The Death Eaters Daughter- Chapter 12
The Daily Prophets were beginning to build up again, Draco noted as he apparated into his dining room one miserable Friday morning. No matter where he seemed to go lately the boggy wet English weather seemed to follow him, clouds as grey as his eyes. The dining room was empty and Draco thankfully sunk into an ornate sixteenth century chair which depicted several animated unicorns grazing playfully on its surface. The entire estate, which was now Draco's manor, had belonged to his mothers parents until they met with a rather unfortunate accident when Draco was fifteen. Draco never stayed for long though, his servants treated the manor as if it was their own home and as if he was a visitor who would quietly and discretely leave after a few short days. Draco never really stayed for long. It was a place he slept in, but it was not his home.
Someone must have known he was coming, for his favourite meal had been placed neatly next to his twelve issue thick pile of newspapers, along with a vase filled with blooming tulips. Curious, he poked an egg experimently. It was an omelette, a cheese one with chives and mushrooms.
The dining room, which extended into the horizon, was absolutely empty and Draco suddenly remembered when he was a very small child. All alone, eating his bowl of porridge, not much older than five while his father was away on business and his mother was sleeping off a hangover. As he picked up the latest issue of the Daily Prophet he wondered about his own child. She seemed to be so distant and irrelevent and he had to wonder...was she eating at this moment alone too?. His eyes fell on the front cover.
"New discovery found in an ancient Egyptian Sorcerers tomb" he read quietly and his eyes fell on a smiling middle-aged witch with horn-rimmed glasses and short, glossy blonde hair. The witch was gesturing frantically at the reliefs behind her while mouthing words no-one could hear.
"Heiroglyphs concerning a vague prophecy were discovered last tuesday night by a local tourist guide, Robert Mitchell, otherwise known as tour guide Bob. His employer the curiator at the magical musuem in Cairo claims that is it the find of the century. Marsha Hines claims that Robert Mitchell is currently away on vacation and cannot comment"
Draco tossed the paper dismissivly, History was his second worst class at Hogwarts. He dug around for a few moments until he retrieved an issue a couple of weeks old.
"The Sleeping Beauty" Draco growled, rolling his eyes, angered by the newspapers unoriginality and stupidity. His eyes fell on the first line of the article and then paused for a moment. They moved upwards to the photograph and seemed to study it for a few moments. His eyes took in every bushy brown curl, the long fingers with bitten nails, and then finally the very glimpse of a chain around her neck. He smirked to himself almost sleepily. The woman in the photograph had reminded him of someone...a forgotten dream or memory. He just glared at it for a few moments before pushing the newspaper away and selecting the second, most recent issue. He leafed through it aimlessly until he reached what appeared to be a follow up on the Sleeping Beauty article under the World News section. There was a much smalled, blurrier photograph that showed a girl being pushed away by a young woman.
"Ethy Green, daughter of Hermione Green, too distraught to comment" the subheading declared in bold italics.
"What..." Draco began, his breath catching in his throat. It was then that the woman in the photograph looked up, angrily pushing Ethy away. With a jolt of realisation he realised he had seen the woman before, he had dreamt about her in a vague fading way only a night or so earlier.
Ethy Green.
Ethy Green.....
Amethyst Green.
Her face was turned away but he could still see shining white-blonde hair falling in bushy curls around her shoulders. His daughter.
Which meant that sleeping beauty must be.....
Draco inwardly cursed his stupidity and disapperated instantly, his fork clattering onto his plate. His eggs hadn't even had a chance to grow cold.
* * * *
'Well, at least the toothpaste had gone' Mr Blau noted as he re-entered his pad, clutching the lyrics booklet in his hands. Marina was leaning against his bookshelf scowling, her jet black hair was sticking up at unruly angles and the sleeves on her sweater had been pushed up around her elbows.
"It took fifty three scrubbing charms to get rid of that toothpaste" Marina muttered, her eyes glittering dangerously.
"I appreciate it"Mr Blau replied politely, sighing with exhaustion. He sunk into his minty fresh armchair thankfully and shut his eyes.
"You'd better appreciate it Mister, Aurors aren't trained to be cleaning ladies!"his sister scolded. But she realised it was not time to be bothering Mr Blau.
"Marina, we have to leave as soon as possible. I've discovered a possible connection in this whole tour guide Bob case" Mr Blau said, his eyes closed and his voice barely audible.
"What? you're not believing those silly stories that fat woman is spouting out again?" Marina cried. As if on cue there was an ear-splitting scream and the sound of something very large falling off the roof.
"She's not fat! and...well...I don't know what to believe"Mr Blau replied, ignoring the noise.
"Look, things are getting serious. Hermione Green is a very...well...important woman brother. We have to stay here and protect her" Marina insisted. Slowly and almost cat-like Mr Blau's eyes opened.
"What do you mean important? I thought all the people housed here were refugees hiding away from Death Eaters in Europe" Mr Blau stated. Marina gasped, her black painted lips making a firm 'O' of realisation.
"They didn't tell you, did they" she asked, almost awed.
"Didn't tell me what?" Mr Blau asked irritably.
"The Order of the Phoenix! they didn't tell you the truth!" Marina hissed. Mr Blau tumbled off his chair furiously.
"Dearest sister, I have had a very trying day so unless you tell me something soon, expect to have some tentacles growing off your face" he replied curtly. Marina was about to speak but her eyes flew to the open doorway. Dave was walking past with a tray of unusual looking flowers, a curious expression on his face.
