When Aubrey had started the day, she'd envisioned it ending with a sweet yet triumphant celebration involving Firewhisky, Fred at her sight as well as a freed George and Lexy to add to the fun. Instead, she was sitting around outside Dumbledore's office, the old man having promised to explain everything. However, he'd quickly been summoned, promptly disappearing for half an hour before returning with Harry and then leaving once more. She was beginning to think he'd never get round to it and she'd be waiting until old age.
Ludo's rescue had been chaotic and quick, grabbing her wrist and apparating her to Hogsmeade before telling her they'd underestimated the situation and he needed to return. Feeling a little dazed and stunned, she'd wandered into the nearest shop and had promptly been escorted back to the castle by several villagers, in a scarily militant manner. Nobody had spoken as they'd walked which had given her time to try and figure out what she'd just witnessed, all the events swirling around her mind chaotically.
She'd heard what the Imposter had said at the Graveyard but didn't want to believe it. The man was deluded, she told herself, perhaps he'd simply been imagining the return of one of the Greatest Wizards of all time. Still, she could deny it all she wanted but it made sense with what she'd heard, his constant talk of being the greatest servant and traitors. But it felt like there were pieces missing to the puzzle leaving her with the one thing she hated most: the unknown.
Somehow, Dumbledore seemed to have a sixth sense for restlessness it seemed; just as she was about to get up and leave, the old man returned, a grave look on his face. This ignited some worry in her so he quickly forced his face into a cheery grin which only succeeded in scaring her more.
"Sorry for having kept you waiting."
"I was getting worried something else had gone wrong," She replied.
"Well, there is grave reason to be worried I'm afraid, the Ministry is, as usual, being somewhat ... troublesome," Dumbledore said, "Although I expect you know that from your parents."
"Believe me I do, hon," She said, drumming her fingers against the wall, "I'm sorry, this isn't the time but have you seen Fred? What happened to him after he got my note?"
"Mr Weasley certainly played an extraordinary part in your rescue," Dumbledore replied, muttering his password as the Eagle revolved up to reveal stairs, "Come this way. And rest assured, Fred is doing well. He was incredibly worried for your safety and when I last heard of him, he was asleep on Lee Jordan's shoulder in the lower corridor by the Herbology classrooms."
She looked back uncertainly as they began to climb up the stairs, "He was a huge part of this too, shouldn't you wait before explaining it?"
"I say we let him sleep for now. I trust you can explain it to him better than I in the morning and if he has any questions, I shall be more than happy to answer them," Dumbledore replied. His words suddenly sent a ripple of concern through her and she stopped dead. Dumbledore noticed this, halting moments after and turning to look down on her, "Aubrey?"
"How do I know this is you?" Dumbledore's eyes drifted down to her fingers which were balled up so hard, her nails painfully dug into her palm, " I know first hand that people aren't always who they appear."
For a moment Dumbledore appeared confused before nodding, "I understand, Polyjuice potion and a rather acute case of mind switching - "
At this, she stumbled back, "You're not you ... how could you know that? If you knew why didn't you help us?"
"Aubrey, please, I can assure you I am," He said, extending a hand towards her as she backed up against the wall, "I only found out a mere half an hour ago when they brought Barty Crouch Jr. in - "
"Who?" She asked before the name rung a vague bell, "He was the one who was meant to be judging the tournament!"
"His son, it's important to know the difference between them," Dumbledore replied solemnly, "Now Aubrey, I can't prove I am who I am but I need you to take my word for it. I can explain it all to you but I need you to trust me."
It was hard, she'd grown to trust so few people over the last year and her Headteacher was most certainly not one of them. Yet, her curiosity won out and she followed him up the stairs. Once they were there, she ensured they wasted no time, pressing him for every detail she could.
Due to so many unknowns, they'd drastically underestimated the situation, sending only three people to rescue her. Upon arriving, they'd quickly realised the severity was far higher than expected, this was no normal kidnapping that was clear. By the time Ludo had returned, one of his colleagues had vanished without a trace along with the Deatheaters whilst the other was still wandering aimlessly on the other side, unaware of the horrors that had occurred a mere hundred meters away. However, they had found one man, Barty standing in the place where it had occurred, cursing and laughing maniacally into the empty air about the 'cowards' who had fled once more.
When Ludo had returned to the castle, the struggling Deatheater barely in his grasp, Harry and Cedric had returned to an empty crowd. Barty appeared to be the missing piece to the puzzle and thanks to Professor Snape's excellent potions skills, had revealed all to them: the details of how he'd escaped, the murder of his late father and of course his reasons behind it. Aubrey asked a question or two at points but was content with listening for the most part.
"Why did he switch me and Fred?"
"He didn't intend for it to be the pair of you, I believe. It could have been anyone, purely down to chance," Dumbledore explained, "It was a powerful but completely unpredictable spell, selecting random people in the proximity of the jinx."
"I figured that out," She replied calmly, "I meant why?"
"I believe, he was simply experimenting with ways to get to the cup. One of those methods would have been a swap with Harry, taking over his body for the Third task. Being a powerful wizard, winning would have been an easy task. Moreover, I believe he would have stayed in Harry, bypassing the prophecy entirely, once body and mind are separated, there's no telling what will happen," Dumbledore explained, "I don't believe you were the only ones either, we're yet to find out exactly who was involved. So far we've discovered four students connected in a bizarre hive mind by the looks of things."
