A/N Welcome to Part III, If you have not read Part I and Part II of Cassiopeia Lestrange, please go and read those first. I pick up not long after the end of Part II and do not give many recaps for the references made in earlier stories. Part III is the final part of this story, and will follow as close to canon as possible with an OC. I will try and update this story as quickly as possible, and though 45 pages is already written, it is not in order so bear with me.
Anyways, hope you enjoy and please give it a follow, and if you have time, reviews are appreciated (especially since i agonised over this chapter and my fabled post Hogwarts educational system which I was trying to base on some medieval apprenticeship schemes mixed with modern apprenticeships.)
tibys
Life post Hogwarts was a strange mix between the formalised educational format of universities and the on the job training offered by the apprenticeship system. At least for those going forth into the world with blind ambition and a hope to be something more than just a shopkeeper or secretary.
Not that there was anything wrong with either of those positions, but for the few who scored particularly well on their final examinations, and held lofty dreams, it simply didn't cut it.
While most were motivated at least in some form by ego, Cassiopeia was motivated by something much more selfish, a foolhardy belief in a sort of cosmic point system that by doing good and helping people in a hospital like setting she could negate all of the evil she had unleashed into the world. She knew she was a monster, and she was trying to balance this by being a good person. And being a good person meant helping people as far as she understood from years of observation in her post parental separation life. In reality Cassiopeia lacked the genuineness of a good person, and she while she was sincere in her hopes, it still didn't change the fact that she often found herself doing things that good people wouldn't do.
She had been raised in violence, taught to harness and embrace such actions, and had survived for more than half of her life by her ability to take a hit and to return one back. She had dominated every orphanage she had ever been in, proving her strength within the hierarchy of the abandoned children, and had even earned her mother's love in a cruel, twisted way by owning and becoming her anger and rage. She controlled her anger and violence admirably, most completely ignorant to the fact that she spent a vast majority of her free time either fighting other, often larger, opponents or unleashing her pent up energy at gigs around the city, pushing and shoving with other angry and passionate youths, screaming to be heard and understood in the pits.
Cassiopeia perhaps tried too hard to prove she was a good person in her career and in her world, where she was infamous for her heritage and where a reputation preceded her born out of lies and twisted truths from a rather disastrous romantic relationship. She wasn't blind to the fact that she was perhaps not the average, media taught version of good or nice, but she did care.
She used her family's admittedly large fortune to start record labels, to organise shows, to prop up struggling independent venues, and to create a community center and a co operative living community in a world that was not her own. She organised a community garden that taught people how to be self reliant in the face of injustice and indignity, and how to band together to form a greater whole, united and strong. And she did it all anonymously, working through her solicitor and a few well placed suggestions and gentle nudges of the right people.
She helped fight the system through direct organisation and through passive self reliance. In that world she often went by a different name, forged a different identity that was all her own, and was her respite from the realities of her own life. It was sacred and private, nobody who knew her, including her closest family, saw her other life beyond what couldn't be avoided. Every visit to her family they would be cautiously delighted and curious about the artwork that had started as a one off tattoo on her shoulder that slowly grew further and further down her right arm and up collarbone to lick the bottom of her neck. She filled her skin with artwork of her friends, casual doodles or magical creatures, interspersed with particularly meaningful runes and symbols. It was a mess individually, but together formed a sort of chaotic harmony that she built upon and that she felt representative of her very person. It was almost enough to block the stain of her mother's curse on her wrist, a tracking spell that had been with her for a decade a permanent reminder of who she really was.
Cassiopeia was growing as an individual, flourishing in the freedom and sanctuary of her own flat, a space that very few had visited, and even fewer knew of the location. She kept it a secret, preferring to live anonymously amongst the muggles, away from the reaches of nearly every single person who knew her in the wizarding world. She had only reluctantly told one person in the wizarding world where she lived, a necessary by product of needing a cosigner for the lease, but she was certain he would never utilise the information.
