Author's Note: Today's rant brought to you by Abbot Downing Company the finest maker of Concord Stagecoaches. Yes sir, Mark Twain stated in his 1861 book Roughing It that the Concord stagecoach was like "a cradle on wheels". (Source: Wikipedia)
What the bleep-bleep-bleep does this have to do with Harry Potter you ask? Simple. By the late 1800s' the Abbot Downing Company and the stagecoaches were history. Therefore, when you think of history and Harry Potter you're going to be thinking of these websites: Checkmated, Simply Undeniable, and the Quidditch Pitch.
THEY ARE HISTORY! GONE! DEAD MAN WALKING!
A DISTANT MEMORY! (Source: Harry Potter)
Now I shouldn't speak ill of the dead, as their pathetic viewership is swirling around the toilet. The reason why is the last Harry Potter book and movie are now done causing viewership on these website to decrease… decrease… decrease… flush! :-D
Moreover, I gleefully watch as these pathetic tyrants of these particular websites cling desperately to their undeserved and unjustly abused internet fiefdom. They all falsely claim to be a great site to post stories on but in reality they are nothing more than a silly children's treehouse. You can even make the comparison to the Slug Club. Professors Slughorn decides who makes the club and who doesn't. Now if you really want to make the Slug Club you have to kiss his backside. After that introduction level of Peter Pettigrew groveling you can climb the ladder to Professorship or Moderator or Prefect or Captain or Witches Council in the treehouse. Nevermind the fact, that they are a bunch of mindless dolts who couldn't write a readable fanfic to save their life. Or for that matter they have an ounce of understanding on how to run a Website and a Web Server.
To make it clear let me tell you how you make a Harry Potter treehouse website like Checkmated, Simply Undeniable, or The Quidditch Pitch. All you need is a web forum program that you can download for free off the internet. You've all seen this very same program on Checkmated, Ginny Potter, Simply Undeniable, the Quidditch Pitch… that's why they all look alike minus the colors. Change the colors of the background, rename the threads…go to a Web Server company that will host it. Poof! You have yourself your own little Harry Potter treehouse. All you have to do after that is go out on the internet and/or show up at Harry Potter conventions to drum up mindless drone followers to visit your treehouse. Soon you'll be recruiting Deatheaters to handle the various mundane tasks of moderating your treehouse as you'll be too busy looking for an unbeatable wand.
To make things more ironic, these adult Death Eaters who rule these treehouses are the same kids in high school who were… well to be blunt - sociable rejects. Not true you say… sorry, without giving out a lot of names, I know them. They are. That's the underlying fuel for the entire reason on why they work on these websites. They don't do it for money - as no one gets paid. They volunteer their hour after hours of time and cash donations to keep these treehouses running in order to be in the popular Slug Club. The part that's ironic is they are just as much jerks as the kids in high school who rejected them and Professor Slughorn. You think they grow up and learn to treat everyone fairly and honest. Nope.
Therefore I publically and proudly declare that it's left to evolution to finally kill them off and place their treehouse right alongside the stagecoach. Of course it goes without saying that Abbot Downing Company made something of western beauty and legend, while these idiots made something I want to flush down the toilet like a dead smelly fish.
Beta Notes: We visit a location that Ron himself has probably not been to since the events of the novel. This is pretty sweet business. Not to mention, some mentions some characters that we might not miss. Where am I going with this? Well, what I am saying is that Buck is writing a wonderful well rounded story that includes all aspects of Potterdom.
Chapter 9: Stalking
As Ron sipped on his morning Pumpkin Juice and nibbled away on his Marmite spread toast, he was battling with himself to avoid the Gossip section of the Daily Prophet. Instead he focused on the latest article from Rita Skeeter.
Either the Ministry of Magic is unable to re-capture her, or in this humble reporter's opinion, they are aiding and abetting the escape of the former Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic Dolores Umbridge. The Minister himself has refused to comment on this subject after evidence was revealed that Dolores Umbridge was wearing Ministry issued Magical Auror cuffs. Magical Auror cuffs as you may already know can only be open by Aurors…
"Stupid Dung beetle," griped Ron aloud on what he really thought about the humble Rita Skeeter.
