VII
"For some reason, I really don't think this is what your Father had in mind when he told us to get accommodations in Kirkwall," Jennifer said glumly as she stared out of the cell.
"I told them I was a member of B.E.L.A., but they didn't seem to believe me," Aurelius said as he paced the room. "They even took my badge!"
"Criminal trespassing indeed! If they had only spoken up to begin with, we wouldn't even be in this mess! Lurking about a ship as if baiting us to come in. It was a sort of entrapment," Jennifer growled. "And here I was thinking someone might be injured or worse."
"Your good deeds have always gotten you into trouble, Mum," Aurelius said, still pacing. "Only this time you pulled me in as well."
"Well, I am sorry we got thrown in jail, but I'm not sorry for checking that boat out. And I for one think they owe us some sort of explanation as to what they were doing there."
"I don't think we're in a position to be asking anything, Mum, especially after your refusal to explain how you got the door open."
"Well, I can't possibly tell them the truth about it, can I? And given the option, I'd prefer not saying anything to lying. Now, try not to worry," Jennifer sighed, for Aurelius was pacing even faster now. "Severus said he would be on the way, so I'm sure we'll be out of here in no time."
"Will I do?"
Aurelius stopped his pacing and turned around, while Jennifer's face lit up from surprise.
"Harry! Whatever are you doing here?" Jennifer said as one of the coast guard reluctantly began working the locks on the door.
"Your Father's doing, Jennifer, after the B.E.L.A. office received a call claiming that someone posing as one of our officers broke onto a decoy boat."
"I didn't break into it, she did!" Aurelius snapped. Harry merely looked amused.
"What sort of decoy boat?" Jennifer frowned suspiciously.
"I'll tell you about it later. Let's finish up here first," Harry suggested, and the other two quickly agreed, following him out to the front.
Food was the next order of business, but it didn't take them long to find a seaside restaurant where the smell of fish stew trailed far enough down the road to get their undivided attention. Even Jennifer, who was normally a very picky eater, didn't seem to mind the selection, though she was actually more interested in finding out what Harry had to say than her dinner.
"Well, the reason the MCA didn't take you seriously, Rel, is because apparently they set up this little sting on B.E.L.A.'s request," Harry explained, glancing at the younger Auror, who was grimacing. "They were looking for illegal divers who might be scouring the recent wrecks, and from what Thomas said when I left, it was uh…"
"Don't tell me. Father set it up," Aurelius scowled. "I knew we should have gone directly to the island."
"He's not going to be happy with me," Jennifer added in a low voice, putting her head in her hand in resignation. "But it does sound like he believes that the motive is hidden in the water somewhere like I do."
"Well, something is being hidden at any rate," Aurelius said with a nod, glancing at Jennifer. "We really ought to go search the island as we should have done in the first place, before it gets too dark. And this time, we go the fast way."
"No, wait, perhaps you had better let me do it," Harry said, glancing at Aurelius who didn't look too thrilled with the idea. "You have accommodations here yet?"
"Yes, we took care of that earlier before we rented the boat…haven't checked in yet…"
"Here, let me write it down," Jennifer said, taking out a piece of paper from her cloak. But as she opened it, she noticed there was writing on it, and then sighed. "A message from Severus."
"A message?" Aurelius asked.
"We had our cloaks linked," Jennifer explained. "It says to stay in port and investigate here."
"Good, that settles it. The two of you ought to be getting settled anyhow," Harry said. "Does he mention where he is?"
"That's all it says," Jennifer shrugged, then grew thoughtful. "And with little direction with where to investigate."
"Well, that much is obvious. We need to speak to the local contacts," Aurelius said.
"There aren't many wizards around town according to the main office," Harry said, pulling out a small notebook. "There is a Porting center here in the back of a Palmistry shop. We'll ask around there, maybe get a list of locals."
"Fine, why don't you both go do that then," Jennifer said, sounding slightly irritated. "I for one am going to find someplace to get a drink. In fact I noticed a pub not too far from the hotel along Shore Street."
"We can ask about the local witch haunts if you like," Harry offered, gazing thoughtfully at the frown appearing on Rel's face.
"No need. I am rather curious what sorts of rumors are floating among the Muggles, and that will be the place to hear them, especially later on when their tongues loosen a bit. I'll meet you back at the room in a few hours," Jennifer assured them, getting up.
Aurelius scowled in frustration as she walked off.
"Great. I should have known she would pull something like this. I suppose we'll have to follow her now."
"No reason. We can cover more ground this way," Harry said easily. "Besides, she has a point. I'm sure there are all sorts of stories floating about what was happening out there."
"But they will all be distorted! Hardly any use to us," Aurelius said. "She's just trying to do her own thing again. She's going to just get into trouble."
"Oh, come on, Rel, don't you think you are exaggerating just a bit? You'd be a better Auror if you wouldn't be so…critical…"
"Just what exactly do you mean to imply by that?" Aurelius said hotly. Harry sighed, noticing several turned heads at Rel's raised voice.
"Look, I know you're under a bit of stress at the moment, so I am going to cut you a little slack. But you should be concentrating on the case instead of trying to be your mother's keeper, especially in front of me. She's survived situations I know a great many Auror friends of mine wouldn't have. I wouldn't be so quick to underestimate her, if I were you," Harry said, pulling out a wallet. "Now let's go follow procedure and check with the local wizards first, but don't be surprised if it's Jennifer with the better story to tell."
