Title: Ripple Effect
You'd be surprised just how far a single act in the throes of hate can go to change a person's life. A single, spitefully spoken word could bring a person to the depths of despair, a single action could spawn a lifelong vendetta, a single thought could bring down an empire.
When Andrew Joshua Talon spitefully threw away every last Hogwarts book in his home, wishing that he had never been involved in the world of magic, he would never know just how far four of those books would travel and just how much the world would change because of it…
[Picture Emily Rose (Haven; SyFy) when you think of Jessica.]
Chapter 6- Identity
"I don't get it." Jess asked as she watched Aurora return to the private room the goblins had -quite harshly- ushered them into following her response to the teller's question. Her charge had been, almost forcibly, moved to a different room. "Harry and I did as you suggested; we were polite and everything so why the sudden hostility?"
"Miss Drew -Jessica- it's a bit complicated." Aurora replied with her ever present smile plastered on her face.
It reeked of insincerity and the blonde was not afraid to call the magical out on it, prompting a sigh from the Hogwarts professor before her demeanor changed, becoming much colder and distant.
"Miss Drew, if you really are a non-magical human, then I suppose I should tell you that the name you introduced your charge under is quite the popular and powerful one in the British magical community, if not that of the world at large. As such, it has happened that people have attempted to get into the Potter vault here at Gringotts. None of such attempts has ever succeeded."
Jessica's eyes were wide with shock and indignation at the hidden insults. "Wait. You think I want to swindle some bank run by goblins? What, using Harry? Sweet Jesus, I only just got the kid into my care, out of the hands of his criminally negligent relatives! I am literally just beginning to wrap my head around the fact that magic apparently exists and exists right here in bloody Britain! What the bloody hell makes you think that I knew jack about Harry's apparent popularity in your community?!"
So upset was she that she never took notice of the slight tingle emanating from her forehead, just between her eyes...
Aurora Sinistra, professor of astronomy at Hogwarts, was a skilled legillimens.
Not an expert, mind you, and certainly not a master but she was definitely a decent distance away from the average. It was how she'd managed to convince the goblins to let her be the 'first contact' interrogator of the woman before her.
When she had first met the two, she fully believed that they were all they seemed to be; a pair of newbies to the world of magic, astounded, awed and perhaps a bit shaken at the realization that the world they thought they knew was so much more than what they thought it was.
Her discussions with them had confirmed most of her initial suspicions so it had come as a shock when the goblin messenger had located her with claims that the two she had shown to the bank were impostors. It had taken all of her mediating skill to get the goblins to listen to her opinion that the two should be interrogated first.
Now, as Jessica wound down and he gently pulled out of the non-magical woman's mind, she was very glad that she had done so.
Not only was she truly a non-magical, Jessica was free of any compulsions that tied to any link with the magical community.
She was being absolutely honest, insofar as she knew, and parts of that nearly led Aurora to seeking out the leader of the Wizengamot to tear him a new asshole. In fact, the only reason she had stifled her own rage was that she wanted to hear his side of things first.
Back to the matter at hand, though.
Wearing a contemplative face to hide her use of legillimency, she finally eased up and softened her features. "I believe you, Jessica. And I truly am sorry about my sudden hostility but... To the adults in the magical community, Harry Potter is something of an enigma; a savior who was sequestered away as a child to live in obscurity. The possibility that he might be back so covertly is a bit of an unexpected event and, when the actions of those who would try to take advantage of the name are factored in... Well, that doesn't excuse my behavior. I am truly sorry Jessica."
The woman seemed somewhat mollified by her apology -she did seem like a level headed person- but she requested to see her charge.
"I'll go talk to the goblins." Aurora promised. "They'll still demand for a lineage test to be run to determine the validity of his claim but I believe you. I'll get them to allow Harry back in to take the test here and I'll be here to answer any questions you have during the process.
"Do you agree to this?"
"If that's what it takes to prove his identity, then yes. I agree."
