Chapter 40-The Truth
Lily, James, Katy, and Sybll were sitting in Professor Dumbledore's office awaiting the news of Venus Adams' predicament. They sat there, in pain, awaiting treatment yet they felt this was far more important. Supposedly, Dumbledore, the Minister, and the four of them were to witness her confession. The question was, What is the truth?
Katy, who had been researching Venus for so long, still had many questions as to a motive and why James and Sybll were the targeted ones. The only possible explanation was that Venus was a Death Eater sent to Hogwarts on orders for Voldemort.
Yet, as James had said before, to be a plant, you had to report back your every move to your master for confirmation, but Venus seemed to be acting upon her own will and instinct. So why on Earth did this woman have it out for James??
The four of them were collapsed into armchairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. Fawkes, the phoenix, was trying to get James' attention, but at that point, James was incapable of responding. He was too focused, too drained, and too confused to do anything but listen.
When the door opened, all of their heads turned. Dumbledore lead Venus in, who was wearing handcuffs, and was followed by the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. Fudge looked extremely pale and shocked. James knew he was surprised to learn that one of his trusting Aurors would so such a thing. Surely there was a reason, an explanation for such actions.
"Sit," Dumbledore said, pointing to two armchairs for Venus and Fudge. Dumbledore performed a spell so that Venus could not get away.
"Got a smoke, Dumbledore?" Venus asked. James and Lily gave her a look but Dumbledore surprised them by conjuring a cigarette and lighting it for Venus. She put it into her mouth and inhaled the smoke.
She exhaled with relief. Everyone was watching her, waiting for some sort of gateway into her tortuous plan.
"Venus, we need to know what happened and why you did everything you did. It's important that I and the Minister know. At this point, a kiss from the Dementors is expected, but if you reveal the truth, you will get life in Azkaban," Dumbledore said, looking into her grim eyes.
"What the hell? If I am basically going to die anyways I may as well have my crime legendary. Which it is. I have devised it entirely by myself. Every aspect, every inch of cunning I possessed, I used," Venus said blowing smoke into James' face. His face turned red with hate.
"Let's see. It all began when I was at school with young James' parents. You see, Judy was my best friend. As was Harry. We were the tremendous trio. We were unstoppable. Well, eventually, I started noticing my immense attraction for Harry. One day I just went and asked him right out. I don't know what came over me, but I was sick of keeping the feeling inside.
"The bastard turned me down. Said something along the lines of not wanting to ruin our friendship. I accepted it. That is, until he went out with Judy. He was a hypocrite. I wasted my feelings on him for six years. Six long years. Then all of a sudden, Judy is the only girl he wants to see, the only one he loves. Judy sensed my jealousy and rage and didn't feel comfortable around me for a while. So, we had a huge fight and I was left friendless for sixth year.
"I didn't waste that sixth year. I built up a scheme. I created my own little torture area, a place where all my problems could be solved. I didn't care about the consequences at that point. At the end of sixth year, I completed the clearing in the forest. I had plans of using it on the lovely Judy and her Prince Harry. They made me sick.
"I left it there for seventh year, when my dreams could become reality. Before that, me and Judith made up. We were best friends again. Inside I knew that I still resented her but I had no choice. She was my only friend. Harry refused to hang around me. One day I took Judy to the clearing and showed her my masterpiece. She didn't seem to appreciate it. We left in silence and she promised not to tell Dumbledore about my secret place. My only regret is not throwing her in that cockpit and leaving her there.
"Eventually, me and Judy and Harry left Hogwarts. We became Aurors, the sole thing we had promised to do since fifth year. We had accomplished everything. That is, everything but a relationship. Harry and Judy were happy to just be together and to get married and have a family. I was stuck in the dust with no one. I turned to the only thing that could help me defeat the Potters. I knew the Dark Lord was keen on bringing down the top Aurors. I was interested in becoming a Death Eater but even the Dark Lord found me to be unworthy. I never became a Death Eater, as I wanted to so badly. Judy suspected me of turning to the Dark side so she and Harry tipped off the Ministry. They were so sorry that they did that after I convinced Fudge and Crouch that I was not involved. Several years later, I returned to the Dark Lord. I handed him information on the Potters' whereabouts. They were dead and I was no longer an accessory for him. I was shoved aside once more.
