Origin Story
"Bye, Ma." I hugged her goodbye, and she smiled.
"Enjoy your second year, honey." I grinned, and walked towards the Burrow. It was the month of July, and I was staying with the Weasleys until it was time to head to Hogwarts. My Ma was all for this idea, mostly because I never really had any friends, and this was a welcome change. My father really didn't have much of an opinion, as Auror work filled his days. I stepped over to my trunk, and heaved it up, carrying it to the door with some difficulty. Over the summer, Jack had sent me more books, and I had finally mastered the art of Apparating after a painful incident with my right big toenail. I knocked on the door, and it opened, revealing a short woman with curly red hair.
"You must be Dugan. Come in, come in. You'll have to room with Ginny for the time being, as we're full everywhere else, and if I hear one thing about something happening between you and her, you'll wish you were dead." She stared at me, full of malice out of nowhere, and I nodded, terrified by her sudden change in demeanour. Her face returned to a smile, and she led me up the stairs to where Ginny stayed.
"Harry will be staying with Ron sometime, as soon as we get ahold of him, so the only space is with Ginny, sadly, because Percy absolutely refuses to allow anyone into his room. I don't know why, he just shuts everyone out except for meals." I smiled a little, and sat the trunk down by a small cot.
"This is all we've got, I'm afraid. I'd like to have something bigger for you, but-" she was interrupted by me wrapping my arms around her. She smiled into my shoulder, and was about to respond when a silvery white weasel appeared. She let go of me, and looked at it. It spoke, and said,
"Keep Dugan in sight. Crisis at Ministry." before fading away. I looked at where it had been, wondering why someone had sent a Patronus specifically telling Molly to keep me in sight. She frowned as well, and said,
"I wonder why Arthur would say that. Well, if there's a crisis there like he said, you'd better stay with someone at all times. Ah, Ginny!" A short girl with red hair appeared in the doorway, saw me, and quailed until she noticed I was doing the same.
"Mum, Ron stole my favourite book!" Moly frowned, and walked out to the landing.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley. Give your sister her book back or I'll embarrass you in front of Dugan." Ron appeared with a book in hand, which Ginny promptly snatched from him.
"Hey, Dugan." I waved, and he grinned.
"I'm on the top floor, if you want to hang out." I nodded, and he vanished. Molly turned, and said,
"Well, I'll leave you all to it." She shot another warning glare at me, and left Ginny and I alone. She spoke first.
"Hello." I smiled in return, awkward around strangers. She picked up on this, and said,
"Ron says you're a Metamorphmagus. Can you show me?" I nodded, scrutinised her, and shifted into her. Her eyes widened, and I heard someone say
"Bloody hell." from behind her. My eyes jumped from her to the twin boys in the landing, both sporting bright red hair.
"Blimey, you must be Dugan. Nice to meet you, mate." I shifted back to my normal self, and nodded hello. They tromped up the stairs, and left us alone again. Ginny giggled, and I cracked a grin. She spoke.
"Well, I suppose you can go hang out with Ron now." I grinned wider, shifted into her again and back, before walking past her and up to the top landing, where the door had a sign reading "Ronald's Room." I knocked on the door, heard someone say
"Come in," and entered, revealing Ron watching the twins play a game of Exploding Snap.
"These two are Fred and George. Or George and Fred. I'm not sure." The two looked up, and said in unison,
"Neither are we." before looking back down at the game. Ron offered to play me at wizard chess, and we began, chatting idly about random things. Towards the middle of the game, as one of my pawns beat up one of his bishops, Ron spoke quietly.
"We're rescuing Harry tonight. You in?" I frowned, and said,
"Rescue?" Ron nodded.
"He hasn't responded to my owls, or anything. So, we're going to go rescue him. You wanna come?" I nodded, and he grinned.
"Good. We'll get you up when we're about to leave." I nodded, and resumed beating him in wizard chess.
"Dugan, wake up." I sat up, almost colliding with Ron.
"We're leaving now. Be quiet." I nodded, and pulled back the sheet, revealing that I was already dressed. We crept past Molly and Arthur's room, cringing at every creak in the floorboards, and left quietly, piling into an old Ford Anglia.
"Alright, folks, time to get the show on the road." One of the twins twisted the key into the ignition, and it roared to life in the dark. I wanted desperately to silence the engine, but I had just reached the section of Evil in Magic that talked about the wizarding Trace. The car pulled out of the spot, and we drove down the road for a little before we lifted off into the air. I turned and gazed back at the Burrow, the dove night vision somehow coming in handy so I could see the haphazardly built structure in the clearing. I grinned, excited for the adventure ahead, and we soared over fields and houses, until we reached Little Winging and Privet Drive. Fred (or was it George?) backed the car up to the correct window, and I crawled out of the backseat and hung out of the car, knocking on the window a few times. In the dimly lit room, suddenly Harry's face popped up. He opened the window quickly, and spoke quietly.
