Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter Franchise or its characters. All characters used are the property of their respective owners.
This story is rated M for violence, language, & sexual themes.
A Special Thanks to my Alpha on this story Sakubato.
This story is a Horcrux free zone.
If you don't like the story, don't read it.
Note: Can anyone find the two Doctor Who references I snuck into this chapter?
Note 2: I am drawing inspiration for the function of the potion from RobSt's story Banking on Her. I claim no rights to the idea.
Note 3: The International Wizarding Times is a creation of La Morraine for their story Dobby's Deceit and is being used with permission.
Note 4: Nick Carlstrom is my Player Character from Harry Potter: A Hogwarts Mystery.
Warning: Manipulative Dumbledore & Weasley Bashing (Ron, Molly, & Ginny.)
Where the Wild Roses Grow 14
28 July 1995
St-Germain-des-Prés, Paris, France
The woman looked up and smiled at Fleur. "Bonjour, may I help you?'
Fleur stared at her wide-eyed for a moment before shaking her head to regain her senses. "Are you… excuse me, is your name Lily?"
The woman with flame-red hair and piercing green eyes raised an eyebrow and smiled cordially. "I'm sorry, no, my name is Verity, I think you have me mistaken for someone else," Verity replied with what was an English accent.
"Je suis désolé, you look like my b…friend's mother. I thought she may have come to visit."
"No, I wish I had a son but… my husband and I were never blessed…"
Fleur forced a smile as she grabbed a random book off the shelf and walked to the front of the shop to pay for it. Fleur practically ran down the street back to the apparition point for that part of Paris and apparated back home.
Chateau Delacour, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
As soon as Fleur entered the house, she spotted a weary Tonks walking down the stairs. "Auror Tonks, I need you!"
Tonks blinked and then grinned. "I've been dying to hear you say that!"
Fleur rolled her eyes grabbing Tonks by the hand. "Get your mind out of the gutter, this is important!"
Fleur dragged Tonks through the house and into her mother's office where Emma was perched on the edge of Apolline's desk engaging in a heated kiss with the blonde woman in question. The two quickly broke apart but Fleur all ignored them in favour of addressing the encounter she'd just had. "Mother, Lily Potter is alive."
The brought the room to a crashing halt as Tonks and Apolline stared at Fleur in bewilderment while Emma looked on confused but quickly spoke up. "Hermione has mentioned Lily in her letters, she is Harry's mother?"
"Oui, she died protecting Arry from Voldemort on Halloween night nineteen eighty-one, she is not alive Flower, she is dead," Apolline explained turning back to her daughter.
"She is alive, I just saw her working in a bookshop in St-Germain-des-Prés. Get out the family Pensive and I will show you."
Apolline gave her daughter a reluctant nod and turned to a cabinet behind her desk, channelling her magic into the door she unlocked it and removed a stone basin while Fleur extracted the memory in question. Seconds later Apolline, Tonks, and Emma dove into Fleur's memory and emerged a few minutes later. Apolline had a contemplative look on her face. "Oui, that does look like the pictures I've seen of Lily Potter. But Lily Potter is supposed to be dead."
"According to whom?" Fleur pressed already suspecting the answer.
Apolline frowned. "Dumbledore."
"Was there no autopsy performed on the bodies?" Emma asked.
Apolline shook her head. "Non, there was a quick funeral followed by burial in Godric's Hollow. After Lord Black was sent to Azkaban and the Longbottom's being attacked there were very few who would have called themselves close friends of the Potters and the wider public wanted to forget the war as soon as possible. The international wizarding press followed the death of Voldemort quite extensively at the time," Apolline elaborated. "The family of the Boy-Who-Lived were subjected to lengthy profiles in the wake of their deaths or supposed deaths."
"We all know Dumbledore has an unhealthy obsession with Arry, what if this obsession is not new, what if it dates back to when he was a baby?" Fleur hypothesized.
Apolline frowned and considered the suggestion. "It would not explain how Lily Potter is alive, or why she is working in a Paris bookshop you frequent. Or why you were able to find her there."
Fleur shrugged. "For the first two questions I have no answer, but today I felt a pull on my magic. Something I'd not felt before. I now know what it was, it was the pull of familial magic. The bond made me seek out Arry's mother."
"But why now, you've both been in France for weeks, why would that work only now?" Apolline pressed.
"I don't know Maman, all I know is that Lily Potter is alive and now we have two people to save, not just Arry!" Fleur bit back angrily.
"Lily Potter is alive?" Hermione asked from the door.
"Hermione, I'm sorry, I should have come to get you," Fleur replied walking over to the door and taking Hermione's hand. Emma frowned when she saw the bags under Hermione's eyes and pale colouration of her skin.
"This is a memory of my encounter with a woman I believe to be Lily Potter, but she calls herself Verity, we're not sure why?"
Fleur played back the memory for Hermione who nodded. "That certainly looks like Lily Potter, she would be Thirty-Five now. This woman's eyes certainly remind me of Harry," Hermione commented turning to Apolline. "What are you planning to do?"
"Hermione, there is not much I can do, my providence is magical crimes and enforcing French magical law. I have no authority over a mundane woman who looks like Lily Potter…" Apolline stated but at the stares of her daughter and Hermione, she sighed. "But I suppose running a check on her residency with my mundane counterparts would not do any harm."
