Decree No.29 (O.C) Fred Weasley/ Draco Malfoy

Breaking Point

"One more try, just think of something really strong. Your happiest memory," said Dumbledore as he encouraged her to try again.

It was three weeks later, the last Saturday of her first term at Hogwarts, and Jessica was in Dumbledore's office having her last private lesson before Christmas.

Jessica closed her eyes and focused hard on remembering when she and her family were out on the swing bench in the back garden. It was a sunny day, and they were all outside, her dad reading to them as they sat there with the birds tweeting. It was a simple memory but one of her best.

"Expecto Patronum!" she declared, and a bluish-white light appeared from her wand. Something like liquid dust appeared before her, forming into a shape. It resembled what seemed to be a swan and then vanished.

"Closest one yet," said Dumbledore, stroking his silver beard and smiling in his ruby-embellished robes, "I think that's enough for today. Keep practising, and you should get it by January."

Jessica, frustrated that she hadn't been able to cast a full Patronus yet, tucked her wand into the leather belt of her black knitted dress and combed her hair with her hands. There was something she needed to get off her chest before leaving Dumbledore's office, and she hadn't entirely found the timing to ask so far.

"My happiest memory is my family," Jessica said as she fiddled with a gold metal instrument on the centre table. She needed an insight into their next conversation. "They haven't written to me all term. I feel like something is wrong. If possible, sir, I'd want to go home for Christmas."

Dumbledore walked over to his desk and adjusted a pile of books, looking at her through his glasses with a caring expression. "Jessica, you have done well this term, and I wish I could let you go home to your family, but I'm afraid that cannot happen. You are still under the protection of the Order."

"What about a visit then? Tonks or Kingsley could take me."

"Not until we find out-"

"Well, when will they find out? It's been about four and a half months!" Jessica questioned crossly as she walked over to join him, "I'm going to the Christmas Ball at Malfoy Manor, and then I want to go home. It's Christmas!"

"I have allowed you to go to Malfoy Manor because it will be useful," said Dumbledore firmly, "that is risk enough."

"Okay, and where do I go when they want to drop me home?" Jessica asked sarcastically, "Back to Grimmauld place so they can have tea and biscuits with Sirius and the Order?"

Dumbledore sat down in his chair. Jessica thought he may have been considering her point. "Come back to Hogwarts. Students stay here over Christmas all the time. I will send you to Grimmauld Place from here."

"And what about the other problem of oh yeah...them all hating me. Doesn't make for a fun, merry time for me, does it?"

"They only hate their perception of you Jessica, not who you really are."

Once he started pulling out the wise quotes, there was no point arguing with Dumbledore. So, Jessica admitted defeat and concluded that she just had to accept that she would spend her first Christmas in the wizarding world in a house full of people who wouldn't even look her way. She huffed and sulked towards the door, and as she was not looking where she was going, she knocked into an ornate jewellery box sitting on a shelf and caused it to fall to the floor. It opened as it hit the ground, and at least 50 developed photographs and documents spilt out from it. Dumbledore was preoccupied with looking down into a bowl of colourful sweets, so Jessica bent down to tidy them back in their place. When she picked up the first one, she was curious and turned it over to see what it was. Dumbledore had always known he was a wizard, so it was weird to her that he would have muggle pictures taken by a disposable camera.