24
This Changes Everything
The rest of the Christmas break was just as enjoyable, though it went by far too quickly.
Sirius and Marlene were now permanently joined at the hip, always participating in very public displays of affection, much to all of their friend's dismay.
They all spent a lot of time on the grounds. James and Sirius liked to spend the time flying around on the brand new Shooting Star that James' parents had bought him for Christmas. But like most good things, it ended far too quickly and they slowly got back into routine of school.
As more time passed, they had less free time. All of their hours were consumed with massive amounts of work, which required everyone, Sirius included, to spend lots of time in the library.
She had been in the library so late one night, that when she finally got back to the dormitory, She fell asleep in her clothes. She had been very exhausted.
" Ms. Meadowes, wake up" someone said shaking her awake quickly.
She woke up instantly, and was very confused. Professor McGonagall was standing over her, in her dressing gown, her wand out and lit.
" Professor McGonagall, What's going on?" Doe asked quickly, feeling very thankful that she had been dressed.
" Please come with me, Ms. Meadowes" Professor McGonagall said, a worried expression on her face.
Doe grabbed her wand off of the nightstand next to her bed and followed her out of the room.
She led her out of the common room and down one of the corridors of the school.
" We're going to see Professor Dumbledore" she said earnestly leading her to the wrought iron opening.
Doe was very confused. She hadn't done anything wrong, what could possibly going on.
" Sherbert Lemon" Professor McGonagall said to the ornate eagle structure.
With a quick turn, a staircase appeared and they stepped on it, allowing them to move upwards to Dumbledore's office.
She had never been inside it before. His office was quite ornate. It had high, vaulted ceilings and was covered with books, and portraits of the previous headmasters.
" Professor Dumbledore" Professor McGonagall said leading her into the room.
Dumbledore frowned slightly, he was wearing his usual periwinkle robes.
" Ms. Meadowes," he said softly.
Doe stared at him with a blank, worried expression.
" Am I in trouble, Professor?" she asked.
Dumbledore shook his head, " No, my dear, you are not. But I am afraid I have some bad news"
Doe took in a deep breathe.
" Ms. Meadowes, I hate to have to tell you this," Dumbledore began, "but your father has been killed".
She didn't hear him correctly. That much was obvious to her. She must have misunderstood him. There was no way that her father, Auberon Meadowes, could be dead.
"Ms. Meadowes?" the headmaster asked eyeing her with a sorrowful gaze.
Doe looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears as she realized one of the most powerful wizards she had ever known was telling her what she couldn't believe.
It was like everything moved in slow motion at that time. The world got a little fuzzy around the edges for a minute. It looked like she was watching a picture of the scene enfolding in front of her rather than being there.
She was there, but she didn't feel like she was.
There was a whole of darkness opening up inside of her. She clutched at her chest, biting her lip to keep from crying in front of her Headmaster and Head of House.
Her father was dead.
The only family she had that loved her unconditionally, was gone.
She was flooded with emotions and she began sobbing, uncontrollably.
The kind of crying that takes over your entire body. Doe was plunged into so much sadness, she couldn't feel it. Tears were pouring down her face.
Professor McGonagall pulled her into a hug, patting her back and whispering " there, there".
She wore an expression of the most professional kind of sadness.
The pain of it was destroying her. The more she thought about it, the worse she felt.
" How?" she managed to get out, when Professor McGonagall released her.
" I am afraid he was killed by Death Eaters" Dumbledore said solemnly.
Her chest began heaving up and down. Death Eaters. she should have known. A fire roared inside her and her mouth tasted almost acidic with the anger she felt.
" I'm going to take you back home now, alright?" Dumbledore said offering her his arm.
She nodded quickly, tears still pouring down her face. She felt the sharp pull as they apparatted and landed on the cold steps in front of her house. It was covered with wizards in ministry robes. They were everywhere. Some of their muggle neighbors were leaving their homes gathering in the streets pointing at the sky.
Hovering large and green in the sky above her house, was the dark mark.
Doe felt as though she was struck in the chest by a jinx. She dropped to her knees, the tears pouring out of her.
One of the ministry employees helped her to her feet. She pushed past them and ran straight into the house.
It was even more crowded with ministry employees. The minister himself, Millicent Bagnold was standing one corner talking closely to a few associates. He stopped when he saw her, mouthing ' daughter' to the associate next to him.
The whole house was ripped apart. There were things everywhere and upturned furniture.
