Freedom! Laughter pealed out of her; it sounded so unfamiliar. She
hadn't laughed in
a very long time. She smiled as the wind pushed the sound back at her. Then she leaned
forward on the post and let the bed spiral through the clouds and drops of mist. The lights
below danced and seemed to laugh with her. Straightening the bed, she watched as the
headlights of unsuspecting cars drove along. The sky is mine alone..my sanctuary. The
stars seemed to be singing along with her soul and the breeze held a hint of comforting
words. Then, it dissolved into chaos as the bed drastically dropped downward.
Elizabeth screamed in shock, her limbs locking in place with horror. WHAT'S
HAPPENING? The ragged bed continued its descent. Elizabeth lost her grip on the post
and clung wildly at the sheets which promptly covered her face. She was spinning in the
darkness with the wild wind whistled past. Somewhere in her terror, she felt a kernel of
determination. I will not die like this. She grasps outwards toward the post, and her hand
made contact with the shaking wood. She willed it to stop, to obey her. It slowed
painstakingly slow; the wind stopped to a slow murmur. She was cold with shock and
struggled to free herself from the burdensome covers while her hand remained firmly
clamped around the weaken piece of wood in a death grip .It feels as through it's about
to break. Lucky for me I was so high up or I would be splattered on the ground. Finally,
she tears at the cover, ripping it in two. Then she froze; her eyes met two pair of wild
disbelieving brown ones. She was facing a young couple who were apparently set up for
the night in a romantic suite. Yes, a girl on a flying bed wasn't what they were expecting.
Time stood still as everyone remained frozen. Then the woman still gripping the sheets of
the heart-shaped bed screamed. Man could she scream. Elizabeth unfroze and frantically
turned the bed around. She zoomed off, diving past telephone wires, and looked over her
shoulder. The flustered man was on the phone, shouting madly. She turned around and
was blinded by the fluorescent sign of the LoVe-BuG Motel (complete with moving lips
and hearts). She leaned all the way back and scraped the bulbs of the sign with the foot of
the bed. Sparks danced everywhere! The bed spun forward, and she felt the last
remaining covers fly off onto the street. Looking down, she saw a flash of brown attach
itself to the window of a car, covering up the gaping face of the person inside. The car
swerved to the side, brakes filling the air with a squeal and made a new entrance for the
pub on the side street. Cars were sliding everywhere as the stupefied drivers and
passengers caught sight of the wobbling flying bed. In mere moments, pandemonium
ruled the streets as people ran from everywhere, pointing upward. Elizabeth felt tears
sting her eyes as she struggled to raise the bed to get to some cloud cover or something.
She was feeling so numb; her whole body was shaking madly from the effort of keeping
the bed in the air. All she could hear was the thumping of her heart and the yelling from
below as if it was from one entity. I am not going to let it fall. I can't let it fall! Ignoring
the burning from beneath her lids, she drove the bed higher and higher, not matter how
slowly. She could hear sirens from the nearby streets, foretelling the arrival of the police.
What if they shoot me down?! She was sobbing now. She reached the rooftops at last.
She moved the bed towards a desolate one but had to stop. It soon wasn't so desolate. A
flood of blue uniforms raced through the door on the roof. They all stopped as a group,
gaping at her. Then one in the front made a rapid movement, his hand reached downward
for something at his hip. A Gun! She let the bed drop, and the roof top raced by, cutting
off the sight of the police. She grabbed on and frantically slowed the bed. It felt so heavy.
A thump told her the bed hit the ground. NO! She felt the energy renew inside her and the
bed jumped forward. Shrieks were all around her, and people scattered about, waving
their arms. She was blinded by two lights. She swerved to miss an oncoming car, horning
blaring. Elizabeth felt the bed carry her upwards again into the sky, the horn still echoing
inside her head. Shaking, she darted further still and was soon far above the shrieking
city.
Mists descended on her. She opened her strained eyes and realized she had made it to
clouds. Her whole body ached, and her breaths came in gasps. Her side hurt as the mark
of the skeleton's hand seemed to squeeze her as a form of punishment for the madness
she had left behind her. She was freezing now, having lost all her sheets in the ride and
her shabby clothing was little comfort. Her head buzzed as if it was filled to the hilt with
stinging bees. I hope I didn't hurt anyone down there. Consumed with guilt, she had the
insane urge to fly downwards again, just to check. Mad..that would be suicide. Like flying
into a war zone! Sighing, she let the bed float although it strained her whole being. For
some strange reason, it felt right just to float here in the dewy drops of water for a while.
