Undercover

Rose looked nothing like herself. She was dressed as close as they could find to Hestia Malfoy, a distant relation to Brutus Malfoy. She had heard a few things about her from Draco, and she was the kind of person who might be interested in a place like this. According to the members list they found, she wasn't a member yet, but she might gain acceptance if she wanted to. If they asked her name, she could say Malfoy without lying, which was why she was chosen for the infiltration. Albus was with her, invisible, as he was the one who knew the location and the password. Three other Aurors were invisible behind them. Albus soon disappeared from her view as well, making it look like she was totally alone. She knocked on the small, almost invisible door. An old man opened a small wicket, not enough to show his whole face, but enough that he could see her. 

"Who's there? Meetin's already started, you're late."

"I'm Malfoy," Rose said in her most sinister voice. "I seek acceptance." They had heard others use that phrase over the last few days, they suspected it was what potential new members would say. 

"Malfoy, eh? Who recommended you?"

"Amerson." That was a risk, but who else could she use.

"Password?"

"Magia est potentia" the words sounded awful in her mouth. Magic is might. The slogan of the Voldemort government. But it seemed to do the trick. The guard opened the door, and she took her time going in, so that several of the Aurors could get in as well. 

"You're late, the meetings already begun," the man said. "Not a good start." Rose didn't say anything. She needed to get the guard away from the door. Should she risk asking the guard to lead the way, or should she already know that?

"Never thought a Malfoy would come here again," the guard muttered to himself. "But I suppose not all of them 'ave gone soft." Louder, he said "This way, ma'am. Hope you're prepared for what you're facing. Not just anyone can gain acceptance here." Rose didn't like the sound of that, but her goal was achieved. The guard led her away into a side-corridor, and she saw one of the Aurors opening the door again behind them. She hoped they would hurry. The guard stopped outside what seemed like an enormous room, judging on the shape of the walls around it. Just how many Dark wizards were behind that door? 

"Your wand," the guard said as he pointed to a box. Great. She tried to be calm, but this was the last place she wanted to give up her wand. She had a spare, obviously, but that would take her a moment to get out. She put her wand in the box.

"And the other one," the guard said. Rose sighed but took out her spare wand as well. She felt several Aurors behind her. Finally, the guard opened the door. She tried to take it slowly, but the door only opened enough for her to get in, and the moment she was inside, it shut with a clang. The distinct sound of chains blocking the door was heard from the other side. Rose ignored this as she studied her surroundings. She stood at the back end of a line of several other witches and wizards, all of them looked down on by rows and rows of other witches and wizards with masks and dark cloaks. It was almost like a courtroom. And she stood in the place of the accused. Was this the initiation she had heard about? What would she have to do, if the Aurors were delayed? There must be close to 50 people in here, she couldn't hold out against all of them for long.

"You are late," a voice said. He probably meant her. She looked up, trying to see who was speaking. 

"My apologies," she said. "I was delayed." She hoped she made her voice different enough so no one would recognise it. According to Harry, some of these people worked in the Ministry, chances were, some of them knew her. But no one made a sound, just stared at her from behind the anonymity of the masks.

"Let us begin then," one of the others said. The first person in the group down near Rose stepped forward. He didn't say anything, but clearly something was happening to him. Legilimency? The man seemed to become more and more uncomfortable. Rose hoped it wouldn't be her turn anytime soon. She knew some Occlumency but hadn't ever used it in a real situation. 

"Take him away," the man who seemed to be the leader said. The man started screaming a moment later. 

"No! No, please, give me another chance! I am not a failure; I know who I am! Please!" None of his pleads led anywhere. If anything, some of the people on the benches seemed to enjoy hearing the man plead as two hooded figures grabbed him and took him out another door. Rose shivered. What would happen to that man now? Most likely, Harry had the place surrounded, so it may be that he would be rescued from whatever fate those who failed here usually faced.

The next woman on the line seemed to fare better. She held herself proud as they examined her. She then silently stepped to the other side of the room, ready to be accepted as part of this group. 

Only three more people to go before Rose would be up. She felt sick. Please, Uncle Harry, come in and stop this now!

