1976 to 1977
The next morning, it was foggy outside, and the window were blurred from the early fog of the day. Agnes woke up early and went to join the rest of the family downstairs at the breakfast table. Joshua and Jimmy were coming home from Hogwarts a little later in the week, and Agnes was expected at the Delacour by the end of the day. She would see her brother after she is back from her trip.
The house was quite calm that morning, and Agnes carefully walked down the stairs, not wanting to slip on the wood. A nice smell of coffee emanated from the kitchen. It was a little cold, as if an early spring morning instead of summer. The young witch sat at the table, eyeing her father who was reading his newspapers as usual. She wanted to ask him about last night. What she had seen and heard, she could not just keep it to herself. But, knowing Mr Dunbar, he would avoid the question and move on to another topic if he really did not want to respond.
She would have to investigate by herself, and find out who that man was. And if she was right to think he belonged to the group called the death eaters. Perhaps she could wait to get to Jeanne's an they would discuss it safely.
They ate breakfast in silence, as if everyone was still sleepy from their night. Agnesgrabbed a few more toasts and combined blueberry and strawberry jam which she spread all over the bread, and devoured it at once. Once she had drunk the remaining of her black coffee, she excused herself and climbed up to her room to finish packing her travel bag. She wasn't bringin much, Just a few summer dresses and a jumper, and some underwears. She also added a few gifts for the Delacours.
When she was done, she used her wand to lead her luggage downstairs and came back to the dining room where Mr and Mrs Dunbar were just done with there meal.
- All ready, dear? Asked Mrs Dunbar while cleaning the corner of her mouth with a napkin.
- Yes, I'm good to go. I'll send an owl once I am there. Agnes answered, putting her bag on her back.
- Be careful out there, and tell hello to the family for us, will you? added Mr Dunbar, slightly looking up from his newspaper.
Agnes nodded before waving one last time at Mrs Dunbar and hurrying outside. She would apparate to Diagon Alley and then take a portkey to France near Kings Cross Station.
The sun was slowly rising outside, and the birds were singing, although hidden in the bushes or surrounding trees. She looked around, at the neighborhood she had first steppeda couple years ago. She was now so familiar with the place, that it looked just like home for her.
The next moment, she found herself in Diagon Alley, walking down towards the station.
Hours later, she had managed to apparate from Calais to Paris, and then had found another Portkey to Marseille, which was more than useful. She arrived at the Delacours' in the late afternoon, and was finally welcomed by Mrs Delacour who was gardening in front of her house.
- Agnes, dear! We were eager to see you! Welcome, welcome, come on in! Said the old lady, her tools in her hands.
A moment later, the young witch was putting down her bag in the guest bedroom, helped by the house elf. The weather was completely different from London. It was warm and dry, and the sun was shining bright in the sky.
Jeanne came back from the woods were she and Pierre had been going on a stroll.
- Ma belle! You made it!
The blond haired with ran to Agnes, hugging her tightly.
Pierre had arrived a few day prior, and Antoine was going to join later, having some family business to run before officially starting his holidays.
The first evening, when everyone was finally asleep, the three friends gathered in Jeanne's room to discuss what Agnes had witnessed at the Dunbars.
- Yaxley.. It sounds familiar. Wait, let me grab my father's agenda.
A few moments later, Jeanne had disappeared and then apparated again with a large notebook under the arm. She flipped a few pages before stopping on a list of names.
- Here, this is the list of guests who attended the European ministry Assembly around two years ago. My father was part of the organization committee. Yaxley, Yaxley... Here! Yup, I knew it! He works for the British Ministry of Magic. Agnes, he works with your father! said Jeanne, astonished.
- I will always be impressed by your sharp memory, Jeanne. Commented Pierre, while looking at the names.
- Do you reckon the ministry could have spies for the death eaters? Or that Yaxley could be one himself? Jeanne asked, ignoring her friend's remark.
- The way he spoke to my father, that Yaxley. It did sound like they were referring to it. That my father was not a true slytherin if he did not carry the same value of purity. It sounds like it, doesn't it? Agnes thought out loud.
following their late night conversation, it was most likely that Corban Yaxley was indeed a death eater, looking to recruit her father into his group. From what she had heard, Mr Dunbar was not part of it, and did not seem to be willing to join them, fortunately. But if the ministry itself was filled with traitors and fanatics, the situation would become way more critical than what she had expected.
Pierre made some herbal tea and served everyone a cup to ease their nerves.
Only later that night, agnes finally wrote to the Dunbar that she had made it to the Delacour. From now on, she would have to be more careful to what she says and what information she transmitted to her family, especially if her father was being watched by that so called Dark Lord.
***
July 17th, 1976
The swamp she used to sit near for hours with her mum to observe all sorts of creatures was now all dried out, and only a few insects were flying around. She walked around, looking if anyone was around (althought there was no chance someone would wander around the fields in the hottest hour of the day). In a few skilled arm movements, she pushed her hands onto the grounds, and closed her eyes. A second later, water emerged from the ground, reforming the old swamp with fresh water, mixed with some mud.
A wave of new wind soflty caressed Agnes' cheek, as if to thank her for making the space alive again. Slowly, a few bird came down to try and catch some worms. The nature was back to its original state.
Agnes walked back to the manoir, happy that her elemental magic could help. She let her hand touch the high grass in the field, and finally reached her house, who looked isolated from everything else. It was sad that no one lived there for the most part of the year. But she trusted the house elves who seemed to take good care of it.
She spent her days making some orders in the different rooms of the manoir, and keep track of her finances, guided by her grandfather bank book.
Time passed quickly, and she found herself back in London by the end of July.
