She was ill. She was tired. She was dying.

But Druella Black had the will of a thousand armies - and she made her way through Hogwarts as if she owned the place.

She wanted nothing more than to be in the comfort of her own manor, with her daughters, but she had to do what was necessary.

She had an objective.

She had to save her daughters from Tom Riddle.

Dumbledore welcomed her outside his office, and his blue eyes flickered briefly with shock when he realised just how much Druella Black, one of the greatest witches of her generation, declined in health since he had last saw her.

"Druella, welcome.'' Dumbledore greeted, and Druella reluctantly allowed the Headmaster to peck her on the one cheek in greeting.

"Dumbledore." She stiffly responded. "There is no need to waste time with false formalities. This meeting ought to be short."

"Ah, as direct as ever. Bellatrix certainly inherited that trait from you, Druella." Dumbledore smiled mischievously.

"Good. I would hate for my Bella to give the lazy teachers in this school a convenient time." Druella answered coldly.

"Not to worry, we have our hands full with her. As you are well aware, naturally." Dumbledore responded kindheartedly.

"I am aware.'' Druella responded sarcastically. ''Minerva writes me thousands of letters concerning Bellatrix's behaviour. Surely she must have something better to do than write me - other than turn into a cat, that is.''

Druella and Dumbledore made their way to the gargoyle staircase that led to his office, in a surprisingly comfortable silence. Druella had to repress a sigh of relief when she was finally able to sit down.

She was fatigued and she hadn't even done anything effective as of yet... But refusing to feel dejected, she forced her herself to listen to Dumbledore's cheerful voice... She didn't even realize that he began speaking again.

"…. and is well noted that the teachers in Hogwarts are among the best skilled wizards and witches in the world. You pride yourself on your daughters, yes, that is a well-known fact - and I pride myself on this school."

"Then tell me, Dumbledore. How did a school like this manage to teach a boy named Tom Marvolo Riddle?''

Dumbledore's cheerful demeanor grew serious for the merest of seconds, but before he could respond, Druella continued,

''How did a pupil of Hogwarts turn out to be so wicked? Did nobody realise that something was amiss with the wizard? Should I blame the teachers, or should I blame you? And don't pretend you didn't know what filth he was. I am no fool, I know you to be a powerful and observant wizard."

''Druella, it - '' Dumbledore patiently tried to get a word in, but Druella Black wasn't having any of it.

"Or were you just happy to get rid of the wizard, that now goes by the name Lord Voldemort? He calls himself a lord, I beg you?" Druella laughed humourlessly. "Were you all relieved to scoot him out of this school the moment he wrote his NEWTS? I don't blame you - I would have pretended him to be the next Merlin had it meant I only had to deal with him for seven years. And now he is a nuisance for many outside Hogwarts..."

To Druella's surprise, Dumbledore smiled.

"Druella, you are right as ever. And yet, so very wrong."

"Wrong?" Druella lifted her eyebrow.

Dumbledore again just smiled at Druella and she wished she had the strength to hex him back to reality.

"Tom was an excellent student. He excelled in every subject. Teachers adored him, students envied and respected him. He could do no wrong in the eyes of anyone. He was careful and cautious of me. I always suspected him the culprit of the wrong-doings his followers so easily took the blame for, but it was difficult to find proof. Teachers suspected me, at one stage, to be envious of his abilities.'' Dumbledore smiled gently at the memory. ''I wasn't as gracious towards him... And some of the more senior teachers pitied him just because he grew up in a muggle orphanage - which is a well-kept secret, still today."

"He grew up in a muggle orphanage? No wonder - "

"Hush now, Druella… Many muggleborns do not come from the greatest of households, but the same can be said about some of our students that grow up in wizarding homes." Dumbledore lightly informed the witch. Druella nodded as she thought about all the bloodtraiter families among the purebloods. The Prewett's, Weasley's, McGlannon's, Patil's, Waterhouse's, Potter's, Longbottom's, Bones', Creevey's...

"His muggle backround, I believe, amplified his hatred towards muggleborns and muggles - but is he truly embracing all pure-bloods as his equals?"

"No. He used the Crucio curse on my Bella... He punishes her and - " Druella stopped. She couldn't afford to rant about the sufferings of Bellatrix now.

Dumbledore pierced at her carefully over his half-moon glasses, looking interested and worried. "So am I right in assuming that he is interested in Bella to join his army? It's unsurprising, she is the best witch of her age." Dumbledore smiled lightly at Druella, which only infuriated her.

