CHAPTER SIXTY THREE
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-: fourth year :-
── IN WHICH FLORA
EXPLAINS
. . .
The last time Jane had seen Harry Potter was the night before, watching as he dragged Dudley towards Number 4 Privet Drive, whilst Mrs Figg was leading her towards her own house, where she was given a cup of tea that tasted so strongly of mint it almost made her eyes water and she sat waiting for Flora with a blanket covered in cat hair around her shoulder, with one of the old woman's cats on her lap.
She had walked quietly along after the attack, listening to Harry try to find out why Mrs Figg hadn't told him she was a Squib - whatever that was, and Jane was very interested in knowing because apparently she was one too. How Harry had casted Underage Magic, and some Ministry would already know about, and this Dumbledore fellow had to find out about the attack before they did so he could remedy it.
About this 'Mundungus Fletcher', who she then met. He smelt strongly of cigarettes and was clutching a silvery blanket, and had apparently abandoned his post of watching over Harry and Jane in favour of purchasing a number of stolen cauldrons. Mrs Figg had watched as Harry took his cousin up to the door of his house, before leading her towards her own home.
Mrs Figg had called Flora, who appeared in the living room with a pop and found her adoptive daughter huddled up in a house smelling distinctly of cabbage. Angela was driving the car up, because apparently Jane wasn't in the right state to 'Apparate' - which she also had no ideea about.
Then, once Angela did arrive, the three made their way back to the Adley Manor, where Jane quickly excused herself and disappeared into her attic room for the rest of the night, taking a long shower to get off the feeling of gloom and grime off of her body, falling asleep after ignoring the tray of food left in the hallway. She couldn't stomach anything even if she tried.
It was a struggle to sleep that night, her mind filled with images of these.. things that she could only see because she was a 'Squib', and not whatever Dudley was. Because only God knew what was going on with Harry and the rest of the people she had been surrounded with since she left the home.
She had no idea what was going on, but as the next morning dawned and she lay almost lifelessly in her bed - just as frozen as she had been since those creatures appeared - she decided to get up.
Jane hadn't been able to get rid of the feeling she had since the attack, so she decided to wear the brightest thing she could manage. She returned to her sunflower-yellow dress, pulling a knitted cardigan around her shoulders to try and get rid of the chill, seperating her hair into two, thick plaits and made her way downstairs.
Flora and Angela were in the kitchen, and as soon as Jane entered they shot up from the corner of the counter they were crowded around, shoulder-to-shoulder as they looked over sheets of paper.
"Morning." Flora was first to speak, as Angela took a step away so that she could busy herself in making Jane breakfast, which had already been prepared and was keeping warm in the oven. "How are you feeling."
"I'm fine." Jane replied, finding her words oddly sticky and she cleared her throat, slipping down into the stool Flora pulled out for her. "Yeah.. I'm fine. A bit.. confused."
Her eyes flickered over to the area of counter that the two women had been peered over. There were pictures - moving pictures - alongside letters written in swirling ink and scrap pieces of parchment. Jane was wrong before. "No.. I'm very confused." She amended, and Flora nodded.
"You're bound to be. I apologise for not telling you sooner, but I had to make sure certain things were in place before I could say anything." Florence explained, and although the words didn't give her much to go on, Jane nodded and sat quietly for a moment. Angela and Flora exchanged glances, the latter clearing her throat, Jane looking up again. "Would you rather ask questions, or for me to just tell you?"
"I have one question.. then the second option." Jane said after a moment. Flora nodded encouragingly, and the red-haired girl continued. "What's a Squib? Mrs Figg said that she was one as well."
"It means you don't have magic, but you are born of a witch and wizard." She replied. It was just simply that, and as Jane began to eat, she took it in a processed it. Flora swallowed. "Hidden in Britain, and all across the world, is a magical community. It would be too much to explain to you now.. but there is a section of the library I've kept hidden from you that you might be interested in."
"I'll look into it today." Jane said. "Is Harry a wizard?" Flora nodded. "Are you two witches?" She got more nods. "Did you choose me because I'm a Squib? You didn't even look around at the other children.. so you must have known."
Flora shifted in her seat. "I should explain from the beginning. Several hundred years ago, my ancestors created the home to which you have spent most of your life. There are normal, Muggle - that means normal people like Dudley Dursley, or the gardeners - children, but there are also Squib children, like you and several others, who are born through magical circumstances yet possess no powers. Often, Squib children find themselves abandoned, and the Ministry of Magic would send them to the Home. You, dear, have not been abandoned."
Jane felt a slight pressure lift from her chest. "What happened then? Where are my parents." She asked. Florence moved her gaze back down to the counter, before placing one of the moving photos under Jane's nose. A man and a woman stared back at her. The man had blazing orange hair like her own, whilst the mother possessed grey eyes that matched Jane's more than any other.
