Half-Blood Princess Book Five

Chapter 10 - Enough!

Third-Person POV

The four follow aimlessly as Hagrid goes deeper into the forest.

"Hagrid, where are we going?" Tilly asks, getting impatient. He doesn't answer, and they keep walking until they hear the sounds of hooves beating against the ground.

"If the Ministry takes any more of the centaur land, they're going to have a full uprising." Hagrid huffs, seeing how riled the centaurs are.

"Hagrid, what's going on?" Hermione asks.

"I'm sorry to be so mysterious, you four, but with Dumbledore gone, I'll likely be getting the sack any day now. And I couldn't leave without someone knowing about him." On cue, a huge giant comes out of the trees and looks into the sky. Hagrid calls for him to looks down at the four terrified students. Grawpy races knew the four as they back away when a rope pulls him back. Hermione and Tilly trip over each other's feet and the giant grabs them and draws them to his height. Hermione screams as Tilly glares at Hagrid, hating how much she is going to need help.

"Hagrid, do something!" Ron and Harry yell. Tilly looks down and realises Harry wants both girls to be safe, but Ron only looks at Hermione and knows he cares for her differently. Ron grabs a tree branch and hits Grawpy's leg with it, but it only breaks in two.

"Well done, Ronald, very effective," Tilly says sarcastically.

"Grawp! Put us down!" Hermione says sternly to the giant.

"Now!" Tilly adds, losing feeling in her legs. Grawp puts them both safely on the ground, then the two back away slowly. Ron fusses over Hermione, and the two talks, as Grawp, grabs some bike handles and rings the bell, smiling happily at the sound. He hands Hermione the handles, and Tilly rings the bell, making him laugh. The four promise Hagrid they'd look after him if he's sacked.

17th April 1996

Tilly and Harry were going through Snape training; well, Harry is Tilly sit idly on the side, while the two insult each other.

"Alright, that's enough," Tilly says, fed up with them. "Stop insulting each other. Dad, I'd defend you if someone spoke out against you. And James doesn't act like...our...Father was a good person, he wanted me dead. He chose you. Like my Dad said, life isn't fair." Harry and Severus eye each other but calm down. "Now, how about James tries to go through my mind. I can block what I don't want you to see, but see how strong you are." The two men nod, and Tilly sits in the chair.

She allows Harry to enter her head and see certain things, good memories with Severus and their friends. Then Harry pushes more formidable, and Tilly feels a pain in her shoulder, where her scar is. He tries even harder, and the pain increases. Harry sees things no brother wants to see; Tilly and Malfoy kissing passionately and him only in a towel, and other things, but the worst of it is what looks like Snape. Tilly is the same age, so it's around the end of the last school year. Snape standing in front of her, with his wand pointed at her. He says inaudible words, and the hit Tilly; she lies on the ground in pain as cuts cover her body. Snape looks unfazed by it, but what Harry doesn't know is Tilly is changing this memory as it goes. It isn't Snape holding the wand really, but Voldemort, but Harry can't know that, so Tilly changes it to the first person in her mind; her Dad. Tilly pushes harder than Harry is and gets him out of her head. Both teens pant as their scars burns with fury.

Snape rushes to Tilly and holds her face in his hands; looking into her eyes; he knows something went wrong.

"I never needed to see Malfoy like that, but more importantly,...How dare you hurt my little sister."

"No! James, it's not what you think. It wasn't him; I had to change the memory, so you didn't see who it was!" Harry shook his head, not believing Tilly.