Daughter of a Monster (A Marauders' Era Story)

Chapter 6: Feeling Blue

Chapter 6: Feeling Blue

Every step she took nearly sent her sprawling. Valeria's whole body trembled as she followed McGonagall through the ever-mystical halls of Hogwarts to Dumbledore's office. Upon reaching a gargoyle, McGonagall uttered the name of what Valeria recognized to be a type of muggle candy, but did not dwell on it. Her mind was as scrambled as the eggs that had been served for breakfast. Valeria wobbled up the staircase that raised from the ground, following almost reluctantly after McGonagall.

The usually strict teacher had been anything but when waking her, and the only thing Valeria gathered from that were two words: not good. And, in Valeria's book, those were the two words she never liked to put together. So, when Valeria entered the headmaster's office and noticed the absence of what she recognized as the usual, and comforting, twinkle in his eyes, it took everything she had not to fall into the nearest chair. Instead, Valeria slowly, shakily lowered herself to a sitting position across from Dumbledore with McGonagall pacing behind her.

Sparing a wide-eyed glance at McGonagall, Valeria returned her attention to the bearded man before her and spoke, "What happened to my mother?"

Sighing, Dumbledore rested his hands on the desk before him, "Sometimes life likes to throw at us obstacles. Some can be overcome easily and others, not so. Sometimes, it takes patience and time to achieve a successful victory over them. I am confident that you will be able to do just so. While I had the misfortune of meeting your father, Miss Sunstone, I've heard far greater things about your mother from the Belladonas. The most honorable thing I've heard is that she is a strong woman, a trait I'm fairly certain you attained, as suggested by your placement in Gryffindor House."

Valeria slowly nodded, making sense of Dumbledore's words. None of them portrayed to her what she had wanted to hear. Or, no, not what she wanted to hear; what she expected to hear. If she had it her way, the words from Dumbledore's mouth would be much less concerning, much less solemn. They would be laughter, telling her that nothing was wrong with her mother. The words he uttered would tell her that everything was okay, but Valeria knew it was foolish. Nothing, not even the world's greatest imperius curse, could convince her otherwise. Something had happened, and Dumbledore would not reveal the specifics.

Another sigh arose from the dreary-faced headmaster.

"I'm afraid that your mother has been reported missing," Dumbledore said.

Everything seemed to stop. The ticking of various trinkets slowed to nothingness; only the sound of a quick-thrumming beat that sent blood pulsing through the ice that had been in her veins could be heard, shattering it along with all of her thoughts. Quiet murmurs drifted around her head, spinning and circling, humming and buzzing. Closing her eyes as tightly as she could, Valeria shook her head, fighting reality.

"No, no, no..." Valeria mumbled to herself.

Her hair drifted to a dark, dank blue; her eyes, once opened, the color of storm clouds that released a torrential downpour. The droplets trickled down Valeria's cheeks slowly, but surely.

Sniffling, Valeria managed to choke out, "When?"

"She was reported missing shortly before I sent Professor McGonagall to retrieve you. I'm very sorry, Miss Sunstone, but I've been assured that finding her is of top priority," Dumbledore replied. "Everything should be okay."

Valeria lurched upward, into a standing position, "H - how? How can you be sure? How?"

She sank back into the chair. 

"Help will always be given to those who need it, Miss Sunstone," Dumbledore replied, a small smile on his face, though it didn't quite reach his eyes for they did not twinkle. Not once.

"Why?" Valeria uttered as McGonagall attempted to raise her out of her seat, succeeding after minimal effort.

"In time, Miss Sunstone. In time, all things will reveal themselves. You just need to be patient," Dumbledore said, giving a final smile before nodding at McGonagall.

Slowly, Valeria allowed McGonagall to lead her to the hospital wing. Despite tripping a few times, the journey was completed safely. Madame Pomfrey gave Valeria a sleeping potion to ensure she would gain the energy she would need for the next day. It barely registered in Valeria's mind.

Neither did McGonagall's leave.

As Valeria was situated onto a bed, she stared blankly at the ceiling, her thoughts only centered around one thing: Dumbledore's smile. Even though she spent only a day at Hogwarts, she had been told the stories of Dumbledore's reliable personality, of the twinkle in his eyes. She even got to see that twinkle behind his half-moon spectacles at the welcoming feast. When Dumbledore smiled at her in his office, that twinkle vanished, and the maelstrom inside her head only worsened at the thought.

As she drifted off into an artificial sleep, she dreamt of raging storms against the writhing waves of the sea; a lupine creature's reflection distorted in the waves.

*****

Valeria awoke to the sound of rustling pages. Bright sunlight filtered into the room and across her sheets, reflecting off the white sheets and into her sleepy eyes. Though it burned her pupils to look at the sheets, Valeria couldn't muster the energy to blink or look away.

She sat propped against her elbows, staring at her sheets as though they would reveal something to her - as though they would tell her that her mother was found, safe and sound.

"Wake up, sunshine," Camille's voice echoed loudly through the hospital wing.

"I am up," Valeria mumbled.

"You don't look 'up', unless you call staring aimlessly at your sheets 'awake'," Camille retorted.

Sighing, Valeria shuffled the covers off of her and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. She looked up to see that Camille and Percy sat at her side, Camille uncharacteristically flipping through a muggle book. It didn't appear that she was actually reading it, more like staring at the pages in hopes that they would make the inevitable conversation easier to start.

"So, what happened?" Percy said, noticing Valeria's drab appearance.

Her hair was colored dark, navy blue and her eyes looked like storm clouds rumbling in the distance. Percy wondered how long she would stay like that.

"M - my mom," Valeria choked, but was promptly cut off by a wave of tears.

Camille threw the book onto the table by the bed and embraced her friend. Muffled sobs sounded as Valeria was held by her friend. Percy, in an attempt to help, patted Valeria's back.

Camille raised an eyebrow at him.

A small, slight laugh, reminiscent of a hiccup more than a chuckle, escaped from Valeria, nearly blending in with her sniffling.

"What are you doing, Percy?" Valeria asked.

Percy stopped, his hand an inch from her back, and squeaked, "Nothing!"

In an attempt to hide the awkwardness, Percy grabbed the nearest box of tissues and shoved them at Valeria. Camille ducked her head, chuckling.

"H - hey! I was just trying to help!" Percy whined, but to his dismay, his voice raised an octave higher during the middle of 'trying', only causing his sister's laughter to intensify.

Valeria chuckled lightly, dabbing her eyes with one of the tissues.

"Thanks, Percy," Valeria said nicely.

"To breakfast!" Percy declared and ran out of the hospital wing as fast as humanly possible.

"As much as I'd like to chase after him, we have to get you dressed for the day," Camille said, heading toward the common room.

Valeria nodded and stood. As she was making her way to the exit, she jumped, remembering. The book on the table was calling her name, and she ran back to retrieve it. As she caught up with Camille, she glanced down at the book.

It was a slightly worn, but otherwise unscathed, copy of A Farewell to Arms.