Reluctantly, Aurelius watched as he paid the bill and then followed him out, still unsure he was doing the right thing. But Harry wasn't the least bit concerned of anything short of getting the directions in his notes right, nor did he bring the matter up again, for the last thing he felt he had a right to do was to comment on how a son felt about their parents, not matter how distorted it was…perhaps as distorted as his was…
"This way, Rel," Harry said, and silently Aurelius followed. "It's obvious from his actions that Severus believes someone here must have been behind the death, and I think he's right. But why would anyone travel all that way, following the two of you as they must have, to get that job done?"
"To cover up something, more than likely," Aurelius shrugged.
"Exactly, and that's what your father must be onto. Someone must have been using her specifically, either to keep boats away from that area or to simply rob them. I think Severus was trying to eliminate that last theory, and I have a feeling that we can further disprove that tonight," Harry said, glancing at the map again. "There it is, between the curio shop and the bait shop."
"Rather dumpy sort of building, isn't it?" Aurelius commented casually with his hands in his pockets. The set of three shops really were off the normal path on a narrow side road, apparently geared towards tourists. Sun-damaged white lace hung in the windows of the fortune teller's shop, boasting of charms, trinkets, and 'fortunes of the sea.' There was no sign in the window, but testing the doorknob proved the shop to be open. Inside it was dark and foggy, with only a small section up front dedicated to all sorts of symbols and charms with very little true magic power, while a heavy purple drape with painted stars curtained off the majority of the room. "And a bit theatrical," Rel added, getting a side-glance from Harry.
"What is this I hear?" a soft, hissing voice asked from behind the curtain. "Someone criticizing my humble shop before one even knows what lies beyond?"
The drapes parted, and the two of them looked to see a hooded figure sitting in the dark in front of a raised table. Strange, slit glowing eyes were all that could be seen beyond the hood itself, while two grey hands lay almost casually on the table, playing with a deck of Tarot cards.
"Who dares raise opinion without first at least having the courtesy to meet the owner? Ah, a Snape. I should have known," the witch said dryly.
"He meant no offense, Madam," Harry said quickly before Rel had time to retort.
"Of course he did, Mr. Potter, but you are quite welcome," the woman said. "You are here for information, but all information comes with a price."
"We're here on an official Ministry investigation," Aurelius snapped.
"Then you will have expense funds to pay me," the witch reasoned.
"Fine," Harry said, putting a hand on Aurelius' shoulder. "Just sit down, Rel."
"Not until she at least gives us a name and removes her hood," Aurelius said.
"My name is Madame Stone, Mr. Snape, and unless you wish to be stone yourself, I will keep the hood on," the witch hissed.
"Gorgon," Harry murmured. Aurelius squinted.
"Correct, Mr. Potter. And you are here on your suspicious friend's behalf, to find the source behind the death of his prisoner which he so carelessly let get away from him…" Aurelius leapt to his feet.
"How do you know all that?" he demanded.
"It's in the paper, Rel," Harry pointed out. Stone hissed angrily.
"I don't need a paper to learn such things, Potter. It is all in the cards…the stars…even the sea whispers secrets to me," she said, bringing the cards to her forehead and beginning to lay them down.
"What sorts of secrets of the sea?" Aurelius demanded.
"Hush, the cards speak first…" she hissed. "A coin for my time, if you please?" Harry slapped down a Galleon before Aurelius could stop him. "Ah, yes. Gold speaks loudly in these islands, Mr. Potter. Loud enough to open some mouths and silence others, I think, yes?"
"Just get on with it," Aurelius said impatiently. "What do you know about the siren?"
"Hm," she said thoughtfully, staring at the cards. "The cards show nothing of a siren." Aurelius leaned back in exasperation, staring at Harry accusingly. "But see, there is something much more important here. Do you know what this card is?" she asked, pointing with a lavender-painting nail at the center card.
"Oh no, here we go," Harry murmured, suddenly agreeing with Aurelius that this wasn't worth the trouble.
"Yes, it is Death…but it has strange companions…the Jester, the cheat itself…and Judgment. I see ill in your future, Mr. Potter…for Death itself will soon walk the Earth."
"Thanks, I think we'll be going now," Harry said quickly, getting up. "Do you have a local Owl listing?"
"Do not be so ready to shun this future, Mr. Potter!" she pleaded.
"I'm sorry, but I have heard all of this before. I've been predicted to die a hundred times…"
"But that is the point, Mr. Potter! You have long cheated death! And now death shall be coming to seek retributions for those who have done so, and that includes you as well, Mr. Snape!"
"What a load of…"
"We really must get going. Thank you," Harry said, grabbing Rel's arm and dragging him out before letting him finish his statement. "Let's see if we can't track down the Owl Post station."
"It can't be any less a waste of time than that was!" Aurelius declared. "It's balmy witches like that that give us all a bad name."
"I should have let you go alone, I think. They always get death happy when I'm around," Harry decided with a sigh. "Well, let's go scan some roofs for owl roosts. I hope Jennifer's having better luck than we are."