"How will you do that, you only have her first name and a description?" Emma asked.
"We can take an image from the Pensive and use it to create a mundane photo, from that we can search the visa database of the Ministre de l'Intérieur, We can decide how to proceed once we have that information."
"Ok, I'm going back to the library…" Hermione replied turning around but was stopped by Emma.
"No, you're not, you're having a meal and a few hours' sleep," Emma ordered.
"Mum, I can't, I need…"
"You need to rest Hermione, you won't do Harry any good if you collapse sick from lack of quality sleep and food. Do you think he'd want that, of either of you?"
Hermione and Fleur looked away shamefully. "No."
"Right, then its time for lunch. Apolline, Tonks, would you care to join us?"
Apolline and Tonks both smiled and shook their heads. "Non, we will return to the office, we should start the search for information on the woman we think is Lily Potter immediately."
"I'll help and then check on Harry, he's sure to be as surly as ever."
Hermione cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure he was potioned, that sounds like normal Harry behaviour to me?"
"Oui, I concur."
Hermione gave Fleur a weak smile as Emma dragged them off to the dining room. Tonks walked up and looked down at the image of the woman they hoped was Lily Potter. "If Lily is alive, what the hell did Dumbledore do?"
"I will be sure to ask him," Apolline assured the young Auror.
Office of the Bureau de la Justice Magique, Paris, France
Dumbledore slipped his glasses into the top pocket of his robes and gave them a gentle pat as he readied himself to leave the holding area of the French DMLE offices. Fudge had successfully petitioned the French Minister for Magic to have the Weasleys, Remus, and himself released into his custody as long as they left France immediately. Dumbledore was happy to comply, as long as Harry went with them. Dumbledore knew that as long as Harry returned with them to England that Granger would inevitably follow. Granger was smitten with the boy, she would go where her heart directed and for now, at least her heart desired young Harry. Once they were back at Hogwarts Granger's feelings could be re-directed to Ronald, at least until his plans for her became viable. But that would not be for another couple of years, Granger needed to mature before he brought young Harry and Granger together that way.
Dumbledore smiled as he spotted Fudge entering the room. "Ah Cornelius, here to celebrate my release from unjust detainment?"
Fudge frowned. "No Albus, I am not, I am here to make sure you promptly return to England with me and to tell you, you've lost your position as Supreme Mugwump. The final vote was held this morning, it was an overwhelming majority."
Dumbledore sighed. "That is unfortunate, but no great loss, I was planning to resign soon anyway," He replied, although it was a loss of prestige Dumbledore could still manipulate things from behind the scenes. The ICW had frustrated him in recent times, becoming, in his view, more bloodthirsty over the years and handing out unjust punishments to those he felt could be reformed. The people incarcerated only needed his guidance to find the path to forgiveness and light, if only Gellert had been able to forgive himself he wouldn't have gone down the dark path that Tom Riddle tread years later. Tom never forgave his father for abandoning his mother and thus making him an orphan and Harry had almost followed that destructive path, but Dumbledore thankfully recognised the signs this time and stepped in before it was too late.
"We will depart as soon as we've collected the Weasleys, Remus, and young Harry," Dumbledore assured him.
Fudge shook his head. "Harry Potter will not be returning to England with us."
Dumbledore's eyes widened. "What?"
"He tried to escape Auror custody and in doing so assaulted the guard who was stationed outside his room. The guard is recuperating in another country and is therefore out of contact. I discussed this with the Minister but as there is a pending investigation against Potter, he will remain in France for the time being."
"Then I must stay as well, I cannot leave young Harry here when he's in such a fragile state…" Dumbledore began moving towards the doors of the holding area.
"No Albus, you will not. The Minister wants you out of France as soon as possible, you do not have the protection of the ICW anymore. If you push this the Minister will have Potter declared legally incompetent and re-file the charges against you, once that is done you will be transferred into ICW custody and at that point, I cannot help you anymore."
Dumbledore paled, if he were placed in ICW custody he would be subject to questioning under Vertiaserum, and his secrets would become known. Apolline Delacour had not been able to question him using the truth potion because he was still Supreme Mugwump at the time, that gave him a level of protection he no longer had. Dumbledore relented and nodded. "Of course, but I will pursue this once we return to England you understand."
"I don't care what you do once we return to England, as long as you keep…" Fudge paused and glanced back at the Auror at the desk and stepped in closer to Dumbledore and lowered his voice. "As long as you honour our deal."
"I have every intention Cornelius," Dumbledore lied, he would install Umbridge as Defence Professor for the coming year but everyone was aware of the curse and he was sure that the toadyish woman would be out before the end of the term. Dumbledore decided he would simply have to find a way to subtly stimy Umbridge's attempts to stick her nose where it did not belong in the meantime.
"Mum, I'm hungry, that stuff the French call food is horrible," Ron Weasley complained as he and his mother exited the cells after collecting their things.
"I know dear, but we're going home now, I will make you something once we reach the Burrow," Molly assured him. "Good Afternoon Albus."
"Good afternoon Molly, Ronald, are you ready to go?"
Molly glanced around. "We're just waiting for Ginevra, I haven't seen her since we were manhandled by those horrible French men," She explained pointing her finger at the Auror at the desk. "And they wouldn't tell me where she was."
