- Do you know why purebloods hate Nobby Leach? - I tossed aside the Ministry of Magic's pamphlet on how to fill out a magical income tax return.
- Because he's muggleborn? - Hermione suggested, keeping her eyes on her Potions book.
Somehow it happened that the boys and we started studying separately. Even at that time, we were sitting in the library, and the boys were wandering somewhere.
- No, - I stretched out, - We hate him for it!
I jabbed my finger at the pamphlet.
- And what's wrong with that? - Hermione wondered, - Muggles who own businesses are always filing reports.
- Do you know how much space Blacks' financial records have taken up in the last three hundred years? I'll tell you. Two shelves. And do you know how much space is taken up by Black's financial activities for 1985? Four shelves. Damn Nobby Leach has plunged the magical world into bureaucracy.
- Apparently, his mother was an accountant, - Hermione shrugged, - He resented the laxity of mages on the subject.
- Oh, - I crumpled the pamphlet angrily, - He solved this problem.
- Why don't you hire an accountant? - Granger asked, resigned to the fact that she had to listen to me whine, and set the book aside.
- Where would you find an accountant in a magical world? I have thought about it, - I said in a doleful voice.
- How do other families cope?
- Malfoys have an uncle Lucius, - I sighed, - He's a genius at this. You have to be born that way, in my opinion. It won't be easy for Draco when uncle Lucius retires. I don't know how the rest of them are dealing with it. You gave me a great idea, Hermione!
- I can get you an accounting book, - Hermione suggested, - Just to be sure.
I looked at the stack of law books and Ministry brochures on taxation and said doomfully:
- Okay, maybe there'll be something useful in there.
The forbidden corridor bothered me. If it hadn't been opened, Dumbledore hadn't given up the obstacle course. I stood in front of the corridor and scrutinized the spells cast on the arched passage.
- What do you see? - I heard a voice behind me. I turned sharply. Lionel Shuffic, the school prefect, was squinting his eyes at me.
- Nothing, - I said, - I just got lost, and I was on my way down to my living room, and...
- Don't lie to me, - he interrupted me, - You were looking right at the alarm.
That's shit. Definitely shit. How was I supposed to talk back now?
- Where? - I pretended I didn't know what he was talking about.
- Right on the alarm, - said Shuffic, - I was watching you, and you were definitely looking at them.
- How do you know where they are? - I was going to attack if I couldn't get away with it.
- Because I can feel where they are, - he answered.
- Did you just admit your ability? That's...
- Not Slytherin way? - Shuffic grinned.
- Yeah, - I agreed, - I wouldn't tell.
- I got you, though, - he grumbled.
- I'll deny it, - I muttered.
- Okay, - he nodded, - Hypothetically, if you could have an ability, what would it be?
- Hypothetically, - I thought. I was curious about the Mystic Class. I wanted to talk about possibilities. Why not? - I would see the spells cast on an object. But I would only recognize the ones I'd know.
- So, - he looked at the spells in the archway with interest, - Are there some you can't recognize? Hypothetically.
- This one, - I pointed to the very top, - is very strong, but what it is, I don't know.
Shuffic came closer to me, staring thoughtfully at the spell.
- It's some kind of tracking spell, - Shuffic frowned, - modified one.
- It glues to whoever passes through the archway? - I assumed.
- I think so, - Shuffic turned to me with a chuckle, - It's interesting, isn't it?
- Can you feel who put it there?
- No, - Shuffic wondered, - Can you?
- You did this, on the right, - I pointed out. - This was how you got me.
- Really, - he nodded. - And the rest of them?
- I don't know, - I grimaced. - I think it's someone much stronger than me.
- Like the Headmaster?
- Yeah, - I said, - This power of yours, is it generic?
- No, I'm the only one who has it. What about you?
- Same, - I said, - I mean, it's not generic. What do you think this corridor is for?
- Metcalfe thinks that Dumbledore hides his pension here, - said Lionel.
- Really? - I skeptically looked at him.
- That's her official version, - said Shuffic with a smirk, - Let's get out of here, we don't need to be seen.
I grinned, glancing up at the archway.
- I don't understand what it says, - Morris exclaimed unhappily, tossing the book aside.
- Nobody forced you to take Numerology, - said Flint without looking away from his book.
- Numbers, - said Morris, in a doleful tone, - They jump in front of my eyes, but they don't fit in my head.
- Stop whining, - he interrupted him. - Take a cue from Tail, she sits all day, buried in books with numbers, and doesn't complain.
- Actually, I do complain, - I objected, - and whine.
- She complains, - said Flint affirmatively, - and whines.
He was my victim the day before when I found out how the other families did their bookkeeping. Flints had Marcus' older brother's wife to do it, so he didn't know anything at all and lived a quiet life.