"What do you think you're doing? don't you know it's rude to listen into someones private conversations!" Mr Blau growled.
"I was just...just...getting these plants for Heather! she needs them for a spell!" Dave shrieked and Mr Blau immediately felt guilty.
"What kind of spell?"he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"She's going to brew a potion to help pick up a radio signal in Sydney..."Dave replied. Mr Blau, realising that Dave was not an immediate threat, shooed him away.
"You were saying?" Mr Blau asked. Marina flushed.
"My partner, Captain Weasley.." she began. Mr Blau gave her a sceptic look.
"Captain Ronald Weasley? one of the wildest Aurors in Britain who was Harry Potter's associate before Harry Potter died?" Mr Blau asked. Marina nodded.
"The very same. My partner...well...he and a Death Eater hid Hermione here thirteen years ago" Marina replied. A cogwheel clicked in Mr Blau's shrewd brain and he gasped with shock.
"Weasley...Hermione... you don't mean that our Hermione...is the real Hermione? the real Hermione Granger?" he stuttered, his face growing deathly white.
"The very same. Her childs father happens to be a Death Eater. They were going to kill her once the baby was born. We couldn't let them do that, not just for the sake of her and her child but because of something she possessed" Marina began.
"What did she possess?"Mr Blau asked. Marina turned away.
"Telling you would violate against my entire training Wing! I've worked too long and hard to slip up now! I can't utter a single word!" she cried, her shoulders shaking.
"I can't help you unless you tell me Marina, you silly girl!" Mr Blau said, trying to calm her down. Instead Marina gave a dry sob.
"When you begin your training they try to take away every part of you that's dfferent. They no longer want creative problem solving in the force. What they want are machines that barely have an emotion in them. I can't get emotionally involved Wing. If I tell you then you'll be drawn into this as well" Marina said quietly. Mr Blau nodded, he knew exactly how he felt. The day he was sent to the boarding house he was told by his Commander, Julius, to never ever get involved with the residents, to never show any affection towards them because otherwise it would cloud his judgement.
"I'm already drawn in Marina. I can't just stand around like a cardboard dummy anymore...I want to live up to my title"Mr Blau replied. Marina wiped absently at her eyes, causing eyeliner to smear across her fingers.
"Hermione Granger found something in the woods fourteen years ago Wing, a tiny jewel that held something very important" Marina whispered. Mr Blau allowed her to breathe quietly for a few moments.
"What did it hold?" he finally breathed. Marina's eyes trailed towards the floor.
"Harry Potters soul"
* * * *
"Shhh, it's ringing" Ethy hissed. Heather looked around frantically.
"Battle stations everyone!"she cried. Instantly the twins, Bill and Stanley, began to haul Angelica's lightnting rod sideways untill it reached a nintey-five degree angle. Angelica, giggling feverishly, passed a cauldron filled with thick purple-brown liquid to Dave, who promptly dumped a handful of exotic flowers into the mixture. Ginger helped Dave pick up the steaming cauldron and, their knees buckling from the weight, tossed the cauldrons contents towards the lightning rod.
Bill and Stanley crashed into Daves tomato bush as the liquid conected with the rod. Instantly electricity crackled on the rod. Zev switched on the radio option on Ethy's CD player. Then, carefully using his wand to manuvre the radios arial, he allowed it to touch the lightning rod. A crackle of blue energy conected the two objects togethor and there was the distant tinny sound of out-of-tune voices coming clearer.
"We have just reached our sixth caller in the Virgo concert tickets give away. Hello, you're on the air" a rather cheesy male voice said, trying to put on a fake American accent.
" Hello?" Ethy asked tentatively.
"Hey there. Tell us your name and deal little groover!" the radio DJ said and everyone sighed with relief. Phase one was over... they had gotten through.
"Hi..Umm..I'm Ethy, I'm thirteen and I live in Aulbury" Ethy managed to say.
"Aulbury is a long way from Sydney, Ethy" the DJ laughed and Ethy glanced around frantically.
"I have...great reception"she stuttured.
"Alrighty then . So Ethy, the rules are simple, answer all three questions correctly and you win four tickets to Virgo's live concert in classy old England!" the DJcrooned, using digital manipulation to extend the sound of his voice. Heather was sitting next to Ethy, a small black magic eight ball in her laps. Unlike the muggle type, a witches magic eight ball always gave the correct answers to a question.
"Question number one. Name Virgo's favourite type of animal" the DJ laughed. Instantly Ethy heard Heathers voice in her head.
"Tiger?" Ethy said out loud, rather shocked.
"That's correct Ethy! Question Two. Hoow many copies of Virgo's autobiography were sold last year?" the DJ crooned. Ethy blinked with suprise.
"Three million, five hundred and seventy six" she said dully.
Heather glanced at the radio anxiously as the DJ announced the final question.
"What does the tattoo on Virgo's arm look like?" the DJasked. Heather once again shook the magic eight ball. The cube swirled through the inky -black water as she peered at it anxiously. Heather's eyes took in the words and she was about to send a silent command to Ethy's brain. However she paused and her eyes opened wide with terror. She dropped the magic eight ball and it crashed onto the rooftop. An image entered Ethy's mind and her eyes screwed up with concentration.
"A...umm...skull with a snake...protruding out of the eyes?" Ethy asked, although she knew something wasn't right.
