Chapter 32: The Long Awaited Arrival
There was an eeriness to the night that hung beneath the full moon. It would have been easy to credit it to the dementors, but Calamity had a sneaking suspicion it was more complex than that. She sat on her bed, window slightly ajar to let in the breeze. It was against the rules, she knew. It was enough to make a dementor come to the window, should it notice. Still, the eeriness of the world outside could not be ignored, and so Calamity kept her wand next to her on the table as she lay in bed, eyes watching the window every so often as she tried her best to ignore the gnawing feeling and focus on her book. It was a good one: Anna Karina. A classic that she had read before but never tired of.
Anna looked at Dolly's thin, care-worn face, with its wrinkles filled with dust from the road, and she was on the point of saying what she was thinking, that is, that Dolly had got thinner. But, conscious that she herself had grown handsomer, and that Dolly's eyes were telling her so, she sighed and began to speak about herself.
"You are looking at me," she said, "and wondering how I can be happy in my position? Well! it's shameful to confess, but I... I'm inexcusably happy. Something magical has happened to me, like a dream, when you're frightened, panic-stricken, and all of a sudden you wake up and all the horrors are no more. I have waked up. I have lived through the misery, the dread, and now for a long while past, especially since we've been here, I've been so happy!..." she said, with a timid smile of inquiry looking at Dolly.
"How glad I am!" said Dolly smiling, involuntarily speaking more coldly than she wanted to. "I'm very glad for you. Why haven't you written to me?"
"Why?... Because I hadn't the courage... You forget my position..."
"To me? Hadn't the courage? If you knew how I...I look at..."
Darya Alexandrovna wanted to express her thoughts of the morning, but for some reason it seemed to her now out of place to do so.
"But of that we'll talk later. What's this, what are all these buildings?" she asked, wanting to change the conversation and pointing to the red and green roofs that came into view behind the green hedges of acacia and lilac. "Quite a little town."
But Anna did not answer.
"No, no! How do you look at my position, what do you think of it?" she asked.
"I consider..." Darya Alexandrovna was beginning, but at that instant Vassenka Veslovsky, having brought the cob to gallop with the right leg foremost, galloped past them, bumping heavily up and down in his short jacket on the chamois leather of the side saddle. "He's doing it, Anna Arkadyevna!" he shouted.
Anna did not even glance at him; but again it seemed to Darya Alexandrovna out of place to enter upon such a long conversation in the carriage, and so she cut short her thought.
"I don't think anything," she said, "but I always loved you, and if one loves anyone, one loves the whole person, just as they are and not as one would like them to be..."
Anna, taking her eyes off her friend's face and dropping her eyelids (this was a new habit Dolly had not seen in her before), pondered, trying to penetrate the full significance of the words. And obviously interpreting them as she would have wished, she glanced at Dolly.
"If you had any sins," she said, "they would all be forgiven you for your coming to see me and these words."
And Dolly saw that tears stood in her eyes. She pressed Anna's hand in silence.
Calamity's eyes drooped. A cool breeze blew through the window and Calamity felt a small smile tug her lips. It was the sort of breeze that carried memories on it and before Calamity knew it, she was in her own dreams, Anna Karina laying on her chest as it inhaled deeply.
In her minds eyes she was walking among a field of flowers. Not British flowers, but marigold of orange and yellow. They were neatly lined and yet seemed wild as she walked passed, pulling her hand across them as she passed. She came upon a bicycle, standing undisturbed in the field. Calamity looked about. There didn't seem to be anyone around. She peered at the bicycle and felt the urge to ride it, as dream often urge you to do. She followed the inclination, pushing up the prop. Pedaling through field she felt the comfort of the world around her. Slowly people began to appear. Women were wrapped in shawls and carrying containers of marigolds, children were picking the flowers and laughing, one boy weaved the stems together and crowned his sister with pomp and circumstance. She reached the end of the field and found it surrounded by dark woods. An older man leaned against the tree, a marigold between his pointer and thumb, spinning it in a pretend interest. She stopped the bike, watching him, a sneaking suspicion that she had seen him before, had heard his voice, but wasn't able to place it.