Her flat was her safe space, filled with everything she loved. It was small and run down, in a slightly dodgy part of Bristol, the entrance in an alleyway near several rowdy bars and nightclubs. She had a window overlooking the street, where she could watch the drunken revelry and causal drug use and law breaking at all hours of the day. Her furniture was third and fourth hand, ratty and thoroughly broken in, she had a large library, muggle appliances, a wall of records, a reasonable sound system. She spent her free time in her flat taking apart muggle electronics, figuring out what made them tick, and building her own newer devices, a hobby that left dozens of half gutted electronics littered around her flat. Magic was absent, a necessity since her only visitors were her muggle friends, who would often stop by unannounced and often off their face on some substance or another.
She discovered that she was a creature of habit, frequenting the same local spots for food, drink, and entertainment. She set up standing dates to socialise with her family-her early attempts to mend her strained relationships with them. She had moved out quite suddenly and with no warning, something her aunt and uncle felt stung by so she made time to be with them. She spent an afternoon together with her Aunt Andromeda on the third thursday of the month. Her and her Uncle Ted would go to the arcade on the second and fourth tuesday of the month. It was a routine she enjoyed, and the routine made her extra paranoid about others finding out where she lived. She didn't mind if muggles dropped in unannounced, but the idea of wizards popping by, especially if they were parental figures, was abhorrent for some reason.
Cassiopeia was private, and she wanted to keep it that way. So for every trip taken into the magical world she would apparate to a minimum of four random locations before come home, trying to confuse anyone who would try and follow her. She wasn't certain who would be interested in following her, or why, but her paranoia didn't require logical answers to those questions.
As much as she enjoyed her flat and the freedoms it came with, she had left Hogwarts only two months ago and it was finally time for her to start the next step in her career as a curse breaker.
Before entering into a curse breaking apprenticeship, a prospective student had to be accepted by one of three theoretical programmes in the UK to train for one year in a safe, educational, lecture led study. The ministry ran their own programme based out of London, there was a programme in York in northern England, and a final one tucked away in the sleepy seaside Welsh town of Aberystwyth, hidden in plain sight near the old university.
Cassiopeia was accepted into all of the programmes and opted for the quiet seaside town in Wales over the other two, attracted to the tranquility of the sea and the surrounding countryside. It had been exciting at first, to undertake a course specifically for curse breaking, a subject she had been studying for years but it quickly became apparent that the programme was aimed at students who had little to no previous experience in either curse breaking or theoretical charms work.
The classes ranged from spell diagrams, to the understanding and translation of ancient runes, including their relation to charm work. It was boring. She spent her classes staring out the window, overlooking the sea and the Victorian waterfront, listlessly counting down the days until she could finally learn something useful, or finally start her apprenticeship and do some real hands on training.
Her particular lecturer found her inattention maddening, and frequently called on her to solve the days lesson in the hope to humiliate her in front of the others in the class. She would always unravel the spell diagram presented immediately, and was able to translate complicated series of runes with little effort. It annoyed her lecturer, which she found amusing, and it was the only break to her boredom.
When she became more of a nuisance than anything, the director of the programme reluctantly allowed her take the final exam nearly eight months early, after only a single quarter of beginner classes. He had been certain she would fail it, hoping it would deflate her ego and force her to take her studies seriously.
He had been quite shocked when she not only finished it with a near perfect score, she completed it in nearly record time. Nothing of the sort had ever happened in the 150 year history of formalised post-Hogwarts education programmes. So after a short few months she took her leave of the Welsh town, returning to her home in Bristol, and began preparing for the next step of her applications, nearly a year ahead of where she planned to be.
The apprentice scheme was a government initiative that aimed to provide hands on, real world experience for students to act as a bridge between formal, classroom led education and the realities of an often chaotic reality. The largest curse breaking apprenticeship programmes were offered by Gringotts bank, to assist on object and asset acquisitions-items taken from around the world, often ancient, and always valuable. It required a large amount of field work, travel, and knowledge of magic from around the world and throughout history. It was a dangerous job, often exotic, and she found it highly distasteful on the whole. Gringotts was a financial organisation that was interested in the only thing all financial organisations were, making more money. Preferably by taking it from other-in this case deceased- people and families.
But the curses they came across were often unique and rare, complicated historical puzzles that attracted Cassiopeia, a true challenge.
The second largest employer was the ministry, which always had need of curse breakers mainly for their Auror department, with a few being placed throughout to assist in any curses a ministry worker might happen upon in the course of the job. Cassiopeia had mixed feelings about the ministry, holding a deep dislike and distrust of the institutions contained within. She reluctantly applied at the urging of one of her mentors, a Mr Lionel Spavin.
