(2) Patrimony (H. Potter)

Chapter Five

Rhiannon rests back against the bed headboard of the bed Harry sits on the end with, talking with Hermione and Ron, Rhiannon got bored actually, they're talking about some Order thing, she assumes it's something to do with the people that keep coming and going and seen as no one actually tells her anything, she's choosing not to care. But of course it bothers her. She is not her father. And just because she shares his blood, doesn't mean that she is going to be just like him. Molly Weasley enters the room and focuses on the good kids, which doesn't include Rhiannon in her mind.

"You can come down now, the meeting's over" Molly glances at Rhiannon and then leaves. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stand and begin to leave the room but Harry turns back when he notices Rhiannon is not making any move to follow. He doesn't understand in the same way Hermione does. Mostly because Harry can't see the problem, she's just Rhiannon to him. The girl that he spent time bonding with, that taught him magic that would allow him to survive the tournament. His friend. A girl he happens to really like. Really really like.

"You not coming?" Harry asks, Rhiannon hums and shakes her head.

"No" She answers. "I'm good here" Harry gives her a look. She lowers her book and gives him one back. "They don't seem to like me all that much" She admits. Harry frowns at her. "Sirius is fine, he at least talks to me..." Harry turns to Ron and Hermione for answers, for a plan and simple point blank answer here.

"They have an issue with her...." Hermione starts. "Heritage" She settles on. It's true though. Simply because she was born of Grindelwald, someone who has been in prison for decades, someone that is doing the time for the crimes her committed, they all look down on her as if she is rubbish.

"Well, you're my friend" Harry argues. "And I want to spend time with you before I am probably expelled from school...." Rhiannon shakes her head and sighs.

"Harry" She stops him. "If I go down there with you, they're not going to tell you anything...."

...............

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Rhiannon enter the kitchen where Molly is now stood with her daughter Ginny, who's eyes instantly move to look at Harry, a blush creeping onto her cheeks which she hides by sinking behind her mother and lowering her head. At the end of the table in the centre of the room, is Arthur Weasley and his son Charlie. Sirius sits with Remus Lupin, another of the order and formerly a teacher at Hogwarts, Rhiannon knows that he is the werewolf, there were rumors through Slytherin whilst she was at the school. Eyes settle on Rhiannon's presence, and the room becomes awkward. Rhiannon shrinks back and shakes her head.

"Told you" She whispers to Harry, they share a look. "I'm just going to go back to reading my book" She goes to leave the room.

"Rhiannon" Sirius stops her. "Hold on a minute, will you?" She frowns at look at him. Whilst Sirius has been good to her, including not forcing her into a situation that would make her uncomfortable, like now. She is going to be uncomfortable with these people looking at her like that and knowing they are whispering behind her back. "This has gone on long enough, so it ends now" Sirius scolds the room. "She's not her father. And more than that, she is mine and Dumbledore's guest here, this is her home now...we don't make people feel the way you have all been making her feel in their own homes..."

"Sirius" Rhiannon starts and shakes her head. She doesn't want to make this worse. She is more than happy to stay away from them all and settle in her room until she goes to Hogwarts.

"And my friend" Harry adds. "If it wasn't for Rhian, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have survived past the first task in the Triwizard last year...." Rhiannon looks down a little. "And Dumbledore must have brought her here for a reason.....whatever that is, he must trust her....at least as much as I do...And if she hadn't been bewitched, and it wasn't a trap.....she would have won...." Harry looks at her. "Hands down"

"Harry" She stops him. She honestly doesn't believe that. There were stronger candidates, she was just getting lucky during her wins.

"No, come on, everyone knows that" Harry argues, Ron nods in agreement before he catches himself.

"It doesn't matter" Rhiannon counters. "Cedric is still dead, it doesn't matter who was meant to win...."

"See...She's a good kid" Sirius tells the others. "Smart too. She doesn't deserve this.....she is not Grindelwald and she in no way believes as he did....believe me. She was actually raised by muggles" All eyes turn to Rhiannon who nods whilst shrinking slightly under all the eyes on her.

"I grew up in a muggle orphanage" She agrees. "I like muggles, most of the time" Arthur leans forward a little.

"Tell me something," He tells her. "What is the purpose of a rubber duck?"

"Oh, I have no idea" She answers. "I don't think anyone does, even the muggles. We had one at the orphanage, it had a Mohawk and a biker jacket on...I liked that little guy" Harry smirks at her. "Till Nikolai fed it to the dog" Her smile disappears. "Every time it barked for a month it squeaked too..." She sighs and shakes her head. "Look...If you are still having trouble with trusting me" Rhiannon offers as she touches the table and closes her eyes. "Then...." She starts and then looks at Harry. "I suggest, if Harry is willing, a blood pact"

"And where would one so young have heard about blood pacts?" Sirius asks her as he leans back in his seat.

"My dad" Rhiannon admits as she folds her arms over her chest. "He made one when he was a teenager, told me about it," She tells them.

"What's a blood pact?" Harry asks, Rhiannon glances at him but it is Sirius that answers.

"Simply, it is a magical contract," He tells him. "It means she can't actively challenge you, but it also means that you can't challenge her either....they are very rare, because people change, loyalties change....and you cannot take it back, a blood pack is for life... however long that may be" Harry glances at Rhiannon.

"What about one of those unbreakable vow things?" Ron asks.

"The pact is actually less extreme than an unbreakable vow" Hermione offers. "You break an unbreakable vow...you die..."

"I trust her" Harry stops them. "No pact. No vow. Just trust." He turns to Rhiannon, facing her slightly, his fingers touching hers at her side as she unfolds her arms. "We spent time together last year, fought together, learnt together....survived together. That's all that matters to me. I trust you. I don't need a pact or a vow to tell me that"

"But they do" She counters. "If this is what it takes to make this easier. Come on, they are fighting a resurrected nut-ball psychopath hell-bent on magical world domination, they don't need to be worrying about some fifteen-year-old girl going nuclear on them and their....special little Potter" She teases touching his forehead where his scar sits. "To be honest, I'm starting a new school in a year where there are going to be exams...I've had three....four years of learning the Durmstrang way....that includes the dark arts, I am already stressed, I can't deal with the added stress of my loyalty and morality being constantly questioned...so..." She shrugs a little. Harry then holds up his hand and curls his fingers until only his pinkie is up.

"What about a pinkie promise?" he teases, she smirks and then shoots him a look. "Hey, it's as binding as a magical contract," He tells her, she reaches up and loops her pinkie around his.

"Fine," She tells him and then clears her throat. "I pinkie swear....never to conspire against you, to never challenge you, to never physically or mentally harm you...." She offers. "I pinkie swear...to fight at your side.....against Moldy Voldy" Ron snorts and then covers it up with a cough when his mother shoots him a look. "To the best of my ability....which is actually a lot...Because I'm really smart and really powerful" Harry chuckles and they share an amused look. Something soft passing between them. Hermione smiles to herself watching them. So they miss a glare sent at Rhiannon from a certain small red-headed Weasley girl.