"That's absolutely correct!" The DJ cried and he began to scream congradtulations. However, Ethy had dropped the phone. Heather was staring at her hands in the sort of melodramtic way killers did when they had just disposed of someone. She looked at all the boarders for a frantic few seconds before composing herself.
"Don't be rude Ethy, you need to leave your details so we can pick up the concert tickets" Heather said a little to controlled. Then, in a swish of purple lace she began to descend the fire escape.
"Ok...was it just me or did Heather nearly have a nervous breakdown?" Dave asked. Angelica gave the now empty fire escape a concerned look.
"It's just you. Now go eat some flowers, biology boy" she ordered before disapperating.
* * * *
Dashing down the staircase, Heather literally ran into Mr Blau. They crashed into eachother, Heather ended up slamming into the wall.
"Why are you in such a rush?" he asked. Heather gave a ragged breath.
"No time to talk Blau, I have to get to Hermione" Heather breathed, her shoulders began to shake.
"Wait a second, you're acting like you've been into Angelica's supply of Bertie Botts beans. Its not a good look" Mr Blau said soothingly. Heather took a deep breath.
"Blau, can I trust you?" she managed to ask. Mr Blau gave her a curious glance.
"What's going on Heather?" he asked. She shook her head furiously.
"You didn't answer my question"she growled. Mr Blau was slightly taken aback.
"I'm in a terrible mood Happy Boy. In the past few days I've astral projected, met Ethy's real father and crashed through a ceiling. I've done some terrible things with an umbrella...it's not exactly therapudic" Heather managed to say, but secretly she knew she was stalling.
"I think that...Virgo the popstar was in love with Harry Potter. I also think she's a Death Eater" Heather finally stuttered. Mr Blau's back stiffened. He glanced at Heather shrewdly, secretly knowing she knew far too much than was good for her. That was the problem with Divinters, they spent their days employed in muggle bookshops reading tea leaves, yet they seemed to honestly believe the world was their personal gossip magazine.
"You're being ridiculous" he drawled. Heather stared at him dangerously.
"I'm never wrong Mr Blau. Amarna said that Virgo was hiding from the bad man who had struck her down as a child. The magic eight ball said she had a tattoo...of a skull with snakes protruding from its eye sockets" Heather replied a little too sweetly.
"I...have to go" Mr Blau replied, stepping back. Heather tossed her Mahogany hair over one shoulder furiously.
"I can't believe this! I'm trying to tell you something important and you're acting like a pickled toad being dissected in potions! What's wrong Blau? am I holding you up from your date with precious Sheila?" Heather asked. Mr Blau just sighed.
"If I could explain I would" he managed to say and Heather gave a forced laugh.
"Gee, I haven't heard that before. Oh wait, yes I have...from every single male I've ever met" Heather replied coldly, folding her arms across her chest.
"Heather, you're smart but you're not smart enough...curiosity killed the witches cat remember. Stay out of this Heather, it's dangerous" he warned. Heather's already huge eyes went wide with realisation.
"You do know something! and you've been keeping it from me"Heather said and she closed her eyes briefly.
"Don't try to read my mind Heather, I know how to block thoughts" Mr Blau warned.
"Wing?" Marina's voice called.
"Wing, are you ready to go?" she asked, walking into the corridor. Her eyes fell on Heather.
"Oh... it's you. Nice to see you're dressed" Marina commented snidely.
"Did she just call you Wing? is that you're name?" Heather asked with confusion.
"Of course it's his name! what did you think it was? Charles or something?" Marina asked sensibly. Heather's usual olive complexion paled.
"She knows your name...but you said....." Heather began, her mouth formed into an o.
"You...and Hermione's brothers fiance.." Heather gulped, she placed a hand against the wall to steady herself.
"Whos fiance? what are you talking about, Marina's my..." Mr Blau began but Heather held up a hand warningly.
"Don't start! you come across as being nice, a good driver and... well... normal. Then, it turns out you're just as bad as the rest of them, you're irresponsible and you don't give a flying manticore about other peoples feelings" Heather said a little too calmly. Marina made a rude tutting noise under her breath, giving her wristwatch a pointed look.
"Look Heather, I've got to go but believe me the idea of...well...Marina is enough to send me into a vomiting spasm" Mr Blau grimaced.
"Then why does she know your name?" she asked and he shrugged his shoulders.
"It's my asian name, not my actual name" he said. Heather, feeling rather foolish, shook a stray strand of hair away from her face.
"Where are you going?"she finally asked. Mr Blau gave a sheepish smile.
"It's sort of a personal emergency if you catch my drift. Oh, and just so you know, I may never come back. I might die or something. Actually, I probably will" Mr Blau began. Heather once again interrupted him.
"Is this to do with that pram incident?"she asked.
"Not exactly. Anyway, because I'm Apparating towards my doom I feel it's very important that I tell you my first name" Mr Blau finally said. Heather made a startled noise under her breath.
"Are you alright?" he asked, Heather lent against the wall, feeling ill.
"This is just so sudden! you picture moments like this but when it happens you don't know what to say..." she whispered. Mr Blau nearly laughed and taking a breath, secretly knowing he was breaking every rule in the Aurors handbook, he opened my mouth.
"My name is-" the door bell rang. Well, actually, it sang. Angelica had "fixed" it two years previously. Now whenever the doorbell rang it sang the theme song to married with children.
