Arc 3: Enraptured Revelation
Chapter 5: Love, Time, Prophecies: Mysteries Without Answer
The next day, Severus and I awoke early in order to try to wrap our minds around the next piece of the riddle. For inspiration, we took a stroll through Diagon Alley. The street was narrow in size with building after building with shops. I knew from working at the Ministry that it cost more than a pretty penny to rent one of the spaces for even a short period. Only the most prestigious shop brands could afford the prices. Arguably, the most famous location of Diagon Alley was Gringotts. Run by goblins, it was known as the most secure location in the entire wizarding world which was no surprise considering it was a bank known for its security measures.
"Are you quite finished?" Severus asked as I jumped down the steps of a store with a cone of ice cream in my hand.
"Nowhere close. Sorry Severus, but sometimes the mind needs a little break." I teased as I licked the ice cream. "Vanilla for your thoughts?" I poked the cone towards his face to which he flinched away.
"Eat your cone so we can continue." was all he said and he began to walk away from me.
"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" I yelled from behind and frantically tried to eat the ice cream. "Ouch, brain freeze..!"
Over the distance, we began to see many people pooling outside one shop. Though we tried to shuffle past, it was impossible to do so without noticing which outlet it was. Flourish and Blotts... the well-known book store. And guess who was having a book signing tour right now?
"Line up, everyone, line up! I am so glad to see you all here!" Hearing the voice from inside alone began to make me cringe. Lockhart...
"Miss Juniper? Is that you again?" I heard him sing out. How the hell did he see me from indoors-
I ducked down within the crowd but that didn't stop him from coming to find me and dragging me inside against my will. I must have looked like a captured hare in a trap begging for release. Severus tried to reach out but the number of people created another blockade between us.
Lockhart pulled me towards the back of the shop where he had set up his display and numerous books for his signing event.
"How did you like my new book, Miss Juniper? Go on, tell them all!" he pressured and nudged me encouragingly.
"Uh. It was..." I said awkwardly as I remembered I threw his book into the bin. "Great?"
Everyone in the shop let out cheers of excitement. It rather riled up Lockhart's ego more.
"Exactly, exactly! Why are you still reading that old book, my girl? You should be reading more fascinating literature." Lockhart protested as he yanked the tome from my grasp once more. How I failed to see this coming was beyond me. "Tell me, was I correct in my prediction last time?"
I stared at him blankly. He couldn't have known Severus and I broke into Hogwarts-
"I'll take that as a resounding yes. Perhaps you'll be as famous as me one day if you keep these tirades up. A collaboration may be in order. What do you all say!?" His voice went significantly louder when he spoke to the crowd. I think I'm going to go deaf if they keep screaming every time he speaks to them. Then, he placed his palm on the small of my back and directed me to the back wall.
"Tell me, how are things going at the Ministry? Can I rely on you to forward my appeal again?" he asked in a hushed voice but nonetheless eager.
"I don't work for the Ministry anymore, Lockhart." I explained biting my lip awkwardly.
Lockhart's face went temporarily pale as he realised he could no longer buy his way through the process. "This is a cruel joke, you know. To think I thought we were friends after our last encounter!"
We are definitely not friends... Being friends with Trelawney was one thing but there was no circumstance in the world where I could even pretend to be friends with him.
"It's not a joke. I work at Hogwarts now. I needed to clear my head from all of the nonsense at the Ministry."
Wait...could that be it?
"Anyway, I need to go-" I said as I snatched the book and began to turn around to leave. The second my back was turned, Lockhart grabbed ahold of my arm and yanked me back.
"Will you at least tell the Ministry I'm expecting-"
"No can do, bye!" I forced my arm out of his grip and dashed through the crowd, shoving past multiple onlookers in the process. Severus followed promptly afterwards.
