Trusting Molly

Five years ago, I started to write a story that I felt near to my heart. Real Life prevented me from concentrating and giving Devil's Game its proper due. Now, five years later, I seek to complete it. The continuing story of the Obliviated Twins begins again.

Without further ado:

Chapter 18: Trusting Molly

Harry, Ron, and Draco were pacing in front of the Griffindor fireplace. It's a testament to its size that all three, in their fifteen-year-old forms, were capable of doing so. Fourteen-year-old Ginny watched them from beside me on the couch. She sighed. It seemed to break the tension in the air.

The three boys offered words of comfort, reiterating what I already knew my mind would recall come waking: I must not reveal any more of the future. I must not act on the knowledge I receive of the future. And I must regain my trust in Molly, come hell or high water.

I awoke with a start, trying to hold on to the memories of the dream. The words were lost on me, but the three principles to which I'd agreed were stark in my mind, as though I'd been reminded of a long-ago conversation.

The Hospital Wing was silent. Sconces were lit high enough to see shapes and shadows but little else. The moon was new. How long had I been out? Madam Pomfrey was nowhere to be seen, so it was probably well after midnight. I sighed, cringing when my chest contracted in pain against the too-deep breath. I would need to be very, very careful.

I considered the information I had revealed of the future so far. Every single one of my friends and family knew now that I was from a different time. Lucius and Illi knew that I was from the future. Only those two knew about Molly's deception with the journal. She was unaware that I'd read portions of it before then, with every intention on reading it again. It was obvious, then, that Molly had no capabilities as a Legilimens or Occlumens – dangerous, on both parts.

Why on Earth would someone like Molly come from the future, to a time period when the most accomplished Legilimens of the age was seeking blood traitors? It was a question I –

What was that?

I strained to listen in the graveyard's silence of the Hospital Wing. A whispered spell intoned in the general direction of the double doors. I had my wand in hand, a Shield Charm in place before another sound could come through. I was therefore momentarily startled, and relieved, when Score's head appeared in midair.

The relief vanished when I realized that his head was all that had appeared.

"Don't yell," he whispered. He cast another charm and removed an adult wizard's cloak, revealing his Muggle bedclothes. It took me several moments to scramble through my internal library to realize what it was he was holding.

"That's a... an Invisibility Cloak," I murmured.

"One and the same." Score grinned. "James let me borrow it to come see you." His grin faded to serious contemplation. "I... wanted to apologize. For not talking things out... before. After you got cursed, Remus got through to me." He scowled and glared at me. "Don't get me wrong, Heck. What you did is still..."

"Wrong," I said. "I've wanted to apologize, too, but..." I gestured to the very air around me. "Politics." I met his eyes with a wan smile. "I'm sorry, Scorpius. I was wrong. I used magic on you without your permission to get private information that you would have given me of your own accord, had I only asked. I've broken your trust."

Score shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry I... everything. Something told me that what you did was evil, but I don't know what it was. I didn't even know what was happening." He paused, considering his words, most likely. "Do you really think we're from a different time?"

"I know we are. From the future." I shifted in the bed, wincing at the sharp pain. "Molly too. But she wasn't Obliviated."

"Then we must know something dangerous." Score sank onto the corner of my bed and gathered me close for a brotherly hug. "But we must've had personalities ingrained in us otherwise that the people Molly knew from then thought could help now."

"My every instinct says trust Molly, even though I didn't really after I found her journal." I confessed. "It started in 1991, Score. I think I might have revealed more than I ought to have. I won't be any more."

"I haven't gotten any more memories," Score sighed. "Not like you." He buried his hand into his long honey-colored hair.

"I think the potion – the one that took our memories – was keyed Arithmatically to you, Score. That's why I'm getting mine back. Your knowledge must be more dangerous than mine."

Score nodded, fiddling with the plain white sheets on my bed. "What if we fail? Or make matters worse? We don't even know what we're meant to do."

I shrugged. "We won't. Only Molly will."

"We'll be going home tomorrow," Score said. "We'll ask."

I nodded, though I had my doubts what we would find out. "Get back to bed." I sighed. "We have our parts to play, yet."

Score nodded, obviously disconcerted. He disappeared beneath the Invisibility Cloak. His disembodied voice whispered to me. "Good night, Hecate." He took off the spells that protected our conversation, cast smaller versions on his boots, and left via the double doors. They slid closed with a soft click. I shimmied down under the covers again and fell back to sleep. I remember dreaming, but of what I don't recall.

_-~*~-_

Madam Pomfrey woke me several hours later, with the sun. She was pleased to see that I'd made enough progress that I could leave my bed with only the faintest of twinges. I'm rather more pleased to see that Severus Snape showed up just after I was dressed. I had hoped to have more of a conversation with him before we all left for the summer holidays. I was still standing from pulling my robes on.

