Finding the Truth
Ponies
1994
“I’m home!” A tall girl with beautiful long brown hair opened the hall closet of her small two story cottage and placed her black trench coat inside.
“Adriana, could you come in here a second?” Her father’s voice rang out from the next room.
Adriana skipped down the hall to turn to the first door on the left. The room was filled with shelves of books. In the center of the room sat the blondest man she had ever seen at a desk made of cherry wood he had made himself. She approached his desk carefully.
“How was school?” He asked as she sat down in her favorite armchair.
“Dad, school’s been out for two months, I was at the beach, I told you that this morning when you saw me leave the house.” Adriana sighed exasperated as she pulled at a piece of loose thread on her chair.
He smiled teasingly at her, “Well then I guess that would explain this.” He held out a huge red envelope and she grabbed it swiftly out of his hands.
“Oh my gosh; I’m so excited. I can’t believe you kept this from me.” She got up quickly and ripped the envelope open.
He chucked lightly, “you just walked in the door. Well what does it say?”
“Dear Ms. Rowle, we look forward to seeing you at Durmstrang for your fourth year. Like I wouldn't be accepted the headmaster loves me.” She said with amusement.
“Karkaroff is an old friend, he can appreciate the talent of a young witch but I am wondering if Durmstrang is the direction we want to take this year?” Rowle suggested cautiously.
“What do you mean?” She asked, sitting back down.
“There are other schools you can go to, Beauxbatons is a more refined school, the ladies there can teach you how to be lady, or Hogwarts.” Rowle emphasized on Hogwarts in hopes that she would ask.
“Where’s Beauxbatons?” she asked curiously.
“France, it’s not as cold as Durmstrang so you won’t have to wear fur all the time. In fact, I think there uniforms are made of silk.” He explained.
“I really don’t think I can pull that look off.” She teased. “What’s Hogwarts?”
Rowle perked up, “Hogwarts is here in England, I went there as a child. I meet some of my best friends there; you’ll probably meet some of their kids.”
She handed the envelope back to him, “Well, that’s good considering I’ve never met another person since we moved here.”
“What do you mean? You made lots of friends while you were at school.” He said, genuinely shocked at her statement.
“Dad, I didn’t start living when I turned 10. You know all that time when I was short and mildly annoying.” She teased.
He changed the subject quickly, “So what do you think of Hogwarts?”
“Sure I’ll give it a shot for a year, if I don’t like it I’ll go back, deal?” She held her hand out for him to shake.
“Deal.” He said taking her hand in his.
“You know I only agreed because I think you secretly just want me closer.” She said as she got up to leave.
“Well as long as you keep it just between us.”
“Promise.”
“So your birthday’s coming up, have you given any thought to what you want?” He asked quickly as she turned to walk out the door.
“You know you never did get me that pony,” she smiled coyly, as she walked away.
He hurried from behind the desk after her, “what pony?”
“The pony I wanted when I was three, you said you’d get for me someday when we could afford it.” She explained as she reached for a cup out of the cupboard. Pulling open the refrigerator door to take the pitcher of water out of it, she continued, “Well I can see why I never got it perhaps I should have reminded you sooner.”
She placed the pitcher back into the fridge, and turned to look at him, “Perhaps.” He watched her take a sip of water and turn to walk out of the kitchen up to the second storey. He could only assume she went to her room to read.
He walked quickly to the fireplace in his study and took a handful of floo powder. Placing a silencing charm on the fireplace he stepped inside and shouted, “Malfoy Manor!” Green flames erupted around him and he suddenly felt sick. He hated this type of travel but he needed to get there quickly.
He felt himself slow as he reached his destination. Rowle pulled his elbows close to his body and stepped out of the fireplace into a huge cold room. A handsome man with blond hair looked up from his desk. “Rowle, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Lucius Malfoy sneered.
“This.” He said simply, pulling a small, brown, envelope out of his pocket and placed it on the desk.
He waited silently as Lucius opened the letter as read it just as silently. “This is an obvious prank Rowle. If you let it get to you then you’ll only be confirming their suspicions.” He dropped the letter and continued to work.
“You think they're suspicious?” He asked worriedly.
“How could they be? You, Greyback, my wife and I are the only ones who know you have the girl.” He asked, not looking up from his papers. “Besides Pettigrew is dead, he’s no threat to you.”
“What if he’s not? He’s the legal guardian of her; if he comes back he can easily take her.” He stated.
