Chapter Sixteen

The Map and The Cauldron

"I've never seen such a horrible collection of dilapidated buildings ever," Alex admitted to Mandria as they entered the gate. "How could they possibly ask for so much money for those horrible eyesores? And one was even haunted!"

"I swear that ghost was the scariest one I have ever met in my life," Mandria said. "The shop should be nearly free to have to put up with that old woman! And they won't even have it exorcised."

"Well, if you owned a building and it was your mother haunting it, you probably wouldn't want her exorcised either," Alex said. "Still, she did make the Bloody Baron look like jolly old Christmas Past in comparison. That shop will never be sold ever. Especially at the price they want for it."

"Yes, and didn't they discount them for him being an alchemist and them needing one and all?" Mandria said.

"Some discount! Twenty-five galleons off the lease while adding a fifty non-refundable security deposit for taking the risks associated with a potion lab. He's paying more, not less!" Alex sighed.

Rose came up behind them and plucked a couple of bags from Alex's hand helpfully as they headed up the stairs.

"There she is! So how did it go? Are you two an item now?" Mandria asked eagerly. "How does he kiss?"

"Honestly! If you're that interested, you can have him," Rose teased. Mandria blushed bright pink. "We just hung around together, that's all. And I'm afraid it wasn't that much fun… it might have been, Stewart's a nice guy. But Conner kept hovering about or following us and it just got on my nerves."

"So no sparks, eh?" Alex said thoughtfully. Rose shook their head.

"I've only felt that way once, you know that," Rose sighed. "Not that I wouldn't go out with Stewart again if he asked me, but…" she suddenly faltered then, a strange look coming over her face. "He's just not the one I'm looking for, that's all."

"You're not pining over that vigilante again, are you?" Mandria said. "Rose, it's just a costume, he could be anyone! Whoever Athos really is probably has a wife, ten kids and is older than your… well, anybody else's grandfather. Those four save people every time they're called; you think he'd even remember a kid like you? It's time you had a reality check."

"I went out with Stewart, didn't I?" Rose said angrily. "Please, let's just drop it."

"Yes, let's," Alex agreed quickly. "Come on, let's head to the Gryffindor table."

"You should be helping me, you know," Mandria whispered to Alex as Rose lead the way over. "This crush of hers isn't very healthy."

"Maybe," Alex agreed with a sigh. But how could she possibly intervene without letting it slip that she knew who Athos really was?

Alex was expecting a hardy welcome from her cousins and siblings when she came over, since they had been waiting all day for her to get back with their lists of goodies from town. But Zoë, Zack, Andrew, and Halbert didn't even look up when she said hello, their heads either propped in one hand or lying against the table as if the world had come to an end.

"Don't tell me you guys somehow managed to get into trouble again," Rose said when she saw their expressions.

"Yes, but not half as much trouble as we're actually in," Zack said glumly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mandria asked.

"Hullo," Alicia said, coming up behind them and over to the edge of the table.

"Well? Any luck?" Andrew asked anxiously. Alicia sighed and shook her head.

"The paintings have no idea," Alicia said, the four at the table looking even glummer. "There's no painting in the pantry, after all, and none of them have seen it since."

"Seen what?" Alex asked impatiently.

"We lost the map," Zoë murmured. "We were trying to hide it from your father and put it down, but it wasn't there when I looked for it."

"What?" Alex said. "Was it still working?"

"Still working," Andrew said miserably. Alex, Mandria, and Rose took seats beside them, the seriousness of the situation sinking in. "Look, this situation is quite over our heads now. I really think it's time to tell Dumbledore."

"No, not yet," Zoë said in a panic, "We can find out who took it, I'm sure of it. Then as soon as we get the details we need for the model, we'll put it back."

"Never mind the model. I'd feel a lot safer if we just found a way to get it back," Andrew said.

"I agree with Andrew," Alex said.

"And I agree with Andrew about telling Dumbledore," Rose put in. "The map is much too dangerous! If we wait, someone could cause all sorts of trouble for the school!"

