I SPY || 𝕝𝕦𝕔𝕚𝕦𝕤 𝕞𝕒𝕝𝕗𝕠𝕪

Chapter 29. Bliss

With a small pop Dobby and Astrid apparated away, the sensation always made her feel a little sickly, but whilst nine months pregnant, it really made her feel sick. When they arrived at a destination of Dobby's choosing, Astrid fell to her knees on a wooden floor and heaved, emptying what little her stomach had in it.

"Is Miss Moody okay?" Dobby asked with a worried expression, Astrid nodded, closing her eyes as she wiped at her mouth with a sigh. Astrid looked around warily, and to her surprise found herself in the headmaster's office at Hogwarts. "Dobby, how did we get here? No one can apparate inside Hogwarts," Astrid breathed as she looked around the fascinating room. Every time she was in there, she found something new and exciting to look at. There was no sign of Umbridge.

"House elves employed by the school can apparate as they please, Dobby works here!" he exclaimed proudly. Astrid's attention was drawn by someone hastily descending one of the staircases that wrapped around the room. Astrid turned and to her surprise, spotted the familiar face of Albus Dumbledore.

"Professor Dumbledore, you're back!" Astrid coughed from the floor. Albus rushed over to the young professor, a worried look on his face, he stroked down her hair and touched upon her cheek.

"Oh my dear, you're safe," Dumbledore sighed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Dobby, what you have done tonight is beyond the duties I ask of you, you have my greatest thanks," Dumbledore addressed the elf.

"Can you walk? Let's get you somewhere more comfortable... the chair!" Dumbledore pulled the girl up to her feet and guided her over to a familiar love seat and seated her down carefully. Dumbledore looked horrified as he held onto the girls shoulders, she caught a look at her reflection in a small mirrored object on a side table near by and understood his concern. Astrid hadn't realised how terrible she looked, caked in dirt, her hair matted and filthy. Her arms and legs were scraped to the heavens, raw from her time in the cell, blood was smeared down her right leg, a large bloodies scrape upon her knee where she stumbled on the stairs.

"Phineas," Dumbledore addressed one of the many painting that lined his walls, "Please go wake Madam Pomfrey and Severus Snape, tell them they must come to my office immediately," and just like that off the portrait went, travelling through the other frames in the room.

"No, not Snape," Astrid spoke firmly.

"He is my most tr-"

"He was there, professor," Astrid interrupted abruptly, "at Malfoy Manor, he was there, he stood by whilst...." Astrid shuddered as images of Camille's lifeless body flashed through her mind... "I don't want to be in the same room as him professor," Astrid began to tear up.

"Astrid I need you to tell me everything that happened, do you know how long you've been missing? We searched for you,"

"But no one though to check Malfoy Manor? Surely you were told Albus... about Lucius at the Ministry... did no one think he would've taken me there?" Astrid didn't mean to sound ungrateful; she was in fact very grateful for her rescue, however she believed it came eight weeks too late. She wondered why it took so long, why she had to suffer in all that time, why Camille had to suffer.

"Malfoy Manor is a fortress, warded with most complex of spells, filled with death eaters, and-"

"Voldemort,"

"So you saw him?" Questioned Albus with a pitiful look. Astrid instantly burst into tears, her face screwing up, her body trembled.

"I d-did... h-he was closer than y-you are n-now Albus," Astrid choked out.