THE PANIC FACTORY

HOGWARTS - SCOTLAND - FEBRUARY 15TH - 2020 A.D.

Albus was lying in the same Hospital bed he had used after wounding his shoulder. He seemed so peaceful and at the same time helpless. His eyelids were flickering quickly, a sign the he was dreaming.

There was a small bruise on his chest where someone had hit him with a stunner.

James was pacing around the bed left to right. Professor Arken was standing next to Madam Pomfrey looking extremely concerned. After a few minutes Professor Tannis arrived. Before he even had a chance to speak James had jumped in front of him.

"It's Aurora sir! She did it! I saw her!" James blurted.

"You saw her cause Albus to fell into a coma?" Tannis asked with raised eyebrows.

"Well…no…but I saw her on the Map! The map never lies! She was in Gryffindor tower, leaving just after I woke up!" He yelled angrily. "Why would she be in Gryffindor Tower at five in the morning?!"

"Well that can't be ignored…Professor could you go a fetch Aurora please, she'll be by the lake." Tannis said calmly. Professor Arken nodded and left the room.

"Madam Pomfrey, please inform Mr. Potters parents. They may not be awake yet but I have a suspicion that Mrs. Weasley will already be at the Ministry." She nodded hastily and disappeared.

"I knew it! I bloody knew she was behind this!! They didn't start until after he started hanging around with her!" James huffed to himself.

A few minutes later Aurora and Professor Arken entered the Hospital Wing. The moment she arrived, James charged towards her like a bull elephant. "You bitch!" He yelled as he went for his wand.

"MR. POTTER! That will do!" Tannis barked. This was probably the first time anyone had ever heard him shout.

Aurora had completely ignored James and gone straight over to Albus's bedside. "Albus…" She breathed. Her face was flush with panic and despair.

"What happened?" She demanded.

"You should know! You did it!" James roared.

"We can't be sure of that Mr. Potter, please calm down." Professor Arken said.

"Check her wand!" He blurted. Whether he meant to or not he had just suggested an excellent idea.

"Your wand please Miss Lennox." Tannis held out his hand.

She pulled her wand from her pocket and handed it to him. Tannis pointed his wand at hers and with a small flick, he cast 'Prior Incantartum'. Aurora's face instantly fell into complete shock and horror as the spell revealed the last things she had cast.

The last was a stunner. Then an odd incantation that James didn't recognize, but Tannis did. The Dream Ripper curse. It was Aurora.

"Miss Lennox…do you know how to cast the Dream Ripper spell?" Tannis asked quietly.

Aurora, ashamed, nodded.

"See! Arrest her!" James yelled before being shushed by Professor Arken.

"And do you remember casting that spell on Mr. Potter?" He asked.

"NO!" She yelled.

"Oh Bullshit!" James hissed.

"Mr. Potter, perhaps you and Professor Arken could locate you sister and await the arrival of your parents." Tannis said casually.

"Fine." James grunted. As he stormed out of the Hospital wing he glared at Aurora and scowled. "Your dead!"

He and Arken power walked there way back to Gryffindor tower. James was fuming as they almost ran straight into Scorpius Malfoy who looked like he was going down to breakfast.

"Malfoy, you seen my sister?" James barked.

"No, why, what's up?" Scorpius asked curiously.

"None of your bloody business!" He hissed and continued walking.

Scorpius knew James was in a bad mood after his conversation and balls up attempt to kiss Rose Weasley but this was different. Why was James up so early and why was he so angry right in front of the Gryffindor head of house. Scorpius looked back, realizing whish direction they had come from. The hospital wing! Something was very wrong.

Scorpius quickly walked towards the doors of the hospital wing but as he approached he heard two people speaking. The door was open ever so slight and he could hear them speaking clearly. One was unmistakably Aurora, the other was the headmaster. He stopped before entering and pressed his ear to the gap.

"…I don't know! I told you I don't remember doing any of it!"

"Aurora…your sure the Cajun didn't say anything about this?" Tannis sounded equally desperate for answers.

"I haven't been able to contact him lately. He still hiding in Louisiana somewhere. But no, the last time we spoke, he didn't say anything and I think he would have mentions a little thing like this!" Aurora was getting more frustrated and more desperate by the second.

"Really?"

"Oh come on Alex! You really think I would do this!" Aurora blurted. Scorpius was shocked at the way they were speaking. Almost like a brother and sister would rant to each other.

"Your memory hasn't been tampered with Aurora! I can't see how you wouldn't remember!" Tannis said.

"Well I don't! You know damn well I wouldn't hurt him Alex! It's my job to protect him!" Aurora yelled.

Scorpius couldn't move. Her job to protect him! What the hell is going on and what the hell is wrong with Albus? He thought.

"I know you wouldn't hurt him Aurora! After three years of watching his back I can't believe you would just up and decide to put him in a coma! This really isn't making any sense!" Scorpius could hear Tannis pacing.

Albus is in a coma! Aurora has been watching him for three year! What the fuck!

"Sleepwalking!" Tannis suddenly blurted.

"I don't sleep walk…unless I do…but I still would be able to get into Gryffindor tower!…unless someone opened the door for me…" Aurora ventured with a dark tone.