"Just give us a day or two," Zack protested, "At least let us try to fix this." Alex looked between Mandria and Rose, until Rose sighed, nodding slightly.

"Let's just hope whoever has it isn't in a hurry to use it for anything," Rose said worriedly.

Jennifer passed back the tests one by one, smiling as she called each name in turn as Aurelius reached for his paper and looked it over, nodding. So what if he wasn't a pro at the labs? No one in the class got as high of a mark on theory.

"You have all done decidedly well on this one," Jennifer told them as she handed Stock and Heph theirs and headed to a table laden with phials and equipment. "And that is very good news, because you'll be using the formula at the bottom of your test to figure out your heating index for today's lesson, Whisker Philter. As those of you in Magical Creatures are aware, Doctor Sagittari has been helping the Tower Menagerie breed some of the endangered cats that they have on display, and this will, shall we say, help the process along a bit. I imagine, however, that this will be one of the trickiest potions we'll do this year as far as temperature; which, by the way, will be a very large portion of your test before the holiday. So if you don't do well today, I expect you should really make an extra effort to study for it. And of course, like all potions intended to charm its victim, it's also very ingredient sensitive. One bad ingredient may backfire in the most unpleasant of ways, and the last thing we need is a pack of cat-o'-nine-tails fighting in the pens.

"Everyone take out your kits and let's get started," Jennifer continued, checking her own ingredients one last time before turning thoughtful. "Here, let me check your powdered Salix-discolor before we begin," she said, going over to the Slytherin side to check Heph's kit. "No, this won't do, I think. The catkins weren't cleaned properly before they were dried. There's some pollen mixed in, and that'll throw off the potion for sure," she sighed. "Everyone with Sludgebat kits please go fetch themselves about forty drams off the shelf." She used the time it took them to start up her burners. "The rest of you may open your books to one hundred and thirty and start working out your formulas and measuring the rest of your ingredients."

It wasn't a formula that she taught often, but it was difficult enough for a third year class to learn some of the values of temperature without becoming too complex. For her, of course, the brew was almost child's play, and even though it wasn't one she had any call to make often, it also wasn't one with any hidden surprises… or so she thought. For it was just as she had instructed the students to add the powdered Salix and bring it to temperature, it began to boil erratically. As she moved to turn it down, it suddenly exploded, jetting up like a volcano and knocking her back with a loud noise like thunder ringing in her ears. The lights in the room were flashing erratically as other phials around the class began to explode, filling the room with a bright purple gas. Immediately Jennifer pulled a filmy cloth out of her pocket and held it over her mouth and nose, filtering the air.

"Hit the floor! Hold your breath!" Jennifer shouted as she scurried to her feet, but it was too late; many of the students had already inhaled the gas and had suddenly began to act a bit strange, meowing like cats and scratching behind their ears, growling at each other in a curious low growl while others were busy rubbing against the floor. Aurelius, who had his cloak handy, leapt up to stand on his desk with a cloth on his face, trying to avoid Stock, who appeared to be challenging him to some sort of fight, and Heph, who was busy trying to catch the attention of one of the Ravenclaw girls laying nearby him. Jumping over a couple of brawling students, Jennifer pointed her wand at a glass frame hanging on one side of the room, shattering it. Instantly, everything in the room came to a stop; even the flooding gas stopped mid drift and the students all paused mid action as Jennifer took a moment to exhale and look over the situation at hand.

The door burst open, and Jennifer turned around in a panic.

"No, wait! Don't come in here!" Jennifer shouted. Severus immediately reached for a cloth while Dumbledore blinked in surprise, quickly tapping the wand in his hand towards the cloud.

"Ventus malus dispargerum! " Dumbledore intoned, the gas in the room suddenly pushing out in all directions until it dissipated altogether.

"Are you all right? Where's Ciardoth?" Severus asked.

"Ciardoth?" Jennifer said at surprise. "What are you talking about? I just had a spell go bad… wait… the lights," she suddenly realized. "The potions didn't do that."

"Check the office," Dumbledore advised, Severus immediately hurrying over. "I do not think this is coincidence. Jennifer, might I ask what potion you were working on?"