"I knew the Dark Lord wanted James Potter. After the two attempts he tried, I knew that James Potter was my key to becoming a Death Eater. Another had escaped him as well. I was an avid reader of the Daily Prophet and also received inside information regarding the school. This is how my scheme began. I discovered that not only James had escaped the Dark Lord, but so had another girl. Sybll Trelawney. I had no idea why she was important but I knew I would be rewarded above all others.
"I asked some of the school governors on teachers at Hogwarts. Told them I needed background checks on all of them, Auror business. They believed me. I looked at all the profiles, looking for a spot to put myself. I came across an old teacher, one who would not be missed as much, Professor Jeremiah Dunham. I Apparated to Hogsmeade and entered through one of the lower windows. I had talked to a Charm breaker earlier at the Ministry, asking him for ways the Dark Lord could have broken into the school. He fed me all the information I needed to know to break into Hogsmeade. I, being an Auror, had many gadgets I could use. The only one I needed was my Invisibility Cloak, a rare gift from my grandfather."
Venus was still smoking her cigarette and taking breaks to look up at Dumbledore and James as she told her gruesome story. Katy was cringing in disgust and Lily was sending looks of pure hatred Venus' way.
"I killed Professor Dunham, having fixed the awareness on my wand earlier in Spell Control. I set the situation up so that it looked like a spell had backfired and killed him. No one had any idea of his cause of death.
"I received an owl from you, Cornelius, asking me if I was interested in the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. I had been doing some serious ass kissing before, hoping my plan would fall into place. And it did. I had the pleasure of meeting Potter the first night I arrived. I met him and his girlfriend. I quickly learned that the batch of kids I was up against was smarter and more perceptive than I had thought. They knew I was up to something. Especially her," Venus said, pointing to Katy.
Cornelius Fudge looked at the girl with question. Dumbledore simply grinned.
"Miss Jones, is that correct?" he asked her.
"Well, yes it is. I knew the evil hag-sorry Professor," Katy said, stopping herself.
"I have gone temporarily deaf and have no idea what you just said," Dumbledore said, picking at earwax in his ear.
Fudge just looked at him in amazement.
"Go on Adams," he said, gruffly.
"Well, as I said, I knew Jones would be an obstacle. A difficult one. She was friends with Potter. I knew Evans would be a problem to my plan. I know that she was afraid for her friend Halle and especially for Potter. So, I had to change my plans a bit.
"I was planning on bringing Potter to the torture chamber in hopes of killing him and Trelawney. I hadn't bargained on two more teenagers. I wanted to be placed on the highest pedestal that the Dark Lord offered. I wanted power. The power that had never been granted before. And now you know, my plan failed. My time at Hogwarts was meaningless. I did get the pleasure of torturing the brats for a while. Go ahead Dumbledore, bring on the Dementors," she said in the all too familiar wispy voice.
"There wouldn't be much soul for them to suck out of you, Venus," James said.
"Is that so? I have no soul? No feelings? If I didn't have feelings Potter, I wouldn't have gone to all this trouble to kill you. I wouldn't have loved your father," Venus said. James looked at her. He stared at her dark eyes, which were normally cold. Then, he saw the unthinkable. Venus Adams had shed a tear.
"Well, I am sorry Venus, but we'll have to see what the Wizengamot thinks. I can assure you that the outcome is looking grim," Fudge said, bringing her up from the chair. She grinned.
"I didn't kill you Potter, but the Dark Lord will!" she screamed as she left Dumbledore's office.
Well, there was a lot that you guys already knew. I hope you enjoyed it all the same. Please review.