"Riddle," called a voice from the shadows of the wood. That voice she knew. That was her father's voice.
The man called Riddle looked up directly at her, his dark features and eyes registered her in a moment. Finding nothing of interest, he gave a polite nod and turned, moving into the shadows.
Calamity would have preferred not to follow, but her dream self took a step forward, bike still in her hand. She made it to the shadows where she could hear voices talking, just out of earshot. She paused again, looking back at the marigold field, so alluring and well lit.
There was a blood chilling howl and Calamity sat straight up with a gasp, looking around. For a moment she wasn't sure if she had heard the howl, or if it were in her dream. She moved to the window and peered out just as a dementor passed below. She slammed the window and latched it, counting to sixty before peering out again. The dementor had hurried passed. She watched. Another went by. Then another as if drawn to something more important. Perhaps she had heard a howl carried in on the wind? She looked up at the full moon and thought of Remus. She didn't understand how he could trust Snape when she had offered to make his wolfsbane. At least he would be safer, she thought.
She lay on the bed again, trying to grasp her dream once more, but it had drifted away completely by her shock at the dementor. So she turned back to her book, opening it to the next chapter.
Left alone, Darya Alexandrovna, with a good housewife's eye, scanned her room. All she had seen in entering the house and walking through it, and all she saw now in her room, gave her an impression of wealth and sumptuousness and of that modern European luxury of which she had only read in English novels, but had never seen in Russia and in the country. Everything was new from the new French hangings on the walls to the carpet which covered the whole floor. The bed had a spring mattress, and a special sort of bolster and silk pillowcases on the little pillows. The marble washstand, the dressing table, the little sofa, the tables, the bronze clock on the chimney piece, the window curtains, and the portieres were all new and expensive.
The smart maid, who came in to offer her services, with her hair done up high, and a gown more fashionable than Dolly's, was as new and expensive as the whole room. Darya Alexandrovna liked her neatness, her deferential and obliging manners, but she felt ill at ease with her. She felt ashamed of her seeing the patched dressing jacket that had unluckily been packed by mistake for her. She was ashamed of the very patches and darned places of which she had been so proud at home. At home it had been so clear that for six dressing jackets there would be needed twenty-four yards of nainsook at sixteen pence the yard, which was a matter of thirty shillings besides the cutting-out and making, and these thirty shillings had been saved. But before the maid she felt, if not exactly ashamed, at least uncomfortable.
Darya Alexandrovna had a great sense of relief when Annushka, whom she had known for years, walked in. The smart maid was sent for to go to her mistress, and Annushka remained with Darya Alexandrovna.
Annushka was obviously much pleased at that lady's arrival, and began to chatter away without a pause. Dolly observed that she was longing to express her opinion in regard to her mistress's position, especially as to the love and devotion of the count to Anna Arkadyevna, but Dolly carefully interrupted her whenever she began to speak about this.
"I grew up with Anna Arkadyevna; my lady's dearer to me than anything. Well, it's not for us to judge. And, to be sure, there seems so much love..."
"Kindly pour out the water for me to wash now, please," Darya Alexandrovna cut her short.
"Certainly. We've two women kept specially for washing small things, but most of the linen's done by machinery. The count goes into everything himself. Ah, what a husband!..."
Dolly was glad when Anna came in, and by her entrance put a stop to Annushka's gossip.
Anna had put on a very simple batiste gown. Dolly scrutinized that simple gown attentively. She knew what it meant, and the price at which such simplicity was obtained.
"An old friend," said Anna of Annushka.
Anna was not embarrassed now. She was perfectly composed and at ease. Dolly saw that she had now completely recovered from the impression her arrival had made on her, and had assumed that superficial, careless tone which, as it were, closed the door on that compartment in which her deeper feelings and ideas were kept.
