Caledonia Lilia Snape

2.5: Untitled Part 15

Caledonia stared at the pensive bowl. She had just returned from viewing a memory of Dumbledore when he had first encountered a young but disturbed Tom Riddle. "He grew close to one particular teacher. Can you guess which teacher that might be?" Dumbledore asked, watching her.

She looked up at him, frowning. "You didn't just bring Professor Slughorn back to teach potion." She replied.

"You're a smart laddie," He replied with a hint of glint in his eyes. "No. But before I continue, have Draco spoke to you yet?"

It caught Caledonia's attention. It had been a while since they had returned to school and not once Draco had divulged the missions for the two of them. Now that her father and Dumbledore knew, she wanted to know so badly. She shook her head, "Not yet. Draco seems to have a hard time to tell me."

Dumbledore gave a knowing look and sat at his desk, looking every year of his age. "I'd rather not divulge any more just yet, Caledonia. But in time, I promise, you will know."

She gave a frustrated sigh, "Very well." She turned her head to the pensive and watched as the surface skim and swirl mysteriously with a glow. "What does Professor Slughorn have to do with this?"

"Ah." He replied, "He holds something significant but is unwilling to release. A memory."

She glanced up once again. "A memory?"

"Yes. An important memory that I feel is the answer to all of the questions I have about Tom Riddle."

"If I were still Harry Potter, the chances that Professor Slughorn would give it to me would have been better. But that's not the case." Caledonia walked around the room, eyeing and fingering the objects on the shelves. She came to a stop to study the Godric Gryffindor sword hanging below the Sorting Hat in the glass cabinet. The rubies sparkled at her.

"Alas, yes." Dumbledore watched her, his eyes twinkling madly.

She gave an exasperated huff and turned to face him. "I'll try." And he just merely bowed his head.

Several weeks passed, and the schedules for the students had fallen into a routine, classes, lunch, then more classes, homework, and Quidditch matches had begun. Snow fell onto the ground in November, and all seemed well. Caledonia found herself busy day in and out and always, each night, she looks forward to sneaking out even for a short time to meet with Draco and spend time with him. However, in her growing frustration, she began to tire of waiting for him to tell her of the plan and started to suspect that he wasn't going to include her at all and doubt began to gnaw her anew.

She had kept up on meeting with her father every night before curfew for few minutes of chat and one night she showed him the potion book she had come to have and learned that it was indeed his book from when he was younger, and it was all his handwritings in the margins. He made her write a page long essay each time she brewed a potion in class and explain why his method was better than what was instructed in the book. It was a deal between them for her to keep the book.

Hogsmeade weekend came, and Caledonia was more than happy to attend with Draco even though under a bit of cover. On Saturday morning, she spied Draco down the table at breakfast and gave a secret smile. He returned the gesture and went back to talking with his friends, ignoring Pansy's incessant clinging.

"If you two are dating in secret, I am amazed at your tolerance with Pansy," Tracey said as she swallowed her drink.

Caledonia rolled her eyes and huffed the hair out of her face. "There are days that I just want to smash her in the face with this fist." She waved her fist at Tracey. "But I'll just settle for a hex now and then." She drew her wand out and held it under the table, murmuring as she pointed the wand toward Pansy.