A/N-
I realised as I was editing this chapter that it's actually longer than what I've written for my English coursework over the summer... Perhaps I've messed up my priorities! Oh well. I hope you enjoy!
I also hope that anyone who picked up results today did well!
Chapter 22 (Ava)
The sun's rays passed into my room through the thin curtains, giving Fred's face a golden glow. When he slept, his face showed no signs of worry- no lines broke into his freckled face. He was a vision of beauty. I wanted to keep him in that moment forever, but I knew that I had to wake him up.
I was going to Hogwarts.
The thought made me feel oddly sick- from excitement or nerves I couldn't tell. I knew how much it would benefit me to finally help the cause, yet I was still terrified to see what Hogwarts had become. Was it even recognisable any more? Which students would still be there?
Shaking my questions away, I reached my hand out and gently shook Fred's shoulders, murmuring his name softly. He began to stir, and a smile formed on his face as he stretched out his limbs like a cat in the sun. But after a moment, he seemed to register the day, and his smile slipped away. He sat up and looked at me silently. I stared back at him, unsure of what to say. Finally, he broke the silence.
"When are you leaving?"
"In an hour," I whispered, "Too soon."
He reached forwards and pulled me towards his chest, kissing the top of my head softly, "You're doing a good thing, Ava. We'll see each other again soon. When it all ends."
I nodded slowly, holding him for a minute longer before disentangling myself from the sheets and standing up. He reached over for his clothes as I made my way to the bathroom.
The shower was cold, but the dripping water down my spine was enough to wake me up properly and clear my thoughts. I pulled on the dark clothes and cloak that Remus had provided for me, observing dryly that they were green. Of course. I could never escape Slytherin.
I emerged from the bathroom, picking up the small bag that I had packed most of my clothes and other belongings into using an undetectable extension charm on it. I had to be discreet on my way to Hogwarts and not attract any attention from patrolling Death Eaters nearby.
Fred had already gone downstairs to get something to eat for breakfast, so I made my way into the kitchen, placing my bag down on the table. Mrs. Weasley had prepared some food for me to take with me in case I got hungry, as well as a large breakfast to keep me going for as long as possible. I felt sick from fear but ate as much of it as I could, not wanting to offend her or make her worry about me while I was away. Who knew when I would see her again?
Remus arrived ten minutes after I'd sat down in the kitchen, checking his watch to make sure we weren't going to be late. We had initially planned for me to make my way into Hogwarts at night time, but the Caterwauling Charm on Hogsmeade prevented me from entering the area after a curfew without setting off an alarm. So, instead, I had to enter Hogsmeade and pretend to be a tradeswoman. I had been told that someone would meet me at the Hog's Head and lead me into Hogwarts through a passageway.
"Ava," Remus cleared his throat, "I think it's time."
I nodded, picking my plate up and carrying it over to the sink to wash it. Mrs. Weasley began to make a fuss, so I quickly cast a cleaning charm on it before she could clean it herself. I was surprised when I turned back to face her to see her eyes filled with tears and her lower lip wobbling.
"Mrs. Weasley-" I started to say, but she cut me off.
"Be safe, Ava. Don't do anything reckless. Don't leave the Room of Requirement, for Merlin's sake. Don't let the Carrows or any other of the Death Eaters see that you're back at Hogwarts."
I started to reply, but she engulfed me in a hug, pulling me tightly to her. I buried my head into her shoulder, suddenly feeling grateful for everything that she had done for me. I longed to say that, but didn't know how to form it into words. Instead I stayed silent, knowing that she'd understand how I felt either way. After we broke apart, she said goodbye once again and darted upstairs, wiping her eyes as she did.
I felt a hand on my wrist and turned to look at Ginny. She cleared her throat, "Everything you're imagining that's at Hogwarts... it's ten times worse. I just want you to know that. It's not what you'd expect at all, Ava."
Ginny was going to return after the end of the Christmas holidays, much to much to Mrs. Weasley's dismay. Fred and George had convinced her that it was better to let her go there.
I thanked her quietly, reaching out to hug her, "I'll see you in a few days, Ginny."
She nodded quickly, pulling back so that George could hug me. He held onto me for a second longer than I expected, and I murmured in his remaining ear, "Look after yourself, Georgie boy. I don't want to hear that you've lost the other ear as well."
He chuckled, pulling away with a smirk, "Well I doubt I would hear about it if that happened."
I laughed quietly, waving goodbye to the two of them as I picked up my bag and left the kitchen to follow Remus to the front door. He was standing by it with a soft expression on his face, and I realised after a moment that he was watching Fred.