She felt so.detached from her body. It's like floating in a dream. Dawn started to
illuminate the clouds around her, creating a rainbow affect of fierce reds and oranges; it
reminded her uneasily about her nightmare. How long have I been up here? Closing her
eyes, she heard a faint sound. Then it grew louder. I can't believe my head is pounding
this much. Wait.. It wasn't a buzzing sound, it was more like a roar. The wind ripped up
around her as a deafening sound left her gaping as it fly over her. She choked on fumes
from the plane. To her horror, she heard it turning around. That is way to fast to a regular
plane. Have they sent a jet up here looking for me?! Again it passed by, rippling the air
and engulfing her in its wake. They know I'm here! I have to get out! Blinded by her
terror and tears, she drove the bed from the clouds, hearing the jet circling around. I hope
he didn't see me..though someone will. It was still wasn't fully morning yet. Maybe I can
hide in one of those buildings if I could just make it. Then she felt the rush of the jet
behind her and the force of the engines spun the bed upside down. Elizabeth felt her hand
slip off the post. It seemed a moment that lasted a surreal amount of time. Then she fell.
Everything spiraled around her as she felt her body turn through the air. I am going to
die. She opened her eyes, crying as an empty grey flew by her. She almost passed out but
the pain in her side kept her attached to reality. Then she screamed as she felt an arm slip
around her waist. She flung her arms about madly. Where are they? I can't see them!
She was being propelled through the air but she felt a warm body besides her. Kicking
outward, her foot got caught in folds of clothing that was streaming behind her. A cape?!
Is this some sort of hallucination?! Her mind was numb, blooding rushing to her head as
she was carried upside down behind a rickety building. She recovered and lashed out a
final kick. She hit a narrow piece of something and heard someone gasp as she fell
headlong into a heap of rubbish. Thrashing about, Elizabeth gained her footing among
the banana peels (among other things) and backed against the grimy wall. For the third
time, she was blinded..by bright violet hair!
A woman stood before her with a heart-shaped face and spiked up violet hair.
Elizabeth gaped and struggled to stand up. The woman beamed at her. "Wotcher, Lizzy!
That was some ride, eh? I do think we've lost the muggles though!" The woman
straightened the goggles she had on her head with a violet gloved hand and took a step
forward. Elizabeth gasped and inched along the wall as far away from this woman as she
could. Looking around, there was no one in sight. Shaking with her face beet red, she
looked wildly at the woman like a caged animal. The woman frowned. "Easy there. I
guess I didn't introduce myself. I'm Tonks and I was a friend of your father and mother."
Through her panic, Elizabeth registered these words. She moved away from the wall
slightly, still using it to balance herself. "You.knew my p-parents?" Her voice was
hoarse from screaming. The woman smiled even wider. "You bet. I never met kinder and
braver people. You have your father's eyes you know. Though I see a lot of your
mother's family in you." Elizabeth blinked, looking down. She was trying to decide how
to phrase her next question. Gathering her courage again, she said weakly, " Umm..if you
don't..er..mind me asking, what exactly..I know you told me your name, but who are
you?" Well, that sounded rude enough. Grimacing, Elizabeth mentally beat herself over
the head. Amazingly, Tonks clapped her own gloved hand to her head, laughing. "Well,
of course you wouldn't know! Sometimes, I forget the obvious, you know. But can you
blame me, what with you flying a muggle bed?! An impressive bit of magic I might add.
Lizzy, I am a witch..and so are you." A witch! This was the most shocking news yet.
Westley had always vehemently hissed at her that she was a little hellcat.a little witch. It
obviously wasn't a complement in the least. But this..Tonks didn't look like the typical
picture of the witch that floated to Elizabeth's mind. A green skinned woman with
gnarled hands and a black hat on top of her head crackling "I'll get you my pretty and
your little dog too". Feeling dizzy, Elizabeth placed a hand on her pounding head and
unceremoniously sat down on the dirty alley street. Tonks gazed down at her a bit
concerned. Elizabeth peered up at her. "Sorry, I'm alright..this is just a little shocking
that's all". Sighing, Tonks crouched down beside her, violet cape flowing around her.
"That's probably the normal reaction. I myself grew up in a wizarding family so I always
knew. But you on the other hand.." Tonks reached out in a motherly fashion and brushed
the tangles of red hair out of Elizabeth's face. "If you're feeling up to it, I'll take you to
the person who will probably explain this whole thing better than me. It will all be sorted
out." Standing up, Tonks offered Elizabeth who was still on the ground a gloved hand.
