Chapter 5: The Recovery
As soon as the door opened all the students tumbled over one another to get to their seats, as if they hadn't been at the window the whole time (many of which knew Bethany saw them). She stood, dripping on the floor, watching them all scurry around one another.
Bethany couldn't stand it any longer, she shook her head and walked around the outside of the tables to the doors opposite the entrance. As soon as she got into the adjacent corridor, she could still hear the chattering and bustling in the Grand Hall, she heard the doors swing open again. She didn't turn around, she just kept walking. It was the voices that caused her to stop.
"Move it," Sirius growled.
"I was here first Black," Severus shot back.
"She obviously doesn't want you," Sirius shouted.
"Because everything is obvious to you," Severus hissed.
"Didn't you see it Severus?" James's voice cut the air. "The patronus, she wants us."
"SHUT UP!" Bethany swung on them all. "I don't want any of you at the moment, I want to be alone."
Lily broke through the group and stumbled in front of Bethany. Bethany reached out and caught Lily keeping her from falling. Her eyes were still red from tears, "Beth, I never thought they'd do that to you; not at school. It was horrible. Are you all right?"
"Yes," Bethany nodded. "I will be."
"I'm sorry," Lily frowned and Bethany could see the tears welling up in her eyes again as if her mind were replaying the Auror tossing her to the ground and the dementor. "They aren't being fair right now, things are so bad."
"Lily, it's okay. It's not your fault, it was my parent's fault; I blame them entirely…I don't even blame Crouch or his Aurors, I would have wanted them to do no less with the information they had." Bethany whispered so that only Lily could hear. "I'm all right." She said a bit louder. "I promise."
"Bethany," Remus finally spoke up from the back as he waited patiently for the others to get done fighting through the door. "May I speak with you for a moment?"
Bethany looked up to him, she wiped the rain from her face and said plainly, "No."
"Will you at least take a moment for myself?"
Everyone's eyes flicked up behind Bethany, where Dumbledore was standing.
"Of course headmaster," Bethany said.
"The rest of you may go back to breakfast," Dumbledore said dryly.
Lily waited only a moment to give Bethany a hug for support, but Bethany was certain that she was the one providing the support. Bethany often had difficulty understanding what Dumbledore was thinking, but his expression was clear at the moment. He could tell Lily was truly damaged by what she witnessed and he was wondering how many other students were feeling the same thing. Dumbledore knew, that Crouch had made an example from Bethany and it had probably worked on many of the students; it was just convenient that she might actually be a Death Eater.
"Come to my office," he bowed his head.
Bethany nodded and followed along behind him. "Am I in trouble sir?"
"I should say not," Dumbledore looked appalled by the very suggestion.
"My parents have gone without me," Bethany said bitterly. "They let me their things, all of their things…but Professor I am just a minor I have no where to go this summer." At this Bethany's voice broke and she had to stifle a sob.
"Don't be unhappy Bethany, you were very brave out there; I'm sorry I had to let them do that to you. I never would have permitted a dementor on the grounds, had I known Crouch brought one." Dumbledore paused at a large stone statue. "Peppermint," he said and the statue moved aside to reveal a spiral staircase. Silently the pair climbed the stairs. Bethany didn't really remember the trek to the top, she didn't remember sitting, or even Dumbledore handing her a cup of tea and wrapping her in a warm cloak as he mentioned something about her shivering.
"You were very brave out there," he told her.
"Thank you," she said placidly. "I think."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of Bethany, your courage I mean. You faced that dementor very well, though I must question the nature of your patronus."
"Nature?" Bethany raised an eyebrow, "I can't explain it. I don't really know what it was."
"Clearly you did."
"Yes, but I don't know why it was what it was." Bethany looked confused. She lowered her voice, for now her adrenaline had slowed and she could feel the fear and tears that were beginning to overcome her, "It was scary Professor. I don't know what I'm going to do for the summer."
"Don't worry Bethany, you will have somewhere to go; I promise you that. I also have to apologize for Crouch's behavior and his Aurors. Alastor should not have treated you that way, you must understand his skepticism of-"
"I do not question them, nor do I blame them, they were only doing what they should have." Bethany said slowly, tears now escaping her. "It's not their fault that society is jaded by a very dark wizard who threatens our very existence. Should I have actually been what they were seeking no injustice would have been done. But it doesn't make it any less terrifying."
For the first time in all her years at Hogwarts Dumbledore looked dumbfounded, dumbfounded and amazed. It passed quickly as he nodded, "You have been wronged and yet you understand their method, a gift many do not have. Bethany your fairness and understanding will be your undoing."
She heaved a great breath and wiped tears from her face. "I was trying to be strong for Lily, I couldn't let her see me cry after that or I might have destroyed her. She is not weak, and I don't know that I could have stood in her shoes and saw what she saw without the same reaction. I admit it was most likely harder for her than for me."
"Well," Dumbledore said with some finality and reached over his desk and handed her a piece of paper, "I simply wanted to give you this back."
Bethany took the paper, it was the letter from her parents. She ran her hand over the paper. She knew the truth, Dumbledore didn't only bring her up her to return the letter, he wanted to give her a moment to recover and to talk or cry or scream, whatever it may be. She smiled and looked up to him, "Thank you."
Dumbledore nodded.
Bethany got to her feet and handed Dumbledore back his cloak. She paused just at the door to the staircase and turned back to him, "Professor, why was my patronus…well…what it was? Am I cursed?"
Dumbledore laughed, "Certainly not Bethany. I think if you dig deep enough you might understand. Our patronus comes from the very depths of our happiest memory, if you consider your happiest memory you might find your answer."
Bethany's brow furrowed in confusion but she nodded. She did her best to slip silently from Dumbledore's office. She closed the door gently. She leaned back on the door and just took a few moments to take in all that had happened. Her mind did not wonder to the courtyard where the dementor was, or to Crouch who had questioned her ruthlessly for some time, but to her patronus. It looked just like the werewolf on the grounds the night she was attacked by the big black dog. She was brought back to a conversation she overheard James and Remus having in the Potions hall a few days earlier…
"I'm afraid of her Prongs, I like her enough to be frightened. Why can't she like me like she likes Sirius? Besides when did he decided Beth was alright, last I knew he hated her."
James sighed, "When she tried to save an innocent dog from some werewolf I know."
"I didn't-"
"You did."
Then she remembered something Severus said to her the night of the attack…
"What were you doing outside?"
Bethany raised her eyebrows at him and his sudden abruptness with her. "Why? Where you following me?"
Severus stared at her. "Were you seeing the werewolf intentionally?"
"Seeing a werewolf intentionally?" Bethany asked surprised.
"Sev knows," Bethany whispered, "he knows that I have an interest in Remus. Oh heavens," she let her head fall back and hit Dumbledore's door, "how could I have been so blind…Remus is my patronus."
Sorry, I thought I had mentioned earlier, but if I haven't this is to occur in light of the alternate ending. Thank you for reading, please review. :::Jo:::