There was a knock on the wall of Tonks' cubicle. She looked up and was unsurprised to see Dawlish standing there.
"What?" she asked.
"Rufus wants to see us," he said. "Wants a report on the cult"
Tonks sighed. "I'll be there in a moment."
She was dreading this, but it was agreed that in order to keep Aurora safe from Levi, they had to pursue all possible avenues. Which meant the ministry needed to suspect that Aurora was the target of the Servants of Pythia. She'd discussed her plan with Remus, Kingsley, and Moody about a dozen times before they got a plan in place they were all comfortable with. Ideally, they'd have liked to give Aurora a heads-up about their plan as well, but with her mail being inspected, it wasn't worth the risk. At least this way when it came out, she wouldn't have to pretend to be surprised.
Tonks put away the papers she'd been looking over and then went to Scrimgeour's office. She knocked on the door and didn't wait for an answer before pushing the door open.
"Sit," Scrimgeour said, motioning to the seat beside Dawlish. He couldn't have looked more bored. She'd swear that man's head was full of rocks if he weren't an Auror.
"If I'm being honest," Dawlish said, as Tonks sat down, "this is mostly her bag. With my cases, I'm sure you understand that the Servants of Pythia don't really require me to handhold her on this."
Tonks wanted to roll her eyes into the back of her head but refrained from doing so.
"Very well," Scrimgeour said. He nodded to Tonks. "Any new developments?"
"Four more arrests," Tonks said. "No more murders, thankfully, but there was vandalism, statute of secrecy violations, and knowingly causing harm to muggles to contend with."
"They're going through a lot of trouble for a bunch of rubbish," Dawlish said.
"The trouble is, they don't think it's rubbish. They believe all the things they're saying," Tonks said. And even worse, it was likely that Levi had made it so that they all believed him.
"Can't fix stupid," Dawlish scoffed.
"I did some research. Spent some time in the Department of Mysteries reading up on Seers and I found something interesting," Tonks said. "It makes sense that we've assumed that the Bright One was a deity because there are references to a seer whose abilities are almost unreal. Be easy for you to form a cult around a person like that."
"Most seers are charlatans," Dawlish said.
"Yes. Naturally, I've been taking all of the reading with a grain of salt. I'm not a bloody cultist after all. But if we want to get to the bottom of why they're trying to literally murder people we should probably get into their heads a bit," Tonks said.
"Let's calm down, Auror Tonks. No need to let our emotions get the better of us," Scrimgeour said.
The number of times Tonks had been told to keep her emotions in check since she'd gotten her job was infuriating. Rather than going off on a tangent about how irritating it was being a woman in a male-dominated field, she went back to her report.
"As I was saying, I decided to try to figure out who the Servants might actually be looking into as their Bright One. They'd given us a few clues already," Tonks said.
"Just the bit about it being a seer," Dawlish said.
"They said that 'she' is still coming into her power. So I suspect it's a girl who's uncannily good at Divination, but maybe not to the point where she knows she might actually be a true seer. A student," Tonks said.
"You think their Bright One is a Hogwarts student?" Scrimgeour asked. Tonks nodded. "Have you spoken to Dolores Umbridge about this?"
"I did," Tonks said. It ended up not being a fun conversation, but Tonks went through with it anyway. "I asked her to speak with her divination instructor about any students who may stand out in that class. Only one name came up."
"If you say Harry Potter, I'm going to eat my shoe," Dawlish said.
"As entertaining as that would be to see, no," Tonks said. "Aurora Lupin."
"She has some talent for Divination?" Scrimgeour said.
"More than 'some' talent. The way it was put to me is that she can do things that are beyond the skill of even a well-respected seer. The current divination teacher is a centaur, and I don't know if you've ever talked to a centaur about divination, but they are even more dubious about seers than most of us are. The way he talked about Aurora Lupin though, there was admiration in his voice. Reverence even," Tonks said.
"You speak to her occasionally? Any reason to suspect that they'd be looking for her?" Scrimgeour asked.