Hesitating a second, Elizabeth reached up and took her hand. Tonks pulled her up and
patted her on the back. "There now. I daresay you have already had enough flying for one
day. You father would have been proud, I'll tell you that." Winking, she indicated a
broken broomstick lying against the faded brick wall of the old factory. "No worries
about that. It was an ancient model anyway..an early Nimbus. The new Firebolt makes it
look like a snail by comparison. That last kick you dealt finished it off. Good thing
Dumbledore gave me a portkey just in case. Never misses a trick that man." Chuckling,
Tonks fished out a bag of candy out of her cloak. "This is a very Dumbledore idea, this
here. He's still a child at heart even at his age." Elizabeth just nodded, feeling
overwhelmed by the flow of unfamiliar words. Firebolt? Portkey? Tonks peered into the
bag and with a furrowed brow began to delicately pick a lemon drop. Dumbfounded,
Elizabeth watched examined it closely, shook her head, threw it over her shoulder, and
picked another candy. Lemon drops are these portkeys..wow! Never would have
suspected that. No wonder Westley was so anti-sweets. However, Elizabeth began to
become concerned as a steady pile of lemon drops were accumulating in the alley. She
politely focused on the dirty windows of the factory as Tonks grumbled to herself. "Yes,
I found it! Portkey was a little too concealed right! Are you ready..?" Tonks was
interrupted by the series of cracks like a car being shot off behind them.
Heart in her throat, Elizabeth jumped a foot off the ground and ducked
behind the violet haired woman. Standing in the alley was a whole group of people who
apparently popped out of the ground. They were all wearing a very official looking
uniform with a cloak. Two took down their hoods, and Elizabeth chanced a look at them
from behind Tonks. One man had hair that was a much more vivid red that Elizabeth's.
He glared contemptuously from behind his horned spectacles (which were slipping
rapidly down his long nose). His face looked like an explosion of freckles but he
obviously was a man of importance or thought he was at least. His companion was a pale
wisp of a man, and the first thing Elizabeth noticed about him was the sneer firmly
implanted in his face. He had the lightest grey color to his eyes which made them almost
translucent and disappear in his pointed face. He looks so cold..like a living replica of an
ice sculpture. It was the tall red-head that spoke first. "What is the meaning of this
disturbance. May I remind you that I have already dispatched a warning against
Dumbledore's little group. He may think he can do whatever he likes but I will not
hesitate to clear up that naïve misconception. What do you think you are playing at! The
muggles are in an uproar about a flying bed that wrecked half of downtown Bristol. What
does that old fool mean by it?!" This last statement was a shout. The man seemed to have
lost control completely and spittle flew from his mouth. He glared with his face a horrible
pruce, and his companion cast him a disgusted glance before turning his gaze
on..Elizabeth. "It seems Minister that that girl behind that poor excuse for a witch is the
root of the trouble today. My, my..she has the look of a Weasley, wouldn't you say? I
guess you would know." The red-headed man huffed up in rage but when he caught sight
of Elizabeth, he gaped like a fish. Then pale man continued, " And yet, she reminds me
of A Potter." There was a distinct murmur and rustle of cloaks behind the two and faces
crept around them to stare at Elizabeth who was very uneasy to say the least. The
Minister straightened up and composed himself. "I believe that Dumbledore and I had an
agreement concerning this issue after the incident with the Potters. The Potter girl would
only be allowed to enter the wizarding world when the time came for her to start school.
Till then she was to live with the muggles for her safety. No, I'm sure I didn't dream that
whole arrangement up. Surely Dumbledore wouldn't endanger her with his love for her
late father. So that begs the question of her presence with you? " He smiled a rather
sickly smile, eyes glistening. I hate being talked about in third person. Elizabeth felt a
wave of embarrassment and confusion pass through her. This was all happening so fast.
What does he mean the incident with the Potters? Her head was throbbing again, and her
knees felt very weak. She was biting her tongue so hard she tasted the metallic taste of
blood. She wanted to rant and scream at the people, and demand some answers. That
puffed up guy thinks he's really something..best let this play out. Elizabeth couldn't help
by think how funny this situation would look to anyone who happened to pass by. A short
girl in ripped pajamas surrounded by blokes in cloaks and a woman with punk hair in all
violet apparently having a serious discussion about something. Through this whole
tirade, Tonks had kept her cool and smiled pleasantly at the men in front of her. She
began gently as though talking to a very small child who consequently was from a
foreign country and couldn't speak a lick of English. "Minister, you should know that
children can cause wandless magic. Elizabeth seems to have reached her peak of magic
and can not remain with the muggles any longer. Situations change..and you shouldn't
speak so coldly. She is your sister's child." Elizabeth felt like she was just hit in the
stomach. She wildly looked at the tall man. He's..my uncle! He left me in that hell hole?!
