Chapter 30

Ava & Dumbledore

Ava snuck out of the cargo hold of the airplane and leaped into the baggage car. She used her mind warping to make no one saw as she climbed up the conveyor belt into the baggage sorting. She sat on the conveyor belt and looked about for an air duct. Finally the belt looped around so that it was running along a wall. She spotted the duct a few feet up. She used her power to rip the screen off. She quickly climbed inside and crawled as fast as she could, the longer she was in or near this airport the more likely she would get caught. After an hour or so she found a duct that led into the women's bathroom. She dropped out into a stall and quickly cleaned the dust off. She then flushed the toilet, stepped out and seeing four other women in there she made her way to the sink and washed her hands. As she left she followed the stream of people out the main exit. Outside was grey and dismal the air smelled of rain. Ava hailed a taxi and climbed in.
"Where to?"
"Downtown London, uh, do you accent US dollars, I forgot to exchange my money."
The driver nodded his head, "I will, but you better exchange as soon as you can cause no one else will."
"Thanks," she sat back and watched the buildings pass by. She had chosen London, because she remembered Liz mention it once. She figured with all the drama in Liz's life the girl may never get a chance, so maybe Ava could go for her and sent her post cards or something. Ava soon fell asleep; she dreamed that she was back in New York.
"Miss, Miss, we're here."
Ava awoke and glanced around.
The driver told her how much and Ava paid. As she began to slide out he spoke, "across the street is an exchange office or you could go to one of the pub, they're less discreet."
"Thank you," Ava climbed out and headed across the street.
She made her way down the street looking for the seediest bar figuring in a place like that they wouldn't care about who she was except that she had money. She glanced up, "The Leaky Cauldron", 'perfect' she thought. She entered and made her way to the bar. She looked around the customers seemed odd, but coming from an alien/human hybrid that theory might not work. She walked up to the bar and waited for the bartender to notice her.
"What'll it be?" The elderly man asked.
"Do you exchange money here?"
"Sure do," she handed him her large wad of US money.
He divided the bills and began counting. He then took the money and turned away. After a moment he turned back and handed her a small pouch of money.
"Thank you, so how much for a room?"
"How long?"
"One night."
"Five knuts."
If Ava knew anything about European currencies she would have found this odd, but she didn't so she opened the purse and let him explain the coins to her. She handed him the coins and he gave her a key, "room 8, straight up the stairs fourth door on the right."
"Thank you," she turned to leave.
"Dinner service begins in an hour," he handed her a menu.
She took it and smiled, "thank you."
Ava found her room to be quite cozy, dinner was odd, but delicious. She went to bed that night believing that being on the run might not be that bad. The next morning she awoke, washed, changed and came down for breakfast. After breakfast she returned her key.
"Is there anywhere around her where I could but new clothes and stuff?"
"Diagon Alley's right out back," the bartender replied and led her to the back. He pulled out a long, thin stick and tapped out a pattern on the brick wall. The wall split and opened before her.
Now Ava knew something odd was going on. She thanked the bartender and slipped through the crack. The scene before her was unbelievable, even for an alien. She had expected more dank alley instead there was a whole main street before her. Since she had planned to hitch across Europe, she didn't bother to ask how to get back. She thanked the bartender and continued on. The people were dressed in odd robes and some with pointed hats. Ava began to wonder what exactly she had stumbled upon. She continued walking taking everything in. She noticed a bookshop; even though she wasn't that great at it she did like to read. She stepped inside and made her way past all the people gathered in the front. She picked a book off the shelf and opened it. At first she thought it was a cookbook, a very odd cookbook. Dragon's breath, fish scale, speared mint, but then it clicked it was a magic book. She closed it and chose another, this one blew wind straight at her until she closed the book. She continued until she found a book that seemed to explain everything "The History of Wizardy". She took the book up to the front and paid. Once back out in the street she was about to enter a food store when an icy voice yelled at her.
"You, you're dead!"
Ava spun around to find herself face to face with a tall man dressed in a long dark green robe; he held a black cane with a silver snake's head on top. His face was pale and his hair was so silvery Ava thought it was fake.
Ava smirked. "Nah, she's dead, I'm me." The smirked turned into a smile.
"And you are?" He sneered.
"Not interested." She was about to continue on her way when she felt a burst of energy. She put up her shield just as a stream of light bounced off and fizzled. She heard gasps around her of 'wandless magic'. She ignored it and glared at him. "What's the deal? I didn't do anything to you?"
"You insulted the Malfoy name by wearing that face."
She dropped her shield. "What? Are you mental?"
"No one insults me and gets away with it!"
"And who are you?"
"Lucius Malfoy."
"Okay," she started to walk away, but again she felt a burst of power. She threw her shield up again and watched as ropes fell uselessly off her shield. "As entertaining as this is, I have things to do."
Before Ava could brace for another attack a shimmering red robe blocked her.
"That enough, Lucius!" The elder man commanded.
"Back away you old coot!"
"Lucius, think of how you look to the public."
Ava glanced around the man's robe to see Lucius glance at the crowd. "This is not over." He threatened glaring at Ava. With that said he turned and disappeared through the crowd.
The man turned and Ava saw that he had natural looking white hair and a long white beard to match. "It's alright, he's fled." Ava slowly lowered her shield. "My name is Albus Dumbledore, and you are?"
"Ava."
"Well, Ava, why don't we get off this street?"
She nodded her head and let him lead her back into the Leaky Cauldron. He chose a table in the corner.
"Now do you know why Lucius attacked him?"
"Not a clue."
"Do you know who you are?" He asked with an odd twinkle in his eye.
"Yeah, but I'm not about to tell you. I don't know who I can trust."
"Why is that?"
"People have abused my trust in the past, plus I'm not here to make friends."
"So you are on the run then."
She nodded her head.
"Why?"
She refused to answer.
"You probably have already realized that hold a great amount of power, has anyone ever helped you control it?"
"No, I was born like this, and no I don't know who my parents are."
"You're a witch."
Ava wasn't about to tell him otherwise.
"I am the headmaster of a school for wizards and witches; we are currently on summer break. If you are willing I can help teach you, but when class start up again we may have to find you a tutor."
"Why the special treatment?"
"Unlike my other students, you are too old to be a first year and secondly we are in the beginning of a war. That wizard, Lucius Malfoy is not someone to trust."
"But how am I supposed to know you are?" She replied thinking of Lonnie and Rath. "I've had dealings with untrustworthy characters, who like to pretend that they are on your side."
He thought for a moment. "Well, I guess we'll just have to take it one step at a time."
"So where do we start?"

