Chapter One: The Arrival
Adelaide Mayhem looked up at the castle in the distance, its flags waving brightly in the late summer sunshine. Her traveling companion gripped her arm tightly as they passed through the gates of Hogwarts and set off on the long, climbing pathway up to the main entrance. Her arm was hooked in his, and as they walked she glanced up at his platinum hair tied neatly in a bow with a black leather ribbon at the back of his neck. Not a strand was out of place. The man stood erect, the silver head of his walking stick polished to a blinding shine.
If anyone had been looking, she would have seemed his match in composure and self-assurance. She shared his regal air, and they walked among the Hogwarts grounds as if they owned the place. What was not outwardly evident was that her gut was like a cave full of bats that took wing every time she thought about why she was really there, and the irreversible stream of events she was about to set in motion.
The August air was warm and Addy needed to stop to remove her witch's woolen over-robes. Lucius Malfoy stared at her lasciviously as her black linen day-robes fluttered in the breeze. He'd known this child since the day she'd been born, and had to admit that she had indeed grown into a beautiful woman. What's more, he knew she was smart too.quite possibly brilliant. "Perfect material for a Queen," he thought.
Soon they could see the main doors and the tall figure that stood in the entranceway, regarding them gravely. So, this was the famous Albus Dumbledore. After all she'd heard of his power and strength, she had expected to find a mighty warrior, running Hogwarts like King Arthur of the Muggle legends. Instead, the man before her, while quite tall, looked old and frail, his white hair and beard hanging below his waist, his eyes sparkling absent-mindedly behind half-moon glasses.
"Lucius Malfoy, this is indeed a surprise. What brings you and your companion to Hogwarts? Your son hasn't even arrived for the new term yet." Dumbledore glanced at Addy and smiled politely, but she noticed that his gaze returned to Lucius, quickly and warily.
"Albus, I bring good news," Lucius announced. Dumbledore couldn't recall a time when a visit from Lucius Malfoy had come with good news, yet he listened patiently as they followed him through the entrance hall and up to his office. Lucius continued, "The Board of Directors and myself have once again come to your rescue. The new term is to start in 3 days, yet we understand that you have not found a new teacher for the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Well, now you have. Meet Miss Adelaide Mayhem."
Adelaide flashed Dumbledore a dazzling smile, and gave Lucius's arm a little squeeze. At the same time, the polite smile which had been fixed on Dumbledore's face vanished. "Miss Mayhem," he said with a curt nod to her, "it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Then, turning back to her 'companion', he added, "However, Lucius, it is my understanding that I am still in charge of the hiring decisions here at Hogwarts. The other professors and I have been discussing several strong possibilities, but as you know, there are not many who are both qualified to teach this class . . . and," he added with a penetrating glare at Malfoy, "trustworthy as well."
Lucius snorted and bared his teeth, saying, "True, you haven't had much luck with your previous choices for this position. We have all seen and suffered the consequences of your hiring decisions. What did you have in mind next, a vampire? Or perhaps a giant . . .or should I say, another giant?"
Dumbledore continued, patiently, "There is no need to rush into any decision now, Lucius. The entire staff has offered to pitch in until a permanent solution can be found, and - -"
Malfoy cut him off with, "It seems lately that just keeping our children protected from harm is a bigger job than you can fully handle, Albus, much less finding qualified instructors for them. The board and I are only trying to help. We'd prefer you and the staff focus on keeping these students safe, and I'm sure that their parents would heartily agree. I, for one, know that the Diggory's are particularly concerned for the welfare of their youngest son, who is in his second year here, is he not?"
Addy saw Dumbledore's eyes flash momentarily as she looked from one formidable wizard to the other. They all knew that Lucius' comment was meant to be a reminder of the painful events of the past few years, particularly the death of Cedric Diggory. What Dumbledore was trying to gage was exactly how much of it was meant to be some sort of threat.
The headmaster opened his mouth to protest again, but Lucius continued breezily before Dumbledore could speak, "Anyway, it's a fait accompli. I have signatures here on Miss Mayhem's contract from each of the Board Members. Her curriculum vitae is enclosed for your review, of course, and I'm sure that when you read it you will agree that she is most qualified. Her references, which are impeccable, are also included," he said, handing Dumbledore a green leather satchel containing Adelaide's papers. "Adelaide comes from a very old, very reputable, pureblooded wizarding family. Her father and I have been friends for many years, and I have watched this woman grow and blossom. She has a sharp mind, Albus," he said with an odd glow in his eyes, "and she is quite . . . accomplished. I can personally vouch for her credentials and her skills."