"Dugan? Ron? What're you doing here?" I spoke quickly.
"We're picking you up. Hurry, put your stuff in the trunk." It popped open, and he quickly spoke.
"My broom and books are locked in the cupboard under the stairs." I sighed, and climbed through the open window.
"I'll get them." I eased the door open, and was about to go down the stairs when Harry whispered to me.
"The bottom step creaks." I nodded to him, and stealthily crept down the stairs, avoiding the bottom step. I found the cupboard, and drew my wand before remembering that I couldn't use magic outside of school. Or could I? I removed a folded piece of paper from my pocket, unfolded it, and began reading.
"So the spell I have to cast to get rid of the Trace is..." It was long and complicated, and I cast it as quickly as I could without making any errors. Once it had finished, a dim white wisp of smoke puffed out of my wand, and dissipated in the air. It had worked. I quickly unlocked the cupboard, removed the Nimbus 2000 and books, carried them back up the stairs carefully, and loaded them into the trunk. Harry was about to climb into the car when a loud screech was heard; he had left his owl, Hedwig, in the room. As he lunged for the cage, we heard his Uncle Vernon yelling from the adjacent room.
"Hurry!" He tossed the cage to me, I passed it to Ron, and was just in time to grab Harry's arms as his uncle gripped his legs. I heaved, the twin stomped on the gas, and eventually Vernon tired, releasing Harry. We shot off into the night, the only thing keeping Harry and I in the car being the seatbelt, and I pulled him into the car before slamming the door shut. We sat back, me breathing hard, and watched as the sun came up on the drive, or flight, home. We landed neatly, and I was the first to notice Molly standing in the doorway.
"Damn. We almost made it." By then the sun was peeking up over the trees, and the five of us meekly walked up to her, where she stood, long spoon in hand and looking murderous.
"Car gone! No note-what was I supposed to think, you three. Setting a bad example for Harry and Dugan, who I expressly told you to keep here! When your father gets home he will be furious! Now, the lot of you, go to your rooms. Now!" We filed past her, heads hung, and tromped to our rooms. I quietly opened my door, finding Ginny asleep, and shut it carefully. I crawled into bed, and fell asleep instantly.
I woke up to sounds of voices coming from downstairs, and walked down, rubbing my eyes. I entered the kitchen, and spied Arthur Weasley pretending to scold his kids while praising them for their flying skills.
"Ah! Hello, Dugan." Fred or George spoke up, and Arthur looked up at me, face suddenly turning sad.
"Oh. Hello, Dugan." Molly turned, saw me, and kept turning. As she did, I swore I heard a sniffle, coming from the sink where she stood.
"What's wrong, mum?" Ron glanced over at her, but she waved him off.
"Dugan, if you would walk with me, please." Arthur stood, and beckoned for me to follow him. I did, and he led me out to the garden, and stood at the gate.
"I have some news, Dugan. Molly told me you were there when she received my message, and I thought you should be informed. The crisis at the Ministry was because your father, Arcus, had been killed by a Death Eater. I tried to warn Lenore in time, but when I had reached her, she was already dead. Your parents were killed by diehard You-Know-Who supporters who've been cropping up recently. I'm sorry, Dugan." I stood there, mouth half open, frozen. He patted me on the back, and said,
"I'll leave you here for a minute." before heading back inside. He left me there, standing by the gate, frozen with emotion. My parents-dead? It didn't make any sense. How could they be? The logical part of my brain responded quickly. Killing Curse, must be. I gasped, put a hand to my chest, tried to stop the aching pain that filled me as I realised my parents were dead. Gone, never coming back. Because of some stupid He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named supporter. I leaned on the gate, and felt tears soiling down my face. Suddenly, I was filled with rage. I wanted to find whoever did this, and kill them. I knew how to make it hurt. The Trace was gone. I could do whatever I wanted to. No one could stop me. Just as I was at the point of Apparating to my room and grabbing my wand, I stopped. My parents would want me to stay. They wouldn't want me to get hurt, or even die. Besides, I was only twelve. I shuddered, and squeezed the fencepost until there was a handprint on it. I wiped my face, and walked slowly back to the Burrow. When I entered, the only person there was Molly.
"Oh, Dugan." She bustled over to me, and wrapped me into a tight hug.
"The others have gone to Diagon Alley, I decided to wait for you. Here's your wand, and some Floo Powder." I stood in the fireplace, and spoke as clearly as I could. Sadly, it must not have been clear enough, for when I threw the powder down, I did not arrive in Diagon Alley. I arrived behind Harry, who was looking for his glasses on the dusty floor of a shop.
"Harry?" He turned, glasses in hand, and I saw they were broken.
