One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 130

{{I hope everyone likes this one :)}}

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Perhaps it's her curt tone, or the way that she keeps glancing at McGonagall that encourages him to ask the professor to leave. Gwen feels a strange prickling of affection when the witch squeezes her arm before leaving the office.

Dumbledore shifts under the unnerving stare of the Veela. She doesn't blink, just sizes him up. Externally, she's like stone. Internally however, she's a fucking mess. Her mind scrambles to come up with an excuse, a story. Something to say. Anything.

Dumbledore clears his throat and asks, "Were you aware that Severus Snape has become a confidant of Voldemort?"

Her shoulders slump and she finally sucks in some of the air that her lungs are begging for. She chews anxiously on the inside of her cheek and wipes her palms on her trousers.

"No," She replies softly. "I was not aware."

The headmaster leans back in his chair and smiles slightly, voice calm, "You assumed I would ask you about someone else?"

Gwen picks at her cuticles, her heart thrumming crazily with adrenaline. She clears her throat and retorts, "I think there are a great deal of people you could ask me about."

She feels both ill and relieved when the wizard finally says, "Not all that are evil have the dark mark, and not all that have the dark mark are evil."

That was enough confirmation. He knew about Regulus, but he also knew that Regulus was not a death eater. Just a boy that had made a mistake. Her heart slowly begins to return to its normal pace, her fingers stop abusing each other. She sighs and mutters, "Why are you asking me this? I had no idea that Snape was a death eater."

"Nor I, not until recently. It surprised me—"

"That a boy who is in love with a muggle born would join the side that wants to exterminate them? Yes, Professor. That's rather surprising."

She doesn't mean to sound harsh. She doesn't want to sound defensive. But the fear she'd been flooded with over her Slytherin friend was lingering.

He wordlessly sit up and hands her the familiar box of sweets that rests on his desk. She takes three lemon drops and pops them all into her mouth, surprised by how close she felt to crying.

"The reason I wanted to discuss this with you, is that you seem to have interacted with Severus. I wanted your take on him, on his potential."

She frowns at his words, mumbling around her candy, "Potential as a death eater? Or potential to change his mind?"

He smiles faintly and replies honestly, "Both."

Gwen hesitates, chewing thoughtfully. She tries to recall her interactions with the boy. Not as volatile as Pucey or Carrow or Avery...but certainly prejudiced. Odd, considering his status as a half-blood. She crinkles her nose and says slowly,

"I think he is...underestimated. As for changing his mind, that would be up to Lily."

Dumbledore nods, asking quietly, "In your conversations with him...has he ever given you reason to believe that he would cause harm to the students within this castle?"

Gwen shakes her head quickly, answering, "Severus wouldn't. Other students maybe, but he's calculating. He won't act on a plan until he's told to, and I don't really see Voldemort using his youngest death eaters to do his bidding."

Dumbledore nods, hesitating before asking, "Has he ever given you any reason to believe that he would harm you?"

Gwen quirks a brow and responds slowly, "No. I've only interacted with him a few times, Professor. He's never done anything beyond call me a few names. I think he's more intrigued by my ancestry than he'd care to admit. But if he's interested in the dark arts that would make sense."

Dumbledore stares at her silently for a few moments, and finally she feels a prickle of fear. She sits up straighter and her brows furrowed. She swallows, her throat tight and uncomfortable now.

"What is it, Professor?"

He sighs quietly, peering at her over his glasses for a few more moments before saying gently, "Gwenyth, your name has come up amongst other death eaters now."

Gwen blinks, chewing anxiously on the inside of her cheek before asking, "You think...you think Snape told them about me? Why does that matter?"

Dumbledore frowns and replies sincerely, "I don't know. All I know is that you've become a person of interest."

Gwen tries to push away the uncomfortable sensation of fear. Death eaters would likely know about her soon anyway...but she hadn't expected for them to know while she was at Hogwarts. She couldn't even think of a reason why Severus—

Her eyes grow wide, her lips parting in shock. She pales and whispers, "Professor...I gave Severus a few strands of my hair before Christmas."

"Why?" Dumbledore asks sharply, his voice the only tell that he was on edge. Gwen looks up and sighs, "I could tell he was curious! I-I though he'd just use it to make a potion or something, he was asking about my family—"

Dumbledore cuts her off, asking hurriedly, "What did you tell him?"

"That when my mum died she left me to relatives, but I never thought we were truly related. I told him I didn't have family."

Dumbledore frowns, stares at her silently again. He finally speaks, his voice low, "Gwenyth, with your hair they almost certainly have confirmation that you are related to Delphine—

Gwen flinches at the name that had become so painful to hear, saying, "But my mother—"

"I know nothing of your mother's death, Only that she defied Voldemort multiple times. His anger..."

He trails off, growing concerned for the young girl in front of him. Gwen closes her eyes for a brief moment, instantly regretting it. White eyes, sand matted hair, drenched clothes. She quickly opens her eyes, nearly ill at the memories of her mother coming to the surface.

"So what does this mean?" Gwen asks, practically pleading.

"This means that you're suspended from helping the Order."

She stands, instantly furious. Her glare is like ice, cold and unyielding as she scowls at the headmaster. She snaps, her voice cutting, "Absolutely not."

Dumbledore leans back, his voice just as firm and strong, "I'm afraid you don't have any say in the matter. Until we know what it is Voldemort is going to do with the news that Delphine has a daughter here at Hogwarts, you are not to conduct any more Order business."

Gwen doesn't wait for him to say more, she can't. This is a disaster, a mess that she had a hand in creating. A mess that her mother was wrapped up in.
She flees his office, her heart beating wildly against her chest as she tries to fight the waves of memories and fear that threaten to swallow her.

She was drowning.