Series Fic: I Never Imagined (Kingsley/Dorcas)
TITLE: I Never Imagined
AUTHOR: abzurd
FANDOM: Harry Potter
PAIRING: Kingsley Shacklebolt/Dorcas Meadows
GENRE: Dark Romance
PROMPT: 83 - Question at 100_tales & To Run Great Risk at rarepair_shorts (x posted at first_order
RATING: PG-13
WORD COUNT: 1041
SUMMARY: Dorcas begins to realize just how important her visions can be to the Order.
WARNINGS:
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any part of, nor do I make any money from the Harry Potter franchise. I merely dabble in the shadows of the world of JK Rowling created.
The Other Stories in the Forever Was in Your Eyes (Kingsley/Dorcas) canon:
True Visions
Forget the Night Out
I Never Imagined
Name Me
Dorcas prowled through the room like a caged animal getting to know the circumference of its cage. She didn’t take any notice of the portraits or assembled treasures, as most people would have done. Instead she spent her time looking for a dark stain on the carpet in the shape of a rose. All last week, her dreams had centred around a large room with carpet this same colour. As soon as she’d walked into Professor Dumbledore’s office, she’d known she was in the right place. Unfortunately, she couldn’t see a stain marring the pristine carpet.
Between her need to solve the riddle of the dream and the words swirling uselessly around her, Dorcas felt out of sorts. She was here at Dumbeldore’s request but he had yet to acknowledge her presence. To make matters worse, he and Kingsley were deep in a discussion she didn’t understand. If they didn’t need her, why was she here?
What she really wanted to do was curl up in Kingsley’s lap and bury her face in his neck. This was the first she’d seen him in three very long days. There were lines on his face that hadn’t been there when she’d seen him last and he’d sat down very stiffly. They hadn’t gotten to the point in their relationship where they could easily discuss the intricacies of their jobs (not that pouring pints left anything to the imagination) or what he might be doing that would put him in harm’s way. She wanted to ease his pain but all she could do was put her hand on his shoulder as she came to stand behind him. A warm tingle spread throughout her body as he covered her hand with one of his. She liked this feeling of belonging he gave her.
It surprised her when Dumbledore moved his intense gaze up to hers. “Did you find what you were looking for?”
She shook her head. “Not this time.”
“Perhaps next time you visit, it will be where you can find it.”
“Perhaps,” Dorcas echoed, not completely certain she wanted to find the stain.
In general, her visions were starting to grow clearer. They were showing her sharper images that happened with much better consistency. Ever since she had taken the challenge her former headmaster had laid out for her, as a matter of fact. Join us, he had cajoled and she’d agreed. They’d never talked about what it was that she’d be doing to help the Order or even what the Order did. She’d agreed and that was that.
“Do you know what it is that I’m supposed to be looking for?”
“The answer, I’m assuming. Isn’t that what you’d like to find?”
From the fireplace, a green cloud of smoke erupted and belched into the room. Out stumbled two men, one very much the worse for wear. They both collapsed into a heap on the carpet.
“Death Eaters,” croaked the one still holding his head up. They were both covered in dirt and grime. “They had us surrounded but we were able to get away just in time. Gideon got one last shot in but it left him unprotected. Got a nasty cut on his side.”
“I’ll live,” the other man mumbled, clearly just barely hanging onto consciousness out of spite. “We’ll need to send someone back. Couldn’t get the book.”
“A book is not worth your life. You did well getting him away, Fabian. For now we’ll-“
“It won’t be there.” Everyone stared at Dorcas as she interrupted Professor Dumbledore. “The book is gone now.”
Kingsley’s hand tightened around hers. “Who has it?”
“A ghost. No… not a ghost. But similar. Vague edges. And you’ll need to get his wound cared for. He’s bleeding out on your carpet.”
“You know the way to the Infirmary, I assume? Kingsley, perhaps you’ll held Fabian get his brother to see Madam Promfrey. Miss Meadows and I will await you back here.”
She watched as Kingsley left, bearing the majority of the burden for both of them. As she stepped forward, she saw the darkening stain spreading like a rose across the burgundy carpet. “There it is. Did you know I would find it today?”
“No. I can’t say that I had any idea what it was that you saw in your dream. But it was obvious there was something bothering you .”
“I don’t know how to explain it.” Dorcas sank down in the nearest chair, her aching head between her hands. “The visions used to be fuzzy and most of them were so inconsequential that they might just as well have been normal dreams. Ever since I… it’s Kingsley, isn’t it? I thought it was you but it’s Kingsley.”
At her incredulous look, the professor shrugged. “Perhaps it is Mr. Shacklebolt that has prompted the strength of the visions to increase. One can never tell about these things.”
Before she could answer, Kingsley walked back through the door. His face was set in a determined frown. “Was it Benjy? Did you send him after the book even though the plan was to send the Prewetts after it?”
“You know I didn’t. As far as I know, Benjy has spent the day at the Beach House.”
Dorcas watched as the frown turned into a scary smile. This was a side of Kingsley she’d never seen before although she’d always known he had more to him under the easy grin and cheerful demeanor. It made sense, though. She was thoughtful as she watched him jump into action, trying not to find it too horribly sexy.
“Dorcas, I’ll meet you at your flat after-“
“No. I’m coming with you. The visions are getting stronger and I can be helpful.” He was about to shake his head but she beat him to the punch. Moving quickly, she grabbed hold of his arm, swinging it accent her words. “You won’t have to worry about me, Kingsley. I’ve got a wand and can use it. You need me.”
Her last words did the trick. “Come on. We’ve got to make a stop at the Beach House to make sure Benjy really sure has been at home all day. After that, well, we’ll figure it out as we go along.”