"She says Divination is her favorite class and that she's very good at it," Tonks said. "I had a thought about how we could determine whether my hunch is correct. OWL exams are happening. It would be very easy to observe the practical Divination exams and speak with the examiner afterward about their thoughts."
Scrimgeour nodded in agreement. "I'll make the arrangements. If you can find the space in your caseload, Dawlish, I'd accompany Tonks to Hogwarts."
Dawlish was clearly upset at being admonished. Tonks was pleased.
"I don't find it likely that a fifth year student would be party to a cult, so it does beg the question about how they'd have made their determination if it is indeed Aurora Lupin," Scrimgeour said.
Tonks nodded. Time for the hard part. "I had the same thought. It could be coincidence. I looked into the Goldfinches. It seems like Rylan Goldfinch did have some skill with Divination, but nothing remarkable. I spoke with Garrick Ollivander about wands in the Goldfinch family and he told me something that lends credence to my theory about Aurora. She's got a very rare wand combination. Silver lime and fairy wing core. He thought it was interesting when he sold it to her because silver lime basically only bonds with people who have an inclination toward divination, and he said undoubtedly, one hundred percent of the time fairy wing bonds with people who have 'the sight.' And if her grades speak to her ability with a wand, I'd say she's not having any trouble."
"Fuck me. This kid might really have a cult on her heels," Dawlish said.
Remus casually mentioned that Ollivander said that Aurora's wand meant she'd be good at Divination. When Tonks spoke to the wandmaker herself, she had not been expecting him to basically say that Aurora's wand would only work for her if she was a seer.
"Do you think Remus Lupin knows? Could he be connected to the cult?" Scrimgeour asked.
Tonks shook her head. "He all but laughed me out of his house when I even suggested Aurora might a be a seer. However, there was one other person who might have some knowledge. Levi Goldfinch."
"You think so?" Scrimgeour asked.
Tonks nodded. "He said that his sister was spouting off nonsense and saying that she was having visions. That her daughter was going to be a harbinger of death. It's the same things that the Servants of Pythia have been saying."
Dawlish nodded. "Would explain why they kicked things into gear around the same time he came out from under his rock. Might explain why he's suddenly interested in her as well."
Tonks could've leapt for joy. She didn't even have to be the one to put the idea on the table.
"This is all conjecture are this point. Let's tread carefully," Scrimgeour said. "I do want you to speak to Goldfinch again. But have him come into the office. And Lupin as well. We'll want to cover all of our bases. After her divination exams, I want you two back here immediately."
Tonks knew it was a possibility that Remus might get dragged into this, but again, they'd prepared for that. This was all speculation, as far as the Ministry knew. It wasn't enough to get Levi's hearing tossed out altogether, but it was a step in the right direction.
OWLs were going by as well as anyone could have hoped they would. Defense Against the Dark Arts had left their examiners in awe after the practical exams. That briefly had Harry's spirits high. But they had potions the day after and he did not do as well as he wanted on both the theory and practical exams.
"I'm sure it's going to be fine," Rory assured him, though she could tell it wasn't helping him much. They were heading down the Great Hall for the start of their practical exams for divination. He'd been in his head about the potion's exam all day and Rory wanted to get him to try to get it together before he had to take an exam he actually cared about.
"And it's not even just about being able to qualify as an Auror," he said. "I don't want to give Snape the satisfaction of me sucking at yet another thing."
"You don't suck at potions," Rory said. "And Snape can go and fuck himself."
Harry sighed. "Sorry. I'm probably distracting you. You'll want to actually do well on this exam."
"I think this is the only exam where it doesn't matter if I'm distracted because I can't actually fail," Rory said. Once they were in the Entrance Hall they noticed a general buzz going through the 5th years.
"What's going on?" Rory asked.
"I guess they've got two Aurors here to observe the exams," Neville said.
Rory and Harry exchanged glances.
"That's weird," Harry said. "Why are they having Aurors sit in on the exam?"
