DOROTHEA {fred weasley}

eighty

Elvira awoke with a gasp hours later. She looked around frantically. Was she dead? The witch rubbed her eyes, a man was looking over her. Oliver.

She shot up and grabbed him, "you're dead?"

The man burst into tears and grabbed her, holding her tight.

"No, you're alive."

"No, Ezra. He- killing curse." 

Her head was pounding as she gripped Oliver, closing her eyes as she tried to make sense. 

"How?" She asked.

A blonde woman appeared at a small doorway, who on first sight was Dorothea.

"Thea?"

She squinted, her eyes adjusting to the light. Camille. She screamed. She was dreaming.

"We've got a lot of explaining to do," Oliver muttered into her hair as he held her.

"Why?" Elvira demanded, now sat across the table from the witch, gripping Oliver's hand under the table. "Why save me?"

"Your death, I believe, plays a crucial role in Dorothea's development."

"Development?"

"I couldn't care less about what Dorothea does, as long as she is brave, and true to herself. That's what we've been taught to do."

"Dorothea picked her side."

Camille rolled her eyes, "don't be an idiot, Jones."

"Your death will spur Dorothea to do what she has been longing to do."

"But why save me?"

The witch shrugged and said nothing. 

"I can't stay here, pretending to be dead. The Order- my parents. Oh God, my parents," she said, starting to cry.

"Wood understands it to," Camille began. "Everyone must believe you are dead."

"What?" Elvira scoffed, "to protect you? Do you think I give a fuck-"

"Severus helped me. I know he works for your side. Do you want to risk compromising the Order's most helpful asset? You have to lay low, for a while. Right now, this war is all strategy. It's paranoia, planning, and strategy. Spies are integral, secrets are integral. Everything will break loose, over the next year I suspect. Things will go to shit for both sides. I understand you want to fight, I'm even tempted to say I admire it. But for now, you need to be dead. There will be a time where it's appropriate to go back, do a grand reveal if you must. But that time is not now. You're now an integral part of the Order. It may not feel like it, but you are."

"And if Dorothea doesn't just switch? Then I'm here for nothing."

"You know her as well as I do," was all that she responded.

Elvira gulped and looked at Oliver, he was shaking a little.

"You agree with this?"

He sighed, "she's saved your life. I don't think we have much choice."

"How did you do it?" She demanded. 

"I told you, Severus helped. We weakened Ezra's magic. I took felix felicis. There were a lot of components."

"And why tell Oliver?"

"You're a strong and annoying witch, Jones. I knew you'd be even more difficult without Wood involved, demanding to see him, to tell him. And I understand that, again, I even admire it. This is one of my ways to make you comply."