ENIGMA

Plot, new characters, new magical terms and abilities etc. are my intellectual property. If you want to borrow then please kindly ask. JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers.

Summary: AU: What if everything we ever read in JK Rowling’s books was real – including the people characterised? What would you do if you found yourself caught up in that reality knowing what was to come? SSnape, CDiggory, OFC

Authors Note:It has been mentioned in the story but now I am noting it here. I am a fan of Diana Gabaldon’s ‘Outlander’/’Cross Stitch’ series and definitely was influenced by that in writing this story – i.e. the Standing Stones and traveling through time. But I also love Philip Pullman’s ‘His Dark Materials’ series and the tv programme ‘Sliders’ and the alternate universes alongside ours idea comes from there no doubt.

CHAPTER NOTES: Yes I have been gone for quite some time. Unfortunately I had some very real-life problems to grapple with. But I will finish this and all my other stories. And more will be revealed about the clans in time…

Fantasy/Drama

This story is rated R/M.

ENIGMA

Chapter 034: Crossroads II

Cedric and Jessica set about rediscovering each other in their newfound freedom together. Their days always varied, but they always started and ended it together. They reveled in their time alone as a couple and it was as though the only life they had ever had was this one.

Despite earlier appearances to the contrary, Cedric hadn’t entirely left the wizarding world behind him. He had two extra trunks filled with his brooms, Quidditch equipment, schoolbooks and other practical items that been transfigured to look like sweat socks and underwear. They didn’t dare unpack any of it in case the landlord needed to come into the flat while they were out – but in a practical sense there just wasn’t enough room. Still, he did have some items to hand from the Apothecary in Diagon Alley and the Potions stores at Hogwarts. Jessica was able to help him brew a potion that quickly healed him of his decidedly Muggle illness.

The couple were then able to start braving the fierce wintry tempests that consumed Venice and the whole of the Veneto. There would be the odd moment of sunlight when the weather seemed to calm and Jessica began to show Cedric her Venice. He could see why she was so drawn to it and was compelled to stay. He fell in love with the art, the culture, the traditions and especially the good friends she had made. In his mind it wasn’t a bad life at all. What a relief to be somewhere where Snape and the Malfoys weren’t and where You-Know-Who didn’t have a stronghold like he did in Britain. How nice it was to not have to think about fighting back against something that threatened to destroy the fragile peace that bound the wizarding communities together. Most important, it was blessedly good just to be able to be with Jessica and not have to put on a pretence that he didn’t love her.

As they crossed St. Mark’s Square one wintry afternoon the former librarian suddenly turned. ‘There’s a beautiful old church, quite small and always quiet that I would love to show you, Cedric,’ said Jessica. ‘It’s not too far away. I always find peace and tranquillity in churches…and this one is a special favourite…’

As if on cue, there were almost sonic booms in the sky. So much for the respite from bad weather…

‘Let’s leave it for another day, love,’ Cedric said as he signalled a water taxi. ‘Looks like another serious storm is coming and I would much rather ride it out at home.’

Jessica looked up and frowned at the heavy dark clouds rolling in from the West.

‘Shame – it is a beautiful church, but I could do with a nice hot cuppa,’ she said as he took her hand and led her to the taxi as rain began to fall. ‘We can see it some other time and I’ll take you to my favourite place for antipasti just off the square here…’

xxxxxxx

To her dismay Minerva found that the weather in Venice was even worse than that she and Liam had left behind. They were grateful for the odd moments when things let up but today their luck wasn’t meant to hold out. And mercifully they were at least at a distance from the tensions at Hogwarts with the Tournament and the Malfoys. That was something to be grateful for. She thought about what Liam had revealed to her just before they left for their holiday as they took refuge from the storm in a small church a small distance from St. Mark’s Square. No matter how many times she turned it around and around in her head, there was still this unrelenting desperation for a silver lining in the dark clouds hanging over Jessica, dark clouds that Jessica had no clue about.

‘Muggles and their fanciful notions about their place in the universe,’ Liam commented in hushed tones after a time. He didn’t know why he was whispering, but supposed it was because the place was so still, to do otherwise would seem disrespectful. Even if he didn’t agree with it, he could respect the traditions of the place.

When a biting retort wasn’t forthcoming he looked over at his wife.

Minerva was perched on the edge of the pew. She had stopped short of kneeling on the cushioned bench at their feet and crossing herself; but he could tell that in her own way, Minerva McGonagall was praying to the Christian God.

Liam reached over silently and put one of his hands over hers.

‘If it’s any consolation, I’m scared too…’ he murmured.

