CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Friday was like any normal day at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. The reception area was filled with witches and wizards on rickety wooden chairs waiting for appointments or attempting to hide gruesome disfigurements such as hands growing out of awkward places and some sporting tails. Healers, dressed in lime green robes, followed by their interns went around with clipboards, asking questions. It was not any less busy up on the fourth floor on the Janus Thickney Ward, where physicians were taking care of short term and long term patients alike – some of these patients were wizards, and some were Muggles. Two of those wizarding patients, were the two men delivered to St. Mungo's from Hogwarts more than seventy two hours ago. Ambrose and Bradley, though they were only known as John Doe One and Two to the Healers since they had no identification papers on them other than a bunch of aliases, lay in two beds at the end of the ward, near to the window.
Patients whose minds had been affected badly by memory charms had been busy drawing pictures and using their time to do arts and crafts to decorate the beds of their ward mates because they thought they looked rather dull and sad, despite the fact their Healers tried to keep them away from the comatose gentlemen.
The Healer in charge of checking on both John Does was a young wizard in his mid to late thirties called Philip Desoto who had initially been very scared when the Head of the Ward had given the two newcomers who had apparently been locked inside a portrait to him. Philip had only been working at St. Mungo's for five years, two of them on the Janus Thickney Ward. He had been sure there were others who were more qualified than he was. Yet, he also couldn't say no – these men needed his help.
After doing his usual rounds to some of his other patients, Philip went back to the Janus Thickney Ward to check the vitals of the John Does again. Philip had tried to find out the identities of these two gentlemen, but even after the Prophet had mentioned that two unknown gentlemen, suspected prisoners of Grindelwald, had been admitted to the hospital, no one can come to the hospital to try and identify them.
To Philip, who had seen families come searching high and low for injured loved ones of both wizarding and Muggle kind alike, it was utterly unthinkable that no one had come for them, even if they didn't know for certain it was their son, brother or husband. No, something did not sit right with Philip about that.
Either they had no family, at all, or they were deliberately being ignored. As for why someone would do that, Philip could only guess.
The Healer dodged the frenzied, curse-induced attack of one of the patients with ease as he went past the poor woman's bed, waved to the cheery mind-affected patients who greeted him with child-like enthusiasm, and greeted his fellow Healers with a small nod and a quick greeting. Philip's young intern, a nineteen-year-old witch called Emma March was already with the two comatose men, straightening their pillows and already running some diagnostic spells on them.
"No changes, Emma?" Philip asked, frowning.
"Their vitals are healthier, and their organ function seems normal," Emma replied, her eyes still on the parchment that was growing in front of her. "Their brains … there doesn't seem to be any lasting damage, no danger of fluids causing any damage, but we may need to get another opinion on that."
"And for that, we need them to wake up," Philip sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Indeed, sir, but there is no telling for certain when that may be," Emma informed candidly. "Could be a matter of hours, days, weeks, months – or even years. There has not been much research done into this kind of trauma. A coma is virtually untreatable-"
Almost as if on cue, the eyes of both John Doe One and Two shot open and one made a grab for Philip while the other clamped his hand around Emma's wrist. They both took a very deep breath in slightly thrashing at the magical medical machines that they were tied to. Emma and Philip had sprung three feet in the air but had quickly composed themselves as they cast several Calming Charms and a Body Bind on both of the men.
"Calm down, sir, you are safe! You are at St. Mungo's Hospital in London. You are safe!" Philip kept repeating to John Doe One as he dodged the grab attacks of the blue-eyed man with funny ears. "Sir, we need you to calm down before you hurt yourself."
Ambrose looked at the stranger in front of him a little more carefully, and saw his robes and the bone and wand crossing; the St. Mungo's symbol. But was it a trick? Were the shadows trying to trick him? The package was gone, safe. Where were the three kids? Were they OK?
"Where … are they?" he managed to rasp.
Philip, however, because he wasn't a Legilimens thought the John Doe was referring to his friend. "He's here. He is right next to you. See?"
Ambrose turned his head quite sharply to see that, sure enough Bradley was OK and shooting him a cheeky smile and a thumbs' up – John Doe Two had calmed down fairly quickly due to Emma's more gentle, motherly influence – but Ambrose needed to know where those children were. Did the shadows get them?