"Oh bloody hell!" Mr Blau growled as he turned to Heather.
"Looks like this will have to remain a mystery forever" he said as he fished around in his pocket, vaguelly knowing the romantic thing to do would be to give her a small token to remember him by. His hands fumbled over a chocolate frog wizard card, a used tissue...until eventually he discovered a thin band of metal. He remembered it as being the sneakoscope ring Marina had been examining before.
"Here, take this. It's sort of like a protection thing...if it changed colour, hide" Mr Blau managed to say, placing the ring on Heather's finger. Feeling rather dazed to say the least she barely noticed as Mr Blau kissed her once lightly on the forehead before turning around.
"Will someone get that bloody door bell?"he growled, instantly breaking the mood and storming past Marina.
"Well, why don't you get it? in order for us to leave we do have to go through the front door" Marina pointed out sarcastically.
* *
"Hello?" Mr Blau growled, opening the door. There was a tall thirty-ish man on his doorstep dressed in brilliant green robes with silver fastenings. His face was well-sculpted with icy silver grey eyes and hair that looked like someone had tipped in a tonne of bleach into it.
"I'm a friend Of Hermione Green, I've heard about her unfortunate accident and I am here...to take care of her daughter Amethyst Green. I'm very close to the both of them" Draco Malfoy lied fluently and Mr Blau raised an eyebrow. He hadn't heared anyone call Ethy by her full name for years.
"You'll have to talk to Heather, she's Ethy's legal guardian" Mr Blau replied, swiftly pushing his way past.
"Heather?" Draco enquired. Mr Blau nodded impatiently.
"She's Ethy's godmother. Funny, you look really familar...are you related to Ethy?" he asked. Draco very nearly sneered. He quite enjoyed the irony of that sentence.
"Yes, it just so happens that I'm Hermione's cousin" Draco added. Mr Blau raised an eyebrow, giving Marina an enquiring glance. Both her eyesbrows shot up and it was very clear that they had to leave immediately. Mr Blau surveyed the man once again. He seemed harmless in a vague, weedy, foppish sort of way. Besides, Heather and Angelica had both prooven that they were very resourcefull- if slightly insane- women. He was sure that they could deal with a simple wizard.
"She's just inside, down the corridor near the staircase"Mr Blau replied and he nodded to Marina.
"We best be off, good luck with your cousins" Mr Blau said politely as he and Marina left.
"You're welcome"Draco said a little snidely as he entered the boarding house. Mr Blau shut the door behind him carefully.
"Finally! can we go now?" Marina growled.
"Alright, alright!" Mr Blau growled, his voice fading away as they disapperated.
* * * *
"Well, this is most unexpected. Who'd have thought that you would turn out to be the incredible fading woman" a voice sneered. Heather looked up from where she was admiring her new ring. As she lowered her hand she unnoticed the jade start to turn a deep crimson.
"Hello? are you here for a room?" Heather asked, rather confumed as she noticed a figure whose face was darkened completely by the bright light shining in her face.
"No I'm not here for a room you silly woman. This is quite amusing....I never expected my wife to associate with a Seer" he scoffed, making the term Seer sound like a filthy swear word.
"Your..wife?" Heather asked. She debated internally on whether she could run up the stairs in time to call for help. Her wand was still on the rooftop and there was no way she could run up five flights of stairs in a few seconds.
"Yes my wife...pretty woman with bushy brown hair.. I havn't seen her for a while but I assume the description still fits her" his voice smirked. Something fluttered to the floor. Heather gazed at it for a moment and she realised it was a picture of herself in a newspaper report, pushing Ethy out of the frame. Damnit, she knew that cousin of Rita Skeeter was going to cause trouble.
"Hermione's in hospital" Heather managed to say calmly. He moved into a blind spot like a cat and, standing frozen, Heather felt the tip of the wand against her neck.
"I'm not interested in my Hermione. I want Amethyst Green...the one that's too distraught to comment" he spat, reciting the photo's subheading. Heather breathed deeply before speaking.
"She's at her friend Rose's house doing her transfiguration homework" she said calmly. The pressure of the wand tip increased.
"It's quite amazing, you do not appear to be the sort of person who would lie if the lie would cause the extermination of their life" he whispered in her ear. Heathers back stiffened. She calmly closed her eyes, all she needed was a single link to his mind, a single blow to his conscience and she would have a few seconds of freedom to escape and get help.
"You shouldn't judge what a persons like when you barely know them" Heather whispered.
"Why not? I've seen you in your bathrobe"he smirked. Heather ignored the comment.
"When Ethy-...Amethyst was born, your wife was distraught. Her husband had abandoned her in a foreign land, she was horriblly ill, not to mention suffering from mental exhaustion and severe depression. If it wasn't for Angelica's obscure healing potions she could have died. The only thing I could do was promis her I would try to take care of Ethy while she recovered, to never let anything harm her. I won't let you near her" Heather replied coldly, still searching for the single link she needed.
"You have the love of a mother to a daughter. Do you honestly think I would harm my own flesh and blood?" he asked and Heather found her link.
"I'm not giving you the chance"she whispered then suddenly she forced her full range of telenkenisis into his mind. It wasn't her specialty but it was enough to send a temporary stabbing pain through his skull.
"You stupid Mudblood!" he screamed, clutching his skull. Heather bolted towards the staircase. She wrenched the overused fire alarm as hard as her shivering arms would let her.
Then, running as hard as she could, she escaped towards the roofop.