Without looking at each other or speaking another word, witch and wizard slid off the ancient wooden pew and onto the prayer bench.

xxxOOOxxx

Several days later Cedric and Jessica were up earlier than usual. Marta had given them a tip on a house in the Lagoon that was available, but not yet on the market. This morning the former librarian and her lover had an early breakfast and set out to view the place. Her colleague hadn’t exaggerated, the house was a dream.

‘Soooooo what do you think?’ Jessica asked Cedric quietly after they dismissed the solicitor.

They were able to bypass overpriced real estate agents and deal directly with the family selling the house. It would be a much better deal for everyone involved and far less time-consuming.

‘You’d be a fool to turn it down…’ Cedric whispered. ‘I can’t believe how reasonable the price is…and for so much room.’

‘What do you mean I would be a fool?’

Jessica poked the burly young man and then looked up at him with a faint smile.

‘I don’t want you to ever think you don’t have control over your own life Jess. He was always telling you what to do, what to say, how to think… I don’t want you to ever think that you mustn’t be your own person for us to be ok with each other. It wouldn’t bother me at all if this place was completely yours...’

‘You make sound as though you don’t intend on going back,’ Jessica replied hesitantly.

‘Why should I? Everything I need is here.’

‘Your education…you’re so close to finishing and you need something to show for it all. You need to finish and get your certificates.’

‘It just so happens that while you’ve been working on your projects at home, I was exploring the wizarding community here.’

‘’You what? I wasn’t even sure that they had a wizarding community here – why the hell didn’t you tell me?? Going for a walk to get some air my arse…!’

‘Because I wanted to be sure of things before I said anything,’ Cedric said gently as he turned to face Jessica directly and put his hands on her shoulders. ‘I can transfer in and finish in roughly the same amount of time. I’d have to travel to and from Florence but I would be a Day Student – they don’t believe in boarding here – mainly because of the expense.’

‘You…you looked into all this even before you came here, didn’t you…’ Jessica said softly. ‘It never even occurred to me to be honest…’

‘Yes, I did.’

The former librarian took one of his large hands in hers and then kissed its palm.

‘All I needed to do was get here and have my interviews,’ Cedric continued. ‘Hogwarts is a prestigious school and my grades aren’t that bad. I was a Prefect and I was Quidditch Captain for Hufflepuff and not too shabby at that. We had a preliminary fire-to-fire chat and it went well. It was pretty much a done deal before I left; all I needed to do was find you and then confirm that I want to transfer.’

‘…Professor McGonagall would have to approve it, Cedric. And I would find it hard to believe that someone like you could be making enquiries and no one managed to find out!’

‘They were only enquiries, Jess… Anyway, it doesn’t matter. The school records I have are official and they are just as valid since they have the school seal on them. I don’t need to involve Professor McGonagall that much other than informing her that I’ve left and observing certain courtesies. But what I do or don’t decide is entirely up to me and I don’t need her approval or anyone else’s.’

Cedric pulled the woman he loved into his arms.

‘You’re stuck with me now,’ he said nervously.

‘No…’ Jessica murmured, ‘never stuck…’

She and Cedric melted into a gentle kiss and she let him hold her.

‘We’ll be ok,’ Cedric said softly after a moment or two.

‘Yes, of course we will…’ Jessica replied, filled with uncertainty. Nothing so complicated could be worked out so easily. It was almost too easy and nothing was ever as simple as it seemed to be.

Severus had taught her that.

xxxOOOxxx

‘Harry you really need to get a grip!’ Hermione scolded. ‘Professor Dumbledore won’t be able to protect you if you keep on like this!’

The Boy Who Lived had had yet another run-in with Professor Snape. It was bad enough when school was in session but it was something else when they were supposed to be having a fun-filled holiday. Harry had endured no end of grief, but having to put up with Snape’s thinly-veiled jibes was something else when the resident overgrown bat should be off terrorizing someone else and giving him some peace.

‘You’re not exactly easy to be around these days you know,’ Ron huffed. ‘Taking your problems with that greasy git out on your mates isn’t going to do you any favours!’

‘WELL WHY DON’T YOU JUST PISS OFF THEN!’ Harry stormed as he flung himself in a chair in the Gryffindor common room.

Ron started to speak and Hermione silenced him with a deadly glare. If there was anyone who could get World War III started with a careless remark it was him. And goodness knows he’d said enough already.

‘Be careful what you ask for, Harry. You need all the friends you can get and you just might need them sooner rather than later.’

‘You sound like her,’ Harry spat.

‘Well she is a smart lady – and she’s had to tell me that a few times too…’ Hermione said as though she couldn’t quite believe it herself.

‘We miss her too Harry,’ Ron said. ‘You might be closer to her I guess, but it doesn’t mean that it’s just you that’s hurting…’

‘Ron’s right (for a change)… and I have no doubt that its all this business with Snape and the Malfoys that got her so wound up as much as it has you… but you aren’t going to get anywhere by being so nasty to people that haven’t done anything to particularly deserve it!’

