The Potions Master's Daughter (Book One)

Chapter 25

I walked out of the door and straight up to the Gryffindor common room where I knew he wouldn't be able to follow me.

There was still a half an hour until Harry, Ron and Hermione would be out of class so I went up to the girl's dormitories. I was so unhappy that I had thought the man I called my father was nice when in reality he was a murderer.

I needed to let out my emotions so I opened the window by my bed and sat on the ledge. I wasn't concerned about falling since I was so distraught.

As I sat there I contemplated all the things I would have to do now. I couldn't go back and live with him so I could either go back to my mother's house or I could live out in the woods during summer. I didn't want to go back to my mother's house ever again so I decided that I could learn to hunt and get better at making fires. This way I would be able to get food that way and stay warm. I could live in that cave I had found. During summer most places would hire teenagers for positions like counselor. I could apply for a job saying that I was 14 or 15, I was tall enough and mature enough.

I wouldn't be able to attend potions or go to my extra potions classes knowing that the man teaching them was nothing more than a murderer. I'd have to talk to Dumbledore about that, Dumbledore! I wondered if Dumbledore knew about his employee's past. He probably didn't.

I looked down and saw I still had 20 minutes until Harry Ron and Hermione would be back to I went downstairs and out through the portrait.

I walked briskly down the stairs right over to the Headmaster's office. I said the password to get in, having known it from earlier. I knocked on the door with a firm, sounding knock.

"Come in," said Dumbledore's voice.

I opened the door and strode inside his office. He looked surprised by my appearance.

"Miss Wallwirt, what brings you here?"

I was suddenly nervous about telling him, "Well Professor Snape told me something a little while ago and I wanted to make sure you knew."

"And what did he tell you?" Dumbledore asked gently even though I suspected he already knew from the sparkle in his eyes.

"Well I had seen a tattoo on his arm a long time ago and didn't realize what it was. Then today he told me he thought the thing drinking the unicorn blood was Lord Voldemort and I told him I had been reading and the tattoo matched the one that death eaters had. I asked him if he was a death eater and he said yes. Then I asked him if he had killed or tortured anyone and he said yes to that too."

I said this all very fast without taking a breath. I hadn't realized how much this had upset me until I was retelling the story to someone else. Dumbledore didn't stop me or show any signs of emotion while I was talking.

Once I was done he said, "Did you listen to what I'm sure he was about to say next?"

I shook my head, "No I wanted to get out of there. Wait, does this mean you knew?"

He nodded and said, "I did know that once upon a time Severus was a death eater. Had you stuck around to hear the rest of his story you would know that he changed sides and became a spy for me at great personal risk."

"What do you mean? Why did he become a spy?"

"I think he should tell you that. Speaking of him I believe that the person who just triggered the stairs is him."

I put my hand to my mouth, "Oh no."

"What's the matter?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Well he hates me now and I don't want to cause a scene. I'll turn invisible and leave once he opens the door. He'll never know I was here."