Fudge let out a sigh. "Molly, I regret that Ginevra won't be returning to England with us. She's being treated at a mental health facility here in Paris."
"WHAT?!" Molly screamed. "What are those horrible French pigs doing to my daughter?!"
Fudge stared at Molly evenly. "They are treating her for long term psychological damage, apparently her long-time crush on Harry Potter has turned into an obsession boarding on mania. When Ginevra was taken into custody, she had a psychotic break, and the results are… disturbing."
"You've seen her then, Cornelius?" Dumbledore asked.
Fudge nodded. "Yes, Arthur through Amelia Bones asked me to visit in my official capacity as the Minister. Ginevra has slipped into a fantasy where she believes herself to be Harry Potter's wife and the mother of his child. Ginevra sees the doctor treating her as Harry Potter and her room as their house. It will be months, perhaps years before they can piece her mind back together, if ever."
Molly turned to Dumbledore with a pleading expression. "Albus, please, you need to help, my Ginny has a crush on a boy, all she needs is to come home with us. Ginny is simply scared because she's in a different country and the boy she loves was ripped from her arms. I can take care of her, we can't let her stay here."
Dumbledore pinched the bridge of his nose, he wanted to help, for his reasons, but Ginevra was out of reach for right now. Once Harry was back in England, they could work on getting Ginevra released. "Molly, there is not much we can do, once we arrive home, we can discuss our options with Arthur and Cornelius. I'm sure at least she can be moved to St. Mungo's for treatment."
Molly nodded. "Very well, we should go then, I don't want to be in this country any longer."
As the four were joined by Remus and walked out Ron muttered. "I never wanted to come in the first place…"
Chateau Delacour, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
29 July 1995
After letting both Fleur and Hermione rest for the remainder of the previous day, Apolline and Tonks gathered them and Emma in Apolline's office. Apolline handed out copies of the file regarding the woman they believed was Lily Potter. "Her name is Verity Foreman, a mundane former English schoolteacher. She moved here in 1990 and was granted citizenship in 1992."
"So, this Verity woman is not Magical?" Emma asked.
Tonks and Apolline glanced at each other before answering the question. "There is a notation on the file, marked in ink with a mundane notice-me-not spell. It outlines that when Verity Foreman was examined for the medical section of her citizenship test, it was discovered her magic was bound."
All three women looked up with Emma throwing a questioning glance at Hermione. "Mum, do you remember what Professor McGonagall told you about what would happen if I decided not to attend Hogwarts?"
Emma frowned and pondered the question. "Something about our memories being altered."
Hermione nodded. "That's part of it, but I would also have had my magic bound so I wouldn't accidentally reveal my status as a witch in the mundane world. Someone did that to Lily… Verity."
"Did no one ask the English Ministry about this?" Fleur asked.
"A courtesy inquiry was made with the UK Embassy but since Verity's magic was bound and she met all other qualifications for citizenship no follow up check was ever done," Apolline replied.
"So, it's possible this woman is Lily Potter?" Hermione pressed.
"Oui, I would say it's likely."
"How do we make sure?" Hermione asked.
"I have called in a favour with one of my colleagues at the Ministre de l'Intérieur, Verity Foreman will be called in to answer some routine questions about her residency and her personal history. Just to fill in the gaps in our records, it seems there was a fire, and her file was one of the ones destroyed… shame about that," Apolline explained with a grin.
"I assume there is more to it?" Emma asked smirking.
"Oui, while we are asking Verity questions one of my Aurors will scan her magical signature and compare it to what we have on file for Arry. If they match, we can move forward."
"What's the next step if her magic does match Harry's?" Hermione asked.
"We will seek guidance from the ICW medical section on how to remove memory blocks. A common misconception with the Obliviate spell is that it wipes a person's memories, it does not. It only creates blocks in the brain so those memories cannot be accessed. Once those blocks are removed if Verity is Lily as we suspect she will regain her memories."
"And wake up in a world where her son is being controlled by someone, she thought she could trust, someone I thought I could trust," Hermione muttered.
Fleur reached out and took Hermione by the hand. "We will save him cherie, you just need to have faith."
"I know…" Hermione replied, trying but failing to smile.
"When will this happen?" Emma asked.
"Tomorrow, I sent the letter out yesterday requesting Verity's presence at the Ministry tomorrow morning. I will be interviewing while one of my Aurors collects the magical signature. Medi-Witch Tonks will be there with a vial of Arry's blood for immediate comparison."
Emma grinned. "Efficient."
"You know me mon amour, I am efficient in all things," Apolline replied with a grin as Emma's cheeks turned pink.
"Sex, sex, sex, that's all you ever think about…" Hermione muttered.
Office of the Bureau de la Justice Magique, Paris, France
30 July 1995
Apolline looked up and smiled as she spotted Verity Foreman entering the room and stood offering the younger woman her hand. "Bonjour Miss Foreman, my name is Apolline Delacour, I am assisting the Ministry with correcting the errors in our files today."
Verity nodded and shook Apolline's hand before sitting down. "I'm always happy to help, I was surprised I never saw anything in the papers about a fire."
"It was small and easily extinguished, but we all want to save face, and since this was an accident everyone agreed to keep it quiet. Once we've corrected our records it will not be spoken of again."
Verity nodded. "I see."
