Begotten

Moriah’s head hurt so badly that it woke her up. It didn’t help that she shot up in bed as soon as she realized she had been sleeping. She was temporarily taken back to the scene with Harry, Quirrell and Voldemort, but once she looked around quickly, she realized that she was in the Hogwarts infirmary.

The only thing that was bandaged on her body was her head, and she gingerly touched the sore spot, wincing immediately before lying back down.

The bed to her left was empty, but on her right was Harry, snoozing peacefully without a care in the world. In front of her, the hospital table was covered in flowers and Honeydukes sweets—chocolate frogs, Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, treacle tart, sugar quills, coffee cake, and much, much more.

Madam Pomfrey came shuffling in a few moments later with a tray of medicine. She smiled at Moriah and walked over, handing her a small vial of purple liquid.

“Take this. It’ll help with the pain.”

The blonde needed no further encouragement and took the medicine in one go, making a face as she swallowed. “Oh, that’s awful.” The medi-witch grinned and waited. The pain in Moriah’s head throbbed a few more times before it warmed up and disappeared. “Definitely worth it, though.”

She nodded and stepped over to Harry’s bed, looking him over and probably making sure that he was still alive before walking off.

“Miss Priel, I’d like to keep you in here for one more night.”

“That’s fine. Exams are over, so it isn’t like I have anything better to do.”

“Oh? No more dangerous dungeon expeditions?” Her eyebrows were raised as she cast a look at the first year that made her blush and show a nervous smile.

“That was worth it, too.”

Madam Pomfrey just laughed airily and walked away.

Things had to have gone well if both she and Harry were alive. She could only hope that Voldemort didn’t end up with the stone. Thinking back, she had been pretty useless in the dungeons, mostly there for moral support. She wondered how Harry had handled it once she was knocked out.

The thought of Quirrell made her blood boil. What had become of him? Whatever ill-fate, she didn’t care, especially after the way he had slammed her head down into the stone.

But Voldemort… He knew her, knew her name. He told her that they would meet again.

She worried over her bottom lip and closed her eyes. What in the world could The Dark Lord want with her?

It was a thought for another day, however, as Moriah quickly drifted back off to sleep. Either she was still exhausted, or Madam Pomfrey’s pain potion was mixed with Dreamless Sleep.



Moriah was released from the infirmary the following day, and while all of the other Hogwarts students were bustling around the grounds during their free time, the blonde walked down to the Slytherin common room to find it deserted.

She was glad for it since all she wanted to do was pack her things in peace. The news of what had happened between Harry and Voldemort had, of course, spread throughout the school, and Moriah wanted to avoid any questions about it unless they were coming from her friends.

After scratching Klaus for a few long minutes, Moriah grabbed her trunk and opened it on her bed. She was sad to be leaving Hogwarts. It had easily been the best year of her life, but she was definitely ready for a small break from all the excitement. Things at the orphanage were bound to get boring, but at least she would be able to fill her time with homework. Maybe she would even be able to visit her friends. And, of course, school would start again in September and she would be a second year.

Slowly, Moriah folded her clothes as neatly as she could, laying them in her trunk along with some of her books. She opened the drawer in the nightstand next to her bed and pulled out the small box that Draco’s gifted earrings were in. She stared at them for a moment, a little regretful that she hadn’t done anything to make up with the arrogant boy. He may have been a pompous little prat, but she still could have been friends with him, something he probably didn’t have many of. She dropped the earrings into the trunk along with the snake bracelet she wore every day.

When she packed what she could, Moriah grabbed one of her books and walked back down to the common room and for the second time that year, she found Professor Snape sitting on the couch in front of the fire.

Stopping dead in her tracks, Moriah stared at him dressed all in black with one leg thrown over the other. “Can I help you with something?” she asked, and he looked at her with a bored expression.

“You may remember, Miss Priel, that this was once my common room as well.”