Mr Spavin was the Head of Research at St Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies. He was one of her greatest supporters, always making time for her and assisting her in all of her academic endeavours. He had personally ensured she had access to all of the resources necessary to complete her independent study while at Hogwarts, and had even proofread and offered comment on her drafts, unwavering in his support. She also had him to thank for a highly unusual and irresistible apprenticeship programme he had set up to suit her particular interests.
St Mungos had little need for curse breaking apprentices, every few years they would take on a few, but their main area of education was healers and potioneers. Most of the curse breakers on staff were either from the Ministry programme, or were borrowed from Gringotts for a small fee. Because of this, there was no formal apprenticeship programme in place for Cassiopeia to apply to.
At least there wasn't until Mr Spavin created one, a part time study with the other half time taken up with the Goblins at Gringotts. It was a programme that allowed Cassiopeia to work with the exotic curses from the bank, while also helping cursed people in the hospital. He had also built in time for her to hone her spell interrogation skills by offering her a small research internship as well, assisting him to unravel particularly difficult spell mishaps.
She was just about ready to accept the position when another letter was delivered to her address. It was from the Ministry. They wanted an interview, the outcome of which would potentially mean she received the apprenticeship with the Ministry. Looking at the letter filled her with immediate trepidation, the last time she had gone there for an interview, it had felt more like an interrogation.
She had more enemies than friends in the Ministry, even her own sister refused to be seen with her for longer than was absolutely necessary, and she couldn't very well call on her Uncle Lucius to step in on her behalf. That would cause more trouble than it was worth, and would instil a debt to be owed to the man which she was loathe to do. She thought about rejecting the offer to interview immediately and accept her custom tailored course at the hospital, but she had made the mistake of asking Mr Spavin his opinion.
He suggested she take the interview. Take the interview and blow them away with her ability. And if she was feeling negatively about the work environment, give them a 'thanks, but no thanks' response. The Ministry was not used to rejection, especially their curse breakers. He was sure her saying no to them directly would be quite the slap in the face.
And so she found herself in her best robes, feeling slightly nauseous, as she waited outside a room for her interview.
xxxx
Mouths were wagging in the magical department of Law enforcement when the applications came in for the internship programs. There was always some gossip about the candidates, from their promise to their school backgrounds. However Amelia Bones was taken aback by just how lively the gossip was in the lunchroom the day of the interviews. There was always some excitement, anticipation, and dread ahead of the interview process, but this was taking it to new levels.
Curious she finally asked someone to be filled in on why everyone was in such a state. It seemed the prevailing feeling was less positive and more sharp, almost vindictive.
"Lestrange. The Lestrange girl actually had to gall to apply to the internship program here with our curse breakers. Can you imagine? With a dark family like that being taught all of our secrets and being exposed to all of those artefacts. I reckon they'll start disappearing and showing up on the black market if they hire her."
Lestrange. It had been years since she had thought about that family, and they could only be talking about young Cassiopeia Lestrange. She would never forget seeing the small, frightened eight year old girl, chained to a table as if she were the same threat as her parents had been. She had been treated like a criminal from the beginning, when she had been just as much of a victim as Amelia's own brother and his family. They had been murdered by the Lestranges.
She had been a young clerk then, a fresh face on the Wizengamot in a trying and terrifying time. She had lost nearly her whole family because of the Death Eaters. She always did wonder what happened to the girl.
The curse breaking department was an auxiliary to the magical law enforcement, and was not under her direct control. However, being the head of magical law enforcement came with certain privileges and one of them was granting her unquestioned access around the building and the meetings contained therein. With some careful rearrangement of her schedule, she was sure she could sit in on a certain interview for the incoming curse breakers.
Amelia Bones started her career in the heat of the first wizarding war. The first year of her career had seen more loss and heartbreak than the subsequent decade that followed after the war. She had learned early on to keep her emotions and reactions tightly controlled, refusing to give the Death Eaters the satisfaction of seeing her break. She was a stronger person for it, and she was thankful that the generation that followed her never developed the same skills.
