Professor Dumbledore conjured two chairs before his desk and allowed Oliver and I to sit down. He asked whether I would like Harry to stay or go but I asked him to stay. I wanted him to trust me. Another chair was conjured and he sat the other side of me, my hands taken by two of the most important people in my life.
"Your Mother, Desdemona Rosier, was the granddaughter of Vinda Rosier who was a devoted follower of the Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. Vinda, much like Tom Riddle, wanted to rid the world of not just Muggle-born witches and wizards but all non-magic individuals entirely but even Grindelwald thought it too much to kill them all. However, she remained completely loyal to him as did your Mother's mother, Lorelai. She killed her husband, Desdemona's father, when she discovered that he was actually a muggle-born.
"When Desdemona was very young, she ran away from home with her older brother Gellert Rosier, Lorelai had named him after Grindelwald but that was where the connection stopped. He was an incredible man. He took her away from France where they were from and moved here, to Scotland, where she attended Hogwarts. Gellert became her guardian and raised her.
"Whilst in her second year, Voldemort came to fruition and the First Wizarding War came to be, her brother died and she was taken captive by Death Eaters until a group of us managed to rescue her and bring her back. By then, I sensed something had changed in her but your Father was there for her, almost nursing her back to her normal ways. It didn't matter than she was Slytherin, your Father knew she had known death from her own kind, having to run away from her family, your Father committed to being there for her.
"She did truly present herself on our side. She was with us for the greater good. She married your Father, I attended the wedding. She had Daniel, then you Oliver and then you Kyla. But your Father had noticed some changes in her after you were born and I'm not sure if you have ever made the connection however but Kyla, your first birthday, the day your Mother left was the day that Voldemort tried to curse Harry."
Dumbledore paused for moment so I could glance to Harry in confusion.
"But sir," Oliver interrupted. "My Mother left straight after Kyla was born, not her first birthday?"
Dumbledore was silent, a face upon his face that showed disappointment and grief. He stood up from his chair and turned his back on us for a brief moment. Something told me we hadn't had the truth.
"I'm afraid, Oliver, that your Father may have modified your memory to believe so. Possibly all of you - Daniel, Kyla and yourself. Your Mother didn't disappear in one day. Her mind, maybe, but not physically." Apprehensively, Dumbledore continued. I gripped Oliver and Harry's hand tighter. He wouldn't be telling us this unless we deserved to know. I realised in that moment, I had sent the letter to Daniel this morning and I imagined he would have received it by now.
"But why?" Oliver asked, choking up slightly.
"I assume, speaking from my own experience, he had never seen anyone change from so good to so evil in such a short space of time. Your Father frequently came to visit me at Hogwarts with his three little children, asking for help. It was a long year of abuse, lies and an unbelievable protection over his children for him. The day he noticed the Dark Mark bold, bright and clear on her wrist, he had spent three hours alone defending spells from her away from you children before she eventually disapparated and never returned.
"Although I cannot possibility say if he actually did, but if your Father had modified your memory, he would have done it for your own protection back then. Daniel was definitely old enough to remember, maybe seven, his own Mother trying to murder her children and husband. It may have seemed the safe thing to do at the time and I have to say, I agree, but now with what happened today, Harry having such a close call with the Dark Lord himself, you deserve to know these things. Your Father, I suspect, will not be very happy with me but I will speak with him."
"She's in Azkaban, isn't she?" I asked, slowly fathoming each bit of information with great difficulty.
"Yes," Dumbledore said sadly. "Your Mother was caught by the Ministry looking for records to seek and kill your Father. She murdered several Ministry workers but in the wish of your Father, it was publicised very little. Which is why you have failed to find much, if anything, on her."
My Mother is a murderous Dark witch, follower of Voldemort and his Dark army, the very men who killed her own brother. She tried to kill us, to kill my Father who was the only man that was there for us. I turned to Harry and began to cry.
"I'm so sorry." I broke down in tears, throwing myself into a hug. My Mother was with the evil Lord that tried to kill him and murdered his parents. Harry gripped me tightly and shushed quietly in my ear.
"It's okay. You're not her." He held the back of my head with his hand and I felt Oliver reach across and place a hand on the small of my back. I could hear him sniffling himself.
"I wrote a letter, to Daniel, this morning," I eventually sat back in my chair and looked to Oliver. "I don't think he'll write back before he speaks to Dad but I think he already knows all of this."
"It could be very likely. Daniel was an impeccably strong child, let alone a greatly talented wizard, from a very young age." Dumbledore added.
"Did you say you would speak with our Father?" Oliver asked Dumbledore and he nodded.
"Could we invite Daniel and all come and meet? With you here, sir?" Oliver asked. He was thinking exactly what I was thinking. Everything needed to be out in the open, to be completely honest with each other. No wonder my Dad had been so hurt, so disappointed.
"It would be my pleasure to arrange it. Although, I would like to speak with your Father alone first as I have said, I don't think he will be very happy with me at first but I think he will see the bigger picture once he has let it all go. David Wood truly was one of my favourite students and a life-long friend I wish to keep." Dumbledore said and I wiped my cheeks clear of the tears, drying my hand on my robe before taking Harry's hand again.
Harry had barely taken his eyes off of me, concern flooding his face uncontrollably. But I knew he didn't hate me, judge me or resent me for anything Dumbledore had just told us. He was a true friend.
"Whether or not you are resorted, Kyla, you have learnt this year how to be yourself and I hope that is something you hold dear for the rest of your life. And that you will forgive me for it if either it does not happen and for not acting soon enough." Dumbledore spoke with real intent.
"You have done more than enough, Professor. I will be forever grateful." I hiccoughed slightly, trying to regain my breath.
"Thank you, sir." Oliver chimed in.
"I will keep you informed, but for now, you should get washed, fed and ready for bed. Tomorrow is the last day of term and Professor Sprout has informed me that the mandrakes to bring back those that are Petrified will be ready for then." Dumbledore advised us with a smile and I gave Harry another hug, thinking of Hermione. We had to figure out a way to thank her as without her, Ginny may still be in the Chamber along with the rest of us.
After my shower, I headed straight up to the common room, far too tired to eat. As if the day had repeated itself, when I walked into the common room, Draco Malfoy was sat waiting for me. I glared at him and went to carry on walking but he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back.
"What do you want now, Malfoy?" I spat loudly back towards him, not hiding the fact I had grabbed my wand.
"So, Rosier?" He said loudly into the empty commons.
"Yep." I said, sarcastically gleefully with a dirty fake grimace on my face. "Maybe, YOU should watch your back, I'm pure-blooded and I might also be a murderous raving lunatic."
I waved my wand in his face and watched him freeze up slightly. Yes, it was very insensitive to the family history I had just discovered but I loved my Father, my brothers and I know we were going to end up stronger when it was all out in the open.
And anyway, it was so worth it for that look on Draco's face.