Anger clenched her muscles and the hand at her side seemed to tighten its grip. HOW
COULD HE?! She let out a gasp of pain (from that touch) that everyone seemed to ignore
except the man with the cold eyes. He glanced over and studied her. His mouth twitched
as though amused by something. His eyes bore a hole through her, and her anger faded
into a frightened silent horror. There is something..wrong with that man. I feel like I'm
four again. The Minister bit his lips. Then he realized what Tonks was saying. He
laughed derisively. " Are you saying that This little girl flew that bed? Dumbledore must
think me a fool if he expects me to buy that story. My pathetic brothers could cook up a
more credible one." Tonks flared up in anger, and clenched her fist. " Don't insult
Dumbledore again. He is not a liar. Yes, Harry Potter's daughter flew that bed driven by
her magic. And yes, I know she did because I saw her at it. Didn't the muggle radios
mention a red-head girl? I bet her magic rose up in her because that muggle orphanage
was a DISGRACE! The hero of our world's daughter live in that?! You should be
ashamed. YOU'RE HER UNCLE! YOU'RE PARENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN
HORRIFIED BY YOUR ACTIONS! YOU ARE A DISGRACE! If you were any type of
man at all you would have.." "Enough", the minister (my uncle) growled, " Honestly, her
muggle cousin wouldn't put up with her. I don't blame him knowing Harry Potter as I
did. Yes, the muggle world was the only safe haven for her at the time. It was an
excellent decision on my part even if you are to personally involved to see that clearly".
The minister seemed to have reassured himself immensely. Clearly his throat he asked
where Tonks was taking the Potter girl. "To Dumbledore," she answered firmly. The
minister rolled his eyes and looked back at the others as if a grand joke had just been told.
"Yes, I shall allow you to take her to him as he is getting on in the years and still is
headmaster of Hogwarts. I simply have too much to deal with at the moment with a bed
lying on the muggle roadway and all those witnesses. It will take ages to simply obliviate
their memories from this damage! Worse than when that renegade dragon attacked those
muggles on the beach! But know this, I want to a conference with Dumbledore
immediately afterwards". Then he disappeared with a crack and the others
followed. Only the pale man remained behind. He sneered at Tonks and met Elizabeth's
gaze once more. Then he too vanished, leaving Tonks and Elizabeth alone in the drank
alley.
Tonks sighed and unclenched her hands. One hand had disappeared under her
cloak and had grabbed hold of her wand during the encounter. She forced a bright smile
at Elizabeth. "That was unpleasant. Where were we? Ah yes, the portkey." Elizabeth
spoke up. "Wait.. did my father..do something disgraceful to those people? Why was I
punished and sent to a orphanage if I had a family out there?" Elizabeth was shaking and
felt like sobbing. Her mind reeled with a her emotional state upturned with the discovery
she had a family. They didn't want me because of my father. Tonks smiled gently eyes
full of sadness, "No, you're father saved the wizarding world from a horde of dark
wizards. He defeated one of the worst Dark Lords ever to come to power." "Then why
did those men act that way towards him..like he did something wrong?" Tonks looked at
her a long time, apparently thinking of how to explain to her. Elizabeth fought the urge to
look away, ashamed at her tear-streaked face. Tonks slowly started to speak almost in a
whisper. Elizabeth had to lean forward to catch her words. "It's what happened
afterwards, Lizzy. Your father did defeat the Dark Lord and put most of his followers in
Azkaban, the wizarding prison. You have no idea. It was like a huge weight had been
lifted off us. We were free to laugh and rejoice; we were free to care about one another
again without fear of our love ones being taken from us. Your father and mother stood
out as a light of hope for us. One night, a year after the Dark Lord's defeat, your family
was attacked. Your father and little brother are believed to be dead. Only your mother's
body and yourself alive but weak were found among the wreckage of your home. The
chaos that followed was terrible. No one knew what had happened. It's still a mystery. As
I said earlier, your father and mother were close friends of mine. I got to watch as your
father became a great man. We fought along side each other." Tonks had to stop as her
voice got caught through her sadness. She opened her large violet eyes to gaze at
Elizabeth with an aggrieved pride. "He was a great man, Elizabeth. It was unthinkable
that someone could attack him. The whole wizarding world wanted to know what
happened that night so they could avenge him. All the suspected dark wizards were
gathered and questioned with the Truth potion but they didn't know.." Tonks voice
trailed off. Silence stretched for an eternity between the two. Elizabeth drew in a deep
breath. It was like drowning in a sea. I feel like I can't breath. I can't remember
my family or what happened that night. I've never felt so helpless or useless. "Those men
and others like them want to forget about Harry Potter because they can't help but feel
terror and helplessness inside them. I know that feeling. But they are just cowards, and
you should give them no mind. I believe we have kept Dumbledore and the others
waiting for a while. The others will be glad to meet you, Elizabeth. If you are ready.."