“Dozens of people saw Black kill Pettigrew. Rowle, he isn’t coming back.” Rowle let out a sigh of relief as Lucius continued, “Besides, the werewolf, Lupin is her guardian not Pettigrew. There’s little a dead man can do about winning custody.” Lucius chuckled, darkly.
Rowle smiled to himself, “She’s remembering things about him.”
Lucius looked up from his papers, “Like?”
“She asked me today for a pony. She said that I promised to get her one when we could afford it. She has never mentioned a pony to me. Ever.” He explained.
“She doesn’t remember who she said it to?” Lucius asked, leaning back in his chair.
“Not yet but I’m worried that given the time she’ll remember.”
“Why didn’t you erase him from her memory when she was young? You could have avoided this whole issue.” Lucius asked frustrated.
“I figured she was too young, that eventually she would forget all on her own.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m sending her to Hogwarts.” He added quickly.
“Are you mad?!” Lucius exclaimed.
“The Dark Lord meant to keep her for a reason, that’s why he went looking for her in the first place. I want to be the one to give her to him. Pettigrew would take her and use her to get close to him.” He explained quickly. “I raised her for 10 years, I should get the credit.”
“Pettigrew is dead! The Dark Lord isn’t alive anymore; you would ruin everything you’ve worked for over a possibility. Dumbledore will take her away from you as soon as he figures out who she is and he will. He is infuriatingly brilliant.” Lucius admitted begrudgingly.
“If the Dark Lord comes back, and he can’t turn her to our cause, he’ll kill her Lucius. I can’t have that happen.” Rowle stared at the floor.
“Don’t tell me after all these years you care for this girl. She is nothing to you.” Lucius sneered. Rowle just stared at the floor. “Well whatever happens, you have to live with the consequences of what you have done. Narcissa and I won’t be there to bail you out.”
Rowle nodded and got up to leave. “I still have to go to Diagon Alley to get her books.” He said, grimly.
“I’ll tell Draco to look for her tomorrow. We should make sure she’s surrounded by the right people”
Rowle nodded and entered the fireplace and flooed home as Lucius Malfoy sat back down at his desk. He picked up the letter and read it again.
Rowle,
I’ll be heading through there on my way to Albania. I would love to see my niece again.
Signed:
P.P.
“I’m home!” A tall girl with beautiful long brown hair opened the hall closet of her small two story cottage and placed her black trench coat inside.
“Adriana, could you come in here a second?” Her father’s voice rang out from the next room.
Adriana skipped down the hall to turn to the first door on the left. The room was filled with shelves of books. In the center of the room sat the blondest man she had ever seen at a desk made of cherry wood he had made himself. She approached his desk carefully.
“How was school?” He asked as she sat down in her favorite armchair.
“Dad, school’s been out for two months, I was at the beach, I told you that this morning when you saw me leave the house.” Adriana sighed exasperated as she pulled at a piece of loose thread on her chair.
He smiled teasingly at her, “Well then I guess that would explain this.” He held out a huge red envelope and she grabbed it swiftly out of his hands.
“Oh my gosh; I’m so excited. I can’t believe you kept this from me.” She got up quickly and ripped the envelope open.
He chucked lightly, “you just walked in the door. Well what does it say?”
“Dear Ms. Rowle, we look forward to seeing you at Durmstrang for your fourth year. Like I wouldn't be accepted the headmaster loves me.” She said with amusement.
“Karkaroff is an old friend, he can appreciate the talent of a young witch but I am wondering if Durmstrang is the direction we want to take this year?” Rowle suggested cautiously.
“What do you mean?” She asked, sitting back down.
“There are other schools you can go to, Beauxbatons is a more refined school, the ladies there can teach you how to be lady, or Hogwarts.” Rowle emphasized on Hogwarts in hopes that she would ask.
“Where’s Beauxbatons?” she asked curiously.
“France, it’s not as cold as Durmstrang so you won’t have to wear fur all the time. In fact, I think there uniforms are made of silk.” He explained.
“I really don’t think I can pull that look off.” She teased. “What’s Hogwarts?”
Rowle perked up, “Hogwarts is here in England, I went there as a child. I meet some of my best friends there; you’ll probably meet some of their kids.”
She handed the envelope back to him, “Well, that’s good considering I’ve never met another person since we moved here.”
“What do you mean? You made lots of friends while you were at school.” He said, genuinely shocked at her statement.
“Dad, I didn’t start living when I turned 10. You know all that time when I was short and mildly annoying.” She teased.