The Boy Who Lived took a deep breath and then wiped his eyes.

‘She’s the only one…’ he said through a hard swallow. ‘She’s the only one who’s ever confronted them, punished them for what they’ve put me through, tried to set things right…!’

Harry told his two best friends about the previous summer when Jessica turned up at the Dursleys.

‘Bloody Hell so it is true! I overheard Dad saying something to Mum about it, but you know what he’s like when he thinks we’re trying to listen in on their conversations!’ Ron boomed. ‘Gosh I would’ve paid good money to see that!’

Even Hermione burst out laughing and soon the friends were crowing over the fact that Harry’s most hated tormentors had got their comeuppance.

‘Were you… hoping… that somehow…’ Ron began carefully. ‘Were you hoping that somehow she’d take you away from there?’

The only answer was a loud snort.

‘Harry – If there had been a way for Jessica to do it, I’m pretty sure she would have,’ Ron continued. ‘She risked a lot just by going there and even you’ve said that she keeps covering for you with Snape…’

‘Two for two Ronald; quite impressive,’ Hermione said with an agreeable nod of her bushy head.

‘You agree with him then?’ Harry asked sullenly.

‘As a matter of fact, I do.’

Look Harry – we all know that Jessica doesn’t play favourites; never has since she’s got here,’ Ron said carefully. ‘But she hasn’t gone to see anyone else at home but you. Yeah some of the others come to her and that… But you’re the only one here in such an extreme kind of situation and she worries about that a lot… I heard her say so to Mum back at ours... and Mum said to Dad that Jessica’s gotten into some mega-barnies with Dumbledore about you being left with those people – she heard about them from McGonagall. There aren’t that many people alive who would go up against the Headmaster and Jessica doesn’t seem to be afraid of him like other people are!’

‘Not worried enough to not run out on me…’

‘If Jessica left it was for a good reason, Harry. Somehow I don’t think that this is the end of it. And I think if anything she’ll be back and it will be because of you. She loves you too much and maybe that’s the problem,’ Hermione added quietly.

Harry remained silent. He was sullen, but silent.

He was listening.

‘Can you imagine what it would be like to love someone so much and yet be so powerless to do something to stop what was happening to them? And that someone is a student where you work…’ Hermione continued thoughtfully, ‘Technically she was out of bounds for going to the Dursleys and taking you out like she did; I think she loves you to much to let go like she’s expected to. But I think that’s what it is for her; she can’t help how much she cares about you and she’s stuck because she can’t do what she wants. Let’s face it, Dumbledore will always have the final word no matter what happens – and as far as most people are concerned as long as he’s around you’re safe. They don’t know anything about those hideous people you’re forced to live with. It’s always about You-Know-Who… But Jessica got past all that to you – the real you that no one else ever sees; and I think that’s what the bond is for you with her.’

‘I’ve never even talked to her about that… Him….’ Harry said. ‘We talk about everything else but that…’

‘She’s probably the only one who isn’t reminding you of it,’ Ron said. ‘You know what you’re up against, you don’t need telling… and Merlin knows Mum and Dad do enough of that when you come to ours… and people ‘round here can’t leave it alone to save their lives including us.’

‘Your parents are really good to me, Ron, and I’m grateful – I really am. But it’s your family, not mine… And you and Hermione are the best mates I could ever hope to have but… I know Jessica isn’t my mother… but I…it’s just…’

Harry shrugged absently and looked down his hiking boots, the hiking boots Jessica had gotten him the last time she went to Edinburgh. They were a deep olive green and she’d thought they complemented his eyes. She’d come back with those and some other things she thought Harry could use. He didn’t need any of it really, but it had felt great having someone fuss over him the way he was used to watching with his friends and schoolmates.

‘I think Mum was a bit put out at first… But Jessica won her over in the end.’

‘Your Mum has a large family of her own. Jessica has no one and neither does Harry in a sense. It’s like she was dropped here for you, Harry.’

‘Except she’s not here! If the Dursleys find out that she’s gone they’ll start punishing me again – and this time it’ll be worse!’ Harry’s brilliant emerald eyes began to well up and he walked away from his friends and went up to his dormitory.

‘D’you really think she’ll come back?’ Ron asked plaintively as he watched the retreating back of his best friend.

‘I don’t think he’s ever told us just how much those people hurt him…’

‘D’you think…?’

‘I don’t want to think that, Ronald. I really don’t… But it wouldn’t surprise me if…’

Hermione blinked back tears of her own.

‘I hope she comes back… I really want her to come back…for Harry’s sake if nothing else,’ she said hoarsely before bursting into tears.