It was this experience and skill that kept her face carefully passive and her gait steady as she took in the Lestrange girl. For a brief second Amelia thought it was Bellatrix Lestrange standing in front of her, young and untouched by prison. The feeling passed quickly as she noticed the differences in the witch in front of her, remembering the girl she once was. She had been a wild child, clawing at the aurors who brought her in and had to physically restrained. She had also been small, she remembered being struck by how tiny the child had been, thin and dwarfed by an untamed mane of curls.
In front of her was a woman, reasonably tall, with her hair shaved short on the sides, a few floppy curls left to run wild at the very top of her head. She had a few piercings in her ears, shining silver, and she could see the tops of tattoos licking the bottom of her neck. Her face was square, sharp like her mothers had been, with the same glittering black eyes that looked around the room warily. She held herself and moved like her mother had, like a predator, ready to attack at any moment.
While there were many similarities, the longer Amelia looked, the starker the differences became. Bellatrix had been crazed, coiled for the attack, fuelled by bloodlust and blind devotion to You-Know-Who. She had been mad, filled with a frenetic energy that was deadly and unpredictable.
This girl was anxious and uncertain. Wary of her surroundings, and defensive. She tried to walk with confidence, but a few nervous ticks gave her away. She rubbed her fingers together nervously and wiped her palms discreetly on her robes, her eyes darting around to take in her surroundings. She saw the girl swallow thickly, shifting uncomfortably in her robes, discomfited by their fit. Now that she looked, she saw the girl was actually wearing muggle clothes under the robes.
Amelia took her seat, looking at the oddity in front of her, and accepted a file from the chairman who gave her a knowing look. She was sure he fielding many requests to sit in on this particular interview, and it seemed he had managed to turn all of them down. Luckily for her, she outranked him and could come and go as she pleased, a right he was not ready to question. Returning the nod, she examined the girls school file, her eyebrows rising in surprise.
She had three recommendation letters, the most unusual combination she had ever seen, and each filled with glowing praise of the young witch. She didn't think she had ever read a recommendation from Professor Snape that had actually said the applicant was more than adequately qualified for a position, and yet the letter he wrote this witch suggested he not only thought she was adequate for the position, but that she would be an excellent addition to their department. The letter from Lionel Spavin was almost embarrassing in his heaping praise of the witch, going so far as to say she was a one in a generation academic.
Her marks reflected this well enough, successfully completing a very well received independent study, a short internship at St Mungos, and a demonstrable record of theoretical spell work dating back to her very first year at Hogwarts. She received all of the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s needed for the position, with the appropriate grades, and had written a strong application to the programme. Therefore she was quite surprised to see that the girl even had an interview to begin with. Anyone else with this record would have been accepted unconditionally.
She watched the young woman take a seat in front of the committee, looking longingly towards the door she entered from, her hand nervously fisting a handful of her robes near her knee before smoothing it out. Another nervous tick.
"Afternoon Miss Tonks." One of the gentlemen called to the girl as she sat. Amelia was surprised to see the flash of distaste cross the girls face before she responded politely, her voice light and pleasant-albeit forced.
The interview started, "How are you Miss Tonks? I am Edmonton James, chief curse breaker and this is my colleague, stepping in for my deputy who has taken ill, Porteus Gambol.
As you might know Porteus works in the Department of Magical Affairs. One of his duties in this department is to handle all investigations and security clearances for our ministry employees, it's a relatively new department that was created in the early 80s. He is here to address any potential problematic issues you might reach during your background check.
Edmonton glanced down the table at Amelia questioningly and she shook her head discreetly. She was not a part of the interview, she was a simple observer and did not want to the put the girl in a panic, lest the she remember her.
"Very well sirs, and mum. I was pleased to hear from the department regarding my application." she glanced at Amelia curiously, before turning her attention back Edmonton.
"You have a rather strong application Miss Tonks, ticking all of the appropriate boxes for admission. However we have just a few questions. You have recommendation letters from Professors Snape and Flitwick, an unusual combination, and a recommendation from Lionel Spavin over at St Mungos, is this correct?"
She nodded her affirmation, rubbing her palms against her robes.
"Yes, all made out to a Miss Tonks."
She nodded again, remaining silent.
"But Tonks isn't your birth name is this correct?"
