Well the last chapter turned out much longer than I initially thought it would...but anyways, please comment and vote!
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When Aurora said those words, three things happened at once. First, she heard a loud clattering as Harry dropped his knife and fork onto his plate. Secondly, George nearly choked on the mouthful of food he was eating, coughing and wheezing as Fred patted him on the back, looking as surprised as his twin brother. And lastly, Ron sputtered, spraying what seemed like half his glass of pumpkin juice onto the table in front of him.
And they weren't the only ones. The rest of the people around the table were also looking at her in shock. Only Percy looked but mildly surprised, eyeing her curiously.
"You...you what?!" Harry sputtered, clearly not sure he heard her correctly.
"You lived with Snape?!" Fred brought out as he looked at her with wide eyes.
"-How is it you're alive?!" George whispered, open-mouthed.
Ginny was gaping at her, and even Charlie and Bill seemed shocked into silence.
"Severus Snape? Our Potions Professor?" Hermione managed "You sure about that?"
"It wasn't that bad" Aurora said, nodding in answer to Hermione's question. She was left wondering if maybe she shouldn't have said anything. Perhaps mentioning the Potions Professor had been a bad idea, given the intensity of the reactions she was observing around her. Keeping her face schooled in a neutral expression, Aurora thought to herself she might have to look into the life of the Potions Master if she were to understand the seemingly all-around negative feelings and bad vibes everyone else seemed to harbor towards him. It spiked something akin to curiosity within her, and she wasn't used to being kept in the dark about something she'd set her eyes on figuring out.
"If you survived a month with Snape that should go down in history books" George suggested, looking at Aurora as if she had just grown a second head.
"Putting up with the Dungeon Bat.... It's unheard of" Ron said with a look full of wonder.
Aurora didn't say anything for a few moments, wondering what kind of reputation Severus Snape had made for himself at Hogwarts. She had figured he wasn't a favorite among the student body, but she'd hardly expected the dislike she saw now.
"Well, it's not like we got along marvelously and became lifelong friends while I was there" she admitted with a small smile, earning herself a disbelieving snort from Harry, who seemed to think that it was a miracle she was even alive "He's a difficult man, but we managed not to kill each-other and spent most of the time pretending the other didn't exist"
"That sounds more plausible" Charlie snorted "The Old Git seems devoted to making the lives of his students miserable..."
After that the conversation returned to normal, although Aurora saw Harry look suspiciously at her a couple of times, as if he found her story hard to believe and was having trouble imagining any sort of interaction with the Potions Master that wouldn't result in bodily harm. Occasionally Fred would still shake his head in amazement from time to time as he looked at me, obviously impressed that she had been able to put up with the Potions Professor for three weeks.
When it was time to go to bed, Aurora convinced Molly that she could sleep in the next morning, that she'd would just apparate with the others instead of waking up at some ungodly hour of the morning and having to walk to a Portekey.
She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
The next thing she knew Molly was shaking her awake, saying that Bill and Charlie were already up and that it was close to noon. Aurora managed to drag herself upright, passing a hand through her messy and unkempt hair, wondering where the time had gone. She wasn't used to sleeping in, but got out of bed, changing from her pajamas into something more suitable for the day ahead, still feeling a bit sleepy. As she made her way to the kitchen she was greeted with the amazing smell of food, and her mouth watered at the sight of the meal set out on the table before them. Eating with gusto she talked animatedly with Bill and Charlie as they discussed the upcoming Quidditch match.
After they finished eating Bill and Charlie kissed their mother goodbye, and Aurora thanked Molly for the hospitality she'd shown her, promising to help out with whatever she might need in order to earn her keep. Her offer was dismissed with waving hands and muttered words of Molly for Aurora to 'stop being silly and enjoy what was left of her vacation' as the three of them headed outside, a smiling Molly waving at them as they readied themselves. Then they disapparated.
