Decree No.29 (HP AU)

Better The Devil You Know

Jessica's heels landed on the grass outside her bedroom window, changed into a summer outfit of denim blue shorts and a white cami top with blue roses. Dumbledore had helped her apparate so that her parents wouldn't see two strangers roaming about their home, and before they had left, Jessica made sure to whisper to her parents downstairs that she loved them.

They landed behind Tonks and Bill, who were keeping watch, but did not get disturbed when Jessica and Dumbledore appeared. They didn't even flinch or turn around.

It hadn't been six weeks for her, as she had been asleep, but that didn't stop this moment from feeling strange.

"Take out your wand," Dumbledore whispered to her. Jessica slid into the back pocket of her jeans and did so, making sure to do it quietly. He also went into his pocket and revealed two vials in his hand. They were both filled with a silver string-like substance floating around in there, and each was labelled with a name. "This is something I've been working on," he explained, "if my formulations are correct, it should return their memories of you. They're in a dream-like state right now. All you need to do is attach your wand to it."

"How will it bring them back?" Jessica asked, "does it turn back time?"

"No," Dumbledore laughed, "all their memories of the last six weeks will remain, they'll just suddenly see your face in memories for the last year."

Jessica took out her wand and tapped it on the end of the first vial. The silver substance inside curled around the tip and attached itself, allowing her to pull it out like a hair from a drain. She swayed with it in the air for a moment. It felt heavy.

"That's Nymphadora's," said Dumbledore.

Jessica pointed the wand at the back of Tonks's head and took a second to breathe. Once she did this, she had made her choice official. Right now, Dumbledore was the only person in the entire wizarding world who knew of her. She had wished for this once, to not be a part of this world anymore, but now she couldn't think of anything worse.

At least this time, she got to make choices for herself. Starting with Tonks and Bill.

Jessica leaned forward and placed the wand tip on the side of Tonks's head. The silver string unravelled from her wand and vanished through Tonks' skin, disappearing seemingly into her brain. Her whole body shook, and then she became still again, looking over her shoulder as she came out of the dream-like state.

"Dumbledore," she said, "what are we doing here-"

Then her big eyes caught Jessica, and she stopped asking to smile broadly.

"Jessica..." she said. "You're okay!"

Jessica voluntarily stepped forward and hugged her. The sweet apple smell of her jacket brought her happiness.

"Where have you been? Why are you here?"

"I'm afraid that's my fault," said Dumbledore as the two parted. "There'll be time to explain everything."

"It was the necklace, wasn't it?" Tonks asked her eagerly, "Did it save you?"

"Apparently so," Jessica replied, still amazed at how intuitive the woman was about things. "It's so good to see you."

"Well, okay, maybe I don't have to explain everything," said Dumbledore, "I think we'd better wake him up also."

With Jessica distracted by seeing her friend, Dumbledore took it upon himself to restore Bill's memories. He shivered as he woke and, like Tonks, immediately started asking questions.

"Bloody hell why are we in Little Winging?" he asked, recognising the area, "are we visiting Harry's god-awful uncle and aunt again?"

"Not quite," said Dumbledore from behind him.