I stopped and looked up at Fred, desperately trying to study every freckle on his face and every golden fleck in those deep brown eyes. I wanted to remember every detail about him, for those lonely, dark nights at Hogwarts.
Fred seemed to be doing the same to me, and the sad expression in his eyes made my heart contract. Closing my eyes, I lifted my face and kissed him softly. I felt his lips part slightly as his hand rested on the back of my neck. I rested my forehead against his, revelling the heat of his skin against my own. Who knew when I would feel this again?
"I love you," I murmured, opening my eyes and inhaling his scent, "And I will see you again soon."
He grabbed my face, "We'll reunite again very soon, Ava Potter. Perhaps when we do, this might all be over."
He kissed me one final time before pulling away and lifting his hands from my face. I offered him a small smile and squeezed his hand gently, and then I turned to face Remus.
"It's time?"
He nodded slowly, opening the front door and gesturing for me to go through. I walked through it with one final look back at Fred before turning away from him and leaving him once again.
* * *
I stood with Remus at the edge of a cave near Hogsmeade where we had Apparated only minutes before.
"How did you know that this cave was here?" I asked, glancing into it cautiously.
"Sirius used it as a hideout in Harry's fourth year. I used to come here sometimes to provide him with supplies or keep him company." He paused, "It was lonely for him, being the world's most wanted criminal."
I wondered idly how Sirius could have lived in a cave for a whole year, but- of course- it had been nothing in comparison to Azkaban for twelve years.
Remus raised his wand and pointed it at my face, "I'm going to Transfigure some of your features slightly, and make your hair look grey. You need to look like an old woman."
"Right," I muttered dryly, "And this won't be permanent?"
A smile passed across his lips, "No, Ava. It shouldn't last more than about fifteen minutes, and you can ask Aberforth to undo it if you still look old when you arrive at the Hog's Head."
"Aberforth?" I asked as Remus started to cast the spells. I felt my nose change shape and winced at the pain.
"Sorry," He murmured, "And yes, Aberforth. He's the one who owns the Hog's Head. You'll realise who he is once you get there."
I glanced down at my greying hair and wrinkled hands, "So I'm an old lady selling Belladonna and other illegal ingredients?"
Remus nodded, "I put them in the top of your bag so you can show anyone who asks. But say that you have a specific customer that you're going to see, and that their identity must remain a secret."
I looked up at Remus, my stomach churning with fear, "Right."
He pulled me to him tightly, "Be safe, Ava. Aberforth will let me know if you don't arrive within half an hour, which you should. Don't do anything stupid. I'll see you soon."
"See you soon," I whispered, "I hope everything goes well with the baby. Let me know if you can about when Tonks gives birth."
I pulled away and inhaled deeply, pulling my hood up over my head, "Convincing enough?"
"Very," He nodded, "Now, go."
I turned away from him and began to dart down the hill into Hogsmeade. It was only a small hill, but well hidden from everything else. Luckily, from the Dumbledore's Army meeting in the Hog's Head a couple of years ago, I know exactly where I was supposed to go.
There weren't any students in Hogsmeade- in fact, it looked almost empty. There were a few people walking around here and there, but most of the shops were closed and the atmosphere was not what it once had been. I kept my head down as I walked past the few people that seemed to be patrolling the streets, trying not to look like I was too obviously concealing my face.
I turned the corner onto a slightly busier street, and as my eyes fell upon the Hog's Head at the very end, someone shouted out after me.
"Oi! Old woman!"
I turned around slowly, not allowing my face to reveal anything as my eyes fell upon Fenrir Greyback. My thoughts flickered to how close Remus had been, and I hoped that he had already gone. I had read somewhere that werewolves could sense when others were nearby.
I cleared my throat and made my voice more high pitched, "Yes?"
"What are you doing here? Never seen you 'round these parts before." Fenrir spat, looking me up and down. I shivered.
"Selling some Belladonna, dear. What's it to you, anyway?"
Fenrir rolled his eyes, "We get a lot of people saying that. Show me the goods. Then I'll let you go."
I opened the bag slowly and pulled out a small vial of Belladonna, holding it between my fingers to show him. He peered at it closely, "What a lovely little bottle."
I felt a sharp pain in the fingers of my free hand, and glanced down to see that the charm had already lifted. I allowed my sleeve to drop a few inches lower, concealing my fingers.
"Any other questions?" I asked quietly, and Fenrir shook his head.
"On you go. If you've got any spare poisons lying around after you've sold that, come back and find me and my friends."