He was obviously killed there in the home. Doe could barely move.
Some of the employees parted and she spotted her mother. Tears streaming down her face, she was talking quickly to a few magical law enforcers and aurors.
" Oh, Dorcas" she said bursting into tears when she saw her daughter. She pulled her into a tight hug and they began sobbing against one another.
The next two days were the worst days Doe had ever lived.
Greif had overcome her. She didn't know what to do with herself. She didn't eat, and she rarely slept. She just sat planted in the large armchair in her father's office. It comforted her to be surrounded by his things. Almost like he wasn't gone, just at work.
Ministry employees came in and out often during those two days. They were arranging a funeral at the Hogsmeade cemetery. They mostly dealt with Doe's mom, but if there was some sort of magical question they asked and she didn't know, she would call Doe to help answer it.
Doe hadn't spoken to her mother since that first night. Her father was the link that kept them all together, and without him here, it made the large divide between her and her mother only more evident.
The funeral was three days after he died. Doe woke up to find a long sleeved lace dress hanging on her closet. Obviously intended for today, she put it on. She didn't want too. She didn't even want to go. It was all far too much for her.
She walked down to the living room to find her mother sitting on one of the couches in the living room, opposite her was the Minister for Magic, and two men from her father's office.
" Ah, Dorcas there you are" Minister Bagnold said, "we were just waiting for you"
" It's Doe," she corrected him, sitting down on one of the armchairs.
" Ah, I see I'm sorry Doe" the minister said.
" Let me begin this by saying how sorry I am for both of you," the minister began.
Doe eyed him curiously. She had very little patience for those who tried to pity her.
" Auberon was a great man and he'll be wholly missed" one of the men beside the minister said.
Her mother let out a strange sob. The other man handed her a handkerchief.
" And as unfortunate a situation as it is, I have assembled us all here to read Auberon's will" the minister said.
Doe tensed up, trying to stop the tears from coming at of her eyes. It stung so much. She felt like someone had plunged something sharp into her chest.
The minister opened a long scroll and began reading from it,
" I, Auberon Cassius Meadowes, state that this is my last will and testament, and that I am of sound mind and body. I would like to leave my estate, including my home, and the contents of my bank account at the First National Bank of England, to my dear wife Anne Linda Meadowes. As for my magical objects, and the entirety of my Gringotts bank account, I would like to leave to be beloved daughter, Dorcas " Doe" Euphegenia Meadowes."
Doe and her mother sat silently. She was in shock, he had left everything from the magical part of his life to her. He knew it would mean something to her. Tears began streaming down her face. She tried desperately to wipe them.
The minister pulled out two forms, handing one to her mother and one to Doe.
" Seeing as Doe is seventeen and already of age, all she has to do is sign this form and the Gringotts account and objects can be released to her"
Doe took the quill he handed her and signed her name at the bottom of the page.
The minister took a key out of his pocket and handed it to her.
" This is the key to your father's Gringotts vault, it can be transferred to you at any time. Congratulations, you've just become a very wealthy young woman" the minister said.
She snatched the key from him, disgusted that days after her father's death, he thought all she would be concerned with was how much she had acquired.
The minister smiled softly at her mother, " I'm to escort you both to the funeral".
He offered them both an arm, obviously meaning for her to take them. She took it gently and felt the uncomfortable pull as they apparated to the cemetery. It was at the furthest end of Hogsmeade, near all the residences, where Hogwarts students rarely went.
There were hundreds of witches and wizards there, all standing around the seats that had been put out. She saw the casket sitting on a large cement bench near the front, and felt her knees buckle. It was sealed shut, but she knew he was in there.
" DOE"
She heard her name being called and she looked over to see, amongst all of the much older witches and wizard, seven familiar faces.
Remus, James, Sirius, Peter, Lily, Mary and Marlene were all walking over dressed in all black.
She could still feel the tears on her cheeks as she walked over and felt Remus soundlessly pull her into a hug. She buried her face in his shoulder and instantly began crying, she couldn't help it.
He held her there, letting her cry and whispering " I am so sorry" in her ear.
After a few minutes, she let go of him, her eyes bloodshot from crying.
" Doe, come here" Sirius said pulling her into a tight hug, he kissed the top of her head, " I'm so sorry"
She barely acknowledged them. Her mouth was dry and her body felt heavy. She didn't know what to say.
" How are you?" Lily asked holding her shoulder.
" We've been so worried" Mary said quickly.