"Just a Whisker Philter, Professor! I don't know what happened, all of the sudden it blew and the students all started behaving… er, well, like they were under the effects of it. I had no choice but to use the Freeze Frame, sir."

"There's no need to explain, Jennifer, this is just the sort of thing I thought it'd be useful for when I had Sirius install it in here," Dumbledore said. "But we may have to leave them for awhile. We really need to find out where she went."

"I believe I can answer that," Severus said. The two of them looked over where he stood in the door of the Potions office, looking very grim and pale. "The Cauldron is gone." Jennifer stared at him in disbelief before pushing her way past him, having to see for herself.

"Oh no. Stars above please no," Jennifer repeated, shaking her head as she looked at the empty niche.

"I need to contact the Ministry at once," Dumbledore said, turning on his heals. "Severus, finish the security check. Jennifer, you put things back in order here, and don't mention that it's gone to anyone, please."

"Yes, Headmaster," Severus said, taking one last look inside as if waiting for it to reappear.

"Oh, Severus, what are we going to do? With the Cauldron in her control, she could poison us all," Jennifer said with grief.

"There is something else to consider, Jennifer," Severus sighed. "With the Cauldron out of our hands, we no longer control the gate to the Otherworld, either." Jennifer stared at him, at a loss for words. "I need to go. I'll send Madame Pomfrey down to help with the antidote and I will be back as soon as I can," he promised.

Aurelius blinked and felt extremely dizzy, nearly falling off the desk. Professor Craw was still standing by the glass frame with her wand out. But strangely enough, it wasn't broken at all, despite the fact that he could have sworn he had just seen it shatter. Madame Pomfrey was busy helping Stock up… when did she come in? While Heph suddenly yelped as he realized he was cuddled up next to Margaret Kenny, who gasped in surprise and slapped him hard.

"In your seats, please," an imposing voice warned them, and Aurelius looked around to see Snape standing there as well, watching them where he stood among quite a number of ingredient jars that had gotten pulled off the shelves. Craw put away her wand as the students went back to their tables, several of them looking a bit rough and even one or two that had black eyes, looking at each other as if trying to remember just how they got them. Craw waited for them to get settled, standing in front of her desk patiently until they finally grew quiet.

"We've had a bit of an accident," Craw said, gazing apologetically at her class. "It seems that quite a number of school ingredients have somehow become contaminated and that caused some rather disagreeable effects during our potion lesson… yes, well, you probably noticed that already. Anyhow, because of the affects of the potion and um, trying to solve the problem that caused it, you'll find that some time has passed. In fact, you'll probably want to head to dinner," she admitted, getting a murmur of surprise from the students at that. "But I need to ask you to leave your potion kits here, please, and leave your equipment out, only take your books. I'll have your kits checked and cleaned by our class next week. We'll start on another temperature sensitive potion then. In the meantime, read the next chapter, and we'll try to touch on it at the end of next class," Craw said, nodding to let them know it was okay to get up.

"And if you start feeling dizzy or have cravings for raw fish, please head to the hospital wing," Pomfrey added as they left.

"That was weird… I mean really weird," Heph said as they headed up the stairs, looking at the dimming light outside. "What happened to us?"

"You all began acting like cats in heat, actually," Aurelius said. Heph turned over to look at him, petrified.

"What? We didn't actually, I mean, do anything, right?" Heph asked.

"Oh, sure, my Mum's definitely the type that would let a class of fourteen year olds loose on each other in a compromising situation. Get real, Heph. Besides, you didn't really have enough time to get into too much trouble," Aurelius said.

"What are you talking about? You heard Craw. Look at the time, we were in there for hours!" Stock said.

"I know, that's really strange. I mean, I wasn't affected by the potion, I had a breather on me."

"Wait just one minute," Heph said, looking at Aurelius in pure annoyance. "Exactly how is it that you had one on you and manage to get it out and ready when we were busy starting to feel bright eyed and bushy tailed?"