The Daily Prophets were beginning to build up again, Draco noted as he apparated into his dining room one miserable Friday morning. No matter where he seemed to go lately the boggy wet English weather seemed to follow him, clouds as grey as his eyes. The dining room was empty and Draco thankfully sunk into an ornate sixteenth century chair which depicted several animated unicorns grazing playfully on its surface. The entire estate, which was now Draco's manor, had belonged to his mothers parents until they met with a rather unfortunate accident when Draco was fifteen. Draco never stayed for long though, his servants treated the manor as if it was their own home and as if he was a visitor who would quietly and discretely leave after a few short days. Draco never really stayed for long. It was a place he slept in, but it was not his home.
Someone must have known he was coming, for his favourite meal had been placed neatly next to his twelve issue thick pile of newspapers, along with a vase filled with blooming tulips. Curious, he poked an egg experimently. It was an omelette, a cheese one with chives and mushrooms.
The dining room, which extended into the horizon, was absolutely empty and Draco suddenly remembered when he was a very small child. All alone, eating his bowl of porridge, not much older than five while his father was away on business and his mother was sleeping off a hangover. As he picked up the latest issue of the Daily Prophet he wondered about his own child. She seemed to be so distant and irrelevent and he had to wonder...was she eating at this moment alone too?. His eyes fell on the front cover.
"New discovery found in an ancient Egyptian Sorcerers tomb" he read quietly and his eyes fell on a smiling middle-aged witch with horn-rimmed glasses and short, glossy blonde hair. The witch was gesturing frantically at the reliefs behind her while mouthing words no-one could hear.
"Heiroglyphs concerning a vague prophecy were discovered last tuesday night by a local tourist guide, Robert Mitchell, otherwise known as tour guide Bob. His employer the curiator at the magical musuem in Cairo claims that is it the find of the century. Marsha Hines claims that Robert Mitchell is currently away on vacation and cannot comment"
Draco tossed the paper dismissivly, History was his second worst class at Hogwarts. He dug around for a few moments until he retrieved an issue a couple of weeks old.
"The Sleeping Beauty" Draco growled, rolling his eyes, angered by the newspapers unoriginality and stupidity. His eyes fell on the first line of the article and then paused for a moment. They moved upwards to the photograph and seemed to study it for a few moments. His eyes took in every bushy brown curl, the long fingers with bitten nails, and then finally the very glimpse of a chain around her neck. He smirked to himself almost sleepily. The woman in the photograph had reminded him of someone...a forgotten dream or memory. He just glared at it for a few moments before pushing the newspaper away and selecting the second, most recent issue. He leafed through it aimlessly until he reached what appeared to be a follow up on the Sleeping Beauty article under the World News section. There was a much smalled, blurrier photograph that showed a girl being pushed away by a young woman.
"Ethy Green, daughter of Hermione Green, too distraught to comment" the subheading declared in bold italics.
"What..." Draco began, his breath catching in his throat. It was then that the woman in the photograph looked up, angrily pushing Ethy away. With a jolt of realisation he realised he had seen the woman before, he had dreamt about her in a vague fading way only a night or so earlier.
Ethy Green.
Ethy Green.....
Amethyst Green.
Her face was turned away but he could still see shining white-blonde hair falling in bushy curls around her shoulders. His daughter.
Which meant that sleeping beauty must be.....
Draco inwardly cursed his stupidity and disapperated instantly, his fork clattering onto his plate. His eggs hadn't even had a chance to grow cold.
* * * *
'Well, at least the toothpaste had gone' Mr Blau noted as he re-entered his pad, clutching the lyrics booklet in his hands. Marina was leaning against his bookshelf scowling, her jet black hair was sticking up at unruly angles and the sleeves on her sweater had been pushed up around her elbows.
"It took fifty three scrubbing charms to get rid of that toothpaste" Marina muttered, her eyes glittering dangerously.
"I appreciate it"Mr Blau replied politely, sighing with exhaustion. He sunk into his minty fresh armchair thankfully and shut his eyes.
"You'd better appreciate it Mister, Aurors aren't trained to be cleaning ladies!"his sister scolded. But she realised it was not time to be bothering Mr Blau.
"Marina, we have to leave as soon as possible. I've discovered a possible connection in this whole tour guide Bob case" Mr Blau said, his eyes closed and his voice barely audible.
"What? you're not believing those silly stories that fat woman is spouting out again?" Marina cried. As if on cue there was an ear-splitting scream and the sound of something very large falling off the roof.
"She's not fat! and...well...I don't know what to believe"Mr Blau replied, ignoring the noise.
"Look, things are getting serious. Hermione Green is a very...well...important woman brother. We have to stay here and protect her" Marina insisted. Slowly and almost cat-like Mr Blau's eyes opened.
"What do you mean important? I thought all the people housed here were refugees hiding away from Death Eaters in Europe" Mr Blau stated. Marina gasped, her black painted lips making a firm 'O' of realisation.
"They didn't tell you, did they" she asked, almost awed.
"Didn't tell me what?" Mr Blau asked irritably.
"The Order of the Phoenix! they didn't tell you the truth!" Marina hissed. Mr Blau tumbled off his chair furiously.
"Dearest sister, I have had a very trying day so unless you tell me something soon, expect to have some tentacles growing off your face" he replied curtly. Marina was about to speak but her eyes flew to the open doorway. Dave was walking past with a tray of unusual looking flowers, a curious expression on his face.