He quickly turned the pages over to his favorite section of the newspaper, the Sports.
Last night Michael Gavin scored another win as the Seeker for the Chudley Cannons. This is the Cannons third win in the season after a humbling eleven losses.
"Why do they always bring that up? It was the beginning of the season… it takes time to build team chemistry!" Ron said thinking out loud exasperated at the antagonist reporting of the Chudley Cannons.
Again, he yanked the pages over and found himself staring at the section of the newspaper that he didn't want to read at all in the first place. The Gossip section or as he accurately thought of it - the Troll's greeting room. Merlin he hated this section. The reason was obvious: Hermione. She was becoming more and more the celebrity. Of course, this was a far cry from her days at Hogwarts. It started off innocently enough, right after the war she was invited to give a speech to a Witches' support group being how she was best friends with Harry and a war hero. Oddly enough, he had in fact encouraged her at the beginning to be more social and outgoing.
"Come on Hermione, all you do is stay at home and read books. It'll do you some good to get out there and meet some new friends," Ron remembered saying to her.
This led to that and it wasn't long before Hermione had a following of devoted Muggleborn supporters. In their eyes, Hermione could do no wrong. Except perhaps with dating someone they viewed as inferior. Ron had heard their whispers of lies and demeaning gossip against him whenever he read the Gossip section or gone out to parties with Hermione. Subconsciously it was one of the reason he stop taking Hermione out. She always denied it was happening by swearing they were always his biggest supporters. Then later on he would catch a gossip column or overhear them talking and he knew that to be an outright lie. The campaign to get Hermione to dump him had indeed played out precisely as her fans had wanted and it took all his strength and undying love for Hermione not to Crucio the whole lot of them.
Peer pressure was a powerful force and he could almost forgive Hermione for breaking up with him and dating pretty-boy Derrick. However, he would never be able to forgive her for protecting her so-called new friends by lying to him repeatedly.
In a weird way reading the Gossip section would fuel his anger toward them and crack his heart about Hermione. He tried to stop himself but it was hopelessly futile. His jealousy and his anger always won out.
Miss Hermione Granger was spotted last night at the War Orphanage Charity dinner with her celebrated best-friend Harry Potter and his fiancé Ginny Weasley. She was being escorted by heartthrob Derrick Braunstein. She certainly looked no worse the wear after recently moving on from Robert Whisley. The Charity event was able to raise …
"Bloody hell," protested Ron as he stared at the magical picture of a smiling Hermione holding tightly on the arm of a pompous Derrick beside a nervous smiling Harry and Ginny who seemed like they were almost forced into the picture.
Hermione was wearing the same unimaginative bland dress that she wore at the Sewing club the night before. Their hallway disagreement didn't seem to bother her in the least as she smiled happily at the cameras next to a smarmy looking Derrick. Unlike Hermione, Derrick was wearing a very expensive muggle business suit and looked impeccable in front of cameras. Beside them stood his back-stabbing, twisted evil, ex-best friend Harry and his now disowned and disavowed back-stabbing sister Ginny. Harry with Ginny in tow was trying to move away from Hermione and Derrick but weren't quick enough to avoid being magically pictured together. They were fearfully looking sideways at the cameras no doubt realizing that they were now publically caught in an unspoken endorsement of Hermione's new man and their implicit betrayal of him.
Pop! Bang!
Ron angrily balled up the Daily Prophet newspaper and wondered why all the lights had suddenly gone out throughout his flat. He would have to magically fix that later as he was already running late with his meeting with Percy.
As Ron walked alongside his older brother Percy toward the wrought-iron gates surrounding the Malfoy Manor, his thoughts were no longer about Hermione, Harry and Ginny. Instead his thoughts were about the first time he had the misfortunate to visit the Malfoys' home. Snatchers led by Fenrir Greyback had dragged Harry, Hermione and himself down this very same path. He later got his revenge during the Battle of Hogwarts as both Neville and he defeated Greyback for good. After Greyback's trial it was both Neville and his first Auror assignment to personally escort Greyback to the darkest dingiest cell in Azkaban. He still vividly remembered drop-kicking Greyback into his cell and slamming the cell's door magically shut in his howling mad face.
