Mistaken Identity, chapter 9
Jul. 10th, 2014 12:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shivverTitle: Mistaken Identity, chapter 9
Fandom(s): Doctor Who
Characters: Tenth Doctor, Donna Noble
Pairing(s): None
Rating: G
Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy, adventure
Word Count: 3433
Summary: Doctor Who/Harry Potter crossover: The Tenth Doctor and Donna fly through a crack in the walls of the universe and land in a world where humans can perform magic. Getting mixed up in the cold war between the Death Eaters, the Ministry of Magic, and the Order of the Phoenix, all sides want the Doctor dead!
Lupin and Tonks swapped theories back and forth, having nothing better to do while guarding the unconscious man. Dumbledore had settled into an armed chair and sat with his hands steepled in front of him, watching the others and offering a word or two here and there. Another hour had passed and Tonks was starting to think about heading to the kitchens to bring up some snacks when the man suddenly shifted and moaned. In a moment, all three wizards had surrounded his bed, watching him as he finally woke up.
Sitting up suddenly, his eyes snapped open, and for a moment, he was staring at nothingness. Then his shoulders slumped, and he buried his face in his hands. “What… what happened?”
Tonks looked from Dumbledore to Lupin, uncertain as to what to do. Lupin held up his wand to indicate that he was on guard, then gestured with his empty hand to go to the man. Tonks nodded and sat next to him on the bed. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Here, have some of this. It helps.” From an open bar of chocolate sitting on the bedside table, she broke off a piece and offered it to him, putting her arm around his shoulders. He ignored her, and she insisted, “No, really. It helps. Eat some.” He made no attempt to take the chocolate, so she threaded it between his hands and pushed it into his mouth.
As expected, some animation returned to his body at the taste of the chocolate, and he looked up from his hands. Recognition of the wizard and witch sprang into his eyes, but there was no hint of fear or anger. Or even surprise. The sadness and despair from the dementor attack still lingered.
“You’re not Barty Crouch, Jr., are you?” Dumbledore’s gentle voice was soothing.
“‘Swhat I been saying,” the man croaked through a mouthful of chocolate..
Lupin leaned forward. “Then who are you?” Dumbledore put a calming hand on his arm.
He swallowed the chocolate. “The Doctor. I’m the Doctor. What have you done to me?”
The headmaster answered him. “We have done nothing to you. On the contrary, we’ve been keeping you safe while you recovered.”
“Recovered from what? Last thing I remember, she raised her wand and the world froze. From the inside out.” His eyes pierced Tonks. His stare was accusatory, but held no fear or concern for his own safety. She still had her arm around his shoulders and he did not pull away. She was suddenly very uncomfortable, cradling this man of equal parts vulnerability and stoic confidence, and she used the excuse of fetching more chocolate to shift away from him.
“Tonks didn’t do anything. The cold and the confusion came from the dementors, descending from above.”
“I looked up. There was nothing there.” He reflexively took the proffered chocolate from Tonks and stuffed it in his mouth.
Dumbledore drew up a chair and sat down, hands clasped in his lap. “Oh, they were there. You simply could not see them. Only wizards can see dementors. When they get near, they suck all of the happiness out of you and force you to relive the worst moments of your life.” The Doctor’s face twitched. “I can certainly see how you might interpret what you saw and felt as an attack from Tonks here, but I can assure you, she had nothing to do with it.”
Lupin stowed his wand in his pocket. The old wizard waited courteously while the patient chewed and swallowed the chocolate. “My name is Albus Dumbledore. I am the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the infirmary of which you are currently in. This young lady is Nymphadora Tonks, an auror - magical law enforcement officer.” He added that explanation when a twitch of the Doctor’s eyebrow indicated that the word was unknown. “And this is Remus Lupin, an ally. We brought you here under the impression that you were someone else, a dangerous criminal named Barty Crouch, Jr., but we know now that you are not. You are not a prisoner here and may leave whenever you want, but I am afraid that you will be in considerable danger if you do.”
“That’s not a state of life entirely unfamiliar to me. I suppose you’re referring to Voldemort?” Tonks and Lupin both started at the mention of the name. The stunned surprise on all three of the wizards’ faces sparked an amused gleam in the Doctor’s eyes. He pushed the bedclothes off of himself and swung his legs off the bed, then smoothed his blue jacket with his hands.
“Call him ‘You-Know-Who.’ Or ‘He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named.’” Tonks offered him another piece of chocolate as she spoke, but he waved it away.
“Oh, now those names are even worse than ‘The Dark Lord.’ Where’s your creativity?” He leapt to his feet and gazed around at the infirmary.