"You would certainly have no memory, but I don't see how they could, you haven't had the Imperious Curse on you." Tannis debated.

"Someone obviously knows I can throw it off." Aurora said grimly.

Tannis seemed to hesitate before speaking again. "Aurora…your sure this isn't -"

"I'm sure!" She cut him off. "They don't even know about him! And if it was! They certainly would use a Dream Ripper curse on him! They'd just make him disappear like the others!" Aurora sighed. "Lincoln's been keeping an eye out for them, they don't know!"

"I thought you said he got spotted by Albus in Hogsmead." Tannis said.

"He did! Made too much of a scene at the Platform for Albus to just forget him." She said.

"Well if Albus managed to spot him maybe they did too, you know very well how smart they are…just because we can't se them doesn't mean there not -"

"It's not them!" Aurora cut him off again. "It's someone else!" gravely.

"Do you know anybody else that might want Albus dead?" Tannis asked.

"No…I mean there are plenty of people that would like to cause his father harm by attacking Albus but it would be next to impossible for them to reach him without being seen! Someone has been using me to attack Albus!" Aurora scathed at the situation.

"Whoever it is…do you think they know about you?" He asked carefully.

"Not unless you've told someone." Aurora hissed.

"I haven't" He said quickly.

"We have to help him Alex! This is my fault!" Aurora despaired.

"If someone had been controlling you then it's most defiantly not your fault!" Tannis informed.

"Eight years of prep and protecting him, I was suppose to be ready for anything! Then this happens…someone's fucking grudge is going to ruin it all!" She kicked the table in anger.

"It's not over yet!" Tannis reminded her. "And besides…if he started to show…I thought you were supposed to kill him…" He said quietly.

"I can't do that!" She growled.

Aurora has been protecting Albus but she is also suppose to kill him if he starts to show!? Show what?!

Scorpius heard voices coming from down the corridor, he knew he couldn't eavesdrop for much longer. Someone would spot him and after all the secrets he had just been exposed to, he was actually quite afraid of what might happen if he got caught. He decided to play it cool. He purposely kicked the door and entered the hospital wing.

"I just saw James! What's happened to Albus?!" He said, giving an Oscar worthy performance. They didn't seem to suspect him in the slightest.

"We don't know." Aurora said grimly.

"Madam Pomfrey believes that Albus was stunned then hit with a Dream Ripper curse. The two combined may have put him in this coma. So far, all out efforts to wake him have failed." Tannis explained.

Scorpius decided to take a subtle risk. "Well Albus was planning to stay up and see if anyone came into his room. He must have seen the person before they stunned him."

"I'm sure he did…It was me…" Aurora still couldn't believe it. "I don't know how, I don't even remember being there…but…James said he saw me on the Marauders Map and the spell imprint on my wand proves it."

"Some one's been controlling you?" Scorpius asked. He had just overheard this conversation but it would seem suspicious if he didn't ask.

"I think so…"

The doors of the Hospital Wing burst open and Harry Potter charged in. Ginny was right behind him along with James, Lily, Ron and Hermione. Harry already had his wand drawn. Without hesitating or speaking he pointed his wand directly at Aurora's face. He was shaking.

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SON!" A blood rage that had never bee seen before was pouring from Harry's emerald eyes. Aurora simply stared at him, like she was welcoming the curse. She felt responsible. She had failed.

"MR. POTTER!" Tannis yelled, even louder then before. "Your past achievements aside, I will not allow you to harm any of my students! Please lower your wand!" His words echoed around the room. Harry remember when Dumbledore had yelled at Umbridge for manhandling a student. He lowered his wand but didn't holster it. Scorpius was shaken by the whole scene. The world had painted Harry Potter as the great, noble, protector of wizards. For him to act like this was shocking to say the least. It certainly made him want to bite his tongue about the conversation he had overheard.

Ginny was leaning over Albus whispering to him. She seemed to be fighting back tears. Lily looked exactly the same and James frustration mimicked his fathers. Ron was glaring at Aurora and Hermione seemed to be halfway between the two. A mix of shock, concern and pure hatred on her face.

They were all completely ignoring Scorpius. The doors opened again. This time Rose and Hugo entered. Rose looked like she was ready to break down on the spot and Hugo had a look of utter confusion on his face.

"Oh my god, Albus!" Rose screamed. Scorpius instinctively walked over and hugged Rose. She began to sob into his shoulder. "It's my fault I should have told you…"

"It's not your fault, it's her fault!" James yelled.

"Mr. Potter enough! Yelling at each other is not going to help Albus."

"Why didn't you tell us that the nightmares were this bad Rosey!" Hermione sighed.

"Albus told me not too, but I shouldn't have listened!" She cried again. Her eyes suddenly found Aurora standing silently and looking ashamed. "YOU! I TRUSTED YOU!" Scorpius was now forced step in and hold her back. Rose was struggling to attack Aurora with her bare hands. "I NEVER SHOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU A CHANCE! THEY WERE RIGHT ABOUT YOU!"

"It wasn't her fault Rose!" Scorpius yelled. "Someone's been controlling her!"