"What do you think you're doing? don't you know it's rude to listen into someones private conversations!" Mr Blau growled.
"I was just...just...getting these plants for Heather! she needs them for a spell!" Dave shrieked and Mr Blau immediately felt guilty.
"What kind of spell?"he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"She's going to brew a potion to help pick up a radio signal in Sydney..."Dave replied. Mr Blau, realising that Dave was not an immediate threat, shooed him away.
"You were saying?" Mr Blau asked. Marina flushed.
"My partner, Captain Weasley.." she began. Mr Blau gave her a sceptic look.
"Captain Ronald Weasley? one of the wildest Aurors in Britain who was Harry Potter's associate before Harry Potter died?" Mr Blau asked. Marina nodded.
"The very same. My partner...well...he and a Death Eater hid Hermione here thirteen years ago" Marina replied. A cogwheel clicked in Mr Blau's shrewd brain and he gasped with shock.
"Weasley...Hermione... you don't mean that our Hermione...is the real Hermione? the real Hermione Granger?" he stuttered, his face growing deathly white.
"The very same. Her childs father happens to be a Death Eater. They were going to kill her once the baby was born. We couldn't let them do that, not just for the sake of her and her child but because of something she possessed" Marina began.
"What did she possess?"Mr Blau asked. Marina turned away.
"Telling you would violate against my entire training Wing! I've worked too long and hard to slip up now! I can't utter a single word!" she cried, her shoulders shaking.
"I can't help you unless you tell me Marina, you silly girl!" Mr Blau said, trying to calm her down. Instead Marina gave a dry sob.
"When you begin your training they try to take away every part of you that's dfferent. They no longer want creative problem solving in the force. What they want are machines that barely have an emotion in them. I can't get emotionally involved Wing. If I tell you then you'll be drawn into this as well" Marina said quietly. Mr Blau nodded, he knew exactly how he felt. The day he was sent to the boarding house he was told by his Commander, Julius, to never ever get involved with the residents, to never show any affection towards them because otherwise it would cloud his judgement.
"I'm already drawn in Marina. I can't just stand around like a cardboard dummy anymore...I want to live up to my title"Mr Blau replied. Marina wiped absently at her eyes, causing eyeliner to smear across her fingers.
"Hermione Granger found something in the woods fourteen years ago Wing, a tiny jewel that held something very important" Marina whispered. Mr Blau allowed her to breathe quietly for a few moments.
"What did it hold?" he finally breathed. Marina's eyes trailed towards the floor.
"Harry Potters soul"
* * * *
"Shhh, it's ringing" Ethy hissed. Heather looked around frantically.
"Battle stations everyone!"she cried. Instantly the twins, Bill and Stanley, began to haul Angelica's lightnting rod sideways untill it reached a nintey-five degree angle. Angelica, giggling feverishly, passed a cauldron filled with thick purple-brown liquid to Dave, who promptly dumped a handful of exotic flowers into the mixture. Ginger helped Dave pick up the steaming cauldron and, their knees buckling from the weight, tossed the cauldrons contents towards the lightning rod.
Bill and Stanley crashed into Daves tomato bush as the liquid conected with the rod. Instantly electricity crackled on the rod. Zev switched on the radio option on Ethy's CD player. Then, carefully using his wand to manuvre the radios arial, he allowed it to touch the lightning rod. A crackle of blue energy conected the two objects togethor and there was the distant tinny sound of out-of-tune voices coming clearer.
"We have just reached our sixth caller in the Virgo concert tickets give away. Hello, you're on the air" a rather cheesy male voice said, trying to put on a fake American accent.
" Hello?" Ethy asked tentatively.
"Hey there. Tell us your name and deal little groover!" the radio DJ said and everyone sighed with relief. Phase one was over... they had gotten through.
"Hi..Umm..I'm Ethy, I'm thirteen and I live in Aulbury" Ethy managed to say.
"Aulbury is a long way from Sydney, Ethy" the DJ laughed and Ethy glanced around frantically.
"I have...great reception"she stuttured.
"Alrighty then . So Ethy, the rules are simple, answer all three questions correctly and you win four tickets to Virgo's live concert in classy old England!" the DJcrooned, using digital manipulation to extend the sound of his voice. Heather was sitting next to Ethy, a small black magic eight ball in her laps. Unlike the muggle type, a witches magic eight ball always gave the correct answers to a question.
"Question number one. Name Virgo's favourite type of animal" the DJ laughed. Instantly Ethy heard Heathers voice in her head.
"Tiger?" Ethy said out loud, rather shocked.
"That's correct Ethy! Question Two. Hoow many copies of Virgo's autobiography were sold last year?" the DJ crooned. Ethy blinked with suprise.
"Three million, five hundred and seventy six" she said dully.
Heather glanced at the radio anxiously as the DJ announced the final question.
"What does the tattoo on Virgo's arm look like?" the DJasked. Heather once again shook the magic eight ball. The cube swirled through the inky -black water as she peered at it anxiously. Heather's eyes took in the words and she was about to send a silent command to Ethy's brain. However she paused and her eyes opened wide with terror. She dropped the magic eight ball and it crashed onto the rooftop. An image entered Ethy's mind and her eyes screwed up with concentration.
"A...umm...skull with a snake...protruding out of the eyes?" Ethy asked, although she knew something wasn't right.