Dumbledore’s face remained steady and calm, but his eyes twinkled. “And how do you know about him?”
Spying the sonic screwdriver on the table, the Doctor’s face broke into a delighted smile. “Ah, there you are!” he breathed as he dashed over and picked it up. He turned to face the group. “You’re not the only kidnappers on the prowl tonight. Spoke to moldy Voldy about an hour before my pleasant encounter with you two.”
Tonks and Lupin exchanged confused glances. Few Muggles took the revelation of a world of magic with equanimity, and an encounter with You-Know-Who shook all but the most hardened wizards. This Muggle referred to him with little respect.
“I’m surprised he let you live,” said Lupin.
“Well, I can be very persuasive.” The Doctor pushed the button on the screwdriver, but it remained silent and dark. His brow creased with worry. “Oi, what happened to you?”
“Muggle artifacts do not work within Hogwarts. There is too much magical interference,” Dumbledore informed him.
The Doctor sniffed and stowed the screwdriver in his jacket’s inner pocket. He started strolling around the room, picking up objects here and there and examining them. The wizards turned in their places to watch him.
“I expect that Voldemort concluded that you’re not Barty Crouch, Jr., and attempted to kill you on the spot,” continued Dumbledore. The Doctor nodded. “He’ll try again, if only because you got away the first time. He is not the only source of danger. The dementors you encountered were sent by the Ministry of Magic. The Minister, Cornelius Fudge, executed Barty Crouch by having the dementors deliver their Kiss, and…”
“...if he thinks I’m Barty Crouch, he wants to make bloody well sure that it works this time.” Spying a complicated silver device behind the window of a cabinet, the Doctor pulled his glasses out of his pocket and put them on to scrutinize it. Leaning forward until his nose almost touched the glass, he buried his hands in his trouser pockets and continued talking with his back to the wizards. “Are there any other factions that have marked me for death?”
“You don’t seem to be too concerned.” Dumbledore seemed positively amused with the Muggle. “But no, not that I know of. We brought you here to ensure you weren’t killed outright, without at least some inquiry into the situation.”
"I thank you for that courtesy."
“Wait,” interjected Lupin. “Where’d you get those glasses? I patted down your pockets. There was nothing in any of them except that wand-thing.”
Pulling his glasses off, the Doctor straightened and turned around. “They’re bigger on the inside.” He stuffed the glasses into his right jacket pocket and produced a white, bulging packet from the same pocket, tossing it to Lupin. “Those dementors, don’t like ‘em. ‘Specially as I can’t see ‘em.” Crossing his arms, he scrubbed down his face with his right hand, thinking hard.
As Lupin, curious, opened the bag, Dumbledore stated, “I doubt the Ministry will use them again. Their use outside Azkaban is highly suspect at the best of times, and whoever ordered them on you will have seen Tonks and Remus and know you’re defended.”
Lupin reached into the bag and pulled out a red piece of candy. He stared at it.
“Jelly baby. Have one. They’re good. Azkaban?”
“Wizard prison. Dementors are the guards.”
The Doctor shuddered. “Sounds horrible.”
Lupin ate the candy and offered them around. Dumbledore smiled happily and chose a green one. “Ah yes, thank you. Yes, quite. They are very effective in keeping wizards from using magic to escape, but I must say that I cannot agree with the method.”
The Doctor eyed Dumbledore with respect as he caught the bag of candy Lupin tossed back to him and dropped it back in his pocket. He clasped his hands behind his back for a moment, looking pensive, then shook his head.
"I'm still not getting the whole picture here. One, there's Voldemort, doing the insane evil overlord bit, complete with the skull face. B, I mean two, there's the Ministry, who'll zap me from a distance without so much as a trial. And then three, there's you lot, the magic police, who picks me up and brings me to a school. I mean, I may not know about magic, but this doesn't make sense. If I don't know what's going on, I can't be expected to help, and I'm better off taking my chances on my own."
Tonks spoke up. "You won't survive an hour out there alone."
"Already have. I've gotten into and out of tight scrapes, going on a few years now."
"Headmaster?"
"He's the one in danger. He deserves to know."
Tonks nodded, and got to her feet. "You-Know-Who, as you've already guessed, is a Dark Wizard, one of the most powerful ever known. He tried to conquer the entire wizarding world, but he was thought killed fourteen years ago. However, with the help of Barty Crouch, Jr., he came back to life and power three months ago -"
"I know a bloke like that. Several, actually. They never quite stay dead, do they?"
"What?"
"Sorry."