Apolline smiled and nodded and opened the file. "Then, let's begin."
On the other side of a one-way mirror, Tonks and Andi stood watching the interview. Andi let out a breath as tears welled in her eyes. "Mum, what's wrong?"
"When Lily went into hiding, she was beginning her second year of Healer training, this was when I was teaching so I could spend more time raising you," Andi added with a smile. "I'd heard about her through Siri so when she joined my potions class, I took a shine to her. A teacher isn't supposed to have favourites, but Lily was a favourite of mine. We were friends, close enough friends that Lily brought Harry to me when…" Andi paused and shook her head. "A story for another time, I think. Anyway, you doted on him, he was your little brother, and you were upset when he went away."
Tonks blushed and looked away. "Yeah, well, I guess I did, the memories are hazy but since I've spent time hanging around him, they've started to come back. I remember his eyes most, they always shone with happiness, it's the same happiness that he expressed when he mentioned Hermione or Fleur. Harry loves them, despite everything his relatives put him through he still found it in his heart to love and then fucking Dumbledore…"
Andi reached out and patted her daughter on the hand. "I know, and one day we'll make our displeasure about how Dumbledore treated Harry known to him personally. For right now we have to focus on saving Lily and Harry."
"You believe Lily Potter is sitting in that interrogation room?" Tonks asked, there wasn't a tone of disbelief in her voice, just curiosity.
"I do, I didn't know Lily that long, but I am sure that is her, but we should confirm anyway."
Andi raised the vial of blood she'd drawn from Harry that morning and cast a complicated spell over it. Andi then repeated the same motions in Verity's direction and then moved her wand between the vial and the woman. When the vial glowed bright blue, Andi had her answer. "When the vial glows blue it indicates the two-share familial magic, the brighter the glow the closer the connection. I have no doubt that is Lily Potter."
"Then how did Harry's magic not react to her presence in Paris but Fleur's magic did?"
"I'm not sure, this is a guess but perhaps whatever spell Dumbledore cast to bind Lily's magic didn't consider a Veela Soul Bond. No one could have predicted what happened under the lake," Andi explained having been informed of the Soul Bond due to her ongoing search for a way to reverse the effects of Snape's potion, she'd directed some of her assistants to begin researching Veela Soul Bonds with help from Apolline's mother. "That might explain why Harry didn't find his mother before now, but even if he had she wouldn't have recognised him."
In the interrogation room, Apolline looked over the notes in the file in front of her. "My notes say you've been out of the country for the last month, a trip to the United States?"
"That's right, it was a book-buying trip to the East Coast of America for my employer, I returned three days ago."
Tonks glanced at her mother. "That would explain Fleur not picking up on Lily's magic."
"It would," Andi agreed as she scribbled a note and handed it to the Auror in the room with them who walked out and handed the note to Apolline. "Thank you," She replied turning her attention back to Verity. "We just have a few more questions, you've lived in France since nineteen ninety and became a citizen in ninety-two, what prompted you to move from England to France, from the parts of your file that are left you were a successful schoolteacher and yet you now work in a Parisian bookshop."
Verity stared down at the desk and frowned. "My husband, Alan, died in a hit and run accident in nineteen eighty-nine…"
Tonks turned to her mother. "James?"
"It's very likely," Andi agreed.
"…After I buried him, I tried to go back to work and continue as nothing had happened, but there was this void in my life that teaching didn't fill anymore. So I finished out the school year at my job and made arrangements to move."
"Why France?"
Verity shrugged. "France is a beautiful country and my husband, and I never had a lot of money, even after the insurance was paid out, I didn't have enough to move far. I just wanted to get out of England for a while and by the time the money began to run out I'd fallen in love with Paris."
Apolline smiled. "It does have that effect on people," Apolline closed the file and began standing up. "Missus Foreman, I apologise but I would like you to remain here for a while longer, I need to consult with some colleagues on another matter, but I still have a few questions for you. I can have someone bring you some tea and lunch while you wait?"
"Will you be very long?" Verity asked.
"A half-hour to forty-five minutes at most," Apolline replied apologetically.
Verity slumped in her chair a little but nodded. "Ok, I would like this resolved today if possible, I can't afford to take much time off work."
"We'll do our best," Apolline assured her as she walked out.
Apolline walked out of the room and into the observation room where Tonks and Andi were waiting. "You are certain that is Lily Potter?"
Andi nodded. "The test doesn't lie, the vial of blood radiated strong familiar magic."
Apolline crossed her arms. "Then how do we proceed from here, we need to remove the blocks from her mind and recover Lily's memories…"
"Why don't we just tell her?" Tonks offered which caused both women to glance at her. "Look, we're not technically breaking the law by telling a mundane citizen about magic, it's Lily Potter. I mean we could come up with a complicated scheme to trick her into helping us, but why bother when we can just explain it and prove that magic exists." (A/N: I feel attacked…)
Apolline opened then closed her mouth finally grinning at the younger woman. "You're right, of course. Shall we go back inside?"
The two women nodded and walked back to speak to Lily. "That was quick."
"Yes, Missus Foreman I must apologise, I've called you here today on a false premise," Apolline explained.
"How so?" Verity asked guardedly.
"There was no accident with our files, and while I do work for the Interior Ministry, I don't work in the Migration department. I am Director Apolline Delacour of the Bureau de la Justice Magique."