"Because I have a Chest Cloak on, moron," Aurelius said. "Father makes us put all sorts of stupid stuff in there because he's paranoid we might need them some day. I suppose this actually came into some use," Aurelius said, showing them the breather cloth.

"I think I need to invest in one of those," Stock decided.

"Order me one too, while you're at it," Heph said. "It'd have been embarrassing enough to wake up next to an ugly girl. Waking up next to a cute one is murder." Aurelius and Stock smirked at him, walking into the Great Hall.

But strangely enough, nobody had made a move to settle in yet, although the entire room was full of students. They were standing in groups and talking excitedly, watching nervously as the third years came in, looking puzzled at their behavior.

"Rel!" Alex said, running over to them. "Are you all right? We've been so worried!"

"There was a little accident in the lab, that's all. No one got hurt," Aurelius shrugged.

"Lab accident?" Alex said puzzled. "I was talking about Ciardoth!"

"Ciardoth?" Aurelius blinked. "She was here again?"

"How could you not know?" Alex said in surprise. "The lights were flickering all over, and all the Professors brought us all in the Great Hall. Then Dumbledore hurried in and said something to Weasley and just took off. I don't think he's even in the school now. Have you seen Snape and Craw?"

"Yes, they were in the lab," Heph said when Aurelius didn't answer right away. There was a distant, bewildered look on his face.

"When did all this happen?" he asked at last.

"Oh, hours ago, during our first afternoon class. In fact, we'd just gotten settled and was going over our Muggle Studies tests, perhaps fifteen minutes in or so."

"That's why we didn't know about it then. That's about the same time the lab nearly blew up," Stock explained.

"You don't think Ciardoth had anything to do with it, do you?" Heph asked.

"Oh, don't be stupid," Aurelius snapped. "It was a coincidence. A pure coincidence! Come on, I'm hungry."

"I thought Andrew was the one who always used that excuse," Alex said annoyed, heading back to her friends.

"Everyone sit down, please!" Professor Weasley told them, ringing a glass. "We'll be eating momentarily. Your rooms have been checked and you will be returning to them directly after dinner."

"Was it a false alarm then, Professor?" Conner asked, making himself heard over the crowd. Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment.

"No one was harmed in any way," Hermione said. "Shall we begin?"

Alex found herself passing glances to her siblings, first towards Alicia and Andrew and then towards Aurelius behind her before glancing back at the main table. Less than half the staff were there, unusually sober and quiet, and many, especially Hermione Weasley, looked as if they didn't want to be there at all.

"Something did happen," Alex murmured, Mandria looking up from beside her. "Something terrible, I'm sure of it. They just don't want to tell us for some reason."

"I suppose minding our own business would be out of the question?" Mandria asked, earning only silence and a dirty look from Alex. "Yeah, that's what I'd thought you'd say," Mandria said dryly. Alex then turned to get Andrew's attention, but he was already looking at her, nodding in her direction. "I suppose that means we're not going straight to our rooms?"

"Of course we will," Alex said. "At least long enough for bed check." Mandria contemplated what Alex would look like with mash on her nose, but decided to eat it instead.

Aurelius knew Alex was trying to get his attention but ignored it, and instead spent his time snapping snide comebacks to his fellow housemates after they heard about the class incident. Going straight up to his room suited him just fine, burying himself in his homework until it was done and then studying by candlelight until the rest of his dorm mates fell asleep. He played with the chain on his neck distractedly before he finally opened the top of the window, pulling his cloak around him as the cold air blasted in. The smell of the coming snow drifted on the breeze, but Aurelius didn't care. He climbed upon the windowsill, standing with his legs angled a bit so he could stare out into the night, wondering if he should send a note. But then he saw a dark shape approach and recognized the owl immediately, a small lumpy pouch in tow. Reaching out his hand, the bag was put in his reach and he grabbed it, carefully bringing it inside and sinking down to sit as he loosened the straps. He gazed at its contents and took out a note, reading it a couple of times before taking it over to the fire and tossing it in, setting the bag near the grill. He watched the flames for a while before taking something out of his pocket and unfolding it, frowning when he noticed his brother sneaking around on the bottom of the Marauder's Map, along with a few others that he hadn't expected to be there.