Elizabeth bit her lip. This is all so much. But I have to go on. I have to found out what I
am. I've gotten this far. There is no turning back now. Looking up, she nodded at Tonks
and accepted the lemon drop in her outstretched shaking hand. Startled, she felt a tug at
her navel and a swirl of wind as her feet left the street.
a very long time. She smiled as the wind pushed the sound back at her. Then she leaned
forward on the post and let the bed spiral through the clouds and drops of mist. The lights
below danced and seemed to laugh with her. Straightening the bed, she watched as the
headlights of unsuspecting cars drove along. The sky is mine alone..my sanctuary. The
stars seemed to be singing along with her soul and the breeze held a hint of comforting
words. Then, it dissolved into chaos as the bed drastically dropped downward.
Elizabeth screamed in shock, her limbs locking in place with horror. WHAT'S
HAPPENING? The ragged bed continued its descent. Elizabeth lost her grip on the post
and clung wildly at the sheets which promptly covered her face. She was spinning in the
darkness with the wild wind whistled past. Somewhere in her terror, she felt a kernel of
determination. I will not die like this. She grasps outwards toward the post, and her hand
made contact with the shaking wood. She willed it to stop, to obey her. It slowed
painstakingly slow; the wind stopped to a slow murmur. She was cold with shock and
struggled to free herself from the burdensome covers while her hand remained firmly
clamped around the weaken piece of wood in a death grip .It feels as through it's about
to break. Lucky for me I was so high up or I would be splattered on the ground. Finally,
she tears at the cover, ripping it in two. Then she froze; her eyes met two pair of wild
disbelieving brown ones. She was facing a young couple who were apparently set up for
the night in a romantic suite. Yes, a girl on a flying bed wasn't what they were expecting.
Time stood still as everyone remained frozen. Then the woman still gripping the sheets of
the heart-shaped bed screamed. Man could she scream. Elizabeth unfroze and frantically
turned the bed around. She zoomed off, diving past telephone wires, and looked over her
shoulder. The flustered man was on the phone, shouting madly. She turned around and
was blinded by the fluorescent sign of the LoVe-BuG Motel (complete with moving lips
and hearts). She leaned all the way back and scraped the bulbs of the sign with the foot of
the bed. Sparks danced everywhere! The bed spun forward, and she felt the last
remaining covers fly off onto the street. Looking down, she saw a flash of brown attach
itself to the window of a car, covering up the gaping face of the person inside. The car
swerved to the side, brakes filling the air with a squeal and made a new entrance for the
pub on the side street. Cars were sliding everywhere as the stupefied drivers and
passengers caught sight of the wobbling flying bed. In mere moments, pandemonium
ruled the streets as people ran from everywhere, pointing upward. Elizabeth felt tears
sting her eyes as she struggled to raise the bed to get to some cloud cover or something.
She was feeling so numb; her whole body was shaking madly from the effort of keeping
the bed in the air. All she could hear was the thumping of her heart and the yelling from
below as if it was from one entity. I am not going to let it fall. I can't let it fall! Ignoring
the burning from beneath her lids, she drove the bed higher and higher, not matter how
slowly. She could hear sirens from the nearby streets, foretelling the arrival of the police.
What if they shoot me down?! She was sobbing now. She reached the rooftops at last.
She moved the bed towards a desolate one but had to stop. It soon wasn't so desolate. A
flood of blue uniforms raced through the door on the roof. They all stopped as a group,
gaping at her. Then one in the front made a rapid movement, his hand reached downward
for something at his hip. A Gun! She let the bed drop, and the roof top raced by, cutting
off the sight of the police. She grabbed on and frantically slowed the bed. It felt so heavy.
A thump told her the bed hit the ground. NO! She felt the energy renew inside her and the
bed jumped forward. Shrieks were all around her, and people scattered about, waving
their arms. She was blinded by two lights. She swerved to miss an oncoming car, horning
blaring. Elizabeth felt the bed carry her upwards again into the sky, the horn still echoing
inside her head. Shaking, she darted further still and was soon far above the shrieking
city.
Mists descended on her. She opened her strained eyes and realized she had made it to
clouds. Her whole body ached, and her breaths came in gasps. Her side hurt as the mark
of the skeleton's hand seemed to squeeze her as a form of punishment for the madness
she had left behind her. She was freezing now, having lost all her sheets in the ride and
her shabby clothing was little comfort. Her head buzzed as if it was filled to the hilt with
stinging bees. I hope I didn't hurt anyone down there. Consumed with guilt, she had the
insane urge to fly downwards again, just to check. Mad..that would be suicide. Like flying
into a war zone! Sighing, she let the bed float although it strained her whole being. For
some strange reason, it felt right just to float here in the dewy drops of water for a while.
