Restoration

Chapter Twenty-Five

***

Dragged across the whole of Hogwarts to the headmaster's office, Elara did not put up a fight. She willingly walked in front of Auron Togrus, an Auror from the Ministry of the Magic. Accompanied by a select team of Aurors, who didn't dare to nor object nor stop headmaster Dumbledore from following them, demanding to be present at the interrogation.

The Aurors had been sent on an official duty after finding inadequate information and documentation about the young witch. Whereas the inquiry into her file would normally take months and months of bureaucracy, a letter filled with anonymous accusations was brought in hours later, holding Elara accountable for multiple offences. Her strange and sudden arrival, attacking students and school staff with magic (fire, to be exact), using dark and unforgivable spells on students, and failure to comply with rules.

Upon hearing these serious accusations, Togrus secured a warrant to investigate the matter further. He immediately questioned her parents, which were shocked at his sudden arrival. Agreeing to help, they followed him to Hogwarts to meet this girl who claimed to be their daughter. And as everything began to slowly pile up, Togrus only needed to find a motive, a connection of some sort to the Death Eaters. And then another, the third letter arrived, but this one delivered by a student owl.

"Elara Dotson is incredibly good at practicing dark and more complex magic, as well as turning into animals in class within seconds. She is unable to cast a Patronus charm. I also believe she had used the oblivion spell, as only a few students remember her from the start of her education at Hogwarts, while others behave as if they have never met her."

And that was his final clue. He dug up some old reports of unsolved crimes - a twisted and mentally unstable witch had escaped from Azkaban a few months prior - just around the time Elara mysteriously knocked on the doors of Hogwarts. And her characteristics, obsession with fire, and ability to change into other animals at her will, with no problem, matched the description. And as the second letter expressed how it was slightly odd that Elara immediately knew her place around Hogwarts, was advanced in all of her classes, and managed to beat the smartest students, Togrus came to a theory of his own.

But when he met Elara, she disappointed him. She did not fight or argue, nor deny the accusations. As if she had given up, or perhaps already had a backup plan. Once inside Dumbledore's office, the Aurors placed powerful spells around it, making it impossible for her to escape. They placed even more magical ropes around her body, tying her to a chair. And it wasn't until they forced a potion down her throat that she resisted - a potion that temporarily stripped her of using magic.

"This could end in two ways," Togrus began his interrogation, standing above her, "either you quickly confess your identity, or we pull it out of you. Painfully."

"And what exactly should I confess?" Elara spat out the bitter remains of the potion which lingered on her lips.

"State your name, date of birth, and the name of your parents," a female Auror yawned, bringing out a notebook and a magical pen, which was already documenting everything being said.

"Elara Morgaine Dotson, born on 1st of October 1980. Delivered by amazing Joanna Dotson with the help of her worse half, Patrick. Also Dotson. How's that for you?" Elara smirked.

Her grin disappeared from her face moments after as her parents walked inside the office. They had changed since Elara last saw them. Joanna's long and gingery hair was now cut short and Patrick had shaved off his beard completely. They both appeared exhausted and slightly thinner than what she remembered them to be. Elara's eyes glistened with joy as it has been years since she had last seen them, and all she wanted to do was to jump up to embrace them, feeling like a child again.