"Where are they?" he demanded more clearly.
"They?" Emma repeated clearly but gently. "Who is 'they', sir? Your family?"
"No … no family," Ambrose answered erratically. "Them … the children … where are the children? Did the shadows get them?"
"The children got the shadows away," Bradley sounded rather high.
Philip and Emma exchanged a look. At first they had no idea what both these strangers could be talking about – maybe they had children of their own that they were referring to? But then they remembered something from the debrief: they had been freed by a young Cursebreaker and two of her friends, though the papers made no mention of their names.
Did these men know what these kids had done to save them?
"Need to speak … to the kids," they heard John Doe One slur as he started to slip back into sleep. "Need to tell them …"
"Tell them what?" Philip asked urgently.
"Not going to be the last," John Doe Two answered as he too fell asleep.
The two Healers exchanged a look.
"Emma, fetch Healer Wilkins would you?" Philip asked grimly. "I think we may need to get back in touch with Hogwarts, and quickly."
"But, sir, don't you think we should give both of them a day or two to calm down?" Emma asked, looking very worried. "They are clearly still in a bad way from their ordeal."
"You have a point, but Healer Wilkins is the Head of the Ward. He needs to be informed that they are awake," Philip stated. "It is now completely out of our hands."
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"HARRY EVANS, GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!"
"Not bloody likely! OWWWW! Wally, that hurt!"
Up until then, Harry's Thursday evening and whole Friday had been unusually but mercifully peaceful. Thanatos, Hypnos and Melinoë had decided to forgo the training for one evening so Harry could spend an evening on her dissertation and some extra studying, focusing on creative Charms, with her friends. During Transfigurations, Thursday, Harry dodged Dumbledore's questions about her meeting as best as she could until the professor was forced to drop the subject when Minerva pointed it out to him that Harry had no legal obligation to divulge the particulars of an official Gringotts meeting since Dumbledore was neither her guardian nor a family member, or ally.
Potions, Herbology, Charms and her self-study for Ancient Runes also passed without too many issues on Friday – Bletchley had not exploded or melted another cauldron, Professor Griffith had them studying how to make Cobra Lilies cry, and Harry and her friends had spent most of their free time either in the library or in the Room of Requirement, finishing most of their work just in time for the weekend. Then after dinner, as Harry prepared for an equally quiet evening, Walburga, Ophelia and Ygraine had been discussing their dresses for Samhain.
Typical of the pureblood heiresses, they pulled Harry into this tortuous conversation. That was when Harry sheepishly admitted all the clothes she earned were in her extended school trunk to which Walburga had looked set to faint, Ophelia had been set to cry and Ygraine could hardly believe her ears, until she remembered why Harry had so little clothes. Walburga Black, on the other hand, didn't think escaping from a murderous Dark Lord was a sufficient reason to have so little appropriate attire and had begun scolding Harry like an irate mother.
And Harry, like a petulant child trying to escape said vexed mother, had tried to escape from Walburga and her threats to take her shopping for Samhain by running as fast as she could down towards the sixth year and fifth year dormitories, with a hell bent Black heiress hot on her heels.
War, who had heard the commotion, stuck her head around her dormitory door, followed by two of her dorm mates. War gaped as she saw Harry hollering towards them and Walburga Black, fuming. "What is going on here?!"
"HELP! SHE WANTS TO TAKE ME SHOPPING!" Harry shouted as she made an attempt to dart into War's dorm room, much to the amusement of War and the utter shock of her dorm mates.
Walburga, however, caught her friend by the hood of her robes and had yanked her back. "Our dear Harry here is a Lady Regnant of a prominent pureblood family and yet she hasn't got any appropriate dresses or robes for any Sabbaths or balls she may be invited to attend!" she stated sharply.
"No one in their right mind would invite me in the first place!" Harry protested as she let Walburga drag her back down the corridor to their dorm.
"My family isn't in their right mind, remember?" Walburga reminded. "And neither am I, if one listens to the rumours."