"I'm going to hex that man if he dares to touch you again." Severus warned through his teeth. He was surprisingly jealous when it came to those who could do reprehensible actions.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Besides, that's not what's important right now. Look," I said I opened the tome and pointed to the next section. "You shall find where you wish to find truth in the place you knew not your true ambitions, for they were blinded by a veil of mist. What if it's talking about the Ministry? The last piece showed the Department of Mysteries so maybe there's an association? And if you're correct about it referring to me... the Ministry did blind me for so long about what was actually right." I couldn't help with the sigh that escaped my lungs.
Severus briefly considered as we walked through Diagon Alley towards Gringotts. "I cannot think of any other option. But if you do go, you may have to meet with Fudge. Are you going to be able to cope with that?"
I gulped. "Well, if it is in the Department of Mysteries, then Fudge barely ever goes down there. I could probably avoid him entirely."
Severus's eyebrow raised in doubt. He knew too well that my presence there would not go unnoticed with all of the commotion from my departure. "If you insist, but are you certain you must do this? It may be dangerous."
"I have to. I have to know what Fudge is hiding about my mother. We've already found two pieces so we can't stop now." I confirmed reassuringly.
"Then shall I accompany you on this expedition?" he asked expectantly.
We stood outside the bank and looked up at the impenetrable fortress. The Ministry seemed so much easier to get into than Gringotts. All you had to do was enter using the Floo Network or using certain bathrooms that apparated you inside. As for getting into the Department of Mysteries, you had to use one of the elevators to level nine. The difficult part was getting to the room you wanted after that point.
"No, you best stay put. If we both go, it'll look suspicious and could draw too much attention. If I go on my own, I can at least pretend I'm there for business."
It made me a bit nervous going on my first journey alone in a long time, especially it being an infiltration mission somewhere that used to be so familiar but was now so foreign. This could only go very well or very poorly.
When Severus and I arrived home, we began to plan how to enter the Ministry undetected. At night would be best as most of the workers would be gone at that point. The vision from Elsie gave the impression that going directly to the Department of Mysteries was the correct move. If it wasn't there... that would be a problem for future Cassandra to solve.
As soon as nightfall came, I grabbed my essentials and Floo Powdered into the Ministry. With a burst of flames, the Ministry's familiar lobby appeared before me. Many of the lights were turned off but the fountain around the statute continue to flow water. It was mostly silent apart from the few remaining steps of workers preparing to leave.
I stepped out and tried my best to sneakily approach one of the elevators. Pressing the button to summon the elevator, a quiet ding sounded and the divider doors began to open. Keeping my gaze to the floor so as to not draw any attention, I would have preferred to have the foresight to prepare me for who would be on the other side.
"Ahem." a forcibly squeaky voice let out. My eyes hesitantly moved upwards and my vision was blinded by an aggressively pink outfit. "Just what do you think you are doing here, Miss Juniper?" Umbridge sneered with disgust.
Severus and I planned for if this happened. Just smile and... "Good evening, Dolores. Don't worry, I'll be out of your hair soon. Just got some business to sort out for Hogwarts." I lied with the fakest grin I could produce.
"At this time of night? Meanwhile everyone has gone home? I find it quite insulting you believe me foolish enough to fall for that." she fought back.
I dug through my pocket and pulled out a neat piece of parchment and handed it to her. She opened it with a glare and began to read.
"On behalf of Albus Dumbledore, Cassandra Juniper is to go to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and retrieve an article. Please allow her the courtesies required to do so. -AD." She squinted at the signature to see if it was authentic. "Fine," she spat as she handed the note back to me. "but Cornelius will hear that you are here." She walked out of the elevator and went on her path.
"Pleasure seeing you again." I said nicely but with full sarcastic intent. I entered the elevator and pressed the button for level nine. As the elevator descended, I couldn't help but notice the speed at which my heart was beating. Finding Umbridge right at the start was not part of the plan and now I was under a time limit before they realise what I'm doing.
Once the elevator reached level nine, I hopped out and found myself in the exact same corridor as Elsie was at the start of the memory. The black bricks created a long hallway with the vault door at the end. I opened the door with apprehension in my chest and poked my head within. The circular chamber was entirely empty, as expected. The Unspeakables had locked up for the night. The question was... which door would be the one to go through? The chamber had no doubt rotated and which of the rooms Elsie had visited would be the correct one? All twenty doors were identical.
