Astrid had never found herself in such a situation. When Hymgaabal's external affairs conclave contacted her flock about a lonely Taïvaalta recently found in Scotland. At first, nobody believed it, the news being too incredible to be given any credence... But the information came from Hymgaabal itself and bore the three seals of truth!
When the astonishment caused by the news died down, a big argument broke out, with everyone wanting the chance to be the first to meet the little lost one. The matriarch had to intervene and organise a draw to calm things down. And so, a week earlier, Astrid left the skies above her flock while being watched jealously by her sisters.
Meeting Isabelle at Orfang, in southern Hymgaabal, was an event as joyous as it was worrying. Although she quickly got on very well with the young Sub-nube, the concerns she expressed about the girl she had learned was called Myosotis Potter were most disconcerting... Fortunately, her experience and the Orfang library enabled her to quickly make a diagnosis.
A few minutes earlier, when she landed in front of the tall tower in which the child had made her nest, she didn't know what to expect. It was with a bitter smile that she approached what was left of the old fortress. How ironic that this place should be the scene of tragedy after , the sacrifice of Sorcha Cleite Luaithre and her guard to allow her sisters to escape, now, the nest of a child, descendant of that same blood, also a victim of human cruelty, having grown up without a flock, inconceivable...
The tower was tall, its walls of large beige and grey cut stone covered with ivy and lichen, its widened top covered with a pointed, slate-tiled roof. The windows were large, and through them she could see the thick, traditional curtains of the veela flocks of northern Scotland used before the years of horror. If the building wasn't covered in vegetation, she might have thought it completely untouched by the ravages of time. Not surprising, given that even from here, she could feel the power of the sacrificial wards offered by the blood of Sorcha and her warriors. A warm, welcoming, vibrant energy, like the tender caress of the feathers of one of her dear sisters.
Astrid couldn't help imagining what the place must have looked like when the Cleite Luaithre flock was at its peak. Dozens of towers like this one must have been scattered across the surrounding countryside, the few woods occupied, nests dug into the rock of the cliff... But the wizards had razed everything to the ground, leaving only this single stone guardian, standing face to face with the ocean at the top of its promontory, the last to bear witness to the beauty of the flock that had lived here for centuries.
It was then that she felt a little tingling in her aura, a new, unknown, distant warmth... She glanced at Isabelle, who was walking towards the tower, telling her with a smile that was at once moved, happy and sad about Myosotis's latest progress in mastering French. Her aura was certainly powerful, carrying a gentle current of tender emotions as her sister's thoughts turned to the fledgling. The disturbance she felt did not come from Isabelle... it was something further away.
Curious, she looked around her, first at the plain and its grasses still scorched by winter, the new growth just beginning to appear, then at the grey sky, in search of what could be causing this strange sensation. She almost didn't see it, her gaze slipping over it as her eyes roamed the clouds. She frowned, as a small grey speck blending into the clouds, which without her keen eyesight she would never have noticed, was swooping down towards them.
A smile spread across her face. The little aura she could feel far above her shone with amusement and mischief. She concentrated even harder, squinting her eyes. The little bird speeding towards them had a perfect form of flight, cleaving the air without a sound at an astonishing speed. Its shape was masked by an impressive optical illusion spell. For a moment, she thought of warning Isabelle, but changed her mind, preferring to let the fledgling see her prank succeed.
A great spray of powerful blue flames in a violent whirlwind appeared right next to them as Myosotis landed gracefully, dispelling her camouflage spell. Isabelle was so surprised that she reflexively leapt into the air, letting out a high-pitched squeal of amusement. With a final flap of her wings, Myosotis landed on the ground, clutching the huge, fat salmon she had previously held in her claws. "Isabelle!" cried Myosotis with a huge smile, clearly happy to be back with the Sub-nube.
Astrid couldn't help but feel a wave of pride at the sight. The chick was already such a good angler... but sadness and bitterness soon mingled with this. At that age, a chick was supposed to stay in the nest close to its mother, to be protected, loved and fed within the flock, but on no account should she have to fend for herself against the cruelty of the world, while avoiding its many dangers.
"Myosotis, I swear that if you ever scare me like that again, I'll pluck you out of your..." Isabelle began. But Astrid didn't listen to the rest, too busy staring at Myosotis, watching her from head to toe. Her long jet-black hair was silky, her cheeks rosy with the wind, her young face still bearing the roundness of childhood, her green eyes mischievous. Her limbs were fine and muscular, shaped by years of survival in solitude, long flights and hunts. And her aura... so young but already so powerful, vibrating like the primordial flame, encompassing her, bringing joy and elation after a good hunt and a delicious aerial ballet.