- Well, thank you, - Burke grumbled, - The whole pedagogical effect has been shot down.
- Morris, - I suggested, - If you can't think about numbers, do something else. There's plenty of time before O.W.L.. Numerology can wait.
- You shouldn't have told him that, - Herbert whispered to me, - After this, he'll be studying the day before the exam.
- A lot of people do that, - I snorted, - and even pass.
Spark returned from Romania with Charlie Weasley's answer. The boy obviously didn't skimp on the parchment. Charlie scribbled four sheets in fine handwriting. Hermione and Neville were out somewhere, and we were gathering in the owlery.
- He describes how to take care of the little dragon, - Ron ran his eyes over the lines, - Here. He's offering to take the little dragon to them, in the Romanian Nature Reserve.
- Tell him we agree, - I said, - So he can make a plan.
- Spark just got back, - Ron glanced anxiously at my owl, - Should we?
- Hedwig might... - Harry began.
- No, - said me, Ron, and Draco together.
- Why not?
- Too conspicuous, - Ron shook his head, - The only polar owl at Hogwarts, and you have no one to write to. Everyone knows that. It might draw attention.
- We're breaking law here, - I added.
- The Duke will fly, - Draco ruled, - He hasn't flown in a long time.
- And if you need to write to your father? - Potter didn't give up.
- I'll ask Spark, - Draco said calmly, - There won't be any questions.
I nodded.
- Conspicuous, - Potter muttered, - I think he gave it to me specially.
- Who gave it to you? - Ron and Draco wondered.
- Hagrid, - Potter sighed, - Hedwig was a birthday present from him.
- I don't think he had that in mind, - Draco said doubtfully, - It's Hagrid, he just picked the prettiest one.
Ron and I nodded. But a worm of doubt gnawed at me. Hagrid, maybe not, but wasn't he being instructed?
An additional quest was begun.
Dragon in the tower
Hand over the dragon to the workers of the Romanian Nature Reserve
Bonus for completing: Variable
Penalty for failure: Variable
Variable? There's no explanation. What would that mean?
- At midnight, on the Astronomy Tower? - Draco asked incredulously. - Is that even safe?
- No, - I grimaced, - I don't like that idea.
- It's a good idea, - Harry told us, - So we get the dragon to Ron's brother, and everything will be fine!
- It's a good idea, - I agreed, - But the execution...
- If we get caught? - Hermione sided with us. - A hundred points from each and detention! And exams are right around the corner!
Draco and Ron rolled their eyes.
- Maybe we should enlist the help of an older person. - I suggested.
- Your cousin? - asked Draco. - He'll turn us all in! And Hagrid will go to Azkaban.
- I meant Weasley's brother, but Morris wouldn't turn us in.
- And why is that?
- Because I'd ask, - I muttered, - He's nice.
Draco snorted skeptically.
- Percy would run to complain to McGonagall, - Ron said, - I know him.
- Well, okay, - I sighed, - A little help from the prefects would be really useful. We'll get caught anyway.
Lyrical digression.
Tail was definitely up to something. To be certain, Tail and her brave company. Burke glanced at the first-years sitting at the same table in the library. Weasley and Potter were muttering quietly to Malfoy and Black, and the mudblood and Longbottom were staying out of it, listening intently. Ada was clearly not enjoying the conversation. She was wrinkling her forehead and tapping her fingers on the table.
Burke sighed to himself. Maybe he was just worried too much about her, and there was nothing so scary. No Cerberus #2, just Potter and Weasley couldn't handle the task, and the slytherins were sick of explaining it to them.
The thought that something was wrong was unsettling, especially since Ada kept throwing her eyes at him. As if she wanted to say something, but didn't dare. By evening Herbert had had enough of it.
- What's the matter, Tail? - he asked her, when Flint and Morris were so engrossed in strategizing their future game that they paid no attention to anything.
- Not here, - she said, gloomily looking at her cousin, - Where no one will hear.
What kind of secrets a freshman girl could have? But Burke nodded in agreement and pulled Black toward the exit of the living room. Morris and Marcus didn't even notice anything.
- What do you get? - Potions class was empty and cold. Burke leaned against the desk. The girl hesitated. - Ada, I'm serious.
- Berty, if I told you that someone was doing something that wasn't exactly legal, but you couldn't turn him in, and you needed to help him, would you agree? - Ada blurted out in the same breath.
- I don't understand, - Burke blinked, - Agree to what?
- To help, - Ada explained.
- And how illegal is that? - he looked at the girl doubtfully, as his suspicions began to creep into his head.
- If caught, Azkaban, - said Tail reluctantly.
Burke had a sudden headache. It was proved that Black wasn't a liar. Black wanted to help someone not to get in Azkaban. That's amazing.
