Dolasitas

DISCLAIMER - the settings, and of course all characters mentioned with the exception of Lexy Beaumont are the creation of the wonderful JKR, and no trademark or copyright infringement is intended.

“You can't burn the devil or compete with him
You don't play with fire and hope to win
You can't burn the devil or compete with sin
The line that you walk is extremely thin”

You Can’t Burn The Devil, Dogs D’Amour


Alexis Beaumont glanced up at her Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, and was unsurprised to note the downcast expression on her teacher’s face. After all, today was the first anniversary of the Dark Lord’s triumph over Harry Potter in the Final Battle. Lexy trembled as she recalled that day. She had been nearing the end of her fifth year at Hogwarts when word had come to the school that the Dark Lord’s forces were massing in Hogsmeade, and all of the sixth and seventh year students along with the staff had rushed there to help Harry Potter defeat the Dark Lord. At least, that had been the plan.

It turned into a massacre. Less than ten percent of the students who left Hogwarts that night returned. Harry Potter had been killed by the Dark Lord early in the battle, and after that everyone knew that there was only one way that the battle was going to go. The Death Eaters suffered hardly any losses, and the teaching staff were forced to cut their losses and return to the school to defend their remaining students. The Dark Lord Apparated straight to the Ministry of Magic once victory was assured where he declared victory over the entire wizarding community of Great Britain. Lexy’s own parents, Hugo and Victoria, had died in the battle, along with many adult wizards who had gone to stand against the Dark Lord. Her infant brother Will had disappeared not long before, leaving her without family. So many were lost, that there was no-one left to mount an effective challenge against his takeover of the Ministry.

The weeks following saw many changes as the Dark Lord began to impose Salazar Slytherin’s beliefs. Surprisingly, the teaching staff who had survived the battle were allowed to remain at Hogwarts under the watchful eye of the board of governors, now consisting entirely of Death Eaters. Severus Snape, the former Potions professor, had returned to the school and was now teaching Defence and the Dark Arts to the remaining students. All the Muggle born students had been removed; the majority were now working in positions of servitude. Those who had resisted and the adult Muggle borns had been killed. The Gryffindor house was disbanded, and all students within it were resorted. As a pureblood Ravenclaw, Lexy escaped most of this first hand, but it still stung. In the community outside of Hogwarts, things were massively different as well. None of the organisations and companies operated independently any more; all came under the directive of the Dark Lord. No-one could see an end to the darkness – after all, there were already children being born who knew nothing but the reign of the Dark Lord. Anyone who openly opposed him disappeared within hours.

But life carried on for those who survived. Quite simply, it had to. At least within Hogwarts, they were shielded somewhat from the horrors outside. In fact, Lexy herself came of age tomorrow. She was not naïve; she realised that as an adult pureblood with no family to protect her, she would be hard pressed to defend herself against any Death Eaters who wanted her. The Daily Prophet had stated only last week that the Dark Lord was to reward those families who produced at least five children. The population had taken a severe hit during the war, and needed rebuilding. Lexy sighed. She had no desire to simply become a breeding mare for a Death Eater. She had hopes and dreams for her future, and had always imagined herself going travelling before settling down. Lexy was shaken from her musings by her Transfiguration teacher, Professor Lupin, tapping her on the shoulder.

“Miss Beaumont, could I please have a word with you in my office after breakfast about your latest assignment?” he said abruptly.

Lexy grimaced. Like Professor Snape, Lupin was a known sympathiser of the Dark Lord, and she had no wish to associate with him any more than necessary. However, she had little say about it when it regarded school work. Grudgingly, she assented. “Certainly, Professor. Do I need to bring my texts?”

“No,” he replied, “and please do not dally. I have precious little time to spare.” Lupin turned away from her and left the Great Hall.

Her breakfast was now even less enjoyable than before, and Lexy could not eat another bite. She stayed at the table for only another couple of minutes before rising and following Professor Lupin to his office. The walk there seemed to pass all too quickly, and she hesitantly tapped on the door.