***
September 6th, 1976
For one month, she had worked so hard, trained everyday and spent all of her energy into preparing for that one day. September had finally arrived, and everything seemed to have sped up from there.
It was strange, but she knew she could win. Her opponents seemed weirdly out of place, and besides the famous champion from Romania, no one seemed to her level.
She had feared duelling against that wizard. He was known to having won the world championship multiple times, and yet, here she was. She had just defeated him. She was standing on the stage, flashes of the journalists' camera blinding her, and the public shouting in a pasionnate voice, screaming her name and singing to her victory.
- Agnes Lenoir is our new World Champion! What a duel, miss Lenoir, what a talented and skilled witch you are ! Congratulations! shouted the old man with a sonorus charm.
Quickly, journalists hurried to her while she was given the huge golden cup. She tried to smile in a pretty way, but she was so overwhelmed she must have looked weird. Her pulse was beating strongly in her neck, and her eyes did not know where to look.
She really had won.
She was the best duellist in the world. At 18 years old.
If she was being entirely honest, her last duel had been really challenging. The exchange of spells had been intense and she had almost gave up from exhaustion. Her opponent was very good, and she respected him for his hard work. He had shaken her hand before escapeing from the stage, leaing her her moment of glory.
The adrenaline from the duel followed by the unstopped flashed of the cameras on her were a lot to take in, but Agnes had finally found the strenght to lift the cup, in a victorious manner, announcing to everyone she was accepting her faith, of being the new Duelling World Champion.
After that, all she could remember was giving a lot of press conference, answering questions for various wizard newspapers and signing a few autographs.
She stayed a little longer in Berlin, where the World Cup was being held that year, and finally decided to go back home to the Dunbar at the end of september, after three months without seeing them. It was time to take a break, and catch up with what was happening in Britain.
***
October 1st, 1976
Her face was all over the Daily Prophet.
"The prodigious victory of a 18-year-old Hogwarts graduate in the World Duelling Championship, Agnes Lenoir, a Story".
Except a few mistakes in her life story, the newspapers had restituated the events of her life pretty accurately. Born French, moved to Britain and attended Hogwarts, blablabla.
Agnes walked along Diagon Alley, enjoying being back after the long months away. She had loved Berlin and being on the wizarding part of the city was really enjoyable. But it felt good walking through familiar streets for once.
Joshua and Jimmy were already back at Hogwarts, and Agnes did not have the chance to see them this summer. She knew they were doing well, as they had sent each other a few owls during the few months they'd spent apart. Mr Dunbar was absent when she entered the quiet house, and Mrs Dunbar was just back from her visit at the Crouch's.
Everything seemed to be normal, and no trace of death eaters or any dark magic or blood-purity propaganda reassured Agnes that her father had sticked ot his own values.
The young witch felt better, knowing that Mr Dunbar was not a horrible person, after all (To be honest, it would be lying if she said she still thought of him as an evil character!).
- Dear, when is you interview for the daily Prophet? You did not speicify the time in the owl you've sent us. Asked Mrs Dunbar while touching up on her makeup in the mirror.
- It'll be tomorrow, they asked if they could come here, if that's fine with you.
- Oh ! I'd be delighted, but I have to ask Cosmey to make sure everything is perfect. Alright, better start now!
And she was gone to the kitchen, mumbling to herself the list of things to do.
Agnes went to rest in her room to take some rest. She was now a world champion and yet, here she was: lying down on her bed at the Dunbars, as if nothing had changed.
She had accepted to give some interviews back in Berlin. Her victory at the championship had brought the journalists' attention on her, and it seemed like she could escape it by giving them what they wanted. She had even mastered the photogenic smile perfectly now, and knew how to pose for the magazines.
It felt good being famous. She liked the attention, the smile people gave her anywhere she went, but it was sometimes a little tiring. She already missed her days at Hogwarts, and thought of the marauders, and her bothers. What were they up to no? Joshua, James, Remus, Sirius and Peter were all in their 6th years now, while Jimmy was in his 4th.
With everything, she had not even met with the Potters that summer, like they had planned to. She had spent all her days at the manoir back in France practicing duelling and then had travelled to Berlin to attend the championship.
They had exchanged an owl or two throughout August, but only to share some news about themelves, nothing really personal. Agnes had sent a parcel to Remus, featuring a book she had picked up in Germany, and had received a long letter, thanking her for the gift.
She knew she had to move on and focus on her new career in duelling, but it was hard sometimes, not feeling nostalgic.
The end of the year arrived at last, and Agnes spent all her time attending conference on duelling, hosting undergae wizards competition and training for her next championships. Days were unique and she had opportunities coming from everywhere, and traveled a lot for her new duellist career.
It was fun, but she had less and less time to write to her friends, and quickly, 1977 began while she was in Italy, attending a national competition.
The Dunbars had understood her need and wish to move around Europe and further, to discover new techniques and meet new people who could teach her new ways to duel and cast spells.
By the month of march, Agnes was in China, on a seminar for wizards and witches wishing to study the magical martial arts. Secretly, Agnes had in hope to connect such skill to her elemental magic. Indeed, Dumbledore himself had induced the idea that such art could help her master the four elements and make a an accomplished elemental.
***
March 16th, 1977
"Dear Jeanne,
I am writing this letter in hopeit reaches you well. How is it going at the ministry? I hope they are not giving you too much work. But I am sure that soon enough, you will be a permanent member of the council and they will your potential.
Here, winter has left at last. China's winter is terrible, but our Laoshi is very skilled and wise, and taught us so many things I have forgotten about the cold.
I will be back in Europe when spring comes, I hope I can visit Jean and Appolline, and finally meet their little girl.
Ps: Do you have news from Antoine? He has not been replying to any of my owls for the past months.
Love,
A.L"