"Oh don't worry, they are not rumours," Harry quipped, for which she had earned herself a whack around the head from Walburga.
War followed in amusement. "Evans, just let Black do her thing and keep the peace for all our sakes before Black decides to hex a puppy because you robbed her of a shopping spree."
"I would never hex a puppy!" Walburga sniffed. "But War is right, you should just let me plan our shopping trip to Hogsmeade. Fortunately Twilfitt and Tattings have a shop in the village."
"Brilliant," Harry muttered sarcastically as she flopped down back onto her bed next to a perplexed Athenaïs, War leaning against the entrance of the dorm, grinning in amusement. "So will this torture fest be tomorrow or next weekend?"
"Next weekend is best. I have checked the magazines and they have a new material that will only be available from next week until Samhain," Walburga replied with a triumphant grin; War rolled her eyes and shook her head as she decided, since the situation had been deescalated, to leave to continue studying her flash cards.
"Well, let's hope I don't have to deal with a Dark Lord or his minions any time soon," Harry sighed. "Samhain is bloody cursed. I have never had a peaceful Samhain."
"Don't worry, we'll just be having a party in Slytherin and do some rituals," Ophelia reassured. "Everything will be fine."
Harry didn't look convinced but she decided to drop the subject as she patted Athenaïs. As she did so, Harry was surprised to see the silver dolphin Patronus of Orion swim into the room through the wall.
"Harry, are you OK? There was a commotion in the girls' dormitories? Wait a minute, did Wally threaten to take you shopping?"
Harry rolled her eyes as she conjured Padfoot. "Go and tell him his fiancée is completely mad and that if I have to suffer a shopping trip next week he has to come along."
Walburga looked affronted as Padfoot shot out of the dormitory. "Shopping can be fun if you only tried, Harry!"
Harry made no attempt to answer and simply decided to take a shower to escape from Walburga for a bit. Orion's dolphin Patronus didn't really have the concept of privacy because it stuck its head through the shower curtains to deliver Orion's next message.
"Wally is a Black; you know we are not exactly normal! Let me guess, Wally saw a new fabric she liked that is there for a limited time? Well, it has been a while since I saw Wally this determined to dress someone so I am not missing it."
Harry scoffed and conjured Padfoot again. "Tell him if he helps to control Walburga a bit I will buy him those hand painted chocolates he likes, and those crystallised butterflies."
Padfoot once more darted off as Harry got out of the shower and dressed in her indigo nightgown. Back in the dorm, Ophelia, Ygraine and Druella were giggling while Walburga was sulkily reading a magazine. Seraphina glowered at Harry for upsetting her witch and Sigyn and Athenaïs were trying to contain their amusement. Harry shook her head at her friends' antics and settled in her bed with a book as the dolphin Patronus leapt through the air towards her.
"You evil witch. You know that no one has the ability to control Walburga! I cannot win this. Why do you do this to me?"
As the dolphin fizzled out, Padfoot took its place, looking very excited for the next message.
"Tell him that I find it funny, and that if he is sulky that he hasn't gotten his books back from Riddle yet, that I will fix it somehow."
The Grim Patronus was out of the door again very quickly. To Harry's surprise, Altair's golden jackal Patronus came padding into the room.
"Hey, Harry, I don't know if you and Black know this but we are sitting out here in the common room watching a dolphin go from one dormitory and a Grim leave and head to another. It is really funny but the children are starting to ask awkward questions about what you two are discussing."
Harry summoned Prongs this time, who looked rather put out at being a messenger stag. Padfoot was one thing; he enjoyed it. Prongs had a little more dignity than that! "Tell Altair he can tell the kids one day they will understand when Walburga Black decides to take them on shopping trips."
Prongs would have done an eyeroll if possible but left to deliver the message, nonetheless. Druella, Ophelia and Ygraine chuckled louder at this point as a pillow thrown by Walburga at Harry hit the Traveller full in the face.
The dolphin Patronus came back, looking very eager to deliver its message. "You have yourself a deal, hag! I thought Druella was maniacal but you are worse! And I am not sulky about the books – but can you get them back please?"
The jackal padded in just as the dolphin vanished. All that came out of the jackal's mouth was Altair's uncontrollable laughter.