Amelia raised her eyebrows as she examined the chair closely, noting the look of irritation that flashed across the girls face. Quite right, she thought, it was a rather uncalled for question.
"Of course it isn't sirs. That is a matter of public record, and very well known" She said tightly, keeping her voice surprisingly polite.
"And do all your referees know your particular history?" Porteus asked, his lip curling as he looked over the girl. Amelia frowned as she watched the two closely, a look of hatred and contempt flashing across his face as he took in the young woman. There was a history there, a resentment between the two that was perhaps a conflict of interest.
"I am uncertain sirs, you would have to contact them. However I am not sure how this is relevant towards my capabilities demonstrated by my independent study and school marks." Amelia was beginning to like this girl, she cut straight to the point.
"Yes, indeed. It is relevant because as you might know, we work for the department of law enforcement, handling dangerous and often highly illegal objects. Therefore we conduct the strictest background checks and screening, second only to that of the auror office. Do you understand?"
Amelia watched the girl closely, noting the colour that rose in her cheeks, and watched her take a measured breath before responding. "I understand that sir, however I have no criminal history, and no connections to witches or wizards who are currently under investigation. I have done nothing to suggest any illegal or unfavourable inclinations."
"And would you consent to answering questions under veritaserum?" Porteus Gambol asked immediately, leaning forward eagerly.
Amelia flushed in shock and indignation, the use of veritaserum was unprecedented, it was used very rarely in criminal cases, and only in highly unusual circumstances. It was never used for simple interviews to ministry programmes, not even ones in law enforcement. She opened her mouth to interject, however was beaten to it by Cassiopeia, who leaned forward, giving Gambol a sharp stare.
"Is that usual sir? To use veritaserum with no cause? I know for a fact that a position with the Aurors, a job that requires much stronger background checks and regulation, requires no such thing."
Gambol leaned forward, resting his hands on desk, glaring down at the girl, grinning sharply.
"With all due respect Miss Tonks, you have a history of associations with several notorious and dark wizards, as well a documented history of antisocial and violent behaviour at school, and Merlin knows what else if we dig into your earlier records."
Amelia returned to her file in front of her, looking for the girls behavioural record. She indeed served many detentions for fighting in her earlier educational years, but there was also a marked behavioural change as the girl approached graduation. Her record did not work in her favour, but the noted change for the better, and the combined with her sterling academic record should have been enough to admit her to the programme.
She frowned at Edmonton, the head curse breaker, who was suspiciously quiet, in consternation. She thought this interview was more to satisfy a curiosity on behalf of the department. She was beginning to realise the interview was instead an act of injustice and prejudice against a qualified candidate.
"By my history of associations sir, you of course mean my parents, Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange. Perhaps my uncle Rabastan, maybe a few other wizards known as Death Eaters. I would like to remind you that willful associations differs greatly from forced associations, in my case relations I have not seen in almost a decade. We can not choose our family sir, and I have given the ministry nor this department any reason to investigate me, nor do I associate currently with any witch nor wizard who is currently, nor has ever been, considered a dark or unfavourable person.
So to answer your earlier question, no I do not consent to the use of veritaserum in my background check, and if you suggest it as a condition I will lodge a formal complaint against you and this department with the Wizengamot." The girl was frustrated and angry, and despite her best efforts to remain polite, her emotions bled into her voice. Amelia was impressed, if she were in her shoes, she would have probably lost her composure.
"You must understand why we are perhaps a bit hesitant to train someone with your particular background. The knowledge could be used to not only break curses, but create powerful curses, and since you so clearly have an affinity for theoretical charms work, a history of violence, and a family that has had a historical tendency to the dark side. I think it would be irresponsible for any programme to accept you." Gambol continued sharply, snapping her folder shut.
Amelia stared at Edmonton, who had thus far remained most silent throughout the whole interview. This Gambol character was not a curse breaker, and was really not qualified to make the decision about who should and shouldn't be accepted to the programme. He was a sit in for someone who took ill, and she was beginning to suspect the whole interview had been a set up for him to humiliate the girl. Miss Tonks for her part was silently fuming, her face now bright red and her eyes flashing with hatred for the man in front of her. Amelia wasn't sure what their history was, but it was certainly unpleasant. He was baiting her, it was clear, hoping to draw some type of reaction from her that would serve to disqualify her from the programme, and Edmonton was letting him do it.
