okay," said Blair and Harry, stowing the packages away, sharing wary glances, knowing they wouldn't use them if it would endanger Sirius.

"Let's go, then," said Sirius, clapping Blair and Harry on the shoulders and smiling grimly, and before Blair could say anything else, they were heading upstairs, stopping before the heavily chained and bolted front door, surrounded by Weasleys.

"Good-bye, Blair, Harry, take care," said Mrs. Weasley, hugging them.

"See you, Blair, Harry, and keep an eye out for snakes for me!" said Mr. Weasley genially, shaking Harry's hand and pulling Blair into a quick hug.

"Thanks, Mr. Weasley," said Blair, looking into Sirius's face.

Sirius pulled them into a brief hug and said gruffly, "Look after yourselves, Little B, Blair."

While they were on the Knight Bus, even as they banged against the walls and Stan and Ernie would talk to her and Harry, Blair could only think of Sirius. She was honestly worried that he might do something dangerous and that scared her. The thought that she would be losing the closest thing she had to a father.

Blair felt someone squeeze her hand, and her head snapped up to see that it was Ron. Ron was looking green, but he smiled at Blair weakly. "You alright, Blair?"

Blair nodded and smiled back. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

Blair look around and saw that they finally arrived at Hogsmeade and they rolled to a halt outside the gates to Hogwarts. Lupin and Tonks helped them off the bus with their luggage and then got off to say good-bye.

"You'll be safe once you're in the grounds," said Tonks, casting a careful eye around at the deserted road. "Have a good term, okay?"

Blair hugged her quickly. "Good luck with Zoey, Dora. See you." Tonks rolled her eyes and slapped her on the arm playfully.

"Look after yourselves," said Lupin, shaking hands all round, and after whispering something to Harry, he finally reached Blair.

Blair looked at Lupin worriedly. "Uncle Remus, look after Uncle Padfoot, will you?"

Lupin smiled and ruffled her hair. "Take care, Little B. Work hard with Dumbledore, okay?"

"All right, see you then," said Blair with a wave. The six of them struggled up the slippery drive toward the castle dragging their trunks. Blair glanced back and saw that the Knight Bus had already gone.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

The next morning came Monday. Blair spent most of the night, awake, pretending that she was asleep, thinking still about her lessons with Dumbledore and thinking still about why Harry had to go to Snape while Blair had her lessons with Dumbledore?

Blair's mood worsened when Snape was as unpleasant as ever, during Potions, announcing to the class that she had gotten a D on her essays due to her prank. She hated the laughter that came from the Slytherins but kept her mouth shut, not wanting to blow up at them and give them the satisfaction.

It seemed that Harry was in the same bad mood as her, and theirs moods were further lowered when the D.A. members kept on approaching them and asking whether there would be a meeting that night.

"We'll let you know when the next one is," Blair and Harry said over and over again, "but we can't do it tonight, we've got to go to Remedial Potions..."

"You take Remedial Potions?" asked Zacharias Smith superciliously, having cornered Blair and Harry in the entrance hall after lunch. "Good Lord, you two must be terrible, Snape doesn't usually give extra lessons, does he?" Then, his face lit up in realization as he looked at Blair. "Oh right, you got the Dreadfuls and you the remedial instead of detention."

As Smith strode away in an annoyingly buoyant fashion, Ron glared after him. "Shall I jinx him? I can still get him from here," he said, raising his wand and taking aim between Smith's shoulder blades.

"Forget it," said Blair dismally. "It's what everyone's going to think, isn't it? That I'm really stup —"

"Hi, Blair," said a voice behind them. She turned around and found Cho standing there.

Blair looked at her with wide eyes. "C-Cho." She glanced at Hermione, who was glaring at Cho. Harry and Ron were watching from the sides, amused at the whole situation.

"Well, you see... there's another Hogsmeade trip on Valentine's and I was wondering if you would go with me?" Cho said hopefully.

Blair rubbed the back of her neck. "Cho, I'm sorry, I-"

"She's going with me," Hermione said proudly. Blair's eyes widened as she looked at the witch. There were so many people around, watching the scene, while Harry and Ron were now looking gleeful.

Cho glared at Hermione. "Now you decide to take interest in her? After rejecting her so many times?"