"Good morning," I said, straightening my wizard's robes. "I didn't get a chance to tell you what I'd do for you in return." I didn't mention my Animagus training whatsoever.

"I will help you." Severus didn't meet my eye. "If you will help me learn to hide my thoughts like you do."

I blinked in surprise. "You've looked?"

He smiled, but it wasn't the sort of happy smile of someone getting what they want. It's different from any other kind of smile I'd ever seen before. It's like Lucius' sneers or Ali's innocent raptures. It looked like a secret, one that is safe.

"I have a talent with Legilimens," Severus admitted. "But to Occlude is something else entirely."

Considering that I had already decided to show him how to do so, it was an easy feat to agree. "It's a deal. Would you like a few books on the topic? I've read all of mine." I gestured with my wand to my school trunk, which had been graciously brought to the Hospital Wing by Madam Pomfrey before I woke up. "Accio Defenses of the Mind. Accio Occlumency: A Study." Both tomes flew from the depths of my wheeled trunk, landing firmly in my hands. I was honestly rather stunned it had worked. I hadn't actually cast the spell before, and my magic was somewhat depleted from so many brews in my blood.

Severus must have also been stunned by my magical prowess because he was gaping at me when I turned to him. I shut his mouth with the tip of my wand, smirking. "It's rude." I explained shortly. I handed him the two books with no less aplomb.

Severus seemed to shake himself. "I will look them over. If you'd like to meet sometime during the holiday, send an unassuming note to Lily." He handed me a tiny folded piece of parchment. "Use this cipher. I will recognize it for what it is."

He made a stiff, almost courtly bow. The gangling boy I'd been watching for so long was back, but only long enough to leave.

In his absence, I reviewed the code he left. It was a basic Arithmancy cipher, written with numbers, wand movements, and symbols anyone from the basic course would recognize. Without the code breaker in my hand, however, the message would be unreadable without at least a few hours of deciphering. I smiled to myself.

If I ever let my eyes leave Lucius as my future paramour, Severus would come in a close second.

Madam Pomfrey reappeared just then, carrying a small chest.

"These are the remaining potions you will need to take over the next two weeks." She opened my trunk and placed the chest on top without looking inside before shutting it. "If you feel any ill effects, tell Molly to Floo my cottage in Hogsmeade immediately. You will be – aha, here they are."

Lucius, Rabastan, Regulus, Illi, and Ali were standing mutely in the doorway. Lucius stepped away from the others to hold my hand.

"We'll take good care of her on the train, Madam Pomfrey. You needn't worry for our Hecate's safety."

Madam Pomfrey beamed at him. "I know you will, Mr. Malfoy. If she tires, please let her rest before continuing. If need be, you may place a hover charm. Good bye, my dear. I hope to see you next year and no sooner." She ushered us out of the wing. I caught the barest glimpse of a house-elf taking my bag.

Sometimes I wondered at my ability to attract people beyond my year and beneath it. Lucius and Rabastan were both two years ahead of me. Regulus and Alioth were both two years below. Illiad was the only year mate in Slytherin with whom I'd made a connection – at least so far. I sort of wondered if Severus would become a part of our little circle of friends, or if he'd be a separate friend like Remus was.

Then I wondered if Severus would be offended that I'd thought of Remus and him in the same sentence inside my head. I blew my hair out of my face in a breath, a sure sign of agitation on my part. The others ignored it in favor of helping me – delicately – descend the first staircase.

"Heck, are you okay?" Ali asked quietly. It sounded more like a question I should have been asking her, from the terrified tone of her voice.

"I will be," I said, smiling. "It doesn't hurt near as much any more."

"Why aren't they having Molly come pick you up?" Lucius asked. "You're obviously still quite hurt."

I set my feet down on the ground at last, gritting my teeth to hide the real pain. If Lucius knew just how much I was really in, he might just insist I return to the Hospital Wing. It's with some small surprise when I looked up and realized that we're across from Filch's office.

"We're on the ground floor," I mumbled.

"The castle moved the Hospital Wing," Lucius said, glancing only for a moment about. "You didn't answer me."

"Well, how would I get home otherwise?" I sniffed.

"Portkey, Floo, and Side-Along Apparition are all completely out of the question. The train's the only way to go safely if I want to go home before I'm better. And Madam Pomfrey has better things to do than to hover over me for the next seven days."

By this time, we'd reached the front steps. The carriages that took us to Hogsmeade Station were waiting, appearing horseless. I knew from Hogwarts, A History that they were actually pulled by Thestrals, but it was still an odd sight. I grit my teeth to climb in, only to shout in surprise when I lifted into the air. I glared at Lucius.

"Wasn't me," he said, pointing at Rabastan. The boy in question snickered as he climbed into the seat across from me. Hmph. If it weren't for propriety's sake, I'd kick him in the shins.

