Fatal Affair

Chapter 17: Good vs. Evil

Nova opened her eyes to find that they had apparated on the doorstep of Grimmauld Place. Severus opened the door and guided Nova inside. 

"Why are we here, Severus?" Nova asked, defeated. 

"I think you need a break from Malfoy Manor," Severus explained, shutting the door behind them. "Go upstairs and get some rest. I'll talk to Molly." 

Without another word, Nova dragged her tired and intoxicated body upstairs, and collapsed onto a bed. Within seconds, she was asleep. 

The next day, Nova was sitting on the steps in the backyard of Grimmauld Place, cradling a mug of coffee in her hands. Dumbledore opened the backdoor and stepped outside. He took a seat next to her, grunting as he did so.

"I am afraid I am getting old," Dumbledore said with a small smile. "I can no longer sit as comfortably as I used to." 

Nova stared into her cup, watching the small ripples of coffee form in her mug. The silence stretched out before Nova decided to speak. "I'm guessing Severus told you what happened." 

"He's told me some," explained Dumbledore. "There were many gaps that he could not fill." 

After a long pause, Nova asked, "And you need me to fill in the gaps?" 

"I don't," Dumbledore answered, surprising Nova. "I don't need to know."

"Then why are you here?" 

"That is quite an existential question," Dumbledore pondered. "Why are any of us here?" 

"I meant here, with me, right now," Nova elaborated. 

"Ah." Dumbledore smiled knowingly. "I believe there is something you would like to discuss." 

Nova thought for a little while. She decided to be honest about what has been in her mind, slowly spiralling out of control. "Why did you pick me?" 

"Why do you think I picked you, Miss Harrison?" 

Nova took a shaky breath before answering. "Because I have some darkness inside of me, a quality that makes me good at this job." Nova looked down at her feet, shame bubbling up inside of her. "My moral compass tells you that I've decided good over evil, but maybe I'm inherently bad, something that goes beyond my own choice. It's just... inside of me." 

"Is that what you think?" Dumbledore asked, gazing at Nova. 

"Yes, maybe. I don't know." Nova turned to look at Dumbledore, frustration building. "What do you think? Please, just tell me the truth." 

"I don't think good and evil can be defined so simply," Dumbledore said. "Nor do I think we can be can defined so simply. I don't believe that our moral compass, who we believe we inherently are, or who we are told we are, represent ourselves accurately." He paused. "We are incredibly and beautifully more complex than that. Don't you agree, Miss Harrison?" 

"I suppose," said Nova quietly. 

"There is a different version of you that exists for every single person you have ever met," Dumbledore went on. "Don't allow yourself to be confined to one person's opinion of who they think you are." 

"What version of myself exists for you?" Nova asked. 

"Does my opinion of you hold that much value?"

"Of course it does," Nova argued.

"And why is that?" 

"I'm not sure... Because I respect you, I guess." 

Dumbledore stood up slowly, holding the railing for support. "Miss Harrison, I think everyone has darkness inside of them, something that makes them slightly selfish. Whether a person seeks out power, fame, fortune, love, we do so for ourselves. However, I do not think that makes someone a bad person." Dumbledore took a few steps to the door and opened it. "Our actions are what people see. That is how people form judgments. Miss Harrison, I would not have asked you to do this if I thought you could not handle it." 

With a smile, Dumbledore was gone, leaving Nova slightly more confused than before.