When Calamity woke the second time, it was by a soft tapping on her window. She rubbed her eyes and found herself curled into a catlike ball at the foot of her bed, her book laying haphazardly on the floor. She had certainly lost her page.
The tapping came again and she looked up. She nearly fell off her bed when she saw Sirius Black peer through at her. His face broke into a hesitant smile at her surprise and he gestured to the latch, mouthing the word open.
"Remus is going to kill me," she said to herself. Despite this, she opened the window to see Sirius Black looking skinny and pale, his eyes not nearly as crazed as his pictures had portrayed him. For a moment they said nothing. Sirius seemed as surprised by her opening the window as she was. To make matters more odd he was sitting on a hippogriff who flapped making him bob up and down, in and out of view.
"Do you trust me," he asked hoarsely. Beneath the croak was the same laughing tone that always persisted.
"Absolutely not," she said firmly. His smile dropped and for a moment he looked hesitant.
"I haven't got much time, you know," he said. "Harry and Hermione just helped me escape before the kiss."
"Harry Potter," Calamity clarified skeptically.
"And Moony," Sirius added. He was looking at Calamity with an odd array of emotions.
"Remus Lupin?"
"We found Peter?"
"What are you-" she began, but he moved out of sight suddenly, the hippogriff's talons passing the window. Calamity felt a rush of regret for saying no and peered out the window. The hippogriff circled quickly and returned, Sirius beaming as if he knew her thoughts.
"Miss me?"
"Just move over, git," Calamity snapped.
They landed outside a small village with a dark wood next to it. Sirius tied the hippogriff to the tree in the shadows, though specks of the full moon light came through.
"Buckbeak," Sirius explained patting his beak. "Another wrongly accused convict."
"I see," Calamity said. Sirius moved deeper in the woods, but Calamity didn't move. Realizing she wasn't following, he paused and looked back.
"I always thought you knew I was innocent. You don't trust me all of a sudden?"
"I still think you're innocent," she said. "I think. I don't know, Sirius. It's been a long time."
"Not that long."
He walked back and took her hand, pausing to give her a chance to pull away. She didn't. Encouraged he explained. "I only wanted to talk to you before I leave. We found Pettigrew, he's been a pet rat with the Weasleys for twelve years. Moony and I forced him out of his animagus form. Pettigrew admitted it all to Harry. Moony and I were going to kill him, but Harry stopped us. He's so much like Lily and James, Calamity!"
"Before you leave," she asked. "Where are you going?"
"I wanted to stay, you know I would," Sirius said fervently. "We were going to bring Pettigrew to the castle, but Moony transformed and Pettigrew got away as a rat again. Then there were dementors everywhere and when I woke up I was on the west tower. Then Hermione and Harry showed up on Buckbeak here and I escaped."
"So you're still on the run."
"I am."
"They're going to come looking for me."
Sirius dropped her hand. "I know."
"I have to go back."
"I know."
"But I can meet you in Costa Rica."
Sirius had slowly been turning away from her, accepting the inevitable but this comment brought him back to face her with a "what?"
"Well, you're on the run from the British Ministry, no? I have friends in Costa Rica and their ministry doesn't quite see eye to eye with this one. How is your Spanish?"
"Terrible."
"Guess you'll learn."
Sirius' face broke into an old familiar smile. "And you want to come?"
"I won't be able to join right away," said Calamity. "But I will once I can."
"You're a dream, just like I remember. Did you get the book?"
"I think you know I did," Calamity said with a smirk. She pushed some of the shaggy hair from Sirius' face letting her hand rest on his cheek. They stood like this for a bit in silence.
"I should get you back then," Sirius said, though his tone sounded as if it were against his better judgement.
