DISCLAIMER: HP belongs to JKR. The story line and all new characters, new character development, new developments are my intellectual property.
A/n the Dementor saga continues with unexpected twists
Are Angels Real?
It was the Prophet's headline the next day. The entire wizarding community was gripped by the fervor of eye witnesses that had come forward. The interviews of a head guard, one of the administrators, two aurors and one of the healers attending the sick at Azkaban were making headlines the next days. Apparently, fearing for their afterlife, they felt the need to report the abysmally substandard conditions in Azkaban.
"You were there, and I understand you saw the 'Angel,'" Rita asked skeptically. A picture of her showed her condescending sneer.
The fierce guard answered while looking at her as if she were a cockroach, "Laugh away, my pensive and many others have been examined. They are the same, factual, and real. There were no intrusions, nothing passes the wards. Although her features were difficult to see, mostly because the nearly perpetual darkness in the prison, her glorious hair is visible. She was flying, and I swear that even the Dementors stayed at bay. All but one, who seemed enthralled with her. Something never seen before."
"You keep saying the Angel was a she. Did anyone check that?"
The guard growled, "I agreed to this interview but not to be ridiculed by you. What we saw was real. Moreover, we all saw the same. I know how lucky I was to witness the Azkaban's Angel."
"You don't say. One must wonder how much Firewhiskey was going around to account for this mass hallucination," Rita's sneer was now evident, along with a low pitch snicker. One followed by a nasty growl and swift punch on her mouth which broke many teeth.
The well deserved punch also made headlines. Consequently, Rita became an object of ridicule, and she couldn't get one more interview.
What followed up was the international anger and outrage about Azkaban, the worse ever; it spread worldwide. "England's Wizard Dungeons from the Middle Ages in the 20th Century- Scurrying rats.. Disease…Angel Sighting after killer disease- Angels brightening the pits of England's Living Hell- Dementors bow to goodness," and so on.
For the first time in history, many wished that they had been in Azkaban. The witnesses, who were forbidden to make additional pensives, were interviewed over and over. The existing pensives were kept under lock and key in the deep bowels of the MoM.
The MoM was called to answer by an enraged public. Although everyone knew about it, rapid changes to improve and modernize the prison were immediately started. Arthur was put in charge of the project, all within three days. When he saw the pensives, Arthur didn't make a connection, which was good.
Pictures of the angel were plastered all over the place, always without a face with a flying halo of golden curls. The angel was dressed in old fashioned leggings, boots, and a robe, or was it wings?
Unfortunately, the collective thoughts of the masses about the being of light and warmth, were bread crumbs on the trail followed by the evolving Dementor, who soon arrived in Europe.
At the Loire
Alastor was at the Floo again. Lucius and Grant had come to meet with him.
They found that he wasn't alone, he came with Rufus. Both were loaded with papers.
After niceties, the papers were laid on a coffee table. They saw the headlines. In the Loire the newspapers came once or twice per week, the last days had been spent with the children and the outside world was forgotten.
The headlines came with sketches of the Angel, some showing it surrounded by Dementors in a dungeon. One, that Grant thought resembled Azkaban, made his heart ache. For a while Lucius and Grant read, while the Aurors looked at them with great interest.
Lucius face was pinched. Both his and Grant's had lost all color.
"I was there," Rufus said. "I saw the little Angel, but I said nothing. When asked I explained my attention was elsewhere. Here is a copy of my pensive. I was the only one who wore the special goggles, nobody likes them because they are heavy, uncomfortable and besides, nobody wants to see the inside of Azkaban that well."
Rufus waited, but nobody came forward. "I knew her, she was the little princess that we saw at the Shadows' meeting. Of course, I said that I hadn't seen anything. What I did see was a Dementor who came very close to her. By Jove, I was sick with apprehension. No need, the next second she was gone, poof. For your peace of mind, nobody saw her face. It was her, check her hair, shape, and mix of Muggle trousers and robes. We say that it is time you trust us."
"Rufus, we are in your debt. We need to make an unbreakable, wait." Lucius left the room, he was nauseous; grateful that nobody had seen Hermione's face; happy that she was well, and not angry with her. The adults were at fault, thus, he was mad at himself thinking that a Dementor nearly had her, a narrow escape. He called Remus.
After the unbreakable, he told them that she was able to 'project' into places when certain conditions were met. Alastor stood up, he was enraged. "Are you all mad, endangering such a precious little witch. Didn't you think of what could have happened to her." Rufus had never seen him so angry. Alastor cared for his little healer, and the idea of her, powers or not, in Azkaban, made him dangerously angry.
"It will never happen again, it was a mistake. We wanted to try something…"
"No this won't do, what did you do? If we are a team, we need to trust each other. Albus already played his games with us. You either tell us, or we quit." Both Rufus and Alastor stated.
Grant told them about the mission, based on the idea of Hermione 'projecting.' He was candid about Wallburga's and his involvement. They were in awe of Grant's abilities.
"I am glad we are on your side, with your abilities and your child's much can be done." Rufus looked at the Gellert look alike.
"So, tell us, is she an angel?" Lucius asked, wanting to know what was going on.