Looking around more out of embarrassment than anything else, Ron did the only thing he could do and put his arms around Hermione. But they were both thinking the same thing: if it was true that Harry’s abuse was far worse than he’d ever let on, it was even more important that Jessica returned to Hogwarts and sooner rather than later.

xxxOOOxxx

Everything had seemed so certain, and yet things were falling apart of their own accord. At the last possible moment the purchase of the house had fallen through. Marta couldn’t stop apologizing – she never would have thought the family capable of such vile underhandedness. But it seemed that for some strange reason they just didn’t want to sell to Jessica. They were willing to have the house on the market for a long time and potentially undersold rather than have ‘someone like that’ live in it.

‘It doesn’t matter,’ Jessica told her for about the hundredth time over a heaping plate of antipasti in her favourite outdoor café just over a week after she and Cedric had seen the house. The weather had changed enough so that they could brave the outdoors even though it was likely to be short-lived. ‘Been there and experienced it already. Let’s just drop it OK. It may take a while to find something but we’ll find something – and even better than that stupid house. It was way more room than we needed anyway…’’

It was hard not to sound bitter and God only knew that she didn’t want to make this into a big racial issue (even though it definitely was). But Cedric was finding out for himself that not everyone was prepared to accept an inter-racial relationship, their age difference notwithstanding. They weren’t cocooned in the wizarding world anymore where it was only ever about bloodlines. This was his real world – and it could be just as ugly as the one she’d left behind on the other side of the Stones.

‘Why don’t I get us some more drinks – Jess?’ Cedric asked quietly.

His girlfriend looked close to tears. They had put such expectation into having that house. It would have been their first real place together; the house where their life together would truly begin.

‘Yeah – I think I need a bit more than a soft drink…’

‘A Cosmo it is then My Lady… Marta; hot for more ‘Sex On The Beach’?’ Cedric asked loudly.

There was some sniggering from the tables near theirs and Jessica’s colleague looked like she wanted to disappear into the pavement. Jessica burst into laughter and shooed her boyfriend away.

‘He is sooooo bad your Cedric!’ Marta snorted disapprovingly.

‘Wouldn’t have him any other way my dear!’

‘Jessica… Jessica is that you??’ came a familiar voice.

Jessica’s laughter stopped short as she looked up in disbelief. Professor McGonagall and her husband flew across the small square, their faces mirroring what she was feeling.

‘Minerva?’ Jessica squeaked. ‘Oh, Minerva! Liam!’

The former Librarian jumped up from the table almost knocking it over as she ran out into the square almost to the door of her favourite church.

‘By Merlin you look fantastic!’ cried the Deputy Headmistress as she and Jessica hugged tightly, tears running down their faces.

‘See Wife – I told ye she’d be alright…’ Liam commented incredulously. ‘Good seeing ye, Sister. Ye’ve been missed and not just by us…’

He wasn’t even about to go down the road of commenting on all the praying they had been doing since they found this church. For her part Jessica wasn’t about to comment on the shocking sight of seeing Liam McKenzie coming out of a church looking almost reverential.

‘Jessica – are you alright?’ Marta shouted across the square. ‘Is everything OK?’

‘Oh God where are my manners?!’ Jessica sniffed as she walked between her two dear friends back towards her table. ‘Marta I’d like you to meet some very dear friends of mine. More than friends – family really… the closest I’ll get to a proper family…’

Jessica introduced everyone and stopped short as she remembered Cedric… The same Cedric who was walking back to their table trailed by a waiter with drinks.

‘Jess the bartender doesn’t know how to make a Cosmopolitan so I got you something else. It’s hot ‘Sex on the Beach’ all around … Professor McGonagall… Mr. McKenzie…’

Cedric stopped for only the briefest of moments before walking over to Jessica and putting his arm around her. Jessica swallowed as she looked up at him and then over to her magical family. Marta just looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there as Cedric’s remarks were laughed at yet again.

‘So we meet at last, Mr. Diggory,’ Liam said quietly as he extended his hand in the way of the Highlanders. It was a sign of respect – and of peace. He had no quarrel with the young man, none whatsoever.

Jessica gestured quickly to Cedric and the Hufflepuff extended his hand back in the same manner.

‘I have waited for this moment for a long time and I welcome you as a Brother, Cedric.

‘You… what?’ Minerva asked shakily.

‘It would have done ye no good to know it all, my dear wife… I don’t even know it all, but I knew enough. There was a reason ye didn’t see it, aye?’

‘So it isn’t Snape that has the soul connection….?’ Minerva murmured so that only Liam heard as they walked to the table to take a seat. ‘And it’s not him that will father the child…?’