Proprieties be damned. I kicked him anyway. His howl of surprised pain was completely worth the twinge I felt in my chest. Damned curse.

"I think you deserved that one, Lestrange." Regulus smirked, his voice quiet. I think he was trying not to set me off again. Wise beyond his years, that first year. Of course, now that I thought of it, he was technically a second year now.

"So what are your plans for this summer?" Lucius asked nonchalantly. He waved his wand lazily in Rabastan's direction. The corners of the now-sixth-year's eyes were less crinkled than before. I think Lucius cast a mild healing charm on his year mate's shin.

"I'm going back to visit family in Oklahoma," Illi said, sighing. She turned to me with the excitement of one who'd hit on a great idea weeks ago, but only now was bringing it up. "Heck, do you think Molly would let you come with me? It's only for a week, but my aunt is really interested in meeting you."

"I'll ask," I said, bemoaning internally. Holidays were the only time I could hang out openly with Remus and Scorpius. As much as I loved Illi – as much as a visit to a real Cherokee reservation would make my summer – I'd really hoped to spend it making up for lost time with my brothers.

"The Oklahoma reservation is one of the few that openly uses magic in front of their non-magic members," Lucius said. The carriage stopped at Hogsmeade station at last. Lucius reached out and helped me climb down from the steps. I was glad that no one thought to levitate me down again. "Not in front of Muggle visitors, of course, but they're rare enough where Illi's relatives live."

"And you have to come to tea at my place sometime this summer," Regulus said. "My mum won't stop asking about you."

I smiled and nodded. "I'll ask Molly if I can visit you all." I held Lucius' gaze for a moment over my shoulder. "Maybe we can even have tea with your father's friends."

Only Lucius and Illi would know that I meant the Dark Lord.

We found our favorite compartment with all of our things carefully stacked within. In spite of all of my protests and bravado, and no little amount of Slytherin pride, I was exhausted from the short trip from the Hospital Wing to the Hogwarts Express. I told everyone that I was going to sleep for a bit and to wake me when the trolley came by so I could buy my supply of sugar quills with my student discount. By the time the train pulled out from the station, I was fast asleep.

_-~*~-_

Draco Malfoy sat across from me at the Griffindor House table in the Great Hall. He sighed, staring at me morosely. In the far corner of the hall, the four House points bar made small clinking sounds in the deathly quiet of the large room. The bewitched ceiling revealed dark, rolling storm clouds.

"Go back to the living, Hermione. Lucius is trying to wake you."

Lucius called my name again. "Hecate... wizard to witch, come in..."

His grey eyes were only a few inches from mine when at last I opened them. "Hi, Lucius."

"Good afternoon," he said, smiling playfully. "Glad to see you back among the living. You should get dressed, we're almost at King's Cross station."

I nodded, making a face. I had to wear Muggle clothes for the duration of the summer, something that is distinctly less than comfortable for me. Lucius, Rabastan, and Regulus left the compartment so that Illi, Ali, and I can get dressed.

"So there's an article in the Daily Prophet about some blood traitors the Dark Lord got," Illiad said as she pulled on a pair of grey slacks. "Pair of Prewitts. They've been advocating for more Muggle protections."

"Huh," I said, zipping up my bell bottom jeans. "Straight Avada, I take?"

"The one was sodomized first," Illi said, making a face. "I know there are some Death Eaters who like doing stuff like that, but still. They were wizards. Turns out they were protecting a Muggle orphanage for some reason. Fabian and Gideon Prewitt."

I nodded as I pulled a plain green t-shirt over my head.

"Prewitts? Isn't Regulus' mum related?"

"I think so, but I'm not sure." Illi shrugged. "They had a little sister. Molly Weasley now. She was barely out of Hogwarts when she and Arthur Weasley got married. Reddest hair you'll ever see, both of them. They already have two kids, from what I heard. Youngest barely more than a couple years old, I think."

I considered this new information carefully. Molly was a fairly common name, even amongst wizarding folk. I guess the red-haired boy in my visions and dreams could be her son. Could be my Molly's son. I wondered briefly if the Prewitt's deaths would bother my Molly. If it did, I could infer that Molly Weasley and Molly Taylor were the same woman.

It was with some trepidation, therefore, that I stepped off the train. Lucius and Rabastan were taking care of my bag until they could get me into Molly's care. I scanned the crowded station in search of my adopted mum. She was standing at the edge of the crowd, her posture cowed. Closer inspection revealed black circles under her eyes and puffy splotches on her cheeks.

She'd been crying.

I was surprised to note that the sight sent a far deeper pain echoing in my chest. Lucius wrapped his arms around me to steady my limp knees. "Heck, are you all right, love?"

