Chapter 27: 12 Years Later
A month later across the Atlantic ocean Calamity watched the sunrise. She was drinking coffee wrapped in a light blanket. The days had been hot all summer, but her blood was use to Costa Rica now and even the sixties felt frigid. She hadn't been able to sleep, but she wasn't sure why. Giving up she woke up and decided to start her day, but to do what?
Calamity walked back into her apartment and placed the coffee cup down. She pushed around her pictures from Costa Rica looking at the smiling and waving faces of the locals and new hospital staff. She paused at one of herself waving and smiling with a small brown skinned girl of ten and a man her own age, their faces similar in a way only relatives can be.
Clara,
Lizzie and I had a wonderful time seeing you in Costa Rica and the hospital is magnificent. Certainly it rivals the one you helped with in the Dominican Republic after the last hurricane. It's suprising that the wizards were caught so unaware, but I suppose they aren't found of muggle communication and that's where the hurricane's are tracked. I've been thinking fo our discussion and while I do think you should continue your work with Healers withotu Borders, if you feel it's time to move on, then it's time to move on. I respected your choice when you decided to leave St. Mungo's and I respect it now. Our home is always open shoudl you return to London and I know Lizzie would adore to continue your girl talks.
All our love from across the pond!
Sincerely,
Christopher.
There was a tapping at the window and Calamity looked up. An owl was perched patiently at the window. That was odd. American wizards usually used pigeons. Less graceful, perhaps, but the no-maj of America were more suspicious than those in the UK and an owl in the city, especially nonnative ones, was a clear sign of oddity. Calamity opened the window and let the owl in. It promptly fell over from exhaustion. Calamity took the letter from it's leg and carried it to the closet. It wasn't much, but it was dark with a perch, so the owl hopped on and hooted what Calamity hoped was a thanks.
She turned back to the letter, which was brief.
To: Mrs. Clara Scott
Apologies on the hurried note, but it will be better to inform you of the nature of my visit upon my arrival. I should arrive at nine in the morning your time.
Sincerely,
Professor Albus Dumbledore
Calamity stared at the letter, then glanced at the clock. Shit, that was just under two hours away! She looked around her apartment, which was clearly the apartment of someone who had recently arrived back and had not yet gotten their life together enough to arrange their things like a regular thirty-three year old.
The next hour and a half was filled with Calamity rushing about, magicking things away, dressing, making tea, and trying her best to appear to be a fully functioning adult. At nine the apartment was presentable, though Calamity had to rush to the restroom to turn her shirt right way so the tag was on the inside. She might have her issues with Dumbledore, but she certainly didn't want to seem like a complete failure. At nine-thirty there was knock on the door. She opened it to see Albus Dumbeldore- looking a bit more silver and wise than he had twelve years ago, but certainly still recognizably one of the greatest wizards of all time.
"Mrs. Scott," He said kindly taking her hand and shaking it. His blues eyes danced with delight.
"Oh, Professor," she said. "Come in. It's just Ms. Erza-Mahoney now, and besides you can call me Calamity. After all this time, certainly Calamity is fine."
"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said giving her a sympathetic look over his half moon spectacles as he entered the apartment. "I heard rumor of your husband. My condolences, Calamity."
"Thank you, Professor," Calamity said. She motioned to the couch and hurried to the kitchen. "Can I get you tea," she called.
"I'd love some Earl Grey if you have it," Dumbledore called back as if he always stopped for mid-morning tea in Boston, Massachusetts. "And surely if I am to call you Calamity you can call me Albus. Let's drop the formalities after all this time."
Calamity came back into the living room bashfully.
"Alright," she agreed. "Would you like sugar or cream," she paused before trying out the new title, "Albus?"
Dumbledore beamed as if she had offered him an extra scoop of ice cream.
"No,no, but thank you. I heard that your organization opened another hospital in Costa Rica. That's the third one in the region, is it not?"
"Fourth, actually," said Calamity. "We worked with a Haitian organization to rebuild one of theirs. Managed to expand it as well. How did you hear about that?"
"News may not travel as freely between our two hemispheres but certainly something as impressive as that is mentioned in the prophet," Dumbledore said taking a sip. Calamity followed suit feeling oddly nervous.
"I just spoke with Remus Lupin yesterday," Dumbledore continued. "Could I trouble you for a biscuit?"
Calamity blinked confused by the change for a moment before leaping up. "Of course," she said. She hurried to the kitchen and hurriedly placed some cookies and biscuits onto a plate. From the living room she could heard Dumbledore continue.
"He's accepted the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. I think it will be a good fit. He's always been talented in the subject and got top marks and with Wolfsbane becoming more common he is certain to enjoy his time at Hogwarts more than last time."
"Oh, I'm sure the Marauders all enjoyed their time at Hogwarts," Calamity said placing the pate on the table between them. "Probably too much at times."
Dumbledore's smile widened. "True, I am sure."
They fell into silence again as they sipped. In her tea, Calamity considered the strangeness of the day. It wasn't even noon and three names had reappeared that she had not heard for sometime: Remus Lupin, Albus Dumbledore, and Mrs. Scott. And all brought here by Albus Dumbledore himself out of the blue. He couldn't have come to let her know about Remus' job opportunity. Surely he knew that she and Remus had not spoken since the death of Lily and James. She concealed an expression of disgust behind her cup as she sipped. She could remember the day- all that celebrating and Remus Lupin had the audacity to accuse his own friend of betraying the Potters.
"I ought to have visited sooner," Dumbledore said interrupting her thoughts. "But, I worried that you were still unwilling to consider me a friend after Sirius Black's conviction."