But her husband would not answer her.

xxxOOOxxx

There was so much to talk about, not the least of which was how Jessica had come to be here, how she had been surviving and what how in Merlin’s name had Cedric Diggory found her when even Dumbledore couldn’t. It would do no good to start speaking of Jessica returning just yet. But return she would, Liam was certain of it. Just as he’d been certain they would find her. His faith had always been stronger that his wife’s to a degree – and her husband’s silences was not something Minerva ever took lightly.

There was so much about her own future that Jessica had no idea about; and even knowing what they did, Minerva and Liam were certain that there were twists even with the most destined of situations to come. Even with the formidable magic and power of the Clans, it was not for them to know everything. They knew just enough to keep Dumbledore at bay and stop his wretched interfering, if such a thing were possible.

And it would do none of them any good to dwell on what was to come, especially Cedric. But he was not to know and neither was Jessica. Minerva could see why Liam had made her swear an oath; had she known it was Cedric that Liam had been seeing as they scryed things would be quite different now.

‘Let this be as happy a time for him as it can be,’ Liam finally said in quiet communication perceived of only by his wife as a water taxi took them away from the inquisitive eyes of Jessica’s friend and colleague. Jessica had made excuses to Marta so that she and the others could return to her flat and speak in private.

Minerva gestured lightly in reply as she trilled about the excitement of the flight over and their stay in the Veneto so far. But it was for the sake of propriety

Jessica and Cedric had a lot of explaining to do.

Professor McGonagall was bound by duty and honour to get some answers. After all, she was still Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts.

xxxOOOxxx

They were seated around the dinner table, huddled over their tea cups. Jessica and Cedric held hands, each being the strength the other needed. They felt as though if they could get through this, they could get through anything. In some ways Minerva and Liam were even more terrifying than Dumbledore – but it was perhaps because Jessica loved them and her adoptive family so much and she was aware that she’d let them down by running off like she did.

‘Ye can never take anything for granted lass – even with the magic we possess. Many have fallen afoul of a decision made in the heat of the moment, a decision not thought about as much as it ought to have been. Ye’ve witnessed some terrible things and been a victim, yes ye have. But this world – this world holds dangers the likes of which I hope ye never come to know firsthand,’ Liam chided her. ‘We found ye because it was in accordance with Divine will that we should do.’

‘You mean it was meant to be – so that’s why it happened?’ Jessica asked quietly.

‘Aye,’ said Minerva lapsing into her native brogue. Young Diggory might as well get used to it. ‘Even with being able to see where ye were, it did not lead us straight to ye. There might have been times since we arrived that we were closer to ye that spoon is to the teapot; but we were not going to cross paths with ye ‘til it was meant that we do.’

Jessica took a deep breath and blinked her eyes. There was so much to say and at the end of it she could very well lose Cedric. Even she was sick and tired of being sick and tired of her dramas. She told them everything – everything she dared without mentioning the books. Cedric could never know about those. Not ever. And they all knew it. But she did come clean about the stones, Cedric should at least know that. She told everything that Minerva and Liam already knew and then filled them all in on the truth of her disappearance.

‘I couldn’t cope. I just couldn’t cope with hearing how much Severus is suffering because he supposedly loves me and all the rest of it; and yet he makes me feel so worthless and stupid. He makes me feel likes he hates me. And I’ve ruined Cedric’s life, but I couldn’t help myself with him. It’s no excuse and I’m not trying to make any, but I should have turned him away when he showed up here.

And then there’s Harry; my wonderful, sweet, mischievous boy whom I can’t do a damn thing to help! I wish I didn’t know everything about him that no one else does! You have no idea how much he’s suffering! But I know it; I understand it better than you’ll ever know! Of anyone here, Harry Potter knows me better than anyone! I know what you’re going to say and your probably right – but sometimes the key to trying to get through it all is knowing that someone else has been there and made it through the other side. The moment I shared that with him all the walls came crumbling down. He sees his friends and their families and what they have – owls coming from home and parents coming up for Open House and the others going home for the holidays and visits. Who does he really have for himself? Nothing! I want nothing more than to take him away from those horrible people and Dumbledore won’t let me! The most Powerful Wizard of the Age is seemingly impotent when it comes to that!’

‘You make it sound like you’re Potter’s mother, Jess, and you’re not!’ Cedric snapped angrily.

‘Get over yourself Cedric! You are lucky you know – you’ve got two parents who for whatever their flaws are try to do the best they can by you. Maybe you wish you had them around more, but they’ve never, ever mistreated you or made you feel unwanted and unloved. Your father exasperates you sometimes, but you’re still his pride and joy. And we all know that you are your mother’s son. They’ve given you the best they can. Harry hasn’t had that – all he’s had is horrific abuse the likes of which you can’t imagine. I’m not condemning you for having had it easy my love believe me I’m not – I know that for you things aren’t exactly the way that you want and I’m not going to piss on what you feel! But look at your life, Cedric, and see how blessed you really are.’