"That's absolutely correct!" The DJ cried and he began to scream congradtulations. However, Ethy had dropped the phone. Heather was staring at her hands in the sort of melodramtic way killers did when they had just disposed of someone. She looked at all the boarders for a frantic few seconds before composing herself.
"Don't be rude Ethy, you need to leave your details so we can pick up the concert tickets" Heather said a little to controlled. Then, in a swish of purple lace she began to descend the fire escape.
"Ok...was it just me or did Heather nearly have a nervous breakdown?" Dave asked. Angelica gave the now empty fire escape a concerned look.
"It's just you. Now go eat some flowers, biology boy" she ordered before disapperating.
* * * *
Dashing down the staircase, Heather literally ran into Mr Blau. They crashed into eachother, Heather ended up slamming into the wall.
"Why are you in such a rush?" he asked. Heather gave a ragged breath.
"No time to talk Blau, I have to get to Hermione" Heather breathed, her shoulders began to shake.
"Wait a second, you're acting like you've been into Angelica's supply of Bertie Botts beans. Its not a good look" Mr Blau said soothingly. Heather took a deep breath.
"Blau, can I trust you?" she managed to ask. Mr Blau gave her a curious glance.
"What's going on Heather?" he asked. She shook her head furiously.
"You didn't answer my question"she growled. Mr Blau was slightly taken aback.
"I'm in a terrible mood Happy Boy. In the past few days I've astral projected, met Ethy's real father and crashed through a ceiling. I've done some terrible things with an umbrella...it's not exactly therapudic" Heather managed to say, but secretly she knew she was stalling.
"I think that...Virgo the popstar was in love with Harry Potter. I also think she's a Death Eater" Heather finally stuttered. Mr Blau's back stiffened. He glanced at Heather shrewdly, secretly knowing she knew far too much than was good for her. That was the problem with Divinters, they spent their days employed in muggle bookshops reading tea leaves, yet they seemed to honestly believe the world was their personal gossip magazine.
"You're being ridiculous" he drawled. Heather stared at him dangerously.
"I'm never wrong Mr Blau. Amarna said that Virgo was hiding from the bad man who had struck her down as a child. The magic eight ball said she had a tattoo...of a skull with snakes protruding from its eye sockets" Heather replied a little too sweetly.
"I...have to go" Mr Blau replied, stepping back. Heather tossed her Mahogany hair over one shoulder furiously.
"I can't believe this! I'm trying to tell you something important and you're acting like a pickled toad being dissected in potions! What's wrong Blau? am I holding you up from your date with precious Sheila?" Heather asked. Mr Blau just sighed.
"If I could explain I would" he managed to say and Heather gave a forced laugh.
"Gee, I haven't heard that before. Oh wait, yes I have...from every single male I've ever met" Heather replied coldly, folding her arms across her chest.
"Heather, you're smart but you're not smart enough...curiosity killed the witches cat remember. Stay out of this Heather, it's dangerous" he warned. Heather's already huge eyes went wide with realisation.
"You do know something! and you've been keeping it from me"Heather said and she closed her eyes briefly.
"Don't try to read my mind Heather, I know how to block thoughts" Mr Blau warned.
"Wing?" Marina's voice called.
"Wing, are you ready to go?" she asked, walking into the corridor. Her eyes fell on Heather.
"Oh... it's you. Nice to see you're dressed" Marina commented snidely.
"Did she just call you Wing? is that you're name?" Heather asked with confusion.
"Of course it's his name! what did you think it was? Charles or something?" Marina asked sensibly. Heather's usual olive complexion paled.
"She knows your name...but you said....." Heather began, her mouth formed into an o.
"You...and Hermione's brothers fiance.." Heather gulped, she placed a hand against the wall to steady herself.
"Whos fiance? what are you talking about, Marina's my..." Mr Blau began but Heather held up a hand warningly.
"Don't start! you come across as being nice, a good driver and... well... normal. Then, it turns out you're just as bad as the rest of them, you're irresponsible and you don't give a flying manticore about other peoples feelings" Heather said a little too calmly. Marina made a rude tutting noise under her breath, giving her wristwatch a pointed look.
"Look Heather, I've got to go but believe me the idea of...well...Marina is enough to send me into a vomiting spasm" Mr Blau grimaced.
"Then why does she know your name?" she asked and he shrugged his shoulders.
"It's my asian name, not my actual name" he said. Heather, feeling rather foolish, shook a stray strand of hair away from her face.
"Where are you going?"she finally asked. Mr Blau gave a sheepish smile.
"It's sort of a personal emergency if you catch my drift. Oh, and just so you know, I may never come back. I might die or something. Actually, I probably will" Mr Blau began. Heather once again interrupted him.
"Is this to do with that pram incident?"she asked.
"Not exactly. Anyway, because I'm Apparating towards my doom I feel it's very important that I tell you my first name" Mr Blau finally said. Heather made a startled noise under her breath.
"Are you alright?" he asked, Heather lent against the wall, feeling ill.
"This is just so sudden! you picture moments like this but when it happens you don't know what to say..." she whispered. Mr Blau nearly laughed and taking a breath, secretly knowing he was breaking every rule in the Aurors handbook, he opened my mouth.
"My name is-" the door bell rang. Well, actually, it sang. Angelica had "fixed" it two years previously. Now whenever the doorbell rang it sang the theme song to married with children.
"Oh bloody hell!" Mr Blau growled as he turned to Heather.