"Hermione would probably say it's to catch cheaters but I don't think they actually send you to Azkaban for that," Ron said.
They were called into the Great Hall in groups of four. Rory didn't seem suspicious until Matilda came out from her exam.
"Tonks is in there," Matilda said. "But she and that other Auror didn't even really look like they were paying attention even though the examiners said they were going to be observing. I think they're looking for something in particular."
"Or someone in particular," Rory said.
"You think the Ministry has gotten wind that you're a seer?" Harry whispered to her.
Rory shrugged. "Guess we'll find out."
Rory was in the last group to be called in. She was directed to her seat by a woman who appeared to be in her 50s. Her dark hair was graying and pulled back into a tight braid. She shook Rory's hand.
"I'm Alberta Jellicoe. I'll be proctoring your exam for you today. Going to do a bit of crystal gazing," she said.
"Nice to meet you," Rory replied. She glanced over her shoulder at Tonks and Dawlish. It was unsurprising that Tonks was looking at her, but Dawlish was staring at her intensely as well.
"Don't mind the Aurors," Alberta said. "They're observing today. They won't interfere with your exam." Rory nodded. "We'll get started in just a moment. I need to have a chat with them very quickly."
Alberta got up from her seat and walked over to Tonks and Dawlish. It took a long time for her to return and when she did, the other three students had finished their exams and left the room. Rory was alone.
This was by design. They didn't want anyone else watching her take her exam either. Tonks and Dawlish were there to watch her.
Unless Rory was casually predicting Harry being in mortal peril or maybe predicting the death of her biological father, her talents as a seer were generally pretty unremarkable. Rory didn't know what they were expecting to see.
Alberta sat down across from Rory and smiled.
"Apologies. Let's get started," she said. "Can you do a reading for me?"
Rory nodded and looked into the crystal ball. She stared for a while watching pictures form in the haze of the ball.
"Do you… Do you have children?" Rory asked.
Alberta nodded. "A daughter. She's about—"
"Twenty-six," Rory said with a nod still gazing into the orb. "I think she's pregnant. There's a leaf, which obviously symbolizes new life. But it looks to be an oak leaf, which brings to mind the tree of life, but I also see a cup. Usually that symbolizes reward, but with the oak leaf it more than likely relates to bloodlines. So, new life in your family. And I guess babies are kind of their own little reward aren't they."
"Very astute," Alberta said as Rory lifted her head. "And how did you know my daughter was 26-years-old?"
Rory swallowed and then chuckled. "Lucky guess I suppose."
Alberta took a cloth and dropped it over top of the crystal ball.
"Well done. Let's try palmistry," she said. She placed her hand on the table, and Rory gave her a reading. She did her very best to not reveal any information she wouldn't be able to glean from the table, but it was very hard to keep things inside once she saw them.
When the reading was done, Alberta gave Rory a tight-lipped, very forced smile. She was definitely freaked out. Maybe Rory's talents were, in general, unremarkable, but for anyone who didn't know she was prophetically excellent with divination, it might be a lot to take in. Her other classmates probably second-guessed themselves and used their working knowledge of what they'd read in books to put pieces together. But Rory just knew.
"We would usually conclude the exam here but… Would you be open to one more small test? It's a bit unusual, but I have some tarot cards here," she said reaching into the bag beside her. She sat the cards on the table and then held one up, the face of the card was pointed away from Rory. "Could you tell me what card you think this is?"
Rory stared at the card. "Nine of swords."
Alberta laid the card face up on the table. It was indeed the nine of swords. She picked up another card. "And this one?"
"The tower," Rory replied.
Again, she was right.
"And this one?" Alberta asked.
"Knight of swords," Rory said.
She laid the card down. Knight of swords.
"Remarkable," Alberta said. Her smile was even more forced now. Given the three cards she'd just laid out, Rory was stunned that she was able to force a smile at all. There was something sudden, possibly life-threatening, coming for her.
"Miss Jellicoe—."