Tonks exhaled in exasperation before continuing. "As far as we know, he's laying low, biding his time while he gathers his old followers and new ones. Problem is, the Minister of Magic doesn't believe You-Know-Who is back. He doesn’t want to believe, so he's waging a war of slander and propaganda against anyone who says so. We’re working in secret to try to spread the word and prepare people for the war that's coming. We're called the Order of the Phoenix and the Headmaster is our leader. I’m an auror and I normally work for the Ministry, but Lupin and I are loyal to the Order when it comes to this."
“Now, see, the ‘Order of the Phoenix!’ Now that’s a name! I was really starting to worry about you people. ‘You-Know-Who,’ blah! But,” and his expression turned serious, “there’s one more thing I’d like to know. Where is Donna?”
“That’s your friend?” When he nodded, Tonks continued. “We don’t know. We do know that You-Know-Who doesn’t have her. That’s all we know for certain.”
The Doctor furrowed his brow. “How would you know that?”
Tonks leaned back in her chair, one eyebrow raised. “We have our spies.”
With a slick smile, the Doctor nodded, impressed. “Good,” he said in a soft, high voice, elongating the vowel. “Then she either made it… home, or…?”
Lupin nodded. “One of the aurors may have found her. Tonks can find out. Where is home? We can check there, too.”
“Er, no, check with your aurors. If she’s not with them, then she’s home and safe.”
Lupin looked dubious, but didn’t press further.
Rather unexpectedly, Dumbledore stood up and approached the Doctor. “Now, it is my turn. I think it is time you came clean with us. It is quite obvious that you are keeping a large amount of information hidden. Like you said yourself, if we don’t know what’s going on, we can’t be expected to help. Tell us, who are you?”
The Doctor jammed his hands in his trouser pockets and shrugged. “Just a Muggle in the wrong place and time.”
Dumbledore’s stare was calm but steely. “Your confidence in the face of the unknown is stunning. You have amazing mental resiliency. You survived an encounter with Voldemort, which is something most trained wizards cannot do. Your pockets hold far more items than their volume. And an encounter with a few dementors left you incapacitated for three hours. You are not ‘just a Muggle.’”
“‘Amazing mental resiliency?’ You tried to read my mind, didn’t you?” His eyebrow twitched.
“I admit I did, to determine if you were Barty Crouch, Jr. before you woke up, yes.”
The Doctor smirked. “I’ll excuse the attempt, as I know you were doing it to protect yourselves. You’re right. I’m not ‘just a Muggle.’ I’m not from your world.”
Tonks waved her hands, palms up, in confusion. “We know you’re not a wizard. But that makes you a Muggle.”
“I don’t mean the world of magic. I mean the world.” He gestured expansively.
“You mean, a different planet?” Lupin stepped forward to peer at the Doctor, studying his face.
“Pretty much, yup.”
“You have got to be kidding,” spat Tonks, crossing her arms and straightening her shoulders.
“You sound like someone I know.” He stood back and tilted his head to one side. “I’m telling the truth.”
“We’ll see about that!” Tonks pulled out her wand. “Homenum revelio!” She gasped and turned to Lupin. “It don’t detect him! I see both of you, but not him.” She turned back to the Doctor. “You’re not human!”
He grinned brightly. “Hullo!”
Dumbledore’s face shone with amazement and delight. “Well, now, it is an evening of wonders. This explains quite a lot. What do you call your people, and where do you come from?”
“My home is called Gallifrey, and I am a Time Lord.”
Dumbledore frowned. “A ‘Time Lord?’ An odd name for a species. Does it mean you have power over time?”
“You know, so many people I’ve told that to, and you’re the first to ask. Some limited power, yes. Through our technology.”
Lupin pursed his lips. “So, could you turn back time to before you were taken by Voldemort and avoid all of this?”
“Good thinking! But no. It doesn’t work that way.” His usual nervous energy getting the better of him, the Doctor started pacing around again. “You can’t turn the clock back. I can travel in time, using my… time ship, you could call it. But I can’t alter what has already happened to me. And some things, it’s very dangerous to change.” The last statement was very quiet. But!” He brightened. “Now you know who I am, and we have work to do.”
Lupin persisted. “But your friend?”
“She’s human, a Muggle. Well, I assume she’s a Muggle. Clever, brash, persistent, and often exasperating, but still just a human.” The Doctor paused for a moment, thinking, then sniffed. “So. What we ultimately need to do is convince everyone that your Barty is dead while Donna and I leave here and never return. That about right?”
“Should be simple,” snorted Tonks, a sarcastic smile in her eyes.
“We should be able to convince the Ministry that you aren’t Barty,” stated Lupin. “The difficulty is making sure You-Know-Who is convinced of Barty’s death.”