"Reparo." They fixed themselves, and he put them on.
"I don't think we're in Diagon Alley, Harry." He shook his head, and I put a finger to my lips.
"Sh. I hear someone." I heard a babble of voices, and footsteps. Growing closer.
"Oh no. Keep still, don't try to make very much noise." He nodded, and I cast a Vanishing spell. We were invisible, and I saw a short, blond kid poking around in the store. After a little while of quiet breathing, he left, and we were alone. The spell had ended a moment ago, and I hauled Harry to his feet.
"Okay, we can go. But, if this place is what I think it is, we need to be careful." And, right in front of him, I shifted into the scariest person I could think of. Dumbledore. Harry jumped back, and I shushed him.
"Quiet. Now, stay with me, and let me do the talking." He nodded, and I swept out to the front of the shop, where, luckily, the manager was gone. We exited, and I swore.
"Knockturn Alley, Harry. That's where we are. Let's get you back to Diagon Alley." I swept through the street, ignoring the amazed looks from passersby, and made sure Harry was with me. As we reached the end of the street, I heard someone yelling.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir? What're yeh doin' here?" I looked up, kept looking up, and finally saw the person who was calling for me. It was the Gamekeeper, Hagrid.
"Hello, Hagrid. Harry here had lost his way, and I thought it fitting to retrieve him and deliver him to Diagon Alley." Hagrid nodded to himself, before saying someone else.
"Well, I'd be'er get yeh back safe, sir." I smiled, and allowed him to lead Harry and I to Diagon Alley. When we arrived, we walked for a little before spotting the Weasleys, who were in a right panic.
"Oh, Harry, are you-Dumbledore?" Molly spotted me, and her jaw dropped. I smiled.
"Hello, Molly. Alas, it is time I leave. I have delivered young Mr. Kehoe to the Leaky Cauldron, and I will see a few of you at Hogwarts soon. Goodbye." I smiled, and Apparated to the Leaky Cauldron. As soon as I did I shifted to myself and sat down. Moments later, Arthur Weasley along with Fred and George burst in.
"Dugan? Dugan! You're okay!" I smiled, and waved.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Dumbledore found me, and sent me here." Molly flew into the room, and began smothering me. Over her attending to me, I secretly was glad I had showed to the room we were staying in to pack Jack's second year books, along with some more required reading, some of it being books by Gilderoy Lockhart with a note reading:
Payattentiontothese. I'veheardhemaybetheDefenceteacher. I patted her shoulder, and said,
"Don't worry about my books, I've got some a student loaned to me." She smiled, and nodded.
"Okay, Dugan. As long as you're alright." I nodded, and stood.
"It'd be best if I got my robes." She nodded, and spoke to one of the twins.
"Fred, go with him to get his robes." He nodded, and we walked through the Alley.
~
"Time to go, Dugan." I sat up, and smiled.
"Awesome." When we arrived at King's Cross, I went through the wall with Arthur, and he hustled me onto the train.
"Goodbye, Dugan. Enjoy Hogwarts!" I smiled, and waved before wondering why he was in such a hurry. I sat, alone once more, and took the time there to scream and cry about my parents (after putting a Silencing Charm on myself, of course). When I finished, I removed the charm, wiped my eyes, and started reading. I had finished all of the books, and was growing bored, when someone knocked on my door. I got up, and opened it, revealing a young girl with curly blonde hair and startling blue eyes.
"May I sit in here? Everywhere else kicks me out." I nodded, and she skipped into the compartment, and sat down across from me.
"I'm Luna. Luna Lovegood. You are?" I sat down, and responded.
"Dugan Kehoe." She gazed at me, unblinking, and spoke suddenly.
"You're the one whose parents were killed by Death Eaters, right?" I nodded, emotion welling up, and she continued.
"I'm very sorry. I know what it's like to lose a parent, but not both. My mum died when I was little. I don't remember her very well." I looked at her, shocked.
"My dad says I'm too much so, but I don't mind him very much. D'you think there will be any thestrals when we get there?" Instantly I was reminded of the time Jack had pulled out the tail hair of a thestral, and I smiled a little.
"Yes, but not for first years. You'll take the boats." She frowned.
"I wish not, I've always wanted to see a thestral. I saw my mum die, you know." I watched her carefully. She was very strange to me.
"How awful. You have my condolences." She nodded, before continuing again.
"Thank you. I try not to think about it too much." As the train compartment lapsed into an odd silence, she continued to stare at me, unblinking, for the next ten minutes or so.
"What house are you in?" I started from where I had been looking out of the window, and looked at her.
"Ravenclaw." She nodded, and spoke again.
"I want to be in Ravenclaw. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff don't seem very fun to me." I smiled along with her painfully, remembering that my parents had been in Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.
"What about Slytherin?" She shrugged.
