Thorfinn was on the porch with two golden vases in front of him on a table. He was warded in and could feel the pressure of them pushing on his magic as he poured it into the items he had just transfigured and then performed the two steps Yaxley had drilled him on to seal the magic to a parchment in a scroll case two feet to his left. When the wards fell he was a bit surprised and when the three items vanished he was even more confused.
Then he turned and scanned the open area in front of the cabin and waited. Sure enough a minute later the little witch came into view. Hiding the components of the scavenger hunt coming up made sense now but as she wasn't expected he was a bit surprised to see her.
As she got a bit closer he could see the colour on her cheeks and her intricate braid was mussed. There was also some dirt on her jacket and denims. He let his frown show and took two steps towards her before noticing the grip she had on her wand. Her head came up as she noticed his magic right when he expected her too. That skill of hers was becoming more normal and he didn't forget very often anymore.
Instead of the friendly smile or swiftly concealed appreciative once over he had been expecting she looked him over with a different kind of assessment and her gaze fell to his hands. Or where they would be visible if they weren't in his pockets now. Without saying anything she knocked three times on the front door and he jogged the distance to her. It opened before he got there so there wasn't a chance to put all of these clues into an actual guess of what had put the witch in such a mood.
"He's between Hogsmeade and the school." She announced as she magicked her boots off and stretched her legs out along the bench in her favourite corner, back against the wall. In the actual light instead of the moonlight he could see how dirty and mussed she was. No blood or bruises. His worry had spiked and then began to calm down. A glance at Dolohov showed him sip calmly from his after dinner drink and merely wait for more information. The witch was fine then. It was continually surprising how the two interacted and reflected what they knew about the others mental or emotional state.
He would never have guessed they could work together so well. That the little witch would trust that man, or any of them. Rabastan had mentioned several times that he couldn't wait to see them interact, after questioning him about it and pointing out some things. His assessment would be interesting. Three days until they had planned for that diversion. Then it would only be a couple weeks until they were ready to begin the rune stone setup at her cottage. Things were moving right along and here was another thing checked off the list. Challenge attempt number two. The witch didn't look triumphant but didn't look upset either. Kind of thoughtful and more than a bit put out.
Those lips of hers weren't pouting nor were they tightened in anger or trying to keep something in. It was somewhere in between and he was a bit baffled as usual by how minutely he watched and noticed things about her. Couldn't seem to find a damn moment though. Or so he assured himself as the days went by.
The little witch let out a small huff and without a wand or a word summoned a water bottle from her tote bag and a bag from Roasted. No doubt it contained a scone. He let his lips quirk instead of full out grin at her attitude and habits. Rarely did she bother to hide much from them, unless she had need.
"It was a bit disappointing. It started out okay and he did follow my apparition." Was her eventual offering after rapidly but neatly eating half of the pink scone.
"From the Café again?" Yaxley asked.
"Yes. I was being interviewed by the Warrington matriarch and even Narcissa couldn't get the woman to stop. He was just sitting at another table. His magic was all turbulent after a while. No casting but it was agitating me and Narcissa could see something was off. Eventually they left and I caught his eye and then apparated to Hogsmeade." She kept speaking, explaining her walking up the street and away from the village. A bag of candy and a couple journals were summoned from her bag when she got there.
"Recount the magics." For a moment she stayed quiet and traced the grain of the wood on the table. Then she began to speak. Some he could understand completely and some were references Dolohov seemed to and even Yaxley looked a bit uncertain a couple times but stayed silent.
"Ostenka." Was the demand at the end of her recounting. He didn't know exactly what it meant but in context it was used for what she thought about something. Biting her lip she considered. With him she would just speak and sometimes amend her statements as she processed her thoughts but with Dolohov she always tried to be as concise as possible. Both seemed to think it was his right not to be bothered with chatter. That was their term for it.
"He was either arrogant or unskilled. The wards were done well and quickly. I wouldn't have known to look for the two he had cast separately before apprenticing. Would have tracked me certainly. It didn't affect his capture though. I was surprised by the fire. I had no prior indication of the surges I would expect. It came nearly as a complete surprise. That was an impressive control of venting. My uncertainty about leaving a channel for his magic was the worst part on my part. I did it but as crudely as I could. It was nice to use a lunar pull for it, like we talked about. I could feel its stability as well as its limited duration. Could we use it for something with night blooming plants or animals. Something humans shouldn't be there for. It would be a good first try at spacing. Maybe. Sorry" She looked down in acknowledgement of her rambling beginning to go off topic. Yaxley grinned and seemed to let himself speak, finally.
"So you left him, hands secured in stone with small magic drains, asleep tied to wards for about five in the morning." She nodded and began finishing her snack.
"I want to see. I mean I was there for most of yours. Just stayed out of the way. That's fine. Why can't we watch?" The way Yaxley worded this, so directly, told both him and Hermione that this wasn't the first time and now he wanted their input. No reply from the other wizard.