Myosotis's eyes were riveted on hers, fascination growing in her aura, her gaze darting up and down it, as if the fledgling had trouble realising what she was seeing. The large salmon escaped her grasp, hitting the ground with a thud. She began to walk towards it, her aura tumultuous, feelings flowing too quickly, too chaotically, for Astrid to be able to read anything.
A moment later, she found herself with Myosotis in her arms, the chick's cheek against her chest. Her aura was trying to merge with hers, like that of the little ones as they came out of the egg with their mothers. Unable to do anything else, Astrid closed her arms around Myosotis, a wave of unexpected love sweeping through her, her flames manifesting themselves, their bluish light enveloping her blond plumage. The chick's magnificent flames also appeared, mingling with her own. A tear rolled down Astrid's cheek as Myosotis began to hum, then sing in a small voice. The sweet sound evoking love and loss.
Astrid tightened her embrace as she exhaled deeply to keep her composure, fighting against herself not to fly away immediately and take Myosotis into her nest to keep her there with her mate forever in the company of their own daughter. She kept control with difficulty, beginning to hum softly a lullaby, accompanying the voice of the chick nestling against her.
She lifted her head, looking for Isabelle through the blue aura of their intertwined flames. "We should go back to the tower." she said. It wasn't a good idea to hang around outside the tower, especially with the little bird against her so vulnerable.
Isabelle nodded, picking up the large salmon that had been left on the ground, before flying to the top of the tower. Astrid spread her large wings, her plumage a disconcerting colour in the light of her flames. When she took off, to her astonishment, Myosotis didn't even seem to realise that she had left the ground, simply burying her face deeper in the fabric of her tunic.
Less than a minute later, the trio slipped behind the thick curtains closing the room at the top of the tower, Astrid and Myosotis' flames illuminating the gloom with their bluish light. While Isabelle opened some of the curtains to let the daylight in, Astrid sat down in the big pile of cushions and blankets forming a nest on the floor, knowing better than to try and detach Myosotis from her. It didn't take any particular skill to realise that the last thing Myosotis wanted right now was to be separated from her. Astrid doubted she would even be able to do that even if she wanted to, for Myosotis clung to her in her best koala imitation.
Forced to stand still, with Isabelle now busy lighting the fire, Astrid took the time to observe the place that the little Taïvaalta had decorated. A desk, not too chaotic, a whole pile of books more or less well organised on a shelf. She raised an eyebrow, the books were lined up and displayed their edges, but there didn't seem to be any particular form of organisation, 'Around the world in eighty days' being right next to a book about spiders, itself next to an introductory book about runes.
A new wave of pride swept through her as her gaze fell on the dozens of animal skulls carefully arranged around the room, their empty orbits almost seeming to glow with an ethereal blue light. So young, and already such a great hunter, already mistress of a small army. If she had been worried about Myosotis' safety in the tower, seeing all those skulls was more than reassuring.
Myosotis' instincts must have been strong, given that she followed the main traditions of Taïvaalta so naturally. Isabelle had started grilling the salmon on the fire, which was a good idea; if Myosotis had gone hunting, it must have been because she was hungry, and the smell of the cooked fish should have distracted her enough to allow her to detach herself from her. Not that Astrid wanted to interrupt the cuddle, far from it, her instincts screaming at her to never to leave the chick alone, but she and Isabelle had things to say to her, and in this position, Myosotis was in no state to listen to anything.
As she had expected, only a few minutes later, Myosotis began to stir.
Eventually she disengaged herself and slipped out of her arms, her movements slow and imprecise, as if the prolonged contact with her aura had made her drunk. "Salmon... good" she could hear Myosotis mutter as she approached the fire. She sat down against Isabelle, and it wasn't long before she found herself with a plate of perfectly cooked fish in her hands.
"Is she all right?" asked Isabelle, clearly worried, her gaze riveted on Myosotis, who was chewing on a piece of salmon with a faraway, drugged look on her face.
"Yes, don't worry, her aura is just adapting and she should be back to normal soon. She's never had the chance to meet another Taïvaalta, her aura is just adapting to the company of mine." Astrid said, her gaze fixed on Myosotis, struggling internally to prevent herself from grabbing the chick again.
The pupils of Myosotis's eyes were dilated, her gaze vague as she finished licking her fingers, Astrid could feel her aura continuing to try to mingle with hers again and again. When Myosotis's eyes gained in concentration and her aura began to stabilise, she exchanged a glance with Isabelle before nodding.
