THE THIRD SISTER
•
For the first time, Verena skipped a Quidditch game. Though it was the first game of the season, she didn't mind missing it. She knew Gryffindor would likely win anyway. Of course, she soon found out that she was wrong.
Word spread quickly throughout Hogwarts. Dementors had intervened, Potter fell off his broom, and Cedric Diggory caught the Snitch. Hufflepuff had won, Gryffindor having been defeated by a hundred points.
While she was pleased by this information, she was also pleased that her friendship with Draco had been restored. That afternoon, Draco had searched for Verena, finding her at the Astronomy Tower, reading.
"For someone who says she's not a Ravenclaw, you sure act like one," Draco spoke when he saw her.
"Very funny," Verena said sarcastically. "I'm doing the homework Professor Snape assigned us for Defense Against the Dark Arts. You have to admit you like Professor Lupin – he doesn't give us as much work."
"That's why you love him so much," said Draco. "Can I sit?"
"Sure," Verena said, closing the book. "Why are you not at the game?"
"Didn't feel like it," he said with a shrug.
"You would never miss the chance to see Potter fail," said Verena.
"Well, you're more important," said Draco. "The Greengrasses have been annoying me for weeks about you... Your brother talked to me yesterday and he, um, he knocked some sense in me."
"I never meant to make you feel bad about the Dementors," said Draco sincerely. "It's just... you know, Crabbe and Goyle, and I can't help but— "
"I know," Verena understood. "I just wanted an apology."
Verena knew he'd never say what troubled him aloud. Even though he didn't say it, she knew what he was implying. Verena thought he was brave for being the one to come to her. So, she accepted this apology, and the two were back to being friends – despite disapproval from her Housemates.
Still, Draco fell back in temptation, taunting Potter about the time he fainted during the match. He would do it constantly, but whenever Verena was around, he'd try to keep the bullying to a minimum. He didn't want to lose his best friend completely. He wouldn't admit it but he felt tortured after not talking to her.
Things felt happier. Aside from the piles of homework and the nightmares on repeat, the days were fun. Every day after classes, Verena would practice with the Ravenclaw team, and then she and Cho would have some fun on their brooms until dinner time. All their practice paid off as they defeated Hufflepuff in their game in November.
Study sessions with her Ravenclaw fellows were more entertaining thanks to Padma's idea to make it a game. For every correct answer, they could earn a piece of candy. For every wrong answer, they'd have to test their luck with Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.
Professor Lupin had also been brought back to health, getting his students back on track. He revoked Professor Snape's assignment, and Verena managed to convince him to give extra credit to those who had done it anyways – her included.
As the end of term approached, Professor Lupin had been reviewing everything that they had learned. One day, they were going over Hinkypunks again – a one-legged creature made up of wisps of smoke who lured travellers into bogs and could throw fireballs from their lamps.
To defend oneself against a Hinkypunk, one would have to trap it and perform Lumos Duo on it until it solidifies. While the Hinkypunk's solid and dazed, blinded by the wand's light, one would have to hit it with the Knockback Jinx, causing it to disappear.
Verena had done just that, however, she had "accidentally" hit Neville Longbottom with the Knockback Jinx. This resulted in her receiving detention. While Verena protested against it, she could not escape it. She was disappointed since her detention was on a Hogsmeade weekend.
When the day came, she waved goodbye to her friends. She was sad she could not spend the day with Draco and Daphne as they had planned. Verena sighed, knowing she had brought this upon herself.
Verena went to Professor Lupin's office, hoping he wouldn't make her clean anything disgusting. She would rather take a visit to the Forbidden Forest than have to clean the creature's cages.
Professor Lupin was shocked when she appeared. He thought she wouldn't come at all nevertheless on time. He smiled, seeing a part of her in an old friend.
"You'll help me grade papers," said Professor Lupin. "I have lots to catch up on after being ill for so long."
Verena sighed as Professor Lupin gave her a stack of papers. A third way into the stack, she found herself starting to grade her classmates. As expected, her Ravenclaw friends had perfect marks. When she stumbled upon Granger's, she found that all her answers were written extensively. They were all correct, but out of spite, she marked her down.
"How are you doing with those papers?" Professor Lupin asked.
"Oh, great," Verena replied, finding satisfaction in marking Weasley's paper.
"Miss Salvador, I have to confess, I did not wish to give you detention," Professor Lupin said. "You know I wouldn't give such a punishment for a misguided spell."
"Wait," Verena said, setting her quill down. "So, I could be at Hogsmeade right now?"
He smiled sheepishly and quickly said, "I wanted to discuss something with you. I knew I couldn't get the chance unless, well, you were in detention. I'd like to talk about your Boggart."
"Yeah, what about it?" Verena asked, wondering why he'd ask about something that happened months ago.
"I wonder... why did your Boggart change from a crow to Voldemort?" he asked, and Verena did not expect him to say his name.
"I don't know," Verena replied. "You tell me, Professor."
"You know," Professor Lupin began, leaning against his desk before her. "A friend of mine would see crows in her dreams almost every night."