Dumbledore glanced briefly down at the satchel full of papers, then looked intently at Adelaide for the first time since she had arrived. He stared at her in silence for nearly a minute, as though she was covered in the writing of a language he needed to decipher. She tried to make herself as unreadable as possible, at least while Malfoy was still here. She noticed Lucius scowling impatiently at Dumbledore, while the elder wizard studied her.
Finally, Dumbledore turned back to Lucius with resignation in his eyes. Yet when he spoke, his voice was bright and almost merry. "Well then. I suppose if it's settled, there's nothing left to do but show Miss Mayhem.I mean, Professor Mayhem.her quarters. I assume you've taken the liberty of bringing her belongings with you on this outing. No doubt our house elves have already made up her chambers."
Lucius' face broke into a stone cold grin. "Indeed.I'm sure the little creatures have already drawn her a bath. You do have such efficient house elves, Albus. You must tell me your secret some time."
Albus started toward the door of his office, opening it for Lucius. "Seeing as how there are fewer than three days to prepare for the new term, I suggest we get straight to work. Therefore, I must ask you to excuse us, Lucius, as I have a staff meeting beginning in just an hour. It will be the perfect time to introduce Miss Mayhem to her new colleagues. Do say hello to Narcissa for me, and tell Draco we are looking forward to seeing him shortly."
"That's fine Albus. I will simply pay a short visit to my friend in your dungeons, and be on my way." Lucius gave Adelaide an overly tight hug and kissed her on the cheek with his hands gripping her arms. As he pulled her close to him, he whispered into her ear, "You're in, my dear. I've done my part. Now let's see what you're made of."
Adelaide stepped back from him and grinned, her eyes flashing. She said loudly and clearly, "Thank you for your help, Lucius. I promise, I won't let you - and the Board of Directors - down. Give my regards to your lovely wife, will you?"
As he reached the door, Malfoy turned to Dumbledore, adding "And Albus, please do not hesitate to call on me if I can be of service in any other way. These are . . . dangerous times, after all." He bared his teeth in one last predatory grin and started down the spiral staircase that led away from Dumbledore's office, his black robes swirling around him, his walking stick clicking on each step as the sound of him faded into the distance.
Finally, Addy and Dumbledore were alone in his office. The headmaster closed the door softly and walked around behind his desk, gesturing for Adelaide to sit in the leather armchair across from him. He looked at her solemnly. "Please make yourself at home, Miss Mayhem. You must be quite tired from your trip. However, there is no time for resting now. I should like to hear more about you and your acquaintance with the Malfoys, and to know precisely how you are qualified to instruct the students of Hogwarts in the defense against the dark arts."
Adelaide did not sit down. If fact, it appeared as though she wasn't paying any attention to what Dumbledore was saying to her. She was rooting around in the black leather briefcase she had carried in with her, digging deep into a recessed pocket with a near-frantic sense of purpose. As a precautionary step, Dumbledore put one hand inside the pocket of his robe and lightly touched his wand. He looked at her questioningly when she at last produced a piece of parchment that had been folded in an intricate pattern and sealed. She handed it wordlessly to him and gestured for him to open it, her eyes burning with urgency.
This was indeed curious, Dumbledore thought, and he raised an eyebrow questioningly at her. She looked imploringly from his face to the note and back again. Dumbledore proceeded to break through no fewer than 12 charms protecting the secrecy of the note, each one of which would have done serious damage to anyone beside himself who had tried to open it. Chuckling to himself, he thought of how much she reminded him of someone else he knew. Finally, he broke through the seal to read the following words, written in a fluid yet shaky hand:
"I need to speak with you in complete and utter secrecy."
This was unexpected, thought the old wizard. But in a world that had been turned upside down by evil, where allies turned to fiends and enemies became saviors seemingly overnight, he knew that friends were often found in the strangest of guises. He responded to Adelaide out loud, saying, "My dear, all of Hogwarts is protected by the most powerful magic known to me and my staff, and together we constitute quite a body of knowledge. If there is a safe place for you anywhere, it is here in my office. Please tell me what it is you would like to discuss with me." At the same time, he tightened his grip on his wand, for Lucius had been right about one thing-these were indeed dangerous times.
Adelaide's eyes darted wildly about the room, grazing over each of the dozing figures of former headmasters in their portrait frames. She hesitated, too fearful to begin, unsure whether her voice would obey commandments from her brain. With a deep breath, she screwed up her courage and said in a croaking whisper, "Headmaster Dumbledore. I have been a Death Eater all my life. But I've come to Hogwarts to work for you.to aid you in your fight against Voldemort, and defeat him for good. I guess you could say I want to defect. I've come here for . . . for . . . redemption."