Thirteen was an unlucky number so that was out of the question. People tend to avoid twenty and one, and ten being in the middle eliminated that. Three and seven were the common ones, times by two for six and fourteen... Plus nineteen is simply an unpleasant number.
"Okay, this is stupid." I remarked aloud and stormed towards a door on the left side. If only I had some Felix Felicis for this so my luck would be that grand to get it first try...
Going through the entrance presented me with a dim room with a fountain in the middle flowing with a pearly sheen and a spirally steam that went up to the ceiling. As I went closer to inspect it, a pleasing smell came over me. It smelt of... old books... rain in the middle of a summer's night... and... Severus's laundry? Then this must be...
"The Love Room..." I muttered as I gazed down at the fountain. I began to realise this was filled with the love potion Amortentia. I had heard rumours about the Love Room, most of which consisted of it claiming to always be locked. They must have left it open accidentally.
I continued to think as I searched through some of the scattered papers on desks and drawers but came up empty. Taking one more deep breath to enjoy the scent, I pressed forward to the next adjoining room.
Somewhat like the Love Room, this room was of similar colour with dancing diamond-sparkling lights covering the roof of the chamber. Across every wall, there were clocks of all kinds and ages. Together, they created a cacophony of ticking. It made me all the more aware that Umbridge was on my tail. As before, I looked around but came up empty. Then, the next...
I found myself in what I recognised to be the Hall of Prophecies that Elsie entered in the vision. It was just as dark as to when she was there with the only light being from the candles at the ends of rows and some of the Prophecies glowing faintly. It was unlikely for the amulet piece to be in a room like this and yet... as I continued walking, I came across the same row Elsie had found her Prophecy. I did wonder what was in it. Something to do with the Abyssian Blade maybe?
My eyes dutifully gazed over the Prophecies until, to my surprise, I came across one that stood out. I touched the label of the Prophecy and saw that it read:
S.P.T to C.O.F
Cassandra Fudge and Cornelius Fudge
A Prophecy that was addressed to myself and Fudge... and... S.P.T... wasn't this Sybill Patricia Trelawney? Sybill made a prediction to Fudge about him and me? I picked up the Prophecy and looked into it. The glass felt cold and isolating against my fingertips. As I was about to use it, a loud screech resonated throughout the room.
"There she is, Cornelius! Just as I said!" Umbridge shrieked with her finger pointing directly at me. Even in the dark, her pink attire was as violent to the senses as always. Fudge gradually appeared beside her with Kingsley Shacklebolt, an Auror.
"Cassandra, what are you doing here?" Fudge asked oddly softly as if he was actually giving me the opportunity to speak.
"I-" I began to speak but Umbridge shoved Shacklebolt forward.
"Well? What are you waiting for? Get her!" she yelled and Shacklebolt, although confused and conflicted, ran towards me with his wand readied. His face agonised as he knew this wasn't right.
With the Prophecy still in hand, I dashed the same way Elsie had done so before. Umbridge and Fudge followed closely behind. Umbridge shot some hexes to try to stop me but they narrowly missed each time. The door to the Death Chamber swung open at my shove and the round room presented itself to us. The Veil flickered silently in the centre of the room. The only way to escape would be to do as Elsie did once before.
I stopped right before the Veil. The chills of the souls of the damned nipped against my skin. Screams and pleas for help echoed and were drawing me in. My three pursuers stood before me as they had done so for Elsie. Fudge in the centre, Umbridge to his left and Shacklebolt to his right.
"I'll do it!" I warned. "Come closer and the Prophecy and I go through the Veil!"
Fudge went pale as the memory of Elsie was playing before him again. He was experiencing pain all over. The similarities between my mother and I made it all the worse. "Step down, Cassandra." he pleaded. "Please."
What was his game here? After all the abuse he tortured me with and here he is begging for me to not kill myself? Was he holding out for myself or the Prophecy?