“Come in,” called the Professor as the door swung open. Lexy tentatively stepped through the door, then started as it slammed shut behind her. Professor Lupin waved his wand and muttered a few words, and she felt the atmosphere change.

Lexy backed up against the wall. “Professor?” she questioned fearfully.

He sighed. “You have nothing to fear from me, Miss Beaumont, I give you my word. All I have done is ward the room against intruders and any who may listen in on our conversation.”

Lexy furrowed her brow in confusion. “What is so personal about my assignment that you need such privacy to discuss it with me?”

Lupin rose from his desk and began to pace the room. “Firstly, I must apologise for talking to you the way I did in the Great Hall. Unfortunately, I have a reputation to maintain, and this day is a difficult one for many of us anyway.” Lexy did not reply, merely narrowed her eyes, and he sighed and continued. “Miss Beaumont, would I be correct in stating that your seventeenth birthday is tomorrow?”

Lexy saw no reason to lie, and nodded, again maintaining her silence.

Lupin came closer to her and stared earnestly into her eyes. “Alexis, I am taking a grave risk in revealing myself to you like this, but I would be doing your parents’ memory a grave disservice if I did not do so.”

Lexy’s eyes filled with tears. “You knew my parents?” she asked quietly, her voice full of scepticism.

To her great surprise, a tear leaked down her professor’s face. “Oh, I knew them, Alexis. I don’t suppose you know of the Order of the Phoenix at all?”

“I have heard of it, but I know little of what it did or the history at all. Didn’t the Dark Lord forbid all mention of it soon after the Final Battle?” Lexy replied, biting her lip.

“He did, but that hasn’t stopped those members of the Order who survived the war from continuing their work. A brief recap for you, then; the Order of the Phoenix was set up by Albus Dumbledore in the 1970’s. He recruited a select band of wizards and witches in whom he had absolute trust to aid him in the fight against the rising Dark Lord, Voldemort. I myself joined when I graduated from Hogwarts. When it seemed that Voldemort was defeated in 1981, the Order disbanded. We had suffered many losses, being outnumbered by the Death Eaters twenty to one, and many of us merely wanted to move on and rebuild our lives.

Unfortunately, the Order had to be recalled after the Triwizard Tournament when Voldemort rose again. We began to meet regularly, and our ranks began to swell to a formidable number. Dumbledore’s death hit us hard, but we stayed strong and continued our work against Voldemort. Those of us who could be were there next to Harry Potter at the Final Battle.” Lupin sniffed as if he had a sudden cold. “Less than a dozen members left that battle field alive to carry on.”

“But what has this to do with my parents?” Lexy asked impatiently, her distrust of the Professor again showing.

“Alexis, Hugo and Victoria were members of the Order as well. They graduated Hogwarts a year behind me and Dumbledore recruited them for the Order straight away. When Voldemort was defeated, your mother was just a few weeks pregnant with you, and they were absolutely ecstatic when you were born. They did not rejoin the Order immediately the second time around. I believe they feared that you would become a target should Voldemort realise they were members of the Order. However, Dumbledore’s death shook them. I think they realised that no-one was safe regardless of what they did.”

Suddenly, part of what Lupin had said struck Lexy. “But, Professor, everyone knows you worked for Voldemort. How could you have been in the Order?”

“I was a spy, Alexis,” Lupin replied heavily.

Horrified, she whipped out her wand and pointed it at the Professor’s throat. “You traitorous bastard!” she shouted, disregarding her personal safety.

“Lexy, you misunderstand me,” he said hurriedly. “I was spying upon Voldemort!”

“You...what?” Lexy asked, bemused.

“Professor Snape spied for the Order for many years – or so we were led to believe,” he stated bitterly. “When he murdered Dumbledore, we lost our only source of information regarding Voldemort’s plans. We needed another spy, and I was ready made, as it were, being a werewolf.”

“And… you are still a spy?” she asked in awe.

“I am, Alexis. I am sure you realise how important it is that this information does not reach the ears of anyone else.”