"I obviously disagree with your assessment. I have half a mind to follow through on my previous statement of approaching the Wizengamot about this prejudicial farce of an interview, however I also can not truly find it in me to care. I never had a desire to work with the ministry curse breaking department, and have already accepted a place on a joint course between St Mungos and Gringotts. I attended this interview out of politeness more than anything. I see now this was a mistake, and if it is all the same to you sirs, mum, I think this interview is over, and I will be leaving."
Amelia once again impressed by the young woman's composure. She had every right to lose her temper with the interview committee, and yet her voice was calm, measured, if a bit tight. She had suspected the treatment she would receive in the department, and had overcome it with maturity she rarely saw in older witches and wizards.
"Before you go Miss Tonks," Amelia called suddenly,
"Madame Bones, you are here as an observer only-" she waved off the head curse breaker, who flushed angrily in indignation. Her respect for him had dropped measurably during this observation, he would be lucky to ever have a receptive audience with her in the future.
The girl paused, steps away from the door. Amelia observed the rise and fall of her shoulders as she tried to compose herself before turning around. She looked at Amelia cautiously, making no move to return to her seat.
"Why do you want to be a curse breaker? What drew you to this particular subject?" She glared at both the men at the table who opened their mouths to respond to her question, silencing them immediately, if reluctantly.
She was watching the Tonks girl closely, noting the way her eyes darted to the side as she tried to find the words to answer. It was a rather philosophical question, and Amelia was satisfied to see the girl actually thought about the question and her answer, instead of giving a generic response.
"Mr Gambol is not wrong, I do have experience with curses. More than anyone else my age arguably, more than most would have in their lifetime." her voice was very serious as she focussed on the ground in front of her instead of the interview panel, "I have seen what they can do to a person, I know what it's like to be caught up in them." she continued, scowling now at the ground, "I don't want anyone else to ever experience that, and if someone if unfortunate enough to ever go through that, then I will work my hardest to make sure they come out whole as quickly as possible." her eyes were unfocussed as she finished, the anger almost completely melted from her face by the end of her answer.
"Does that answer your question?" her eyes sharpened as she looked up at Amelia, suspicion already blooming on her face as she awaited her response.
"Even if it was Mr Gambol who was cursed?" Amelia asked perhaps a bit unfairly, and yet undeniably curious. The Tonks girl really hated that man if the face she was making at the floor was anything to go by. But it was her response that impressed her, because without hesitation, without even thinking for a moment, considering another option she answered.
"Yes. Even if it was Mr Gambol who was the victim."
Amelia smiled at her, and nodded, before thanking her for her time.
Xxx
It took all of Cassiopeia's control and mental exercises to remain composed during the joke of a hearing and to not storm out of the room. She walked calmly out of the room, with her hands clutching her bag tightly the only thing betraying her anger.
She knew it had been a bad idea, and she wasn't surprised by the reception she received. It was an added joke that Porteus Gambol had been present, probably orchestrated just so he could take the satisfaction in denying her something she wanted.
Porteus Gambol had made it one of his missions in life to personally see to her unhappiness in life every since she had broken up with her ex-boyfriend Glynn Gambol years ago. Glynn had manipulated her and was the cause of the destruction of nearly all the relationships she had at Hogwarts. He used her as his personal weapon to attack those he disliked, and ensured her loyalty and devotion to him by taking advantage of her naivety with relationships and by controlling her drug of choice at the time, pepper up and dreamless sleep potions. She finally ended it when he convinced her to allow him to cast an unforgivable on him, the imperius curse, and had nearly killed her. Porteus and Glynn launched a smear campaign against her, hoping to discredit her and undercut her, and despite the passage of years, they each were as dedicated to their task as they had been when the feelings were raw. Nobody made a fool of Gambols apparently.
But the most annoying part, the heart of her frustration and anger was that she realised she did want to work with the Ministry. It was those cursed objects in circulation that posed the greatest risk to people. And she hadn't lied to that awful woman, who quietly watched the whole spectacle, Cassiopeia hated the idea of innocent people getting caught up in curses, she had seen it happen too much in her life, and she had done nothing to stop it then. Just thinking about her sister being cursed was enough to make her feel ill, remembering vividly the sounds of her cursed laughing echoing off the walls of the small Tonks household, and the thought that it could happen again, and she was powerless to help was physically painful.
