The Impossible Task

Chapter One: The Winning Card

Author's note: Hello! I have not written fanfiction in a long long time and I am pleased to be back in action. A few things first: the main character of the story, Amary, goes by they/them pronouns. This fanfic will (probably) have no mature content aside from swearing, and no TW will, hopefully, be needed. If you encounter something triggering that I was not aware of, please contact me. This fanfic is not canon compliant. Enjoy! :)

It would be one of those tranquil and pleasant Thursday mornings, filled with blissful awareness of the end of the week somewhere back in everyone's mind. There was a fruity smell in the air and white smoke whirling between the rays of light beaming through a large baroque–like window. Something whirred suddenly and Amary was forcibly snapped out of their trance, reminding them that nothing would be tranquil or pleasant about this specific day.

"-of course, therefore..." The old man before them let the rest of the sentence hang in the smoke-filled air. There was a slightly awkward silence for a few seconds, but then the wizard started quietly laughing into his long and ancient beard. "I see that you have taken interest in my trinket collection," he said, amused.

"It's rather impressive," Amary smiled. "My apologies, Albus, I was distracted for a moment. You were saying?"

Albus paused for another moment, sighed, and then looked them in the eyes. Whatever he was searching for, he found because he continued, rather straightforwardly now. "I haven't chosen you only for your expertise in Ancient Runes, Amary, but also for your exceptional and rather useful ability." His eyes were twinkling like mad now and Amary tried to not feel too annoyed at the fact. They were miserably failing.

"You want me to, what, transform into Ronald Weasley and stalk the boy?" they said, voice raising at the end of the sentence. "What exactly do you need me for?"

The look he was giving them now was positively mischievous and Amary wondered what are the chances of them surviving this whole ordeal. "I want you to, from time to time, of course, infiltrate the student body and keep an eye on the boy. I understand that my request is unprecedented, but I think you have heard about the remarkable skill the boy has shown to find himself in horribly dangerous situations?" Amary nodded while at least a dozen reports from the Daily Prophet flashed in their mind at once.

"Of course, but what's so different now? You know I will do it, Albus," they added hastily when the twinkle started dying out, "but I want to understand. You could have asked anytime in the past few years." Amary tried to smooth out any tension in their face, but they were rather disgruntled. After months and months of trying, the young mage was finally accepted to TOMHLR (Translators of magical hieroglyphs, logograms and runes) and was to move to Norway in a few weeks to begin their work on Vetteland rune stone inscriptions. Their plan was, however, put to a halt when they received a plain letter with a crimson red wax seal - a job offer from Albus flipping Dumbledore.

"Although we have taken several precautions already," he winked conspiratorially at the portraits on the wall, but his eyes looked somberly at Amary for a moment, "the most danger Harry faces is, unfortunately, in hidden corridors and dark abandoned classrooms in the... dungeons." The hidden meaning of these words slowly dawned on the younger mage. Dumbledore is afraid of Harry Potter being attacked by Slytherin students.

What have I gotten myself into? "Also," he said with a hint of disdain most people never heard from the Warlock, "The vacant position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was so helpfully filled by the ministry."

Amary was suddenly filled with dread by this statement. "Who?" she asked, preparing for the blow.

"Dolores Umbridge."