Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
The Keeper of Secrets.
It was with some trepidation that Zach entered the Great Hall. All the occupants looked up, making him shift uncomfortably. Before he could get farther into the room, his father had stood up and was approaching him, a dark scowl edged on his face. The young man winced inside while trying to keep still on the outside. He was in so much trouble. The Potions Master, firmly pushed him out of the room and closed the door behind them, shielding them from the praying eyes of the rest of the faculty.
"May I ask what was so important that you had to ignore my orders to eat, and run out of the room as if it was on fire?"
Zach kept his eyes fixed on his father's boots, not willing to face the man's displeasure. "I'm sorry."
"That's not an answer."
Zach shifted a bit. "It's just I suddenly thought of something, and I wanted to check it out at once."
Severus raised an eyebrow. "Must have been important. I didn't think about asking you before, but what was so interesting in the library that nearly caused you to miss lunch. Lunch, which you haven't eaten yet, by the way."
Harry winced, his mind frantically trying to come up with something that would convince his father. "I was looking for the effect of an ingredient on a potion."
The Potions Master nodded. "That is certainly interesting, which ingredient are you having trouble with? Maybe I can help you."
Zach shifted, he didn't like the tone the older man was using. While it was agreeable enough, his face was still etched in a stern frown. "Mmh, well, it wasn't an ingredient in particular, it was more like something that would neutralize Kneasel's hair, because the potion would else become too acid and then..."
"I don't appreciate you lying to me."
Severus watched as his son winced and took a small step back. The obvious nervousness coming from the boy and the small shudder that ran through him convinced him that he was right in that his son was lying to him. "You have exactly ten seconds to start telling me what is going on."
Zach clenched his fists and bit his lip. He didn't want to tell his father. He couldn't tell his father. He didn't want for everyone to know that he was the Keeper. But he couldn't tell the man what he had been doing without telling him everything.
"I can't tell you."
Severus' eyes didn't waver from the tense youth in front of him. If he hadn't been paying such a rapt attention to the boy, he would have missed those softly whispered words. "You can't tell me?"
Zach shook his head but didn't add anything else. The tense silence was interrupted by Minerva, who opened the door and looked at them.
"Severus."
The man didn't take his eyes from his son, his mind trying to figure out what on earth he had to do now.
"Yes?"
"Albus wants you back in."
The Potions Master nodded. "Give me a minute."
The Head of Gryffindor nodded and closed the door once again. When he was sure that the door was firmly closed, Severus spoke. "You will come in with me and eat. After that, you will go straight to your room. You are grounded a week for lying to me. During this week you'll have breakfast and dinner with me in our rooms. Lunch will be eaten here. In the mornings, you'll stay in your room, either reading or doing homework. In the evenings, you will help me clean up the lab. I have been putting off cleaning it out but now is just as good a time as any other. You will be in bed at ten. Do you understand me?"
Zach nodded. "Yes, Father."
As Severus turned around and headed to the door a soft question stopped him. "Aren't you going to force me to tell you?"
The older man turned his dark eyes to the teenager. "And how would you have me do that? Veritaserum? Legilimency? If you don't trust me, then there is nothing I would gain with forcing you to reveal anything to me."
And with those words, the man entered the Great Hall, leaving his son staring after his back. Zach couldn't help but feel he had made a grave mistake, but what else could he have done? Trying to ignore the dread that filled him, he entered the room after his father; he was not about to annoy the man further.
The table had already been cleared when he took his seat next to his father, but a plate appeared in front of him. It seemed the Potions Master had already spoken to the house elves. Looking around slightly, he noticed a bald man sitting next to Dumbledore. He was quite sure he hadn't been there before, and he couldn't remember having ever met him. The man was speaking in hushed tones with the Headmaster while the other teachers were obviously waiting for one of the two to speak. Zach had a feeling he had missed something. A nudge from his father, reminded him that he still had to eat, so he returned his attention to his food.
Zach was halfway through his meal when Dumbledore looked up.
"As I told you before, the man who entered Gringots has been caught. The aurors questioned him shortly after, and he gave them some important information. The man is called Marcus Hellraiser, while he is not a Death Eater, he is being sought in several countries for robbery. He is one of the best. Lucius Malfoy paid him quite a bit of money. His mission was to infiltrate Gringots, get to the lower vaults and try to force his way into the one belonging to Rowena Ravenclaw. We don't know how he got to the precise knowledge if which vault belonged to the Founder as no one quite knows it. We suspect it might have been some of the goblins."
Minerva frowned. "And he was looking for that book in there?"
Kingsley nodded. "It seems that Voldemort thinks that Rowena Ravenclaw not only possessed a copy of said book, but that she also translated it."