Hermione glared back. She always found Blair interesting. Though she was still guilty about rejecting her, she was going to make sure that she would make it up to Blair and make her feel loved until the stars fall from the sky. She liked Blair Wood, and no one, not Cho Chang, not Dolores Umbridge, nobody, would change that.

Hermione rolled her eyes before pulling a surprised Blair by the tie and kissing her passionately. Blair instinctively closed her eyes and kissed back immediately. She didn't hear all the cheers and whispers from the people around. She didn't see the shocked expression on Cho's face. She just remembered the smell of roses, the feel of Hermione's smooth cheeks under her fingers and time stopping as if they were the only ones there.

When they finally pulled away with their foreheads against each other, Blair opened her eyes and grinned. "I love you, Hermione Granger."

Hermione grinned back, her eyes conveying all the love words could not say, all the love Hermione was not yet ready to tell. But she was building up her courage to show all of her to Blair. Being brave with everything she did, all for Blair, until the day she could finally say it. But for now... 

"Baby, I'm yours."

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

By six o'clock that evening, Blair's mood had definitely lightened with everyone now knowing of her relationship with Hermione. Her friends (except Seamus) congratulated her and told her it was about time. Blair grinned and thanked them all for their support, for their help and for everything. She was in such a good mood she even smiled at Umbridge and asked her how she was. She was even more pleased when McGonagall smiled at her and told her it was about time.

But through all the congratulations and through all of their greetings, Blair was focused on one person only, and that was Hermione. She was happy that everybody finally knew, but she still kept on checking on the witch, asking if she was fine, if she needed anything, if there was a problem, but Hermione would cut her off by kissing her and telling her that she was fine because she had Blair, and that was what mattered most.

With a huge smile on her face, Blair faced the gargoyle. "Hey, Mr. Gargoyle. Fizzing Whizbee."

The gargoyle sprung to life and stepped aside. Blair walked up the stairs, skipping, and knocked on the door. "Professor?"

"Come in," Dumbledore's voice came through and Blair pushed open the door, now calming down from the giddiness and turning a little serious.

"Good evening, sir," said Blair with a small smile.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, looking at Blair. "Good evening, Blair, and I must say, congratulations to you."

Blair blushed before grinning. "Thank you, Professor," She then remembered why she was there in the first place, "Er, Professor? Why am I here?"

"Well, I must ask first, Blair. Have you been experience something different? Some things you thought you couldn't do but suddenly did?" Blair's eyes widened. How could he know? She didn't even tell anyone about her healing power. Blair kept silent and stared into Dumbledore's eyes, trying to find out how and why.

Dumbledore smiled slightly and leaned back in his chair. "I will explain everything in due time, Blair, but please answer my question first."

When Blair still looked hesitant, Dumbledore smiled softly and Blair saw the comforting look in his eyes. The same look she saw when they were alone on the night of her parents' deaths. "I promise, Blair. Soon."

And those were enough to make Blair tell him everything. The wandless magic and the healing. She told him everything but she hid the fact that it was Malfoy's burn that she healed. When she finished, Dumbledore stood up and walked to her before holding out his arm. "Take my arm, Blair."

Without a word, she took Dumbledore's arm, and felt the feeling of being sucked through a tight tube and when they appeared somewhere else, they were in a forest of some sorts, Blair gaped.

"Professor, I thought you couldn't Apparate in and out of Hogwarts."

"Well, it's nice to know that you listen to Miss Granger, Blair," said Dumbledore with an amused tone.

Blair chuckled softly and stared at him, questions popping into her mind. Dumbledore seemed to understand and nodded. "Go on, Blair. Ask what you want to, but I can't promise I can't answer everything."

Blair looked satisfied at him and began speaking, "Professor, why are Harry and I in separate lessons?"

"Professor Snape needs to teach him Occlumency while I need to teach you a few more lessons, Blair. We'll come to Occlumency soon, but there are a few more urgent matters we need to learn."

"And, Professor, how do you know about how I had these powers?"

Dumbledore stared at her before he said, "When you were a baby, Blair, your parents cast a seal on you. A seal to prevent your power from showing. Each and every one of us has something we call a magical core. When you were born, yours was so strong, so powerful that when I held you, I immediately felt it. It was pure power that could have been dangerous if it went to the wrong hands, and so, before anyone could find out, Blake and Olivia cast a spell that sealed it."