Two months later Ava was a robe wearing, wand carrying student of Dumbledore's. School was starting next week and Dumbledore had mentioned sending Ava to live with someone to continue her teaching. He had mentioned an Auror, but then remembered that he was going to be teaching at Hogwarts that year, so instead he sent her to a former Hogwarts teacher. She was nervous meeting the man, but Professor Lupin was a very nice man. He arrived with another man, Sirus Black. Dumbledore made them both swear to never make any mention of Ava's presence. They agreed and Ava spent the year with them learning everything she could. The next summer she was sent to the auror, name Moody. She thought of him as an eccentric uncle. He was kind, but also very jumpy. When fall came around she was given tests, Dumbledore explained that she was at the equivalent of a six year and was ready. She passed and then took her apparating license. Dumbledore wanted her to continue her lessons, but she wanted to explore the wizarding world. So they compromised and she was sent to Charley as an apprentice.

"So that's how we met," she finished her story as they were all finishing dinner. She of course left out the part about being an alien, only Charley needed to know that for the time being.
"Well, you sure have been learning from the best." Molly Weasley exclaimed.
"Yeah and you didn't even have to suffer under Snape," Fred added.
"Severus Snape?" Ava asked.
"Yeah, he's the potions professor at school." Ginny spoke.
"He's horrid," Ron added.
"Oh, I met him, he was quite odd."
"Odd?" George asked.
"Well, during that first summer I stayed at the school, he arrived two days before I left. He was very quiet around me, like he was afraid. I figured it just had to with the same reason that Lucius freaked out."