"That's convenient." Ron snorted.

"We'll see! Hermione!" Harry whipped around to face her. "You're the most powerful Legilimens here, tell me if she's lying!"

"Don't bother…" Aurora said quietly. "I learnt Occulmens when I was ten."

Hugo, Scorpius and even Rose looked very surprised at this. It was becoming clear that they had only seen a mire fraction of Aurora's true ability.

"Fine! If Legilimens won't do it! Veritasilum then!" Harry barked. He was crazed.

"Legilimens…" Aurora said to her self. She looked like a lightning bolt had suddenly stuck her head. She knew how to save him…

In what can only be described as cat like agility and speed, Aurora lunged forward. She grabbed Harry's wand hand and somehow tied it up with he free hand, then with a single moving hit the bottom of his hand and sent his wand souring into the air. Before anyone else could even raise there wands Aurora had snatched Harry's weapon out of the air, pointed it at Albus and yelled "Legilimens!"

Suddenly her body went limp and fell to floor as if it had just been hit by a killing curse.

"What the…" Hugo blurted.

"Get her onto the bed." Tannis ordered. He and Scorpius picked her up and placed her gently on the bed.

"What the hell did she just do?!" Lily breathed.

"I think she jumped into his nightmare!" Tannis sounded angry at Aurora lake of concern for her own well-being.

"Why?!" Scorpius asked.

"She's trying to wake him up from inside his own head!"

"Oh yeah! A lot of guilty people to that these days." Scorpius spat sarcastically whilst looking at James.

"Shut up Malfoy!" James growled.

"That's it! If she wakes up, she's waking up in Azkaban!" Harry signalled to Ron. They stepped forward.

"NO! We don't know the strength of the connection! Moving her too far away could kill them both!" Tannis warned. "It's up to her now…" he said with concern.

Aurora had left her body.

Her mind was rocketing through Albus's cerebrum. Blasting it's was past memories, emotions and experiences until she arrived at the deepest darkest part of his brain. The Panic Factory; Where fear is manufactured on a daily basis.

She was suddenly standing inside some kind of giant Furness. Raging flames were all around her but there was no heat. She spotted Albus trying desperately to fight his way through the fire towards the pour boy in the centre. Marcus Ewan.

Aurora was stunned in horror. This is what Albus had been experiencing every time he had a nightmare. She felt a great swell of sadness for Albus and at the same time an incredible amount of pride. He was so much stronger then everyone thought. She didn't think there were many other people that could be tortured like this and not break.

"HOLD ON MARCUS!" Albus yelled and Marcus screamed in pain.

Aurora approached Albus. "Fight it Albus!"

"Aurora?!" Albus looked shocked to see her but his attention was pull back as Marcus screamed even louder.

"AURORA HELP ME!" Albus begged.

"I am…" She said grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the flames.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING LET GO OF ME! MARCUS!" He screamed trying to fight her hold.

"It isn't real Albus! It's all in you head!" She yelled.

"What!" Albus was torn between listening to Aurora and saving Marcus. Something about her words seemed to ring true. They felt familiar and soothing.

"Your trapped inside your own nightmare!" She urged him to believe her.

"But…I…"

"He's dead Albus…" The sound of raging flames and scrams seemed to die down. Albus was staring at Aurora, his mouth agape. "Let him go…" She said so gently she could have been whispering.

Tears appeared in Albus's eyes. He knew she was right. He had felt it for the longest time, he simply couldn't let go before. He knew what he had to do. He turned to face Marcus who was still writhing in pain.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you…" Tears fell from Albus's eyes. They were probably falling from his really eyes in the hospital wing. It hurt so much to let the people you love go. He had never truly done it with Marcus. The real feelings of loss never hit him. Just the loneliness of not having him around anymore.

It was time to say goodbye.

"You're my best friend Marcus…I love you…I'll never forget you…but you have to leave now…" He cried harder then he ever has before. "Goodbye Marcus…" Albus fell to his knees. Aurora came from behind him and rapped her arms around him. She was so proud of him.

Then the flames were gone. The Furness was gone. But they weren't in the hospital wing…

They were in the middle of the third floor corridor in Hogwarts. They were still in his nightmare. The hall was dark and cold, as if it hadn't been used in centauries. The sound of howling wind cough be heard outside.

"What's going on?" Albus asked drying the tears from his face.

"You tell me, it's your head." Aurora said absently.

"I thought you were supposed to be helping!" Albus blurted.

"Hey! I didn't have to come in here!!" She spat back.

"Why is this happening!" Albus groaned.

She hesitated but knew he had to know. "Albus there's something you need to know…I don't know how but…it's was me, the whole time it's been me casting the curse on you!" She admitted. "But I don't even rememb -"

"I know!" Albus said absently looking around the corridor.

"You know?"

"Yeah, I saw you right before you stunned me…and…it wasn't you!" Albus said quickly.

"How did you know?"

"Because… because I don't think you would intentionally hurt me." He breathed.

Aurora couldn't say it, but that meant so much to her. That Albus still trusted her even though they were trapped inside a nightmare she had been giving him. She was glowing with admiration for him.