Verity blinked several times translating the words in her head. "The Bureau of Magical Justice, that's not real, is this a prank, are you filming this?"
Apolline shook her head. "Non, my department is very real, magic is real and the four of us have been blessed by magic."
Verity looked around the room incuriously. "I don't see anyone else, is this fourth person invisible?"
"Non, the fourth person is you."
Verity laughed. "I am not magical, because magic doesn't exist, watch!" Verity waved her fingers at them. "Abra Kadabra!"
The three women across the table from Verity flinched as she said the words that were the basis for the Avada Kedavra spell, and she withdrew her hand. "What?"
"That incantation is very similar to a dark spell commonly known as the Killing Curse, I would advise not to do that again," Apolline explained grimly.
"Fine, but this is silly, magic doesn't exist," Verity replied dismissively.
"I think a demonstration is in order," Apolline replied standing up. "Missus Foreman, what is your favourite breed of dog?"
Verity blinked. "Um, Staffordshire Bull Terrier."
Apolline nodded and smiled waving her wand over the chair and transforming it into said dog. Tonks had to bite back a squeal as the dog walked up and began sniffing her as she bent down to pat it. "You're so sweet, yes you are!"
Andi rolled her eyes as she conjured a leash and led the dog around the table to Verity. "I assure you, Missus Foreman, magic is quite real."
"B-but… this is a trick, you used mirrors or something like that man, David Copperfield!" Verity argued as she patted the dog absently.
"The Dickens book?" Andi asked sounding confused.
Apolline laughed. "It's also the stage name of an American magician, he uses Apparition to move from one place to another and has made a lot of money doing so."
"How does he get away with that, it's a violation of the Statute of Secrecy?" Tonks asked.
"The ICW has reminded Mister Copperfield of that several times, but there aren't enough Obliviation squads in the world to make people forget about him and removing him from the spotlight now would simply cause more questions than we would like to answer. So, Mister Copperfield is allowed to continue his work, begrudgingly." Apolline explained as she turned to Verity. "I can assure you this is real, if you'd like to come to this side of the desk, I can prove it. Please bring the dog with you."
Verity took the lead from Andi and walked it around the table twice finally returning to the spot where the chair had been. Apolline banished the leash and returned the chair to its original state. After Verity picked up the chair and examined the area where the dog had been, she returned to her side of the table and sat down. "Ok, say I believe you, why are you telling me this, I'm don't have magic."
"You do, though someone bound your magic and made you forget about your former life," Apolline explained.
"They made me forget, why?"
"At the moment we can't say, we think we know who was responsible, but you may be able to tell us more once we've reversed the blocks on your memory."
"Stop, stop…" Verity begged. "Just, please explain this slowly, you're going too fast."
Apolline nodded. "I'm sorry, let me start again. We believe you are Lily Potter, husband of James mother of Harry, both English wizards."
"Why do you think that?"
Apolline glanced at Andi who nodded and held up the glass tube. "This is a vial of Harry Potter's blood, I can cast a spell on it and you and if it glows blue it will prove that the two of you share familial magic. The brighter the glow the closer familial bond you share."
Verity nodded and Andi handed the vial to her. "Just to prove this is not a trick," Andi explained waving her wand over the vial and Verity. Once again, the vial glowed bright blue, the light so intense the four women had to look away. "So, it's true, I'm related to this, Harry Potter?"
Andi nodded and pulled out a picture she'd taken from Harry's photo album. The photo was of Lily, James, and Harry as a baby. Tears welled in Verity's eyes as she looked at it. "It's Alan… but we… I don't remember this, we never… I tried and tried to have a baby, but nothing worked. Before Alan… James, before James died, we were growing distant, I wanted to adopt but Al… James was against it. Even if James hadn't died, we would have divorced eventually our marriage was breaking down, but I still loved him. How old is this photo?"
"It was taken in nineteen eighty, your son is fourteen, he'll turn fifteen in a few days."
"Can I see him?" Verity asked.
"Missus Fore…" Apolline began but Verity cut in. "Potter, my name is Lily Potter."
The three women smiled back at her. "Missus Potter, I think that is something best discussed once you've regained your memories, the situation with Harry is… complicated."
"How?" Lily pressed.
"As I said the situation is complicated, more complicated than I have time to explain right now. If you're willing to return tomorrow I can arrange for someone to come here tonight who should be able to remove the blocks on your memory. When that is done, I will explain everything."
Lily thought for a moment and then nodded. "Ok, I… it's so difficult to take in, for the longest time I've felt like something in my life was missing. Even before James died, we both felt a void where Harry should have been. I didn't know what it was at the time, but I do now. I'm willing to work with you, I hope you'll repay that trust by helping me."
Apolline nodded. "That is our intention."
Lily picked up her bag. "What time should I be here tomorrow?"
"I will have a car take you home and pick you up at eight-thirty tomorrow morning."
"Thank you," Lily replied when she saw that Apolline's eye brokered no argument.
As Tonks escorted Lily out of the building Andi turned to Apolline. "What's the plan now?"
"I need to return to my office and call in a favour," Apolline explained.
"From whom?"
Apolline smiled. "You'll see."
