And here enters one of my favorite female fantasy characters of all time! Sorry this chapter took so long; for some reason it was very hard to write.
For those of you who want to know where this falls in HP bookverse, this is during The Order of the Phoenix. It is January, and Harry is just starting Occlumency lessons with Severus Snape.
Dolores Umbridge was sitting demurely in a comfortable armchair in her flower-decorated and lace-adorned office. Facing her was the little vampire Jane wrapped in a dark cloak. Neither of them noticed a tiny point of white light hovering in the corner of the room.
"Are you sure of this?" asked Dolores. "Are you sure it was him that you saw? It really won't do to have made a mistake, my dear Jane."
"Absolutely positive," said the Jane in a high, childish voice. Her snowy white flawless face was far too pretty for a human's but not quite pretty enough for a Veela's. The irises of her eyes were a dark red, a product of her constant feasts on human blood.
"Well then," said Dolores. "You have your reward: your choice among the prisoners of Azkaban. But no more than two, mind; we can't have rumors of a mass escape or anything of the sort."
"Duly noted," said Jane, her crimson eyes gleaming.
Dolores smiled pleasantly. "Be sure not to forget it. We don't want anyone from the Ministry to have to come to Italy and pay Aro and his guard a disciplinary visit."
At this Jane snarled, her exquisite face becoming a mask of utter fury, but Dolores smiled more brightly than ever. "That'll be all, dear," she said, and without another word Jane turned and glided out the window before vanishing into the night.
Dolores sat back in her chair and pondered the news she had received. This was most unexpected, and admittedly alarming. That young Cedric Diggory was alive was quite impossible of course; but vampires did not make mistakes in such matters. There was no particular reason for the vampires to lie about having sighted the boy either: it was to their own best interests to report news to the Ministry that the Ministry wanted to hear. That Cedric Diggory was still alive and kicking, and futhermore might at any moment return and back up that troublesome Potter in the blather about the return of He-Who-Was-Not-Named - well, that was the most unwelcome news Dolores Umbridge had had in a long time.
But what was to be done about it? Obviously the news of any sighting of young Diggory must at all costs be kept from the boy's father. And some steps must be taken to ensure that he was kept quiet. No one needed to hear anything disquieting from him, like nonsense about the return of He-Who-Was-Not-Named. It could wreak havoc on all of Dolores' efforts to secure Cornelius' position, and to undermine old Albus Dumbledore in his attempts to take over the Ministry.
Well, there was clearly only one thing to be done under the circumstances. Young Diggory must not be allowed the chance to speak. She picked up her quill and penned a short letter.
The point of light in the corner vanished.
In the Headmaster's office the point of light reappeared. It floated over to Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's desk and flitted round his head a couple of times until he looked up, startled. He saw it and smiled in amusement. "Well, what a pleasant surprise! By all means make yourself at home in my office."
The little point of light winked out, and a moment later a woman was standing in the middle of the office. She was tall and slender and graceful, and more radiantly beautiful than any other living creature on earth. Her face was lit as by the open moon, her clear grey eyes shone like two stars, and her lustrous black hair fell slightly past her waist. She was wearing a simple garment of dark blue which left her flawless white arms bare. An aura of purity and deep joy hung in the air, and a faint fragrance like flowers seemed to have blown into the room. Altogether she looked very much out of place in Dumbledore's office.
"Is this the Headmaster's office?" she asked in great interest. Her voice was sweet and clear and musical. "I have never seen it before."
"Oh?" said Dumbledore in surprise. "But of course; I forgot that only certain of your esteemed relatives had done me the honor of visiting me here at Hogwarts. But I expect is was not to see my office that you came to see me, my dear Luthien."
"It was not," said Luthien Tinuviel. "Though it is a fascinating place, your office. But I have come with news. Young Cedric is quietly attending a Muggle school in Washington for the moment, safe for the moment but not for long. I was in England when I saw one of Aro's little twins, Jane. I could not think what she was doing there, so I changed my form and followed her. She came here, Albus. Here to Hogwarts."
"And what did she do?" asked Dumbledore.
"She went to the Defense against the Dark Arts office where that dreadful woman plots her evil - "
"My dear lady," said Dumbledore. "I would appreciate it if you could refrain from insulting my staff."
"Your staff!" scoffed Luthien. "You cannot pretend it was your wish to hire that snake! That witch is ruthless and cunning and powerful, far more powerful than she may seem even to you, if she can whip the Volturi into shape!"
"The Volturi?" asked Dumbledore sharply.
"The Volturi, Albus," said Luthien. "That Dolores has made them her spies, apparently. Jane had come to report that she had seen Cedric and recognized him, and I think Dolores is plotting to kill him, or otherwise silence him. That, by the way, is mainly what I came to tell you - that the Volturi know that Cedric is alive, and now Dolores Umbridge knows that he is alive. And that Dolores seems to have some hold on Aro and his precious guard - at least she threatened a disciplinary visit if, to use the popular expression, they stepped out of line."
Dumbledore sat lost in thought for a moment or two. Then he said, "Thank you for telling me all this. Since Maglor sent word to me that Cedric Diggory was alive, I had hoped that he would remain hidden until such time as his return could prove helpful. But I think that it is time to induct him into the Order now, as the Ministry has made him a target."
"I hoped you would say so," said Luthien, and she smiled. "A few of us have been teaching him to defend himself in combat, and I believe he is ready to join your Order."
"Good!" said Dumbledore.
"Then I must go," said Luthien. "For if Dolores Umbridge means harm to Cedric then we must take him into the Order before another day has passed, if we can. Should we bring him to the Burrow or to Grimmauld Place?"
"Grimmauld Place, I would say," said Dumbledore. "Sirius is in need of company right now, I believe."
"It shall be done, then," said Luthien. A white light began to envelop her physical form and then condense itself into the small point that had originally entered the office. But in another moment she changed back to her own form and said, "By the way, Albus, how fares Harry?"
"Harry?" Dumbledore smiled rather sadly. "He is well enough, but he is - well, suffering through a rather rough growing stage, I believe. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," said Luthien. She changed herself back into the little point of light and vanished from Albus Dumbledore's office.
So, for those of you not familiar with the HP universe, the Order of the Phoenix is a secret society founded by Albus Dumbledore to work against the Dark wizard Voldemort. The Order is headquartered at the Burrow, which is the home of the Weasley family, and at Grimmauld Place, which is the home of Sirius Black. The Weasley family and Sirius Black are both very close friends of Harry Potter; in fact, Sirius is his godfather. The British Ministry of Magic is the organisation that makes the wizarding laws in the British Isles.
For those of you not familiar with the Twilight universe, the Volturi are the royal family of vampires who make and enforce the laws that other vampires worldwide are expected to uphold. Aro is their leader, and he lives with his two brothers and his vampire guard in Italy.
For those of you not familiar with Tolkien's universe, Luthien Tinuviel is one of his legendary characters. She is actually half Elf and half Maia (a Maia is a spirit being who can take a physical form and who has great power). She is famous for falling in love with a human, a mortal Man named Beren, and enduring great dangers and hardships alongside him. They actually both died and were allowed to return to life, their love story was so exceptional. You'll have to read The Silmarillion to really get the full impact of who Luthien is.
As always, please let me know what you think!