"Not until you tell me what the Prophecy is about." I bargained with full determination.
He gestured for me to step closer. I took one foot forward and as I did, Umbridge began to shoot a spell at me.
"Petrificus Totalus!" her feeble squeak sounded but as the white light began to appear from her wand, Fudge desperately grabbed her arm and caused her spell to go astray and hit the side of the Veil next to me.
"You fool! What do you think you are doing!?" Fudge yelled furiously, dropped Umbridge's arm and glared her down. His face was turning red with madness. She had almost killed me.
"But Cornelius, she- I-" she whimpered.
"Leave. Now." he demanded and directed her out.
"But Cornelius, I am your Undersecretary-"
"That remains doubtful as of now. Shacklebolt, escort her out. Now."
"Yes sir." he replied and placed his wand behind Umbridge's back. As he led her out, she continued to appeal to Fudge's discretion but he ignored her.
"Are you alright?" Fudge asked and I finally stepped away from the Veil. "I am sorry about Dolores. I told her not to come but she insisted-"
"I really don't care." I interrupted. "Tell me what's in the Prophecy or I'll leave."
Fudge sighed and wiped a hand over the sweat off his forehead. "Alright. I never stopped trying to know what you were doing after you left the Ministry. Dumbledore told me you had made friends and... even found someone. And I heard you were friends with that Seer, Trelawney. I asked her to make a Prophecy for me. Of you and I."
He held his hand out for the Prophecy. Hesitantly, I handed it over and he held it up for me to see.
"I wanted to know if- if there was any chance of getting you back. Cassandra, I made a mistake. When I saw you at the World Cup, you looked so much happier than when you were ever at the Ministry. I forced you to do so much you never wanted to do and I see now how wrong I was. I was too downtrodden in denial after..." he paused for a moment as he contemplated the words that were about to leave him. "your mother's passing."
My throat went dry. I wasn't buying any of what he said but this was the first time he had spoken about my mother.
"As you may have expected... I did hide something from you all this time." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a grey bangle. The same bangle that Elsie had obtained from the temple. "She wished for you to have this before she passed. So that her spirit would forever be free with yours." Delicately, he handed it to me. Only one of the slots was filled.
"I don't understand." I said with the bangle in my hand. "Why are you doing this all now? After all the cruel and hateful things you did? You played me for so long. I see no reason why I should forgive you."
Once more, he sighed and his eyes drifted to the floor. He had no concrete answer to my questions.
"I heard of your travels. You really are just like Elsie. You never give up. I am aware this will not be enough to grant any spark of trust in me but what you seek next is in Gringotts- the goblin bank."
"How do you know this?" I snapped accidentally.
"I believe the bangle she left you will have the answer. It may be better you hear it from her instead of me." he advised and began to walk away.
"So that's it? You're just going to let me go?" I called out.
"I may be able to stop them here, Cassandra, but I cannot protect you if you choose to continue down this path. Please be careful."
As he reached the door, I felt my lungs push out one more thing: "This doesn't mean I forgive you."
He faced me with a sad smile. "I understood as much. There are too many answers that I cannot give you just yet. I trust Elsie will help you to find closure. When that happens, I can only ask that you give me one last opportunity. Goodnight, Cassandra."
The door shut silently behind him.
"...goodnight, Father."
When I exited through the lobby, I saw Umbridge standing by the elevator with tears gushing down her face as she sobbed to Fudge. No doubt she would be having a stern talking to about her behaviour. My arrival back in Spinner's End was one of much anticipation. It had gone to almost 4AM and Severus was still awake as he waited for me. The second I opened the front door, a wave of anxiety vanished from his face.
"You're safe." he said relieved.
"Yep." I replied and relayed the events to him. He nodded and his posture turned defensive when I mentioned Umbridge almost killed me through the Veil.
"He gave me this." I mentioned as I held the bangle up for him to see. He handed me the tome and I opened it to the relevant page. "As I suspected... A bangle with six slots..." I pulled the two pieces from before out of my pocket and pressed them inside the slots. They fit perfectly. "This is the Amulet of Ylgind."
