Chapter 6 – The Eleven-Year-Old Fugitive
Watching Momo lying quietly in the hospital bed, Hydrus felt a strange daze.
That morning, she had been sipping tea like a proper young lady. By evening, she had fallen so far that she had no home at all.
She even stayed at the hospital for a free dinner and one night's free lodging.
Shaking her head, she rose and walked to the bedside, drawing back the curtains.
The window was sealed shut, impossible to open. Beyond it, the lights of London shone brightly, yet Hydrus knew it was an illusion created by magic—the real London outside was being drenched by a torrential downpour.
Pulling the curtains closed again, she felt that something strange was happening tonight.
Why did the doctor insist she stay overnight?
He was a stranger, after all, and Momo was just a house-elf, considered insignificant by most wizards. From any perspective, this felt… odd.
Quietly, Hydrus opened the door and tiptoed toward the doctor's office.
She had to find out what was going on; perhaps eavesdropping would provide the answers.
Suddenly, an inexplicable sense of danger surged through her.
It was as if some tragic fate was about to befall her.
She had felt this intuition since childhood—and it was always accurate.
Hydrus darted into a nearby room, pressing her ear to the door.
Outside, she heard hurried footsteps and the doctor's voice:
"Mr. Aurors, hurry! She's in that ward!"
Aurors? Hydrus felt her heart sink. Could it be… she was wanted?
"Who's there?"
A young woman's voice came from behind.
Caught off guard! There was someone in the room.
Hydrus spun around, instantly adopting a harmless, pitiful expression.
"I… I might have the wrong room…"
"Hydrus!"
A pink-haired girl ran over, joyfully hugging the confused Hydrus.
"Ni… Nymphadora, cousin?"
"I told you, don't call me Nymphadora!"
This was Nymphadora Tonks, daughter of Andromeda, Bellatrix's younger sister.
So indeed, she was Hydrus's real cousin. Fate was strange indeed—they had somehow met here.
Tonks looked delighted, and Hydrus mirrored her smile.
Tonks was a natural Metamorphmagus, able to freely change her appearance.
During their hug, Hydrus had insight into the principles of Metamorphmagus magic!
"Alright, Cousin Tonks," Hydrus said, beaming. Now that she, too, could change her appearance at will, she felt elated—even with people hunting her outside.
"How are you here? Isn't school starting today?"
Tonks was thirteen, in her third year at Hogwarts.
She glanced at the middle-aged man asleep on the bed, sighing.
"My father had sunflower hemorrhoids—you know, that… place. He's been in the hospital for two days, finally treated. My mother stayed up two nights straight, exhausted, so she went home early. I was left to watch him overnight. Tomorrow morning, I'll return to Hogwarts."
Outside, faint, chaotic voices filtered in:
"Tracking spell still active! Search here!"
"She won't get far. She's nearby!"
"Be careful! According to the Gray family, that Dark wizard is extremely cunning!"
Tonks looked curiously at Hydrus. Her cousin's behavior was strange—focused on the sounds outside instead of their reunion.
Could there be something more thrilling than meeting family?
"Hydrus, you—"
Hydrus's expression suddenly shifted.
"Cousin Tonks, I have urgent business! We'll talk later!"
Shhh!
Hydrus vanished from the ward.
Tonks stood there, stunned.
St. Mungo's had anti-Apparition wards—how had Hydrus Apparated inside?
No, that wasn't even the most shocking part… she was doing it at eleven years old!
Moments later, two Aurors burst into the room, searching without hesitation.
Tonks snapped out of her shock, anger rising:
"Who are you? Stop disturbing my father's rest!"
"We are Aurors, pursuing a fugitive!" one replied coldly.
Tonks froze.
Hydrus's earlier actions, combined with the Auror's words, made it clear: she was wanted.
When Hydrus reappeared, it was in front of the Leaky Cauldron.
She sighed.
First escape: lost her young lady status.
Second escape: lost almost all her treasure.
Third escape: lost Momo.
The Gray family had convinced the Ministry to put her on the wanted list—something she hadn't anticipated.
At this point, complaints were useless.
If captured, the Gray family could deal with her without trial.
Wait—did she just hear, "tracking spell still active"?
Shhh!
Shhh!
The Aurors Apparated instantly, surrounding Hydrus.
"Has the anti-Apparition device been activated?"
"Yes, Chief!" a well-dressed man with neat short gray hair stepped forward.
"Hydrus Lestrange, you are under arrest. Crimes: brutally murdering two members of the Gray family."
Hydrus recognized him—Bartemius Crouch, Head of Magical Law Enforcement.
Since her parents were imprisoned in Azkaban, he had often visited the Lestrange estate.
To Crouch, Hydrus was a seed of a Dark wizard, possibly even Voldemort's offspring. He wouldn't let her go.
Hydrus's heart sank. She was only eleven years old, already living a fugitive's life.
This was not part of her plan. She needed to clear her name.
"Chief," she said, spreading her empty hands, "I haven't received a Hogwarts letter. I turned eleven in April. I—"
"What are you implying, Miss Lestrange?" Crouch's face remained icy.
"I'm a squib! How could I kill two adult wizards?"
Crouch remained unmoved.
"Who knows if your squib identity is a disguise… or if you have accomplices?"
He added, sneering:
"And how could a squib Apparate, Miss Lestrange?"
Right. Logic wasn't going to work. This old man just wanted to send her to Azkaban.
An eleven-year-old who hadn't even attended Hogwarts, and yet she was on her way to Azkaban. Who could understand this feeling?
Shaking her head, Hydrus *shhh!*ed and vanished.
House-elf Apparition was that effective!
Crouch fumed:
"Didn't you activate the anti-Apparition device?"
The Aurors, sweating, showed him: "Chief, it's activated!"
"Then search her tracking spell now!"
The silver, blurry display showed Hydrus taking out Galleons from her pouch, one by one, tossing them onto the ground with a mournful expression.
"She's near the War Memorial!"
"She's discarding Galleons with tracking spells!"
"We must reach her before she finishes!"
"Why can't I Apparate?"
"Me neither!"
Crouch's veins bulged:
"Fools! Turn off the anti-Apparition device!"
But it was too late.
Hydrus tossed the final Galleon and disappeared.
Crouch's face darkened.
A supposedly weak squib, ignoring anti-Apparition wards, possibly the child of a mysterious Dark wizard, and the Gray family—normally hidden—had enchanted multiple Galleons with tracking spells.
Such magical skill was rare in the wizarding world.
Crouch regretted meddling in this mess…
Hydrus reappeared in a small alley. Rain had eased, drizzle pattering against her. Cold seeped into her bones.
This time, she had lost everything.
Overwhelmed, she looked up and wept.
"Waaah—!!"
She felt utterly miserable.
Sitting on a small doorstep, crying her heart out, a young, magnetic voice spoke behind her:
"Little girl, whose child are you, and why are you crying so sadly?"
Hydrus sobbed, regaining some composure.
Switching her magical physiology, she fixed her gaze on a "Roman Holiday" poster across the tram station.
Seconds later, she turned back, adopting the face of a young Audrey Hepburn, tear-streaked and pitiful:
"I… I have no home. I have nothing left…"