"OK, I definitely want a corporeal now," Druella laughed.
The girls bedded down for the night not too long after. Walburga and Ygraine were as usual the first two asleep, followed by Ophelia and Druella. Harry eventually felt herself slipping into the Realm of Hypnos until she heard the distinctive sound of human feet padding outside in the corridor.
Frowning to herself and grumbling about who it could be, Harry quietly got out of bed and went to investigate, opening her dorm door as quietly as she could manage and poked her head around the door. To her surprise, she saw the back of Oizys Avery heading towards War's dorm.
Harry frowned and resisted the send sparks at the girl's head. "Avery!" she hissed, causing the little maggot to jump about five feet into the air and whirl around. "What are doing here at such an ungodly hour?"
"None of your business, Peverell," Oizys hissed back.
"I think you will find it is very much my business, considering you are heading towards War's room. I heard War has a very nasty morning temper if woken too soon," Harry informed snarkily. "Besides, it is a little rich that you tell me to mind my own business when you are not very good at minding your own business."
Oizys scowled at her and clenched her jaw but said nothing. "I have no idea-"
"No one likes a spy, Avery, or blabbermouths," Harry cut in silkily. Oizys gaped at her. Harry grinned. "Oh yes, I know it was you who told your brother about who I really am and that he subsequently told Riddle. I know about your brother's spy network. I must say, for someone who has built one over the course of six years, one would think he'd pick some more inconspicuous candidates. I don't think GCHQ or M.I.6 will be recruiting from Hogwarts any time soon."
Oizys had no retort to make to that. Harry regarded her coldly. "Why are you here? Another task your brother gave you?"
"No," Oizys whispered. "I … had … another nightmare."
Harry was taken aback for a moment but recovered fairly quickly. Wait for the perfect opportunity, Ophelia had said. Harry tried not to smirk.
"Have you been suffering from them long?"
Oizys scowled and looked defiant for a moment before deflating. "I … feel homesick."
Harry nodded shortly.
"Wait there," Harry instructed the first year and went back into her dorm and went to her trunk, quietly unlocked it and, with the help of the lowest level Lumos she could manage, picked up the vial of unused Anti Nightmare potion Riddle had once made for her. Harry had never used it, just in case there were some funny stuff in there. She had wanted to analyse it, but this was too good a moment to use it.
Harry came back and had found that Oizys had moved a few spots closer towards Harry's dorm, frowning curiously. Gingerly, Harry held the vial out towards the young girl. "Here, take this."
Oizys frowned suspiciously. "What is it?"
"Anti-Nightmare potion," Harry answered easily. "Riddle made it for me once. I never used it."
Oizys relaxed a little when she heard Riddle had made it and took it with a slightly smaller frown now on her face. "Why did you never use it?" she asked with sly curiosity.
"Truthfully? I didn't trust his motives for helping me," Harry answered candidly, leaning against the doorframe of her dorm, arms folded. "I guess my hunch was correct."
Oizys at least had the dignity to look a little guilty. "No, Riddle – he was really trying to help. Malum told me so."
Harry smiled wryly. "Yes, well. I think it is best you get to bed. It might be Saturday tomorrow, but you still need sleep. So do I."
The young Avery nodded in agreement and set off towards the entrance of the older Slytherin girls' dormitories. She stopped in her tracks for a moment and turned back to Harry with a small smile. "Thank you."
Harry gave a curt nod. "Good night, Avery."
Harry closed the door and went back to bed and hoped that this small act of kindness would help her in gaining the young Avery's trust. At least when Harry finally managed to get to sleep, she actually had a fun dream about flying on the back of Thestrals with her old and new friends above the Scottish Highlands.
It was so much fun that when Harry awoke, she thought she hadn't been asleep for all that long, but once she cast a Tempus and found it was 7.30 in the morning, she smiled with contentment. The gentle snoozing of the familiars in the room and mellow breathing around her told Harry that her dorm mates were still all asleep.
Then, Harry had an evil thought. If the girls were still asleep, that also meant the boys' were likely all asleep still as well. And while she was getting Orion his books back, she might as well have some fun. There were a few new ideas she wanted to try from the prank book Orion had gifted her.