She felt so.detached from her body. It's like floating in a dream. Dawn started to
illuminate the clouds around her, creating a rainbow affect of fierce reds and oranges; it
reminded her uneasily about her nightmare. How long have I been up here? Closing her
eyes, she heard a faint sound. Then it grew louder. I can't believe my head is pounding
this much. Wait.. It wasn't a buzzing sound, it was more like a roar. The wind ripped up
around her as a deafening sound left her gaping as it fly over her. She choked on fumes
from the plane. To her horror, she heard it turning around. That is way to fast to a regular
plane. Have they sent a jet up here looking for me?! Again it passed by, rippling the air
and engulfing her in its wake. They know I'm here! I have to get out! Blinded by her
terror and tears, she drove the bed from the clouds, hearing the jet circling around. I hope
he didn't see me..though someone will. It was still wasn't fully morning yet. Maybe I can
hide in one of those buildings if I could just make it. Then she felt the rush of the jet
behind her and the force of the engines spun the bed upside down. Elizabeth felt her hand
slip off the post. It seemed a moment that lasted a surreal amount of time. Then she fell.
Everything spiraled around her as she felt her body turn through the air. I am going to
die. She opened her eyes, crying as an empty grey flew by her. She almost passed out but
the pain in her side kept her attached to reality. Then she screamed as she felt an arm slip
around her waist. She flung her arms about madly. Where are they? I can't see them!
She was being propelled through the air but she felt a warm body besides her. Kicking
outward, her foot got caught in folds of clothing that was streaming behind her. A cape?!
Is this some sort of hallucination?! Her mind was numb, blooding rushing to her head as
she was carried upside down behind a rickety building. She recovered and lashed out a
final kick. She hit a narrow piece of something and heard someone gasp as she fell
headlong into a heap of rubbish. Thrashing about, Elizabeth gained her footing among
the banana peels (among other things) and backed against the grimy wall. For the third
time, she was blinded..by bright violet hair!
A woman stood before her with a heart-shaped face and spiked up violet hair.
Elizabeth gaped and struggled to stand up. The woman beamed at her. "Wotcher, Lizzy!
That was some ride, eh? I do think we've lost the muggles though!" The woman
straightened the goggles she had on her head with a violet gloved hand and took a step
forward. Elizabeth gasped and inched along the wall as far away from this woman as she
could. Looking around, there was no one in sight. Shaking with her face beet red, she
looked wildly at the woman like a caged animal. The woman frowned. "Easy there. I
guess I didn't introduce myself. I'm Tonks and I was a friend of your father and mother."
Through her panic, Elizabeth registered these words. She moved away from the wall
slightly, still using it to balance herself. "You.knew my p-parents?" Her voice was
hoarse from screaming. The woman smiled even wider. "You bet. I never met kinder and
braver people. You have your father's eyes you know. Though I see a lot of your
mother's family in you." Elizabeth blinked, looking down. She was trying to decide how
to phrase her next question. Gathering her courage again, she said weakly, " Umm..if you
don't..er..mind me asking, what exactly..I know you told me your name, but who are
you?" Well, that sounded rude enough. Grimacing, Elizabeth mentally beat herself over
the head. Amazingly, Tonks clapped her own gloved hand to her head, laughing. "Well,
of course you wouldn't know! Sometimes, I forget the obvious, you know. But can you
blame me, what with you flying a muggle bed?! An impressive bit of magic I might add.
Lizzy, I am a witch..and so are you." A witch! This was the most shocking news yet.
Westley had always vehemently hissed at her that she was a little hellcat.a little witch. It
obviously wasn't a complement in the least. But this..Tonks didn't look like the typical
picture of the witch that floated to Elizabeth's mind. A green skinned woman with
gnarled hands and a black hat on top of her head crackling "I'll get you my pretty and
your little dog too". Feeling dizzy, Elizabeth placed a hand on her pounding head and
unceremoniously sat down on the dirty alley street. Tonks gazed down at her a bit
concerned. Elizabeth peered up at her. "Sorry, I'm alright..this is just a little shocking
that's all". Sighing, Tonks crouched down beside her, violet cape flowing around her.
"That's probably the normal reaction. I myself grew up in a wizarding family so I always
knew. But you on the other hand.." Tonks reached out in a motherly fashion and brushed
the tangles of red hair out of Elizabeth's face. "If you're feeling up to it, I'll take you to
the person who will probably explain this whole thing better than me. It will all be sorted
out." Standing up, Tonks offered Elizabeth who was still on the ground a gloved hand.