Cassiopeia had accidentally cursed her adopted sister years ago, an incident that Nymphadora had never forgiven her for even to this day. It ate away at Cassiopeia, knowing she was the cause of strain and stress in the Tonks family. She had been trying to make amends, but so far her efforts were met with total silence from the elder Tonks child.
She made it down a few hallways before she darted around a corner into a quiet hallway, dropping her bag on the ground and resting her back against the cold marble, allowing her head to fall back in a dull thunk against the wall. She huffed out a deep breath, and squeezed her eyes tight as she tried to process her frustration and anger, acknowledging the rage and hatred swirling around inside of her in the face of such injustice.
That was the key to handling her emotions, identifying the offending feeling, accepting it, and burying it. She kept her anger in a fortified iron box, buried deep in the back of her head, behind a whole series of mental barriers she had designed intentionally to keep it isolated. It had been a cool trick learned from her former Head of House, one that she suspected he relied on heavily as well. And so she took the time to lose herself in her mind, sorting through her tangle of emotions and quarantining the offending ones, and finding her calm centre.
She was a Lestrange, and everyone was waiting for her to lose her temper, to prove she was just as bad as her parents had been. It was imperative she never give them that satisfaction, both for her own well being and for the sake of the Tonks family. No matter how much she wanted to punch a wall, or Gambol's gloating face, she had to retain her calm.
"Cass? What the hell are you doing here?"
Her eyes shot open and she straightened up quickly to attention as she looked at Nymphadora Tonks, resplendent in her scarlet Auror Cadet robes. She looked good, Cassiopeia thought distantly. She looked healthy, physically fit, confident. Auror training was doing wonders for her. It was a shame her good looks were spoiled by a nasty scowl that currently sat on her face.
"Did you really come here to track me down because I haven't responded to your owls? Merlin Cass, that's a bit extreme. Can't you read between the lines?" She sounded irritated, as she shifted foot to foot, her eyes rapidly changing colours.
"Er...Actually-"
"Oh Miss Tonks! I am so happy to catch you before you left." The woman who had sat in on her interview bustled down the hallways, interrupting the two girls as she looked between them carefully.
Nymphadora looked surprised as she took in the woman, straightened fully, and putting her hands behind her back, and nodding respectfully.
"There isn't a problem here is there?" the woman asked cautiously, still eyeing Nymphadora carefully, concern on her face.
"No marm, this is my sister, Auror Cadet Tonks. She was just asking how it all went." Cassiopeia said smoothly, raising her eyebrows at her sister.
The woman nodded, "Ah yes, Alastor's protege. Well I do not want to interrupt but perhaps I can have a word with you in private Miss Tonks?"
Cassiopeia nodded hesitantly, somewhat alarmed by the wide eye look Dora was sending her behind the womans back, "See you later Dora." she nodded at her sister before following the strange woman to her office.
Her office was large. Very large, with a view over the bustling atrium of the Ministry. It was filled with books and trinkets, a few maps indicating spell activity around the country, and a few fugitive posters. She took a seat in front of an intimidating wooden desk, folding her arms politely in front of her.
"I am Amelia Bones, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I deal mainly with the bureaucratic and political side of the office, as well as the prosecution of suspects in our custody. You may not remember me, it was so long ago, but we met once, I was working as a representative of the Wizengamot back then, and was assigned your case."
Cassiopeia sat back and looked at the woman closely. Yes, she did remember her. Her hair had grayed a bit in the ten years, and she had a few more lines on her face, but there was no mistaking it, she was the woman who had kept her out of Azkaban, the foil to Mr Crouch.
Her parents had also killed a rather significant portion of her family as well, if she remembered correctly.
Cassiopeia nodded, "Yes, you helped me then. As well as you could." she affirmed.
"I must admit, I was rather surprised to hear about you coming in today for your interview, it had not occurred to me that so much time had already passed. I always wondered what became of you, how you found the muggle world. It was a cruel punishment, but unfortunately the only option Crouch would accept at the time. He no longer works in this department, if you're curious. He was moved after the war."