"She is a true angel, investigators have been assigned to conduct the fact finding . It will determine what has happened to all the funds allocated for the prison upkeep. Many want the Dementors gone or restricted; but all want the place cleaned and modernize within a moon cycle. The MoM is under great pressure. Arthur Weasley is in charge of the committee, imagine the advantages."
"Yes, I see, but what of the Angel. What is your assessment?"
Alastor told them about Rita, which made them laugh. "The guard is a hero, she had it coming." he hated Rita for personal reasons, a shag gone bad. She published what he had said with great changes.
"Our witch is a celebrity. Because of her, conditions have improved. Some hardened criminals, along with a famous Death Eater, Dolohov, have changed. However, you must promise never, ever to use her again. Thanks to the deities that many think is mass hysteria."
"Dolohov? I'll be. That makes sense, that is the owl from his mother. I didn't understand it. I need to read it again. She is my cousin, or was my mother's cousin." Lucius was already making plans to use Dolohov.
Lucius and Grant worried that someone would make a connection. No need, nobody else did, not directly. However, they heeded the warning.
"Luc, I think that Rufus is right, I saw the Dementor looking at me. I swear, he did right before we left, what does it mean? I know this will sound crazy, but I think that it has some deep meaning, just not sure what."
Some laugh-Some Cry
Albus read the news and laughed like mad, "Buffoons, probably a ghost. What fool believe those superstitions?" He told one of the pictures.
The children and professors were all talking about it, wishing that it was true. It was silly.
However, deep inside he worried that the angels were true, and he was starting to be afraid. He saw the ghost once in a while, and he was now thinking that maybe he had committed a terrible sin. He picked up a paper and brought one page to Gellert. He wanted to scare him
"Read, know that if this is true, the opposite might be true as well. Just think of the things waiting for you after you die."
Gellert read the news and looked very distressed. Albus felt better than in many days. He was still trying to figure how to use the Dursleys to flush out Harry, and seeing the suffering in Gellert's face filled him with renewed energies.
"I must leave. I am glad that I have lived a righteous life fighting for the light. I have nothing to worry about in the afterlife, but I can see that you do."
Gellert looked at him, "I think you have a lot to fear, you should, not many can say they murdered their only kin, defenseless at that. My wife was pregnant, did you know?"
Albus said nothing, but the hand of guilt gripped his heart. He left cursing at Gellert.
Gellert was left in anguish, his little flower had been in that cesspool, how, why? He needed to tell them not to do it again. He cried and howled, worried for his Blümchen, Mimi the Pixie. "If someone is hearing me, protect my little flowers," and cried bitter tears. He could see her so well. He wanted all of them safe.
A flying shadow saw a trail with traces of the being he searched for, in a lone tower, right below. It was similar to the older being IT saw that same day; the parent of his being. What luck, this one was also related, and was thinking about her, the one he sought.
IT lowered and stood in the shadows. IT smelled at a corner where her scent was very strong, but there was nothing there. The old human sitting was related to the tiny being and the parent; It could see their ties.
Gently, not spreading fear, It went inside Gellert's brain, and slam, a fortress stopped IT. This was no ordinary human, of course not, he was special, just like his being.
"Albus are you here, get out my head." Gellert looked at a wall.
Albus, a name to be remembered. He had time to see that this human feared for the Albus human hurting its being. It angered the Dementor. No, no, nobody could hurt its being. Ah, the name was Blümchen Mimi Pixie. That was it. IT stored the name.
The evolving Dementor went into the wall. It found a closed portal. Not a problem, it went thru it and was in a small space. It left it and found Itself in a large place. An old man with long hair sat a desk, he was angry. IT was the Albus human. He had imprints of the being the Dementor sought. Humans didn't know they kept imprints of everyone who touched them.
Albus felt very afraid and couldn't stop shaking, he looked around, "I am going crazy." He stood up wanting fresh air.
At that moment the Dementor visualized the time of the imprints, when Albus was stuck in the chimney. This was an enemy of its being, Blümchen Mimi Pixie. It marked Albus for later. For now, IT saw the trail to the place where Albus was touched by Hermione and followed and arrived at the Star Manor.
The place was full of traces of Blümchen Mimi Pixie. One trace was close to an old portal. He looked and backed up, it was to a place IT abhorred. IT was tired and needed to rest. II found the place where Blümchen Mimi had laid. Blümchen Mimi was a nice shorter name, his, what was it? Ah, yes, she was his angel.
It stretched on Hermione's bed and rested. Her scent and warmth enveloped it. The feeling was addictive, it reminded it of other times, long, long ago. IT hid in the shadows and waited. It could wait for a while.
It had taken less than four human days to locate his Blümchen Mimi, who was a young female, and was many things, but not a pixie. IT knew that much.
In Azkaban other Dementors sensed one of them gone. No matter, it happened once in a while, many kept waiting for the small being who left trails of something pleasant, but they would forget, most of them anyway. Once in a while the would touch the pockets of warmth making some wonder.
In the Star Manor, a body lay in the shadows, resting on Hermione's bed. It was not human, with a very narrow, lithe body, with skin the color of smoke. The features still arranging, sometimes would look like different animals but always the same color.