"Myosotis, how are you feeling? I'm..." Isabelle began. But she was interrupted.
Myosotis stood up before walking on trembling legs towards Astrid, staring at her for a moment before saying, "Are you my Mum?", her big eyes full of hope, this innocent question hanging in the air.
Astrid was dazed, but in retrospect, she should have expected this reaction. The bond, the closeness that Myosotis must have felt with her, their intertwined auras... it was inevitable that the little orphan would come to this conclusion, however improbable it might be. Astrid's heart was torn apart, her whole being was screaming at her to say yes, to adopt the little girl here and now, but she couldn't, doing so would harm Myosotis in the long term. It was too late, Forget-Me-Not was already an adult, her flames mature, her transformation complete, her numerous hunts to prove it. Getting her to join a nest now would not do her any good. Not to mention the problem for which Isabelle had originally sought help.
Myosotis must have sensed the answer in her aura before she even formulated it, because she broke down, two large tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Unable to resist, Astrid stood up and took Myosotis back into her arms. "I'm sorry, little one, but I'm not your mum, and I can't be."
A sob shook the chick's chest. "So... why? Why am I feeling all this?"
"Because our auras are sisters, I'm also a Taïvaalta, so our flames naturally sing with each other as our auras resonate. This is the first time you've met one of your closest sisters, so not being able to discern the difference between the aura of a flame sister, a blood sister or a mother is normal. You must be overwhelmed by now... " Says Astrid
"I love you. Even if you're not my mother, I love you." Said Myosotis, burying her face in the fabric of her tunic, as a new sob shook her form.
Astrid glanced at Isabelle to say how sorry she was that things had turned out this way... but Myosotis' case was unique.
It took several minutes for Myosotis to regain her composure, and once she had calmed down, judging that it was time, Astrid nodded in Isabelle's direction.
"Myosotis, do you think you can listen to us?" asked Isabelle patiently.
"Yes," replied Myosotis in a small voice. "I've missed you, Isabelle." she added, without taking her eyes off Astrid.
"Me too..." she replied. "However, don't you think it's impolite to hug people without even knowing their first name?"
Myosotis blushed and turned towards Astrid without letting go of her. The tall Taïvaalta raised a wary eyebrow. "Hello, my name is Myosotis Potter. And yours?"
"You can call me Astrid, I'm pleased to make your acquaintance Myosotis." She said with an amused smile.
"You can call me Myo!" replied the chick with a big smile, relegating the tears of a few minutes earlier to the status of a distant memory.
Myosotis... Myo... turned her head towards Isabelle, gave her a dark look and said. "Now I can get on with the hugging!"
"Don't I get one too?" asked Isabelle with a mischievous pout that was surprising for a sister her age.
Myo seemed to think for a moment, Astrid wondering what could be going on in her head. Her aura was lilting and joyful, vibrant with affection, but told her nothing about how she was going to respond to Isabelle's request. It was perhaps a little selfish on her part, but at that moment, Astrid hoped that Myo would refuse Isabelle's suggestion.
A feeling of powerful affection rose in her chest as Myo nodded and snuggled closer to her. "No, Astrid is more comfortable. Sorry Isabelle."
"Too bad then, it's not as if I won't have other opportunities later," sighed Isabelle.
A few minutes later, Astrid was sitting comfortably on a cushion, her legs crossed cross-legged, a cup of hot tea in her hand and Myosotis sitting on her lap. Isabelle had offered to let Myo sit between her to facilitate the discussion ahead, but she had fiercely refused.
"So, how are you feeling these days?" asked Isabelle. "When you left the flock, a lot of people panicked, but luckily Fleur was there to explain, so you did well to go and see her instead of just disappearing."
Myo looked down and said. "I miss the flock, but... it was just too much, everyone's aura, all the time, around me... it hurt... but it was good at the same time, I don't know what to think." Then her eyes brightened, "Apart from that, I'm having a great time! I spend half my time at Luna's or Nym's and I often invite them to the tower! Pandora, Miss Andromeda and the others teach me lots of things, it's better than at Hogwarts. What's more, they all let me go flying if I ever get tired or bored... Lady Cat would never have let me do that when I was at the castle"... For a long time, Myo continued to talk to Isabelle about her life, her projects, what she was up to, with Astrid stepping in from time to time to give her opinion or ask a question.
Astrid couldn't help smiling widely as she listened to her flame niece talk about her friend, the young Luna. The transparent affection in Myo's aura when she spoke of her was so strong that Astrid couldn't help wondering if Myo hadn't already found her mate in the young witch... This kind of relationship was only supposed to develop later in a veela's life, but Myosotis seemed more than inclined to skip ahead.