"I suppose, but it's whatever the Sorting Hat chooses." I nodded, and the silence resumed until we reached Hogwarts. We disembarked, this time I followed the crowd up to the carriages and we rode up in silence, me alone in the last carriage exactly like I had been in the boats a year before. When we arrived, I trudged to the Great Hall, and sat alone at the Ravenclaw table. I ignored the Sorting Hat as it sang, and ignored the name calling until Luna was up. I glanced up, saw the Hat in a discussion with her. After a moment, it burst out.
"RAVENCLAW!" My table clapped, and I joined in for a second. She skipped over, and sat next to me at the table.
"Hello, Dugan." I smiled in return, and looked up at Dumbledore, as I had felt his gaze on my face. He beckoned me, and I nodded before speaking to Luna.
"I'll be right back, Luna." She nodded, and I stood, discreetly walking up to the staff table. When I reached Dumbledore, he spoke.
"I heard about your parents, Dugan. I just wanted to give you my condolences." I smiled weakly, and said,
"Thank you, Professor." He smiled sadly at me, and I strove to change the situation.
"Uh, sir, is there a chance we could talk alone? Just for a moment?" He looked at me curiously, and nodded.
"I believe so." He stood, and led me to a secluded alcove that led to a staircase. I opened my mouth, closed it, and opened it again before speaking.
"I was reading one of my books, and, if you'll pardon my question, do you have the Elder Wand?" I cringed back as I blurted the question out, expecting him to be severely aggravated. Instead, he sighed.
"Follow me, Dugan." He led me through the Great Hall, ignoring the curious looks from the other students and a few teachers (namely Snape), through the school, and into his office. Once the door shut, he drew his wand.
"Go on, sit down. This conversation may now continue." I sat in a chair in front of his desk, and he sat behind it, wand still drawn.
"Well, I was reading about the Deathly Hallows, and it spoke of a wand made of elder tree wood, so I made the connection between it and yours, because you said yours was made a long time ago, and it was made of elder wood as well." He looked at me shrewdly, and let out a laugh, surprising me.
"You are correct, Dugan, but that is a very closely guarded secret, and it shall stay that way." I sighed, getting worked up as I thought through my mind.
"Well, that means it's the duty of everyone in this school to have to protect you." He chuckled, and spoke again.
"How so?" I drew a breath, and made the plunge.
"Because the Elder Wand is one of a few things that can destroy a Horcrux. And the only way You-Know-Who-" "Voldemort, Dugan." I flinched, and spoke.
"Sorry, Professor. The only way Voldemort is still alive is because he has at least one Horcrux." He gazed at me, with a hint of admiration, if I wasn't mistaken, and a hint of sadness.
"That is true, Dugan. You are incredibly clever for your age." I huffed, worried that Dumbledore would keel over at any moment, and he smiled.
"Voldemort does in fact have at least one Horcrux that I am certain of, but perhaps has many others, the location or matter of which I cannot be certain." I frowned.
"What one do you know of?" He sighed, looked at me for a moment, and said,
"Before I tell you, you must promise you will not speak of this conversation to anyone outside of this room. That goes to you all as well." He turned to the paintings on the walls, and I was stunned to see that they all were alive and watching quietly. They all nodded, and he turned to me.
"Dugan, the night James and Lily Potter were murdered, Voldemort was intending to make a Horcrux." I gasped, understanding immediately. "No..." He nodded sadly, and continued.
"So, it is not me that you should be protecting, do you understand?" I nodded, and he sighed. I spoke again.
"Sir, the only two ways I know how to destroy a Horcrux with a wand are Fiend Fyre or your wand using a Killing Curse. Either way, the side effects would be disastrous." He nodded, and looked at a pocket watch he pulled out of his robes.
"Dugan, we have spoken for too long. It is late, and you have aided me a little, so I shall call on you in the future if I need to discuss this... Situation with you. Agreed?" I stood, as did he, and we shook hands, his frail one gripping mine strongly. I nodded, and he smiled sadly once more before beckoning me out of the room. I exited, passed the stone gargoyle, and made my way to the common room. At the door, I answered the question (Who discovered Apparation?) and entered, revealing a nearly empty common room. Luna saw me, jumped up, and raced over. "You seem sad." She handed me a strange looking vegetable, and said,
"Here. It's a Dirigible Plum." I took it, and smiled. She smiled back, and dashed off to her dormitory. After a moment, I followed, avoiding the looks of the second year girls, and entered my dorm. I was pleasantly surprised to find the books I had left in piles on the floor were now carefully organised into bookcases, with the Potions setup now neatly tucked into a corner next to a rack of ingredients, and, attached to the bedpost, was a note.
You'rewelcome
Jack
I smiled, and changed into some more comfortable clothes before crawling into bed, overwhelmed by the conversation with Dumbledore.