International Confederation of Wizards Headquarters, The Hague, Netherlands
Holding Cells
Snape glanced up from his position on the bed as someone knocked on the door to his cell, he scowled as he knew it was time to be served the swill that passed for dinner in this place. Snape rose from the bed and stood against the rear wall. The door opened and two guards walked in, one kept Snape covered while the other placed the tray on the bed. The two men glared at Snape as they walked out. Snape sighed but resigned himself to the fact that in two days all his secrets would be spilled for the world to hear. Snape was at least reassured that all food served to prisoners was checked for poisons before it was served. Although as Snape stared down at his meagre meal he wondered if the food itself could be considered a poison was given how poor the quality was.
As soon as Snape took the first bite, he realised it was too late, he was an expert potioneer after all. Someone had mixed a potion tainted with Basilisk Venom into his food. Snape tried to stand but the second part of the concoction activated, and he felt the paralytic take effect as he slumped to the floor. As Snape stared at the door and the burning sensation of his body rotting because of the venom his conversation with Dumbledore came floating back.
"You don't seem bothered by the revelations of Lucius's trial. Aren't you worried I will return to the Dark Lord's side?"
"I have faith that you will keep your word, Severus, lest young Harry finds out who betrayed his parents. And if you were to stray, I would simply turn you into the Aurors."
"You would risk me spilling your secrets?"
Dumbledore graced Snape with a kind smile that didn't reach his eyes. "It would not get that far."
Snape had thought himself indispensable to Dumbledore, he was Dumbledore's man on the inside with Voldemort. But as Snape lay dying it dawned on him, everyone was expendable in the pursuit of Dumbledore's Greater Good.
Chateau Delacour, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
31 July 1995
Fleur glanced up from the ritual text she'd been studying to find Hermione staring out of a window of the Chateau with a wistful look on her face. Fleur closed the book and crossed the room, sitting down opposite Hermione. "What's wrong, mon amour?"
Hermione blushed a little and shook her head. "It's nothing…"
"It must be something since Harry was taken away you've been singularly focused on helping get him back, but today you've let your mind wander. Something beyond the obvious is bothering you."
Hermione sighed, putting her book down on the table. "It's Harry's birthday."
Fleur looked away. "I was aware, but I didn't want to bring it up, I didn't want to upset you."
Hermione smiled and took Fleur's hand in her own. "Thank you, but…"
"It was going to upset you regardless?" Fleur asked and Hermione nodded. "We should be here, together, celebrating as a family. But we both know what would happen if we tried to go see him."
"Oui… it would not be pleasant."
Hermione huffed angrily. "I will find out why Dumbledore is so damn obsessed with Harry, I swear it."
Fleur grinned back at Hermione. "I believe you, and I will be there by your side when you do."
Hermione smiled again, playing with Fleur's fingers. "When we get Harry back, I want to finalise the Soul Bond."
"Really?"
Hermione nodded. "Even without everything that's happened, I think I would have arrived at this conclusion anyway. I know logically it's the right thing to do, but my heart needed to catch up. I never envisioned having to share Harry with someone… I never envisioned Harry would see me that way in the first place."
Fleur sighed and brushed some hair out of Hermione's face. "I think, mon amour, something we will work on, the three of us will work on if your self-confidence. You do not see yourself as Arry and I see you, you only see what your bullies made you believe."
"And what do you see?"
"I see a beautiful girl who is maturing into a gorgeous woman, I see a smart, driven woman who I will be proud to call my bond-sister once we banish this thing with Arry's face. I do not see a bucktoothed bookworm who hides in libraries and escapes into the pages of Jane Austin. I see someone who revels in works of literature and values and devours knowledge. That is the Hermione Arry and I see, our Hermione, the woman we love."
Hermione gaped in awe at the passion Fleur had put into her speech as she lit up bright red from a blush. "T-thank you, Fleur…" She replied in a small voice.
Fleur leaned in and gave Hermione a peck on the cheek. "You're welcome, now, shall we get back to work?" Fleur asked holding up a book for Hermione.
"Oui."
Office of the Bureau de la Justice Magique, Paris, France
"Good morning Missus Potter," Apolline said with a smile as Lily was escorted into the interrogation room by Tonks.
"Good morning Madame Delacour."
"How are you feeling?"
Lily sighed and shrugged. "Nervous, I guess, as I said I believe you, but I still have some doubts that this is real... And I don't know how I'll feel once I get my memories back, angry I suppose. I missed out on so many years of seeing my son grow up and if we hadn't had our memories taken away…"
Apolline reached out and gave Lily a small squeeze on the shoulder. "You don't need to say it, the lists of crimes the man who took away your memories has committed continues to grow."
"You know who did this to me?" Lily asked.
"Nothing I can prove but given the pattern of behaviour I heavily suspect who it is, but that will have to wait until your memories are restored. If you could wait here for a few more minutes we are still anticipating the arrival of the person who will help us."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "This isn't a medical procedure?"
"No, we will explain soon."
As Apolline walked out into the corridor she found Tonks and Andi waiting, reading that day's copy of the International Wizarding Times. The top headline was accompanied by a picture of Severus Snape being led from the house Dumbledore had held Harry in cuffs.
Severus Snape Commits Suicide in ICW Custody!