“I beg to differ, Remus,” interjected Dumbledore politely. “Voldemort is the easiest one to convince. An article in the Daily Prophet stating that Crouch was captured and executed is enough. The Ministry is the hard part. We already know that we can’t trust Fudge with this.”
The Doctor frowned. “Why is that?”
“When Crouch’s part in the return of Voldemort was revealed, we had him in custody here. The Minister had the dementors execute him without trial or inquiry, against wizarding law. There’s no reason to believe he wouldn’t do it again, if we approach him with you looking exactly like Crouch.”
“Ah.”
“Then we take it out of his hands.” Everyone looked at Tonks. “He’s already given us, the aurors, the authority to kill Crouch on sight. I’ll report back that I found Crouch and killed him myself.”
The Doctor’s jaw dropped in surprise, but before he could speak, Lupin simply said, “No,” his voice firm.
“What? You don’t think I could do it?” Tonks regarded Lupin, defiant.
“You’re a trained auror. Of course you could. But I won’t have you even pretending to be responsible for a cold-blooded killing.” He stepped forward and touched her shoulder lightly.
Tonks pulled away, annoyed. “Doesn’t have to be cold-blooded. Crouch attacked me, we dueled, I won. Simple as that.”
“The more complicated the lies we weave, the more likely the web unravels under the lightest scrutiny.” Dumbledore shook his head. “That story is not one that Voldemort will believe, and I’m sure the Daily Prophet will publish the details. No. The answer lies with Dawlish and Moody.” He turned to the Doctor. “Dawlish is Tonks’ superior. Moody is a… consultant. They either have Donna or will be able to get her if an auror has taken her into custody. We need to convince them that you are simply an unlucky Muggle twin of Barty Crouch. Then, the tale of their execution of a Dark Wizard will be far more believable.”
Tonks snorted. “The difficult part there will be Moody.”
The Doctor turned to her, frowning. “Why’s that?”
"Alastor Moody is one of the greatest aurors of our time, and a very powerful wizard,” Dumbledore explained. “Alas, he fell prey to Barty Crouch, Jr.'s scheme and was imprisoned by him for nearly a year. He nearly died, while Barty took on his form and impersonated him. Alastor prides himself on not taking a man's life when he can avoid it, but I don't think he'll hesitate at the chance in this case."
The Doctor nodded, his expression contemplative. “Power and anger are not a good combination. However, I will take that chance. This needs to end. We’ll just have to talk fast.”
“It’s best if I talk to them first.” Tonks ran a hand through her hair, nervous. “Try to explain without you in the line of fire. Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secrets,” she added quickly.
The Doctor flashed her an appreciative smile. “So, the plan is convince your bosses that I’m not Barty Crouch, Jr., then publicize the fake execution so that Really-Evil-Bloke-Who-No-One-Wants-to-Mention stops searching for me, while Donna and I skip off-planet. I’d like to stop by my time ship, just to make sure Donna’s not already there.”
Lupin nodded. “That shouldn’t be a problem. We can do that while Tonks is meeting with them.”
The headmaster nodded, then tapped his fingertips against each other in front of his beard. “A good plan, or as near a good plan as we can get. I shall leave it to you young people.”
Tonks smiled. She was always far more comfortable when the path ahead was clear. “I’ll set up that meeting near the safe house.”
Lupin nodded and turned towards the door. “As for me, I’ll get one of the guest rooms ready for you, Doctor. Want some food sent up from the kitchens?” he asked over his shoulder.
The Doctor snagged his coat from the bed next to the one he had recently occupied and slipped it on. “No, thanks. I’m neither hungry nor tired. But, if I may ask a favor?”
“Sure. What do you need?” Lupin turned back towards the Doctor expectantly.
“This is a school. You must have a library.” The Doctor thrust his hands in his pockets, his face shining almost greedily. “A night’s worth of reading about magic? Ohh, brilliant!”
Tonks’ brow furrowed, and she tilted her head. “Why? All the books in the world won’t help you cast a spell.”
“Discovery, Tonks,” said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. “Exploration. Knowledge. The same inquisitiveness that leads one to travel to a new world. Isn’t that right, Doctor?”
“Right you are, sir.”
Dumbledore rose from his chair and inclined his head towards the Doctor. “You are welcome to explore the library, but I recommend staying out of the restricted section. Some of the books are quite dangerous and will take exception to being handled.”
“I thank you, Headmaster.” The Doctor bowed low, his coat sweeping behind him.