When the subject of the accident during the defence lesson came up, Astrid had to grit her teeth. She had, of course, heard of Melusine Lovegood, the fae, one of Europe's most renowned battle sorceresses, an international specialist in light magic and purifications classified as majoris. Knowing that Forget-Me-Not was learning under her tutelage was excellent news. After all, she couldn't deny that a young Taïvaalta in these circumstances didn't need as much experience in self-defence as she might have had. But to be injured like that during training... Isabelle had an even more epidermal reaction, forcibly extracting Forget-Me-Not from Astrid's arms to examine her from every angle. Myo merely protested feebly, but gave in completely when Isabelle massaged the back of her neck to calm her down. Myo must have been used to this process, because she gave in afterwards.
Astrid felt a little sorry for Isabelle at that moment. Her poor sister must have been under constant stress at the thought of Myo, alone in her tower, or in the company of humans... especially as the child seemed to be quite a daredevil.
One thing led to another and there came the subject of Eldur, the hitherto forgotten phœnix, asleep in a hollow of Myo's scarf... which brought up the subject of why such a creature currently had the appearance of a chick, and Myo's account of the little she remembered of her confrontation with the troll. Astrid couldn't take it any more and pulled Myo back into her arms; with every new story she heard, her chick had been endangered in one way or another.
And so, when the subject of a Nucklavee wandering near the tower came up, Astrid's feathers puffed up and she began to release a long wail. It took the combined efforts of Myo and Isabelle several minutes to calm her down. Unfortunately, nothing could be done about the creature at the moment. The Nucklavee... or the Nucklavees, whether it was a species of spirit or a malevolent minor oceanic deity was debatable, were known to appear and disappear at will, so any effort to track down or hunt one of them was futile at best.
Isabelle recommended not straying too far from the tower and not going out on stormy days, and Astrid agreed, advising Myo not to hesitate to perform as many preening rituals as possible, which would not only help her fly better, but also strengthen the wards left by Sorcha Cleite Luaithre. Frankly, Astrid was just happy to know that the young Taïvaalta was as safe and happy as she could be in these circumstances.
…
Myosotis felt incredibly well, relaxed, content, between the two women. Her belly was full and her hands were warming with a hot cup of tea. Two hours earlier, when she was flying through the air towards the two intruders, she would never have believed that she could give her trust so easily. And yet, here she was, sitting on the lap of an almost stranger, letting her wing feathers be stroked with contentment. Astrid's mere presence was a balm to her mind and body, her aura intoxicating in the best of ways, a gentleness and affection she would never have expected from a stranger.
It was completely different from any other veela she had ever met. There was something more, much more. For lack of a better word... their auras resonated with each other, it was much more than a deep and intimate exchange of feelings, as if their bodies, souls and hearts had become one, without having lost their individuality. She didn't sense an ounce of malice in Astrid's aura, only affection mixed with a hint of sadness. Apparently, no matter how many times she said she was fine, the simple fact that she had grown up without a flock was a terrible tragedy in the eyes of the other veelas. The subject of the delicious turnip and dirigible plum pie that she and Luna had cooked had given way to a contemplative silence.
It was broken by Isabelle's voice. Myo would have liked not to deny Isabelle her hug, but at the moment, she found herself physically unable to detach herself from Astrid. Fortunately, Isabelle seemed to be more amused than anything else by this state of affairs.
"Myo." she said. "Do you know why I brought Astrid with me on this visit?
It took a few seconds for her numb mind to find the answer. "Oh!" she exclaimed excitedly, turning to Astrid in a frill of feathers. "Astrid! Do you know why I can't stand to stay with my flock for long? Isabelle's afraid it's something serious..." She said in a voice full of hope and curiosity.
Astrid smiled, "Yes, little one. Myosotis, Isabelle, you don't have to worry about Myo's reaction when confronted with too many auras."
"What's wrong then?" Isabelle asked, her aura clouded with concern.
Astrid hesitated for a moment. "In the first years of life, the aura link between mothers and their little veela is primordial. The bond is created instantly and grows from day to day, adapting to the other auras around it, those of sisters, cousins, grandmothers..." Astrid paused briefly and swallowed. Isabelle's eyes widened, as if she had grasped something terrible that was still eluding her.
Astrid resumed in a slightly trembling voice. "In Myo's case, her aura developed without mothers, sisters, cousins or grandmothers. Her aura grew up desperately looking around for what should have been there, but never finding it. Over the years, as it is in our deepest nature not to be alone, her aura never gave up, growing and straining at its limits, becoming ever more sensitive to the search for anyone who might respond to her cries of distress. But as no one responded, the aura continued to grow in this way."