"Looks like this will have to remain a mystery forever" he said as he fished around in his pocket, vaguelly knowing the romantic thing to do would be to give her a small token to remember him by. His hands fumbled over a chocolate frog wizard card, a used tissue...until eventually he discovered a thin band of metal. He remembered it as being the sneakoscope ring Marina had been examining before.
"Here, take this. It's sort of like a protection thing...if it changed colour, hide" Mr Blau managed to say, placing the ring on Heather's finger. Feeling rather dazed to say the least she barely noticed as Mr Blau kissed her once lightly on the forehead before turning around.
"Will someone get that bloody door bell?"he growled, instantly breaking the mood and storming past Marina.
"Well, why don't you get it? in order for us to leave we do have to go through the front door" Marina pointed out sarcastically.
* *
"Hello?" Mr Blau growled, opening the door. There was a tall thirty-ish man on his doorstep dressed in brilliant green robes with silver fastenings. His face was well-sculpted with icy silver grey eyes and hair that looked like someone had tipped in a tonne of bleach into it.
"I'm a friend Of Hermione Green, I've heard about her unfortunate accident and I am here...to take care of her daughter Amethyst Green. I'm very close to the both of them" Draco Malfoy lied fluently and Mr Blau raised an eyebrow. He hadn't heared anyone call Ethy by her full name for years.
"You'll have to talk to Heather, she's Ethy's legal guardian" Mr Blau replied, swiftly pushing his way past.
"Heather?" Draco enquired. Mr Blau nodded impatiently.
"She's Ethy's godmother. Funny, you look really familar...are you related to Ethy?" he asked. Draco very nearly sneered. He quite enjoyed the irony of that sentence.
"Yes, it just so happens that I'm Hermione's cousin" Draco added. Mr Blau raised an eyebrow, giving Marina an enquiring glance. Both her eyesbrows shot up and it was very clear that they had to leave immediately. Mr Blau surveyed the man once again. He seemed harmless in a vague, weedy, foppish sort of way. Besides, Heather and Angelica had both prooven that they were very resourcefull- if slightly insane- women. He was sure that they could deal with a simple wizard.
"She's just inside, down the corridor near the staircase"Mr Blau replied and he nodded to Marina.
"We best be off, good luck with your cousins" Mr Blau said politely as he and Marina left.
"You're welcome"Draco said a little snidely as he entered the boarding house. Mr Blau shut the door behind him carefully.
"Finally! can we go now?" Marina growled.
"Alright, alright!" Mr Blau growled, his voice fading away as they disapperated.
* * * *
"Well, this is most unexpected. Who'd have thought that you would turn out to be the incredible fading woman" a voice sneered. Heather looked up from where she was admiring her new ring. As she lowered her hand she unnoticed the jade start to turn a deep crimson.
"Hello? are you here for a room?" Heather asked, rather confumed as she noticed a figure whose face was darkened completely by the bright light shining in her face.
"No I'm not here for a room you silly woman. This is quite amusing....I never expected my wife to associate with a Seer" he scoffed, making the term Seer sound like a filthy swear word.
"Your..wife?" Heather asked. She debated internally on whether she could run up the stairs in time to call for help. Her wand was still on the rooftop and there was no way she could run up five flights of stairs in a few seconds.
"Yes my wife...pretty woman with bushy brown hair.. I havn't seen her for a while but I assume the description still fits her" his voice smirked. Something fluttered to the floor. Heather gazed at it for a moment and she realised it was a picture of herself in a newspaper report, pushing Ethy out of the frame. Damnit, she knew that cousin of Rita Skeeter was going to cause trouble.
"Hermione's in hospital" Heather managed to say calmly. He moved into a blind spot like a cat and, standing frozen, Heather felt the tip of the wand against her neck.
"I'm not interested in my Hermione. I want Amethyst Green...the one that's too distraught to comment" he spat, reciting the photo's subheading. Heather breathed deeply before speaking.
"She's at her friend Rose's house doing her transfiguration homework" she said calmly. The pressure of the wand tip increased.
"It's quite amazing, you do not appear to be the sort of person who would lie if the lie would cause the extermination of their life" he whispered in her ear. Heathers back stiffened. She calmly closed her eyes, all she needed was a single link to his mind, a single blow to his conscience and she would have a few seconds of freedom to escape and get help.
"You shouldn't judge what a persons like when you barely know them" Heather whispered.
"Why not? I've seen you in your bathrobe"he smirked. Heather ignored the comment.
"When Ethy-...Amethyst was born, your wife was distraught. Her husband had abandoned her in a foreign land, she was horriblly ill, not to mention suffering from mental exhaustion and severe depression. If it wasn't for Angelica's obscure healing potions she could have died. The only thing I could do was promis her I would try to take care of Ethy while she recovered, to never let anything harm her. I won't let you near her" Heather replied coldly, still searching for the single link she needed.
"You have the love of a mother to a daughter. Do you honestly think I would harm my own flesh and blood?" he asked and Heather found her link.
"I'm not giving you the chance"she whispered then suddenly she forced her full range of telenkenisis into his mind. It wasn't her specialty but it was enough to send a temporary stabbing pain through his skull.
"You stupid Mudblood!" he screamed, clutching his skull. Heather bolted towards the staircase. She wrenched the overused fire alarm as hard as her shivering arms would let her.
Then, running as hard as she could, she escaped towards the roofop.