(1) Patrimony (H. Potter)

Chapter Six

Rhiannon lets out a deep breath as she sits by Hogwarts' lake, her eyes closed, legs crossed as she meditates. The morning sun just rising. She loves morning meditation. When the air is cool and crisp. A little bit of fog. She unfolds her legs and stretches them out in front of her before she stands walks away to join Viktor who waits for her. She has been meditating rather a lot since her name was pulled from the goblet, he does not blame her for needing moments to sort out her feelings and thoughts. This is a big thing to deal with.

..........

Rhiannon drops into an empty place at the Slytherin table, to be honest, she is not a huge fan of sitting with these kids, they're very....one minded. Like most of Durmstrang actually but the Slytherins are more about being vocal about it. She grabs an apple from the mountain of food on the table and glances at the top table, all of the teachers gathered to eat together. All but one. Dumbledore is missing. And it feels kind of weird to not see him sat up there. Rhiannon bites into her apple and hums a little. Thoughtful.

.........

In his cell, in Nurmengard Castle, once his home and now his prison, Gellert Grindelwald stares at the doorway to his cell. Disbelief, recognition, and a little bit of affection in his eyes.

"Albus" Gellert whispers in greeting, slouched against the corner wall of his cell as Dumbledore lingers in the doorway. Dumbledore wanted answers regarding Rhiannon.

"How did you do it?" Dumbledore asks, Gellert frowns at him. "The girl, Gellert...Your daughter"

"A girl" Gellert whispers. "It was a girl?" He asks, firmer this time.

"You didn't know" Dumbledore realises. Gellert shakes his head.

"What is she like? What does she look like? Is she a witch?" Gellert rambles out.

"How did it happen?" Dumbledore asks, not lingering on his questions. Gellert looks at him, purses his lips and leans forward.

"She came to me one night, appeared right before me with whispers of power and..." Gellert admits and then lets out a breath. "Freedom"

"Who did?"

"Hecate" Gellert answers.

"Hecate?" Dumbledore asks and then cocks his head. "The Goddess of Magic?" Gellert nods.

"She told me she would keep coming back until it took.....three nights she came....and then stopped...I knew...I knew there was a child out there, my child. But she never came back. She never freed me..." He leans back against the wall. "She tricked me..." His eyes actually appear to mist over. "How old is she?" He whispers. "How much did I miss?" Dumbledore sighs a little.

"She's fourteen" He offers, allowing him this much. "She's at Durmstrang" Gellert lets out a small laugh and then turns serious.

"Convince them to release me" Gellert pleads. "I just want to be with my daughter.....before it is too late"

"I trusted you once before" Dumbledore reminds him. "Do you think I am fool enough to ever do so again?" Gellert clenches his jaw and looks away. He didn't really expect him to say yes. But his life is nearing its end, he knows that, just once....even if it is just once, he would have liked to have seen his daughter. And maybe Dumbledore sees this, sees something anyway. He backs out of the cell and closes the door behind him.

................

Harry walks with Neville along the edge of the lake. Neville has his nose buried in a herbology book. Harry is rather grateful that Neville is, for the most part, being rather silent. It gives him time to think about the Tri-Wizard issue, and...if he's honest, Rhiannon. She's the only one that has really been supportive of his involvement in the tournament. No one else seems to believe him. But she did. Instantly. And he knows that it is not in regards to her trusting him, but because it happened to her too.

"What's with them?" Harry asks as he nods to the group of teenage boys whispering among themselves, Neville follows his eyes and then shrugs.

"Grindelwald" Neville answers and then points further down the lake when she sits with Viktor. "She's gathered quite the following" Harry narrows his eyes a little. She doesn't seem to even be doing much of anything. Reading.

"I thought they would be all fawning over the Beauxbatons girls" Harry muses, Neville shrugs.

"Think that's why they like Grindelwald" He counters. "Because she's....different" Neville looks at Harry. "To be honest, I think they like it when she's mean to them" Neville whispers, Harry smirks a little and keeps his eyes on Rhiannon. Neville's attention goes back to his book.

"What are you reading anyway?" Harry asks him. "Magical water plants of the Mediterranean?" He then asks reading the cover of Neville's book.

"Moody gave it to me. You know, that day we had tea" Neville explains. Harry nods a little and then turns hearing laughter. His eyes find Ginny and Hermione walking with a rather sullen Ron. Spying each other, Harry and Ron regard each other coldly, then Ron whispers at length to Hermione. Hermione, appearing exasperated, approaches Harry and Neville.

"Ronald would like me to tell you that Seamus told him that Dean was told by Parvati that Hagrid was looking for you," Hermione repeats, but clearly struggles a little to remember all of it.

"Is that right? Well.... what?" Harry counters.

"Uhhh..." Hermione walks back to Ron for more whispering and comes back to Harry. "Dean was told by Parvati that... Please don't ask me to say it again. Hagrid's looking for you."

"Well, you can tell Ronald..." Harry starts.

"I'm NOT an owl!" Hermione snaps at him and then walks back to Ginny and Ron. Harry sighs and looks at Ron who turns and follows after the girls as they walk away.

............

Rhiannon stands and grabs her books, she's having trouble concentrating when there is a gaggle of boys behind her. Watching her. Whispering about her. Viktor is better at ignoring it. but Rhiannon just wants somewhere quiet to study. Ahead of her, Hermione and Ginny are whispering about Viktor, which is nothing new, most of the girls at Hogwarts have been whispering about Viktor. He's gorgeous. And huge. Rhiannon smirks a little stood behind them, she clutches to her books and then clears her throat.

"You could just talk to him" Rhiannon offers behind Hermione who jumps, caught out. She spins to face Rhiannon who gives her a small smirk.

"I would never..." Hermione is quick to defend herself. "Not when he is seeing someone" Rhiannon cocks her head in question.

"Viktor is not seeing anyone" She assures the mousy haired girl, Hermione frowns.

"I thought you and he..." Hermione tells her, Rhiannon barks out a laugh and shakes her head.

"No, no....goddess no" Rhiannon is quick to point out. "He is my best friend" She corrects, softer.

"Oh" Hermione lets out a breath and then blushes in embarrassment for not realising. Ginny chuckles a little at her side. 

"He's a sucker for chocolate frogs" Rhiannon whispers to Hermione who gives her a smile. Rhiannon winks at her and then walks away. Hermoine and Ginny share a look. They had both fallen to the gossip about Rhiannon, with her being Grindelwald's daughter, everyone had. But she is remarkably nice.