Talk To Me (Albus Dumbledore x OC)

11 - Three Card Monte

As the sun arose over the hillside, casting striking rays of light through the cracks of the boards covering glass panes, it was a swift warning that morning had broken and today was the elections for a new leader of the wizarding world. Many remained still, unable to drag themselves from the comfort that the woollen sheets provided in fear that when they returned, Grindelwald would have won the poll and already made advances towards muggle submission or extinction. All too soon, however, it was time to face reality and begin the final leg of their assignment, regardless of the overall outcome.

The group were to converge with Dumbledore at Hogwarts in order to discuss any remaining queries and then make their way to Bhutan individually – this was the safest option to prevent mass capture and allow everyone to remain under the radar of Grindelwald's associates where possible. They were not yet certain as to how many allies Gellert had made since their last interaction but there was bound to be significantly more than before, now that he was the third party's candidate. Whatever was to happen today would shape both the wizarding and muggle worlds for eternity, good or bad.

The balls of Aurora's feet made contact with the chilled floor boards, her body resting on the side of the bed for a moment whilst her mind raced with possibilities. She stretched out her arms, the previously injured shoulder creaking with the effort but not offering any source of pain, then began readying herself with quiet steps to avoid waking the other residents. Albus' scarf caught her eye - it still clung loosely to the golden hook on the back of the door having not yet been returned to its owner. A fleeting smile crossed her lips briefly at the sight of the material before snatching it up and laying it delicately around her neck, pacing out of the room on her tiptoes, winter boots in hand, to tie them downstairs where all was quiet.

Upon reaching the final step, Aurora's eyes connected with those of both her siblings. Only Newt's head and torso could be seen as the remainder of his body was halfway inside his case whilst Theseus cradled the Quilin calf delicately in his arms, passing the creature over to his younger brother. Though it felt wrong, the worn leather case was currently the safest area for the Quilin to remain alongside a multitude of other rare magical creatures, at least until the threat of Grindelwald had been removed.

As Newt descended the ladder to the base, disappearing from sight, Theseus and Aurora shared a knowing glance – there was a sense of tension releasing between them though it was not quite forgiveness on either's behalf. As the girl looked away, busying herself with pulling on her boots and tying the laces, Theseus continued to watch her movements – eyes scanning the scarf questionably – until his younger brother reappeared. The trio gathered their coats and exited the ramshackle Inn with not a word shared between them.

Newt Scamander's presence was requested by Albus once they'd apparated outside the Great Hall in Hogwarts. Bunty had kindly taken Newt's briefcase to allow the pair to discuss something in private, having already been waiting for their arrival, and upon the Professor's declaration had disappeared with it shortly after, leaving Theseus and Aurora to see to themselves. The older, of course, found chatting with his ex-professors easy to come by as they appeared rather interested to know how he had become head of the British Aura Office and what his roles were. The various letters sent from her brother over the years meant she already knew the story; the brave war hero, once again, finding himself amidst a fight for muggle's rights and existence beneath an untrustworthy leader. It was almost laughable how well-respected he was, and then there was the two youngest siblings – an unconventional Magizoologist with a major lack in social skills, but adored by the great Dumbledore himself, and the girl no one really bothered to know. While she was no hero, she also wasn't mysterious enough for people to look into her further which therefore meant being able to fly under the radar.

The brunette had settled herself on the end of the bench to pick at the breakfast food whilst the remaining students continued to fill their stomachs and chat about various topics. Occasionally, her ears would pick up some strained opinions of today's Ministry politics, otherwise the conversations primarily consisted of the Quidditch Cup, any upcoming school trips or the assignments they'd been given that, unsurprisingly, most of them had yet to start despite the looming due-date. Though she hadn't particularly been ostracized as a student, she wasn't very popular considering her blood relatives and the company kept via Leta Lestrange. Similarly, it didn't help that she couldn't stand for bullying, but in a school where the terms mudblood and pureblood were used to distinguish dirty blood from those assumed to be more regal, it was hard to keep out of trouble and ignore the passing comments.