Isabelle had her hands clamped over her mouth, her eyes wide, a tear running down her cheek. Myo could feel a terrible, unfathomable sadness coming from both veelas, but was unable to really understand it.
Astrid took a deep breath and continued. "Now, Myo's aura has become far too sensitive to the presence of other auras. The mere presence of so many of our sisters must be overwhelming her with waves of emotion. What's more, her aura is too overwhelmed by the mere presence of an aura near her to be able to grasp the nuances properly... That's why you thought I was your mother." She said, poking the tip of Myo's nose.
Myo nodded gently... it made sense... she didn't see what was so sad about it as Astrid had said it wasn't dangerous for her, but... "Astrid, how can we make things better?" she asked in a small voice.
"You're already on the right track, the trick is to gradually acclimatise your aura to the presence of other auras. Spending time with Isabelle, Fleur and her family is already an excellent thing. Spending too long in a flock may seem impossible at the moment, but your aura will soon have acclimatised. The auras will no longer seem oppressive, and you'll be better able to discern the nuances within our sisters' auras."
Reassured, Myo smiled, "Thank you Astrid. Apart from continuing as I am now, is there anything else I can do to acclimatise more quickly?"
Astrid thought for a few seconds. "Well... Isabelle told me you were going to Beauxbatons next year?
"Yes!" Myo exclaimed. "All my friends are going too."
"Well... a considerable Veela community is going to Beauxbatons. I'm sure it will be an excellent way of adapting your aura so that you can finally live comfortably in a flock."
"Thank you, Astrid, Isabelle... I... I was beginning to think that I wasn't actually welcome..." She said in a small voice.
"Don't say stupid things like that." Astrid said, hugging her. "Any flock would be happy to welcome you.
After a moment, Myo heard Isabelle clear her throat. "Myo?" she asked.
"Yes?"
"There's one last piece of important news we'd like to share with you."
Myo nodded, today was the day of revelations, so why stop there? "What is it?"
"We had our doubts, but now we know exactly what happened to Lily Potter, your mother. It's only recently that we've had confirmation. We didn't want to inform you of mere suppositions." Said Isabelle.
"Tell me." Myo asked, her throat tight. Was she finally going to know?
Isabelle nodded. "Lily Evans was born flightless from the union of Sorcha Cleite Luaithre and her mate Ayla. Her birth name was Erin. Her mothers gave her to one of their sisters, but she was lost during the flight. She was found by some muggles and placed on the adoption circuit, where she was adopted by the Evans family. You know the rest."
"Did my grandmothers live here?" Myo asked, dumbfounded, her attachment to the tower growing exponentially.
"Yes, they did." Said Astrid. "We knew you were a Cleite Luaithre because otherwise you wouldn't be able to bond with the wards enough to strengthen them, but the fact that you're Sorcha's granddaughter is a recent discovery.
Myo tended not to give much importance to her biological parents, having imagined herself as a little girl coming out of nowhere, as the only bird girl lost in the middle of a world of Vernons. Later, the Lovegoods and Tonks had become sufficiently important in her life that she didn't think about them either. In short, this news shouldn't have had such an effect on her... and yet... it was as if these few words finally reassured her that she hadn't just come out of nowhere.
…
That evening, after Isabelle and Astrid had left, Myo couldn't sleep. The day's revelations were swirling around in her mind. She knew what she needed. She grabbed Eldur, taking care not to wake the sleeping phoenix, and leapt out of the window, flying south. Her wings beat the cold air of that spring night, the stars and moon reflected on her feathers. She flew like the wind, with just one idea in mind. After an hour in the air, she began to fly in wide circles around the sleeping lovegood's house. Quickly spotting Luna's bedroom windows, she landed on their ledges.
It wasn't long before she managed to open one of them and slip into the shadows of the dark, silent room. She smiled, the shape of Luna asleep, motionless under the covers, her chest heaving with the slow rhythm of her breathing.
Without hesitation, she slipped under the covers, snuggling up to Luna, holding the little witch close, covering her with one of her wings. Luna muttered something, before turning round and opening her big, sleepy eyes. "Myo? Weren't you at the tower?" she said, surprised.
"Yes, but I wanted to see you," she replied, burying her face in Luna's neck.
"Is Eldur here too?
"Yes, he's asleep.
"Hmhm... what happened?"
"Isabelle came to see me, accompanied by Astrid, another Taïvaalta."
"I don't feel any wrackspurts... so, did it go well?"