"Hang on a minute! How the hell did you get in my head?" Albus asked looking truly confused.

"I used Legilimens on you…it sorta, transferred my mind into yours…kinda what I was hoping would happen." Aurora said.

"Oh…wait…your a Legilimens?" He said very surprised.

"Yes."

He looked very unnerved all of a sudden. "Aurora…how many times have you looked inside my head?" Albus asked slightly afraid of the answer.

"…A few…" She said sheepishly.

"A FEW! Aurora! There are private things in here!" Albus yelled looking a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry! I had to know!"

"Had to know what?!"

"If you actually wanted to be my friend!" She yelled honestly. Albus was stunned.

The answer had actually stung Albus. He thought she had more faith in him. "Aurora…of course I want to…how could you think I wouldn't want to be your friend?" He asked making it obvious that he was feeling slightly hurt.

"Right, im sorry Al. It just I have such a huge queue of people lining up to be best pals with me!" She said oozing with sarcasm.

"Well…what about Lynx…she's your mate." It was the best retort that Albus could think of.

"Lynx is different!"

"Why?!"

"Because she finds me attractive!" Aurora blurted.

Albus was even more stunned now. He looked like he had just been turned back into a Koala.

"Wait…you mean…"

"Yes Albus, Lynx is gay!" Aurora spelled out the obvious.

"Lynx is gay!?" Albus repeated. He seemed to be having a hard time with it.

"Yes!" Aurora yelled getting frustrated. "She also kinda has a crush on Violet."

"Wait a minute! Violet's Gay as well!?" Albus couldn't believe this. The fact that they were trapped in his mind seemed to disappear with these new revelations about the sexuality of a few Ravenclaws.

"Well…she's…confused…" Aurora admitted.

"No wonder she's so hard to get…wait…Just how many peoples minds have you looked into Aurora!?" Albus shouted.

"Now is not the time Albus! We are sorta stuck inside you fucked up dreams at the moment!" She reminded.

Albus wished she hadn't. Suddenly the fear that had temporarily vanished from his head, return with vengeance.

"What the hell are you doing with her Albus?!" Suddenly James was in front of them glaring with anger.

"James! Tell me you didn't jump into my head as well -"

"Can't you see what your doing to this family?!" Ginny had appeared next to James. The same look of disgust on her, that she had at Christmas. The look bit deep into him. He was starting to panic.

"Mom?" His voice broke.

"That's not your family Albus!" Aurora said quickly but Albus was finding this more difficult to believe. In real life he could have done nothing to save Marcus but…in real life this actually happened.

"Your not a Potter! You don't deserve to be part of this family!" Lily hissed from behind them.

"Your not welcome anymore!" Ginny hissed.

"you make me sick!" James growled.

"It's not real Albus!" Aurora yelled.

"You should just die!" Lily screamed raising her wand. Sectumsempra shot from the tip of her wand and slashed Albus's arm. He wailed in pain. Aurora knew the moment that it had happen, the injure had appeared on his arm in real life. Albus was losing control, he couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't. Blood began to pour from the wound.

"This feels pretty fucking real!" Albus yelled.

"You making it real! You have to focus! You can beat this Albus!" She screamed.

James and Ginny raised their wands. He couldn't fight them. Albus grabbed Aurora and bolted down the corridor as they fired. The walls exploded as the spells missed them by an inch.

They continued to run as fast as they could. "You can't run from your own mind Albus! You have to fight it!" Aurora said as they ran.

Suddenly Albus came to a screeching holt. The walls and floor of the castle had disappeared and turned into a massive dark abyss below them. An endless fall into a shadowy nothingness. Albus's fear of heights.

"Ahh! Not heights!" Albus moaned. He was shaking like mad. The fear was being to overwhelm him.

"For crying out loud Albus! Is there anything your not afraid of!?" Aurora yelled. She was getting a little piss off with his apparent lack of courage.

"Bunny Rabbits!" He spat back at her in a sarcastic tone.

The floor shook. Footsteps. It mimicked the scene from Jurassic Park where the T-Rex turned up, only it wasn't a dinosaur. From around the corner of the corridor a giant monstrous Rabbit, the size of a troll had appear. It's eyes were blood-shot and it was foaming at the mouth.

"Ooohhh, you've got to be shitting me!" Aurora said with her mouth agape. They stared in shock as the Tyrannosaurs-Bunny roared and charged at them.

They bolted, rocketing down the corridor and through a pair of double doors. They were in the great hall. Every single student and teacher was sitting silently, staring at Albus and Aurora with murderous looks in there eyes. The entire school wanted them dead.

"Bet you wish you hadn't come in here now don't ya!" Albus said out of breath.

"Actually this isn't quite as weird as I thought it would be!"

"Oh yeah! What about that!" Albus pointed.

Behind Aurora there was a six and a half foot tall circus clown. Complete with fuzzy blue hair, big shoes and a red nose with an slightly confused look in his painted face.

"I. Hate. Clowns!" Aurora hissed through gritted teeth at Albus, blaming him for the illusion.

They ran back out of the Great Hall and into the corridors.