"I will be," I said. "Done too much."

Which was partially true. Getting dressed and walking the length of the train had left me physically weakened. But it was the sight of Molly in distress, in spite of my earlier lack of trust in her that was really the problem. I just hoped I was capable of holding myself up until we got home.

Unlike the holidays previously, the Blacks and Mulcibers were a little more circumspect in greeting their youngest children. Ali and Regulus left me with Lucius and Illi with no more than tight hugs and a quick good-bye. Lucius weaved through the crowd to Molly, leaving me with a polite murmur. Molly gingerly wrapped her arms around me, though it was obvious she would have rather held me like Ali's and Regulus' mums had.

When my lips were close to Molly's ears, I whispered. "Are you okay?"

"I'll explain later," she murmured.

I gave no indications that we'd had this exchange. When Scorpius finally met up with us, Lucius and Illi had also left. Score solemnly took the handle on my wheeled bag as we left Platform 9 ¾ for a Muggle taxi.

_-~*~-_

In spite of our covert conversation, Molly and I did not get a chance to talk for three days after Score and I returned home. The potions Madam Pomfrey had given me kept me asleep. I had briefly told Molly that Score knew nothing more than what I had told him while she was in the room. I wished to keep it that way. Between sleeping off potions and Score's admittedly welcome presence, we didn't get the chance.

Score was oblivious to Molly's pain, I think. He chattered happily about his Griffindor friends, moaned about our summer essays, and played Exploding Snap or wizard's chess with Remus. Molly's work schedule kept her away a lot too.

It was early morning, before Score was awake, before Molly left for work. Muggle blinds kept most of the light and heat out during the day, but I had them open to tempt the cool breeze into my room. I was out of bed, though I shouldn't have been. My bookshelf had filled in nicely, but was disorganized still. I could smell the oak and varnish for how near I was to it. I didn't hear her approach.

"How much do you know, Hecate?" She kept her voice hushed, so as not to wake Scorpius. I placed the last second-year book on the shelf before I answered.

"Not much, really," I said. "I know my name is Hermione, but not my surname. I know with some certainty that I'm from 1994. My best friend is Harry Potter and a red-haired boy named Ron Weasley. Antonin Dolohov cast this curse on me in 1996, but that doesn't match up with me being from two years prior. I know that I was given some sort of Obliviate Potion, which was Arithmatically aligned with Score, but not me." I glanced over my shoulder at her. "And you're Molly Weasley, not Taylor. Your brothers were just murdered by the Dark Lord."

Molly nodded, a deep soul-searching sigh exploding from her lips. "You weren't supposed to recall things like this until 1981. She said you wouldn't."

"Perhaps I won't recall terribly important things until then," I whispered, shutting my eyes. They were stinging. "Of course I'd remember my own name at some point. Of course I'd recall my best friends, and my best friends' mum."

"You shouldn't have more than your name," Molly said, sadly.

I glanced up at her, and really looked. She had finally gained a little weight since last I saw her, and her white hair had grown to her shoulders. Her eyes were staring at me, the piercing blue color all the more startling against the shock of freckles on her pale nose.

"I know I shouldn't know," I said at last. "I'm taking steps to keep others out of my brain so that I will not let them know. I hate lying to my friends – especially Illi and Lucius – but it's for the best. I realize that now."

"How are you taking steps?" Molly asked.

"I've learned the rudiments of Occlusion from Lucius," I said, smiling proudly. "I can keep him out entirely now, and Illi too."

Molly nodded, her gaze far from my bedroom now. "It's a skill that will come in handy, on many occasions. I've seen it. I should like the Headmaster to test your skills, if he will."

"Dumbledore?" I reared back, startled. "He's a Legilimens?"

Molly smiled. I didn't realize just how much I'd missed her radiant smiles. "He is the very best, Hecate. Better, some say, than even You-Know-Who."

I felt my body wilt in mortification. If the Dark Lord ever found out what Molly had said, I was almost certain she would be punished. But why? Why would I know that? I'd never seen him punish anyone. A flash of memory – a dark-haired angel, beaten within an inch of his life – pouring potions down his throat...

I could not recall more than his long black hair and overlarge nose in regards to his identity. But the bruises – and not all of them new – covered more of him than his own ghostly white skin. Molly's eyes pulled me back from the memory of another time, another place.

"Another?" she asked.

"I've never seen the Dark Lord punish anyone before." I chewed on my lower lip, considering my next words. "I recall a man I knew to be punished like that, but not his identity, or why he was punished."

Molly's eyes widened fractionally. "Thrust that memory as deep into your mind as you can, love. As far from the surface as you can. You must not ever let You-Know-Who see it."

We danced a fine waltz over it, but in those words, Molly knew I'd met the Dark Lord – and I knew she wished I would never see him again.

_-~*~-_