Hiraeth | Regulus Black

Chapter Forty Five

Striding down the corridor with a mountain of books balanced precariously in her arms, Esme kept nearly stumbling over as she regularly turned around to see if anyone was following her.

Then, just as she rounded a corner, Esme nearly barrelled into someone altogether.

"Miss Avery..." Professor Dumbledore looked through his half-moon spectacles and down his crooked nose at Esme as she straightened out the stack of books in her arms, "What luck! I've been keeping an eye out for you."

"Luck?" Esme asked, "You're the Headmaster. You can just pull me out of a lesson if you want me."

"Most true." He nodded, and then turned to eye the books she was carrying, "Lots of studying, by the looks of it." The Professor mused.
"Yes, well, I've heard terrible things about NEWT exams." She admitted.

"Professor Flitwick was telling me about how superbly you did in last years exams. Truly remarkable work." Dumbledore continued, "Perhaps we could have a word in my office?"
"Have I done something wrong?" She asked.
Though, Esme was more put off by the answer she received, as Dumbledore replied, "I don't believe so."

Esme's palms started to sweat as she silently followed the Headmaster to the Gargoyle staircase and up to his office. She'd never stepped foot in it before, but if she'd ever thought about what Dumbledore's office would look like, she wouldn't have been far wrong.
It was a large, beautiful circular room covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses. At the back of the room stood an enormous, claw-footed desk with mountains of paperwork haphazardly stacked and hanging off the edges as if about to fall to the ground.

Professor Dumbledore took of his spectacles and pocketed them in his robes, under his long and wiry beard. He moved to stand behind his desk as Esme glanced around at various unusual objects stacked in shelves behind glass doors. She adjusted the books in her arms, shifting from one side to the other to balance out the weight.

"You can put the books down for now, if you like." Dumbledore stated as he sifted through some sheets of parchment. She placed them on the edge of a small table that seemed to have a dish of black, round sweets in it.

"Excuse me, but, why am I here?" Esme inquired.
"In this office, or in Hogwarts? That's a very existential question." He replied, only further confusing the girl.

Then, Dumbledore finally appeared to find what he was looking for and he looked up at the girl, "Am I correct in saying you told Professor Flitwick you wished to work for the Department of International Magical Cooperation?"

"I wish to change it." Esme stated, "I want it to help witches and wizards, in other countries, who are under persecution for their magic. I don't believe in wasting time organising sporting tournaments."

"Very wise." Dumbledore smiled, "Though, is Mister Black not a fan of said tournaments?"
"Excuse me?"
"Forgive me. I see you spent and lot of time together and I'm simply nosy."
Esme laughed, "Ah, right."

"I've strayed off topic." Dumbledore straightened up, "I've been meaning to address something with you - concerning these dark times we find ourselves in."

"Oh." Esme's voice broke as she felt a lump rise in her throat.

He smiled grimly, "The Ministry has been struggling greatly to deal with the threat of the Death Eaters."
"Threat?" Esme asked without really considering the implications of such a question.
"I'm sure your friend Mister Cresswell could attest to that." Dumbledore reminded.

"Surely..." Esme paused, taking a deep breath as she tried to quickly figure out how to continue, "There would be some that are innocent."
"Some?"
"Some Death Eaters... Surely not all are guilty of the crimes associated with them." She mumbled.

"It is an incredible thing..." Dumbledore smiled warmly now, "For a young witch, such as yourself, to understand the complexities of making broad assumptions. Not many people, of any age, have such a compassion."
"Is it a matter of compassion? I think it is a lack of ignorance." She pointed out.

"Both. Perhaps." He accepted and then lowered his voice as he stated, "Though, what I am about to tell you is of the utmost secrecy."
"Okay." Esme didn't know what else to say.

"There is an organisation that works to combat the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort... The Order of the Phoenix." Dumbledore explained.

"Professor-" Esme began but stopped as he held up his hand and continued to talk.
"I've noticed the subject of the books you've withdrawn from the library. Is there a reason for studying so intensely about occlumency, when it isn't on the Hogwarts curriculum?"

Then, it was as though a lightbulb switched on in her mind. All of the fractured pieces had fallen together and finally, Esme saw how she was going to play her vital role in the wizarding war.

"During your father's time at Hogwarts, he was very close friends with a Mister Riddle." Dumbledore's voice became hushed as he spoke.

Esme nodded and finally explained, "When my brother and I were young, much younger, he came to visit a few times. He used to entertain us with various magic tricks and one... I remember vividly... Was that he would read our minds to tell us what we were thinking, or what we'd eaten for dinner the previous day to shock and entertain us. Professor, he's a Legilimens. That's... That's why I need to know about occlumency."

It was almost as though Dumbledore had partly been expecting this news. He nodded gently and placed the parchment back down on his desk. Slowly, he moved around the desk to stand at the front of it and face Esme directly.

"I feared as much." He nodded again, "Though, you offer a unique vantage point for the Order of the Phoenix."
"Professor..." Esme revealed the tiniest of smiles, "If I came across anymore interesting information like that, perhaps you could do me a favour?"

Professor Dumbledore hummed slightly and turned around back to his desk. He stood for amount before turning back around again and he peered down his long nose as he asked, "What would that be?"

"There's some people that need protecting. They've been entangled in Death Eater business by threat, and they want to escape but can't. Could... Could you hide them?"

And that was the beginning of it. Esme's path was chosen, and cemented. She would change the course of the wizarding war by selling Death Eater secrets to Dumbledore in exchange for the protection of those who wished to turn against Lord Voldemort.

Finally, after all of the tossing and turning and turmoil, Esme had put the finishing touches to her plan. A plan that she couldn't tell anyone. But a plan nonetheless.

If she were to get away with this, and keep her loved ones safe, then she needed to master occlumency and fast. Esme couldn't risk the Dark Lord figuring out what she was up to.

A little while later, as she left Professor Dumbledore's office, there was a second moment of epiphany.
Finally, Esme's nameless kitten had a name.

She walked down the corridor with a big grin on her face as she recalled the story from her childhood.
Antoinette Avery had read the story to her children when they were very young. The myth entailed a water nymph called Egeria. She was believed to originate pre-Ancient Rome. Egeria would share her wisdom and prophecies with King Numa Pompilius, in return for ritual offerings to keep her ancient groves alive.

That was what Esmerelda would name her new kitten - Egeria.

A symbol of Esme's role in the wizarding war. She only hoped nobody would figure out the meaning beneath the name.