So I hope you like this chapter. Please review and constructive critic is welcome. I know right now it might seem like the plot is kind of slow, but its getting there. The previous chapter ended with Dorcas finishing her fifth year, and this one starts with a time skip of one year beginning during the summer before the 7th year of Hogwarts.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by someone else. These are just my thoughts on it.
Chapter 4:
Sitting Indian style on her bed, Dorcas took a break from reading her disguised potions text book to glance out at the window and admire the clear blue sky belonging to that almost perfect summer day. Said day was indeed only almost perfect for two reasons. The first being Dorcas was alone in the accursed orphanage and the second being the storm clouds approaching.
There was a knock on the door before the orphanage secretary, Mary, entered the single room. You see, living arrangements were made based on age and gender. Dorcas however was the only sixteen, soon to turn seventeen, year old girl left it this dreary place. Everyone else had been adopted year earlier.
"The head mistress will see you now." Said Mary.
After given a brief history lesson of the orphanage one would know that the previous head mistress had ran the place for a long time. She had found Dorcas unusual, but was fair enough to her. However, she recently died this past spring peacefully in her sleep at the tender age of 92. The new head mistress now desired to meet with all the children to get to know them better.
"Sure. Sure." Dorcas said with a sigh. She closed her book and tossed it into her school trunk that she kept at the edge of her bed.
Mary led Dorcas to the office and said, "Good luck," before leaving Dorcas alone.
Dorcas knocked on the door and a stern voice called out, "Come in."
She slowly opened the door and entered. The headmistress, sitting behind her wooden desk, motioned for Dorcas to sit down in the chair in front of the desk, which she reluctantly did.
The headmistress took out a surprisingly thick folder with Dorcas' name on it and said, "Dorcas Meadowes, sixteen, anti social, frightens the children, and often gets into fights."
"Me never?" Dorcas said sarcastically.
The headmistress smiled and continued as if Dorcas had not just disrespected her, "You also attend a private boarding school. Am I right?"
"Yes. I go to Worth School in West Sussex on scholarship." Dorcas lied smoothly just mimicking what she knew it said in her records.
And what wasn't to believe about that? While Dorcas may appear odd to them, she was undoubtedly smart and they knew it. Besides, all muggle records said she went there. That was just the joy of memory charms.
"I don't like it." The headmistress said sternly. "Favoritism will not be tolerated while I am head mistress."
"It's not favoritism." Dorcas insisted. "I worked hard to get where I am now, and I'm sure if the other kids applied themselves they would too. But they don't. I deserve what I have."
"Deserve it or not, you will not be returning to Worth." The headmistress said.
"I was afraid we'd run into some difficulties there." Dorcas said. "You see, I have a year left of school and I fully intend to finish it there."
"Your intentions are taken into and account and dismissed Miss Meadowes." She said.
"Well I've just undismissed them." Dorcas said. "I'm going back and you can't stop me!" She said raising her voice and letting her anger get the better of her.
"I'm afraid you've forgotten Miss Meadowes! As an orphan I am legally in charge of you. You go where I say you go!" the head mistress said raising her tone of voice to match Dorcas'.
"Well not anymore." Dorcas said semi regaining her calm as she stood up. "I'm through with this place."
"Oh no! On the contrary, you will not be leaving!" Said the headmistress.
"Oh really?" Dorcas said her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'd love to see you try!" She yelled pulling out her wand which out of habit she always kept in her pocket.
"Put that foolish stick away and calm yourself!" the headmistress said.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Dorcas yelled. Sick of it all she pointed her wand at the headmistress and said, "Obliviate!"
Said spell was on a more difficult level of magic, but charms also came rather easily to Dorcas and said had mastered it in private. With that spell she was able to remove the memories of the past account and leave without the head mistress remembering her.
"Evanesco!" Dorcas said making her files disappear erasing all legal evidence that she had ever lived there,
Quickly, Dorcas left and ran to her room where she packed up her stuff. She quickly wrote a letter addressed to Remus saying she would be coming early to his house and she'd see him there soon. She took Athena out from her cage and attached the note. "Fly fast." Dorcas whispered before sending her owl out the window.
Dragging what ever was in her trunk at the moment behind her, Dorcas left the orphanage for good taking the night bus to Remus'.
After Dorcas knocked on the Lupin's front door, it was opened by Mrs. Lupin.
"Oh! Dorcas!" Mrs. Lupin said with a hint of surprise. "Remus will be so pleased to see you."
Dorcas followed Mrs. Lupin and asked, "Surprised? I thought you would have gotten my owl by now."
"We did dear. It's just… Well you'll see." Mrs. Lupin answered hesitantly.
The two entered the kitchen where Mr. Lupin sat deep in discussion with two ministry officials. All three looked up when the pair walked in. For the sake of the story, let's calls the officials imbecile number one and imbecile number two.
"Miss Meadowes." Imbecile one said curtly.
"I am afraid you have violated wizard law by producing obliviate and evanesce at approximately 3:53 today. It is hear by my duty to order you to turn in your wand and inform you of your immediate expulsion from Hogwarts. "Imbecile two said.
"No! You can't do that!" Dorcas insisted.
"We can and we will." One said.
"Not if I demand a hearing which I do." Dorcas said.
If the ministry was going to play by the books then so would she. Ministry law stated that anyone accused can demand a hearing and if these two didn't know that then shame on them.
Both officials frowned and two said, "Well I suppose that will have to be arranged for a later date."
"Good. That will clear this mess up." Dorcas said confidently.
"I doubt it." One mumbled.
Dorcas glared at him and said, "Well if you're done making false unjust accusations I suggest you go catch some real criminals and let Mrs. Lupin regain use of her kitchen. Good day"
"Underage magic is a serious felony Miss Meadowes. Especially when in the presence of muggles." Imbecile two said.
"I said good day sir!" Dorcas said signifying the end of that discussion.
And that was that. The two officials grudgingly big farewell to the Lupins, and briskly left.
"He's upstairs dear." Mrs. Lupin said giving Dorcas a sympathetic smile.
"Thanks." Dorcas said.
She followed the familiar way to Remus' room and was greeted by, "I thought I heard your dulcet tone."
"Very dulcet." Dorcas said nodding in agreement.
"So? Spill it Dorcas." Remus said now all serious. "What went on down there?"
"Well nothing now." Dorcas responded earning her eye rolls for Remus. "Oh alright. I just got into a spot of trouble with the ministry. The orphanage's new head and I aren't on the friendliest of terms, so I might have cast an eensy teensy spell on her."
"What spell?" Remus asked.
"Oh, just obliviate." Dorcas responded.
"Dorcas! That is not a eensy teensy spell! Keep that up and they'll have a cell reserved for you in Azkaban in no time." Remus said only half joking.
"No need to worry about me. I didn't intend to break the rules that time." Dorcas said.
Remus snorted in laughter. His deliberate friend always meant to break the rules.
"Really!" Dorcas insisted. "I just had to get away from that old kook! She wanted to keep me from returning to school."
"You know the wise thing to do would have been to send an SOS message with Athena to McGonagall or someone. They would have surely bailed you out." Remus said.
"But Remus!" Dorcas fake whined. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, you know I hate waiting."
"When will you ever learn?" Remus mumbled.
"Oh shove it Remus. You know you love me just the way I am." Dorcas teased.
"You know I do. For your sake though I hope you're confident in winning this trial." Remus said.
"Aren't I always?" Dorcas responded sending the two of them into a fit of laughter for Dorcas for once, it was true. Dorcas found her way out of sticky situation before and she would do it again and again if need be.