TWIST OF FATE ▷ GOLDEN TRIO ERA [2]

𝟎𝟎. 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄

(00 : BOLDLY DID OUTDARE . . .
THE DANGERS OF THE TIME)

✧࿐ ཾ✧

2ND NOVEMBER 1981

JULIET NEVER IMAGINED SHE WOULD return to Hogwarts, much less to visit Albus Dumbledore of all people. Yet, that was exactly where she found herself two days after the murder of James Potter. Even with her cheeks permanently tear-stained and her heart permanently in ruins, the still grieving redhead hadn't hesitated to storm in the man's office — only for him to be calmly sitting behind the desk, an indecipherable twinkle in his pale blue eyes.

     "Have you made an appointment, Miss Fawley?" Headmaster Dumbledore queried, wholly unfazed by an ex-student bursting into his office with her chest heaving.

     "Screw you, Dumbledore," she hissed, the sound colder than any glacier. "James — James is fucking dead, Sirius is being sent to Azkaban without a trial and I had to find out that Lily is stuck at St Mungo's from Regulus. I want answers and I want them now. No more riddles, no more games. Tell me, what the hell have you done?"

     His brow crinkled, the lines of age on his face becoming more prominent with the action. "I'm sorry to hear about Miss Evans. I was not made aware. That being said, she's always been a resilient young —"

     "Bullshit! She's in a coma," interrupted Juliet. "My friend is in a coma because of your incompetence. You must have known the Auror Office wanted her to give a statement on what happened. Why did you not think to send her protection? Where's your Order of the Phoenix now? Lily was left alone and Dolohov intercepted her, tortured her. And you're trying to tell me how resilient she is? How strong and brave?"

     "Most of the Order is dead," Dumbledore answered quietly. "I understand you are upset, but I am not to blame here. I wish Miss Evans a speedy recovery and I offer you my condolences on Mr Potter, it is to my understanding you two were rather . . . close. Other than that, my hands are quite tied and I'm afraid I am of little help."

     Juliet strutted over to his desk and slammed her hands down on it. "That's it? What about Sirius? Peter was the traitor and Regulus will vouch for it, he's innocent!" Her voice splintered, a tsunami of raw emotion gushing through the cracks. "And Harry? Lily left him with the Longbottoms, but they have their own son to worry about. Sirius is his godfather, for Merlin's sake."

     "That may be, but I have often found that Ministry politics are far more complicated than they seem," Dumbledore confessed, a sharp note of resignation in his tone. "Lucius Malfoy amongst several others have claimed they were under the Imperius Curse. Crouch is desperate for a scapegoat and Sirius Black is the best he will find, a fallen pureblood with little family who would fight for him."