The article went onto detail how Snape had smuggled a vial of Basilisk venom in a secret pocket in his robes. It also quoted new ICW Supreme Mugwump Babajide Akingbade who promised a full investigation into Snape's death. Tonks frowned. "Swallowing a vial of Basilisk venom is not how I'd chose to go out…"
Andi glanced at her daughter. "I'd hope you'd never consider something as drastic as suicide in the first place…"
Tonks shrugged. "If Voldemort took over and there was no hope of escape…"
"Voldemort is dead, he can't hurt us anymore," Andi assured her.
"Voldemort may be dead, but that doesn't mean there won't be another just like him in a few years," Tonks countered.
"That's why we have to put our faith in people like you, Arry, Fleur, Gabrielle, Hermione and their friends. You can change things, so we never see the likes of Voldemort again," Apolline commented, entering the conversation.
"If Dumbledore doesn't stick his oversized nose in…" Tonks muttered.
"We will deal with Dumbledore, in due course, for right now we need to focus on helping Lily and Arry."
"Do you think Snape committed suicide?" Andi asked to which Apolline shook her head. "I very much doubt it, even if he could have moved the vial from his robes to his prison attire someone would have found it before he had a chance to use it. This was murder."
Tonks sighed again shaking her head. "Dumbledore…"
"That is our belief too," Another voice replied as all three women drew their wands and aimed it at the new person in the conversation.
"Bloody Merlin, Nick, don't… wait, NICK!" Tonks exclaimed stowing her wand and running over to embrace her friend.
"It's been a while," He replied returning the hug.
"A while, it's been years! Oh, sure I get the occasional letter but, where have you been, why are you here?!" Tonks demanded.
"Are you the Unspeakable I requested?" Apolline asked, biting back her amusement.
"Yes, Ma'am, Nicholas Carlstrom, ICW Unspeakable representing the Obliviation unit," Nick replied with a smile, handing over his credentials which Apolline quickly verified with a wave of her wand.
"You're an Unspeakable, since when?" Tonks asked.
"Since I left Hogwarts at the end of Sixth Year. I was recruited over that summer, it's part of the reason I didn't come back."
"The rest being your brother and Dumbledore?" Tonks guessed to which Nick nodded.
"We can talk about that later, right now we should talk about what I'm here to do. You were a little vague in your call to my boss last night, Madame Delacour."
"Oui, with good reason, follow me," Apolline replied leading Carlstrom, Tonks, and Andi into the observation room. Nick blinked and glanced at Apolline, Tonks, and Andi in succession. "Is this a joke?"
"Why would you ask that?" Apolline enquired, curious if the young man who had gone to Hogwarts with Tonks knew who he was looking at through the glass.
"Well, unless you've charmed the glass in some way, I'm not familiar with, that's Lily Potter sitting in that interrogation room. I mean she's older than the pictures featured in the Prophet and the IWT but that's her."
"Oui, it is."
Nick looked at Lily and then back to Apolline. "She looks good for a dead woman."
"That she does, we believe Lily and James Potter were obliviated and given fake lives and identities by Albus Dumbledore."
Nick frowned and glanced at Lily again. "That's a serious accusation Madame Delacour."
"Do you think I am wrong?" Apolline replied.
"No, I am willing to believe Albus Dumbledore would do something like this to fit in with whatever plans he has. Control and manipulation are words Dumbledore is intimately familiar with."
"You sound as if you've had run-ins with Dumbledore before?" Apolline enquired.
"Yes Ma'am, but I'd rather not go into it right now, maybe later, over a glass of wine?" Nick replied with a grin.
Tonks moved in behind Nick and gave him a firm slap upside the head. "Can it lover boy!"
"Ow! Tonks!"
Apolline covered her face, biting back a laugh, she was old enough to be his mother, but it was always flattering to be hit on by a younger man. Regardless of being a Veela she still felt the weight of years having raised two daughters on her own and running the Bureau. Apolline hoped Fleur and Gabrielle would not suffer the fate of losing the man they loved as early as she had. "I think we should focus on work, Mister Carlstrom."
"Yes, Ma'am," Nick replied while glaring at Tonks, who stuck her tongue out at him.
As Carlstrom and Apolline walked out of the room Andi turned to her daughter. "Is he up to this?"
Tonks smiled and nodded. "Yeah, he's a natural Legilimens, he might be as good at it as Dumbledore, he was good when he was at Hogwarts and that was almost six years ago."
The door of the interrogation room opened and Carlstrom and Apolline stepped inside. "Missus Potter, this man is here to help you lift the blocks on your memory."
Carlstrom stuck out his hand as Lily stood up. "Missus Potter, my name is Nicholas Carlstrom, I am here on behalf of the International Confederation of Wizards' Unspeakable division."
"What is that?"
Nick glanced at Apolline and looked back at Lily as he sat down. "The ICW is like the United Nations, they supervise the implementation of the Statute of Secrecy and mediate international disputes. The Unspeakables are a department within the ICW that investigates the weird and studies magic. I'm a bit of a jack of all trades, I go where I'm needed whether its to hunt Dark Wizards or collect and transport artefacts or like today use my power of Legilimency."
"What is Legilimency?"
"Legilimency allows someone to read someone else's mind, with their permission of course."
"Can you do it without someone's permission?"
"Yes, but if I did, I would be breaking the law. Even passively reading someone else's thoughts is illegal if you don't have permission."
"Legilimens must register with the Ministry in France, that is not the case everywhere though," Apolline added.