"But as you grew older, you must have felt it somehow. The seal started becoming ineffective, and your powers were starting to show. Blake and Olivia did warn me about it, and I told them to place the seal again. They did try, countless times they did, but your powers could not be contained anymore. So, we had no choice but to let it be. Somehow, I suspect through a ratty friend - well we cannot really call him a friend anymore," At that, Blair clenched her fists knowing that it was Pettigrew he was talking about. "Voldemort found out about the seal. And on the night that Voldemort returned, killing Blake and Olivia took off the last bit of protection that repressed your magic was gone, and so, I knew that your powers would soon show."

As Dumbledore finished, Blair went silent. Her parents protected her even as they were dying. They knew. They knew she was powerful. Why didn't anyone tell her? Maybe, she could have prevented her parents' deaths, she could have prevented Voldemort's return, she could have-

"We didn't tell you, Blair, because we feared that when you would know of the powers you had, you would use them more, and you would be known to the dark side." Dumbledore explained calmly.

With her voice caught in her throat and still a million questions, Blair simply nodded and asked. "So, what are we doing, sir?"

Dumbledore smiled and clapped his hands. "I'd like you to cast a Patronus charm, Blair. Without your wand."

Blair was surprised at the sudden request but did it anyway. She thought of Hermione kissing her and smiled softly. "Expecto patronum." She muttered under her breath, and she was shocked when silver mist came from her palms, and a sliver lion pounced around her and Dumbledore before vanishing and she felt her eyes close.

"Rennervate."

Blair gasped as she sat up straight. "W-What? What happened?"

Dumbledore looked impressed at her. "You fainted. That happens when you try the Patronus charm with wandless magic for the first time. But you've done well, tapping deep into your magical core. You managed to cast a Corporeal patronus. Very good, Blair. Now, I'd like you to cast the Patronus charm, but do not say the words. Take out your wand and think of the incantation."

Blair took out her wand and closed her eyes, the thought of Hermione and her kissing back in her head. 'Expecto patronum!' Blair's eyes fluttered open and she was amazed when a silver lion came out once more, and her knees buckled. 

Dumbledore pulled her up. "Well done. You can take a rest."

Blair smiled gratefully at him and looked around. "Professor, where are we?"

"We're near this town called Mould-on-the-Wold, Blair. It is where I lived when I was young."

"Really, sir? Would you like to walk around then?"

Dumbledore laughed loudly. "Maybe we could next time. Now, pocket your wand, Blair, and think of the incantation in your mind."

Blair stood up and did as he said and closed her eyes once more with the same memory in her mind. 'Expecto patronum!' She felt something warm coming from her palms and opened her eyes with a wide smile on her face. The silver lion pounced around her and Dumbledore for the third time before vanishing. Blair fell to the ground, gasping for breath, her entire body shaking.

Dumbledore smiled at Blair and nodded proudly. "Very good, Blair. Take a rest. And, let's do it again later."

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

When they finished, Blair bid goodnight to Dumbledore and walked to the dungeons as they planned, feeling extremely exhausted. She knocked on the door, and Snape glared at her before pushing her in. Blair looked worriedly at Harry, who was on the ground, panting. She quickly helped him up and raised an eyebrow at Snape. "What happened?"

"Potter can't control his emotions," said Snape coldly while looking at Harry, then he looked at Blair, "Well, since you're here, Wood. Let us try on you, will we?"

Blair's eyes widened. "W-What?"

"I will attempt to break into your mind, Wood," spat Snape. "Stand up and take your wand." Blair glanced uneasily at Harry, she didn't even recover yet from her lesson with Dumbledore and she had to do Occlumency now? Harry nodded shakily and sat down on one of the chairs.

"You may use your wand to attempt to disarm me or defend yourself in any other way you can think of. Brace yourself now! Legilimens!"

Blair was watching moments of her life flash in her mind. She was with her parents and Oliver as they sat around the fire... She cast a shield around her and Harry to protect them from Voldemort... Hermione, petrified on a bed in the hospital wing... A hundred dementors were closing in on her, Harry, Sirius and Hermione beside the Black Lake... Her parents dying once more... Hermione kissing her for the first time behind the castles... A man reaching out his fist with a sudden gust of wind coming as he opened his palm... Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione laughing as she quietly told her what she did to Snape's robes. She was running along a windowless passage and they were drawing nearer to the plain black door at the end of the corridor...