Luckily, she got her wish. Before they had even finished the examination of the third candidate, the door behind her exploded. So did three other doors she hadn't even noticed. She instantly laid herself flat, to avoid being taken in the first few confusing moments of a battle. The moment she felt that most of the Aurors had passed her she shed her disguise and took out her third best wand. She had learnt that one could never have enough spare wands. She saw many of the Dark wizards already being taken down, but some tried to escape into the dark corners of the room. She saw two people run towards an opening in the line and ran after them quickly. Only when she rounded the corner did she recognise one of them. Scorpius was here! What should she do now? They came to a dead end. Scorpius and the other wizard that fled with him turned around to face her. She was suddenly aware of the fact that she was all alone. No one else had seen them run this way. Before she had time to react, Scorpius had Stunned the man next to him. Then he looked up at her.

"I'm sorry," he said. The pain in his eyes was heart-breaking to see. 

"I love you," Rose replied. She didn't know what else to say. Before she had time to do anything more, Scorpius had Disapparated. Apparently, they had run just far enough to get out of the protected area that prevented Apparition. She quickly tied up the other man. As she ran to pick him up, she noticed something right next to where Scorpius had stood. It was a small silver pendant, with a familiar symbol on it. The symbol of a bear. She suddenly understood where Scorpius had gone. She should have realised it sooner.

She returned the Stunned man to the centre, not mentioning Scorpius to the others at all. She hoped no one had taken attendance at this meeting. Why had Scorpius been here anyway? 

She later discovered that this meeting had been mandatory for all members. That was why Harry had been extra interested in attacking that day. In the end, only a few of the members escaped, but as they had all their names in the members book, that didn't matter. Harry quickly captured all of them, after hastily removing Amerson from the list. He claimed that it was a mistake, that Amerson had never been a member after all, only pretended to be. Rose wished that was true. She didn't tell Harry that Scorpius had been there. 

As soon as the rounds of arrests and subsequent rounds of interviews and paperwork were over, Rose asked Harry for a week of leave. She saw a hint of question in his eyes, but he granted it without asking what she was going to do. 

She took a new binder with the names and pictures of all the people arrested at the dungeon with her and arranged for a Portkey. The silver pendant was safely in her pocket. 

***

Rose couldn't help but smile as she saw the familiar sight of the lavvoes and smelled the scent of reindeer and cookfires. She scanned the crowd looking for a familiar face. Some of the people recognised her and approached her smiling. She greeted them all, not wanting to be rude. They all seemed to understand why she was there and pointed to a lavvo set away from the main group. 

"He's been extra sad since he returned a few days ago," one of them whispered. "I'm sure he's waiting for you." Rose gave the woman a smile and went towards the lavvo. Would Scorpius be glad to see her, or would he be afraid she would yell at him? 

She didn't knock, or make her presence known before entering. She didn't want to give him a chance to run. The sight of him still made her heart race. It had been too long.

"Guovža dáistalit" she whispered. Bear fighter. Scorpius jumped up and turned to face her. He seemed about to Apparate away again. 

"Please don't leave," Rose pleaded. "I've looked all over for you, though I should probably have thought to come here earlier."

"You have?" Scorpius asked, his voice cracking from lack of use. "Why?"

"Why? What sort of stupid question is that? I love you, you idiot. Nothing you could do can change that." 

Scorpius looked dumbstruck. He didn't believe her. 

"I'm a monster, Rose. I didn't use to be, but I am now. Maybe Vane was right all along. I shouldn't be near your family. I shouldn't…"

Rose didn't let him finish. She slapped him, hard, then pinned him down so he couldn't Disapparate without her. 

"Don't you dare talk about yourself like that! And never mention her name again. She's the monster, not you. If anything, you proved that when you restrained yourself from hurting her when you had the chance."

"I would have done it," Scorpius said tearfully. "If James and Albus hadn't been there, who knows what I would have done to her." He was still trying to get away from Rose, but she kept him pinned down.

"I know what you would have done," Rose said. "You are a much better person than you give yourself credit for, Scorpius. You knew all along that what you did was wrong. I know you. You would never have gone through with it. Even if James hadn't been there. That is why you had him with you." 

Scorpius wasn't able to say anything for several long moments. Then he said, in the most vulnerable voice she had ever heard him use.

"How can you be so sure about that?"

"I know my husband. That is not who you are. You didn't hurt Sam either, when you had every right to. Additionally, if you really had become the monster you claim, you wouldn't feel so bad about it now. Everyone else might see a potentially Dark wizard when they hear your name, but that is not what those who know you see. We see one of the best and brightest wizards of our time. And I see my beautiful husband."

Scorpius gaped as he looked up at her, but finally stopped trying to push her away. Rose sat down next to him, and they both embraced. Rose didn't know how long they sat like that. Time was meaningless. They were finally together again.