"My problem with spending more time at the flock is only temporary, and my grandmother used to live in the same tower as me..."
"Good news then... why did you come? We were going to meet tomorrow anyway."
"I missed you..."
"Me too... Say Myo? When you get better, you'll be spending more time with the flock, won't you?"
"Sure... why?" Myo asked softly.
Luna turned towards her and placed a hand on her cheek, her eyes fixed on hers. "Promise me you'll never forget me.
"I promise."
oOOOo
It was a pleasant start to the day for Myosotis. Summer was just around the corner, and with it came warmer temperatures, with the grass returning to its verdant colours and the trees once again covered in leaves. Hunting was easier too, with rabbits and hares much fatter than in the leaner seasons, spring mushrooms making a comeback. A family of owls had even taken up residence in one of the ruins below the tower.
Several times already, she had spent hours watching the little balls of feathers begging for food brought by their parents, their little beaks wide open. She found it strangely fascinating.
This morning, as the first rays of dawn had just broken, flooding the moors with their golden light, she glided through the cold morning air towards her tower. She held a large basket in her talons, and in it, the results of her morning quest.
For years now, people from the surrounding villages had been leaving food in little miniature houses, sheltered from the rain. Vegetables, preserves, but also, sometimes, delicious cakes. She didn't know why these people did it, but she wasn't complaining, someone had to collect all that food... And what's more, by melting the metal in the tins, she could easily make pretty jewellery. Luna had been delighted when Myo had given her her latest pair of silver earrings in the shape of salmons. Luna wore them every other day, salmon one day, dirigible plum the next.
A silly grin spread across her face as she thought back to the previous evening's dinner at the Lovegoods', when she had said she had a sudden craving for salmon before chewing on Luna's earring to everyone's amusement.
Her tower was in sight, standing with its back to the sea, a stoic guardian standing out against the grey horizon of mists floating gently over the dark, cold waters of the ocean. At the sight, her heart warmed and her flames appeared, dancing happily on her smooth plumage. Her grandmothers' tower, which had belonged to her family for generations.
It was then that her piercing gaze fell on a black shape at the base of the promontory, facing the path leading to the ruins surrounding the tower. An unexpected visitor? Suspicious...
Cautiously, she took out her wand, the dragon bone warm under her fingers. She murmured the spell "color mutatur et micat, molts et coriis" as she described the nine-pointed star with her wand. She could feel the magic coming to her fluidly, more and more naturally, and soon she would have anchored the spell. Pandora would be proud...
She felt the magic glide over her feathers and skin, her form blending into the still dark blue sky behind her. In absolute silence, her feathers making not the slightest sound as they glided through the air, she approached the man, circling wide above him, squinting to recognise him without having to get too close.
It was an old man sitting on a large rock, a long pipe in his mouth. He was dressed in rich purple robes, the front of which was hidden by a long white beard. He seemed to be immersed in contemplating the landscape, his gaze lost in the horizon.
Myo's eyes widened. Dumbledore! What was he doing here? How did he know where to find her?
Curious but wary, she landed not far behind the old wizard. She put the basket of victuals on the ground and moved forward silently before lurking in the grass five or six metres behind the wizard. Dumbledore seemed pensive, amusing himself by making circles with the blue smoke of his pipe. Then the smoke turned into squares and triangles, and soon Dumbledore was making birds, pegasuses, dragons and unicorns out of smoke.
Myo was so distracted by this spectacle that she was startled when Dumbledore began to speak. "Perhaps you would be more comfortable if you joined me, Miss Potter. There's more than enough room on this rock for two, and I have to admit it's rather comfortable."
Deciding that she wasn't risking much with Dumbledore, she approached him slowly. When she realised that he wasn't going to move, she sat down on the rock, as far away from him as the size of the stone would allow. "How did you know I was here, Professor? she asked curiously.
Dumbledore gave her a sidelong glance, his cerulean eyes sparkling, the crow's feet in the corners of his eyes pronounced, as a smile played across his lips. "I may be of a certain age, but my hearing is rarely wrong." He said, indicating one of his ears with a finger.
"What are you doing here?" Myo asked after spending a moment staring at the old wizard.
Dumbledore took a long puff of smoke, and it came out of his nostrils in the form of dozens of little bluish smoke birds scattering in the air. "An acquaintance told me of his suspicions about the disturbing presence of a Nucklavee in the area. Gustave kindly asked me to set up a system of wards around the coastal villages just in case. They shouldn't last long against such an evil spirit, but they should give the villagers enough time to escape."
"That's kind of you..." Myo began, "but, I mean, what are you doing here, here?"