Adelaide Mayhem looked up at the castle in the distance, its flags waving brightly in the late summer sunshine. Her traveling companion gripped her arm tightly as they passed through the gates of Hogwarts and set off on the long, climbing pathway up to the main entrance. Her arm was hooked in his, and as they walked she glanced up at his platinum hair tied neatly in a bow with a black leather ribbon at the back of his neck. Not a strand was out of place. The man stood erect, the silver head of his walking stick polished to a blinding shine.
If anyone had been looking, she would have seemed his match in composure and self-assurance. She shared his regal air, and they walked among the Hogwarts grounds as if they owned the place. What was not outwardly evident was that her gut was like a cave full of bats that took wing every time she thought about why she was really there, and the irreversible stream of events she was about to set in motion.
The August air was warm and Addy needed to stop to remove her witch's woolen over-robes. Lucius Malfoy stared at her lasciviously as her black linen day-robes fluttered in the breeze. He'd known this child since the day she'd been born, and had to admit that she had indeed grown into a beautiful woman. What's more, he knew she was smart too.quite possibly brilliant. "Perfect material for a Queen," he thought.
Soon they could see the main doors and the tall figure that stood in the entranceway, regarding them gravely. So, this was the famous Albus Dumbledore. After all she'd heard of his power and strength, she had expected to find a mighty warrior, running Hogwarts like King Arthur of the Muggle legends. Instead, the man before her, while quite tall, looked old and frail, his white hair and beard hanging below his waist, his eyes sparkling absent-mindedly behind half-moon glasses.
"Lucius Malfoy, this is indeed a surprise. What brings you and your companion to Hogwarts? Your son hasn't even arrived for the new term yet." Dumbledore glanced at Addy and smiled politely, but she noticed that his gaze returned to Lucius, quickly and warily.
"Albus, I bring good news," Lucius announced. Dumbledore couldn't recall a time when a visit from Lucius Malfoy had come with good news, yet he listened patiently as they followed him through the entrance hall and up to his office. Lucius continued, "The Board of Directors and myself have once again come to your rescue. The new term is to start in 3 days, yet we understand that you have not found a new teacher for the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Well, now you have. Meet Miss Adelaide Mayhem."
Adelaide flashed Dumbledore a dazzling smile, and gave Lucius's arm a little squeeze. At the same time, the polite smile which had been fixed on Dumbledore's face vanished. "Miss Mayhem," he said with a curt nod to her, "it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Then, turning back to her 'companion', he added, "However, Lucius, it is my understanding that I am still in charge of the hiring decisions here at Hogwarts. The other professors and I have been discussing several strong possibilities, but as you know, there are not many who are both qualified to teach this class . . . and," he added with a penetrating glare at Malfoy, "trustworthy as well."
Lucius snorted and bared his teeth, saying, "True, you haven't had much luck with your previous choices for this position. We have all seen and suffered the consequences of your hiring decisions. What did you have in mind next, a vampire? Or perhaps a giant . . .or should I say, another giant?"
Dumbledore continued, patiently, "There is no need to rush into any decision now, Lucius. The entire staff has offered to pitch in until a permanent solution can be found, and - -"
Malfoy cut him off with, "It seems lately that just keeping our children protected from harm is a bigger job than you can fully handle, Albus, much less finding qualified instructors for them. The board and I are only trying to help. We'd prefer you and the staff focus on keeping these students safe, and I'm sure that their parents would heartily agree. I, for one, know that the Diggory's are particularly concerned for the welfare of their youngest son, who is in his second year here, is he not?"
Addy saw Dumbledore's eyes flash momentarily as she looked from one formidable wizard to the other. They all knew that Lucius' comment was meant to be a reminder of the painful events of the past few years, particularly the death of Cedric Diggory. What Dumbledore was trying to gage was exactly how much of it was meant to be some sort of threat.
The headmaster opened his mouth to protest again, but Lucius continued breezily before Dumbledore could speak, "Anyway, it's a fait accompli. I have signatures here on Miss Mayhem's contract from each of the Board Members. Her curriculum vitae is enclosed for your review, of course, and I'm sure that when you read it you will agree that she is most qualified. Her references, which are impeccable, are also included," he said, handing Dumbledore a green leather satchel containing Adelaide's papers. "Adelaide comes from a very old, very reputable, pureblooded wizarding family. Her father and I have been friends for many years, and I have watched this woman grow and blossom. She has a sharp mind, Albus," he said with an odd glow in his eyes, "and she is quite . . . accomplished. I can personally vouch for her credentials and her skills."
