From a Cradle to a Grave

Chapter 33

"She's a werewolf?"

"A lycanthrope, yes," Aurora replied.

"But how come we've never seen her transform until now?"

"When was she bitten? And by whom?"

"Why won't you tell us anything?"

"There are people after her!" she hissed. She had brought them back to her office, along with an unconscious Hope, of course. "Dangerous people. Monsters, who had been alive for hundreds of years." After contemplating what to do with the two boys during the walk from the library to her office, she had decided on telling them the lie she had told Hope, because... Why not? There was less chance of her being found out, and it was much easier to repeat the false story she had already told instead of trying to make up a new one on the spot.

"They want to take her, to steal her gifts. She is no ordinary witch."

"No blood kidding! She's a wolf!" Draco said shrilly.

"Shut up, Malfoy! Professor, tell us what or who these monsters are."

"I already have a plan in motion!" Aurora said frustratedly. "Hope and I are going to dispose of the threats. The last thing I need is for you two to stick your noses where it doesn't belong."

"What does that mean? How can you think to deal with this yourself?"

"You have to tell somebody! Call the Auror department!"

"Enough!" Aurora screamed. "I did not come all this way, wait all this time, just to have two idiot boys mess this up for me! I will have my revenge, and I will make sure the last face Niklaus Mikaelson sees as his own daughter kills him is mine!"

Stunned silence followed. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Harry sputtered, "What?"

That was the final word he spoke before Aurora knocked him out with a single punch. Draco scrambled away, trying to reach the door- But Aurora used her vampire speed to pull him back. He fell unconscious the moment his head hit the floor.

"Damn you, you idiots!" Aurora gritted through her teeth. "Cynthia!" she shrieked, then proceeded to pound on the mirror which hung on her wall. "Answer me, you cursed witch! Cynthia!"

A hooded face appeared on the surface of the mirror.

"There you are," Aurora threw a section of her hair behind her shoulder and smiled delightedly. "I'm going to be needing another favor from you, darling."

Several Months Later

There was only a day left before the day of the third and final triwizard task. The halls were buzzing with excitement and anticipation. Whereas the other champions were seen to be fidgeting nervously all the time, Hope always sat still and silent, wherever she was. The dark expression on her face suggested that her mind was a thousand miles away, and yet when her friends approached her, she would instantly put on a bright smile for them.

Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy hadn't been seen since the night Hope had transitioned in front of them. She hadn't meant to do that, but her stress had gotten the better of her. Her emotions had piled up and had erupted out of her on the night of the full moon. Racked with worry, she had asked Professor Vaughan about them, but the red haired professor had replied with a mere smile. "They're fine," she said. "I promise you."

As far as the rest of the students were concerned, Draco had written to his father that he wanted to stop attending Hogwarts, and that Dumbledore was a right old fraud who was dangerous to be around. And according to a few eyewitnesses, Harry had walked into Dumbledore's office and had come out a few minutes later, escorted by the headmaster himself. "He told us his scar was prickling again, and that he'd told Dumbledore he wanted to stay away from Hogwarts for a while. It was the strangest thing," Hermione and Ron had informed Hope the next day.

Hope had no idea how Professor Vaughan had pulled all this off, but she guessed it had something to do with the enchanted ring she had seen the professor tuck into her shirt pocket a few days ago.

"Go over the plan again," Professor Vaughan had said for the hundredth time last night.

"I know what the plan is," Hope had said irritatedly, but had repeated it nonetheless.

"And you can't hesitate, Hope. Never hesitate. He will use that against you."

"I won't," Hope had replied. "The second the chance is open, I'll kill him."

The entire Weasley family arrived at Hogwarts the following day, to cheer Hope on for the final tournament. During the past few weeks, Hope had grown a strong sense of devotion to her parents, though she still resented them for not telling her the truth sooner. But the reality was this: They had taken her in. They had kept her safe. They were her real parents, and no amount of blood tests in the world could deny Hope that fact.

Viktor, Fleur, Cedric, and Hope walked onto the Quidditch field, which was now completely unrecognizable. A twenty foot high hedge ran all around the edge of it.

Once the stands had filled, the professors came walking into the stadium and approached the champions. "We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze," Professor McGonagall spoke. "If you get into difficulty and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?"

The champions nodded. "Off you go, then!" Lugo Bagman said.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! In first place, with eighty five points- Miss Hope Weasley, from Hogwarts School! Tied in second place, with eighty points- Mr Cedric Diggory and Mr Viktor Krum, of Hogwarts School and Durmstrang Institute! And in third place, Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"

Applause followed. Hope drowned out the sound of the crowd around her, just as Hayley Marshall had told her to. She had visited her birth mother quite often- Every time there was a Hogsmeade visit, in fact. Klaus had been there, too, and as much as Hope despised him with every ounce of her being... She had to admit, he had given her some useful tips, like advising her on how to retract her claws, for example.

"So, on my whistle, Hope!" Bagman shouted. "Three, two, one..." He gave a short blast on his whistle.

"Good luck, littlest wolf," Aurora whispered to Hope. "I'll see you soon."

And with that, Hope raced into the darkness of the labyrinth.