"You would gladly sit by and see how he recruits young Slytherines such as Bellatrix, wouldn't you?" Druella forcefully asked.

"Careful Druella - "

"No. I will speak my mind. As it is, I am dying. And my family is falling apart. My weakened state will provide Tom Riddle the perfect opportunity to take Bella as his own. She is a strong witch, yes, but she craves attention and knowledge. None of which I can provide, given my health, like a mother should…" Druella suppressed the tears that started to form in her eyes. "He will conform her to do things I never envisioned for her."

"I could be mistaken, Druella, but it seems as if you know more than you let on?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes." Druella sighed. "I saw the future, Dumbledore. And don't make me out for a Divination fan, I hate that nonsense. But, something 'came' to me while I was recovering from my last St. Mungo's visit... It was a light, almost like a patronus, but not quite - "

"And what did it reveal?" Dumbledore interrupted, very interested.

Druella paused and gave the Headmaster a dirty look. How dare he interrupt her? She even started to contemplate whether she had to reveal this information to Dumbledore, but after a few seconds passed, she reluctantly decided to answer.

"The future of my three daughters. The light... It revealed their futures." Druella explained, simply.

"And it doesn't look too good?" Dumbledore tested.

"No, you sodding fool it doesn't!" Druella screamed, and she clutched her heart in regret. Her outburst caused her to cough uncontrollably - the pain caused by her incurable illness were almost unbearable.

After she gathered her composure, she took a few sips of water that Dumbledore conjured. She had more important things to worry about than her pride...

With her breathing under control, she began to explain. "Bellatrix becomes a Death Eater. Andromeda marries a muglleborn, which by the way, destroys her father since Andy has always been Cygnus' favourite, and Cissy marries Lucius Malfoy, another future death eater."

''I must say, Druella, I am quite surprised that the Matriarch of the House of Black finds fault with Tom Riddle's cause?'' Dumbledore quietly responded.

"I am a proud Black by marriage, but I am truly a Rosier. And I cannot stand by and watch as Tom Riddle tortures Bellatrix and uses her power as a witch, to abide to his wills, as if she is a common mule. We Black's and Rosier's always had choices and we will not bow down to anybody, especially not to half-bloods."

"You know Tom is a half-blood?" Dumbledore observed more than asked, looking truly curious for the first time since the meeting begun.

Druella eyed Dumbledore curiously as well, surprised that he too, knew. Even her best friends believed Tom Riddle to be pure.

"I did my research. Marvolo is an ancient wizarding family, and they are thought to be extinct. And Riddle is not a wizarding name registered in Great Britain. How he possibly could've begun a cause for the 'pure' is rather hypocritical…" Druella laughed cruelly.

"The Marvolo's, where did you find information about them?" Dumbledore asked.

"In a book... I found it in one of the smaller libraries in the manor.'' Druella answered, distractedly. ''Either way, the book explains everything about the ancient Morvolo House. The last Marvolo's lived near a small muggle town not so far from Hogsmeade."

''I must admit, I would love to borrow the copy.''

"A book such as that cannot simply be borrowed.'' Druella impatiently answered, obviously implying that the book was dark. ''And access to the Black Manor will only be granted if I get what I want." Druella responded flatly.

"I highly doubt that I'm going to intervene with the future just because you do not like how the future unfolds for your daughters, Druella."

"I am meant to intervene – it is a spell designed by the Rosier's – to help those who are about to go on a path they're not meant to tread on."

"How does it work?" Dumbledore asked, after a while.

"The spell sends the Rosier – or the Rosier's – three decades into the future. Twelve full moons will pass, after which the Rosier will be provided by a prophecy. The prophecy will come to each Rosier in its own unique way. And when it comes, a choice will need to be made. Either you listen to the prophecy, or you don't." Druella took a deep breath. "If you choose to listen to the prophecy, and become knowledgeable of whom you would have been in the past, you will not be allowed to go back to the past. If you choose not to listen to the prophecy, you will be sent back to the past."

"I see. If you listen to the prophecy, you will forever be stuck in a time never meant to be yours. If you don't listen to the prophecy, you go back in time again, with no knowledge of the future."

"Yes." Druella answered flatly.

"And what if you listen to the prophecy and regret not returning to your own time to achieve the things that could have been?"