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Fandom(s): Doctor Who
Characters: Tenth Doctor, Donna Noble
Pairing(s): None
Rating: G
Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy, adventure
Word Count: 3433
Summary: Doctor Who/Harry Potter crossover: The Tenth Doctor and Donna fly through a crack in the walls of the universe and land in a world where humans can perform magic. Getting mixed up in the cold war between the Death Eaters, the Ministry of Magic, and the Order of the Phoenix, all sides want the Doctor dead!
Lupin and Tonks swapped theories back and forth, having nothing better to do while guarding the unconscious man. Dumbledore had settled into an armed chair and sat with his hands steepled in front of him, watching the others and offering a word or two here and there. Another hour had passed and Tonks was starting to think about heading to the kitchens to bring up some snacks when the man suddenly shifted and moaned. In a moment, all three wizards had surrounded his bed, watching him as he finally woke up.
Sitting up suddenly, his eyes snapped open, and for a moment, he was staring at nothingness. Then his shoulders slumped, and he buried his face in his hands. “What… what happened?”
Tonks looked from Dumbledore to Lupin, uncertain as to what to do. Lupin held up his wand to indicate that he was on guard, then gestured with his empty hand to go to the man. Tonks nodded and sat next to him on the bed. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Here, have some of this. It helps.” From an open bar of chocolate sitting on the bedside table, she broke off a piece and offered it to him, putting her arm around his shoulders. He ignored her, and she insisted, “No, really. It helps. Eat some.” He made no attempt to take the chocolate, so she threaded it between his hands and pushed it into his mouth.
As expected, some animation returned to his body at the taste of the chocolate, and he looked up from his hands. Recognition of the wizard and witch sprang into his eyes, but there was no hint of fear or anger. Or even surprise. The sadness and despair from the dementor attack still lingered.
“You’re not Barty Crouch, Jr., are you?” Dumbledore’s gentle voice was soothing.
“‘Swhat I been saying,” the man croaked through a mouthful of chocolate..
Lupin leaned forward. “Then who are you?” Dumbledore put a calming hand on his arm.
He swallowed the chocolate. “The Doctor. I’m the Doctor. What have you done to me?”
The headmaster answered him. “We have done nothing to you. On the contrary, we’ve been keeping you safe while you recovered.”
“Recovered from what? Last thing I remember, she raised her wand and the world froze. From the inside out.” His eyes pierced Tonks. His stare was accusatory, but held no fear or concern for his own safety. She still had her arm around his shoulders and he did not pull away. She was suddenly very uncomfortable, cradling this man of equal parts vulnerability and stoic confidence, and she used the excuse of fetching more chocolate to shift away from him.
“Tonks didn’t do anything. The cold and the confusion came from the dementors, descending from above.”
“I looked up. There was nothing there.” He reflexively took the proffered chocolate from Tonks and stuffed it in his mouth.
Dumbledore drew up a chair and sat down, hands clasped in his lap. “Oh, they were there. You simply could not see them. Only wizards can see dementors. When they get near, they suck all of the happiness out of you and force you to relive the worst moments of your life.” The Doctor’s face twitched. “I can certainly see how you might interpret what you saw and felt as an attack from Tonks here, but I can assure you, she had nothing to do with it.”
Lupin stowed his wand in his pocket. The old wizard waited courteously while the patient chewed and swallowed the chocolate. “My name is Albus Dumbledore. I am the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the infirmary of which you are currently in. This young lady is Nymphadora Tonks, an auror - magical law enforcement officer.” He added that explanation when a twitch of the Doctor’s eyebrow indicated that the word was unknown. “And this is Remus Lupin, an ally. We brought you here under the impression that you were someone else, a dangerous criminal named Barty Crouch, Jr., but we know now that you are not. You are not a prisoner here and may leave whenever you want, but I am afraid that you will be in considerable danger if you do.”
“That’s not a state of life entirely unfamiliar to me. I suppose you’re referring to Voldemort?” Tonks and Lupin both started at the mention of the name. The stunned surprise on all three of the wizards’ faces sparked an amused gleam in the Doctor’s eyes. He pushed the bedclothes off of himself and swung his legs off the bed, then smoothed his blue jacket with his hands.
“Call him ‘You-Know-Who.’ Or ‘He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named.’” Tonks offered him another piece of chocolate as she spoke, but he waved it away.
“Oh, now those names are even worse than ‘The Dark Lord.’ Where’s your creativity?” He leapt to his feet and gazed around at the infirmary.
Dumbledore’s face remained steady and calm, but his eyes twinkled. “And how do you know about him?”
Spying the sonic screwdriver on the table, the Doctor’s face broke into a delighted smile. “Ah, there you are!” he breathed as he dashed over and picked it up. He turned to face the group. “You’re not the only kidnappers on the prowl tonight. Spoke to moldy Voldy about an hour before my pleasant encounter with you two.”