For both Arnie Peasegood and Ederick Thurspire were in the dungeon along with Dumbledore, Severus, and Jennifer, talking about the events of that afternoon. Jennifer used the time to finish cleaning the rest of the bulk containers after samples of every one had been taken.

"I'm still not convinced," Ederick said, Jennifer rolling her eyes as she grabbed a clean towel to polish the huge glass jar beside her. "I mean, really, all you saw were the lights flashing and heard thunder. No one saw her take it, you're just assuming that those two events are correlated, but perhaps it didn't have anything to do with it at all. Consider, Jennifer herself admits that she thought it was the potions that caused the noise. And you admit yourself that House Elves make the lights flicker, as well as any large amount of Wild magic."

"No other source has made the detectors react in that same way, Thurspire," Severus said irritably.

"Not even your sister?" Ederick asked.

"Ederick, can you steer the boat back into port a bit? I have no idea where you're going with this," Arnie sighed.

"Probably because you aren't aware of the fact that Anna can manipulate Wild magic just as Ciardoth and Elves do. She can even Apparate into this school. And I somehow get the suspicion that her children have the same talent," Ederick speculated, watching their faces as if hoping for a reaction to confirm it. "And if that is true, it's quite possible that this was an inside job," he said. "Whoever changed the ingredients around had to have time, opportunity, and most importantly, knowledge of what they were doing, and nothing has shown that Ciardoth has had much interest in such things as potions up to this point."

"That was before I stole her Fomorian slaves from her, Ederick," Jennifer snapped. "She knew I had the Cauldron. I used it to free them, and I bet she'd want to get her hands on it after that."

"Oh, I've no doubt she would want to control it, even if she had no skill in using it. No, she'd leave that to others. In fact, I believe that if she is truly involved in this robbery, it proves that she could not be acting alone. Someone else was responsible for the diversion. And if she isn't involved, the only ones I can think of who could have done it are the Black twins and your children, Severus." Ederick said, gazing at Severus.

"Ederick! What possible reason could our children want the Cauldron for?" Jennifer laughed incredulously.

"Attention, for one thing," Ederick said calmly. "How else are they going to get it? They've been starving for it all of their lives. I wouldn't put it past them even to have orchestrated both the dog potion and the so-called break-in at Corey's as well. It'd definitely explain how the alarm got turned off. You're unusually quiet, Severus, what's the matter? Is some of this actually beginning to make sense?"

"I'm sorry, did you say something? I was just thinking about what the headlines would read if I challenged you to a Wizard's Duel. Thurspire Expired; Dozens of Harassment Charges Dropped? Or perhaps something like: Irate Professor Successfully Shows Deputy Minister Where to Put False Accusations? No, I suppose that'd be too long," Severus mused.

"Are you threatening me?" Thurspire asked dangerously.

"I'll second," Jennifer said seriously.

"Severus, Jennifer, please. Ederick, please. I do not believe that the Cauldron is in safe hands, and it's more important right now that we take some measures to protect ourselves and to find it than it is to come up with any names, innocent or guilty."

"I guess that means I'll have to hold a press conference," Arnie sighed. "This is going to hit harder than even the diamond episode did, you know that, Professor?"

"You are doing a very good job under very trying circumstances, Arnold," Dumbledore assured him. "Look on the bright side, perhaps this will take their attention away from the other issue that will be hitting the press this week."

"What other issue?" Jennifer asked with a frown.

"You'll find out on Sunday," Dumbledore assured her.

"That's no fair, I have to visit my father on Sunday. That'll take all morning," Jennifer said, then picked up something from the flash in Dumbledore's eyes. "Something to do with him?"

"Well, I think we've had enough news for one night. I'd better go write my speech," Arnie said quickly. Ederick gazed at him suspiciously as he came over, wondering what was going on. "Good night."

"Take great care," Dumbledore said sincerely.

"We'll do everything we can, Professor," Arnie assured him with a sigh before heading out the door, Thurspire on his heels hoping to get more out of him.

