Toujours Pur

Chapter 19: The Great Escape

The Christmas holiday flew by, the ongoing dread of the return to the school building steadily every day. On the return day, Minerva came to apparate with Athena to King's Cross station, where they would travel in the staff compartment on the Hogwarts express, keeping an eye on both Umbridge and the students. They chatted happily about Christmas and the upcoming term before McGonagall leant toward Athena, now talking in a hushed voice; "Meet me in my office on the next full moon". Athena nodded, returning to the normal conversation- The next full moon being in just a few days time.

*** 

Sat at breakfast, Athena was casually eating her toast, sipping her peppermint tea while the chatter around the hall stopped for a second when the owls swooped in, delivering the mail: Including a daily prophet dropping onto Dumbledore's lap. When he picked it up, his face dropped awfully, handing it straight to Minerva whose face also dropped.

"Athena..." McGonagall said, tapping on her shoulder gently. "You might want to see this, Darling". She passed her the paper, folded over to cover the front page. Athena flicked it open, instantly laying eyes on the headline: 'MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN'. She scanned the page, finding the familiar woman- however, she was scruffy and dirty, her face hollowed and her eyes large, her teeth rotting.

Her mother had escaped Azkaban.

 "Excuse me, I need to go to the lavatory," Athena said, storming out of the hall. 

She didn't know where she was going, the empty feeling flooding her. The ringing in her ears growing louder and louder, a sick feeling in her stomach. The horrific image of the woman laughing insanely drowned her mind, overwhelming her awfully. 

She felt herself collapse onto the cold, stone floor, tears stinging her eyes in fury and distress. Athena felt McGonagall's motherly arms grasp her shoulders as she wept, Umbridge coughing as politely as she could manage.

"It's alright dear, it's alright," Minerva said softly as Umbridge constantly repeating 'Hem hem'.

"Does someone want to explain what happened, to me? As the high inquisitor I need to know!" She snapped. 

Athena's head snapped up, her puffy eyes meeting Dolores' bulging eyes. They were surrounded by students, Fred holding George and Ginny's shoulders, preventing them from running to her. 

"If it's that important to everyone to form a crowd, may as well inform you!" Athena snapped, the anger beginning to flood out. "My mother, also known as Bellatrix Lestrange, notorious murderer and death eater, has escaped from Azkaban!" She scanned the crowd, meeting all of the shocked faces. "And I have to deal with that before she murders my father, and more innocent people who decided not to join, or re-join the dark lord." Umbridge looked slightly green, clashing with her all-pink outfit. "So, yes. Until she's caught, I am going to be reminded every day of my mother's ruthless, horrible reputation, praying that she won't kill any more people, which I massively doubt." She looked around again. "There. Now everyone knows" 

Athena stormed away to her classroom, avoiding Umbridge's angry stare: Collapsing against the closed door- leaving her alone, until Umbridge knocked on the door. 

"We need to discuss, Miss Karkaroff" She said sourly, opening the door. 

Athena sat down, inviting Dolores to sit opposite her.

"I'm led to the decision to fire you" She said harshly.

"What? Why?" Athena snapped. 

"You can't be trusted, I have no choice" 

"You think I'm a death eater? Did you not hear a word I said?!"

Umbridge went red. "Your parents-"