Kyle entered the mansion in awe; they were beyond what Kyle thought of rich. The great oak door was opened by a butler; standing before them was Narcissa Malfoy. She was dressed in a shimmering emerald colored robe and her long sandy blonde hair hung loose about her shoulders. Kyle stepped into the house, but made no other movement toward his mother. She instead ran right up to him and engulfed him in a hug. Kyle was at a loss, but then he saw Lucius' stern face and he hugged his mother back.
"I never should have let you go," she was whispering to him.
"No, you shouldn't have," Kyle replied.
She pulled away to look him up and down. As she looked him over, Jim clung to his back. "What's this?" She asked seeing the scared ferret.
"Jim, my ferret," Kyle replied.
She smiled, "well, Draco, why don't you show Kyle to his room and then we'll have some tea?"
Draco nodded his head and then pulled Kyle after him. Once they were out of earshot Lucius spoke.
"You do realize that he despises you."
"I know," she whispered sadly, "but he's still my son."
"And a mudblood," Lucius sneered.
"Which would you rather a mudblood or a squib? I know you both crave his power, but he's spent time at that school. You will not be able to turn him, so quickly. Neither will I," she said.
"Well, he's your son, your responsibility." Lucius turned to exit the house. "I have some things to take care of; I'll be back for supper." He closed the door behind him.
"One big happy family," she muttered as she went to find the boys.

Kyle followed Draco through the hall. He kept staring at the portraits on the walls, when he caught sight of one he recognized. He stopped dead and stared it was Tess, or it looked like Tess anyway.
"Kyle?" Draco turned and stepped back to Kyle. "Who is that?"
"That father's mum, why?"
"It's Tess; I mean it...she looks exactly like Tess."
"Tess?"
"Another hybrid, she was supposed to marry Max."
"Whoa, so how?"
"She had to have been abducted." At Draco's confused look he explained. "By the aliens, I think they used her DNA or something."
"She did disappear for a while when father was at Hogwarts, she was supposed to be in the states. She was supposed to vacationing, but when she returned father said she was different."
"How?"
"Dunno, but he seems to like you, so you could ask him?"
"He likes me? How can you tell?"
"He wasn't glaring at you like you're a failure."
"Really I thought he was."
"No, the glare was more like a 'why are you who you are and not who you should be' glare."
"How could you tell?"
"It's all in the eyes."
"Huh, so life here really must suck?"
"In more ways than one, yeah."

Snape watched Isabel as she slept. She had fallen asleep after only a few minutes of meditation. He transfigured pillows under her, took a blanket from his own bed and placed it over her. He slipped out of his tower and was about to head to the great hall for dinner, when he froze. Not by choice, either, he looked to his left to see Maria holding her wand up.
"So Isabel's back and hiding in your tower?" She asked and then released him of the spell.
"Ms. Deluca, she came to me for help."
He expected anything, but what she actually did. She hugged him. "Good, because she'll need your help," she whispered burying her face in his cloak.
"Maria, what's wrong?" He asked quietly.
"I had an odd dream earlier, I think the baby or me is trying to contact my father."
"What did you see?"
"Snakes and red eyes, and, Severus, you can't tell my mom. She already worries too much."
"I won't, why don't we go inside and I'll get an elf to bring us food."
Maria nodded and let Snape take her inside; Snape sighed, never before did he have to console girls, he was afraid of how to deal with it.

Lucius arrived home just as Narcissa, Draco and Kyle were sitting down to dinner. He muttered to himself as he sat and waited for his wife to greet him, but he was not greeted. The three were busy conversing to even notice him. Narcissa was asking Kyle about America and his life. Kyle told her as much as he could to make her feel guilty. Lucius took his seat at the head of the table, but still no one noticed him. He cleared his throat; they turned greeted him and then continued with their conversation. He glared at Kyle as he began to dish out some food. Lucius spent the whole meal eating in silence as the other three conversed about Kyle. He was just about to stand up to leave when Kyle spoke to him.
"I saw a picture of your mother in the hall was she an American?"
"Excuse me?" Lucius asked sounding insulted.
"Well, I've seen a picture of her in Roswell once so I was wondering if she was American."
"My mother is English; she only visited that dreadful country once."
"Is that when she disappeared?"
"Disappeared?"
"Yeah, I read somewhere that she disappeared for a while."
Lucius glared at him, "where did you read that?"
"Doesn't matter, how long was she missing?"
"Unless you are going to tell me where you read that at, this discussion is over."
"Fine, so why visit the US if it's such a horrid country."
"I don't know, she claimed she had business there."
"What type of business?" Kyle pressed.
"None of this business, you are not even part of this family!" Lucius exploded. "She wanted you brought here, not me, and all you do is press me about my family. My mother is not your family!"
Kyle stood slowly, but it was Lucius who cringed when he flew across the room and hit the wall. Kyle's arms were covered in green sparks. "Narcissa, mom may not have known why, but she came to Roswell for a reason. Just like Kavar came to your master for a reason and I want to know why. Why did he choose to align himself with a wizard?"