I lowered my head in a nod and dropped the bottle back into my bag, clipping it shut and turning my on my heel. I didn't walk too quickly and pretended I had a limp to make it more believable that I really was an old woman. The Hog's Head was closer now, although I could feel my nose returning to its normal shape and the wrinkles on my other hand were disappearing. I lowered my head and pulled the hood of the cloak down around my face even more. I could hear some jeering coming from one end of the street getting louder, but I didn't look up for fear of drawing attention to myself.
I found myself below the faded sign of the Hog's Head as I pushed the heavy door open and walked in. There were a few people sitting around tables, sharing drinks and talking to each other quietly. It wasn't busy though.
I approached the bar and sat down at a stool, my head still lowered.
"Can I help you?" A gravelly voice asked from behind the bar as someone walked towards me. I raised my head slightly, and the breath rushed out of me.
For a split second, I had thought it was Dumbledore standing before me. But as I blinked, I realised that his face was a slightly different shape, and his hair wasn't as long. His piercing blue eyes were shockingly similar, though.
Remus' words rang out in my head. You'll realise who he is once you get there. This man was Aberforth Dumbledore.
I cleared my throat, remembering the order that I had been told to make, "A pint of Fishy Green Ale, please. Not too frothy on top."
Aberforth showed no form of realisation on his face apart from a raised eyebrow. He sighed, "I'm afraid we're out of Fishy Green Ale. But why don't I take you to the back and show you some of the other options?"
"Wonderful," I muttered, sliding off of the bar stool and walking around the back with him. He opened the back door which led to a staircase. I followed Aberforth up into a small sitting room and dropped my hood, revealing my face at last.
"So you're Ava Potter." He murmured, tending to the fire with his back to me, "I was told you'd look like an old woman."
"It wore off," I told him, "Just before I arrived here. Thank you, by the way, for-"
I stopped as my eye caught on a mirror that was hanging on the wall. It didn't reflect my face in it at all. Instead, I saw Harry's face.
"Harry-" I started to say, "How can we see him?"
Harry's face disappeared, and I stopped, turning to Aberforth, "What was that?"
He cleared his throat, "I keep an eye on Potter's whereabouts using this mirror. He has the other piece."
"How is he?" The sight of Harry's face again, with longer hair and more prominent cheekbones, had made me realise how much I missed him, "Is he okay?"
Aberforth nodded, "He's alive. He's had some troubles, but he's coping."
I nodded slowly, trying to control myself. It was clear that Aberforth wasn't much of a talker, and I didn't want to irritate him.
"We'd better get you into Hogwarts then, Potter," He turned to a portrait of a young blonde girl which hung above the fireplace, "You know what to do."
She began to walk away, and I watched as she slowly disappeared from the portrait.
"Who is she?" I asked quietly.
"My sister," Aberforth mumbled, "Ariana. She died when she was young."
I started to say something, but he shook his head firmly. I understood that it was my time to stop asking questions. I stayed silent, waiting for Ariana to return and wondering what on Earth she would return with.
A few minutes later, her figure reappeared at the end of the portrait, and someone else was with her. I squinted, faintly recognising the figure. Whoever it was had a slight limp and looked rather dishevelled. It was only as he got close enough that the portrait swung open that I realised who he was.
"Neville!" I cried, rushing forwards to hug him.
"Ava?" He asked, seemingly lost for words, "How...? I... When...? Who...?"
I laughed as I buried my face into his shoulder, "I've missed you."
"You're here," He whispered, leaning back to look at me, "You look different."
I raised an eyebrow, "So do you. How many cuts do you have on your face exactly?"
He shrugged, "Oh, it's nothing. Honestly. Where have you been? Ginny said you were missing-"
My thoughts flickered to my time at Malfoy Manor, and I shook them away, reaching out and squeezing his hand, "I'll tell you about it later, Neville. I promise."
"Okay," He nodded, his dark eyes widening with worry, "I'll take you back. Not everyone's there at the moment because of the Christmas holidays. Merlin, I didn't know that you were coming. Why are you here?"
"I wanted to help," I smiled nervously, "Ginny told me about it and Remus won't let me join the Order, so this is the most I can do. I wanted to be here."
Neville hugged me to him again, clearly overwhelmed by the sight of me, "You're a star. Come on, then. Thanks, Aberforth. See you."
Aberforth grumbled something in response, and I thanked him again before we stepped through the portrait hole and started to walk down the passageway. Neville held my hand to lead me through the darkness, and I was grateful for his presence. As we got to the end, he suddenly turned to me with a dark expression.
"Ava," He murmured, "I just want you to know... This isn't the Hogwarts you'll remember."