Harry quietly got out of bed, opened her trunk, flung on her Invisibility Cloak, took a few of the pranking things with her and Riddle's real textbooks. The daughter of Prongs slipped out of her dorm like a ghost, out into the common room and then slipped through the door of the older boys' dorms. First stop: Riddle's dorm.
As Harry had suspected, Mulciber was snoring away, Lestrange and Avery were all still in Hypnos' grip and Riddle looked like a dormant vampire in his coffin the way he slept. Harry tiptoed to the side of his bed, keeping her hawk like vision on him and his sleeping snake familiar, who Harry knew would be a more than sufficient alarm for the Parselmouth. The Mistress of Death used a quick nonverbal Summoning spell to call the books she had enchanted back to her and quickly turned the Classics back into their original states before putting the real textbooks back in alphabetical order.
Harry got to her feet and was about to leave, when her eyes went straight to the boys' bathroom. She had planned to only prank Dolohov, but this was too good an opportunity to let go. Next to his books, Riddle took pride in his appearance – an evil smirk etched its way onto the countenance of the Traveller. Harry slipped soundlessly into the bathroom and conveniently enough, the boys had left their shampoos and lotions out; some of them were even labelled. Especially Riddle's.
Ah yes, the boy who hated when things of his were stolen or used without his permission – of course he would label his things so very handily!
Harry took the shampoo and conditioner and unscrewed their lids, taking out some of the prank substances she had decided could come in handy. Mr. Fuggle's Unpredictable and Colourful Fun, Sunshine Yellow Hair Enchantment To Brighten Up Your Day and Unpredictable Hair Lotion: A New Style with Every Use. Each very tempting in their own right! Harry chuckled quietly to herself before meticulously adding the Mr. Fuggle's Unpredictable and Colourful Fun to both Riddle's shampoo and conditioner, screwing the lids back on as tightly as she could manage and placed them back in the exact place she had found them.
As Harry stood to her feet, she heard someone sneeze very loudly. Harry froze to the spot, her ears pricking up to make sure she heard any signs of the boys still being asleep. Gathering her things, she tiptoed to the bathroom door and looked through the crack of the door. Riddle, still asleep. Mulciber was still snoring. Avery had turned over onto his left side and Lestrange was on his right side, also still asleep.
The arguably suicidal Traveller let out a small sigh of relief as she carefully stepped out of the bathroom and headed for the dorm door, quietly opening it. Unfortunately, she had let a momentary burst of cold wind in.
"Mmmmm … cold! Someone close the door," she heard Mulciber mutter in his sleep.
Harry was more than happy to oblige. She slipped out and quietly closed the door behind her before sneaking into Orion's dorm. Dolohov was asleep, as was Malfoy. Altair had his curtains fully drawn, so she couldn't see if he was awake or not. Rosier was still in dream land as was Orion. Harry decided it was best to place Orion's beloved Classics onto the desk next to him.
Once more, the bathroom of the boys called to Harry like a Siren song for pranksters. The daughter of Prongs was too weak to resist it and was rather glad these boys didn't seem to be in the habit of closing their bathroom door unless someone was in it. This time her targets were Dolohov's bottles. Unfortunately, Dolohov was not as meticulous as Riddle; none of his stuff was labelled!
Harry studied the bottles closely. The ones with colourful dragons and plants – yep those were Orion's. They had to be. There were classic green bottles that were quite classy; Harry guessed they belonged to Rosier. It could have been Malfoy but then she saw the silver snakes on other bottles and knew those were Malfoy's. Altair's were multi coloured and were as bold as him. That left the grey ones.
The Mistress of Death hoped she had guessed correctly as she mixed together Mr. Fuggle's solution and the Unpredictable Hair Lotion into the shampoo and conditioner. As she put the bottles back, not as carefully as she had done with Riddle's it had to be said, Harry felt herself pick up Malfoy's shampoo and conditioner too and the next thing she knew, she had put in the Sunshine Yellow Hair Enchantment into the bottles before shaking them a bit to make sure the enchantment would hold for longer, then putting them back.
