'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.'
chapter two
headquarters
Trust.
Trust is fragile. It is like the thin layer of ice on which you tread carefully, taking each step with precaution. But after some time, you no longer focus, you give in to the bliss of being there. And that is when it breaks. And you fall. And that fall really does fucking hurt a lot.
Alicia figured Dumbledore had had this fall many times in his life. He didn't wish to undergo it again, especially because of a stranger. She was letting him have his dear time building his trust over her. She couldn't rush it. Without gaining Dumbledore's trust, she will be nowhere near completing her assignment. (or mission if you'd like to call it)
Still, she was anxious if her first task had been a success or not. Did Dumbledore actually not believe her? That would ruin everything. Her trip to the past would turn out practically useless. Then how would she know what was exactly going at the moment to intervene and prevent unnecessary outcomes?
The thought of her failing the very first day kept her nerves high even when she arrived at Dumbledore's office the next evening, knocking on the oak door which opened on its own accord allowing her to step in.
Inside the office, Dumbledore was sitting calmly and observing some papers under the moonlight peaking through the window. On hearing the door open he removed the papers from his desk and greeted warmly, "There you are Miss. Jones and here I was wondering if you had lost track of time."
Dumbledore clearly seemed to be in a good mood which was made clear by that warm welcome. There was no longer that inkling suspicion and doubt in his eyes.
Her nerves eased instantly and she took her professional posture on.
"I apologise for my retardness." Alicia said in her pure business-like voice. "The castle is enormous, almost maze-like."
"Indeed." Dumbledore nodded. "But nevermind that, it's time to go for the meeting at the headquarters."
It seemed like Dumbledore had settled everything down in less than twenty four hours. Brilliant.
"Sure, Mr. Dumbledore."
She followed after, getting a firm grip on his arm as they disapparated with a small crack.
The feeling of apparition was not at all novel to her. It was just that same old well known feeling of as if being sucked down an extremely narrow tube and then split seconds later being made aware of a whole new surrounding.
As soon as their feets touched the ground, Dumbledore began walking again, making Alicia follow suit.
Alicia opted to keep her thoughts to herself of the need to apparate far from the site instead of right in front of it.
Finally, Dumbledore took a pause in his steps, prompting her to do the same, and Alicia for the first time took notice of her surroundings.
The grimy fronts of the adjacent houses were not inviting; several had shattered windows that glistened dully in the streetlights, paint was peeling off many of the doors, and heaps of garbage lay outside numerous sets of front steps.
Alicia wondered how someone could live in such uncleanliness.
Dumbledore took out what appeared to be like a silver cigarette lighter and raising it into the air, clicked it.
With a pop, the nearby streetlamp went out. He clicked it again, and the next lamp went out; he kept clicking until every lamp in the square was out, and the only light came from the curtained windows and the sickle moon overhead.
It was a dilluminater. Alicia had read of it briefly somewhere. As far as she recalled Dumbledore had designed it himself.
She followed after him across the road and onto the pavement, mindful of the lack of light around her.
"Here," Dumbledore said in a quiet tone, handing her a piece of parchment. "Read quickly and memorise."
She lit her wand and brought it closer to read the words sprawled across the page ━
The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.
She handed it back wordlessly, and watched as it crumpled to the ground, turning into ashes.
She needn't ask where number twelve was because she had been told beforehand of its hidden location, and besides not even seconds later a dilapidated door emerged out of nowhere between numbers eleven and thirteen, followed by dingy walls and filthy windows.
"Come on, hurry." Dumbledore murmured quickly. He was keen on keeping the hidden location of headquarters hidden only.
She walked up the weathered stone steps, her gaze fixed on the newly materialized door. Its black paint was chipped and dingy. The door knocker was silver and shaped like a twisted serpent. There was no letterbox or keyhole.
Dumbledore pulled out his wand and tapped the door once. Alicia heard a lot of noisy mechanical clicks and what sounded like a chain clatter. The door swung open with a creaky sound.
She stepped inside and immediately smelt moisture, dirt, and a sweetish, decaying odour, and she had the immediate impression that she was in a decrepit building.
Dumbledore was standing on the top step, releasing the balls of light that the dilluminater had taken from the streetlamps; they flew back to their bulbs, and the square blazed briefly with orange light before Dumbledore came inside and locked the front door, leaving the hall completely dark.
"Just a second." whispered Dumbledore and she heard a soft hissing sound, and then ancient gas lamps lurched to life all along the walls, casting a flickering indistinct glow over the peeling wallpaper and tattered carpet of a long, dingy hallway, where a cobwebby chandelier glinted overhead and age-blackened portraits hung crooked on the walls. The chandelier, as well as the candle on a neighbouring wobbly table, were both shaped like serpents.
She started walking further ahead, gazing and examining the building. She had heard about this place but had never really visited it. It appeared to be more gloomy than she had anticipated.
Alicia took a step forward, craning her neck to look at the ceiling, from where she could see water dripping from various places.
She took another step forward, her neck still craned up and ━ CRASH!
She hissed in pain, her hand instantly going to rub her knee which had hit an umbrella stand and had knocked it down.
"I'm sorry ━"
However, the rest of her words were drowned out by a horrific, ear-splitting, blood-curdling scream. This scream was followed by many yells till she had to cover her ears with her hands.
"FILTH! SCUM! HALF-BREEDS! FREAKS! MUTANTS!" the portrait was insulting but soon was overpowered by a roaring voice of a man with black hair who came charging out of a door. "Shut up! You horrible old hag, Shut UP!!"
"Youuuuu!" the portrait, who was assumed to be a lady according to Alicia by her voice, howled, her eyes popping out at the sight of the man. "Blood Traitor! Shame of my flesh!"
"I said-SHUT-UP." roared the man and with a stupendous effort he and some other ill and exhausted looking man, managed to shut down the portrait.
The woman's screeching died and an echoing silence fell.
Alicia finally took notice of the man's appearance before her. His black hair was short but not too short and he was clad in a boyish muggle attire of jeans and black leather jacket. However, he was panting, his chest heaving up and down in the process, and he rested his palms on his knees in order to catch his breath.
At least something was clean here.
The other man, though, looked extremely ill and exhausted. It looked like he was ready to pass out any second. Perhaps the workload was getting on him. Alicia already pitied him.
Finally catching his breath, the dark haired man turned his attention to her and Dumbledore and gave Dumbledore a little bow of head as a greeting.
He then averted his eyes to her, curiosity lying deep beneath them, and thrusted his hand forward, introducing himself, "Sirius Orion Black. Harry Potter's godfather."
Oh, so this was Sirius Black. The one who dies at the ministry fight.
Alicia could clearly make out the pride in his voice to introduce himself by his godson's name.
She passed him a professional smile, shaking his outstretched hand, "Alicia Jones. Dumbledore's acquaintance."
He chuckled slightly before turning his head sideways and grinning at the ill man, saying, "Well, looks like Dumbledore's found another Tonks."
⊱ ────ⓛⓘⓔⓢ──── ⊰
A/n:
Some new things in the rewritten version but nothing that might effect everything.
But, I thought of making their first meet kinda better.
Anyways, buh-bye!♡♡
actual publish date : 1 June 2021
republish date : 22 June 2022
previous word count : 931
new word count : 1419