I Will Follow You Into the Dark

My Dear, Sweet Daughter, Svetlanna,

First, as your father I must ask, how is school treating you? Nui wrote me quite a disturbing letter full of detail of your meeting in Hogsmeade, and I must say that hearing of you and some boy who I have yet to meet kissing is something I do not approve of. I know that you are growing older and your hormones are getting wilder, but I do not pass your behavior as acceptable excuses as to why you are getting closer to boys you barely know. Now, with this said, leave older boys alone! Seventeen is not an age of a suitable courter for a child of mine at the age of fourteen. Please, your father is begging you, don’t rush into something just because a boy is complimenting you or treating you as all others should. I only ask that you wait until you are positive it is truly what you want at the moment. Until you’ve made up your mind, focus on your studies and just enjoy time as a child.

Second, Dumbledore has said no student under seventeen is allowed to enter, yes? How has Harry’s name been picked unless the rumors amongst the last of the original OP are true? Thank-you, my child, for bringing such an alarming event to my awareness; I shall talk to your godfather Kingsley as soon as I am able. For now, just keep a sharp eye out for Harry and keep him close to you at all times. I know you aren’t fully able to handle the worst of our enemies who await a vulnerable angel such as yourself, but I feel as if I have taught you enough over the few years for you to be able to harm severely and escape with those you can.

Please stay safe and under the eyes of those above you.

I love you and hold you dear to my heart,

Your papa, AB

Svetlanna wanted to cry as she brought her father’s response to her nose and inhaled his feint scent of the parchment. She missed him dearly, and just his scent and handwriting were enough for her as long as she got just a taste of his presence. Thinking back to Aurora’s predicament, Svetlanna felt a small sense of pity –for just a second- toward her new friend but soon realized that it wasn’t what Aurora would have wanted her to feel. Even after death, life had to go on and Svetlanna was going to cherish every bit of her father she had.

Over and over, she read his words and took in everything he had told her. When he mentioned that Nui was lying about her personal life, Svetlanna blushed madly and thought of terrible things to write to her younger sister for lying so cruelly. Although, Svetlanna wasn’t all that mad for she had almost kissed Alik just two days before. She had skillfully managed to avoid both Alik and Maxime for two days straight, but she knew that she wouldn’t be able to do so for long. She had to give Alik the answer he had been waiting for.

When she reached the bottom half of her father’s letter, Svetlanna thought over all of the defensive and attack spells her father had taught or demonstrated in front of her and Nui for protection reasons. Because of his position as one of the top three auror’s in the ministry, he knew his children and wife were at more danger than most wizard family’s with normal positions in the ministry. After the Quidditch tournament, Nui and her nanny had to be placed in a different location every couple of months with spells casted around each location to keep them safe.

Albert went over and beyond to make sure the people he loved before himself.

Quietly, Svetlanna stood from her secret place behind a large statue in one of the least used corridors and started walking in the direction of the common room. She was going to keep Harry under her watch as best she could, and, because she had her father’s blessing to use the spells he had created and edited, she knew she could be a better friend than she had in the few years they had known each other. Once she reached the hall on which she would go down, Svetlanna heard the voices of Ron and Charlie. As quietly as she could, she leaned back against the wall and listened to everything they said for she knew it was important.

“Are you mad?” Ron’s voice whispered with shock, “Harry can’t go against that, he’ll die for sure!”

“Tell the whole world while you’re announcing it,” Charlie hissed, “it’s not up to me to decide what the organizers choose as an event. I’m against students participating with creatures as dangerous as this but I have no voice.”

“But dragons-“

“I have to go, I’ve probably said too much by speaking to you,” Charlie whispered, “it’s feeding time, and if my girl” –Svetlanna could hear Charlie’s grin- “doesn’t eat on time, she gets a bit cranky.”

Svetlanna’s eye widened a bit and she rushed toward the long way to the common room. She looked up at the fat lady and tried to catch her breath before muttering ‘Badlerdash’ and racing inside in search for her friend. Harry was sitting next to a window alone with Hermione when Svetlanna ran over to him and pulled him up. He tossed her a confused, irritated look while she dragged him out of the portrait once more and toward a safe, quiet place.

“What’s happened to you?” Harry asked once they had stopped and Svetlanna was looking at him.