"And who is this friend?" Verena asked, trying not to sound interested.
"I am aware of your Sight, Miss Salvador," Professor Lupin said, dodging her question. "I assume your Boggart took the form of the things you see, and it worries me, Verena. You saw Vol— "
"I do not know what I saw," Verena said quickly, crossing her arms.
Deep down, Verena became afraid. Now she knew that Professor Lupin knew her secret.
"I believe Dumbledore has asked you to keep your Sight a secret, yes?" Professor Lupin asked. "Don't worry. I will not tell. He is right; the wrong people will use you for it."
"You said your friend saw crows," Verena mentioned. "Did she have Sight?"
Professor Lupin smiled fondly as if remembering the girl. Then, Verena watched as his smile turned sad.
"Her name was Dahlia," Professor Lupin said. "Dahlia Duman... your aunt."
"I've never heard of her," Verena told him, thinking he was making things up.
"I don't expect you to have known her," he said sadly. "She died too young."
"She was a Duman. She wouldn't have befriended someone like you – no offense," Verena added quickly. "I don't believe my grandparents would have approved."
"They did not know, at least at first," he explained. "She, like you, was sorted into Ravenclaw. We shared classes together so we were well acquainted with one another. It wasn't until our sixth year that we became closer. It was easy given that her Slytherin family wasn't watching over her as much. But one night, she came to me, panicked. She said she had seen me dead."
"Well... I'm glad that hasn't happened," Verena commented.
"Dahlia and I had become close friends in the following year," Professor Lupin went on. "We both helped each other with our... demons. She would say she saw crows in her dreams, have visions of horrible deaths."
"Why are you telling me this?" Verena asked abruptly.
"Because I'd like you to know that if you need someone to talk to, you can always come to me," Professor Lupin said.
"Why?" Verena said back. "Just because you knew my aunt?"
"I have seen the worst of Dahlia because of the things she saw," Professor Lupin said warningly. "I do not wish you to go through the same thing, especially at your age. Sight had developed in your aunt when she turned sixteen. You're only thirteen and I know these images can be frightening."
"Did she die because of her ability?" Verena asked. "They say it's cursed."
Professor Lupin did not answer right away. He looked down at his feet, unsure about what he should say.
"Her Sight was a factor, yes," he said finally.
"Well, thanks for telling me I've got death ahead of me," Verena said, standing up.
"Verena— "
"I appreciate you telling me this, I think," Verena said as she headed for the door. "But I'm not my aunt and I don't think you can help me."
She shut the door behind her, leaving Professor Lupin in his office. He sighed, taking a seat. He took the picture on his desk, sighed, and said, "I'm trying, Dahlia, I am."
-:- -:- -:- -:- -:-
The holidays came by fast. By the time Verena knew it, she was on the train home. She was glad to be back, favouring the moments she had with her family. For an odd reason, the Salvadors were cheerier than ever. As strange as it was, neither sibling complained.
Like every year, the Salvadors hosted their annual Christmas party. It was the first party that had gone smoothly. There was no drunk Damien present to crash the lighting ceremony. This time, he was even chosen to light it.
Then, one night, as Verena was lying in bed, her thoughts went back to her aunt and what Professor Lupin told her. If what he said was true, she had Sight and died because of it. What made her question her family was that her mother had never spoken of her.
So, that same night, Verena woke up Damien to tell him about what Professor Lupin said.
"Our Aunt Dahlia was friends with Professor Lupin?" Damien questioned with disbelief. "He's lying. He's got to be... right?"
"You didn't see the way he talked about her," Verena countered. "Okay, it was weird."
"What if it's just a ploy to get you to trust him?" Damien argued. "What if he's making Dahlia up?"
"We know Mother has two sisters," Verena said. "She just never talked about the other. Look, there's one way to find out. Will you help me?"
Damien sighed and said, "Fine, but if we get into trouble, I am so gonna beat your arse for it."
There was one room where Verena and Damien were forbidden to go into. She knew that if her Mother was hiding anything about her other sister, it would be in there.
Damien and Verena used their wands to light up the place. The room was filled with boxes and shelves. On tables were crystal balls, glowing bright blue.
"Dad must have kept some of his Dark objects in here," said Damien, walking away from the creepy artefacts.
"Dame, take a look at this," Verena called, and she pointed her wand at a portrait. "It's Mum and Aunt Darcy."
"Then that must be— "
"Dahlia," Verena finished, staring at the woman. "She's beautiful."
"Look at the date," said Damien, taking a look at the back. "December 24, 1977. A year before I was born."
"Professor Lupin said she died young," said Verena. "She must have died after this was painted."
"Do you think Mum's ashamed of her?" Damien asked. "It explains why it'd be down here."
"I don't know," Verena replied. "I'm too scared to ask, but there are other ways to get information... "
As Verena was searching a shelf, she found an old journal. She opened it, and the name Dahlia was written on the first page. As she flipped through the journal, she found pages of writing.
Damien looked at her, wondering why she had a smile on her face, and asked, "What's that?"
"It's her diary."