" We forced Dumbledore to let us come" Marlene told her.
" I'm fine" Doe managed to get out, wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes.
All of their expressions softened.
" We've missed you, Doe" James assured her. " We were all worried".
She bit her lip to try and stop herself from crying.
" It'll be okay" Peter said trying to comfort her.
The large group of witches and wizards around them began taking a seat.
" It's beginning" the minister said coming over to her.
Doe looked over at the front row and to the seat intended for her. It was in between her mother and the minister.
Doe avoided it, sitting in a row back with her friends, in between Sirius and Remus.
My mother eyed her and gave her a scathing look, obviously mad that she had left her alone with a bunch of witches and wizards.
Doe noticed Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Slughorn all sitting in the row across from them.
Dumbledore offered her a soft smile. She returned it.
The minister stood up on the podium in front of the casket.
" We are all gathered here today to mourn the loss of an amazing leader and even more amazing wizard, Auberon Meadowes."
Doe began crying again. She buried her face against Remus. He let her, wrapping an arm around her. Sirius squeezed her hand reassuringly from her other side.
" Auberon was not only the best Hit Wizard we've ever had at the ministry but he was also one of the most decent men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, since our days in Ravenclaw, Auberon has proved to me everyday that it is important to be more than just smart. You must also be brave, and creative, and kind. All of which he was." the minister said.
He started again, " Auberon also loved deeply, he defied the social norms and sought after the woman he loved, regardless of what she was or how anyone else felt about it"
Doe's mother burst into loud tears.
" And he loved his daughter deeply. I've never met a man a man who cared for or was more proud of their child, then Auberon was of Doe".
Doe felt like a large hole had opened in the middle of her chest. She had never felt pain like this. Doe sobbed harder. Her hands over her face. Sirius stroked her hair, trying to comfort her.
" So, I would like for us all to remember Auberon Meadowes not for the way he died, but for the way he lived. For he lived a wholly good life, and rest assured that the tyrants who took him from us will be caught"
The crowd of witches and wizards burst into applause and stood.
The minister raised his wand. " For Auberon"
The crowd mimicked him, " For Auberon".
There was a shuffle as everyone stood up. Remus led her out of the aisle.
It was like a stampede, tons of people kept coming up to her. Some she knew, and some she didn't. They kept telling her how sorry they were and how they understood what she was going through. It didn't offer her any comfort. All of these people, who cared enough about her father to be here, was nice, but it didn't do anything to stop the desperate aching inside her chest.
She hadn't let go of Remus the entire time. He stood there dutifully, letting her cling to him or cry against him. The rest of her friends sat on the low wall of the graveyard, giving her and the rest of the mourners some space.
" They're all about as thick as goblin blood with all that' he's in a better place shit, huh?" someone said behind her.
She turned to see Alastor Moody behind her. She quickly wiped the tear off her face.
" Completely full of it" she agreed.
Strangely, he was someone she had actually wanted to see.
" How are you doing, really?" Moody asked.
" I can't feel anything" she told him honestly. Remus tightened next to her, squeezing her hand tighter.
Moody frowned, " It'll get easier, but it's going to suck for a long time"
" Who did it?" she asked through clenched teeth.
Moody sighed, " How'd I know you'd ask that?"
Doe raised an eyebrow. She wanted answers and she knew that Moody was her best chance of getting them.
Moody narrowed his eyes, " I don't know who exactly yet, but I will find out"
" Let me know as soon as you do" Doe said, a new kind of strange fury building inside her. It was revenge. She wanted revenge.
Moody nodded. He turned to Remus, " Get her out of here, these people can find some other way to offer their condolences"
Remus nodded and walked them over to the wall where everyone else was.
" Do you want to go back up to the castle?" Lily asked.
Doe shook her head furiously, she felt too sick to go back there, surrounded by more people who would want to know how she was.
" Can we just go sit down somewhere" Doe asked.
" Of course" Lily said.
They ended up sitting down by the same tree near the Three broomsticks that they had on her birthday. It felt like a lifetime ago to her.
A few minutes later, Sirius strode out of the three broomsticks with a bottle of firewhiskey.
He handed it to her, " It'll help"
" Don't give her that!" Lily shouted reaching for the bottle in his hand, " how did you even get it?"
Sirius ignored Lily and handed it to Doe, " Rosmerta understood"
Ignoring Lily's complaints, Doe took the bottle and took a few large sips. It burned her throat, but she didn't care. She just wanted something to drown out the pain.