A/N: Another chapter, and a day early to boot. I know, breaking my own rules already. But I had a gig today and felt so good that I wanted to put something up. With one last round of edits, it's as ready as it's going to be. The village name is fictional, I hope. Just looked up some Scottish town names and made up something I liked. I hope you enjoy this next bit. Smell you later xx
Chapter Four: Separation
Monday, May 4: Early Afternoon:
"I'm so sorry, but there isn't much room left. All of the volunteers and their families are taking up more space than was anticipated." Hermione Granger spoke these words as an apology, but Aed was in such a contented daze she wasn't really listening. Nor would she mind much if she had been. Aed liked Hermione. She was intelligent and witty, just like her. "You'll have to share a dormitory with Luna, Morag, Lavender and I. Speaking of, I think you will like Morag."
"I am sure I will like them all," replied Aed, smiling. Her eyes glittered with triumph. She was finally here. "The castle is magnificent, it's so much more than I could have imagined."
"Well, the reality of magic usually exceeds one's imagination if they are not privy to it." Hermione smiled back and the two women giggled. "Come on, lunch will be served soon. Are you hungry?"
Aed realised that she in fact was ravenous. They had left so early that morning that she had decided to forego breakfast so she could be ready in time to leave. And what with preparing something for her beloved husband, she was lucky to have run a comb through her hair. And then there was the long journey here. "Let's go," Aed said, and they set off down yet an other unfamiliar corridor. Vaguely, she hoped Cailean was alright. He was smart enough to avoid capture, he had probably run off by now and simply expected her to come waltzing through the door at some point. Well, he would just have to wait. She was enjoying herself here immensely, and after all, he was old enough to cook his own damn food.
Harry and Aed had passed Hermione while he was giving her a tour of the castle. She had joined them, relishing any excuse to take a break. Exhausted from reinvigorating the castle's wards, her initial excitement at being given the opportunity to learn about the powerful enchantments had dimmed somewhat. She would have normally relished the challenge, but the tiredness that clung to her bones left her wanting nothing but a long rest.
Without the help of Bill, Charlie, and Mr Weasley, the task would have been impossible. Molly, though eager to assist with their work, was dealing with more than enough already. Together they had begun to secure the protections around the Astronomy Tower, one of the castle's main anchor points. There were still a number of places they had to visit in order to fully empower and reconnect the ward network, but everyone had decided to get back to it tomorrow. Doing it all at once would deplete their magical reserves, and that would be of no help to anyone. Besides, they would easily locate and neutralise any other Muggles who stumbled across the castle in the meantime, and no remaining Death Eater would risk attacking such a large group of wizards.
Shooing Harry away, ordering him to make himself useful, Hermione proceeded to drill her companion with countless questions. Once satisfied, she continued the tour with a lot more detail than Harry had offered. Aed was thankful to have such a knowledgeable tour guide, and told Hermione of the repairing magic Harry had used when she'd asked to see wizardry in action. By the time it was over, Aed was sure she could recite the entire contents of Hogwarts: A History.
Aed could hear loud bangs coming from the floor below as she and Hermione made their way to the Great Hall. "What's that?" she asked, clutching the younger woman's arm. It sounded like a male banshee, if such a thing existed. Though she was a Squib from a less than loving family, Aed knew a lot about magical culture. She would overhear the occasional conversation between her parents or siblings, and always made sure she was not discovered. She seemed to have an uncanny ability to make herself invisible to those around her when she wanted to be left alone, or listen in to conversations not meant for her ears. Whether due to her resoundingly average appearance, or some innate form of magic that wasn't abled to be traced, it had certainly come in handy throughout her life.
"Let's find out," replied Hermione, grinning.
They walked towards the source of the noises. Hermione led Aed along several corridors and passageways that had definitely seen better days. The suits of armour which once stood on their platforms ranged from cracked to partially disintegrated. Aed was saddened by all of the destruction. Hermione had told her that there had just been a war. She was surprised to learn that her new friends' side had won. She shuddered to think what the losing side resembled now. The power of magic was terrifying. She hoped that it would never be directed at her in violence.
"Hey, Hermione!" called a young red-haired man. They had just entered what appeared to be a large classroom. Desks lay on their side or against the wall, usually with at least one leg missing. The red-head was standing near a window, tossing small objects through it and grinning madly. "Who's your friend?" he asked, shooting a smile at Aed, who had suddenly become nervous and unable to speak.
"This is Aed," said Hermione, pushing the older woman forward. "She stumbled across the castle a little while ago. Harry and I have been showing her around."
"An honour to meet you, indeed," he said. "I'm George." He bowed, holding out his hand. Aed shook it, grateful that her hand was only shaking a little. "What did Hermione mean by 'stumbled', young traveller?" he asked her, tilting his head to one side.