AUTHOR: abzurd
FANDOM: Harry Potter
PAIRING: Kingsley Shacklebolt/Dorcas Meadows
GENRE: Dark Romance
PROMPT: 83 - Question at 100_tales & To Run Great Risk at rarepair_shorts (x posted at first_order
RATING: PG-13
WORD COUNT: 1041
SUMMARY: Dorcas begins to realize just how important her visions can be to the Order.
WARNINGS:
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any part of, nor do I make any money from the Harry Potter franchise. I merely dabble in the shadows of the world of JK Rowling created.
The Other Stories in the Forever Was in Your Eyes (Kingsley/Dorcas) canon:
True Visions
Forget the Night Out
I Never Imagined
Name Me
Dorcas prowled through the room like a caged animal getting to know the circumference of its cage. She didn’t take any notice of the portraits or assembled treasures, as most people would have done. Instead she spent her time looking for a dark stain on the carpet in the shape of a rose. All last week, her dreams had centred around a large room with carpet this same colour. As soon as she’d walked into Professor Dumbledore’s office, she’d known she was in the right place. Unfortunately, she couldn’t see a stain marring the pristine carpet.
Between her need to solve the riddle of the dream and the words swirling uselessly around her, Dorcas felt out of sorts. She was here at Dumbeldore’s request but he had yet to acknowledge her presence. To make matters worse, he and Kingsley were deep in a discussion she didn’t understand. If they didn’t need her, why was she here?
What she really wanted to do was curl up in Kingsley’s lap and bury her face in his neck. This was the first she’d seen him in three very long days. There were lines on his face that hadn’t been there when she’d seen him last and he’d sat down very stiffly. They hadn’t gotten to the point in their relationship where they could easily discuss the intricacies of their jobs (not that pouring pints left anything to the imagination) or what he might be doing that would put him in harm’s way. She wanted to ease his pain but all she could do was put her hand on his shoulder as she came to stand behind him. A warm tingle spread throughout her body as he covered her hand with one of his. She liked this feeling of belonging he gave her.
It surprised her when Dumbledore moved his intense gaze up to hers. “Did you find what you were looking for?”
She shook her head. “Not this time.”
“Perhaps next time you visit, it will be where you can find it.”
“Perhaps,” Dorcas echoed, not completely certain she wanted to find the stain.
In general, her visions were starting to grow clearer. They were showing her sharper images that happened with much better consistency. Ever since she had taken the challenge her former headmaster had laid out for her, as a matter of fact. Join us, he had cajoled and she’d agreed. They’d never talked about what it was that she’d be doing to help the Order or even what the Order did. She’d agreed and that was that.
“Do you know what it is that I’m supposed to be looking for?”
“The answer, I’m assuming. Isn’t that what you’d like to find?”
From the fireplace, a green cloud of smoke erupted and belched into the room. Out stumbled two men, one very much the worse for wear. They both collapsed into a heap on the carpet.
“Death Eaters,” croaked the one still holding his head up. They were both covered in dirt and grime. “They had us surrounded but we were able to get away just in time. Gideon got one last shot in but it left him unprotected. Got a nasty cut on his side.”
“I’ll live,” the other man mumbled, clearly just barely hanging onto consciousness out of spite. “We’ll need to send someone back. Couldn’t get the book.”
“A book is not worth your life. You did well getting him away, Fabian. For now we’ll-“
“It won’t be there.” Everyone stared at Dorcas as she interrupted Professor Dumbledore. “The book is gone now.”
Kingsley’s hand tightened around hers. “Who has it?”
“A ghost. No… not a ghost. But similar. Vague edges. And you’ll need to get his wound cared for. He’s bleeding out on your carpet.”
“You know the way to the Infirmary, I assume? Kingsley, perhaps you’ll held Fabian get his brother to see Madam Promfrey. Miss Meadows and I will await you back here.”
She watched as Kingsley left, bearing the majority of the burden for both of them. As she stepped forward, she saw the darkening stain spreading like a rose across the burgundy carpet. “There it is. Did you know I would find it today?”
“No. I can’t say that I had any idea what it was that you saw in your dream. But it was obvious there was something bothering you .”
“I don’t know how to explain it.” Dorcas sank down in the nearest chair, her aching head between her hands. “The visions used to be fuzzy and most of them were so inconsequential that they might just as well have been normal dreams. Ever since I… it’s Kingsley, isn’t it? I thought it was you but it’s Kingsley.”
At her incredulous look, the professor shrugged. “Perhaps it is Mr. Shacklebolt that has prompted the strength of the visions to increase. One can never tell about these things.”
Before she could answer, Kingsley walked back through the door. His face was set in a determined frown. “Was it Benjy? Did you send him after the book even though the plan was to send the Prewetts after it?”
“You know I didn’t. As far as I know, Benjy has spent the day at the Beach House.”
Dorcas watched as the frown turned into a scary smile. This was a side of Kingsley she’d never seen before although she’d always known he had more to him under the easy grin and cheerful demeanor. It made sense, though. She was thoughtful as she watched him jump into action, trying not to find it too horribly sexy.
“Dorcas, I’ll meet you at your flat after-“
“No. I’m coming with you. The visions are getting stronger and I can be helpful.” He was about to shake his head but she beat him to the punch. Moving quickly, she grabbed hold of his arm, swinging it accent her words. “You won’t have to worry about me, Kingsley. I’ve got a wand and can use it. You need me.”
Her last words did the trick. “Come on. We’ve got to make a stop at the Beach House to make sure Benjy really sure has been at home all day. After that, well, we’ll figure it out as we go along.”