"He has to escape himself right? Unless it was the two person one. His master won't come save him?" She seemed curious. As if it was the first time that had occurred to her.
"Net." The reply was verbal and he could tell that there was a tone in it. She looked thoughtful and then took a guess.
"Yes he has to escape himself. Pride?" His expression must have told her she was correct, the small smile of victory flashed.
"You can go see it Yaxley. If you want. I got no hint of another with him. Maybe they are working up to it." She shrugged slightly.
"Maybe a coin message. And I'd stay out of sight. Even you wouldn't know I was there." It was said as if he were wheedling a bit. She grinned at his silliness.
"If one is ever impressive or seeming like it might turn out that way I'll broadcast." She agreed at their looks of interest.
"Did you use anything?" This was his first question and she met his gaze and the slight look of shared mischief he could see made his body react and he groaned internally.
"Just this." She held out her wrist and there was a plain dull silver bangle, it looked too small to come over her hand. Before he could ask Dolohov made a gruff sound and she held her other hand over it for a few seconds and it resized itself to slide off. She handed it to him and watched his assessment. First it was just his hands and eyes. Feeling it with his magic and looking for something. Then a huff and he pulled his wand. Silently a white light hit the bracket and tiny runes glowed on it's inside. He couldn't see them clearly but the older wizard spun it quickly and then looked up at her.
Her nod agreed to whatever he had asked and then he put it over his hand. It barely fit and she tried to hide the smile at his slight indignity. He always watched her to understand what the Russian meant. It was the best bet. Then his hand was held over it like hers had been and the reverse happened. For minutes he put up and took down wards. The air around them heated up and Yaxley flicked his wand at the window. The wizard wasn't bothering to do anything with all the energy being released.
Dolohov didn't nod at her but removed it and handed it back. Absolutely nothing on his face that Thorfinn could make out. The little witch just took it with some dignity and masked her face. Then she stood. Clearly ready to go home. This was one of those moments that he wanted to say something. Couldn't think of what to say. How to ask to speak to her. It was ridiculous. No broom twigs today because of the magic required for the vases.
Her look asked if they were still on for tomorrow and Yaxley nodded. She smiled and then and with a goodnight, headed back outdoors and into the darkness. So much was said in silence around here that it was becoming a habit to expect it and be ready. It was also becoming normal for him to stay after the little witch left and see what he could glean from their lessened verbal reticence. Even his vocabulary was getting better around these people though Dolohov still said little in comparison.
"She was disappointed." Yaxley put in and then carried on. "Our surprise will cheer her up." That was said thoughtfully. They were always conscious of her in this way. Not making things easy or letting her know that they were paying the kind of attention to her that they were.
"Both have been insignificant." Dolohov spoke and Thorfinn agreed. So did Yaxley. Then he winced slightly. Or that's what he thought it was. He was wrong.
"Don't be so pessimistic. She didn't say anything about being upset by the way he spoke to her." How they exchanged this kind of information baffled him but that was a good point. Thinking he decided Dolohov was right. Her lack of mentioning it at all. Nothing other than his magic had been mentioned. It indicated that something had happened that she didn't feel was relevant to share but was also significant enough not to. His thoughts hardly made sense to himself but the little witch was complicated.
"I see. Not upset then surely. Not really. Something. Would have shown." This point Thorfinn also agreed with. She wasn't gutted by any means.
"There should be some good ones though. Vladimirs will come and be ready. You were." Dolohov nodded and Thorfinn wondered about that names significance.
When they left the cabin twenty minutes later without saying anymore about the witch but with directions for tomorrow, he sat for a moment. Then stood and grabbed his coat.
The walk to the apparition point took less time than he felt normally but that was his uncertainty. Maybe she wouldn't be home and maybe she would be busy. Someone could be there or she could have gone to the other cabin for a visit with his friend. He would just go there and see what came of it. It was what he wanted to do.
As the crack of his apparition faded her kitten trotted into the room and then sat by the doorway into the hall. Just looking at him. He had been friendly enough in the beginning but the kitten was her familiar and knew he was causing his witch some occasional unease. Mirroring his understanding he waited for some indication other than the feline's watchfulness that his witch was here.
A silver otter danced toward him through the floor and he watched. Her use of such magics was as casual as ever but always impressive.
"I'm in the workroom." Her voice came from the creature before it faded mid leap. As he opened the door heading down there he took off his coat and and just kept walking. Not having any more ideas of what to say to her. When she came into view and smiled at him he nearly stopped misstep. She had showered and her hair was still pretty wet. Her shirt was charmed or the shoulders would be wet as well. For a heart stopping moment her smile was open and her gaze flicked over him quickly before meeting his eyes. Then in happened. She shut down whatever she had been thinking and the look was still open and friendly but not full of whatever had been in her eyes the moment before.
"Don't do that." He was a bit surprised by the words that came out but not the frustration behind them. It wasn't what he would have chosen to start with but it was what had come out and he did mean it. He watched her blink with incomprehension for a moment, waiting for her response.