Elysian Potter: The Forgotten Queen.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor do I own the original idea for this story. All rights for the characters go to the magnificent J. K. Rowling and the original idea belongs to CharmedMilliE-Karry Master.
Note: For those reading on Fanfiction.net, the previous chapters have all been updated and changed so you may want to go back and reread the old chapters otherwise you'll be very confused.
Elysian's Theme Song: You Should See Me In A Crown, Billie Ellis – Castle, Hasley – The Devil Within, Digital Daggers
Chapter Twenty-Three: Talons and Tea Leaves
When Elysian woke up the next morning after the incident, she was immediately ushered into Professor Snape's office where both he and Remus were waiting. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a butter knife but it evaporated the moment Blaise led her into the office. Snape had an array of potions lined up on his desk, all of which Remus had told him to create, and was passing them to Remus so he could pick which ones Elysian needed. She wondered why she hadn't been taken to Poppy Pomphrey – the school nurse – but that question was soon answered when Snape pulled out a memory blocking potion. It was basically a liquid version of the Obliviate curse and the only reason she even knew what it was, was because she had been offered it once before... a long time ago.
"No," said Elysian, the moment her eyes landed on the familiar white brew.
Remus and Snape both looked at each other, a silent conversation taking place within the minds of the Professor who once, and probably still, hated each other. Elysian knew they were probably questioning her knowledge of the potion, knew that it was being added to a list of questions that had been piling up since she was younger, but she couldn't bring herself to care.
"Elysian, are you sure you want to remember this? It could damage you for the rest of your life," said Remus, tenderly.
The potion had yet to leave his hand, he was hoping that she would change her mind and drink it.
"The past must be learned and remembered lest it be repeated," said Elysian, giving both men a hard look. "I don't care how this will affect me. I just want to remember it, I need to remember it."
Snape, very clearly, disagreed with this statement. Remus, slightly less clearly, disagreed with this statement. Elysian, rather obviously, made it clear they didn't have to agree with the statement. They didn't have a choice.
"Very well," said Snape, his usual drawl bringing her comfort and reaffirming her resolve.
~EP~
Elysian was escorted into the Great Hall by Blaise and Daphne as Draco had already left early to mock Harry without having to worry about mocking Elysian. Ginny was roaring about getting a resort to anyone who would hear her and Elysian found her voice was grating on the already frayed nerves that had snapped the night before.
She ate breakfast in silence, Blaise keeping a firm hand on her waist despite her being perfectly fine now, and accepted her timetable with little hassle as Snape handed them out. Elysian was disgusted to find that her first lesson was Divination. She had no way of knowing who her class would be with – it was an option so most classes were collapsed and not sorted by house – but she theorised that Harry would, probably, be in her class as Divination was known as an easy 'O'.
The Hall was starting to empty as people headed off towards their first lesson.
Draco was the one who took her arm this time – Blaise and Daphne had Arithmancy – and led her out of the Great Hall towards the North Tower. Crabbe and Goyle were trailing behind them with their usual vacant expressions and people were quick to move out of their way upon seeing who Draco was with.
It seemed that the tale of what Elysian had done had spread around the school like wild fire. People were constantly staring at her with expressions similar to adoration and awe that she had only seen directed towards her brother. Students and ghosts alike whispered about her bravery and stupidity as she passed and Elysian had caught Draco glaring at a few of them when the whispering became too loud.
The journey through the castle to the North Tower was a long one. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle, and they had never been inside the North Tower before. Everyone was huffing and puffing as they finally reached the top of the spiral staircase. Draco was now leaning more on Elysian than the other way around and she dragged him up the ladder into Divination with a soft grin.
They emerged into the strangest-looking classroom they had ever seen. In fact, it didn't look like a classroom at all; more like a cross between someone's attic and an old-fashioned teashop. At least twenty small, circular tables were crammed inside it, all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little pouffes. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and many lamps were draped with dark red scarves. It was stiflingly warm, and the fire which was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, countless silvery crystal balls and a huge array of teacups.
A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice.
"Welcome," it said. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last.
And you're a fake, thought Elysian with an annoyed sigh. It was then that she noticed Harry and Ronald climbing up the ladder with red faces from climbing the stairs.
Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes several times their natural size, and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl. Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings.
"Sit, my children, sit," she said. Elysian and Draco quickly grabbed some seats at a table.
"Welcome to Divination," said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a winged armchair in front of the fire. "My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find the descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."
Silence.
"So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you. books can take you only so far in this field..."
Elysian held back a snicker upon seeing Hermione turn pale at this revelation.
"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearing, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future. It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy," she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his pouffe, "is your grandmother well?"
"I think so," said Neville tremulously.
"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," said Professor Trelawney, the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings.
The lesson moved on rather slowly and Elysian was regretting ever picking such a class. Professor Trelawney obviously had no idea what she was saying and was simply making up different things to seem intelligent and 'real'. The only interesting thing was when Ronald handed the teacup to Trelawney and she cried about discovering the Grim in the tea leaves.
The only reason it was interesting was that, when she looked at the description of the Grim, it reminded her of the massive dog she had seen the day she had discovered the Knight Bus. She wasn't worried, though, because she knew that death wasn't in her cards yet.
"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney, in her mistiest voice. "Yes ... please pack away your things ..."
Everyone did as they were told in complete silence. It was only when Elysian turned to leave that Trelawney spoke again.
"Miss Potter, please remain behind."
Draco sent her a look that she quickly dismissed. She returned to Trelawney's chair and waited until everyone had left.
"You wanted to see me, Professor?"
Suddenly, the room felt cold and Trelawney turned to Elysian with misty eyes and a vacant expression. When she opened her mouth to speak, Elysian was shocked to hear a rather familiar ethereal voice come from her lips:
"A Queen will come bathed in Green,
To defy the ones whose hearts are mean.
She'll exchange their blood for blood,
One for Kin and One for Love.
Though in her heart she knows the flaw,
Of building a world on breaking the law.
The Queen will stand with fang and claw,
Against those who open up their maw."
Elysian didn't even check to make sure she was alright, she simply sprinted from the room and into the arms of Draco. She said nothing as he led her back down the stairs towards where Blaise was waiting to take her to Runes.