There was another name she hadn't heard in years.
"Conviction seems to imply a trial, Albus," she said. "I don't recall Sirius getting one."
"Yes, an unfortunate decision that should not have been made even in such dire times," Dumbledore conceded. "Of course, my position still stands. He was the Potters' secret-keeper. There is no other way that Voldemort could have found them unless Sirius told him."
"Right," Calamity said. She didn't actually agree, but she wanted the subject to change. Dumbledore obviously saw through her tone because he held out a Daily Prophet to her without saying anything. She took it and looked at the article on the front, the rest of the paper strategically folded to highlight the article. She nearly choked on her next sip of tea.
Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. "We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm." Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Confederation of Wizards for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. "Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it - who'd believe him if he did?" While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.
Calamity snorted, "A kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other? I forgot how different the UK wizards are from American one."
"Indeed," Dumbledore said kindly. He blue eyes were stern and piercing. "The naivety aside, you must understand why I have come to see you. Sirius escaped earlier this Summer and you knew him almost as well as Remus and James."
Calamity could see what he was implying.
"I can assure you, Albus, he hasn't made it to America in the last two months. I'd be almost impressed if he did."
"Is there anything I ought to know that I don't already," Dumbledore asked. He was fixing a piercing look on Calamity and Calamity felt herself steel herself by instinct. She didn't much appreciate anyone trying to leaf through her mind, no matter what the purpose.
"Is that why you've hired Remus," she asked handing him the paper. "Just in case Sirius reaches out to him?"
"No," Dumbledore said. "He's qualified and we have an opening. Besides, Remus is also sure that Sirius is guilty. He understands that the Filius Charm can only be broken if the secret is willingly given. Sirius would not reach out to him for help."
"But you think he would reach out to me?"
"Perhaps," said Dumbledore. "We both still firmly believe what we did twelve years ago, but it also seems clear that Sirius would not be able to make it here without detection. The ministry believes that Sirius Black has escaped to kill Harry Potter."
Calamity felt her heart drop from her chest at the name. Lily and James' son had to be thirteen by now. She hadn't even met the Marauders or Lily at that age.
"However, I must be candid with you. I believe Sirius Black has escaped to find his master."
"His master?"
"Lord Voldemort is alive somewhere. Harry Potter defeated a piece of him first year when he tried to get the philosopher's stones. If Sirius finds his master there is a chance Voldemort could return. It is not something any of us can risk."
Calamity stared at the old man incredulously. "You think Sirius Black is trying to find Voldemort?"
"I recognize our difference of opinion," Dumbledore said seriously. "But, twelve years in Azkaban can change a man- even one as strong willed as Sirius. I would feel more comfortable knowing you were safe and not vulnerable."
"You think Sirius might hurt me," Calamity clarified.
"I am concerned he might not be entirely well after such long exposure to the dementors."
"So you want me to, what," Calamity asked. "Get a metal wand that muggles use to kill one another?"
Dumbledore smiled in a fatherly manner.
"We have fought along side one another before and your healing is masterful. I stand by the recommendation I gave to St. Mungo's when you left Hogwarts. There is an opening with Madam Pomfrey in the Hogwarts Hospital Wing.I cannot pretend it is anywhere close to the level of medicine that you have practiced with Healers without Borders or even with the Order, but it will bring you closer and could help keep you safe."
"Could it help you keep an eye on me," Calamity asked with a smirk.
"That would be a bonus," Dumbledore said,a smirk of his own pulling beneath his beard. "I do not pretend to be, what's the American saying? Pulling the wool over your eyes."
"Of course not, Albus," she said taking the empty tea cups from the table. "When have you ever attempted such a thing?"
That night Calamity was again stuck awake, staring at the ceiling of her bedroom considering her conversation with Dumbledore. She was certainly not going to work at Hogwarts. She didn't know what Remus was playing at, but it was clear this whole "Dumbledore keeping an eye on her" bit was not for her. Beside, Madam Pomfrey certainly didn't need any help- that Hospital Wing was tiny.
But Sirius has escaped, whispered a voice in the depths of her mind. And Christopher did offer a place to stay.
She rolled over and stared at the wall. It seemed like a crazy thing to do. She was perfectly content to stay here and relax. Sirius Black- dangerous or not- was not going to make it to America without being caught again. Not unless he somehow managed to snag a broomstick or some way to get across the Atlantic. And yet, if he was out he had to have escaped for a reason. Was it something to prove his innocence? Had he forgotten himself in the wizarding prison?
Calamity stood and went to her desk, pulling out her quill and parchment. She sat down, then stood and returned to her bed, watching the parchment. She moved to the desk again and picked up the quill, dipping it in to the inkwell. She thought better and returned to bed. She turned away from the parchment and attempted to go to sleep, squeezing her eyes closed. She sat like this for ten minutes before making a sound of defeat. She threw the covers off of herself dramatically and returned to the desk. It wouldn't hurt to write the letter. If she decided not to mail it, she wouldn't. She held the quill above the parchment, turning it nervously, a strange energy jolting through her as she stared at the blank parchment. Finally, she let the quill and parchment meet.
Christopher,
It was wonderful to see you and finally meet Lizzie after hearing so much about her. She's simply lovely. I'm feelign a bit of a wanderlust, though I';m not sure if St. Mungo's is calling or some other adventure. Either way, i am thinking of stopping by England soon and would love to continue the girl talks Lizzie and i had (as you put it). Let me know what month (if any) works for you. Perhaps before the winter hits?
All my love from across the pond!
Sincerely,
Clara
A/N: Please Review!