- We already have a plan, we just need to make sure that no one patrols the road from the outside to the Astronomy Tower on a certain night, - Tail immediately added, - That is, at a certain time of night.
- And what is that for?
- So that we can give something to our assistants.
- Okay, what will be the cargo?
- Alive, - Ada exhaled.
From the outside to the Astronomy Tower? It was obvious.
- What kind of trash has Hagrid got? Manticore? - Black shook his head nervously.
She shrugged and admitted:
- Dragon.
Herbert almost fell over. Dragon? At Hogwarts? That was all that was needed to make him happy!
- Berty, - the girl almost pleaded, - Hagrid can't be in Azkaban, he doesn't understand! And the Ministry would kill the little dragon, and it's very rare and small. We've made arrangements with the dragonologists, they'll take him away. We can't get caught with a smuggled dragon!
- Amazing, - Burke muttered, - You're making me an accessory to the crime.
- Only an accomplice so far, - Ada answered quickly.
Burke was up all night. By morning he'd given up and decided he wasn't in this alone.
- Weasley, hold on a second, - Burke said after the meeting of the prefects. Weasley froze.
- I'm having deja vu, - Hilliard muttered.
- Well, there's already been a Cerberus, - Truman exclaimed cheerfully, - What's next, a basilisk?
And the three prefects laughed. Burke thought, gloatingly, that soon they wouldn't be laughing...
...Metcalfe smiled carnivorously somehow. Shuffic rolled his eyes in a doomed manner. Hilliard was nervously tying his tie, Weasley was staring at the floor, Truman was staring at the ceiling, and only Burke was staring at the school prefects, waiting for their verdict.
- Take the little dragon to the Astronomy Tower at night? - Metcalfe asked, still smiling, - Is that all?
- Yes, - Percy and Herbert said together.
- Claudia, - said Truman, - You can't put Hagrid in Azkaban, it's not right.
- And you can't trust the little ones with that, - said Hilliard, - They're bound to do something dangerous.
- And you shouldn't write to the Board of Governors, it's not like there's a Cerberus in the hallway, - Burke added.
- You seem to have it all decided by now, - Metcalfe grinned, - I see, our prefects like to break the rules, huh?
Shuffic smirked.
- Ada, I can't believe you told him, - Ron said indignantly, - That's...
- Burke, - I finished for him, - See, the matter is settled for us.
- And if he'd told the teachers? - Harry took up the baton of indignation.
- Then it would have been solved, too, - I answered nonchalantly, - Probably rightly, too. I like Hagrid, but what he's doing is irresponsible.
- He could be sent to Azkaban, - Neville interjected, - Do you think that's right?
- And we can go to ancestors from meeting his beast, is that what you think is right? - I freaked out. Draco and Hermione kept their mouths shut, which led me to conclude that they generally agreed with me.
- But your Burke could... - Ron was still trying to be persistent.
- He couldn't, - I yelled. The people around us looked back at us. It wasn't a good idea to curse in the library, after all.
- He couldn't, - I repeated more quietly, - I trust him, you know?
Lyrical digression.
- I'll have something to put on my résumé, - Hilliard murmured, - Dragon smuggling.
- Don't forget the Cerberus line, - Truman exhaled. They carried the dragon with the four of them. And it wasn't easy, either, because the creature was jerking and the crate was shifting.
- Cheer up, - Burke was in a good mood. Mostly from not dragging the dragon alone, trying to figure out how to avoid the teachers. McGonagall, who was on duty today, was distracted by Shuffic, and Filch was distracted by Metcalfe. - What an exciting year it's been.
- Crazy, - Weasley agreed, - And it's all thanks to the freshmen. Oh, Merlin, they're only freshmen! And what happens next?
- I hope Black comes to her senses, stops hanging out with the gryffindors, and I have less headaches, - Herbert said.
- Oh, right, - snorted Truman, - So you can not worry next time? Oh, no.
- No, - Hilliard said, - We're in the same boat, you snake, don't even think of jumping out.
- You're the one who started it, - added Weasley.
- It's a conspiracy, - Burke grumbled, and the others laughed.
Quest completed
Dragon in the Tower.
You handed the dragon over to the Romanian Nature Reserve
+500 to experience
+150 to Reputation
Eh, and I was hoping for a plus to Intelligence. That's a shame.
- What's up? - I asked sleepy Burke.
- We gave your pet to the elder Weasley, - Burke yawned. - It all went off without a hitch. We had a good plan.
- You guys are such a badass gang, - I grinned, - Just like Ocean's friends.
- Whose friends? - Burke was surprised.
- What do you mean? - Flint asked.
- Forget, - I brushed it off, - There's a movie, a muggle movie. Never mind.
When Flint was distracted by something, I said quietly to Burke:
- I'm sorry. And thank you.