Then, as Harry stood up, one of the bottles slipped out and fell to the floor with a loud THUNK!
There was a moment of deadly silence. Harry winced as it did so and was about to pick it up when she heard sheets ruffle in the main dormitory.
"Black, I think your stupid owl fell to the floor again," she heard Dolohov grumble groggily.
Harry felt her heart pound in her ears as she heard more sheets ruffle. "Caius, shut up and go back to sleep. That owl survives anything somehow," Rosier answered grumpily. "Besides, I can see it and it is still on top of Black's bed."
"Heard something fall, though."
"Must be in the bathroom. Will you shut up and go back to sleep if I check?"
"Sure, Rosier. Thanks."
Harry shot as far away from the bathroom entrance as she could manage, adrenaline cascading through her veins, especially as Rosier, hair tousled and looking annoyed, came into view seconds later, frowning as he surveyed the area. Harry panicked slightly when Rosier picked up the bottle of Sunshine Yellow Hair Enchantment, looked confused, then suspicious and his eyes went straight to the army of bottles on the shelves.
Bugger, was the first thought that came into Harry's head.
Rosier's eyes then turned on Orion's bed and back to the bottle. The boy was back to frowning once more, as though he were pondering something in his head.
"Rosier, what is it?" she heard Dolohov grumble.
To her surprise, Rosier answered, "it was nothing, just a bottle fell of the shelf."
"OK."
As if Harry couldn't be more surprised, Rosier took the bottle back with him and hid it inside his own trunk. Dolohov was back to snoring in seconds but Rosier had his eyes on Orion for a little while longer before he too decided to go back to bed. Harry cast a small silencing charm on Rosier's bed just in case and slipped out from the bathroom and escaped from the dorm, down the corridor, back to the common room and to the safety of her own dorm. All the while Harry wondered how Rosier had not heard the pounding of her heart.
Harry's own dorm mates were still asleep, as were all the familiars. Harry couldn't get back to sleep so she decided to take a shower, dress and do some sketching while she waited for the girls to wake. Ophelia and Druella were the first to wake; Ophelia immediately made sure Sigyn would have breakfast when she woke up while Druella trudged sleepily to the shower. Walburga woke up slowly and surely, reading a magazine. Ygraine continued snoozing quite deeply. She was still sleeping once the girls were prepared to go and get breakfast so Athenaïs, Seraphina and Sigyn took matters into their own paws, nudging Ygraine, meowing and calling loudly. Athenaïs pulled the covers off the White girl and the Veela-heritage girl looked set to skin the three familiars alive until Ophelia threw some clothes at her.
"You can shower before Hogsmeade; you know what you're like if you don't get your coffee," the Rowle heiress teased.
Ygraine huffed but didn't seem to have the energy to complain.
"Bad night?" Harry guessed as the girls, followed by their familiars, set off.
"No, not really. I just wanted to sleep a little longer," Ygraine answered, covering her mouth as she let out a jaw-breaking yawn. "I think exam stress may already be getting to me and it isn't even November yet!"
"Well, we only have four or five weeks until our mocks start so it is understandable," Harry pointed out. "I remember that when we were fifteen and did our exams, everyone was seriously on edge. Hermione, who was frightfully clever and the best out of all of us, could barely get to sleep at night because she was fretting so much. Fights amongst friends broke out much more easily too; it was bizarre. Plus we had an incompetent, meddlesome Ministry worker as our tutor, which didn't help matters."
"My parents are expecting a lot from me," Ygraine admitted. "I am their only child. They really struggled to conceive me. They want me to get the best grades and the best match I can; I barely managed to get an EE for Astronomy for my O.W.L.s and I can still see the look of complete disappointment in my parents' eyes. I won't even mention my Herbology grade, which is why I chose to drop it."
"What did you get?" Harry asked curiously. "If you don't mind me asking?"
"An A," Ygraine visibly deflated. "My mother loves her plants, so she was particularly disappointed when I said I didn't find any enjoyment in studying it."
"Oh," Harry had no idea how to advise her friend on this matter. "Well, as long as it gave you some breathing space, I don't see anything wrong. What job are you aiming for?"