"There's got to be a way out of here!" Albus begged. He suddenly realized he was talking to himself.

"Aurora!" She was gone…and at the same time. She wasn't.

Aurora was standing right next to Albus. "Albus! I'm right here!" She tried to grab his arm but her hand passed straight through him. They were getting closer to his deepest fears. Fear of being alone.

"AURORA!"

"I'm still with you Albus!" She cried but Albus couldn't hear her.

"She's gone Albus." The voice of his father came from behind him. He turned to see his father looking at him with anger and disgust. "She's gone and left you in this mess, just as we knew she would!"

"No! AURORA!" Albus cried again praying that she would appear from nowhere. She didn't. His voice was shaking as he frantically looked around for any sign of her. Albus was terrified.

"Your pathetic!" Harry spat. "Your not my son!"

"Please help me…" He cried out to the invisible Aurora. Tears had begun to fall from his eyes. He seemed to be shrinking or Harry was getting taller.

"Help you! I never had parents to come and rescue me! Why should I help you!" Harry hissed. Then with shocking speed he punch Albus hard in the gut. Albus groaned in pain and fell to the floor. "Everything I did when I was at school here I did without parents! You couldn't even save your self!"

"Stop it please…" Albus trembled gasping for air. He was losing the battle.

"FIGHT IT ALBUS PLEASE!" Aurora screamed. It was agony for her to have to watch this and not be able to help. "YOUR STRONGER THAN HIM ALBUS! I'M WITH YOU! FIGHT IT!" She couldn't believe how Albus tortured himself with his own fears.

"WEAK!" Harry suddenly punched him hard in the face. "HELPLESS!" Another punch. Albus fell and crouched into a ball, trying to shield him self from the attacks. "IT WAS THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE WHEN YOU TURNED UP IN THIS WORLD!" Harry continued to beat his son hard.

"NO! ALBUS PLEASE!" Aurora wailed. She couldn't stand it. Tears were streaming down her face. "IT'S NOT REAL ALBUS! IT'S NOT REAL!"

"We were so much happier before you were born!" Harry scolded. He stopped kicking his son and walked over to one of the suits of armour in the corridor. He pulled the sword away from it and grinned sadistically.

Aurora froze. If he was making the pain real, he might make the death real as well. Albus was about to kill him self with his own fear. "ALBUS LISTEN TO ME! THIS IS YOUR MIND! YOU ARE IN CONTROL!"

He couldn't hear her. He was still scrunched in a ball, weeping and shaking like a terrified animal.

"Look at you! A weak little speck of insignificant trash!" Harry raised the sword above his head. She tried to stop Harry but again simply passed straight through him as if he were a ghost.

"ALBUS! PLEASE! IT'S YOUR NIGHTMARE! IT'S YOUR MIND! YOUR WORLD! YOUR RULES!"

Harry plunged the sword down.

In never hit Albus

"My Life." Albus said simply. Harry seemed to struggle to try and raise the sword again but it was frozen in mid air.

"Not yours…mine!" Albus stood face to face with Harry. "It was always my life! And I never wanted yours! I never wanted to be like you! And I never will be!" The sword suddenly shot through the air and back into place on the suit of armour. "My world! My rules!"

"It's my life! I choose what I do with it! I choose who I'm friends with and who I'm not! AND I CHOOSE NOT TO BE LIKE YOU!"

"YOU BASTARD!" Harry roared.

"I DON'T NEED YOU ANYMORE!" Albus roared even louder.

Suddenly Harry was gone. Aurora was back. It was over.

She ran over and hugged him. She was still crying but these were tears of joy. Albus had beaten his own fears.

"You did it!" She declared ecstatically.

"I heard you!" He smiled. He could stay in that hug for hours. He could live for ever in her arms but she broke away. She sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. Albus looked around at the dark cold Hogwarts corridor and smiled.

"I don't like this look." He closed his eyes and suddenly the whole castle began to vibrate. The walls suddenly broke apart and disappears allowing a beautiful, warm sun to shine onto their faces.

"What are you doing?" Aurora asked.

"Making the place how it should be." Albus smiled.

The entire castle continued to shake.

The stone floors were replaced by think green grass. Trees and Flowers sprang up everywhere. The ground suddenly slopped downwards into a hole that began to fill with cool clear water. Hagrid's hut bolted up from the ground in the tree line, along with his pumpkin patch. A shrieking sound, signalled the arrival of Buckbeak who landed gracefully next to the hut. The lake had finished filling and was calmer then ever before. Rays of sunlight glistened off of the cool surface.

Aurora smiled with amazement. Albus had conquered his own fears. The Panic Factory was officially closed. It was a beautiful day in Albus's mind.

Down by the lake, two people came into focus. Scorpius and Rose. They were walking together, laughing and holding hands. Then another person, next to Hagrids hut. Marcus. He was happy, peaceful, the way Albus would remember him from now on. He was even stroking Buckbeak and waving at Albus and Aurora excitedly..

"This is where I'll keep my memories from now on." He smiled.

"I think it's wonderful…" She hesitated before speaking again. "I'm not here…" She looked sad. Not because of her absence, but because she knew what he was about to say.