Tonks and Lupin exchanged confused glances. Few Muggles took the revelation of a world of magic with equanimity, and an encounter with You-Know-Who shook all but the most hardened wizards. This Muggle referred to him with little respect.
“I’m surprised he let you live,” said Lupin.
“Well, I can be very persuasive.” The Doctor pushed the button on the screwdriver, but it remained silent and dark. His brow creased with worry. “Oi, what happened to you?”
“Muggle artifacts do not work within Hogwarts. There is too much magical interference,” Dumbledore informed him.
The Doctor sniffed and stowed the screwdriver in his jacket’s inner pocket. He started strolling around the room, picking up objects here and there and examining them. The wizards turned in their places to watch him.
“I expect that Voldemort concluded that you’re not Barty Crouch, Jr., and attempted to kill you on the spot,” continued Dumbledore. The Doctor nodded. “He’ll try again, if only because you got away the first time. He is not the only source of danger. The dementors you encountered were sent by the Ministry of Magic. The Minister, Cornelius Fudge, executed Barty Crouch by having the dementors deliver their Kiss, and…”
“...if he thinks I’m Barty Crouch, he wants to make bloody well sure that it works this time.” Spying a complicated silver device behind the window of a cabinet, the Doctor pulled his glasses out of his pocket and put them on to scrutinize it. Leaning forward until his nose almost touched the glass, he buried his hands in his trouser pockets and continued talking with his back to the wizards. “Are there any other factions that have marked me for death?”
“You don’t seem to be too concerned.” Dumbledore seemed positively amused with the Muggle. “But no, not that I know of. We brought you here to ensure you weren’t killed outright, without at least some inquiry into the situation.”
"I thank you for that courtesy."
“Wait,” interjected Lupin. “Where’d you get those glasses? I patted down your pockets. There was nothing in any of them except that wand-thing.”
Pulling his glasses off, the Doctor straightened and turned around. “They’re bigger on the inside.” He stuffed the glasses into his right jacket pocket and produced a white, bulging packet from the same pocket, tossing it to Lupin. “Those dementors, don’t like ‘em. ‘Specially as I can’t see ‘em.” Crossing his arms, he scrubbed down his face with his right hand, thinking hard.
As Lupin, curious, opened the bag, Dumbledore stated, “I doubt the Ministry will use them again. Their use outside Azkaban is highly suspect at the best of times, and whoever ordered them on you will have seen Tonks and Remus and know you’re defended.”
Lupin reached into the bag and pulled out a red piece of candy. He stared at it.
“Jelly baby. Have one. They’re good. Azkaban?”
“Wizard prison. Dementors are the guards.”
The Doctor shuddered. “Sounds horrible.”
Lupin ate the candy and offered them around. Dumbledore smiled happily and chose a green one. “Ah yes, thank you. Yes, quite. They are very effective in keeping wizards from using magic to escape, but I must say that I cannot agree with the method.”
The Doctor eyed Dumbledore with respect as he caught the bag of candy Lupin tossed back to him and dropped it back in his pocket. He clasped his hands behind his back for a moment, looking pensive, then shook his head.
"I'm still not getting the whole picture here. One, there's Voldemort, doing the insane evil overlord bit, complete with the skull face. B, I mean two, there's the Ministry, who'll zap me from a distance without so much as a trial. And then three, there's you lot, the magic police, who picks me up and brings me to a school. I mean, I may not know about magic, but this doesn't make sense. If I don't know what's going on, I can't be expected to help, and I'm better off taking my chances on my own."
Tonks spoke up. "You won't survive an hour out there alone."
"Already have. I've gotten into and out of tight scrapes, going on a few years now."
"Headmaster?"
"He's the one in danger. He deserves to know."
Tonks nodded, and got to her feet. "You-Know-Who, as you've already guessed, is a Dark Wizard, one of the most powerful ever known. He tried to conquer the entire wizarding world, but he was thought killed fourteen years ago. However, with the help of Barty Crouch, Jr., he came back to life and power three months ago -"
"I know a bloke like that. Several, actually. They never quite stay dead, do they?"
"What?"
"Sorry."
Tonks exhaled in exasperation before continuing. "As far as we know, he's laying low, biding his time while he gathers his old followers and new ones. Problem is, the Minister of Magic doesn't believe You-Know-Who is back. He doesn’t want to believe, so he's waging a war of slander and propaganda against anyone who says so. We’re working in secret to try to spread the word and prepare people for the war that's coming. We're called the Order of the Phoenix and the Headmaster is our leader. I’m an auror and I normally work for the Ministry, but Lupin and I are loyal to the Order when it comes to this."