‘After all this; after everything we have been through and what we’ve shared together – you’re having a crisis now because of Harry Potter? He lost his parents and I’m sorry about that – but your future as a mother doesn’t include him! You’re going to be my wife Jessic!’ Cedric howled.

‘You haven’t even asked me dammit and I don’t even know that I will ever have children, Cedric! Don’t you ever listen to me? I’ve sat here and told you everything! I nearly died trying to have a baby for Severus – I can’t go through that again!’

‘And Potter knows you better than anyone? Thanks, Jessica – thanks a lot for nothing!’

‘That’s not fair – that’s not fair and you know it! Do you have idea what its like to get close to someone and to open up and tell them the truth only to have them turn it around on you? Do you know what its like to feel like you’re worthless and dirty and ashamed? Do you have any idea what it’s like having to grow up fighting for every single day of life that you’re supposedly blessed to have? No – you don’t! So don’t get your knickers in a twist because surprise, surprise I actually love someone else besides you! This isn’t a competition Cedric! You talk about having babies and yet the minute they are here they take up a lot of mum’s time! You know why your parents have problems? It’s because both of them are so damn competitive when it comes to you – each one of them jockeying for position with you because they don’t pay enough attention to each other and because your mother can never do enough for your father even when tries! If you don’t learn anything else from them make sure you get it in that thick skull of yours that the love of a child isn’t a competition and if you aren’t prepared to share the love of your spouse with that third entity then don’t bloody have any children! They’ve passed that down to you – that jealousy of anyone or anything that you think comes in the way of you getting all of the attention! Harry isn’t the only one that’s needed me, but he’s needed me a damn sight more than the rest of you – and if nothing else I do owe it to him to be there for him because no one else dares to!’

Cedric said nothing and instead jumped up from the able and barged out of the flat. Minerva felt more than a bit stung by what Jessica had to say, but it was true. She had protested to Dumbledore about the baby Harry being left with those vile Muggles, but he overruled her saying that it was for the best. With all the knowledge at his fingertips there had been other ways to protect Harry – but as always Dumbledore was a law unto himself. She should have put her foot down, she should have fought as Jessica had. But she hadn’t. She’d let Harry down over and over again long before Jessica entered the picture. She couldn’t resent the younger woman for having the guts to act. She was more Gryffindor and even more Slytherin than Ravenclaw… perhaps the Hat had made a mistake...

Jessica burst into tears but would not be consoled by Minerva and Liam.

‘Ye’ve told the lad the truth, Jessica,’ the Highlander said firmly. ‘And us also. It’s a lot more than most would have done. I’m not about to pass judgment. I’m in no position, not given our situation.’

‘Your… situation?’ came a muffled mumble from behind Jessica’s hands. ‘Are you interfering Mr. McKenzie?’

‘No – as I’ve said we are here because we are meant to be. We found ye because we were meant to. Ye’ve relayed what it is that we’ve not had the knowing of and so we are doing with ye. Ye know that I be a fair shade younger than the missus, but have ye never questioned it to yerself. Have ye never?’

The former Librarian lifted up her head and blew her nose.

‘I always supposed that you were young enough to at least have been a student of hers – when she’d not long started out as Deputy.

‘And ye’d be right about that,’ Minerva answered point-blank without flinching.

Jessica looked from one to the other.

‘We didn’t just happen to meet anywhere but at Hogwarts or in any way other than myself being a student there,’ Liam said directly. ‘I’m not going to sit here and pretend that it was easy; the situation was anything but. But when I realised that my Minerva loved me as much as I did her I would not be deterred.’

‘And I was willing to walk away from everything and everyone that I knew,’ Minerva sighed. ‘If I had to choose then it was that simple. But life is never, ever that simple, especially when your bound by love to the likes of a McKenzie.’

‘I wouldn’t have it. I made her swear an oath that she would stay and tough it out. When I was out on my own then we would be together. Arrangements were made and that was that.’

‘Arrangements – you mean you were still at Hogwarts and that was… accommodated? Are you taking the piss?’

‘I do no such thing me wee lassie – and aye, that I was. Professor Flitwick tutored me in the fine art of transfiguration and we carried on from there. This is not to say that there was no hoo-ha about it; there was a fair bit of a to-do, Merlin help me. But it wasna the first time it had happened and wasna likely to be the last. Minerva and I have stood the test of time. I wasna some simple-minded hormonal teenager and she was nowhere near being some stereotypical spinster.’