"I keep my feelings somewhere else." He looked at her intensely. His wonderful green eyes locked on her wolf-like blue. Tears were appearing in her eyes.

"Albus we can't…" She whimpered.

"Why?! I don't care what anybody thinks!" He said taking her by the hands.

"It's not that!"

"Then what!"

"Your too good for me!" She cried trying to look away.

"Then exploit me!" Albus gave and fragile smile.

She stepped closer, hugged him and whispered in his ear. "I wish things were different. I wish we could…but we can't…I'm sorry…" She broke away from him. She had never looked so sad in her whole life. She had never felt so hollow. But she was right. In addition to the fact that she was going to be thrown in Azkaban the moment they woke up, they're friendship had caused enough problems already. It was her job to protect him…not to fall for him. It may already be too late.

"I can't just stop!" He breathed.

"Neither can I…" She whispered. "Maybe…someday…we…"

"Until that day then…" Albus said simply. He could wait for her.

He stepped forward and took her by the hands again. "Close your eyes." He smiled.

She did.

Suddenly and at the same time Albus and Aurora jumped out of their deep sleeps and bolted up right. They were back. Madam Pomfrey, Professor Arken and Neville Longbottom had joined the rest of them and Albus now had a large white bandage on his arm when the curse had hit him.

There was a great wave of gasps and shocks as everyone rushed towards Albus. Harry was the first to him. Albus almost backed away from his father but stopped him self. It wasn't real. He reminded himself.

"Albus are you alright!" Harry demanded raping his arms around his son.

"Yeah I'm fine." Albus said cheerfully. He did in fact feel great. He felt refreshed and somehow empowered.

"Don't do that to me kid!" Harry breathed his sigh of relief. Albus could he his voice cracking. His father did love him.

Ginny was next in line to hug and fuss over Albus. Last was James who actually showed how worried he was about his brother. He hugged him tightly like he was afraid he might lose him.

"Hold on, I might not have woken up yet…" Albus said with a look of stunned disbelief on his face.

"Hey I'm still ya big bro! Just because I prank you doesn't mean I don't care about ya!" He laughed.

Albus almost didn't notice that Ron was moving towards Aurora with his wand in his hand.

"Wait! What are you doing!" Albus demanded.

"Al we…" Harry started but Albus didn't want to hear it.

"Your gonna arrest the woman that just saved my life, I don't think so!" He barked. This a few shocked looks to appear on his families faces.

"Albus she's the one who's been doing this to you!" Hermione stated.

"No, she was being controlled! Someone has been pulling her strings! I saw her right before she stunned me! She looked like a bloody zombie!" Albus declared.

"Albus you can't be sure…" Ginny attempted but Albus cut her off as well.

"I can be sure! Isn't it obvious! Someone knew to use Aurora cos you lot wouldn't think twice about arresting her!" He turned to look at Tannis. "Someone else has been masterminding this whole thing! Someone with a serious grudge against the Potters!"

Tannis nodded in agreement.

"Albus whether or not she was in control at the time is meaningless. She still guilty of dozens of other crimes, including knowing an illegal spell…" Hermione was in law enforcement mode but Albus wasn't backing down.

"Yeah! She also the reason I'm talking to you right now and she's your only chance of finding out who is behind all this! If you lot can forget about your stupid fucking grudges against her family we might actually be able to figure this out!" He growled. His temper was flaring up.

"Albus!" Ginny was flabbergasted.

"If I may…perhaps what this needs is a neutral party. Someone who can assess all sides of the story and come up with a possible solution?" Tannis asked professionally.

"We quite capable of assessing the evidence, but thank you for volunteering." Hermione said a little too nicely.

"Oh, I wasn't talking about myself…I thought perhaps…Professor Dumbledore?" He said simply.

This as intended left them unable to argue. "We all still value his council yes?" Tannis waited for someone to object but knew no one would. "Very well, then it's settled. Albus, Aurora, Scorpius and Rose, please proceed to my office." He said sounding very chirpy all of a sudden.

"Wait why Malfoy and Rosey?" Ron asked.

"Well miss Weasley has been experiencing the same curse and Mr. Malfoy has been present throughout the entire ordeal with outsiders perspective. Forgive me but I'm not entirely convinced that James would give a non-bias opinion on the matter." Tannis explained casually.

"Well what about Lily! She's been having nightmares!" James huffed.

Tannis simply looked at Lily with raised eye brows. Lily shrank immediately and started biting her thumb nail. She shook her head quickly. "I d-don't want to be a part of this." She said quietly.

"Well then we won't force you my dear." Tannis smiled then ushered the four towards the door. They left quickly.

'When Albus told me what he and Aurora had experienced inside the deepest recesses of his mind, I was understandable shocked. Not because of the twisted horrors that he experienced there but because his single greatest fear was that he would be hated by his family. A fear which he managed to overcome. Thank god he did…for a bit later in his life…Albus's family would become, at best an obstacle, at worst an enemy.'

A few minutes later Albus, Aurora, Scorpius and Rose entered the Headmasters office, following behind Professor Tannis.