"This isn't modern magic."
"No, it's not," He confirmed, "The likes of this hasn't been seen for millennia."
"How did he do it? What does this mean?" She whispered.
Any cheeriness had disappeared from his face as he gravely nodded, "To tell the truth, I'm not entirely sure what it means but I know it's incredibly difficult to cast, taking immense power and talent. The Ministry will no doubt want to keep it quiet, much like other things ... it could mean tremendous upheaval."
"Such as?" She pushed on, "Sorry, I'm persistent and believe me, I will find out some other way."
"You certainly are Jasper's daughter," Dumbledore said, the statement ambiguous "As I said before I'm not entirely sure of the consequences as of yet, only time will tell and Lord Voldemort - " She winced at the name, " - will no doubt want to utilise it. There are certain laws which dictate our magical society, magic that shouldn't be tampered with. But there are branches that deal with that, different kinds of magic that only myths have foretold, so old that nobody alive today knows the consequences of them. We don't know how Barty brought it back as, to tell the truth, I doubt he did it alone from his answers. Magic this powerful requires skills I don't believe he has ... there are very few who do, Aubrey."
"Like who?"
"I believe that's enough for today - "
"I want to see him," She said suddenly, standing up for dramatic effect.
"Aubrey, I don't believe that's a good idea - "
"No, hon, probably not. It's probably about as good as your background checks for the Defence against the Darks position, I reckon," She snapped back, suddenly feeling an acute anger towards him for the events of tonight. The tears for Cedric were yet to come but the fury had started early, perhaps if he had been a little more careful the boy would seem
"If you don't let me, hon, I can find a way to do it. I might be able to get him to talk?"
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"
"He didn't kill me when he could have done and believe me, he's had plenty of chances," She replied dryly.
After a moment, he rose, "You won't be there alone but I will let you speak to him. I am curious about one thing though, why didn't you come to me immediately when you were switched?"
She stared back defiantly, "I figured I could do it better on my own."
For a second they held eye contact before he simply replied, "I suppose you truly are your parents' daughter."
The pair wasted no time, leaving the office quickly as Dumbledore led her down to the room where Crouch was being kept. Although from the conversation the way, it was clear Fudge had been expected to be there when they arrived they only found McGonagall along with several other professors ensuring the man stayed in place.
"Minerva ... Cornelius, where is he? I believe I sent Severus to fetch him."
"We are just as clueless as you, Albus, it's not like Fudge to be unpunctual," Minerva replied before her eyes widened spectacularly, "Albus, are you really sure it's wise to bring a student in here ... especially after what she's been through?"
"She insisted, we shall leave when the Minister arrives," Dumbledore assured her although this was not a prearranged promise.
Now that they were in the office, Aubrey's fire fuelled confidence had given way to apprehension, getting distinct flashbacks to what had occurred in there before. Before anyone could sense her nerves, she pushed them aside, reminding herself of the new safety measures in place.
Judging from the tense postures of the teachers around her, they were expecting seething rage or perhaps for the man to struggle against his shackles in an attempt to attack.
Instead, the man simply smiled: an evil, twisted grin but a smile nonetheless.
Of all the things he could have done, it was perhaps the most horrifying to Aubrey yet she'd mentally prepared herself for it. With some hesitation, she knelt down so their eyes were level.
"H-how did you do it?" She asked, quickly hiding her tightly balled up fists behind her back lest he sense weakness, "B-bring the - "
"I knew you'd come back," His shoulders shuddered in silent laughter, "I saw your face at the Graveyard, you felt it too."
"What?"
"Pure power," His tongue briefly darted out to the corner of his mouth, "You could feel it, I saw your face. If they hadn't come and got you, you would have come freely - "
She fell back onto her knees, "I wouldn't have, that's a lie. The things I said were lies - "
Barty simply laughed, "Doubtful ... when you lie on the spot, there's always truth behind it and I should know, I'm a damn good liar. There was more power and control than you could ever imagine ... you could sense it - "
"Stop it!" Her head was suddenly starting to spin a little.
"Your Dad told you stories of him, you told me that ... so did mine," Barty hissed, "But what the stories don't tell you are what the other side feels like ... you can do anything - "
The feeling of being out of her depth came rushing back and Aubrey stumbled up onto her feet before teetering into McGonagall's arms, "Albus, we need to get her to the hospital wing - "
Quickly one of the Professors jumped forwards, holding her up whilst Barty simply laughed at her evident discomfort. With a flick of his wand, Albus opened the door as if to follow them before they stopped dead, the sound of raised voices echoing around them in the corridor.
" - interesting that you don't draw your wand, some might even say suspicious!"
"I am not a squib!"
"Then draw your wand, Fudge, you yellow-bellied coward!"
Aubrey's courage had somewhat returned, mainly because she knew she was going to need all her strength for the next encounter. Albus and Minerva exchanged a look which was equal parts concerned and amused as Aubrey murmured, "Oh no..."
"Well, Albus, I believe we know the reason for Mr Fudge's delay..."
The three of them filed out at the office as Aubrey gave a meek wave to the approaching figure, "Hello Dad."
• • •
I went through writer's block but I'm back now all thanks to excessive two-hour walks, Kiss from a Rose and the Daft Punk movie - E x