Hesitating a second, Elizabeth reached up and took her hand. Tonks pulled her up and
patted her on the back. "There now. I daresay you have already had enough flying for one
day. You father would have been proud, I'll tell you that." Winking, she indicated a
broken broomstick lying against the faded brick wall of the old factory. "No worries
about that. It was an ancient model anyway..an early Nimbus. The new Firebolt makes it
look like a snail by comparison. That last kick you dealt finished it off. Good thing
Dumbledore gave me a portkey just in case. Never misses a trick that man." Chuckling,
Tonks fished out a bag of candy out of her cloak. "This is a very Dumbledore idea, this
here. He's still a child at heart even at his age." Elizabeth just nodded, feeling
overwhelmed by the flow of unfamiliar words. Firebolt? Portkey? Tonks peered into the
bag and with a furrowed brow began to delicately pick a lemon drop. Dumbfounded,
Elizabeth watched examined it closely, shook her head, threw it over her shoulder, and
picked another candy. Lemon drops are these portkeys..wow! Never would have
suspected that. No wonder Westley was so anti-sweets. However, Elizabeth began to
become concerned as a steady pile of lemon drops were accumulating in the alley. She
politely focused on the dirty windows of the factory as Tonks grumbled to herself. "Yes,
I found it! Portkey was a little too concealed right! Are you ready..?" Tonks was
interrupted by the series of cracks like a car being shot off behind them.
Heart in her throat, Elizabeth jumped a foot off the ground and ducked
behind the violet haired woman. Standing in the alley was a whole group of people who
apparently popped out of the ground. They were all wearing a very official looking
uniform with a cloak. Two took down their hoods, and Elizabeth chanced a look at them
from behind Tonks. One man had hair that was a much more vivid red that Elizabeth's.
He glared contemptuously from behind his horned spectacles (which were slipping
rapidly down his long nose). His face looked like an explosion of freckles but he
obviously was a man of importance or thought he was at least. His companion was a pale
wisp of a man, and the first thing Elizabeth noticed about him was the sneer firmly
implanted in his face. He had the lightest grey color to his eyes which made them almost
translucent and disappear in his pointed face. He looks so cold..like a living replica of an
ice sculpture. It was the tall red-head that spoke first. "What is the meaning of this
disturbance. May I remind you that I have already dispatched a warning against
Dumbledore's little group. He may think he can do whatever he likes but I will not
hesitate to clear up that naïve misconception. What do you think you are playing at! The
muggles are in an uproar about a flying bed that wrecked half of downtown Bristol. What
does that old fool mean by it?!" This last statement was a shout. The man seemed to have
lost control completely and spittle flew from his mouth. He glared with his face a horrible
pruce, and his companion cast him a disgusted glance before turning his gaze
on..Elizabeth. "It seems Minister that that girl behind that poor excuse for a witch is the
root of the trouble today. My, my..she has the look of a Weasley, wouldn't you say? I
guess you would know." The red-headed man huffed up in rage but when he caught sight
of Elizabeth, he gaped like a fish. Then pale man continued, " And yet, she reminds me
of A Potter." There was a distinct murmur and rustle of cloaks behind the two and faces
crept around them to stare at Elizabeth who was very uneasy to say the least. The
Minister straightened up and composed himself. "I believe that Dumbledore and I had an
agreement concerning this issue after the incident with the Potters. The Potter girl would
only be allowed to enter the wizarding world when the time came for her to start school.
Till then she was to live with the muggles for her safety. No, I'm sure I didn't dream that
whole arrangement up. Surely Dumbledore wouldn't endanger her with his love for her
late father. So that begs the question of her presence with you? " He smiled a rather
sickly smile, eyes glistening. I hate being talked about in third person. Elizabeth felt a
wave of embarrassment and confusion pass through her. This was all happening so fast.
What does he mean the incident with the Potters? Her head was throbbing again, and her
knees felt very weak. She was biting her tongue so hard she tasted the metallic taste of
blood. She wanted to rant and scream at the people, and demand some answers. That
puffed up guy thinks he's really something..best let this play out. Elizabeth couldn't help
by think how funny this situation would look to anyone who happened to pass by. A short
girl in ripped pajamas surrounded by blokes in cloaks and a woman with punk hair in all
violet apparently having a serious discussion about something. Through this whole
tirade, Tonks had kept her cool and smiled pleasantly at the men in front of her. She
began gently as though talking to a very small child who consequently was from a
foreign country and couldn't speak a lick of English. "Minister, you should know that
children can cause wandless magic. Elizabeth seems to have reached her peak of magic
and can not remain with the muggles any longer. Situations change..and you shouldn't
speak so coldly. She is your sister's child." Elizabeth felt like she was just hit in the
stomach. She wildly looked at the tall man. He's..my uncle! He left me in that hell hole?!