"Then it's just too bad, isn't it?" Druella sarcastically replied. "Look, Andromeda can return. She turns out how I expected her to turn out. She has always been a naïve dreamer, and by being my husband's favourite, she was protected. She never developed the spine Bella and Cissy have today. How she ended up in Slytherin is a mystery - only the dirty hat knows how she ended up there." Druella pointed to the sorting hat, situated between thick books on a bookshelf. "Cissy marries a pureblood, a Malfoy. I can't be happier about that. She looks content with her life, and even though her husband is a death eater, she remained a neutral observer. She knew enough to be considered one of them, and knew too little to be fully drawn into their little death eater 'club'. I am proud of how she handled herself."

"And Bellatrix?"

"She… becomes one of the darkest witches of her time. And she marries a Lestrange. She despises the Lestrange boys, I can't imagine what persuaded her to marry one of them… They are not even wealthy." Druella shaked her head. "And she goes to Azkaban for torturing the Longbottom boy and his future wife and she murders - " Druella stoped, yet again, and lifted her chin. "Bella needs to get away from Tom Riddle. He will be her downfall. The downfall of the the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black."

"If you are not concerned about Andromeda and Narcissa, maybe we can only send Bellatrix?"

"No. They will need each other after my death. I do not want one of them to stay behind to explain to Riddle why Bellatrix is gone and they are not. I don't want them to be tortured for information about her whereabouts."

Dumbledore nodded.

"You can see it, Dumbledore, as a one year holiday into the future for my daughters, and I need you to provide the transport - by performing the spell."

"Shouldn't the spell be performed by a Rosier?"

"Yes, or an entrusted. And that would be you if you accept. As I said, I am too weak to perform it." Druella answered, annoyed.

"And if I refuse?"

Druella pretended to think for a while, even though she knew exactly what to say. "Do you remember my grandmother Cassandra? I'm sure you do, she was an avid believer and active supporter of Grindelwald's views."

"Grindelwald was a tainted wizard, Druella." Druella smirked internally when she saw Dumbledore's fleeting hardened gaze, only to be replaced again by his annoying, ever-present, expression of patience.

"That I know. But you didn't always pay attention to that, did you? My grandmother Cassandra were always too happy to mention the special friendship. For the greater good."

"Druella. Stop." Dumbledore warned her. If Druella wasn't so desperate, she would have - not because she was wary of Dumbledore's warning, but because she didn't necessarily like doing what she was doing now. She and Dumbledore obviously had their fair share of disagreements through the years, especially concerning Hogwarts and her daughters' education, but they had a silent understanding to 'agree to disagree'.

Druella sighed, and after a rather tense silence, decided to push through - she will threaten Dumbledore with information that he never knew she had. She needed to.

"My godmother, Bathilda Bagshot, still happily applies me with knowledge about the times of old. About the time when the great Dumbledore and Grindelwald lived in Godric's Hollow. About how you and Aberforth fought about your sister's well-being… Is it true that muggles turned your little sis into a squib?"

"And what will you do with that information if I refuse to meddle with the future?" Dumbledore asked, dangerously.

"I know many elite press editors, Dumbledore. And I will happily provide them with the information of your past. It will be the greatest scoop of their lives. Everybody will know that the great Dumbledore didn't only defeat a dangerous wizard, but his lover... Who would trust you after that? For all we know, you share his views and always have. Do tell, did you ever get access to the Elder Wand?" Druella mockingly asked, rolling her eyes.

"Very well. And if I do this, what will I gain?" Dumbledore asked, tiredly.

"Financial support. There will be a war in the near future, and I'm sure you're aware of that... You will require funds to put forth a resistance. Few pureblood families can compete with our wealth, and those that can will fund Riddle. And would you rather have little ol' Tom spend our money? If Bella is to become his devoted follower he will have access to all our vaults. If you help me by performing the spell on my daughters, I will ensure that you are the sole protegee until Bellatrix is fit and mature enough to become my entrusted."

''I am quite touched, Druella.'' Dumbledore spoke. ''A minute ago you accused me of cherishing views that Grindelwald held. Now you assume me to be the leader of the resistance against Riddle's cause.''

''Reporters would make such conclusions, regarding you and Grindlewald, that is.'' Druella deflected the remark uncomfortably, and Dumbledore merely glanced at her over his half-moon glasses. She realised that he was waiting for some sort of explanation.

''Look,'' Druella tiredly began, ''I don't really believe you to share his views. Or that you ever truly did.''