"Is there any way to stop someone reading your mind?"
"Yes, the art is called Occulmancy, but once you have your memories back you shouldn't have to worry about that, it's my understanding you were a skilled Occulmens when you were younger," Nick replied with a smile. "Now, are you ready Missus Potter?"
"Yes, I think so, what should I do?"
"Just look into my eyes and don't look away. I'm going to wave my wand and cast a Spell, depending on how deep I have to go this may hurt. If it gets too much, please tell me and I'll pull back."
Lily nodded and focused on Nick's grey eyes. "Ok, I'm ready."
Nick nodded and waved his wand. "Legilimens."
Nick let out a breath and dove into Lily's mind, he ignored the recent memories and pushed deeper trying to find some stray memory of Lily Potter he could latch onto. Once Nick did, he could follow the path of that memory back to the source, the bundle of memories trapped behind the blocks of Obliviation. What felt like minutes but were probably more like seconds passed as Nick went deeper and deeper into Lily's mind, he could feel something wrong but shook it off in favour of exploring, he wanted to be sure he couldn't find a memory before he returned. It was important that he succeed, he'd read the reports on what had been done Harry Potter and his bond with Granger and Delacour. Harry Potter deserved a little bit of happiness and Nick was determined to help him get it.
Nick stopped when he arrived at what his mindscape represented as a wall, he reached out and rested his hand against it. Nick knew Lily Potter's real memories were behind this wall, he just had to break through to the other side. Nick focused his magic and began pushing against the wall, but as he summoned more magic to assist him, he felt something pushing back against him. Suddenly something lashed out and wrapped around Nick's neck and began to squeeze. Nick fell backwards grasping at his neck and gasping for breath, he could feel himself being pulled in as he clawed the floor to get away from the thing strangling him.
In the real-world Nick's body began shaking as he started making choking sounds. Seconds later Nick's eyes rolled back in his head and he toppled over out of the chair, convulsing.
"Shit!" Apolline exclaimed as she hit the room's alarm button and stunned the fallen Unspeakable to stop him convulsing and biting his tongue off. Seconds later Tonks and Andi were in the room and Andi dropped to her knees rolling Nick onto his back as Lily back away, shocked and scared. "W-what happened?!"
"I don't know, please stay calm Missus Potter, we're going to figure this out. Andi, is he ok?"
Andi was checking his pulse and pupils as she spoke. "His heartbeat is worryingly rapid, and his pupils are dilated, other than that I can't see anything wrong. I recommend we take him to Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital for observation. Once we're sure Nick is out of danger, we can ask him what happened?"
Apolline nodded and directed one of her Aurors to inform the hospital that they would be bringing in a patient, then she turned back to Lily Potter. "My apologies, Missus Potter, we will have to suspend today's activities for now. I hope you can be patient with us."
Lily nodded, her eyes still on Carlstrom. "I just hope I haven't done anything to hurt him."
Apolline glanced over at Carlstrom who was being loaded onto a stretcher. "It's too early to say, but I wouldn't think so."
Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Paris, France
Magical Treatment Wing
Harry sat in his bed glaring at the guard opposite and then back down to the copy of the International Wizarding Times he'd been given earlier in the day. Harry was both sad and happy that Severus Snape was dead, he was sad that the man had died but happy Snape had committed suicide rather than reveal the Headmaster's secrets. This then turned to thoughts of who the Hogwarts Potions Professor would be for the coming term, Harry hoped he would be released in time to board the train on September first but he wasn't worried, he knew Professor Dumbledore would save him eventually.
Harry's only other regret from the day was that he wasn't able to celebrate his birthday with Ginny and the rest of the Weasley's. Harry felt happy and loved with them but now they were an ocean away and he was alone again on his birthday. Harry was surprised that Granger and the Veela hadn't made an appearance to try and ingratiate themselves with him by bringing him gifts and trying to celebrate his birthday. Harry surmised Granger wasn't quite that stupid.
1 August 1995
Nick groaned as he raised his hand to his face, but it was quickly moved away as someone shined a bright light in his eyes. "How are you feeling, Mister Carlstrom?"
"Like I got hit by a bludger, is Missus Potter ok?"
Apolline appeared in his field of view. "She appears to be ok, I sent Auror Tonks to check in on her an hour ago. Tonks rang and said Missus Potter has suffered no ill effects from the aborted Legimency probe."
"Good…"
"Can you tell me what happened?"
Nick sat up in bed. "I'm not quite sure myself, it was going fine until I hit a wall in her mind. I'm used to seeing memories locked up, but I've never encountered something like this before. This is beyond Obliviation, it was as if whatever was protecting Lily Potter's memories was alive…"
To Be Continued…
I want to continue this chapter but its creeping towards 10,000 words and I have more than 10,000 words of the story to tell in this chapter, so I'll save that for the next chapter. This came along a lot easier than the last chapter after I decided to go with a straightforward approach to helping Lily it flowed well.
The Author note in the middle of the chapter is a joke, I'm a little bit serious because I came up with a variety of plans to deal with getting Lily on board to help herself, but in the end, I decided the straight forward approach was best. If only my plans for later in the story were coming together as well… I'll figure it out.
To the one Guest reviewer on Chapter 4, I honestly didn't know that's how gills work. So… Magic? *Shrugging emoji*
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