He changed the subject quickly, “So what do you think of Hogwarts?”
“Sure I’ll give it a shot for a year, if I don’t like it I’ll go back, deal?” She held her hand out for him to shake.
“Deal.” He said taking her hand in his.
“You know I only agreed because I think you secretly just want me closer.” She said as she got up to leave.
“Well as long as you keep it just between us.”
“Promise.”
“So your birthday’s coming up, have you given any thought to what you want?” He asked quickly as she turned to walk out the door.
“You know you never did get me that pony,” she smiled coyly, as she walked away.
He hurried from behind the desk after her, “what pony?”
“The pony I wanted when I was three, you said you’d get for me someday when we could afford it.” She explained as she reached for a cup out of the cupboard. Pulling open the refrigerator door to take the pitcher of water out of it, she continued, “Well I can see why I never got it perhaps I should have reminded you sooner.”
She placed the pitcher back into the fridge, and turned to look at him, “Perhaps.” He watched her take a sip of water and turn to walk out of the kitchen up to the second storey. He could only assume she went to her room to read.
He walked quickly to the fireplace in his study and took a handful of floo powder. Placing a silencing charm on the fireplace he stepped inside and shouted, “Malfoy Manor!” Green flames erupted around him and he suddenly felt sick. He hated this type of travel but he needed to get there quickly.
He felt himself slow as he reached his destination. Rowle pulled his elbows close to his body and stepped out of the fireplace into a huge cold room. A handsome man with blond hair looked up from his desk. “Rowle, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Lucius Malfoy sneered.
“This.” He said simply, pulling a small, brown, envelope out of his pocket and placed it on the desk.
He waited silently as Lucius opened the letter as read it just as silently. “This is an obvious prank Rowle. If you let it get to you then you’ll only be confirming their suspicions.” He dropped the letter and continued to work.
“You think they're suspicious?” He asked worriedly.
“How could they be? You, Greyback, my wife and I are the only ones who know you have the girl.” He asked, not looking up from his papers. “Besides Pettigrew is dead, he’s no threat to you.”
“What if he’s not? He’s the legal guardian of her; if he comes back he can easily take her.” He stated.
“Dozens of people saw Black kill Pettigrew. Rowle, he isn’t coming back.” Rowle let out a sigh of relief as Lucius continued, “Besides, the werewolf, Lupin is her guardian not Pettigrew. There’s little a dead man can do about winning custody.” Lucius chuckled, darkly.
Rowle smiled to himself, “She’s remembering things about him.”
Lucius looked up from his papers, “Like?”
“She asked me today for a pony. She said that I promised to get her one when we could afford it. She has never mentioned a pony to me. Ever.” He explained.
“She doesn’t remember who she said it to?” Lucius asked, leaning back in his chair.
“Not yet but I’m worried that given the time she’ll remember.”
“Why didn’t you erase him from her memory when she was young? You could have avoided this whole issue.” Lucius asked frustrated.
“I figured she was too young, that eventually she would forget all on her own.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m sending her to Hogwarts.” He added quickly.
“Are you mad?!” Lucius exclaimed.
“The Dark Lord meant to keep her for a reason, that’s why he went looking for her in the first place. I want to be the one to give her to him. Pettigrew would take her and use her to get close to him.” He explained quickly. “I raised her for 10 years, I should get the credit.”
“Pettigrew is dead! The Dark Lord isn’t alive anymore; you would ruin everything you’ve worked for over a possibility. Dumbledore will take her away from you as soon as he figures out who she is and he will. He is infuriatingly brilliant.” Lucius admitted begrudgingly.
“If the Dark Lord comes back, and he can’t turn her to our cause, he’ll kill her Lucius. I can’t have that happen.” Rowle stared at the floor.
“Don’t tell me after all these years you care for this girl. She is nothing to you.” Lucius sneered. Rowle just stared at the floor. “Well whatever happens, you have to live with the consequences of what you have done. Narcissa and I won’t be there to bail you out.”
Rowle nodded and got up to leave. “I still have to go to Diagon Alley to get her books.” He said, grimly.
“I’ll tell Draco to look for her tomorrow. We should make sure she’s surrounded by the right people”
Rowle nodded and entered the fireplace and flooed home as Lucius Malfoy sat back down at his desk. He picked up the letter and read it again.
Rowle,
I’ll be heading through there on my way to Albania. I would love to see my niece again.
Signed:
P.P.