"Erm, well…" Aed blushed, but when she caught sight of the hole where his ear had been, she let out a strangled cry.
"Oh," said George, quickly slapping a hand over his missing ear. "Don't mind that. I lost it in the war. Doesn't hurt a bit, I promise." He smiled at her and she visibly relaxed.
Unlike her body, Aed's mind was anything but calm. That must have been some pretty serious dark magic. The awkward moment having passed, Aed remembered George's question. She had no idea how to explain that a friend had led her here, along with her husband, who was now missing. No, best to not mention Cailean at the moment. If she could protect either of them, by God she would do everything in her power to do so. Will was probably wandering around the entrance with little clue of his surroundings. Her whirling thoughts were suddenly pushed aside when she realised that the muscular youth was actually quite handsome, despite his disfigurement. It was rather a pleasant quirk, once she got used to it. Something that made him unique. "It's sort of a long story."
"All the better to get started then!" said George, winking.
"Leave her alone!" snapped Hermione, slapping him on the shoulder. She continued in a more reasonable tone. "It's been a long morning. I can explain it to you over lunch." Aed closed her eyes in relief at her new friend's save.
"I'm going to hold you to that, Granger," George replied, waggling his finger at her in warning.
"What are you doing?" asked Aed abruptly, her curiosity bursting from her lips without warning. "With those," she clarified, gesturing toward the pile of small objects at George's feet.
"Ahh," the young man sighed, a wistful expression coating his features with a maturity of someone who had grown up very fast. "Allow me to show you." He picked up one of the objects and touched the tip of his wand to it. He had just enough time to throw it into the air before it exploded into a shower of sparks in the centre of the room.
Aed gasped, watching as the tiny pinpricks of bright colours assembled into an elderly man with a long, white beard. His piercing blue eyes were framed by half-moon spectacles, their ardent stare blazing right through her. Suddenly filled with a strange sense of familiarity and understanding, she had several questions for the young wizard, but one look at his mournful face caused them to die in her throat. "A tribute to an old friend," said George, nodding his head slowly, remembering. "These are my pride and joy," he continued. "Fireworks. I designed them myself. Well, I had help, but…" He trailed off, absently scratching the back of his neck with one hand.
"It's lunch time," said Hermione. "Come on, let's head to the Great Hall." It was a few minutes before George eventually made his way out of the room to follow, his eyes only a little red.
._.
Monday, May 4: Mid-Afternoon
"Will!" shouted Cailean, breaking out into a run. "Where the bloody hell have you been?" The older man skidded to a stop in front of his friend and embraced him for a moment.
"Hello, Cailean," said Will slowly, patting his friend's arm. "What brings you here?" His voice sounded distant and distracted, but not in the excitable way Cailean was used to.
"I've been trying to find you for hours, you bloody idiot! How did you get back here without passing me?" Cailean was relieved to find Will, but where was Aed? Why were they not together?
"Where is 'here'?" asked Will, brow furrowed.
"What are you on about? The castle. There!" Cailean pointed back the way he had come. A chil ran through him, and it was not due to the great shadows cast by the stone and marble structure towering above them. The grounds ahead looked ominous and uninviting in their darkened hue.
"There's no castle there, mate. Just a pile of scraps. It kind of looks like a ruin. I don't like this, let's go." Will turned to walk away, but Cailean grabbed his friend by the shoulder and swung him back around.
"You were the one who brought us here. What do you mean a pile of scraps? It's a gigantic sprawling castle! How can you not see it?" Will looked straight through the castle, his eyes glazed over and far away, almost blind.
The next thing he knew, Cailean was on the ground and Will was standing over him. His hands were balled into fists and he was breathing heavily. "Don't touch me," he spat, then he turned and began to run.
Cailean barely noticed the small rocks digging into his back as he lay there. What had his friend just done? After a few seconds, he staggered to his feet and pursued Will as best he could, but the younger man was faster. Fuelled by rage, Will outstripped his friend and was soon little more than a speck on the horizon. Cailean slowed to a walk, the day's relentless heat finally taking its toll. It would take hours to get home. He glanced over his shoulder once more at the great castle, wondering where his wife was. He should go back, look for her. But there was nothing more he could do. She was either safe, or not. Alive, or dead. He would find out which soon enough.
Cailean arrived at the entrance to his village a few hours later. With his eyes downcast, he had bore witness to the endless dirt road thickening out into what could generously be called a main street. The overworked highway authorities were making an honest attempt to keep the concrete from cracking too badly, but the residents of Fort Slaffton knew that the cobbled-together chipped roads were a lost cause.