Along the way Scorpius had suddenly remembered the conversation he had over heard. He was looking at Aurora suspiciously. Although he knew she certainly wasn't what she pretended to be, he had no doubts that she actually was there to protect Albus. He also realized that Tannis seemed to be on her side and would do his very best to keep her out of Azkaban. But he couldn't work miracles…and that is exactly what they were going to need.

He surveyed the painting that were hung all around the office. Of all the portraits Snape looked particularly unhappy to see them. Dumbledore merely smiled at them.

As soon as the gates closed behind them Tannis turned and looked at Albus and Aurora. "First off, are you two sure your alright?" He asked.

Aurora nodded while Albus still looked livid. "I'd be a lot better if this load crap wasn't happening!" Albus exclaimed.

"Typical!" Snape scoffed.

"Now is really not the time Snivillus!" Albus hissed back.

Snape looked like he wanted to jump out of the portrait and throttle him.

"Calm you self Albus, we need you thinking clearly at the moment." Tannis said constructively.

"Sorry." He mumbled.

"Now, I'm going to try and talk your parents into some kind of compromise. I suggest you four mull things over with the council of the wonderful former heads of this fine school." He said before heading back towards the entrance. Albus looked from portrait to portrait then around the room hoping to find some kind of answer to this problem. He saw the Sorting Hat, sitting peacefully on it's self and the Sword of Gryffindor resting inside it's glass case.

Before leaving he turned quickly. "Oh and I'm sure I can trust you four not to get up to any mischief while I'm gone." Tannis actually winked at them before finally exiting.

As soon as the door was closed Albus lost his temper again. "This is bullshit!" He yelled.

"Yes it is, but how does that help Aurora?" Scorpius sounded equally frustrated.

"I can't believe them! They always preach about equality and forgive and forget, but as soon as it comes time to show some, noooo! She's gotta go down!" Albus was very temped to mimic his father when he started smashing up the headmasters office after the battle at the Department of Mysteries.

"This isn't helping Al!" Scorpius said again. Aurora was standing silently with a look of despair on her face. Rose was pacing left to right and seemed to be having some kind of fight with her own intelligence.

"Aurora…I'm sorry I shouted at you…" Rose spoke quietly.

Aurora attempted to smile but seemed a bit too locked up in her own thoughts. "I don't think that really matters now Rose…but thanks."

"You saved his life…thank you." Rose looked at her, slightly teary eyed.

"Yeah nice one!" Scorpius gave her an awkward thumbs up.

"I'm not letting this happen Aurora! I'd be dead if it weren't for you. I don't care if I have to take the Minister hostage! This is not going down like this!" Albus said forcefully. He meant every word of it. He had been injected with new life and a firm control of his own fear. He was ready for anything.

"You know, you four remind me very much of other group of students that once attended this school." Professor Dumbledore said from his portrait. "Don't you agree Severus?"

"The resemblance is nauseating…" He scowled. "I only wonder which one is Wormtail."

"Wormtail…you mean the Marauders?" Albus was slightly confused. "I think you've got us confused with my brother and his mates."

"Oh yes, your brother is well on the way to filling the jesters void left by the Marauders but I believe you four show a much more accurate display of their loyalty to one another." Dumbledore said quite casually.

Albus couldn't help but lock eyes with Aurora. She was so beautiful. He couldn't let this happen to her. He got the impression that she wanted to tell him something but couldn't.

"I understand that your brother already has the Marauders map." Dumbledore continued.

"Word travels fast around the portraits doesn't it." Scorpius smiled.

"Indeed it does Mr. Malfoy. If you only had the other item that was so widely used by the Marauders I might think I was looking into a pensive." There was an unmistakable twinkle in his eye.

Albus knew something else was going on here. He had a very strange feeling that they hadn't been brought to this office simply on a whim.

"Albus…it that was I think it is?" Rose suddenly spoke. She was looking directly at the headmasters chair. Or rather what was slung over the back of the chair.

The Invisibility Cloak.

"That's your fathers cloak!" Scorpius blurted.

"Oh yes I almost forgot. Professor Tannis asked your father if he could borrow the cloak in order to keep an eye on some of the more troublesome students. Mr. Lawson and Mr. Little in particular I believe." Dumbledore said in a very run of the mill tone. At the same time he seemed to be making it as obvious as possible that he was lying.

Scorpius looked around at Aurora. She looked slightly uncomfortable when she saw him staring at her and was forced to look away. Scorpius had a sneaking suspicion that she knew Tannis had borrowed the cloak.

"Seems odd that he would leave such a valuable artifact just lying around…" Dumbledore said absently.

Albus suddenly clocked it. "Aurora…get under the cloak." He said grabbing it off the back of the chair.

"Albus I can't go on the run!" Aurora objected.

"Albus! We can't do this! We would be aiding the escape of a possible fugitive! It's against the law!" Rose shrieked in panic.

"No Rosey! I am helping an innocent friend escape a sentence in Azkaban!" Albus barked back. He turned to Aurora. "You'll only have to stay hidden until we can find out who is behind this!"

Aurora wanted to argue but couldn't seem to find the words.