"Oh." he said, blowing out a lion of smoke. "Well, I was surprised to hear the legend of a bird girl blessing their land. But my suspicions were confirmed when Gustave showed me the lovely note warning him of the presence of the Nucklavee. Being in the area, I decided to pay you a visit".
Myo didn't know what to say, just nodded without taking her eyes off the old wizard. Dumbledore took another puff from his pipe, and Myo said impulsively, frowning, "Pandora says that smoking around children is a very bad thing."
Impassively, Dumbledore merely raised an eyebrow. "It's true that I've heard nothing but good things about Mrs Lovegood. But don't worry, it's Pixie weed, it only has a relaxing effect and is in no way harmful. I think she was talking about tobacco. Would you like a puff?" he offered, handing her the tip of his pipe.
"No, thanks." Myo said warily.
"Oh well, it's Maviel sisters' weed, the best in Britain," he said, taking a drag.
Myo didn't reply to this, preferring to continue watching him out of the corner of her eye.
"How's Fawks?" he asked after a moment.
"He prefers to be called Eldur." Said Myo, frowning indignantly.
"Hmm, I named him that so he'd stop taking himself so seriously, I thought after all these years he'd relaxed enough to enjoy the joke. Can I see him?" he asked.
Myo saw no reason to refuse, and took the little bird out of her scarf and into the palm of her hands. Eldur had turned his little head towards Dumbledore, observing his former master.
It was as if a silent discussion took place between them, Dumbledore's light blue eyes fixed on the flames of the phoenix's. After a long moment, Dumbledore chuckled softly. "I'm sorry, Eldur," he murmured. His eyes then turned back to her. "Thank you for taking such good care of him. He's much happier with you than he was with me." He said with a sincere smile.
"This is for Eldur." Myo said simply.
"Of course, of course." laughed Dumbledore.
A long silence fell between them, Dumbledore's gaze lost on the ocean. Fortunately, he spoke again before the stillness became uncomfortable. "As Headmaster, I have to ask, how did you find Hogwarts? Apart from that dreadful troll incident, of course." he asked.
Myo thought for a moment, not having expected this question. "The classes were great. Especially those of Mrs Cat and Mr Snape. Mr Flitwick was very nice too. Herbology wasn't easy... the plants made me hungry. But the other pupils were really weird, so it was lucky that Luna was with me... oh yes! I loved the choir."
"I see, I'm sorry about the way some of our pupils behaved towards you. And I'll pass on what you've just said to Mr Flitwick, he'll be delighted to know that you enjoyed his choir so much." He said sadly. "That said, I hear you're going to Beauxbâtons next year."
Myo, caught up in the conversation, replied cheerfully. "Yes, all my friends are going too! Luna, Hermione and I are taking French. I hear there'll be lots of other veela over there!
"That's a nice prospect to have. I'm saddened that Hogwarts is losing such excellent students, but the important thing is that it's what's best for you." he replied before making a smoke stag.
"Can you do a swedish short-snoot?" Myo asked, no longer able to contain her curiosity and excitement.
Dumbledore laughed softly and complied, the aforementioned dragon forming in the smoke which he then blew away. It flapped its broad wings of blue smoke and rose into the sky in bluish arabesques of hypnotic wisps of fumes. Both watched the dragon drift away into the now blue sky, the last of the night's stars gone, the reptile's form soon dissipating into thin air.
"Beaubâtons is an excellent school, I am good friends with Madame Olympe." In a more serious tone, Dumbledore said. "The future is, I'm afraid, the foggiest. Just know that should you need help, should you find yourself in a desperate situation, you will always find help at Hogwarts. Thank you for listening to the ramblings of an old man, take good care of Eldur, he's an excellent companion."
He pulled a silver and brass pocket watch from his pocket and opened it with a click. "It's time, I'm due at Hogwarts. I must go. It has been a pleasure, Miss Potter. I wish you a good day, I have no doubt that you will have a wonderful year in France. Give my regards to the Lovegoods and Tonks, I would be grateful."
At these words he stood up and stretched, cracking his joints. He extinguished his pipe, put it away in a beautiful pearly wooden case before slipping it into his robes. " Good-bye, Miss Potter. " He said, bowing slightly. Then the wind picked up, and in a cloud of blue smoke, he faded away, as if he'd never been there in the first place.
Myo stood motionless for a moment, dazed by this surreal discussion. What on earth did the Headmaster want? Leaving behind him more questions than he had answered.
oOOOo
Severus strode across the small garden between his little house at Spinner's End and the road. The grass was high and wild, the gravel of the path overgrown with weeds. A passer-by might have thought the house abandoned, with its cracked walls and blackened window panes.