The forest they apparated in was quite impressive, with trees reaching high up into the sky as Aurora breathed in deeply, her nose filling itself with the scent of moss, wood and damp earth. The whisper of the wind among the trees, thicker leaves and thick undergrowth where bushes and grass and moss had made their homes among the roots of tall trees. A slight path was visible, leading to what she presumed to be the forest's edge, overhanging branches blocking the sunlight from reaching them in nothing but patches, small rays of sunlight penetrating the dark green foliage. Behind them was a much denser wood, choked with brambles, matted undergrowth, thick bushes that would keep people from wandering in too deep, hiding ditches overgrown with plants, sprawling branches, the remnants of trees that had long ago crashed to the ground and now had become part of the earth feeding the forest.
At first it seemed deadly quiet, but son enough she heard the usual noises and sounds of nature. The whispering of the wind among the trees, the sound of insects buzzing in the air and the rustling of leaves as they crunched beneath her feet. She smiled at Bill and Charlie as the three of them started toward the edge of the forest. There were other people in the forest also, who probably apparated just like they had done. They reached the edge of the forest, where a wizard from the Ministry of Magic had them sign their names before letting them pass, giving them indications as to how to reach the camping grounds. Walking across a small grass field where there was a few water faucets to tap drinking water, we saw the camping grounds.
The Quidditch World Cup Campsite was a muggle campground located next to a wood and a twenty-minute walk away from a 'nice deserted moor', where Aurora knew the Ministry had set up the stadium for the Quidditch matches to take place. There were tents. Hundreds of them. As far as the eye could reach, tents were all they saw. Some were simple and looked rather ordinary, like muggle tents were supposed to, while others were clearly magical. With bright colours, many wizards seemed to be rather reckless about their magic: some wizards added chimneys, bellpulls or weather vanes to their tents, while others still let their children play with magic toys in plain sight. Aurora smiled as we made their way through the camp. Observing a two story tent with small towers and another one with a chimney, she couldn't help but wonder at the mount of preparation it must have taken to make this place safe for such big gathering. She had been to a Quidditch World Cup before, and she'd come to appreciate the safety requirements and the ton of work that came with hosting such a big event from the Ministry of Magic's part.
When they reached the Weasley's tents Aurora was glad to see they were just two ordinary tents, although when she went inside what Arthur called the "girls" tent, it was obvious that both tents must be enchanted. The inside had the size of a small apartment, with a little kitchen and a lounging area with a couch and even a TV. Three beds were there, which was a perfect fit, and she was more than happy to toss her overnight bag onto the only free bed left.
Going outside and drinking some tea as Harry and his friends chatted amicably about the upcoming match, Bill, Charlie and Percy were talking in a serious matter to Arthur. Aurora wasn't sure what the conversation was about, but before she could try to catch a few words to find out what they were talking about, Ludovic Bagman showed up, followed shortly by Bartemius Crouch. Aurora had heard of Ludo Bagman, once a Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps and a member for the English National Quidditch team. Now, he was the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports at the Ministry of Magic. It made sense to see him up and about during an event of this magnitude, although his happy an jolly attitude was at odds with Barty Crouch Senior's severe and collected manner.
Just as Ludo Bagman was jovial and smiling, Bartemius Crouch was serious and stern. As Percy went out of his way to bring his boss some tea, Bart Cruch was introduced to all the people present. Aurora shot him a warning look, catching the man's eyes while the introductions were taking place. As head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Aurora had heard the rumors of him having been quite a hardliner during the First Wizarding War, and how he'd been demoted from Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to his current position as he'd lost his position as an influential Ministry of Magic official during that time. Aurora saw him acknowledge her presence with the slightest nod of his head, no other outward sign of their exchange noticeable for the others.
"...And this is Hermione Granger, one of my sons friends" Arthur was almost finished after introducing all his kids "And this is-"
"Aurora" Barty said, his face expressionless. She stood up and shook his hand, smiling as she nodded in acknowledgement.
"Barty, I didn't expect to see you here" she admitted, sitting down again and feeling Arthur Weasley's inquisitive gaze upon her.
"I have been very busy" Barty conceded.
"You know eachother?" asked Percy, which Harry, Ron and Hermione also seemed curious about.
"Miss...Beuchanan came to the Ministry to facilitate her transfer to Hogwarts" Barty said in an explainatory matter.
"I'd also transfer to Hogwarts, with all the important stuff going down there this year!" Ludo agreed happily as he clapped Barty on the back, earning him a sour look from the Head of the Department of International Magic Cooperation.