“Oh, of course, Professor. You can trust me,” Lexy replied earnestly.

“I am very glad to hear you say that, Alexis; for I have something else I need to tell you. I would like to you join the Order tomorrow for your own protection.”

“My protection?” Lexy asked, a little frightened. “Are we no longer safe at Hogwarts?”

“The students will be safe at Hogwarts for as long as the Order survives, Alexis,” Lupin asserted grimly. “No, our worries about you are regarding the summer. What are your plans until Hogwarts reconvenes in September?”

Lexy shrugged. “I don’t really know. I suppose just stay at home and use the time to prepare for my NEWTs.”

Lupin shook his head. “No, that will not do. I suppose you know little of warding and protection charms?”

She shook with barely suppressed fear. “Not enough if you think I am in danger, sir.”

“Alexis, we would feel much more comfortable if you were to stay at Hogwarts over the summer. Once you graduate, you will probably have to move to the Order headquarters to remain safe.”

“But why, sir?”

“Have you been keeping up with what is written in the Daily Prophet?”

“I have.” Last week’s article appeared in her head with alarming clarity. She sighed. “This is about the Dark Lord’s wish to increase the population, isn’t it?”

Lupin nodded. “I am afraid so. As an intelligent, and dare I say, attractive, Pureblood student, you are likely to be selected by Voldemort to join with one of his Death Eaters. In fact, I have heard whispers of you specifically amongst some of the Inner Circle.”

Lexy blanched. “How do they know of me?”

“Many of the Death Eaters already have children at the school, and you may have noticed the unscheduled inspection from the board of governors earlier in the week. We believe that was merely an excuse to evaluate the female students in the sixth and seventh years. Once you are of age, there will be nothing preventing them from taking you out of school, should they so desire. The beauty of a dictatorship,” Remus said sadly, “is that they can do whatever they wish with no fear of a comeback.”

Lexy’s mind was already made up. “What do I need to do, Professor?”

“Come directly to my office before breakfast tomorrow, Alexis. Myself and some of the other Order members will be here to swear you in, and we can explain what protection we can offer you once you are under oath.”

“I will, Professor,” she replied, looking upon him with a new-found respect. “Thank you for your help, sir.”

“Oh, you do not owe me any gratitude as of yet, Alexis,” he said grimly.

Alexis left the office and locked herself in her dormitory for the rest of the day, claiming sickness to those of her housemates who expressed concern.

She had little sleep that night, and encountered no-one else awake as she made her way to Professor Lupin’s office early the next morning. Lexy knocked tremulously on the door, and thirty seconds passed before the door opened a crack and Lexy was quietly ushered through. “My apologies for the delay, Alexis. As I am sure you can appreciate, we have many wards on the office this morning. Congratulations on your coming of age, by the way. I only wish it could have been celebrated under better circumstances.”

“Needs must, Professor,” Lexy said ruefully, looking around the room with interest. Professor McGonagall was sat behind the desk, biting her nails, and stood next to her was a seventh year former Gryffindor student Lexy recognised as Ginny Weasley. She had been resorted into Slytherin after the war. There were also two wizards Lexy did not recognise.

“May I introduce to you the former Auror, Kingsley Shacklebolt –“ the dark, bald wizard stepped forward and inclined his head, “and Neville Longbottom.” As Neville smiled at her, Lexy recognised him as a Gryffindor from Harry Potter’s year.

Professor Lupin again began to pace the room. “The witches and wizards you see here today are all members of the Order of the Phoenix, Alexis. They are sworn to protect each other and work towards the defeat of Voldemort. Should you join, you would be required to do the same.” Alexis nodded, and he continued. “If you take the vow, you will be bound by an Unbreakable Vow not to divulge secrets of the Order or betray any of the members. Now is the time for you to make your decision, Alexis. If you choose to walk away and accept what Voldemort has in store for you, that is your decision. You may leave here now, we will Obliviate you and that will be the end of it.”