Flitwick leaned back in his chair. "Then it is good he didn't reach the vaults. We should warn the goblins so that they can upgrade their security."
The auror nodded. "A few aurors are already doing that, but I fear it won't help much."
Snape narrowed his eyes. "Why not? It's not like that fool got anywhere close to the vault."
"Hellraiser says that trying to raid the vault was really more of a distraction. Voldemort had located the ancient house of Ravenclaw, which was hidden and thought lost for the last five centuries. As we speak, the Death Eaters are probably moving to it."
Minerva sprang to her feet. "What are we doing here then? We should go after them!"
Dumbledore sighed. "That's just the problem. We have no idea where the house is and Hellraider didn't have the information. We'll have to wait and hope that there is some sign of Death Eater activity. The aurors are ready to go at the smallest notice, but I would like for Severus and Remus to be ready. You will go with Kingsley if he is called. Leave the battling for the aurors, and try to find the book or at least try to keep Voldemort's followers from getting it."
Harry bit his lip. He had been listening silently to the planning and was growing anxious. He wished he could do something. If he had just found out where Rowena had lived, maybe he could have given his father the information. He nearly jumped out of his seat when his father placed a hand on his shoulder. Looking into the serious eyes of his father, Harry bit his lip. He could easily see that the man was still quite angry with him and yet the hand on his shoulder was gentle. "I want you to go to your room now. We'll start with the lab tomorrow as you see that there is something else that will be taking my time this evening. I'm warning you now, if I find out you have gone against my wishes and stepped out of your room, there will be hell to pay. The only exception will be to use the bathroom. Is that clear?"
Zach lowered his head and nodded slightly. Yes, his father was still very angry. Standing up, the teenager left the Great Hall and morosely walked to his room. This was going to be a long evening.
Zach had been lying on his bed for what seemed for hours. He was not in the mood for reading anything and his confinement meant he had no other means of distraction. The fact that his father had forbidden him from brewing anything in his rooms meant he couldn't even pass the time doing that. Sighing, he rolled so he was lying on his side and nearly jumped out of the bed when he found out that he was not alone anymore. Cursing he sprang up and glared at the now laughing wingly.
That was certainly not funny.
The woman struggled to contain her mirth at the indignant look in Zach face. I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist. It looked like you were very far away.
I was. How did you get in here anyway, the first time I heard a sound, but this time there was nothing to indicate you came in.
Meru smiled mysteriously and brought a finger to her lips. That's a secret.
Zach sent her an annoyed glare and threw himself to his chair. Secrets are bloody annoying.
The Wingly smiled as she rose to the air. Maybe, but sometimes they are necessary.
The teenager sighed sadly. I know.
And yet, other times, they are not as necessary as one would believe.
Zach blinked. What do you mean?
Meru turned around in the air so she was facing him. Look at you and your father for example. You have a secret, he wants to know what is going on with you, and yet, you believe you cannot tell him.
The wizard scowled at her. That secret is necessary.
The wingly looked at him intently. Is it really? Before the boy could answer, she looked back up to the ceiling and spoke again. Many centuries ago the Keepers were well known, they were the railing points for those who looked for knowledge. They more or less kept themselves available for those who wished to gain knowledge from the ancient times. The first Keeper that kept to herself was a young woman named Calith. She was five years old when she entered the home of the former Keeper and immediately she shone out because of her great intelligence. The Keeper chose her as his successor when she was only eight. That was something the older apprentices didn't like. Usually Keepers were chosen from the oldest apprentices, which meant that while well prepared, they didn't last very long. Calith's teacher decided to change that and appointed her as the next keeper, ensuring that she would hold the knowledge for many years to come. He died when Calith was only fifteen years old. The older apprentices tried to get the knowledge away from her as they believed they had more right to it than she did. Two years later, Lady Calith had enough of it. She gathered her books and her knowledge and disappeared. No one knows for sure where she went. Even I lost track of her. For a while we thought that she might have died, but Lady Charle was the only one who still kept in contact with her. From that point on, the general public hasn't known much about the Keepers. But that doesn't mean some of the Keepers haven't confided some of their knowledge to worthy ones.
Zach listened intently to what the Wingly was saying. Basically, you're telling me to tell my father.
Meru shrugged. That is for you to decide. I only want you to know that you would not be the first Keeper to share his knowledge. Lady Rose was a recluse, but that doesn't mean you have to be one too.
And with those words, the woman disappeared without a sound. Zach jumped out of his chair. Hey, wait!
But she was gone. Sighing, Zach went to laid back on his bed. Now at least he had something to think about.
A/N: Thanks for all reviews, the previous update was a repost due to the lack of marks around Lady Meru's conversation. Thanks to Vinnie for her beta-reading.