'You don't?'' Dumbledore asked, almost, dare she think it - happy? Or was it desperation?

Druella, surprised and rather embarrassed by the turn of events, remained silent for a while. She was not great at pacifying someone, least of all Dumbledore, but she decided to be truthful. After what she just asked of him, she might as well be.

'''You were young. And tempted. And you embrace muggles and muggleborns even though they harmed your sister. That's a very noble thing to do. In short, you are not Grindelwald. You are his contrast.'' Druella replied easily and Dumbledore gave her a grateful nod.

A long pause followed and she felt mortified when Dumbledore wiped a tear from his left eye with a bright orange handkerchief.

''Forgive me, Druella.'' Dumbledore smiled, looking calmer and almost like his old self. ''It's not often that I can discuss my youth with anyone. Few people know.''

''They don't need to know.'' Druella answered, a little annoyed now. ''Look, I'd hate to rush you, but please do tell whether you'd help me or not?''

''I find it hard to believe that you are willingly giving up your daughters' inheritance."

"I am doing none such a thing. They'll inherit the Rosier's Estate. It is more than enough to support all three of them for life and more." Druella rolled her eyes. Money wasn't the problem here. If her daughters ended up in the future with nothing, which wouldn't occur - she would expect them to have the decency to marry for wealth – or at the very least - make the necessary connections to gain it.

"Very well. I will do it." Dumbledore smiled pleasantly.

"You will do it?" Druella eyed him warily.

"Yes, because it will be, ah, how to put it? Interesting?" Dumbledore smile brightened, ever so slightly.

Druella smirked, for the first time in months she felt relieved and in control. Dumbledore would help.

"I will perform the spell on your daughters. But how do you propose we explain their sudden disappearance, and reappearance in time?"

"We don't. Not now. After twelve full moons, they will hopefully understand. They will still be young enough to get over my betrayal."

"And if they don't?"

"If they don't understand - I die a useless mother. But, I will die a useless mother by not intervening as well... This is all hope I have left."

"And what do you leave your husband, Cygnus? Daughterless and potentially - bankrupt?"

"My husband will most probably be tortured and killed by Tom Riddle after their disappearances. And since Andromeda has fallen in love with a muggleborn, it will shatter him to disown her. Since that will not occur, he will die with his honour intact. He will die believing that he was a good father and that he hasn't failed them. I grant him his pride. And even though he was a bit passive - which led me to become the Matriarch of the House of Black - he is not a bad husband and he could have been a worse father, I suppose.''

''It's peculiar that you are the Matriarch. As you said yourself, you truly are a Rosier.'' Dumbledore asked, intrigued.

''The Black Manors and everything associated to the Black House, even Grimmauld Place, much to Walburga's dismay, never listened to Cygnus once we got married. It listened to my commands. Cygnus was furious, naturally.'' Druella smiled. ''But once he realized that I wasn't going to let his irritating sister starve to death, he calmed down and even welcomed the idea.'' Druella explained, as if it was common sense for property to 'listen' to someone.

Dumbledore gave the witch a thoughtful stare, but didn't ask her to explain in more detail.

''Ancient magic, then...'' He concluded. ''When should I perform the spell on your daughters?" Dumbledore asked, looking more serious all of a sudden.

"The Healers said I only have three days left... My daughters should attend my funeral, and directly after that – disappear. I believe that Tom Riddle will be invited to my funeral by Walburga. She has an indecent crush on him. Her boys, Sirius and Regulus, will probably one day join his cause to impress that irritating hag. Anyway, Riddle, I believe, would want arrange a meeting with Bella as soon as possible after my funeral. Once I'm gone, Bella will be uncontrollable for a while - vulnerable. She will seek comfort from him.. And I think he wants to brand her arm with his 'rumoured' dark mark, which only means one thing…"

"She will be sent on a murder mission." Dumbledore ended her sentence sadly.

"And she will do it. She will kill. And there will be no turning back after that. She only just turned 17…" Druella voice started to quiver, but she composed herself. Unlike the Headmaster, she did not allow herself to sob in front of others.

"You want me to do it after your funeral. Who will provide me with the time, date and place?" Dumbledore asked gently, but with determination.

"Quenzi. She is our house-elf at the manor, and she will appear to you when the time is right. I know I have asked a lot of you, but could you please open up a space for Quenzi at Hogwarts? She is a great server and will do me proud even in my absence."

"And by that, I assume, you keep her save from Tom's onslaught after your daughters disappear?"

