Glad to see you're all around, was feeling that some folks missed the fact I snuck in a new story g> Thanks for the reviews, here's another chapter for you. JCWriter
IX
Disappearance
Aurelius leaned tiredly on the back wall of the Enforcer office as his grandfather finished signing his paperwork.
"A nice bit of work as usual, Rel," Thomas said, glancing over the arrest forms. "Gave you some trouble, did he?"
"Not really. Rather easy catch actually, thanks to Tonks unintentionally distracting him at the right moment," Aurelius shrugged. "I was able to relieve him of his wand before he cast anything."
"Oh? Where did you get the burn, then?" Thomas asked curiously. Aurelius stared at him in confusion. "You look like you took a blast of Blinding Rays on your face." Frowning, Aurelius grabbed a mirror out and looked at himself curiously.
"I must have gotten a sunburn on the way over the loch," Aurelius mused. "Could have sworn I had put a potion on though."
"Knowing you, you didn't," Thomas chided him. "You get yourself too obsessed over your cases, Aurelius. There is such a thing as too much focus, in fact, it'll likely get you killed someday if you're not careful."
"I doubt a simple sunburn is going to kill me," Aurelius said, getting out his potion wallet for a salve.
"No, but not being aware of your surroundings will," he said, watching as Aurelius began shuffling through the wanted list. "When is Harry heading to Kirkwall?"
"He was waiting until tonight, because he wants to take Essie along to check this Prophetess out," he explained.
"Probably not a bad idea. If she is for real, perhaps Essie will
notice something you both didn't. And if she isn't for real…and
the more I think on it, the more I think she isn't…we may have
some solid lead on who's behind this."
"I don't think
she's real either," Aurelius agreed. "Have any others
complained about this curse?" Just then there was a swift knock on
the door and Bosworth came in.
"Rose Willowby is here, sir, to see Aurelius on a family matter," he began, but then got cut off as Rose pushed her way past him.
"It's more than a family matter!" Rose snapped. "Rel, Ambrose has disappeared. Mum says he's been gone all day. It's possible he ran away."
"Why would he do that?" Aurelius frowned.
"Oh, it's a long story, and I'd rather not get into it right now! Corey is out looking for him by broom, but we could really use someone to check the Forest who knows it well…"
"Right," Aurelius said with a nod, grabbing his cloak.
"If he's run away, I'm sure he'll come back eventually," Thomas said unconcernedly. "A boy that age won't get far without turning for home."
"He's not a normal boy his age," Rose pointed out.
"Rose is right. You may want to send some backup out that way, in case it he didn't leave on his own power," Aurelius said.
"I can take care of that for you, sir," Bosworth volunteered.
"No, perhaps I will go myself this time," Thomas said, standing up. "As you say, it would appear to be something of a family matter, if not indirectly. Shall we? Adler, stay here and play Minister for a while." Adler quickly agreed as they hurried out of the room, soon making himself comfortable behind the Minister's desk.
Corey had no sooner found out from Ashley that Ambrose was missing that he acted. He sent up a flare for his friends, sent Rose to the Ministry, and then took to his broom, leaving Ashley to watch over the kids. Why did that boy have to be so difficult? Corey was quite annoyed with the entire situation, mostly because Ambrose had done such a foolish thing, but also in some small part because he might have handled his behavior a few days ago differently had he allowed himself time to calm down first.
The vegetation in the Forest was dense this time of year, but Corey knew others were better suited than he to search on the ground there. As he got to the Centaur Glen, Corey veered higher up so he could look at the entire expanse of the open area. The centaur's summer camp was still in the glen, so Corey decided that he should head over and have a few words with him.
But as he made the simple turn around, a strange sensation hit him. His head began to spin and he found himself feeling as if he were falling. He leaned over and desperately hugged his broom, closing his eyes to try and calm his head. Had his head been a little clearer, he might have realized the handle of the broom had dipped down a bit…but his heart was thumping and his head was pulsing and the ground came up on him before he dared open his eyes. He wouldn't open them for quite some time.
When he did open them, he realized he ached all over…his head and right arm most of all. Slowly he opened his eyes and saw a silhouette in front of him but couldn't tell who, and what he was trying to say was lost in a deep groan.
"Don't try to talk yet," Severus advised him. "You're lucky to be alive right now after that fall." The shadow backed away and Corey noticed another leaning over him and a cup held to his lips. He drank just a sip before he started choking, but Sagittari seemed satisfied that he got enough in him, nonetheless.
"Thought…didn't believe…luck," Corey murmured.
"Yes, well, I don't, but you seem to be tempting me to believe otherwise with that last stunt. You might have broken your neck then and there, and even I couldn't have done anything," Severus scolded him.
"Headmaster, please, if you don't behave yourself, I will have to ask you to leave," Sagittari advised him.
"Sorry," Severus muttered. "But this is not the first time he's gone head over broom."
"Ambrose?" Corey rasped.
"Still missing, but Aurelius and the others are all looking for him. I'm not totally convinced he hasn't snuck off to find a friend or something. I don't think he's in any danger at the moment, although in retrospect I should have made certain Ashley had some way to locate him in case he tried something like this. But concern yourself with your own recovery. We'll speak tomorrow about what happened to you," Severus said, getting up. Corey wasn't really in any position to argue, and he simply nodded, still have trouble focusing on what is going on around him. Severus had a quick word with Sagittari before stepping out to find Jennifer and Rose both there.
"Corey?" Rose asked.
"He's not entirely conscious, but the Doctor said you may go in and see him before he potions him to sleep again," Severus said, and Rose nodded in thanks, slipping in the door. Jennifer gazed at him questioningly. "He'll live. You know he has the hardest skull anyone could ask for, although I hope he never risks a third fracture, the outcome from that would be grim, I think. Now, don't worry. I gave him a full dose."
"Any idea what caused him to crash like that?"
"He wasn't aware enough to ask, and there wasn't enough left of the broom to truly tell if it was at fault or if it were something else," Severus said quietly, glancing at the open doorway. "I really ought to make some attempt at learning Ambrose's whereabouts now that he's somewhat stable. I am going to go attempt to use the Mirrors again."
"Oh, Severus. They've been so unreliable so far," Jennifer sighed.
"Yes, I know, but this is Ambrose we're talking about. If anything can locate the son of… well, him, a crystal from that cave can. Now, why don't you go get settled in and I'll meet you upstairs," he suggested.
Jennifer nodded and walked slowly towards the main stair, feeling a bit strange. What could have possibly made Corey fall like that? And where could Ambrose be?
Completely convinced that she wasn't about to get to sleep on her own, Jennifer made her way to Severus' sitting room, knowing he usually left a half-finished Subtle Slumber waiting to be heated up. He still wouldn't tell her what was in it, but at least he let her do that much. But when she stepped in his room, she felt an eerie feeling that she couldn't explain. It wasn't as tidy as usual; but of course, it had been hectic lately. His Pensieve sat out on the table, and all sorts of papers were strewn on the desk…some filled with puzzling scribbles that Jennifer couldn't really decipher. As she gazed at them in attempts to figure out their purpose, an acrid smell came into the room, and Jennifer realized the potion resting in the small lab in his room wasn't Subtle Slumber at all.
After a few quick tests, Jennifer realized it was a very potent headache draught, and she recalled how often she had seen Severus rubbing his head lately, often accompanied by a strange expression that she couldn't quite read…an echo, she decided, like the echo of a memory. And as much as part of her knew that it had something to do with a curse, another larger part of herself wanting nothing more than to explain it away.