Ygraine chuckled mirthlessly. "My father has forbidden me from finding work until I marry. Considering it is not the done thing for a pureblood wife to work, it is unlikely my husband will allow me to work."
Harry tried to disguise her momentary shock, but she failed. Sometimes it really was difficult to remember that these fiery, talent witches were all being constrained by tradition and the ideas of the 1940s. But then again, Molly Weasley never worked, and the Weasleys had been purebloods; true there were too many kids to leave alone at one time. Narcissa Malfoy had not worked. Alice Longbottom had, for a while. Lily Potter had, but she was Muggleborn. Maybe a working pureblood witch had been relatively new in the 90s?
The familiars splintered off from the group to go hunting as the girls entered the Great Hall. Harry joined Artemis, Minerva, the Prewetts and Loreley, who all looked quite sleepy for a Saturday morning. Loreley was completing a puzzle in one of her magazines while munching on her apple, while Artemis was reading her Care of Magical Creatures book. Minerva and the Prewetts were focused on breakfast and were in their own heads. Harry poured herself some coffee and plated bacon, eggs and baked beans and focused on her own breakfast, allowing herself a moment to think for herself.
With mock exams coming up and her training with Thanatos, Hypnos and Melinoë, Harry secretly hoped that things would calm down for a bit; she was getting quite tired herself. But Fate loved to mess with her so it wasn't likely. Harry, as she ate, practised her life force sensing powers, seeing if she could sense all the life forces approaching the Hall and around it. She sensed the owls in the sky, Ogden making his rounds, cats hunting, Athenaïs was up on the roof for the humans, there was a cacophony of vibrations and humming from the Hufflepuff and Slytherin dungeons, telling her that a flood of students from the Houses were on their way. She sensed more coming from the staircases that led to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Tower.
Two of the most vibrant of the life forces Harry was sensing were heading straight for the Gryffindor table at running pace. Harry's eyes flew open as she saw Orion and Altair speeding to the Gryffindor table, and skidding to a halt.
"Harry, you are not going to believe what has happened!" Orion squealed as he jumped over the bench and plonked down onto his seat, making the bench vibrate a little, much to Artemis' slight irritation. "Dolohov and Malfoy went to take their showers this morning-"
"-and their hair turned wild and whacky, standing on all ends!" Altair added, his eyes shining. "Malfoy's hair didn't – it turned this ugly shade of yellow that only my Grandmother would think is an appropriate colour!"
Artemis' face lit up in an instant. "Oh, please tell me you got a photo of that! I want to see it for myself."
"Is that why they are wearing those silly hats?" Billy asked as Ignatius, Minerva and Tessa turned around to watch two apoplectic Knights plonk down at the Slytherin table, glaring at anyone who remotely dared to look at them.
Harry bit the inside of her cheek quite hard to stop herself from even smirking, and she feigned a look of confusion as she craned her neck to look at Dolohov and Malfoy for herself. Dolohov was wearing a cap in doors and Malfoy's usually neatly tied up hair was stuffed in a snake shaped woolly hat clearly leant to him by Orion or Altair. Oddly enough, Rosier was just eating his breakfast as though this was a perfectly normal occurrence.
"Dolohov and Malfoy both came out fuming, throwing accusations at Black and me, but Arc told them to stuff it. Then when Malfoy started accusing you, Arc go this bottle of Sunshine Yellow Hair Enchantment from his trunk and confessed that he had pranked Malfoy but had no idea who had cursed Dolohov because he only pranked one of them," Altair regaled, eyes shining.
"Hmmm," Loreley looked at her twin brother with mirth dancing in her eyes, "I think it is a vast improvement, really. Excellent choice of colour!"
That got her friends and the Prewetts to laugh heartily.
But what took most people by surprise, was seeing Tom Riddle enter the Great Hall with a hat on his head as well, followed by a fuming Mulciber, suspicious-looking Avery, who shot a not so subtle look in the direction of Harry and her exiles, and amused Lestrange. Riddle however, looked extremely calm and collected.
"Riddle's wearing one too?!" Tessa Prewett gasped. "What is going on with Slytherin lately?"
"A young deer having fun," Loreley answered with a giggle.