'Expelliarmus!' Blair thought and she felt the memories fade away as she fell onto the ground, clutching her chest for her scar was prickling unpleasantly and she felt suddenly triumphant.

"Blair. Blair!" Harry ran over to her while holding his hand to his forehead. He helped her sit up, and Blair saw Snape's surprised eyes and Blair saw that his hand did not have his wand. Snape walked a few steps and picked up his wand.

Snape looked at her intently, his mind running with a particular image he saw. "You managed to disarm me at the memory of you, Potter, Granger and the Weasleys ."

Blair who felt like something was getting sucked out of her, did not answer and rubbed her chest. "I just realized. I just remembered."

"What did you realize, Blair?" Harry asked her.

Blair stared at him. "Our hearing. The door. Mr. Weasley." And those words made Harry's eyes light up in realization. They had been dreaming about a windowless corridor ending in a locked door for months, without once realizing that it was a real place.

Now, seeing the memory again, they knew that all along they had been dreaming about the corridor down which they had run with Mr. Weasley on the twelfth of August as they hurried to the courtrooms in the Ministry. It was the corridor leading to the Department of Mysteries, and Mr. Weasley had been there the night that he had been attacked by Voldemort's snake...

Harry looked up at Snape. "What's in the Department of Mysteries?"

"What did you say?" Snape asked quietly and Blair saw, with deep satisfaction, that Snape was unnerved.

"He said, what's in the Department of Mysteries, sir?" Blair said.

"And why," said Snape slowly, "would you ask such a thing?"

"Because," said Blair, watching Snape closely for a reaction, "that corridor I've just seen — we've been dreaming about it for months — I've just recognized it — it leads to the Department of Mysteries... and I think Voldemort wants something from —"

"Do not say the Dark Lord's name!" They glared at each other. Blair's scar seared again, but she did not care. Snape looked agitated.

When he spoke again he sounded as though he was trying to appear cool and unconcerned. "There are many things in the Department of Mysteries, Potter, Wood, few of which you would understand and none of which concern you, do I make myself plain?"

"Yes," Blair and Harry said, still rubbing their prickling scars, which was becoming more painful.

"Potter, I want you back here same time on Wednesday, and we will continue work then."

"Fine," said Harry. Blair felt the same. She was desperate to get out of Snape's office and find Ron and Hermione.

"You are to rid your mind of all emotion every night before sleep — empty it, make it blank and calm, you understand?"

"Yes," said Harry, who was barely listening.

"And be warned, Potter... I shall know if you have not practiced..."

"Right," Harry mumbled. Blair picked up her schoolbag and hurried toward the door with Harry. She glanced back at Snape and saw him scooping his own thoughts and replacing them inside his own head. Blair and Harry exchanged glances before they left without another word, each holding a hand to their throbbing scars.

Blair and Harry found Ron and Hermione in the library, where they were working on Umbridge's most recent ream of homework. Other students, nearly all of them fifth years, sat at lamp-lit tables nearby, noses close to books, quills scratching feverishly, while the sky outside the mullioned windows grew steadily blacker. The only other sound was the slight squeaking of one of Madam Pince's shoes as the librarian prowled the aisles menacingly, breathing down the necks of those touching her precious books.

Blair sat down beside Hermione and shivered, suddenly feeling feverish with her scar still aching. Hermione looked at them worriedly. "How did it go? Are you all right?" Blair winced as pain shot through her scar again, and she and Harry told them what they had just deduced.

"So... so, are you saying..." whispered Ron, as Madam Pince swept past, squeaking slightly, "that the weapon — the thing You-Know-Who's after — is in the Ministry of Magic?"

"In the Department of Mysteries, it's got to be," Blair whispered. "We saw that door when your dad took us down to the courtrooms for our hearing and it's definitely the same one he was guarding when the snake bit him."

Hermione let out a long, slow sigh. "Of course," she breathed.

"Of course what?" said Harry rather impatiently.

"Harry, think about it... Sturgis Podmore was trying to get through a door at the Ministry of Magic... It must have been that one, it's too much of a coincidence!"

"How come Sturgis was trying to break in when he's on our side?" said Ron.

"Well, I don't know," Hermione admitted. "That is a bit odd..."

"So what's in the Department of Mysteries?" Harry asked Ron. "Has your dad ever mentioned anything about it?"

