Review comments: samurai trooper: I hated Skeeter too until I got to play with her in writing. Those characters are so much fun.
Disclaimer: I do not own HP, SINF,
Chapter 37
Olivia sat beneath a large oak tree watching Aiden play fetch with Helga Hufflepuff. Aiden would mold his aura into a stick or a frisbee or a ball. Then he'd throw it and the Great Dane would sprint off after it.
"It is good to see her happy," Merlin said, coming to join her under the tree. He didn't sit.
"Is she not normally?" Olivia asked.
"My Helga wants to be free," Merlin said. "I see a lot of her in thee."
Olivia smiled. "She must love you very much to stay here."
"Yes," Merlin said with a sigh. "She sacrifices much." He finally sat down, straightening his bright blue robe. "As do you."
"You said 'you,'" Olivia said.
"Yes," Merlin said. "Helga says I need to join the seventeenth century. Does thee speak with Rowena much?"
"I talk at her," Olivia said. "Suppose I will more often now I know someone actually hears me. She doesn't talk much though. Tell me; what do you think of the Flamels?"
Merlin breathed deep. "They fight my enemies," Merlin said carefully.
Olivia laughed. "Interesting answer."
"If thee trusted them, thee would not have asked the question," Merlin said. "Thy brother trusts them completely. Protect him."
"He's awakened," Olivia said. "Surely he could fight Nicholas."
"It's not Nicholas the boy will need to fight," Merlin said.
"You think we're going to die, don't you?" Olivia asked.
"Thy predecessors have," Merlin said without looking at her. "Thy enemies are relentless. My daughter and I have taught you in safety here. Use what ye have learned."
"We haven't learned anything," Olivia objected. "The last month has been spent learning how to not use our powers." It was true, both Merlin and Hufflepuff had spent the month since Christmas teaching them to control their senses. Teaching them to turn them on and off.
Helga returned with a snitch made from golden aura.
"Outside this Shadowrealm is not safe for a Gold and Silver," Merlin said. "The ability to turn off thy senses will save thy life."
"You keep saying that," Olivia said. "And with the next breath you say we're going to need to fight."
"The fight will come eventually," Merlin said. "No need to bring it about faster. For now, our focus is on getting you safely to Hogwarts."
"How can you be sure we're safe at Hogwarts?" Olivia asked.
"Because Hogwarts does not exist," Merlin said turning to face Olivia with a twinkle in his eye.
"Of course it exists!" Olivia said.
Merlin laughed as Hufflepuff sprinted off after a golden sword. "Our enemies believe they rule every Shadowrealm. But I created this and Hogwarts off the grid as thee says."
"You said 'our enemies,'" Olivia said.
"Of course I did," Merlin said.
"You said 'your enemies' earlier," Olivia said.
Merlin looked down. "Humans are getting smarter," he said. "Yes, I suppose I need to get back in the fight. Especially if Helga goes with you."
Olivia reacted in shock. "Helga is coming with us?"
"Not permanently," Merlin said. "But she has offered protection for the trip. And she wants to see her family again. I have held her from them too long."
Helga returned with the sword and Perenelle Flamel. They walked up to Olivia and Merlin, who stood to great them.
"We have a window," Perenelle said simply.
"Where's your husband?" Olivia asked.
"He has something he has to do," Perenelle said. "He promised not to be long."
Nicholas Flamel was intentionally burying his powers as he walked out of Flourish and Blotts. He picked a store in Diagon Alley to travel to, and his choice was not random. He decided to spend a few minutes, or a couple of hours, checking out the books in the store. With his powers turned down to almost zero, Flamel stepped into the Alley.
His destination was at the end of the alley to his right. He stuck his hands in his pockets and began to window shop his way down the street. The best way to blend in is always to act slowly. He may have seemed to be looking in the windows, but in reality he was taking in his surroundings. So far, there was no reason to worry.
Turning at Gringotts, he continued down the alley. He did not want to be in a place this public, but if he was going to keep up his cover he needed a wand that worked. And Dumbledore insisted there was no place better than Ollivander's.
A small bell went off as Flamel opened the door. It was a dusty, old room full of ten foot high shelves. Most of the shelves were piled with long, tiny boxes that Flamel suspected contained the wands. He stood at the front desk for only a minute before a ladder slid into view with a older man standing on it. The man's face was beginning to wrinkle and a few gray hairs could be seen poking out of the untidy brown mop on his head. Without getting down the man asked if he could be of service.
"I am in need of a new wand," Flamel said. "Dumbledore sent me here."
"Ah" the man said, stepping down from the ladder. "Yes. You must be Luke Cummings. Dumbledore said your wand abandoned you."
"More information than I would have put in a letter," Flamel said. The man, who Flamel guessed was Ollivander himself, pulled a stack of boxes from the shelf.