"Yes. She will always be a Black house-elf, this is just for time-being."

"Thirty years qualify as 'time-being'?" Dumbledore smiled.

Druella rolled her eyes, but smirked.

''Is this it, then?" Dumbledore asked, as if they just discussed quidditch league updates.

"Yes." Druella smiled, feeling tired. She achieved what she came here to do – she protected her daughters and outwitted Tom Riddle – for now. The rest will be up to her daughters.

"Thank you, Dumbledore." At her thanks, Dumbledore smiled happily.

Druella struggled to stand up from her chair and felt grateful that Dumbledore didn't have the nerve to ask her if she required help.

"Druella?" Dumbledore inquired softly.

"Yes?"

"I've heard a few rumours about your fast declining health, but I thought it to be gossip."

"Sadly, it's not. No Healer in Britain, or anywhere in the world, knows how to cure me."

"How did it start?"

"With Tom Riddle." Druella answered with a rather childish voice, and chuckled bitterly.

"Care to explain?"

"Tom Riddle attended the annual Black Manor Christmas ball last year. He requested to meet with Bellatrix, and I refused him. He visited regularly after the ball, hoping to meet Bella - he tried impressing me with useless gifts. I never trusted the wizard... He was much too captivated by the Black family heirlooms in the manor - at times, ''Druella uncomfortably shifted in her seat, ''At times I saw a red glint in his eyes...'' Durella thoughtfully ended her sentence, and she was relieved when Dumbledore nodded in agreement - as if he had seen it too.

''So I, meanwhile in secret, researched Riddle's past in the manor's libraries and discovered him to be a half-blood. Needless to say, his next unannounced visit in the manor resulted in a peculiar confrontation between him and I. We dueled."

"You dueled?" Dumbledore interrupted, sounding surprised.

"He is very skilled, but I was better. He is not the only one with knowledge about the dark arts." Druella informed Dumbledore, and childishly enjoyed the disapproving gaze he gave her. "I had the upper-hand - leading him to apparate away - like the coward I always knew he was."

"And then what happened?"

"After that fateful day he never returned to the Black Manor and I foolishly thought that I succeeded to scare him off. But, then I 'suddenly' got ill. My illness took control over my powers slowly at first, but as the curse in my body began to spread I deteriorated quite quickly. My powers are too weak to keep him out of the Black Manor and now, without my consent, he has taught Bella in the attic every Wednesday this summer - he teaches her dark spells, he is indoctrinating her views... And He knows that there is nothing that I can do to stop him. He is a sadist, he enjoys seeing how weak I have become. And he knows exactly how weak Cygnus is - "

"Was it a curse he sent you during your duel, or one of his gifts that he tried to impress you with, that caused your illness?"

"You have an irritating habit of interrupting me, Dumbledore." Druella warned suddenly and icily. She was weak but she still had bite.

"My apologies." Dumbledore innocently smiled at Druella, who decided to answer his question anyway.

"It was gift he gave me on one of his previous visits... I always had a weakness for black pearls, and that was the one present he gave me that I didn't destroy." Druella recalled. "I realised too late that the black pearls were cursed. Vanity, Dumbledore, is the cause of my death. And you are the only one that knows the truth." Druella laughed bitterly.

''Since you had known the truth of my past, and never revealed it - your truth won't be revealed by me as well.'' Dumbledore kindly reassured Druella, who rolled her eyes dramatically in response. But she stiffly nodded when Dumbledore continued to smile at her reassuringly.

"Did you destroy the pearls?" Dumbledore asked, eventually.

"Of course. I destroyed it with Basilisk's venom in my potions lab."

Dumbledore raised a curious eyebrow at the witch.

''And it was completely destroyed?'' Dumbledore asked again.

''Yes.'' Druella hissed, annoyed beyond belief. '

''Is it not against the law to have Basilisk venom in a home? Even professional potion-makers search for years to get their hands on that scarce ingredient.'' Dumbledore asked, with a teasing glint in his eyes.

"My husband knows a guy." Druella explained, feeling a bit irked at herself for revealing so much...

"So Tom is indeed the cause of your death." Dumbledore concluded thoughtfully.

"Well, I don't believe in coincidences, Dumbledore." Druella answered softly, walking out of the Headmasters office without granting the Headmaster a second look.

Dumbledore watched her leave his office - and he sadly realised that he would never see Druella Black, the once great witch, alive again.