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"You filthy Mudblood!" Alecto Carrow slapped Jemina across the face as soon as they entered a dark office. Jemina's head snapped to the side, but she just took in the pain, the feeling of victory still with her. It felt so good to stand up to them, it felt even better than the first time she did so.

"How dare you speak the Dark Lord's name with your damned mouth." Amycus Carrow pressed his wand to Jemina's neck, grabbing her by the collar with the other hand. "If you didn't have a connection to our Lady..."

"Why does Deanna mean so much to him anyways? Why do you call her your Lady?" Jemina asked despite the wand at her throat, now realizing she never knew why Voldemort did take Deanna fifty-two years ago. All Deanna said in her interview with Rita Skeeter was that she was taken by Voldemort. She never said the reason why.

The Carrows looked at each other before bursting into laughter, irking Jemina somehow. Amycus Carrow smirked victoriously at her, the wand now painfully digging into Jemina's neck. "She's the –"

He was cut off by a knock on the door, and the door swung open to reveal the Headmaster, Severus Snape himself. Snape simply stared at Jemina who was glaring back at him before he turned to the Carrow twins who were still holding Jemina. "Amycus, Alecto, let me take care of her. Perhaps, a Cruciatus Curse would teach this little one to hold her tongue."

At his words, Alecto and Amycus Carrow grinned before shoving Jemina to the Professor. Though nervous at the thought of the Cruciatus Curse, Jemina sent them one last glare while Snape gripped her arm tight, pulling her harshly out of the room.

"Have a great time, Mudblood." Alecto Carrow called out mockingly while Amycus Carrow giggled as the door closed.

Jemina was surprised when Snape let go of her all of a sudden and he nodded to Jemina. "Follow me." He started leading the way somewhere and Jemina thought bitterly that this would never happen if Dumbledore was still Headmaster. Why did it have to be his murderer of all people?

"Do you know why you are still here despite being of your kind?" Snape suddenly asked, surprising Jemina again.

"What?" Jemina asked in confusion. Why would he even speak with her when he was supposed to punish her with the Cruciatus Curse?

"It's only because of Deanna Dumbledore –"

"I told you not to speak her name." Jemina spat at him, making Snape stop walking and turn around to look at her. He knew Jemina Nightingale as the timid and quiet girl in class so he was really surprised when the Carrows reported that she was coming back to Hogwarts and when she stood up to him during the Welcoming Feast.

So, now Snape couldn't help but think she grew. From someone who let herself be pushed around, now, she was the one who was becoming the light in the darkest of times. But he could not let anyone know what he really thought. Snape just turned back around and continued walking, making Jemina frown though she still followed him, no thought of running away in her mind.

Finally, they stopped in front of a door and Snape turned to Jemina once more. "Deanna Dumbledore is the Dark Lord's only love. And that is the only reason why you are alive right now."

Jemina's eyes widened at that and she felt like she couldn't breathe. It made sense. Why would Voldemort keep a young girl for 50 years instead of killing her? He could have used Deanna to threaten Dumbledore and such, but he never did. It was because he loved her... But why did Deanna never tell her about this? She thought she knew Deanna but there was so much about her Jemina did not know.

Snape realized that Jemina did not know this piece of information and taking advantage of her surprise, he whipped out his wand. He gave it a flick and Jemina let out a groan in surprise, dropping to one knee. She held a hand to her stomach and her eyes widened when she saw some blood coming out of the cut made by Snape. Cuts were also made on her arms and her cheek, and Jemina glared at the now Headmaster who simply knocked on the door.

"The moment Deanna Dumbledore is in the Dark Lord's hands, you'll die." Snape said lowly and Jemina couldn't even utter a word due to the pain she was feeling, she could only glare at him and press her hand to her cut. The door swung open and there were gasps from Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout at the sight of the bloody Jemina.

"You must learn now not to speak against the Headmaster, Miss Nightingale, good night." Pocketing his wand, Snape left without even a glance at his fellow Professors who quickly went to Jemina's side and carried her into the staff room. Even Slughorn gasped and looked worried when he saw how there were cuts all over Jemina.

"Why did you have to do that, Miss Nightingale?" Professor McGonagall said with worry in her voice as she and Professor Sprout quickly tended to her wounds. "Horace, will you please call Poppy?"

"R-Right away, Minerva." Professor Slughorn ran out of the room with one last worried glance at Deanna.

"Why did you return, Jemina?" Professor Sprout frowned at the still silent Hufflepuff whose wounds were slowly healing though there were still some cuts that remained due to Snape's magic. "Don't you know how dangerous it is?"

"Is Deanna really his first love?" Jemina suddenly asked, making both Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout stop and exchange uneasy glances. Jemina only smiled, looking down. "So, it is true."

"Listen, Jemina..." Professor Sprout started understandingly. "It is true, but Deanna does not love him anymore. It is only he who still loves Deanna and believes Deanna will come back to him when he takes over the Wizarding World and kills Harry Potter."

"But... but why did she not tell me?" Jemina mumbled, looking down. She honestly felt betrayed... She always thought Deanna trusted her just as much as she did to the other girl, but now she found out there's so much more about Deanna that she didn't know. And it had to be Snape of all people to tell her.

"You know Deanna Dumbledore." Professor Slughorn suddenly said, entering the room with Madam Pomfrey who quickly went to Jemina, mumbling under her breath. Slughorn smiled at Jemina. "She is the type of person who'd fight the entire world on her own rather than let others suffer for her. She keeps secrets even from her father. It does not mean that she doesn't trust you. It's just that she worries about you. That's just how she is."

"Why did I have to learn about it from Snape of all people?" Jemina let out a sigh and smiled gratefully at Madam Pomfrey who just finished up on her and left with Slughorn after bidding farewell to all of them.

"And that greasy bat..." Professor Sprout clenched her fists in anger. "How could he do this to you? After killing Albus, he dares stand there and sit around in Albus' office!"

"Listen, Jemina." Professor McGonagall said seriously. "Nothing good will happen if you keep on fighting like this. You must keep your head down and just let it be for now. Our hands are tied as well. If we act, we'll be removed from our posts and no one will be here to protect Hogwarts when Deanna and Harry come back."

"But Deanna trusts me, Professors." Jemina said softly, smiling at the two of them. "Isn't that enough reason to fight back? She'd do the same if she was here."

Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout could only look at each other and sigh. Well, it seemed like Deanna Dumbledore really had a huge influence on Jemina and they could see just how much the older Hufflepuff meant to the younger badger.

"Then, whenever you need help, you can come to us." Professor Sprout smiled softly at Jemina, patting her on the shoulder. "We're Professors of Hogwarts, but we're also Deanna's friends. And she would want us to protect you just as we are supposed to do."

"Just keep yourself safe, Miss Nightingale." Professor McGonagall said with a sigh. "And know you've got the Professors behind you."

"Thank you." Jemina couldn't help but grin, feeling happy that the Professors trusted her. And Jemina felt her heart become lighter now... Deanna trusted her. Deanna trusted her to protect Hogwarts and her heart ached a bit when she realized Deanna was just worried for everybody.

But now... Jemina remembered the feeling of victory she had when she stood up to them. The thrill of it and being brave despite these dark times. She wanted to be the light just like Deanna was to her and to everybody. And now, she had a chance to pay back Deanna's kindness and be a light in the darkness too.

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