"Who said anything about a letter?" Ollivander asked, putting the boxes down. "Dumbledore said you were old fashioned. He also said you don't believe that the wand chooses the wizard. I decided I pick out a few for you to try. I have studied wands for almost fifty years. I can guess what kind of wand would choose you. But I can never be positive."
"What kind of wand would choose me?" Flamel asked casually, taking a long, brown wand from Ollivander. The wand was unyeilding. Ollivander motioned for Flamel to give it a wave. Smoke curled from the end of the wand and Ollivander took it back with a frown.
"Not that kind," Ollivander said, taking the whole stack back to the shelf. He returned with a fancier yew wand. "Maybe this," Ollivander said.
Flamel took the wand and waved it. Green goo seeped from the end and then exploded like a firecracker upon hitting the desk. Flamel gave the wand carefully back to Ollivander. The old man walked to a back shelf.
"That was closer. How about this?" he asked. Flamel grabbed the wand and knew it was the right one. The wand just felt different. He was filled with an enthusiasm and energy that he hadn't felt in years. He waved the wand and red sparks erupted from the end of the wand. Smiling, Flamel waved it again.
That was when he noticed the faint green light coming off his skin and smelled peppermint on the air.
"Hawthorn, Dragon heartstring, 9 1/2 inches, unyeilding," Ollivander said. "Good wand."
Flamel smelled the faint smell of sour eggs. "I need to go now," Flamel said urgently.
"Of course sir," Ollivander said. "That's ten galleons."
Flamel threw the coins on the table, took the wand and slipped into the shadows. His heart skipped a beat as the distinct pointed beard and tailor made suit of Dr. John Dee walked into the wand shop.
"Good afternoon, sir," Ollivander said. "Can I help you?"
"I am looking for someone," Dee said. Flamel inched slowly down the wall toward the door. He knew if Dee looked his way the shadow wouldn't hide him.
"Perhaps I can help," Ollivander said. Flamel waved his new wand and three fans turned on down the aisles. Flamel used the noise to move directly behind Dee.
"The man is in his thirties, about 6 feet tall, brown hair. He is usually clean shaven," Dee said. Flamel smiled. Dee remembered him perfectly.
"Nope, haven't seen him," Ollivander said. "Perhaps you could try Madam Malkin's down the street."
Flamel opened the door and ran when the bell went off. He was three doors down when Ollivanders exploded from the inside. "FLAMEL!" Dee screamed as he walked into the alley. Flamel kept running until the door of Magical Menagerie melted in front of him. Flamel turned the first chance he got. Dee didn't miss twice.
Flamel was running down a much darker alleyway. Black walls seemed to lean over the street; half the shops were boarded over. Flamel allowed some of his aura to seep from his body and into the boards of a shop on his right. In a minute they would sprout vines that would hopefully slow Dee down. They wouldn't stop him.
The first shop which was open had shelves packed with strange things like sunken hands and cursed jewelry. Flamel appeared to be searching the shelves but he was really taking in his surroundings and listening for Dee to fall victim to his trap. He was disappointed that there really wasn't anyplace to hide. Dee screamed in frustration. The alley flashed orange and was flooded with the smell of rotten egg.
Flamel frantically looked for a place to hide and finally found a large cabinet on the far wall. He sprinted for it and barely registered Dee spotting him through the window. The door to the cabinet sprang open as Flamel arrived and he jumped into it, turning as he did.
Dee was standing with a clear shot at him.
"Good to see you again," Dee said.
"Sorry, I can't talk right now," Flamel said. Dee's eyes flared as Flamel raised his wand. A ball of yellow energy appeared in Dee's hand. Flamel flicked his wand. The ball of energy just beat the cabinet door closed.
A feeling like someone tugging at Flamel's gut began as he registered that the energy ball had missed him. Then a rush of air passed him and then he was unceremoniously dumped on a floor; the cabinet exploding behind him in a cloud of yellow smoke.
He had just registered that he was in a classroom of some kind when he heard rushing footsteps. He scrambled to his feet and found the door.
"It's you!" he said as his wife rounded the corner.
"I was just about to say the same thing," she said.
"Where am I?" Flamel asked.
"Hogwarts," Perenelle said. "How did you get here?"
"Well," Flamel said, putting his wand away. "I told you I'd find my way."
A/N: In the actual books, the vanishing cabinet at Hogwarts got damaged in Harry's second year when Peeves knocked it over to distract Filtch and get Harry out of trouble. But as I was in Diagon Alley and Dee was sitting in the Leaky Cauldron when I last had him in the story...I couldn't resist. I suppose that Dee's spell could have only damaged the path between the cabinets or they could repair the cabinet so that it would still be true to the books.
School has started again. I will try to get a chapter out every 2 weeks. Reviews might get one out faster ;-)