"Remind me to replace Fenrir's rations with a week's supply of dog food the next time I visit Azkaban." Ron stated to his brother, who looked a bit uptight with the thought of mistreating prisoners.
"I will do no such thing. Ron the Ministry takes an unsavory view of the mistreatment of prisoners… even if it's werewolf Fenrir Greyback." Percy stated as a matter of fact.
Ron rebelliously smirked at his brother as he told him of his last Christmas gift to Fenrir. "We don't mistreat him, why last Christmas we bought him a nice doggy water bowl for him to drink out of."
"Ha." An unseen voiced chuckled.
"Why we even given him a nice flea bath and a dragon bone for him to chew on." Ron stated, as he remembered magically pouring a bucket of soap over Fenrir's head and then blasting him with a high pressure water hose in his prison cell.
Technically, Percy was correct that it was illegal, but environmentally it was the only thing you could do to fight his doggy smelling stench. All the other prisoners and guards throughout Azkaban couldn't stand the smell of him. Still it didn't morally excuse him for knocking Fenrir out across the back of his head with said Dragon bone. That was more a gift for his oldest brother Bill on Christmas than a gift for Fenrir.
"Ron you need to respect the Ministry rules…" Percy recited to him as the Ministry stooge that he was. "It's the only way that you're going to get any advancement in the Ministry."
The usual argument with his brother Percy was now fully underway.
"Advancement? I settle for a decent salary. Remind me again whose stupid idea it was to pay kids straight out of Hogwarts working for the Troll Liaison office more money than a fully trained Auror?"
"Ron, you know very well. No one was applying for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures as everyone was applying for Magical Law Enforcement or Magical Games and Sports. The Minister, and I wholeheartedly agree, that this had to be addressed if we were to recruit the needed personnel…"
"What and Auror's are not needed?" Ron shouted back at his brother at how overworked and underpaid he truly was. "Ron it's not the Ministry's fault that you are on a lower pay scale for not graduating Hogwarts." Percy retorted back at him.
"There was a war and -"
"He never did graduate did he?"
Ron immediately stopped arguing as he shifted his view to the person standing at the front gate. That same smug arrogant look on his face was cemented on him as if he was born with it.
"Draco," answered Ron as he grasped on to his wand underneath his Auror's robe.
"Weasley," Draco sneered, "Where's Potter?"
Percy answered before Ron could think of something to say. "Mr. Weasley is leading this investigation not, Harry Potter. This is to be a private meeting between your father and us."
Ron knew from experience that when Percy said "private" then it was supposed to be a tightly held secret inside the Ministry. This also meant that everyone in the Ministry already knew about it.
Draco didn't believe them about Harry and said as much. "Just so you know. We have wards that automatically take off any concealment. It also will be a bit painful for him as well, that's if… he tried to sneak in."
With that Draco magically unlocked the front gate and stepped aside for them to walk through. He also stayed back a bit as if expecting to see Harry getting trapped by the wards. Ron was pretty sure that no ward was ever going to pull off Harry's cloak being that it was one of the three Deathly Hallows. After all, if it was that easy to find the last brother Death was looking for then there would've been anti-concealment wards up everywhere. After walking half the distance to the Manor and nearly tripping over a stupid albino peacock, he smelled the distinctive odor of essence of murtlap.
Narcissa Malfoy greeted them warmly at the front door and led them down the large entrance hallway past many a family portrait that openly viewed them in silent disgust. He scanned his surrounding and noticed right away that all the carpets, marble fireplaces, to the expensive ornate furniture were spotlessly clean, polished and shiny for all to see. As they entered in to the Drawing room he even noticed that the large chandelier that Dobby had destroyed was now showing no outward signs of damage. In the middle of the drawing room sat a grand dining room table with the finest china and silverware that Ron had ever seen. Ron smiled to himself that this was all clearly for his benefit. The Malfoys' weren't about to show a Weasley how poorly they were doing financially and that told him just how desperate they had become.