"The muggle world went as well as one could expect." she said slowly, suspicion still lining her voice. She hated meeting people from her past, they often treated her as a spectacle, and it appeared this woman was wasting Cassiopeia's time for her own curiosity.
"I just had to sit in, and frankly I am disgusted by your treatment by our curse breaking department. I looked at your file, your qualifications far exceed what we normally accept for our course breakers, and it is our loss to have you working at a hospital or on vaults with the Goblins."
Cassiopeia shrugged, trying to not get her hopes up as the woman spoke, wondering if she had found a champion in the Ministry.
The woman eyed her critically, her lips pursed as she thought. "If we were having this conversation about you working for the Wizengamot, it would be a very different matter. I, unfortunately in this instance, have no power over the training for either the aurors or the curse breakers. Certain oversight was stripped from this position after abuses came to light after the last wizarding war.
But, I have a long memory Miss Tonks, and having seen your record and read your recommendations, I think you will be one hot commodity with no shortage of job offers upon your completion of training. I only can hope that you do not hold this experience against us in the future, and that you might consider a job here after your apprenticeship." she said.
"But doesnt the ministry only hire from those trained within the ministry?" She asked, wondering how this woman could even suggest she work there in the future.
"Normally yes, for day to day curse breaking around the offices. But in certain circumstances we are open to more, shall we say, varied backgrounds and expertise. I can't say more, but just know that your hopes of working here, of helping people, shouldn't die in that interview room. I've seen your file and i'm sure you'll catch the eye of a few more influential people as your career progresses.
I am sorry for how today went, but believe me when I say it was a pleasure to meet you once more, and I am happy to hear that you found family in the Tonks household. I wish you all the luck for your training, and I am certain we will cross paths again." Amelina Bones had led Cassiopeia to the door, dismissing her with a warm smile.
She left the office as quickly as she thought polite trying the fight the wave of frustration slowly overtaking her body. It had been a bad day, the whole idea of even applying there had been a bad idea. She knew that now, and was determined to go home, take a hot bath, drink a few whiskeys, listen to some records, and if she was lucky, get stuck into a bar fight somewhere in the city. Merlin knew she needed the stress relief.
Naturally she was interrupted from leaving the damned department by her sister, who had been hovering near the entrance waiting for her.
"Cass! What was that all about? Why was Amelia Bones looking to talk to you?" she called, stopping the girl from escaping to her solitude.
"Nymphadora, I have been trying to get a hold of you since I graduated. It's been months of unanswered owls and the cold shoulder. And now, when you are possibly one of the last people I want to talk to right now, you are insisting on interrupting me." she huffed, feeling her tight control on her emotions slip as she spoke, a hot flash of anger colouring her voice.
"Dont. Call. Me. Nymphadora." The girl was overly dramatic about it, changing her hair colour to a bright angry red, and scowling darkly. Cassiopeia rolled her eyes and attempted to get around her.
"Look, if you want to talk, answer one of my bloody letters. I am not in the mood for any of your melodramatic distaste of me right now." she growled, stepping around her.
"Just tell me what you were doing with the Head of Magical Law Enforcement?" she called, stepping in front of Cassiopeia once more, blocking her path.
"Answer my letter." She repeated, bodily pushing Dora into the wall and hurrying away. She was fairly certain pushing Aurors was against the law, but she wasn't sure whether that law applied to Auror Cadets whom she also happened to be related to and she wasn't keen to find out.
It had been a rotten day, and she didn't really want to linger in case it was actually a misdemeanour. It would be just like Dora to push charges for something as petty as a push.
Dora responded three days later, three sentences. A date, a time, and a pub.
A/N So the way i've set up the post Hogwarts career...Auror Cadets go into a training programme like a police academy that lasts several years. The head of magical law enforcement i am seeing more like a district attorney deal, a position that oversees all prosecutions of criminals and the legislation and regulation side of the things. I think the aurors have their own political and administrative representatives, to remain independent of the prosecution. different apprenticeships for different specialisations, so Cass is on a joint one, more work, but more rewarding. Also see the educational programmes as like university courses that one would get in their first year-introduction stuff to prepare for fieldwork of increasing intensity over time. make sense?
comments and critiques are appreciated...
tibys