Jennifer, for her part, was staring intently at Dumbledore hoping that he would give something away when Severus, standing by the office, suddenly shot his arm up straight out from his side. A surprised squeal immediately followed and then a loud thud as something hit the floor.

"Get lost on the way to the kitchen, Andrew?" Severus said casually as Jennifer turned, staring at the dust marks on the floor. "I could hear your stomach growling from a mile away." Jennifer put her hand on her hips as Andrew appeared, still rubbing his neck a bit from where he got clothes-lined. "What are you doing here?"

"We were just… I mean, I was curious… but Professor Dumbledore, there's something I have to tell you, because I'm very worried now," Andrew said, "Under anonymity, of course."

"Very well, Andrew, immunity by association granted as always, what is it?" Dumbledore asked. Severus and Jennifer stared at Dumbledore.

"Professor, Zoë was the one that borrowed the map from your office. She said her father helped write it and they got curious and we've been using it to explore the castle only…" Andrew hesitated, glancing over at his father who was squinting at him.

"It's all right, they're professors right now. They have to do what I say, go on," Dumbledore said, ignoring the eyes on his back.

"Well, last weekend we were looking to see what passages the map was missing and we had just stepped into the kitchen when Professor Snape caught up with us. Zoë panicked and hid the map in the pantry so he wouldn't find it, but when we came back a few moments later, it was gone. And it was working," Andrew added.

"What? Why didn't you mention this before?" Severus snapped, but Dumbledore put up a hand, giving him a stern look over his glasses.

"We were going to try to find it on our own and return it," Andrew assured him. "We thought we could track it down, we even had all the paintings looking for it. But now that this has happened, I'm really frightened as to where it went."

"And you should be, Andrew, for this is very serious, perhaps more than you know. Whoever has that map knows where you are as well as where we are, invisibility does not fool that map any more than an Animagus could. That means that they would also notice how much time you spend in teacher company rather than students, including how many trips you take to my study. Therefore, I think a slight change in plan is in order," Dumbledore said quietly. "From now on, any information you need to pass to me must go through someone that no one would question you seeing on a constant basis. You will go to Professor Snape."

"What?" Andrew said, horrified. "I can't go to him!"

"Professor Snape understands better than anyone when it's time to judge and when its time to act, at least on a professional basis," he added, earning a dirty look from Severus. "You have done great service for me over the years, and I would hate for it to have to end to keep you from taking unnecessary risks, but it will, Andrew, unless you trust me on this issue," Dumbledore said seriously. "I assume there are no objections to another set of ears in the collection, Severus?"

"It appears that there has already been another set, whether I object or not," Severus said dryly. "You understand Mr. Snape, that if you start coming to me as an informant that you are to tell no one, not even your siblings. It would be a professional relationship; I won't have you trying to snivel out of instructions because of family ties. Is that clear?"

"And you won't take whatever I say… you know… outside of professional either?" Andrew asked carefully. Severus looked at him fixedly.

"Not unless you insist, and in that case I won't guarantee my reaction. Dumbledore's immunity only goes so far," he said with a forced thin smile.

"Well, Andrew? Are you staying in my confidence, or is it time for you to move on?" Dumbledore asked.

"I'll stay for now," Andrew decided. "Although I'm not sure this arrangement will work."

"You are not the only one," Severus added, Dumbledore smiling at him with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Come then, Andrew, I should get you back to your rooms. I'm sure your siblings can wait to hear your news until the morning. And to avoid suspicion, I dare think Professor Snape will find a few errands for you to run tomorrow afternoon?"

"Of that you can be certain," Severus said, Andrew decidedly not liking the look in his father's eye at all.

As the two of them left, Jennifer stepped over to her husband's side, taking his arm.

"You know, I never really realized until now just how much like you Andrew is," Jennifer admitted. Severus grimaced.

"Bite your tongue, he's a Gryffindor," Severus said, making a superstitious gesture to ward off evil.

"Yes, isn't that interesting?" Jennifer smiled wickedly. Severus, however, didn't look very amused.