When Percy started talking smugly about this "top secret" project and important things happening at Hogwarts, Aurora zoned out. It wasn't that big a secret, the events that would transpire at Hogwarts this upcoming year, if you knew who to talk to. Her father had told her as soon as he found out. The Triwizard Tournament was a big event, just like the Quidditch World Cup, and for both to be hosted at the same place within the year was quite extraordinary. With the way she'd left things with her parents, Aurora was assuming her parents would not take kindly to her doing anything else but observe the tournament from a distance. Although they hadn't explicitly forbidden her to participate in the challenges or signing up for the tournament, Aurora had the feeling it wasn't exactly in agreement with her promise to keep a low profile and not standing out. Not that she'd want to. She could appreciate the essence of the event for what it was, a celebration of magical abilities and personal strength of those committing to completing the challenges. But purposefully putting oneself in that kind of danger, especially in tumultuous times such as these, wasn't exactly advisable.
Aurora sipped her tea in silence, happy to not talk to Barty or Ludo as sighed as they took their leave. When they all started getting ready for the Quidditch Match, she decided not to dwell on any of the thoughts running rampant in her head and just enjoy the game. She had heard and read enough about the Triwizard Tournament to have a healthy amount of common sense, which was telling her that no way in hell was she going to risk her life for fame and glory in some crazy tasks if her whole purpose in this school-year was to keep a low profile and stay out of danger.
But all those thoughts disappeared as soon as people started heading towards the Quidditch pitch. Aurora eagerly followed the Weasley's, Harry and Hermione as they started towards the arena. Through the forest they went, lights along a predetermined path casting a warm glow, like lights from some fairy-tale scattered along the way or lanterns enlightening the pathway towards some other world.
The stadium built for the 422nd World Cup took a Ministry of Magic Taskforce task force a year to construct, and could hold one hundred thousand spectators. The stadium was of gigantic proportions, plated in gold and wooden beams supporting the structure. Standing close Aurora couldn't even see the top as she craned her neck to look upwards. She had bought herself a shawl in a neon green and pearly white, the sheer material shimmering around her neck as she wound it tightly around herself.
They had to climb several sets of stairs, until they reached the TopBox. About three dozen chairs were placed at the top of one of the many towers between the tribunes. Theirs was located right at the middle of the field, with an excellent view of the three rings on high poles at both sides of the field.
As thousands of witches and wizzards made their way to their respective seats in the gallery, the TopBox also started filling up. Cornelius Fudge, the Ministry of Magic, was one of the last to enter. He greeted Harry and Arthur, and introduced them to some foreign diplomat. The Minister of Bulgaria, Aurora believed, casting a sideways glance to the man. Ludo Bagman also appeared, looking excited for the match. Lucius Malfoy also made an appearance, with his wife and son in tow. Seeing the way the Malfoy's interacted with the Weasley's, and how Harry and Draco looked at each-other, Aurora stayed slightly behind, figuring there was some bad blood between them and rather not getting pulled into school rivalries before the school-year had even started. She knew Lucius Malfoy, by looks and reputation. He was rather influential at the Ministry these days, but Aurora was also aware of the accusations made towards his family and reputation during the First Wizarding War. It seemed sensible to stay out of sight of someone who might know who she was or who could recognize her, without knowing her current situation and reveal something unwanted.
After that the team mascots made their way onto the field. Aurora loved the Irish Dwarfs, and as they sprinkled golden coins onto the crowd she couldn't help but smile. But when the Veela made their entrance, all she could do was stare. She couldn't quite believe that she was in some way or other, related to the gorgeous creatures that danced around the field. That the blood of those ethereally beautiful women actually flowed through her veins.
The men (and some women) seemed rather enthralled by the voices of the Veela, and as Aurora observed the dreamy look that lingered upon the face of many people, she chuckled. The Veela were powerful creatures, with magic embedded into their blood. She didn't find their powers to have any effect on her, and she wondered if it was related to her sexual orientation as opposed to merely being more susceptible to it, or if perhaps her Veela blood meant that she was immune to it. It was an interesting thought, and it occupied her mind as Ludo Bagman made the announcements before getting this whole thing started.