"We're done here Miss Lupin. That will be all," Alberta said. Rory got to her feet. Alberta shook her hand. "It was a pleasure to meet you. You are really quite talented."
"Thank you," Rory said. She walked out of the Great Hall, flashing a smile to Tonks as she passed. When Rory reached the door she glanced over her shoulder at Alberta Jellicoe. The woman was as white as a sheet. Rory was feeling a little unsettled herself.
She wasn't surprised at all to see Harry waiting for her in the Entrance Hall.
"Everything okay?" Harry asked.
"I think so," Rory said. "I think my examiner is going to die unexpectedly in the near future."
Harry's eyes widened. "You predicted your examiner's death?"
"I didn't tell her I did. She wanted me to guess which card she'd drawn and I got them all right. They all just happened to predict her likely death. She probably understood that the cards spelled out that something bad was going to happen. I just know that it's death because heaven forbid I predict anything pleasant," Rory said.
She huffed and started up the stairs. She wanted to go to bed for the rest of eternity.
"And you know how I do that thing where I know things that I shouldn't be able to know?" Rory asked. "I knew how old her daughter was. And that her cat is named Rumpleteazer."
"I love you, but you're completely hopeless," he said.
"Maybe I really am cursed," she said.
"Rory," Harry started.
"Theo said I was a harbinger of death. Tonks even said—."
"Stop," he said, grabbing her hands and stopping her from walking. "You're not cursed. That's nonsense and you know it." He put his hands on her shoulders. "You see things. You know things. But none of those things is your fault."
"The universe just has a hilarious sense of humor where I'm concerned then?" Rory asked. "Who else do you know who goes off randomly predicting people's deaths and spouting off prophecies?"
Harry motioned upstairs. "Sybil Trelawney. Have you met her? You have a lot in common."
Rory managed to laugh and Harry pulled her into a hug. She put her arms around him and squeezed him tightly.
"Have I sufficiently reassured you?" he asked.
"For the moment," she said. There were footsteps on the stairs behind them. She let go of Harry and they watched as Tonks, Dawlish, and the examiners passed them on the stairs. Each of them looked to Rory as they passed. Tonks seemed slightly confused but flashed Harry a smile.
"Which one did your exam?" Harry asked.
"The woman who looked like she might drop dead if she took a step closer to me," she said.
"Tonks seemed a bit surprised," Harry said.
Rory noticed that too. Then she had a realization.
"Harry," she said, "I um… I did not tell anyone we got back together."
"You didn't… You didn't tell anyone? Like, Tonks and your dad, they don't know?" Harry asked.
Rory nodded. "Which might explain Tonks' confusion."
Harry frowned. "You realize that if she talks to your dad and tells him before you do, it's going to—."
"It's going to make him think I was intentionally keeping it from him and he's going to assume that it's because you asked me to," she said.
Harry groaned. "Your dad is going to hate me for the rest of my life."
"I'll go and send him a letter right now," Rory said. "I'm sorry."
"Stop, it's fine," he said. "You've got the hearing in two days. I'm sure the last thing he wants to hear while he's worrying about you is that you're dating that idiot Harry Potter again."
Rory sighed. "You're sure I'm not cursed?"
"Maybe I'm the one that's cursed. Things didn't start going sideways for you until I came into the picture after all," he said.
"Makes perfect sense," Rory said. "Think I'm going to have to cut you loose again."
"I completely understand," he said. And then he kissed her. Rory felt her skin tingle and warmth spread over her. She pushed herself up on her toes and leaned into him. She let her hands rest on his shoulders and pulled him closer.
Harry pulled away from her.
"Didn't you just say you were going to cut me loose?" he asked.
"That was a dumb idea," she said. She tried to kiss him again, but he pulled away. She pouted.
"I should also remind you that we're in the entrance hall, on the stairs," he said. "If I wanted to make out with you in a more public spot, I'd have to take you in the Great Hall."
Rory felt herself blush. "Then take me somewhere less public so I can kiss you some more."