"I know they call the people who work in there 'Unspeakables,' " said Ron, frowning. "Because no one really seems to know what they do in there... Weird place to have a weapon..."

"It's not weird at all, it makes perfect sense," said Hermione. "It will be something top secret that the Ministry has been developing, I expect... Blair, Harry, are you sure you two are all right?" For Harry had just run both his hands hard over his forehead while Blair pounded her chest. They looked at each other.

"Yeah... fine..." Harry said, lowering his hands, which were trembling. "I just feel a bit... I don't like Occlumency much..."

"Just tired," said Blair while smiling reassuringly at Hermione. Hermione hesitated before nodding.

"I expect anyone would feel shaky if they'd had their mind attacked over and over again," said Hermione sympathetically. "Look, let's get back to the common room, we'll be a bit more comfortable there..." But the common room was packed and full of shrieks of laughter and excitement; Fred and George were demonstrating their latest bit of joke shop merchandise.

"Headless Hats!" shouted George, as Fred waved a pointed hat decorated with a fluffy pink feather at the watching students. "Two Galleons each — watch Fred, now!" Fred swept the hat onto his head, beaming. For a second he merely looked rather stupid, then both hat and head vanished. Several girls screamed, but everyone else was roaring with laughter.

"And off again!" shouted George, and Fred's hand groped for a moment in what seemed to be thin air over his shoulder; then his head reappeared as he swept the pink-feathered hat from it again.

"How do those hats work, then?" said Hermione, distracted from her homework and watching Fred and George. "I mean, obviously it's some kind of Invisibility Spell, but it's rather clever to have extended the field of invisibility beyond the boundaries of the charmed object... I'd imagine the charm wouldn't have a very long life though..." Blair did not answer though she knew how. She was still feeling ill and unnerved.

"I'm going to have to do this tomorrow," Harry muttered, pushing the books he had just taken out of his bag back inside it.

"Well, write it in your homework planner then!" said Hermione encouragingly. "So you don't forget!"

Blair put back her books in her bag while she heard the book's chiding. "Don't leave it till later, you big second-rater!" "I'm going to bed," said Blair quietly.

"Me too," said Harry and they walked across the common room, muttered their good nights, squeezed each other's hands tights and went on their ways.

Blair went up the girls' dormitory. She was walking to her bed when she felt sick again, and she took one step when she experienced pain so severe she thought that someone must have sliced into her chest.

She did not know where she was, whether she was standing or lying down, she did not even know her own name... Maniacal laughter was ringing in her ears... She was happier than she had been in a very long time... Jubilant, ecstatic, triumphant... A wonderful, wonderful thing had happened...

"Blair? BLAIR!"

Someone had hit her around the face. The insane laughter was punctuated with a cry of pain. The happiness was draining out of her, but the laughter continued... She opened her eyes and as she did so, she became aware that the wild laughter was coming out of her own mouth. The moment she realized this, it died away; Blair lay panting on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, the scar on her chest throbbing horribly.

Hermione was bending over her, looking very worried. "What happened, Blair?" she said.

"I... dunno..." Blair gasped, sitting up again. "He's really happy... really happy..."

"Voldemort is?"

"Something good's happened," mumbled Blair. She was shaking as badly as she had done after seeing the snake attack Mr. Weasley and felt very sick. "Something he's been hoping for." The words came, just as they had back in the Quidditch pitch, as though a stranger was speaking them through Blair's mouth, yet she knew they were true. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down.

Hermione helped her to her feet and led her to the bed. Blair slumped back on her pillows and felt arms wrapping around her body. "I was worried your defenses would be low after you had lessons with Dumbledore and Snape tried Legilimency on you," said Hermione worriedly, drawing circles on her back.

Blair just nodded, her scar still prickling painfully. She wondered, with a feeling of great trepidation, what had happened to make Lord Voldemort the happiest he had been in fourteen years.

Blair let out a shaky breath and hugged Hermione tight, her mouth too dry for her to say a word. She was still shaken by what had happened during that night. Hermione understood and continued drawing circles on Blair's back, not saying a word. She knew Blair needed someone to hold her and comfort her. And she promised then as she held the shaking Blair close, she would be that someone for Blair.

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Thank you so much for 200k reads and 10k votes on Balter! I know this story has its flaws and inconsistencies, but thank you so much for all the love <33 I really really appreciate it! Have a great day, everyone!

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