‘Believe me Jessica I know the struggles that you have had – I daresay I understand a lot more than Mr. Diggory does right now,’ Minerva said gently. ‘Potter does need ye – something fierce. He’s not going to lower his pride and send that owl after ye. I think in his mind if ye come back without him asking ye – then he’ll know that ye love him truly and that it wasn’t on account of him that ye ran off. He blames himself for a lot of things that have nowt to do with him, poor lad.’

Liam had his own thoughts but decided to stay silent, as was his way at times like these.

‘It’s not his fault the Headmaster couldn’t leave well enough alone. Not with Harry, not with me, or Severus or even Remus…’

‘Lupin – ahh yes. Dumbledore still wants to believe that there is something there for ye yet with that one. The school was no place for a werewolf, no place at all.’

‘Remus served a purpose and that purpose is done. He can never get away from what he is and right now he’s too stuck with playing the martyr. No, there was never going to be anything lasting between us and in time Remus will see it too. Someone else will come along who may seem to give up because he forces her to – but she’ll never let go. And that will make all the difference to them both where it wouldn’t for us. He and I… it was nothing more than something physical and the circumstances to make it happen. His quarrel really isn’t with me even if it might feel like it right now.’

‘You’re being mighty charitable about Dumbledore setting you up like that,’ Liam said carefully.

‘It’s water under the bridge. Dumbledore isn’t done with meddling. We all know that. I don’t think he has entirely selfless motivations and I daresay he can be tempted as much as any other man. Time will tell… I guess I was meant to come here… I just wish it had been after the seventh book. There’s too much I don’t know…’

‘But – some things are different to what ye read are they not lass?’ Minerva asked.

‘Aye – that they are; but so far quite a bit of it is because of Dumbledore maybe… You both say that what happens is what’s meant… so maybe he’s meant to be an interfering old codger and perhaps things will right themselves…’ Jessica replied with a faint shudder.

‘…and there is always the possibility that what comes to pass is precisely what was meant in the first place… Whatever is meant to be will happen regardless of the Headmaster’s interference or anyone else’s – just later and in a slightly different way,’ added Liam.

There was a tapping at the window by the table. As an uneasy recognition dawned on Jessica, she lifted her head to see the snowy form that was Harry’s owl shivering in the freezing cold that had descended with nightfall.

‘Holy Merlin!’ Minerva gasped.

The former librarian rose unsteadily but then flew to the window. She held her arm out for Hedwig and then brought the sickly-looking creature inside.

‘Good Lord – you don’t think…’ Jessica spluttered.

‘Read it lass; read the message the owl has brought ye!’ Liam implored her.

Just then Cedric came crashing through the door, seemingly out of breath.

‘An owl – I saw a bloody owl that looks like…’ he stammered, shivering with cold.

‘Harry Potter’s. You weren’t imagining things, Hedwig is here. God almighty you’re going to get sick again,’ Jessica scolded him as she pushed him over to the sofa and made him sit while she got two heavy blankets and a steaming mug of tea.

‘What does he say lass?’ Liam asked anxiously.

Jessica sat down next to Cedric and their guests sat down on the other sofa nearer the fireplace. She unfolded the parchment with shaking hands and leant down in the crackling firelight to read. There were streaks as though some of the writing had gotten wet as he was writing. But it wasn’t from Harry, it was from Hermione and she had been crying – Jessica was sure of it. But she made no mention of it to the others.

She read the letter in silence twice before saying anything about it. After all, it was meant for her and her only.

‘It’s not from Harry, but he needs me,’ she said at last blinking her eyes. ‘He would never admit that of course, but he needs me…’

‘Or maybe you want to be needed and by him,’ Cedric cut in sullenly.

‘Cedric… what I really don’t need is this, not from you. You came out here looking for me and half-killed yourself to do it too I grant you. But only because I ran off and didn’t think about anyone but me and what I was feeling. That made quite a change for me – but perhaps it wasn’t the right thing to do. But you weren’t thinking of me anymore than I thought of anyone else.’

‘What? What are you saying?’

‘What I’m saying is that whatever you do with your life should be because it’s what you want – and not because of interference from me. I was just as bad as Dumbledore – laying that guilt trip on you. I don’t regret loving you Cedric and I will always love you – but I’m not so convinced that being here like this is the right thing to do! Things aren’t working out here – we both know that! And there is a higher reason for that I’m sure of it now even if it does scare the hell out of me.’

‘And how do you know that Potter isn’t being influenced so that someone can force you to go back!’