"This is Wendy and Edward Everleigh. They were both wizards and witches, who died at the hands of Voldemort and his followers. The lightening scar Harry has, that comes from Voldemort trying to kill him. And Voldemort is back." Florence said, making sure to keep her words relatively blank, lacking in tones. "Voldemort is an evil wizard, who used his powers to create the First Wizarding War, which took place from 1970 to 1981. He died whilst trying to kill the Potters. Or so we thought."
"The Potters.. Harry's parents?"
"Yes. Harry's parents, and your parents along with their friends - like Harry's godfather Sirius Black, who was wrongly convicted of the murder of Peter Pettigrew, who is very much alive and the helper of Voldemort - were a part of something called the Order of the Phoenix. I am also a part of this Order, as is Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster of Harry's boarding school and the most powerful wizard of this age. Dumbledore created the Order to fight against Voldemort. Voldemort found out about this, and used his army of Death Eaters - wizards who supported his cause of blood purity." Flora continued.
"Wizards are either born Pureblood - of a witch and a wizard - Halfblood - of one magical parent and one Muggle - or Muggleborn, who are born to Muggle parents and are a result of magic in their ancestry. They are also born as Squibs, who don't have magic when they should. It is considerably rare, but not as uncommon as hoped. Voldemort is against Muggleborns, and believe they shouldn't be allowed in Wizarding society." Angela chimed in, as she loaded more food onto Jane's plate.
"And the Potters, and the Everleighs were against this. And they were powerful, which meant that Voldemort wanted to eliminate this threat. Whilst he himself went after the Potters, his Death Eaters came for the Everleighs. They were killed on the night of Halloween, 1981, and in an act that nobody quite understands, the young son of Lily and James Potter managed to survive the killing curse, which rebounded and killed Voldemort."
Jane felt as though she should be taking notes, but she was nodding and taking it in silently, making mental notes of questions she had so as to not disrupt it. "But.. Voldemort is back."
"Yes, and Harry witnessed him return. I shall allow him to explain things further when it comes to it, but I don't believe he has any ideas about your heritage and family." Florence smiled, tapping Jane's plate when she realised that she had completely forgotten to keep eating. "After your parents' deaths, you came to the home. As you are an Everleigh, it was feared that members of Voldemort's followers would come after you, so Albus - Dumbledore - and I agreed it would be best to keep you there, that way you can grow up in a normal environment. The Death Eater followers were either imprisoned or completely gave up their practises, so it was decided it was best."
"However, at the end of June, with Voldemort's return, it was decided that I would take you in. It was merely a coincedence that you greeted me in the car." Flora said. "And, it was a coincedence you and Harry became friends, although I did expect you to see him at some point - I was also ordered to watch over Harry and make sure he's alright, so it made things a lot easier for me that you became friends."
"I see... am I in danger now?" Jane asked, and Flora quickly shook her head.
"No - Albus, Angela and I have made sure that there are adequate protections surrounding us." Florence reassured her. "You are not in danger - I do not know what happened with the Dementors and why they were there, but I will be finding out soon."
"What about Harry, is he in danger?" Silence followed. "Right.. I see... What's going to happen to him? He used magic.. they mentioned some Ministry?"
"Dumbledore will be sorting it out." Flora reassured her. "But as it seems that the Dementors were sent to attack Harry - usually they're guarding the Wizarding Prison, Azkaban, which is so far off the coast that it's impossible for them to be here by accident."
"And Voldemort sent them?"
"It's likely.. how he managed that, we aren't sure. But Harry will be fine, Albus will make sure of it." Flora reassured her, holding out a large, leather-bound book. "These are some more photos I believe you will want. And after getting to know you - which has been my utmost pleasure - until now, I think you would best process this by reading more."
Jane looked down at the book, her fingers trailing over the embroidered leather. "You think? Is there.. anything in particular that I might like?" She asked.
"Astronomy books, History of Magic, Potions, Herbology, Alchemy, Magical Creatures. There are several sections." Flora got to her feet. "If you want anything, Angela will be here to supply any foods and drink. I'll be in my study.. I have a lot to get on with." The woman still had a smile on her face as she lead Jane towards the doorway and down the hallway.
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind." Jane nodded. For the first time in her entire summer in Little Whinging, she wasn't meeting Harry, or spending her day outside. Flora looked worried for a moment.
"Good." She nodded. "You should Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander, or The Tales of Beedle the Bard. You would enjoy them." Flora informed her. "There are all the old school books in there as well."
Jane had a day of reading ahead of her, but it would be stinted, and her mind would wander every now and again. She couldn't help it really, thinking back to the Dementors and trying to organise what she had heard about this Voldemort guy.
And she had no idea what was happening with Harry.
It was all too much.
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