"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Weasley. Please be seated," announced Lucius Malfoy making a grand entrance into the drawing room wearing a flowing jeweled encrusted wizard's robe.
What was supposed to be the "private meeting" between Percy, Mr. Lucius Malfoy and himself was in fact a not so private meeting with his wife, Narcissa, his son, Draco, and a slender petite young girl he never met sitting directly next to Draco.
Percy started the meeting as he so often did by observing the proper etiquette of pleasant conversation. "You keep a fine Manor, Mrs. Malfoy."
Percy was arguable the Malfoy's favorite Weasley, if there was such a thing, as Narcissa respectfully nodded back.
The only problem was Ron, whom was never one for not speaking the truth or holding his tongue when proper etiquette required it, spoke up. "You certainly have fixed her up since Voldemort camped here."
Draco looked ready to jump out of his seat to fight with Ron and was only prevented from doing so when Lucius barked a warning, "Draco."
Ron smirked as Draco was forced to sit back down in his chair.
"Mr. Weasley, as you well know we were held prisoners here." Lucius Malfoy commented as a man who wasn't affected by Ron's insult.
Ron blatantly ignored Percy's silently pleading with him to be restrained pressed on. "I know. I'm just amaze at how well you've cleaned the place up. Say Draco; wasn't this the very same table that your old boss murdered our Muggle Studies Professor on?"
Draco face went even whiter and for him that was saying something. Unfortunately, the girl sitting beside Draco quickly reached out to comfort a lethargic Draco. She also flashed Ron a rather nasty disapproving look. That same look was shared by all the other Malfoys sitting across from him.
"Ron, please try to be civil." Percy requested as he no doubt felt the meeting was quickly turning into an ugly confrontation.
"You know, I often wondered what your old boss said to you lot when we made our escape that night?" Ron inquired, completely ignoring Percy request. "Merlin, this place was a mess; it sure wasn't as clean as it is now. Too bad you killed Dobby -"
Slam!
Lucius slammed his fist on the table as he no longer feigned indifference at Ron's taunting. "I will not have you weasels insult my family in my own house!"
"Oh it's weasels now? Tell me, Mr. Malfoy, how long can you keep this Manor without us Weasleys' signing off on your vaults being released?" Ron pointedly stated, while discreetly pulling out his wand under the table for whatever reaction that Lucius would have next.
Draco no longer listless, instead he appeared eager for a fight burst out the first response. "We don't need your help!"
"How brave you are little weasel without Potter protecting you," spit out Lucius in anger as he brought up his cane beside him.
Ron calmly stood up with his wand pointed straight at Lucius Malfoy's chest. "He's here - standing right behind you by my guess, but I'm still going to beat you myself."
With that announcement, Harry pulled off his invisibility cloak to reveal himself standing right behind the Malfoys' with his wand out as Ron predicted.
"Harry?"
"Shut up Percy," barked Ron grateful that his best mate had secretly come along.
"ENOUGH!" Mrs. Malfoy roared gaining everyone's attention.
"Our families have been fighting for far too long. The war is over and yet our feud still continues. Yesterday, I spoke with your Mother, Molly…"
That surprised even him. She had never even mentioned to him that she had spoken to the Malfoy matriarch. From the looks of Draco and Lucius they were surprised as well.
"… and we've agreed, in spite of our families' history to be civil with one another, including you Mr. Potter."
Percy slowly reached over and tugged at his Auror's robe to sit down. Hesitantly he did sit down even though he was still a bit astonished at the bombshell of a pledge that Mrs. Malfoy had just spoken. Mrs. Malfoy reached out and pointed at Lucius and Draco to sit back into their seats too. Even a stunned Harry eventually walked around and joined him at the table.
Eerily it was silent at the dining room table as both Malfoys' and Weasleys' were facing uncharted territory.
Mrs. Malfoy broke the stunned silence with another revelation. "Mr. Weasley, we would like our vaults returned to us in order for our son, Draco, to marry his beloved fiancée, Astoria Greengrass. Their union will carry on our proud family bloodline."
"Here, here," boasted an old family portrait in approval.