Jessica sighed and then walked over to the antique sideboard by the dinner table. She unlocked a drawer and pulled out a velvet box. Liam knew what she was going to do and made no move to stop her. She put out a crystal and filled it with water. Jessica tapped the bowl once, twice, thrice. She tapped the parchment and then aimed her wand at the water. At first there was blurriness so she tried it again. On her fourth try Harry’s shaking form swam into view. He was laying on his bed at Hogwarts, curtains drawn around his bed and crying into his pillows so he couldn’t be heard.

‘She’s got the Ravenclaw gift of sight alright,’ Liam whispered proudly to a shocked Minerva. ‘It’s not fully-formed, but it’s there! Every instinct she has is magical – it’s spirit driving her now; the spiritual gift she’s run from her whole life!’

‘I have to go back,’ Jessica whispered hoarsely. ‘I have to…’

‘You don’t have to do anything?’ Cedric roared. ‘What about us, Jessica? What about everything I went through for us to be together?’

‘I’m going back and that’s all there is to it. That’s the thing about making choices, Cedric. You have to be willing to live with them regardless of the outcome. There was no guarantee of anything when you came here. Things could have been very different for you.’

‘But they aren’t different! I don’t want you to go back there! I…’

‘I need to go back because it is the right thing for me to do! I made a mistake in leaving like I did! What I needed was space and time on my own and you and Severus and everyone else needed it from me. I could have had that without all this unnecessary drama. If what you want is to be with me Cedric then it doesn’t matter where we are! People before us haven’t had the luxury of just running off and frankly this was the first time in my life that I’ve ever cracked so much under pressure. It was just a holiday break for you but I have some explaining to do. No one will know where I ran off to or that you managed to come after me. What they will know is that I’m back… I’m not likely to work at Hogwarts again but I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.’

‘And what about us, Jessica? What about us?’

‘You’re no coward Cedric! Far from it! You saved my life at the World Cup! You were aching to put yourself forward in that Tournament and I was the one that stopped you! I was wrong to do that and that makes me no better than the Headmaster. If there’s a way to salvage anything from this then we have to do it. Your parents may hate me when they find out about us, but it will be much worse if we carry on like this and you don’t finish at Hogwarts where you belong! You only did all this because it was the only option I gave you by leaving!’

‘They’d never allow it… She’ll never allow it!’ Cedric bellowed pointing at McGonagall.

‘You will hold your tongue, Mr. Diggory!’ Minerva said unflinchingly. ‘You threw your toys out the pram and took off without actually hearing what I had to say!’

‘There are options that we haven’t even considered, and you don’t have that much time left at school anyway. Your certificates should be from Hogwarts, not the Da Vinci School. I’m sure your parents would love to have you home again with the Holidays coming up. Just as well that bloody house fell through and I put off doing anything to this place.’

‘What about your job and your friends? What about the good life that you do have here Jessica!’

‘We’ll always have Venice, Cedric. But I also don’t want to spend my life looking over my shoulder. If we settle down here, let it be because we’re not hiding and running away from people’s disapproval. It never occurred to either of us that someone that we know might stumble across us. Lucius Malfoy could have found us instead of Minerva and Liam. We’ve been really lucky all things considered.’

Cedric cradled his head in his hands and sniffed back tears.

‘It doesn’t mean ye’ll lose her laddie,’ Liam said gently as he placed a fatherly hand on the younger man’s shoulder and looked pointedly at Jessica. ‘Quite the opposite. If ye love her as much as we know ye do then stand beside her – and treasure the days ye have together. Ye’ve got my word as Chieftan of the Clan McKenzie that you and any child of yours will always have a place with us. It’s dark times ahead for the whole of the world, and not even the magical community here will be left entirely untouched. The DaVinci School will have its own peculiar set of problems and we’ll all need to pull together. For the time being Jessica’s place is in Scotland – and so is yours. It’s taken all this for her to accept it. She needs you now more than ever.’

‘I have a house, just a little starter, outside Inverness…a little hamlet about 15 miles or so.’

‘‘It seems your Christian God does move her hands in mysterious ways, Sister…’ Liam said thoughtfully. ‘Inverness… t’is McKenzie land, that. You’ll do alright there.’

‘It… what?’ Cedric mumbled. ‘But… how?’

‘It is not for me to be questioning, me lad. But it will be easier on you both and you’ll have the whole of the clan to help ye the way they did Minerva and I all those years ago.’

Liam told the Hufflepuff what he didn’t know about he and Professor McGonagall.

‘I… I don’t know what to say,’ Cedric murmured, feeling quite ashamed at how he’d run off.

‘I know what you’re feeling there, Cedric, that’s why I’ve said what I have to ye.’

‘Is there no place that will untouched by… You-Know-Who?’

Liam shook his head ruefully.

‘I wish I could say that there was a Happily Ever After for some parts of the world – but no there isn’t…’

For the first time, Cedric began to wonder what the implications would be for him and Jessica.