Her hair was a little frizzed from her rapid movement and she was sweating quite a bit because she had run almost across the entire castle in search for Harry, but Svetlanna just put one hand over her chest while looking at Harry with wide eyes, “The first task…is dragons.”

Harry’s eyes narrowed and he stared down at Svetlanna while shaking his head, “Rubbish!”

Svetlanna shook her head and grabbed both his hands tightly, “Non, I wouldn’t lie to you, not now and not ever. I overheard Ron talking to Charlie and they were talking about how Charlie didn’t agree with it, but dragon’s were chosen as the first task. Please,” –she pleaded with her eyes- “you have to believe me.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Harry questioned, “Fight it?”

“I doubt they’ll make you do something as extreme as fight a dragon because that’s just a sure death right there,” Svetlanna answered, “but…whatever it is, I can help you.”

Harry shot her a look full of nothing but doubt. He knew Svetlanna wasn’t one of the bravest people in the world and against dragons she’d be pretty much useless; however, Harry didn’t know that Svetlanna was pretty much a young expert at defense against dark arts and getting out of dangerous situations.

“Harry, trust me when I say I know more about situations like this than most of our peers,” Svetlanna explained, “I know, I’m weak and shy and extremely cowardly when it comes to standing up against even Draco-“

“That was a pretty wicked punch last week,” Harry grinned.

Svetlanna nodded and smiled, “But my father has taught me enough to make sure I’m safe when I’m not with him. Now, about the dragons… I know several extremely effective spells that can guard against burns and fire.”

“Aurora is going to help me, Svetlanna,” Harry whispered curtly, “but I ap-“

“Harry, think of what you are turning down before you make a foolish decision,” Aurora’s voice spoke from a couple of feet away. Her eyes were bored and apathetic as usual, but Svetlanna couldn’t help but feel as if Aurora had some sort of curiosity of the knowledge the younger girl held within. She held Svetlanna’s gaze for several quiet seconds before looking her over, “You never told me who your father was.”

Svetlanna shrugged under Aurora’s powerful gaze, “Albert Bellamy, I’ve never really thought there was something so special to share.”

“He worked on a couple of assignments with my dad,” Aurora whispered, ignoring the soft intake of breath Svetlanna did and the look Harry shot both of them, “he’s a powerful man,” –she looked over at Harry- “and you should take advantage of an offer from his daughter.”

“I-“

Aurora didn’t let him finish, “You can have him when I finish in the morning, or after classes are finished before lunch. Svetlanna, you should embrace the power you have over others and use it every so often when you need. Now, both of you get to bed. Harry you have to be up early and I doubt you’ll be ready if you’re up too late.”

Both Harry and Svetlanna walked off toward the common room and didn’t exchange a word until they reached the fat lady. When Harry was about to mutter the password, the portrait swung open and Ron walked out with Hermione and Ginny behind him trying to get him to speak to Harry.

Harry and Ron locked eyes for several seconds before Ron looked over at Svetlanna and narrowed his blue orbs, “Figures I’d see you two together.”

“Wait, Ron,” Svetlanna started, but he started walking away and Hermione couldn’t help but follow. Ginny tossed her friends a small look and followed after her brother and Hermione.

“He’s being a right foul git right now,” Harry murmbered as they walked into the less crowded common room.

Svetlanna shook her head and looked down at her feet as she tried to think of why Ron cared so much that Harry was in the contest. He knew that there was no possible way that Harry could enter in his own free will and Svetlanna was sure Ron was aware that there was a connection with the Death Eaters involved; he had to be smarter than how he was portraying it.

“Just try to focus on the dragons, Harry,” Svetlanna whispered, looking around at the secret glances being tossed at Harry, “Ron will come around eventually. He’s just hurt and confused even though he has no reason to be.”

Harry looked over and tossed Svetlanna a thankful look, “Thanks, you know, for the support and all.”

“That’s what friends do,” Svetlanna whispered while turning to give Harry a tight hug, “I’ve told you that I’ll always be here if you need me and I am. Trust me; I know how to handle things when they’re important. Now, I’m getting a little tired so I’m going to bed.”

Harry nodded, “G’night, Lanna.”

She smiled and kissed Harry’s cheek before walking up to her room and getting dressed for bed. Before falling asleep, Svetlanna opened her father’s letter once more and inhaled his scent before smiling and closing her eyes.

His words were her strength.