He took a large iron key out of his pocket and pushed it ruthlessly into the lock of the big wooden door. With an unpleasant creak, the door opened into a dark hallway, the brick-coloured tiles faded by a thick layer of dust.
Severus closed the door behind him and flicked the switch to light the old bulb hanging from the yellowed plaster ceiling. A sizzling sound was heard, and the filament in the bulb reddened for a moment before popping out with a small crack. He swore and pressed the switch again to cut the current.
With a flick of his wand, he conjured up an orange orb of light that began to levitate, illuminating the dark hallway. He lowered his wand and stripped off his cloak. A few flicks of his wand later, most of the dust had disappeared, no longer giving the impression that the house had not seen life for years.
Tired from the last week of putting up with dunderheads trying to make his life miserable, he returned his suitcase to its normal size before sitting down in his armchair facing the fireplace. A few spells later, and a fire was burning in the hearth, a steaming pot of tea was sitting on his coffee table, and a cup of spiced black tea was warming his fingers.
As well as having to put up with the abominable monsters that some people like to call children, this year had been one of the most emotionally draining. Mostly due to the arrival of a certain veela in the school. He didn't know whether to be grateful that the troll incident had put an end to the long torture to which Potter had subjected him or not. On the one hand, the child had been injured and possibly traumatised, not to mention what had happened to Miss Granger, on the other, he had been spared any further interaction with her, and she had left before the most racist and harassing pupils could organise themselves to make her life miserable. Although he doubted they could have succeeded.
One of the hardest things to deal with had been the depression of Filius and Minerva, both of whom were immensely saddened by the loss of several excellent students each... Moreover, he knew that they were both delighted to be teaching James and Lily's daughter.
More than once Severus had found himself spending evenings with one of them, or more rarely both, drinking together to cheer themselves up. Fortunately, repeating that Miss Potter would surely be happier studying with other veela at Beauxbâtons had eased their minds somewhat. But Minerva was still inconsolable about what had happened to Miss Granger, in whom she already saw someone talented enough to shatter anti-muggle-born prejudices under her heel.
Finally, the number of letters Severus had had to send and the number of face-to-face meetings he had had to endure with worried parents was simply staggering.
The troll incident had sent shock waves through magical society in the UK. A troll introduced into a school where all the children of the nobility and bourgeoisie were taught was scandalous enough in itself. But the fact that it was the young Potter, whose veela nature was already dividing public opinion, who killed the troll and saved the life of the young Miss Granger was like pouring galefire on a burning forest. Two camps quickly became polarised, those shouting that it was proof of the dangerousness of the monster, who at barely eleven years old had reduced a troll to ashes, and the others, shouting that it was proof of the humanity of the creature, pointing out the danger in which Miss Potter had placed herself to come to the aid of her friend.
The debate became more complex when the defenders of the second thesis pointed out that the most dangerous were still wizards, with the control their wand gave them over magic, much more so than any other creature, and that the opposing camp said that the wand was also much more controllable on a societal scale than the innate powers of a creature... For months now, the public debate had focused on this. So much so that the sudden disappearance of a certain Quirinus Quirrell went completely unnoticed.
It was obvious to him that the professor had been a servant of the Dark Lord, and that he had left the school the second Dumbledore's plan to test Miss Potter had failed and he had returned the stone to the Flamels. Which was just more proof that the Dark Lord was plotting a new way to return to life.
He sighed, this holiday was more than welcome. At last he could concentrate on his research and other personal projects. A slight smile played across his thin lips. Miss Potter would be much safer at Beauxbâtons than she would ever be at Hogwarts. Especially now that she seemed to have gained the support of the entire Western Veela civilisation, if Albus' claims were true.
He would never admit it, but as much as he hated to see her big green eyes staring at him in wonder, come the next year, he would miss them. He took out of his pocket the portrait he had left there... A smiling Severus revealed himself to him, his eyes full of life... He would never become the version of himself that Miss Potter had so beautifully drawn, but contemplating this vision of an impossible future was nonetheless enjoyable.
…
Five days later, Severus stood at the door of his back garden, distraught. For once, the sky was clear and cloudless, and he had intended to take advantage of the fine weather to have breakfast outside...
But no sooner had he opened the door than he came face to face with a large dead hare, its neck broken, abandoned there on his doormat. His wards hadn't detected anything though... He swallowed, it was too clean to be the prey of a wild animal... Someone had left it there on purpose. A threat! That must be it... someone was threatening him, but who? Why?