Talk To Me (Albus Dumbledore x OC)

1 - Early Graduation

1932

Grindelwald had made everyone question everything. Their worth, their purpose, their roles in society, the reasons they hid behind the orders of the Ministry, anything to do with order and control and safety. Wizards and witches alike had begun to argue all around, comparing both sides of the coin - some wanting to rebel, others wanting to remain hidden. As of yet there had been little adverse affects to going against Grindelwald's suggestions, other than the fact you could no longer trust your neighbour for fear of them seeing things so differently.

Aurora Scamander had seen the depths people were willing to go to remain hidden, and just how far others would go to prove a point. She stopped conversing so freely with her friendly companions, stopped sharing her opinions on society and how it was affecting everyone. It didn't seem to be her voice that mattered now, the majority of the population was beginning to side with the raw possibility of freedom and a life away from the shadows, muggles be damned. It was hard to stay under the radar as an Auror for the British Ministry of Magic, but it was even harder to keep your mouth shut when you worked in the Muggle Relations department.

Aurora's oldest brother, Theseus, had organised employment for her not long after she'd finished her apprenticeship at the Ministry, having bounced around a little with no real aspirations. While she was appreciative, some days were difficult to swallow, especially after the rise of Grindelwald, and at times she would resent him for forcing her to take this role. He claimed it would provide a comfortable life, with safety being his main concern as she was now a trusted insider who was known for their brutal honesty, even when it wasn't wanted. She worked closely with the Obliviation Department to ensure the safety of the wizarding world and muggle-kind alike, though Aurora was one of the few that actually held a soft spot for the muggles.

She wasn't sure why; perhaps it was their morbid curiosity to believe in something higher than themselves, or their avid fascination with the unexplained, or perhaps it was even how some were so content with their little lives that they really did not understand the true dangers of the world around them. Sometimes she would stand in the town square and just watch as they went about their day, running various errands or sharing friendly conversation. The brunette never hid from them, she didn't need to, but was always careful as to what she carried on her person because despite their more-simple understandings, they, too, had bad people on their side. Those that would steal, and harm, and take advantage of the weak, but never truly gaining much for their efforts except an increased ego, or a few extra coins if they were lucky. Aurora didn't like that - she hated bullies.

Being a year younger than Newton Scamander, she observed the cruelty behind other's words when faced with something or someone they did not approve of. Her brother, being the quiet, self-contained yet endlessly kind wizard he was, often took the brunt of the abuse from other students. They would mock him, steal his books and belongings, threaten the creatures he promised to protect, even bring harm to them if they were bold enough at the time, but despite this, his heart never soured. Leta Lestrange was in a similar situation, finding comfort in Newt's solidarity when she needed shelter from the accusations and cruel words of other students that knew of her family's history. Aurora would often find them in one of Newt's favourite hiding spots, together, conversing over his creatures or discussing the copious levels of homework they had been given. She liked that he had someone who understood, who felt an outsider as he did, though she didn't wish for either of them to feel that way.

She wasn't disliked as a witch at Hogwarts, but she also wasn't particularly favoured. She didn't stand for unnecessary bullying and would often take the situation into her own hands, fixing it through a crafty spell or a physical prompt, often leading to various levels of detention and consequence. But she never minded - a 'necessary evil' she would call it, a small smirk gracing her features at the assailant's discomfort and shock. She was smart for her age - always ahead of the game with her lectures - but she never flaunted this, it was only proven through the level of intellectual work given back to her professors. Aurora excelled particularly in the Art of Transfiguration as well as Charms, and would regularly use her ability to transform to disarm the bullies, often giving them enough of a shock that they'd back down rather quickly.