Dumbledore glanced briefly down at the satchel full of papers, then looked intently at Adelaide for the first time since she had arrived. He stared at her in silence for nearly a minute, as though she was covered in the writing of a language he needed to decipher. She tried to make herself as unreadable as possible, at least while Malfoy was still here. She noticed Lucius scowling impatiently at Dumbledore, while the elder wizard studied her.
Finally, Dumbledore turned back to Lucius with resignation in his eyes. Yet when he spoke, his voice was bright and almost merry. "Well then. I suppose if it's settled, there's nothing left to do but show Miss Mayhem.I mean, Professor Mayhem.her quarters. I assume you've taken the liberty of bringing her belongings with you on this outing. No doubt our house elves have already made up her chambers."
Lucius' face broke into a stone cold grin. "Indeed.I'm sure the little creatures have already drawn her a bath. You do have such efficient house elves, Albus. You must tell me your secret some time."
Albus started toward the door of his office, opening it for Lucius. "Seeing as how there are fewer than three days to prepare for the new term, I suggest we get straight to work. Therefore, I must ask you to excuse us, Lucius, as I have a staff meeting beginning in just an hour. It will be the perfect time to introduce Miss Mayhem to her new colleagues. Do say hello to Narcissa for me, and tell Draco we are looking forward to seeing him shortly."
"That's fine Albus. I will simply pay a short visit to my friend in your dungeons, and be on my way." Lucius gave Adelaide an overly tight hug and kissed her on the cheek with his hands gripping her arms. As he pulled her close to him, he whispered into her ear, "You're in, my dear. I've done my part. Now let's see what you're made of."
Adelaide stepped back from him and grinned, her eyes flashing. She said loudly and clearly, "Thank you for your help, Lucius. I promise, I won't let you - and the Board of Directors - down. Give my regards to your lovely wife, will you?"
As he reached the door, Malfoy turned to Dumbledore, adding "And Albus, please do not hesitate to call on me if I can be of service in any other way. These are . . . dangerous times, after all." He bared his teeth in one last predatory grin and started down the spiral staircase that led away from Dumbledore's office, his black robes swirling around him, his walking stick clicking on each step as the sound of him faded into the distance.
Finally, Addy and Dumbledore were alone in his office. The headmaster closed the door softly and walked around behind his desk, gesturing for Adelaide to sit in the leather armchair across from him. He looked at her solemnly. "Please make yourself at home, Miss Mayhem. You must be quite tired from your trip. However, there is no time for resting now. I should like to hear more about you and your acquaintance with the Malfoys, and to know precisely how you are qualified to instruct the students of Hogwarts in the defense against the dark arts."
Adelaide did not sit down. If fact, it appeared as though she wasn't paying any attention to what Dumbledore was saying to her. She was rooting around in the black leather briefcase she had carried in with her, digging deep into a recessed pocket with a near-frantic sense of purpose. As a precautionary step, Dumbledore put one hand inside the pocket of his robe and lightly touched his wand. He looked at her questioningly when she at last produced a piece of parchment that had been folded in an intricate pattern and sealed. She handed it wordlessly to him and gestured for him to open it, her eyes burning with urgency.
This was indeed curious, Dumbledore thought, and he raised an eyebrow questioningly at her. She looked imploringly from his face to the note and back again. Dumbledore proceeded to break through no fewer than 12 charms protecting the secrecy of the note, each one of which would have done serious damage to anyone beside himself who had tried to open it. Chuckling to himself, he thought of how much she reminded him of someone else he knew. Finally, he broke through the seal to read the following words, written in a fluid yet shaky hand:
"I need to speak with you in complete and utter secrecy."
This was unexpected, thought the old wizard. But in a world that had been turned upside down by evil, where allies turned to fiends and enemies became saviors seemingly overnight, he knew that friends were often found in the strangest of guises. He responded to Adelaide out loud, saying, "My dear, all of Hogwarts is protected by the most powerful magic known to me and my staff, and together we constitute quite a body of knowledge. If there is a safe place for you anywhere, it is here in my office. Please tell me what it is you would like to discuss with me." At the same time, he tightened his grip on his wand, for Lucius had been right about one thing-these were indeed dangerous times.
Adelaide's eyes darted wildly about the room, grazing over each of the dozing figures of former headmasters in their portrait frames. She hesitated, too fearful to begin, unsure whether her voice would obey commandments from her brain. With a deep breath, she screwed up her courage and said in a croaking whisper, "Headmaster Dumbledore. I have been a Death Eater all my life. But I've come to Hogwarts to work for you.to aid you in your fight against Voldemort, and defeat him for good. I guess you could say I want to defect. I've come here for . . . for . . . redemption."