The last of the XOB gang got downstairs. Tsilk had taken his bag with his notebook in it on the way.
"Hey, you never gave me my bag back!" said Stephan.
"Yeah, Dad, can I have my backpack now?" asked C.G.
"It's in the kitchen", said Remus Lupin.
"Yours too," said Tonks.
"Do we have enough powder for everyone" asked Mrs.Weasley.
"Yes dear", said Mr. Weasley.
Stephan and C.G. got back from the kitchen.
"Did everyone take their belongings?" asked Albus Dumbledore.
"Yes", said the professor Snape.
"Then let's go, I'll go first, and then your students will follow", said Tonks.
"Hey, now that I think of it, you never gave me my wand back!" said Stephan pointing at Snape.
"Severus, could you please hurry up and give him his wand! We need to get to Hogwarts before tonight!" said Dumbledore.
Severus Snape handed Stephan his wand.
"And you said I was the slow one", said C.G. talking to Tsilk.
"Now, let's go", said Tonks.
She stepped under the chimney and indicated where she wanted to go. In a few minutes everyone would have left the Black House.
Once they all had arrived
"Okay, we'll meet here at 5:00pm at the latest, if you could be here at 4:00 it would be even better" said the Headmaster. "Now, Harry, Ron, Hermione if you could raise you left hand and C.G., Stephan and Tsilk your right hand please."
Everyone raised their hand. Dumbledore cast a spell. Now they were paired, C.G. with Hermione, Stephan with Harry and Tsilk with Ron.
"Hey, what was that for?" asked C.G.
"I don't want you running away", said the Headmaster.
"Still, I don't appreciate being paired with someone," said Stephan.
"Neither do I!" said C.G..
"Like it's nice for us", said Ron.
"This is going to be a fun afternoon", said Tsilk.
"Everyone must be back by five with everything they need, here are your school supplies' list", said McGonagall.
Everyone left in a different direction.
The teenagers stayed together.
Tuck and Maudy Madeye disappeared in a dark alley.
Dumbledore and McGonagall entered a bar and worked on the last formalities for the new students.
*********************
Tuck and Maudy Madeye
They were walking along a dark alley. No one was here if you didn't count the rats. Tuck changed forms while she was walking. Maudy stopped. He closely observed a wall. He then passed through with Tuck following him. They ended up in a bar. They sat down at a table near the stairs. A waiter came to them.
"Hello, welcome, what would you like?" asked the old waiter.
"Where's Birtnut?" asked Tonks.
"Upstairs, he was waiting for you", said the waiter pointing at the stairs. He then went to another table.
Tonks and Maudy Madeye walked upstairs to find an old man smoking some hallucinating mushrooms.
"Hello", said Maudy Madeye.
"Grakpol! What are you doing here?" asked Birtnut getting up to hug Maudy.
"My friend here needs your advice", said Maudy Madeye.
"How can I help you?" asked Birtnut addressing Tonks.
"This ring, what can you tell me about it?" asked the metamorphmagus.
"Some old dark magic that is, bad dark magic, when d'you find that?" asked Birtnut.
"Someone's face" said Tonks.
"Where's the second one?" asked Birtnut.
"What do you mean 'where's the second one'?" asked Maudy Madeye.
"These come in pair, or even more, but since this one is off the person's face, the other must have disappeared", said the smoker.
"What do you mean?" asked the Auror very interested in the subject.
"These here, link people together, like, magical handcuffs, except that you put a potion in it".
"What for?" asked Tonks.
"They're used to control people. But it's hard to cast this spell. Only a mighty wizard would be able to do that" said Birtnut.
"Then, how come I could take it off?" asked Tonks.
"He or she must have another one with the same purpose bonded with the same person. If you tried to take the other one off, it would be much harder."
"Can you know which potion was put in it?" asked Tonks.
"Well, this is an emotional potion", said Birtnut. "The guy or girl who has the other one can take control of him at certain times…when he's very emotional.
"I've taken this from a boy's eyebrow", said Tonks getting worried about the accuracy of the man's knowledge.
"Well, poor boy. He as a master"
"Are-you sure?" asked Tonks.
"As sure as I have ten toes ma'm!" said Birtnut.
"How can we find the 'master'?" asked Tonks.
"If they are close to each other, you'll see a difference in attitude. The master also has another slave…This is a threeway…The slaves should have some special relationship too." said Birtnut. "Now, that would be 9 mushrooms".
"Here you go", said Maudy Madeye while handing him a bag, "thanks Birtnut".
"Anything for you Grakpol" said the man.
Tonks and Maudy Madeye got out of the alley.
"Can we trust what he says?" asked Tonks.
"Yes", said Maudy Madeye.
"I would have liked to know more", said Tonks.
"I can't help you anymore".
The teenager's side
"You know what, the piercing in the mouth, it's freaky" said Ron.
"Thanks, I like it too" said Tsilk.
"So, we're stuck we've you for the whole day?" asked Stephan.
"Seems like it", said Harry.
"I pity you", said Ginny smiling.
"Yeah right," said Ron.
"Where do you want to go?" asked Tsilk.
"Let's go get our books", said Hermione.
"No, I don't want to have to carry them all day, let's go get them last", said C.G.
"Smart remark, what's with you today?" asked Stephan.
"Shut up", said C.G.
"Here's the C.G. I know!" said Stephan.
C.G. was going to hit him but was held back by Hermione.
"Let's go get our robes then", said Harry.
"Yipee…" said Stephan.
They had spent hours trying to decide how to work in partners. Harry and Stephan would constantly disagree. Hermione had held back C.G. a few times. And Ron wouldn't stop criticizing Tsilk.
"Now, the last thing we need is our books", said Hermione.
"Great… how many do we have?" asked C.G.
"Not many", said Harry.
They all got into the shop with some problems.
Hermione decided to pick everyone's. Stephan wanted to look up a dew extra books, and Ron was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
"What's with the pearl black?" asked Ron.
"Yeah Tsilk, what's with the pearl black?" asked Draco Malfoy walking down the stairs.
Both Ron and Tsilk turned around recognizing the familiar voice.
"What are you doing here?" asked Tsilk.
"What are YOU doing here?" asked Draco.
"I'm going to Hogwarts", said Tsilk.
"Since when?" asked the blond.
"Since yesterday", said Tsilk.
"Why are you with Weasley?" asked Draco.
"Some people are scared of what I might do", said the thief with a soft smile.
"You know each other?" asked Ron with a smirk on his face.
"Apparently", said Tsilk.
"Why did they put you with Weasley?" asked the young Malfoy.
"Thought it might safer", said Tsilk. "Ron, I need your wand?"
"Why?"
"I just need it, I'll give it back, I'd like to talk to Draco without you eavesdropping, so, whether you give it to me, or I'll have to knock you out", said Tsilk.
"No", said Ron looking for Harry and Hermione.
"Draco, do you have yours?" asked Tsilk.
"Here", said Malfoy while handing it to him.
Tsilk took the wand in his hand and searched in his bag with his free one. He took out a small strangely shaped one. He put the top of the wand and the key on his handcuff. He softly cast an incantation. His wrist then got free but Ron's still had his. Tsilk handed back the wand to its owner.
"Thank you, do you know someplace where we could talk, in private?" asked Tsilk.
"Follow me", said Draco while going out of the store.
"You don't think you're going to get away with it!" said Ron taking out his wand.
"Draco, #7?" asked Tsilk.
"Now?" asked Draco looking tired all of the sudden.
"Better idea?"
"Fine".
Before Ron could have moved, Draco and Tsilk were running down Diagon Alley and had disappeared from his view.
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