Lexy shook her head vehemently. “I haven’t changed my mind, sir. I want to join.”

“Good. Minerva, would you please act as binder for the induction?”

Professor McGonagall nodded and stepped forward, holding her wand against their now joined hands. Lupin took a deep breath then began to speak. “Alexis Hope Beaumont, do you solemnly swear that you are joining the Order of the Phoenix of your own free will?”

Alexis nodded. “I do,” she stated solemnly, and a golden rope of flame burst out of McGonagall’s wand and twisted around their hands.

“Do you solemnly swear that you will protect the secrets of the Order, divulging them to no-one outside of the Order, and that you will never reveal the identity of any of the members?”

“I do.” A second rope of flame joined the first.

“And do you also swear that you will do all that it is possible for you to do to defeat Voldemort and restore peace and freedom to the wizarding world?”

“I do.” The third rope of flame burned equally brightly as it wove around them.

“Finally, do you realise that wilfully breaking this Vow and not fulfilling these terms set forth will result in your death?”

“I do.” The fourth rope joined the first three, and McGonagall tapped them twice with her wand. They shimmered, then disappeared as Lexy felt the swirl of magic around them.

“It is done,” said Lupin tiredly. “I am sorry that we have to invoke the Unbreakable Vow, but after what happened with Snape we cannot be too careful.”

“No need to apologise, sir.”

Lupin smiled. “In this environment, we are colleagues, Alexis. There is no need for you to refer to any of us formally.”

“In that case, Mr. Lupin, please call me Lexy.”

“Only if you call me Remus. Mr. Lupin makes me feel terribly old,” he replied with a rare grin. “Right, down to business then folks. Lexy’s induction was not the only reason I summoned you here today. I have recently discovered that Voldemort is extremely displeased with the, er, performance of the Inner Circle in providing him with future generations.”

Kingsley grimaced. “Are you going to be forced to mate, Remus?”

Remus shook his head. “No, this is one of the only times that I am thankful for my condition. I have been excused. However, the rest of the Inner Circle have not been so lucky. Ginny, Lexy and Neville, I believe you three particularly will be targeted.”

Ginny scowled. “How so, Remus?”

“Many of the Inner Circle are unmarried or in relationships that have failed to bear children. You three, with your healthy Pureblood backgrounds, are likely to be selected by some of them as suitable candidates.”

It struck Lexy had much older Minerva McGonagall was looking. Gone was the youthful, vibrant woman of just a few years past. “What do you suggest, Remus?”

“Well, Neville, I would like you to move into Order Headquarters immediately. It is heavily warded, Unplottable and under the Fidelius charm, so it is as safe as we can make it. Ginny and Lexy, I would like you to go there as soon as term ends. If you go before, it will raise too much suspicion I am afraid. I would also like to remind you that Snape is one of those Death Eaters under pressure. If you can, avoid being alone with him wherever possible. Does anyone else have any issues to discuss now?”

Everyone shook their heads. “Very well, thank you all for coming. Order dismissed.”

Lexy and Ginny left the office together and walked in companiable silence until they reached the point where their paths split. Ginny looked at Lexy soberly. “Take care of yourself, okay?” Lexy nodded, and they embraced before parting. Lost in her thoughts, Lexy was not paying attention to where she was walking, and collided with a wizard stalking down the corridor in the opposite direction.

“Oh, I am so sorry,” she stammered. Her eyes widened as she looked up into the cold grey eyes of one Lucius Malfoy.

“Well, what do we have here?” he asked with a cruel smile on his face. Lucius trailed a soft finger down her face, and Lexy trembled with fear.




A/N This is a plot bunny that came into my head fully formed whilst I was stuck on a chapter for my other story. It's all planned out, it's just a question of committing it to paper and doing it justice. I've also got a PWP featuring Filch, of all people, on its way in the next couple of weeks. I appreciate that this chapter was a little slow, but it's a big scene to set, and the action certainly starts coming thick and fast next chapter.

Please review; I will love you forever if you do!