“Yeah, like, fifteen years ago,” she said without thinking. Snape raised an eyebrow at her and Moriah held her hands up in surrender. “Sorry.”

“Still on edge from your little adventure with Potter?” It sounded condescending coming from his mouth, but Moriah could bet that he was actually a little curious.

“A little.” She made herself comfortable in one of the armchairs, resting her book on her knee. “It’s not something I’ll forget easily.”

She thought about the encounter again—the dog, the Devil’s Snare, the chess game, and finally, Voldemort. She could feel her professor’s black eyes on her like he was trying to judge if she was mentally fit or not.

“Can I ask you something?” she questioned.

Just days ago, she was convinced that the man in front of her was plotting to kill Harry and help the Dark Lord. What was he now, just another professor? Just her head of house?

Snape said nothing but nodded.

“Just… when I was down there with Harry… with Voldemort… He said, well, before I blacked out, he said that we’d meet again.”

“I imagine he’s planning how to attack Potter next this very second.”

“No, not Harry, me. He knew my name. He told me that he’d see me again, said that it wasn’t my time yet.”

Snape frowned, something flashing in his eyes. “He said this to you?”

Moriah nodded. “He was looking right at me. There’s no way I’m wrong.”

She expected some kind of sarcastic remark in return, but none came. Instead, the Potions Master stood up and made for the portrait holes.

“What, that’s it? No words of comfort or congratulations on getting away from the Dark Lord?”

With a nasty smirk, he turned back to her. “Congratulations on escaping the Dark Lord after you knowingly sought him out, Miss Priel. I’m glad your resourcefulness outweighs your severely impaired judgment.”

Moriah was not amused and looked down to her book, raising a hand and shooing the man away like he was still actually looking at her. Once the portrait hole closed, she swore under her breath, “Bloody git,” and began reading where she had left off.



The end of term feast was perhaps even grander than the opening feast. The tables were groaning underneath the weight of food and drink. The enchanted ceiling above was sparkling brightly with stars and hanging from the rafters were green and silver pennants. She may have been friends with three Gryffindors, but the Slytherin inside of Moriah was happy to see her colors displayed so proudly.

“Another year come and gone,” Dumbledore started, launching into a speech and eventually the winners of the House cup. Gryffindor had come in last, Hufflepuff in third and Ravenclaw in second. The lion house looked absolutely miserable, but they sat up straighter when Dumbledore said that he still had some points to award.

“First—to Mister Ronald Weasley for the best played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor House fifty points.” Ron was purple with embarrassment, but his house clapped loudly around him. Percy was standing among them, shouting praise about his brother getting past McGonagall’s giant chess set.

“Second—to Miss Hermione Granger for the use of cool logic in the face of great danger, I award Gryffindor fifty points.”

Again, the house went wild with cheers.

“Third—to Mister Harry Potter for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor sixty points.”

The noise had come to a head, and if Moriah’s math was correct, Gryffindor was now tied with Slytherin.

“Fourth to Miss Moriah Priel,” she felt her face heat up as her classmates turned to look at her. “For showing us that friendship runs deeper than House colors, I award Slytherin twenty points.”

This time, the Slytherin table burst into applause and she could feel Draco’s hand clap down on her shoulder. She showed a smile and saw approval in his light eyes.

“And last, there are all kinds of courage,” Dumbledore said, smiling. “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award thirty points to Mister Neville Longbottom!”

Moriah cheered for the awkward boy who was now staring at Dumbledore bewildered. His friends were all screaming excitedly around him and with a clap of his hands, the Headmaster changed the ceiling decorations from green and silver to red and gold.

“Gryffindor wins the house Cup!”

The entire Great Hall, students and professors alike, were grinning and cheering and everybody enjoyed what was their last Hogwarts meal together until the beginning of the next term. Looking across the tables, Moriah caught eyes with Harry who was wearing a face-splitting grin and she knew that this was just the beginning of a very long adventure.