"Rosey look, I understand that you've never liked Aurora -" She was about to say something but he raised his hand to cut her off. "- and I know your mom is going to be minister for magic and you don't want to disappoint her in anyway -" Rose tried to speak again but Albus wouldn't let her until he had finished. "- But you are the smartest person I know and if I am going to have any chance of figuring this out, I'm going to need your help!" He finished.

Rose seemed to have a huge internal battle going on between her head and her heart. She looked from Albus to Aurora to Scorpius a few times trying to decide what to do.

"Alright!!" She finally yelled.

"Thank you!" He breathed.

"Great, for I minute I thought I'd have Confund you!" Scorpius smiled. Rose looked scandalized before Scorpius gave her a suggestive wink. She turned bright red and looked away.

Before anything else could be said, the sound of the revolving staircase signalled the arrival of the adults.

"Get under the cloak!" Albus whispered. Aurora disappeared from sight as she pulled the cloak over herself. "As soon as the door is open, get past them!"

"Leave the grounds as quickly as you can! They'll use the map to try and find you!" Rose added quickly.

Scorpius looked quite impressed. He thought of that.

Just as the door opened Rose pulled her wand and shot a small flash on pink light into the air. The light exploded with a BANG! into a massive haze of fog that covered the entire room. The adults came rushing inside with their wands drawn.

"What happened!" Harry demanded.

"She's gone!" Scorpius said quickly again giving an truly believable performance.

Before Albus could say anything he felt the soft touch of something warm and smooth on his lips. Then it was gone and they were all left looking around the room frantically. Tannis waved his wand and the smoke cleared instantly.

"How?!" Ron shouted.

"We don't know dad! There was this big bang and then smoke everywhere and then she was just gone!" Rose wailed. She unlike Scorpius was completely overacting.

"What did I tell you about trusting her Albus!" Harry roared. His anger was quite frightening.

Albus did his best to keep up with lie. He simply looked at his own feet, pretending to feel ashamed when in actual fact he was barely able to contain his happiness.

"She must still be in the school somewhere!" Ron said.

"She'll be heading for a Floo point, unless she can Disapparate…then she'll be heading for the boarder of the grounds." Hermione added.

"I Wouldn't put it past her, she is quite gifted." Tannis said with the tiniest bit of pride in his voice.

This comment earned him a few nasty looked from the others.

"Well, it seems you were mistaken Professor! Innocent people don't run!" Ron scathed.

"Everybody runs…" Scorpius said intensely. This was clearly a statement about Harry, Ron and Hermione and their time spent as fugitives during the second war. Albus had a sneaking suspicion that he was also referring to his own father who ran, even after he was unable to kill Dumbledore.

"Well, this a ministry matter now. I suggest you three return to your common rooms. I'm sure you parents will keep you updated." Tannis said ushering them out of the door.

They exited the office and retuned to the corridor.

"Meet me in the Library in a few minutes." Albus whispered. "I'm going to find my brother and try and borrow the map."

Scorpius and Rose nodded and made their way towards the Library. Albus darted down the corridor, heading for the hospital wing. Albus knew that even though the Cloak was a Deathly Hallow it wouldn't be able to hide her forever. They had to find a way to clear Aurora's name as soon as possible.

"Albus!" A voice brought him to a holt in the corridor.

He turned to see Professor Lithgo hurrying towards him. "You awake! Thank god!" He breathed his relief.

"I'm fine sir! Have you seen my brother?!"

"No I haven't, I've been looking for the headmaster, is he in his office?" Lithgo asked frantically.

"Yeah why?"

"I think someone may have been controlling Aurora!" Lithgo exclaimed.

"YES! They have! Do you know who?!" Albus begged.

"No, I don't." Lithgo sighed.

"Well do you know anyway of proving that Aurora was being controlled?"

"Maybe…remember the Voodoo Doll I showed you! It's gone!" He said quickly.

"The Voodoo Doll?!"

"Yes! There is a spell, a way of checking who opened the box last! Sort of a wizarding equivalent of figure prints but I can't cast it. I'm not a wizard!" Lithgo explained.

"Everyone's looking for Aurora at the moment! She sort of escaped…But I could try…" Albus preyed that he could, just once, pull of a spell when he needed to. The quickly headed towards Lithgo's classroom.

"Alright, the incantation Specialis Homenum Revelio. Sort of a mix between two spells. It should tell you the last person that touched the box." Lithgo said as they arrived at his office.

"I'll do my best, if I can't do it we'll have to get Rosey." Albus informed him.

"So how did Aurora escape?" Lithgo asked.

"Eerr…she sort of just disappeared…but I know she's innocent and if this helps clear her, I'll do everything that I can!" Albus smiled slightly as he approached the box. He pulled out his wand and pointed at the box.

"You know, your a lot like your father Albus." Lithgo said.

"I think you have me confused with my brother sir."

"No…I mean your both gullible."

Albus turned around to look at Lithgo. He froze. Lithgo was pointing a wand at him. Before he could speak, move or realize what was happening, Lithgo fired. The stunner struck him dead in the chest.

The world disappeared from Albus's eyes as he blacked out.