“Now, see, the ‘Order of the Phoenix!’ Now that’s a name! I was really starting to worry about you people. ‘You-Know-Who,’ blah! But,” and his expression turned serious, “there’s one more thing I’d like to know. Where is Donna?”
“That’s your friend?” When he nodded, Tonks continued. “We don’t know. We do know that You-Know-Who doesn’t have her. That’s all we know for certain.”
The Doctor furrowed his brow. “How would you know that?”
Tonks leaned back in her chair, one eyebrow raised. “We have our spies.”
With a slick smile, the Doctor nodded, impressed. “Good,” he said in a soft, high voice, elongating the vowel. “Then she either made it… home, or…?”
Lupin nodded. “One of the aurors may have found her. Tonks can find out. Where is home? We can check there, too.”
“Er, no, check with your aurors. If she’s not with them, then she’s home and safe.”
Lupin looked dubious, but didn’t press further.
Rather unexpectedly, Dumbledore stood up and approached the Doctor. “Now, it is my turn. I think it is time you came clean with us. It is quite obvious that you are keeping a large amount of information hidden. Like you said yourself, if we don’t know what’s going on, we can’t be expected to help. Tell us, who are you?”
The Doctor jammed his hands in his trouser pockets and shrugged. “Just a Muggle in the wrong place and time.”
Dumbledore’s stare was calm but steely. “Your confidence in the face of the unknown is stunning. You have amazing mental resiliency. You survived an encounter with Voldemort, which is something most trained wizards cannot do. Your pockets hold far more items than their volume. And an encounter with a few dementors left you incapacitated for three hours. You are not ‘just a Muggle.’”
“‘Amazing mental resiliency?’ You tried to read my mind, didn’t you?” His eyebrow twitched.
“I admit I did, to determine if you were Barty Crouch, Jr. before you woke up, yes.”
The Doctor smirked. “I’ll excuse the attempt, as I know you were doing it to protect yourselves. You’re right. I’m not ‘just a Muggle.’ I’m not from your world.”
Tonks waved her hands, palms up, in confusion. “We know you’re not a wizard. But that makes you a Muggle.”
“I don’t mean the world of magic. I mean the world.” He gestured expansively.
“You mean, a different planet?” Lupin stepped forward to peer at the Doctor, studying his face.
“Pretty much, yup.”
“You have got to be kidding,” spat Tonks, crossing her arms and straightening her shoulders.
“You sound like someone I know.” He stood back and tilted his head to one side. “I’m telling the truth.”
“We’ll see about that!” Tonks pulled out her wand. “Homenum revelio!” She gasped and turned to Lupin. “It don’t detect him! I see both of you, but not him.” She turned back to the Doctor. “You’re not human!”
He grinned brightly. “Hullo!”
Dumbledore’s face shone with amazement and delight. “Well, now, it is an evening of wonders. This explains quite a lot. What do you call your people, and where do you come from?”
“My home is called Gallifrey, and I am a Time Lord.”
Dumbledore frowned. “A ‘Time Lord?’ An odd name for a species. Does it mean you have power over time?”
“You know, so many people I’ve told that to, and you’re the first to ask. Some limited power, yes. Through our technology.”
Lupin pursed his lips. “So, could you turn back time to before you were taken by Voldemort and avoid all of this?”
“Good thinking! But no. It doesn’t work that way.” His usual nervous energy getting the better of him, the Doctor started pacing around again. “You can’t turn the clock back. I can travel in time, using my… time ship, you could call it. But I can’t alter what has already happened to me. And some things, it’s very dangerous to change.” The last statement was very quiet. But!” He brightened. “Now you know who I am, and we have work to do.”
Lupin persisted. “But your friend?”
“She’s human, a Muggle. Well, I assume she’s a Muggle. Clever, brash, persistent, and often exasperating, but still just a human.” The Doctor paused for a moment, thinking, then sniffed. “So. What we ultimately need to do is convince everyone that your Barty is dead while Donna and I leave here and never return. That about right?”
“Should be simple,” snorted Tonks, a sarcastic smile in her eyes.
“We should be able to convince the Ministry that you aren’t Barty,” stated Lupin. “The difficulty is making sure You-Know-Who is convinced of Barty’s death.”
“I beg to differ, Remus,” interjected Dumbledore politely. “Voldemort is the easiest one to convince. An article in the Daily Prophet stating that Crouch was captured and executed is enough. The Ministry is the hard part. We already know that we can’t trust Fudge with this.”
The Doctor frowned. “Why is that?”
