Daughter of Mine | Harry Potter

XXV.

Broad strips of dazzling gold sunlight fell across the corridor from the high windows. The sky outside was so brightly blue it looked as though it had been enameled. 

"It's going to be boiling in Trelawney's room, she never puts out that fire," said Ron as they started up the staircase toward the silver ladder and the trapdoor.

He was quite right. The dimly lit room was swelteringly hot. The fumes from the perfumed fire were heavier than ever. 

"My dears," said Trelawney, sitting down in her winged armchair in front of the class and peering around at them all with her strangely enlarged eyes, "we have almost finished our work on planetary divination.  Today, however, will be an excellent opportunity to examine the effects of Mars, for he is placed most interestingly at the present time. If you will all look this way, I will dim the lights. ..."

She waved her wand and the lamps went out. The fire was the only source of light now. Professor Trelawney bent down and lifted , from under her chair, a miniature model of the solar system, contained within a glass dome. It was a beautiful thing; each of the moons glimmered in place around the nine planets and the fiery sun, all of them hanging in thin air beneath the glass. Professor Trelawney began to point out the fascinating angle Mars was making to Neptune. The heavily perfumed fumes washed over the room, and the breeze from the window that Harry had opened played across the trio's faces. Lalia glanced at Harry to find him asleep, hiding a laugh, she turned back to the front of the classroom. 

The front of the classroom was fading from her view as her vision turned to a bright white. Biting her lip, Lalia glanced down at her lap, hoping to hide her glowing eyes from the class. Her hand was clenched onto the table in front of her as a room appeared to her. 

There were two dark shapes on the floor besides a chair in the room ... both of them stirring. ...

One was a huge snake ... the other was a man ... a short, balding man, a man with watery eyes and a pointed nose ... he was wheezing and sobbing on the hearth rug. ...

"You are in luck, Wormtail," said a cold, high-pitched voice from the depths of the chair. A voice that Lalia knew well. "You are very fortunate indeed. Your blunder has not ruined everything. He is dead."

"My Lord!" gasped the man on the floor. "My Lord, I am ... I am so pleased .... and so sorry. ..."

"Nagini," said the cold voice, "you are out of luck. I will not be feeding Wormtail to you, after all ... but never mind, never mind ... there is still Harry Potter. ..."

The snake hissed, its tongue fluttering.  Lalia turned to the side and gasped when she saw Harry standing beside her staring at the chair. 

"Now, Wormtail," said the cold voice, catching her attention, "perhaps one more little reminder why I will not tolerate another blunder from you. ..."

"My Lord ... no ... I beg you ..."

The tip of a wand emerged from around the back of the chair. It was pointing at Wormtail. 

"Crucio!" said the cold voice. 

Wormtail screamed, screamed as though every nerve in his body were on fire, the scream filled their ears and Lalia heard Harry hiss in pain before screaming, she quickly turned to the boy when she felt her own forehead begin to burn. Lalia choked on the pain, sqiunting her eyes in pain. 

"Harry! Harry!"

Harry and Lalia opened their eyes at the same time, although no one noticed her. She saw her classmates gathered around Harry's empty seat. He was lying on the floor with his hands over his face.