A Beautiful and Terrible Truth

Chapter 15

“I’ll begin with Miss Flint,” the minister said and as he reached to the side of him, I swallowed hard.

What could Dumbledore possibly have left me? Scrimgour handed me a rather think envelope with my name scrawled over the front in none other than Dumbledore’s handwriting. I took it and swallowed hard. I flipped it over to still find it sealed, but I still looked up at the minister.

He nodded. “We’re reguarded under the law not to go through the contents of a personal letter left in a will unless it’s a matter of life and death, but when it comes to you, Miss Flint, we thought that nothing left to you would be considered dangerous in any shape or form,” he stopped and cleared his throat. “The contents of that envelope have been unsearched.”

I nodded and stared in wonder at the heavy envelope. Harry’s hand soothingly ran over my arm. I didn’t want to open it in front of everyone, but Scrimgour was handing me something else. It was too in an envelope, but it wasn’t heavy like the other. He told me that was all, so I nodded to Harry before standing and heading up to Ron’s room where I found Kam talking with Astoria.

“What did he want?” Kam asked, sitting up from her position on the bed.

Astoria smiled at me from the floor, but she didn’t move. It was good to see her, but she looked like she was tired. The bags under her eyes were proof that she wasn’t sleeping well. It must bother her because her family is still involved in the mess that she left behind. Either that or she had rough nights staying with the ginger twins, which was my guess.

“To give me two envelopes that Dumbledore left me in his will,” I said, causing Kam’s eyes to widen and Astoria to jump up off the floor, hitting her head on the bed as she did so just so she could sit next to Kam.

“So,” Astoria said. “Your Headmaster left you something of all people?”

I nodded. “I was once called to his office last year to talk about Pansy and her spreading rumors around the whole school about me, but instead he told me that I was more important than I realized, especially to Draco. It was before I knew that Draco had fallen in love with me.”

Astoria smiled. “Then open them!”

“Wait a second,” Kam said, standing and approaching me and took one of the envelopes in her hand and felt the other. “You should open the lightest first.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

I let Kam hold the other one as I placed my pointer finger under the flap. With that one movement, Astoria jumped off the bed and flew to our sides. I took in a deep breath before tearing the flap open. There was no parchment of any form inside, but when I tipped it over a necklace fell into my hand. It wasn’t just any necklace though.

“Is that a time turner?” Astoria gasped.

Kam nodded. “That is for real a time turner. Are you sure there’s no note with it?”

I shook my head and handed her the empty envelope so she could just tear it apart in search for an explanation, which I was sure was in the heavier one. So, I tore it open and there was some parchment inside. I pulled it out, and when I did, a small, clear vial fell out as well. A vial? What? Did he want me to make a potion of some sort?

“Give me that,” Kam said, taking the vial with such force that I actually looked up at her. “Read, Courtney. Read!”

And so I did.

Dearest Courtney,

I am quite sure that this must come as a shock to you to discover that I had plans for you as I did for Harry. What I must ask of you is not to tangle your assignment up with his for they have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Harry is looking to stop a wizard. You are looking to stop a cycle.