Decree No.29 (O.C) Fred Weasley/ Draco Malfoy

The Choice

"When you gave your life to save Fred Weasley, the killing curse Voldemort put upon you was meant to be permanent," Dumbledore explained, "however, as I should've known, there is magic more powerful than dark magic."

"What, the power of love?" Jessica joked.

"Yes actually," said Dumbledore, who acknowledged the irony in her speech, "I'm sure I've explained to you how Harry survived Voldemort all those years ago."

"Yeah, his mum sacrificed herself and put a protective spell onto him," Jessica answered matter-of-factly.

Dumbledore gave her some time to think.

"Oh," she said, realising, "you think that's what's happened here?"

Dumbledore took a breath and leaned forward on the stool.

"I think that when your mother gave her life to save you, that power went on to the necklace, and henceforth why you could never take it off, it was protecting you," he described further, "your mothers love went into it, giving you another chance if Voldemort was to ever come for you again."

Jessica sat in thought. Her memories flushed over all of the time with Bethan. She looked at them differently now. How she must have loved her so much that a protection spell would form, but Jessica only saw her as a lady she saw a couple of times a week. She felt a sudden great sense of loss.

"We think...," Dumbledore continued, "we think that's how the necklace works. Its passed on through family, a protective relic."

There was a moment of silence and Jessica lingered on the mention of family. The word had an all new meaning to her now.

"My dad is still out there," Jessica said, "Regulus Black...did you know?"

Dumbledore sighed. "I'm ashamed to say I had heard whispers," he confessed, "but that's all they were...whispers, I didn't want to give Sirius hope unless I had evidence."

It showed him to be human. Jessica couldn't judge him for that, she had thought the same thing herself. She distracted herself by twiddling with her thumbs.

"Well, he'll never know now will he..." Jessica said mournfully, then she thought, "how's Harry?"

"Doing as well as anyone is expected to be in his situation," he answered, his face now looking rather sorrowful, "he's now back with his muggle family. I hope he will be okay."

Jessica sadly did an inwards laugh. "So same as me, why did you bring me here?"

He had erased her families memory, it was almost cruel to have her live in this house again.

"When you sacrificed yourself..." Dumbledore started to explain, "it was too late for me to realise what I had done to you. That I had never really given you a choice."

"You can say that again," Jessica scoffed, "you practically kidnapped me."

Dumbledore looked rather disappointed in himself, and stood up, appearing agitated. "I want to give you a choice Jessica, that's why you're here."

"A choice of what?" Jessica asked up at him. He walked behind the stool and stood against the wall facing her.

"Well after everyone thought you had died that night at the Ministry, I erased their memories," he told her, "...as per your request."

"Right," Jessica responded, remembering that she did in fact say that. She didn't want her friends to mourn the loss of her, or want to get revenge.

Dumbledore continued, glad that she didn't bite his head off about that. "And as far as anyone at Hogwarts is concerned, there was a little bit of rain at dinner time and now no one knows Jessica Clarke was ever a student there."