When finally the Quidditch match started, Aurora got really excited at the sight of the fourteen Quidditch players flying onto the field. They seemed nothing more than red and green blurs, flying on their brooms at breakneck speed. It became clear right away that Ireland had an iron-strong defense and discipline; but Bulgaria had Krum.
The game was quite fascinating, Aurora found as she immersed herself in the match playing out before her. It was all about talent and wits, a battle of wills in which the strongest and fittest survived, gaining fame and glory as they proved their abilities and skill. She admired Krum's raw talent, and respected the discipline and skill of Ireland's Chasers. When Irish Chaser, Troy, scored the first goal of the match, she was cheering right along with the thousands of fans dressed in green. After another two Irish goals, Ivanova registered Bulgaria's opening score. That caused a wave of fans dressed in red to jump on their feet and cheer for their team.
Then Ireland's Seeker Aidan Lynch was fooled by Viktor Krum's Wronski Feint, but managed to continue to play after the aid of some Mediwizards. Seeing the man smash against the ground with such force it echoed throughout the stadium was harsh, but when he got on his feet again the cheers were so loud it made Aurora's ears ring. Fifteen minutes later Ireland had stretched their lead to 130-10, when their Chaser Mullet was fouled by the Bulgarian Keeper, Zograf, and was awarded a penalty.
The game started getting rougher after that. It was as if the players were putting all their will and strength behind every move they made, and as red and green blurs sped across the field Aurora was keeping her fingers crossed for Ireland's victory.
The penalty awarded to the Irish led to anarchy, with another penalty being awarded to Ireland. When the Irish dwarfs made a rather vulgar gesture towards the Bulgarian Mascots, the Veela started dancing rather animatedly, thereby distracting the referee. Quigley sent a Bludger flying towards Krum which such strength it broke his nose. Lynch then spotted the Snitch, but was beaten in the race for it by Krum. As the whole stadium watched the two Seekers race each-other towards the tiny golden snitch, the tension was palpable in the air.
And Krum caught the Snitch.
Despite this, Ireland still ran out the victors. The final score was 170-160. This was something quite unheard of in Quidditch, and Aurora could definitely appreciate the intensity of the match and its unlikely outcome. The whole stadium erupted into cheers as the Irish fans screamed and shouted their victory. The Bulgarian fans didn't look exceptionally happy, but the applause and standing ovation Viktor Krum got when he and his team made their way around the arena was astonishing. Aurora was probably cheering just as hard as the Bulgarians, acknowledging the skills and talents of the young seeker. The Bulgarians, had, after all, played one hell of a match.
The Irish team performed a lap of honor before being presented with the Quidditch World Cup in the stadium's Top Box, while Lynch had to be supported by Moran and Connolly.
It was amazing to see the Irish team up close, and as the whole stadium cheered for their champions Aurora was clapping and shouting just as loudly.
After that the Top Box emptied out pretty fast, and Aurora headed for the tents together with the Weasley's, Harry and Hermione. They all talked animatedly about the match, and it was well past midnight before Ginny, Hermione and Aurora went to our tent to catch some sleep....
....only to be awakened about an hour later.
As Arthur Weasley shook her awake rather abruptly, Aurora knew right away something was up. No longer could the cheers and happy laughter of the Irish be heard outside the tent. Instead scared shouts and the sound of running footsteps could be heard.
She was wide awake immediately, and helped Ginny and Hermione throw on some robes over their pajamas, and find their wands before quickly exiting the tents. That's when she could truly observe the situation. Outside people were running towards the forest, the steady stream of people all coming from the same direction. Looking that way Aurora saw fire and smoke rising from the remnants of several tents, and a large crowd starting to form. As she squinted against the bright light the fire cast, she felt her heart pounding in her chest as she observed the masked men in their march across the campsite. The roar of her blood pounding in her ears, Aurora recognized the masks they wore, even from that distance. There were easily twenty or so of them, all wearing the same masks and black robes, and the recognition nearly took her breath away.
Death Eaters.