"And Fudge gave you this willingly?" Severus asked doubtfully.
"Mhm. He said it was what my mother left me. And look, it already has one slot in it. We're halfway done and we have the bangle... Fudge said that Elsie has the answers I wanted. So I suppose the only thing to do now would be to see the third vision."
...
I placed the bangle on my wrist and pressed my finger to the new piece. My vision went white and when everything became clear, I found myself situated in a quiet cafe. The younger version of Fudge from the previous vision sat in a chair with a cup of steaming tea on the table. The chair opposite him was empty. He looked rather let down.
The door of the cafe chimed as a new customer entered... my mother. Fudge suddenly looked overjoyed and Elsie met his gaze with a bright smile. She sat down opposite him, throwing her bag down on the floor.
"Sorry I'm late, Cornelius. Duty called." she laughed with her hand cupping her cheek.
"Relics are more important than our date, hm?" Fudge mutually chuckled.
"You know what they say- diamonds are a girl's best friend. Or, in my case, ancient relics lost to time. If you ever get me to stop hunting- Merlin forbid- I'll go straight to the Aurors at the Ministry and see if you put the Imperius Curse on me." she teased lightheartedly. A waitress came over and brought her a coffee.
"Go on, what did you find?" he asked intrigued.
"Now now, Cornelius, that is for me to know and for you to find out. Instead, I'll show you this one." She held her wrist out for Fudge to examine. It was the Amulet of Ylgind with all but one piece inside it.
"An interesting artefact. What is it?" Fudge asked as his hand grazed gently over the top of it. He held Elsie's hand as he did so. She looked pleased with the action.
"I found it when I was travelling in South America. Jungles and rainforests... They're the best. This little bit was in a temple down in the Amazon. Now she helps me to find more relics."
"She?"
"Just because it's inanimate doesn't mean it doesn't have feelings." she explained. "It gives them more meaning."
Fudge nodded as if he understood but I don't think he did. He continued to listen to her ramble on about the artefacts she found and the travels she went on with a genuine smile on his face. How had they managed to go from the Ministry to this?
The way they looked at each other was one of true love. I knew of it because it was how Severus looked at me. How did Fudge go to being so spiteful when he was so pleasant and loving here?
...
The vision went white once more and when I came to, I now found myself inside my old house where I lived with Fudge. Fudge and Elsie were standing inside what would become my room. There were different ornaments in multiple glass cases and maps hung up on the walls. Elsie looked so proud and it was then I noticed a ring on her hand.
"It's beautiful, Cornelius. Thank you." she gleamed as she kissed his cheek.
"Anything for you, dear."
"Cornelius... Maybe it's time." she said delicately. Her eyes drifted towards the Amulet of Ylgind on her arm.
"Are you certain? You do not have to." he advised genuinely.
"I think so. I'm a married woman now. As much as I would love to... I can't keep hunting relics forever." She took the Amulet off her wrist and placed it into one of the glass containers. "Perhaps it's for the next generation of Fudge to figure out this puzzle."
The amulet only had one piece in it. The other four were gone.
"Did you ever look in the Prophecy?" Cornelius asked as he began to speculate Elsie's change of attitude.
"No. Isn't it crazy? Every time I wanted to, I couldn't bring myself to do so. Maybe a part of me wanted to find it on my own or... perhaps I was scared it would tell me I'd never find it. But I think now I'm okay with that. I found you instead." she said gripping his hand fondly. "No relic can top our relationship."
"I will never quite understand how I got a woman like you." he admitted.
"Me neither but you did change me, Cornelius." She looked around at all the countless relics surrounding them. "There are more important things in the world than adventuring forever. Plus, that doesn't mean our child can't live on my legacy."
"That is true. I do hope they take more on from you. A stubborn man like me has no place in the fragility of a child."
Elsie looked at Fudge with mild resignation and then acceptance.
"I'm certain they'll find the Abyssian Blade."