“When Crouch’s part in the return of Voldemort was revealed, we had him in custody here. The Minister had the dementors execute him without trial or inquiry, against wizarding law. There’s no reason to believe he wouldn’t do it again, if we approach him with you looking exactly like Crouch.”
“Ah.”
“Then we take it out of his hands.” Everyone looked at Tonks. “He’s already given us, the aurors, the authority to kill Crouch on sight. I’ll report back that I found Crouch and killed him myself.”
The Doctor’s jaw dropped in surprise, but before he could speak, Lupin simply said, “No,” his voice firm.
“What? You don’t think I could do it?” Tonks regarded Lupin, defiant.
“You’re a trained auror. Of course you could. But I won’t have you even pretending to be responsible for a cold-blooded killing.” He stepped forward and touched her shoulder lightly.
Tonks pulled away, annoyed. “Doesn’t have to be cold-blooded. Crouch attacked me, we dueled, I won. Simple as that.”
“The more complicated the lies we weave, the more likely the web unravels under the lightest scrutiny.” Dumbledore shook his head. “That story is not one that Voldemort will believe, and I’m sure the Daily Prophet will publish the details. No. The answer lies with Dawlish and Moody.” He turned to the Doctor. “Dawlish is Tonks’ superior. Moody is a… consultant. They either have Donna or will be able to get her if an auror has taken her into custody. We need to convince them that you are simply an unlucky Muggle twin of Barty Crouch. Then, the tale of their execution of a Dark Wizard will be far more believable.”
Tonks snorted. “The difficult part there will be Moody.”
The Doctor turned to her, frowning. “Why’s that?”
"Alastor Moody is one of the greatest aurors of our time, and a very powerful wizard,” Dumbledore explained. “Alas, he fell prey to Barty Crouch, Jr.'s scheme and was imprisoned by him for nearly a year. He nearly died, while Barty took on his form and impersonated him. Alastor prides himself on not taking a man's life when he can avoid it, but I don't think he'll hesitate at the chance in this case."
The Doctor nodded, his expression contemplative. “Power and anger are not a good combination. However, I will take that chance. This needs to end. We’ll just have to talk fast.”
“It’s best if I talk to them first.” Tonks ran a hand through her hair, nervous. “Try to explain without you in the line of fire. Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secrets,” she added quickly.
The Doctor flashed her an appreciative smile. “So, the plan is convince your bosses that I’m not Barty Crouch, Jr., then publicize the fake execution so that Really-Evil-Bloke-Who-No-One-Wants-to-Mention stops searching for me, while Donna and I skip off-planet. I’d like to stop by my time ship, just to make sure Donna’s not already there.”
Lupin nodded. “That shouldn’t be a problem. We can do that while Tonks is meeting with them.”
The headmaster nodded, then tapped his fingertips against each other in front of his beard. “A good plan, or as near a good plan as we can get. I shall leave it to you young people.”
Tonks smiled. She was always far more comfortable when the path ahead was clear. “I’ll set up that meeting near the safe house.”
Lupin nodded and turned towards the door. “As for me, I’ll get one of the guest rooms ready for you, Doctor. Want some food sent up from the kitchens?” he asked over his shoulder.
The Doctor snagged his coat from the bed next to the one he had recently occupied and slipped it on. “No, thanks. I’m neither hungry nor tired. But, if I may ask a favor?”
“Sure. What do you need?” Lupin turned back towards the Doctor expectantly.
“This is a school. You must have a library.” The Doctor thrust his hands in his pockets, his face shining almost greedily. “A night’s worth of reading about magic? Ohh, brilliant!”
Tonks’ brow furrowed, and she tilted her head. “Why? All the books in the world won’t help you cast a spell.”
“Discovery, Tonks,” said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. “Exploration. Knowledge. The same inquisitiveness that leads one to travel to a new world. Isn’t that right, Doctor?”
“Right you are, sir.”
Dumbledore rose from his chair and inclined his head towards the Doctor. “You are welcome to explore the library, but I recommend staying out of the restricted section. Some of the books are quite dangerous and will take exception to being handled.”
“I thank you, Headmaster.” The Doctor bowed low, his coat sweeping behind him.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2014-07-10 09:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-11 05:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-05-14 11:01 pm (UTC)You don't say, Doctor. *adjusts her glasses*
However, with the help of Barty Crouch, Jr., he came back to life and power three months ago -"
"I know a bloke like that. Several, actually. They never quite stay dead, do they?"
"What?"
*sporfle*
“Homenum revelio!”
Hmmm... maybe Dominustemporis revelio? XD
“A night’s worth of reading about magic? Ohh, brilliant!”
*squeezes my darling bookworm!Ten*