That knowledge immediately gave rise to a hundred different questions. Why where they here? What were they doing? What did they want? Looking closer Aurora saw, with rising horror, how they had grabbed the Muggle family that owned the camping site and where holding them several dozen feet up into the air with magic. She could hear the screams, smell the fear and nearly taste the ashes and smoke as she listened with a half ear to Arthur's instructions. He was sending them into the forest, except for Percy, Bill and Charlie since they were old enough to lend a hand. The rest of them were to head towards the forest and stay there until he came back to get them. Aurora agreed, although halfheartedly, her head and her hart not quite catching up with each-other quite yet.
As they hurried in the direction of the forest, zig-zagging in between the tents, Aurora slowed down when she heard the people of the Ministry approach the so-called Death Eaters, and curses and spells were being shouted. She felt a stab of fear at the thought of what might happen to the Muggle family. Aurora was now almost near the edge of the forest, making her way past the last few tents as she looked to the tall trees rising into the night sky in front of her. At night the forest looked like a scary place, with its shadows and the pressing darkness. And she felt like a coward, running away from danger when she could be helping. Doing something.
So she stopped.
Now standing several dozen paces away from the campsite, surrounded by trees, Aurora stood still in order to collect her thoughts. She remembered she'd promised her parents she'd keep a low profile and try and stay safe, but these were extenuating circumstances if she ever saw them. Besides, she wasn't at Hogwarts yet. It felt wrong, after everything she'd done, after the life she'd lived, to just tuck tail and run. Looking around in indecision, Aurora realized she had lost the others in the commotion and her lagging behind, but suddenly that didn't seem that important anymore. The others would be safe. They would be protected inside the forest. Fred and George would be able to keep them together and wait for Arthur.
As she came to that conclusion, Aurora smiled. She had made her decision. She would turn back, circle the group of Death Eaters and help the witches and wizards of the Ministry catch them.
Yes, that's what she'd do.
She was about to head in the direction of the ever growing riot when suddenly a hand sneaked around her waist, the other clamping down over her mouth as she tried to scream.
Aurora trashed and bucked against her captor as she tried desperately to get loose. Panic tightened around her chest like a steel band being wrapping around her, stealing the breath right out of her lungs, and her breathing became more ragged and uneven as she tossed her head from side to side, trying to sink her teeth into the hand still pressed firmly against her mouth. With all her strength she slammed her elbow back into the ribs of whoever was holding her, and had the satisfaction of hearing her captor grunt in pain. Aurora smiled madly, now raising her foot and trying to smash it down onto the feet of the man holding her. The man, because only a man could possibly have the strength to hold her down, seemed unfazed by her attempts to escape, and his arm remained wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against a stony chest.
"By Merlins Beard, hold still!" a voice growled next to her ear.
And Aurora stilled.... for she knew that voice.
She'd been about to use wandless magic and curse whoever it was into oblivion, already feeling her magic buzz like electricity underneath her skin. Forcing herself not to do anything she wouldn't be able to take back, Aurora tried to calm her breathing, as she stopped her attempts of breaking free. When the pounding of her blood in hear ears ceased to a background hum, all she could manage was to stop struggling. Her body was still tense, stiff like rock, and her heart was racing a hundred miles an hour, a tattoo against her rib-cage as she tried to catch her breath.
"Will you be quiet?" the voice asked, this time in something more like a low drawl as his breath caressed the shell of her ear.
All Aurora could manage was a nod.
The hand was removed from her mouth, and the arm around her waist disappeared as she was released. Aurora nearly stumbled, but turned around swiftly to face none other than Severus Snape.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" she hissed, struggling to keep her anger in check.
"Stopping you from getting yourself killed!" Snape spat out.
"Killed?!" Aurora whisper-shouted, not wanting to attract any attention from bystanders or people wandering around close-by "I was going to help those muggles. Help the Ministry. Catch those Death Eaters!"
He actually had the nerve to laugh.
"Like some silly young girl like you could accomplish anything" he said sarcastically.
"Don't call me that" she snapped, annoyed at his dismissivveness.
But Snape was muttering under his breath, to himself or to her, Aurora wasn't sure.
"....I knew I shouldn't have come. I knew it. But then again, I also knew that Arthur freaking Weasley would manage to mess this up royally...." he was saying, his voice so low Aurora doubted he thought she could hear him.