It had taken far longer to get back thanks to the blistering sun sapping the energy that had quickened his steps that morning. He was now hot, sweaty and irritable. The salty liquid dripped from his face and into his damp beard, which he had stopped bothering to wipe off some time ago. By this time, it was late-afternoon and the sun had finally gone down a bit.
He did not meet the eyes of anyone as he passed them on the way to his house. Small talk could not have been less appealing to him at that moment. He walked for a few more minutes before finally reaching home. To his relief, Barry had recently departed and everything was running smoothly, according to the note on the front door. Kicking off his stinking boots, he walked through the main hallway and into the kitchen, passing several rooms which led off it on either side. It was only after hitting the wall for a third time that Cailean realised how exhausted he really was.
"Down, Hendries! My God, don't you ever take a break?" Cailean pushed the small yapping animal off him as it tried to hump his leg. The puppy landed nimbly on his paws and skittered away, realising quickly that his owner was not in the mood to play. Instead, he trotted over to his water and food bowls, looking up expectantly. "I suppose I should at least do that," muttered Cailean. He moved to the kitchen and filled a glass with water, drinking from it himself before refilling it and depositing the contents into Hendries' water bowl. Then he worked on filling his food bowl, the whole time attempting to ignore the dizziness clouding his head.
With his puppy's needs finally met, Cailean opened today's newspaper and tried to read. Aed had snagged a copy for him early that morning before they had set off for the castle. He hoped she would return home soon. She could defend herself with blows or with words, but still he worried. If she did not return tonight, he told himself, he would go back to the castle and find her as soon as he was able. He attempted to push from his mind the odd happenings he had witnessed there and engross himself in the news. After reading the same paragraph for several minutes, he finally noticed the words blending together, and dark spots appearing in front of and around him.
He sniffed, wrinkling his nose in reaction to the awful smell that began to permeate the house. He really needed a shower, and to get over his heatstroke. Rising heavily from his favourite armchair, he entered the bathroom, snatching up a change of clothes, undergarments and a towel on his way. There wasn't any hot water today, but in his heated state, he did not mind. He let the icy stream wash over him, the welcome cold spreading over his tired body. After a while, he sighed and reached for the soap. He was starting to feel a little cooler, which he guessed was a good thing.
Twenty minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom squeaky clean and dressed in fresh clothes. His dizziness had eased, and his mood had improved significantly. He moved over to the kitchen and poured himself another glass of water before sitting down to give his newspaper another go. He half-expected Aed to walk through the front door at any moment, looking tired and angry. He almost wished she was here right now yelling at him, at least he would know where she was. And most importantly, she would be safe.
But he remained alone the rest of the afternoon, and the night proceeding. He forewent going down to the tavern he frequented, as he did not feel much like pissing away hours drinking. And what if Aed came home while he was out? He briefly considered visiting Will, but thought it would be better to let him get over whatever issues he had without intervention. He ended up spending the night reading, listening to his father's old wireless, and playing with his terrier. These mundane pastimes were punctuated only by increasingly frequent glances at the worn wooden front door, and pulling on the rug at the foot of his armchair. It was old and frayed; he knew Hendries had been tearing it up, but he had never caught the little thing at it.
The terrier was still young, and his vibrant personality sometimes left Cailean wanting to give the furry menace a good kick. But tonight, he welcomed the distraction. After a while, the puppy lay across his owner's stomach on the couch while his ears were scratched. This turn of events he enjoyed immensely, even more than the games and running around. The mutt's tail wagged slowly in happy contentment and his tongue hung out of his sharp-toothed mouth, panting.
"Where's your mother?" asked Cailean softly, surreptitiously stroking the dog's soft fur.
Hendries tilted his head to one side and whined in response.
"That's about how I feel too," said Cailean. The easy smile had slipped from his face. He would have to go back and find her. Ideally, he would make the trip tomorrow, but that was impossible. He had work the next several days, and if he didn't show up, there was no way he could keep his job.
Perhaps she didn't want to be discovered. The notion was definitely worth considering. What if she had been avoiding him all day? It wouldn't have been too difficult. His eyes weren't as good as they used to be, and she could fit into crevices his bulk couldn't. Either way, she was more than smart enough to stay out of trouble. She would be fine. Maybe the words would sink in if he kept repeating them. Over and over, until there was no longer room for doubt.
He stared once more around the small living room. It felt much bigger now the he was alone. The double-brick walls were a secure comfort he relished, and he tried not to look at the photographs of two beaming teenagers over the mantle. Taking the little blue ball from the side table where he had left it, Cailean gently squeezed it again before placing it back down and falling asleep.
A/N: Ah, dear reader, another chapter done and dusted. About wards and the associated magic. As far as I know, there's nothing in the books that talks about these kinds of enchantments, so I'm making up some stuff. I hope you like it. We'll be getting into it in about ten chapters. So look forward to that I guess. See you in the next one!