Anger clenched her muscles and the hand at her side seemed to tighten its grip. HOW
COULD HE?! She let out a gasp of pain (from that touch) that everyone seemed to ignore
except the man with the cold eyes. He glanced over and studied her. His mouth twitched
as though amused by something. His eyes bore a hole through her, and her anger faded
into a frightened silent horror. There is something..wrong with that man. I feel like I'm
four again. The Minister bit his lips. Then he realized what Tonks was saying. He
laughed derisively. " Are you saying that This little girl flew that bed? Dumbledore must
think me a fool if he expects me to buy that story. My pathetic brothers could cook up a
more credible one." Tonks flared up in anger, and clenched her fist. " Don't insult
Dumbledore again. He is not a liar. Yes, Harry Potter's daughter flew that bed driven by
her magic. And yes, I know she did because I saw her at it. Didn't the muggle radios
mention a red-head girl? I bet her magic rose up in her because that muggle orphanage
was a DISGRACE! The hero of our world's daughter live in that?! You should be
ashamed. YOU'RE HER UNCLE! YOU'RE PARENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN
HORRIFIED BY YOUR ACTIONS! YOU ARE A DISGRACE! If you were any type of
man at all you would have.." "Enough", the minister (my uncle) growled, " Honestly, her
muggle cousin wouldn't put up with her. I don't blame him knowing Harry Potter as I
did. Yes, the muggle world was the only safe haven for her at the time. It was an
excellent decision on my part even if you are to personally involved to see that clearly".
The minister seemed to have reassured himself immensely. Clearly his throat he asked
where Tonks was taking the Potter girl. "To Dumbledore," she answered firmly. The
minister rolled his eyes and looked back at the others as if a grand joke had just been told.
"Yes, I shall allow you to take her to him as he is getting on in the years and still is
headmaster of Hogwarts. I simply have too much to deal with at the moment with a bed
lying on the muggle roadway and all those witnesses. It will take ages to simply obliviate
their memories from this damage! Worse than when that renegade dragon attacked those
muggles on the beach! But know this, I want to a conference with Dumbledore
immediately afterwards". Then he disappeared with a crack and the others
followed. Only the pale man remained behind. He sneered at Tonks and met Elizabeth's
gaze once more. Then he too vanished, leaving Tonks and Elizabeth alone in the drank
alley.
Tonks sighed and unclenched her hands. One hand had disappeared under her
cloak and had grabbed hold of her wand during the encounter. She forced a bright smile
at Elizabeth. "That was unpleasant. Where were we? Ah yes, the portkey." Elizabeth
spoke up. "Wait.. did my father..do something disgraceful to those people? Why was I
punished and sent to a orphanage if I had a family out there?" Elizabeth was shaking and
felt like sobbing. Her mind reeled with a her emotional state upturned with the discovery
she had a family. They didn't want me because of my father. Tonks smiled gently eyes
full of sadness, "No, you're father saved the wizarding world from a horde of dark
wizards. He defeated one of the worst Dark Lords ever to come to power." "Then why
did those men act that way towards him..like he did something wrong?" Tonks looked at
her a long time, apparently thinking of how to explain to her. Elizabeth fought the urge to
look away, ashamed at her tear-streaked face. Tonks slowly started to speak almost in a
whisper. Elizabeth had to lean forward to catch her words. "It's what happened
afterwards, Lizzy. Your father did defeat the Dark Lord and put most of his followers in
Azkaban, the wizarding prison. You have no idea. It was like a huge weight had been
lifted off us. We were free to laugh and rejoice; we were free to care about one another
again without fear of our love ones being taken from us. Your father and mother stood
out as a light of hope for us. One night, a year after the Dark Lord's defeat, your family
was attacked. Your father and little brother are believed to be dead. Only your mother's
body and yourself alive but weak were found among the wreckage of your home. The
chaos that followed was terrible. No one knew what had happened. It's still a mystery. As
I said earlier, your father and mother were close friends of mine. I got to watch as your
father became a great man. We fought along side each other." Tonks had to stop as her
voice got caught through her sadness. She opened her large violet eyes to gaze at
Elizabeth with an aggrieved pride. "He was a great man, Elizabeth. It was unthinkable
that someone could attack him. The whole wizarding world wanted to know what
happened that night so they could avenge him. All the suspected dark wizards were
gathered and questioned with the Truth potion but they didn't know.." Tonks voice
trailed off. Silence stretched for an eternity between the two. Elizabeth drew in a deep
breath. It was like drowning in a sea. I feel like I can't breath. I can't remember
my family or what happened that night. I've never felt so helpless or useless. "Those men
and others like them want to forget about Harry Potter because they can't help but feel
terror and helplessness inside them. I know that feeling. But they are just cowards, and
you should give them no mind. I believe we have kept Dumbledore and the others
waiting for a while. The others will be glad to meet you, Elizabeth. If you are ready.."
Elizabeth bit her lip. This is all so much. But I have to go on. I have to found out what I
am. I've gotten this far. There is no turning back now. Looking up, she nodded at Tonks
and accepted the lemon drop in her outstretched shaking hand. Startled, she felt a tug at
her navel and a swirl of wind as her feet left the street.