It took Cornelius Fudge less than a day to stop by the Hogs Head Inn to see Calamity. Dumbledore and Aberforth followed him into the room- Dumbledore looking amused and his brother looking disgruntled.
"Bad for business, Minister," he said gruffly.
Cornelius Fudge did not seem concerned with Aberforth's business as he shook hands with Calamity, then motioned for them all to sit, then shooed Aberforth out to fetch tea.
"Calamity," Dumbledore said pleasantly with a nod.
"Albus," Calamity greeted.
"Came as soon as it was reasonable, hope you don't mind. Heard a-er- heard a rumor that you might be someone to talk to," the Minister said.
"I suppose that depends what you want to talk about. I am pretty good with healing," Calamity said calmly.
"Of course, Snape mentioned something about that," Fudge said, though Calamity risked giving Dumbledore a sideways glance. She knew Snape had certainly not said that.
Aberforth retruned with tea grumbling darkly. Fudge waited until he left again before leaning close.
"I'm sure you've heard Sirius Black is out and at large. How are you feeling?"
"Oh, I'm fine, thanks," Calamity said with a smile. "Especially now that the dementors haven't come back. they were so strange last night when I went to close the window. Seemed liek they were headed to the school."
Fudge was perturbed by the comment but tried not to show it as he said, "Yes, yes, we've called them back to Azkaban. No need for them at the school, Dumbledore has decided."
"Wise decision, Albus,' Calamity said.
"I agree," Dumbeldore said. He held his cup up to her before sipping.
"Point is, I felt I should stop by to see," Fudge paused and looked around. "My, how long have you been here?"
It was a less than subtle segway, but perhaps all he could muster. She looked around the room.
"A bit. I went to Ireland for a project, but I came back to help at St. Mungo's."
"Planning on staying for longer?"
"No, I think I've finished here. I might hop over to France."
"France you say."
"Maybe Morroco."
"Yes,yes, Morroco."
"Then, perhaps Shenzen."
"Shenzen..."
"China."
"Yes,yes, China, lovely this time of year." Fudges eyes were slightly glazed in thought as if he were trying very hard to take mental note of these places.
Dumbeldore continued to drink his tea without taking note of anything beside the tune he was humming. When he had finished he put down the cup and looked at Calamity.
"We've also come to check that Sirius Black is not lurking in any corners of your room."
Fudge seemed more disturbed by this direct approach because he made a spluttering sound that Calamity supposed was an attempt to explain. He looked around as if to find an ally in his confusion.
"Oh," Calamity said in pretend surprise. She looked around in imitation of Fudge. "Not that I've seen. Why? Was he headed here for some reason."
"Just a-er- tip we got," Fudge said. "Mind if I send some boys to poke about later?"
"Of course not, Minister," she said with a smile. "I have two more weeks here."
"Of course, of course," Fudge said. He stood almost knocking over his full cup of tea. "I'll go summon them then."
Calamity waited until he left, leaving the door slightly ajar. She leaned forward and Dumbledore followed suit, his beard twitching with pleasure.
"He's jumpy, isn't he," observed Calamity.
"He's just disappointed. He and Severeus thought they had caught a traitorous murderer," Dumbledore said.
"What did they catch," Calamity asked.
"Just an old man's unforgiveable mistake," Dumbledore said. For a moment the twinkle in his eyes seemed to have disappeared, but it returned and Calamity thought she imagined it.
"Do send my regards to our friend," he added as he stood. "Of course, China might be a bit far."
"Yes, sir," Calamity agreed. "it's fairly far away."
"I told Remus he ought to take a vacation. He quit today. Perhaps he could join you, I'm sure he'd be interested if you offered."
"Good to know. I'll send an owl for some lunch time."
"Yes, do," Dumbledore said. He stroked his beard in thought. "Perhaps some place tropical for some relaxation."
He gave a wink before turning and leaving the room, though Calamity got the feeling that she would be seeing him again soon.
A/N: Don't forget to review!