"Arthur is doing his job!" Aurora replied harshly "He's a Ministry official, and he's out there, helping those people! So I don't know what your problem is with him, but I suggest you keep it to yourself"
"That is what you should be worrying about, not Arthur, and most certainly not me!" Aurora said angrily, pointing towards the green-ish yellow light that flickered in the distance. You could still hear the faint shouts and screams, and the smell of ashes and burnt wood was heavy in the air.
"Right. And you were supposed to stay out of danger" Snape snorted as he looked over his shoulder, anger smoldering in his gaze "That is not staying out of danger...."
"And its also none of your business!" Aurora was having a really hard time keeping her emotions in check, as anger and annoyance bubbled to the surface "Why are you here anyway?!"
"Looking out for you. Albus wants to keep you safe, and I figured you'd probably try something stupid if anything happened" Snape drawled as he gestured to the commotion reigning in the campsite.
"That still doesn't make it your problem" Aurora said between clenched teeth as she glared daggers at the man standing in front of her. It didn't make any sense that the Potions Master would be looking after her. The man didn't give a damn about what happened to her, that much she knew for sure. But she also knew he was a man of his word, one who didn't take any promise or assignment lightly. Which meant that more likely than not, he had been given instructions by someone else"Dumbledore sent you, didn't he?"
Snape didn't say anything, which was answer enough for her.
"Well you can leave. Tell him that I don't need you as my bodyguard. I can take care of myself" Aurora stated firmly, looking angrily at Snape.
"Babysitting is more like it" Snape huffed "But unfortunately you're not getting rid of me that easlily. And I couldn't care less if you are capable or not of defending yourself. I'm staying"
"Well I'm leaving" Aurora announced, not willing to stand there and argue with that infuriating man for another second. But before she could take two steps, however, he had grabbed onto her forearm, his hand latching onto her wrist with an iron grip.
"You're not going anywhere" Snape hissed as he observed me, his eyes flaring with supressed anger.
"Oh really?" Aurora asked, just as angry as he was "And who's going to stop me? You?"
She pulled her arm free with a strong tug, but it almost made her stumble. As she regained her balance and looked up, she found Snape standing there, his wand pointed at her and a small smirk on his face. She hadn't even seen him pull his wand. Damn the man had some reflexes.
"...you wouldn't" she managed, looking at him in defiance.
"Ohh... but I would" Snape said, still smirking "Albus said you would fight things. He told me that your safety is of paramount importance. And I might not know why, or even agree with him, but there is something I do know: He didn't specify how I was allowed to subdue you"
Aurora remained silent, weighing her options. She could fight him this time for real. But she didn't have the patience to duel the Potions Master. She also didn't think that the muggles being held by the Death Eaters had the time for the two of them to sort out their differences. This was a disagreement they needed to settle now. And as she evaluated her chances, she came to the conclusion that Albus probably wouldn't allow her to get hurt, no matter how dismissive she was being towards her attempt to stay out of sight. Which meant Severus had to be bluffing....right?
She decided to call his bluff, unsure about the outcome but knowing she didn't have time for anything else. His smirk broadened as Severus saw her resolve strengthen. He didn't know where the young witch got the nerve to be so openly defiant, but he wasn't about to let her put herself in harms way. He was already annoyed Albus had asked him to follow the girl here, not thinking anything would happen that would require his interference. But something had happened, and as predicted the young girl was blatantly putting herself in harms way, with a complete disregard for her own safety "So please....I beg you.... Run. Fight. Resist. Give me one good reason....."
Aurora hesitated, but it was only for a fraction of a second. She'd always kept a tight lid on her emotions, knwoing that showing your intentions could mean the difference between life and death in certain situations. No matter her temperament, she knew when to play nice and when to act quickly. It seemed that this was a case of the latter rather than the former. Convinced that he was bluffing, she truly didn't expect that Snape would actually subdue her with magic. Deciding that making a run for it and hoping to lose him in the maze of tents was her best shot, Aurora dashed away from Snape.
And ran.
She hand't taken a dozen steps when she heard a whoosh and felt a spell hitting her square in the back.
....and then, everything went black, as she cursed herself silently for taking a gamble, and obviously having lost.