Astoria… Daphne's younger sister, Ron thought to himself. I wonder what happened to Pansy? Maybe she finally wised up.
"Now Mr. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Potter you have questions for my husband about Dolores Umbridge. Please begin."
"Where is she," Harry blurted out cutting to the chase of the matter.
Lucius Malfoy slowly sipped on a glass of water before he eventually answered Harry. "Not in Britain, of that I'm certain."
Ron already annoyed at Mr. Malfoy stalling to drink a glass of water before answering interrogated him further. "He didn't ask you where she wasn't. Where is she now?"
Mr. Malfoy flashed a snarl until his wife calmly squeezed his arm for him to remain civil and answer.
"It's taken a great bit of effort to find that much. Contrary to what you believe, I'm not the one who helped her escape."
"Where … is … she?" Harry slowly spoke to emphasized that this was the only question he wanted answered.
"France… we think. Possibly Holland."
"What," snapped Ron?
Mr. Malfoy felt a bit put out as he to expound on why he thought Umbridge was on the continent.
"During the war, the Dark Lord…" Mr. Malfoy hesitated a bit as if remembering some of the worst moments over again. "…had not so much a servant, but an ally - high within the International Confederation. I don't know who for certain as the Dark Lord would not entrust his or her identity to me. He shared that information only with Yaxley."
"He's dead," Ron reminded him and everyone else.
"Yes Mr. Weasley, we all know that he's dead," Lucius said clearly irritated. "The point is that the Dark Lord had an undercover ally within the Confederation that the Ministry worked with too… contain certain aspects…"
"You mean the mass killings of innocent magical and non-magical people." Ron added on what Mr. Malfoy viewed as aspects.
"Are you saying the Ministry knows about this Death Eater on the International Confederation of Wizards?" Percy retorted as if the very thought was slanderous.
"Not a Death Eater. Like I said before he or she was more an ally, a pure-blood who shared our cause."
Ron was about to snap another rude observation on what he thought about their cause, but Harry followed up before he could say anything.
"So you think this ally of Voldemort helped Umbridge escape in order to protect their identity?"
"Umbridge would've certainly known or suspected who this individual was - as Prius and Yaxely worked rather close with her at the Ministry."
Ron was not too sure on what any of that had to do with France or Holland as the suggestive place they could find Umbridge.
"Okay, so how does that put Umbridge in France or Holland?"
Mr. Malfoy seemed a bit pleased with himself as he proudly answered, "The Immortals are from France and Holland. You find them then you find Umbridge."
Ron was confused as ever. It took Percy who immediately grasped at what Mr. Malfoy was suggesting.
"They have been out of power and in hiding since the days of Armand Jean du Plessis."
"You know your history, Mr. Weasley. I thought you might."
By that Lucius meant that he figured that Harry and he wouldn't be the ones to know what he was talking about. Regrettably, he looked over at Harry shrugging his shoulders and knew he didn't know either. It wasn't until Percy looked up and saw the confusion well-written across his face did he expound on who this Armand bloke was.
"He was known as Cardinal Richelieu in the Seventeen century. He was the leader of a pure-blood society, forty to be exact, that ruled France. Honestly, Ron didn't you ever study your history lessons?"
"Percy just tell us who this group is and how can we find them."
Draco spoke out before Percy even had a chance. "You go to France and they'll find you. Gossip has it that the leader of the Immortals is also the same person in the Confederation."
"Bloody Hell!" groaned Ron.
Mr. Malfoy egotistically looked on at his frustration before he sought payment for his services. "Now Mr. Weasley, I've answered your questions. Now you be so kind as to turn over my vault."
Percy nodded in agreement and pulled out the Ministry papers from his briefcase and magically signed with his wand. He then handed the papers over for to him to sign as well.
"Wait," ordered Harry whom seemed to be intently staring at Mrs. Malfoy. "Mrs. Malfoy, you'll have to also tell us where Rabastan Lestrange is. You've been his Secret-Keeper."
Ron didn't have a clue on how Harry knew this, but from the look of panic on Mrs. Malfoy's face. He was spot on.
A/N: If you have a comment about my rant or my story then please leave a review. Even if you don't – Review!