"I will never understand you, Lorri," Artemis sighed.
"So, Riddle has had a hair malfunction too? What has Rosier been up to?" Minerva shook her head in disbelief.
"No idea but I am liking it already," Harry commented as nonchalantly as she could manage.
"I think I should buy Rosier a round of butterbeer," Artemis agreed.
"Especially for dealing with that basilisk stare of Mulciber's," Ignatius Prewett whistled. "He looks like he could kill Rosier, Nott or Black with a single stare."
"The jackalope suspects the crow, the raven and the jackal of wrong doing, for it does not suspect the unseen," Loreley sang.
"I think she needs more coffee than normal," Minerva shook her head.
"More?! Less, you mean!" Septimus Weasley scoffed.
Harry shot Loreley a look, receiving a sly wink in return.
Straight after breakfast all the students from third year and older set off for Hogsmeade. Harry's dorm mates had wanted to take Harry straight to the gazebo to continue practising Occlumency, but Orion persuaded them, Altair, Artemis and Minerva to come with him to find a carriage to one of the outlying hamlets around Hogwarts called Kelpie's Hollow to try and find some rare runic spell components that apparently were only sold there.
"I don't think we are supposed to leave Hogsmeade grounds," Harry, who had no idea there were other places other than Hogsmeade around the legendary castle, had protested feebly at first. She had never been to Kelpie's Hollow or any other hamlet in the area; Harry would be lying if she said she wasn't curious.
"We are seventh years! Technically we are seen as adults," Artemis had pointed out as Orion beckoned them over, having found a carriage big enough for them all and someone kind enough to take the group out of Hogsmeade. The Thestrals whinnied a greeting to both Harry and Loreley. "The teachers can stuff their lectures."
"It isn't the teachers I am worried about per se, more like one teacher in particular," Harry grumbled as she plonked herself down between Orion and Altair.
"Speaking of Dumbledore, I have heard a rumour that he may be walking on very thin ice with Dippet at the moment," Ophelia informed the group as the carriage set off.
"It's Professor Dumbledore, but how so?" Minerva asked, frowning.
Ophelia's eyes darkened. "Well, Professor Slughorn has made several complaints to Dippet about unfair treatment of his students, but yesterday he visited Dippet with one of the first years after Professor Dumbledore had tried to confiscate his bat familiar and told the boy to get a 'more appropriate' familiar."
Scoffs ran around the Slytherins, Loreley shook her head, Artemis looked appalled and Minerva could barely believe her ears.
"A good thing Athenaïs can blend in with Hogwarts' statues or she'd be targeted too," Altair commented.
"The girls warned me at the start of the year about Dumbledore and his prejudices," Harry replied. "I think Athenaïs took their warning to heart. She hasn't been spotted yet except for Orion, but he knows what she looks like."
"It was really difficult to tell, though!" Orion exclaimed excitedly with a grin. "I wasn't sure if it was her until she snatched that bird right out of the sky."
"I think it was a colossal mistake to give that man the position of Deputy Headmaster," Ygraine commented. "He may have been a Gryffindor in his time, but he has that stench of ambition that us Slytherins have."
"Probably why he hates us so much," Altair pointed out. "Know thy enemy, especially when you have the capability to think in the exact same way as they do."
Minerva looked affronted. "But Professor Dumbledore is brilliant, and people are saying he is the only one powerful to take on Grindelwald-"
"That does not make someone fit for the position of Headmaster, Minerva," Harry cut across gently. "No matter how great some people may be, there are just some characters who should never be let within five metres of power because it will get to their heads. It begins to erode their good sense in favour of what they deem the 'greater good'. To hell with everyone else."
Minerva frowned. "But Professor Dumbledore-"
"Is still human. He has his faults, and is not immune to the kind of corruption power can bring," Harry finished. "No one is; wizard or Muggle. I think these wars kind of prove that."
No one, not even Minerva, had a sufficient counter argument to that statement. The rest of the trip to Kelpie's Hollow was completed in relative silence as Harry and her friends took in the scenery around them. Kelpie's Hollow was tucked away in surrounding Highlands; one would not have been able to find it unless one was actually looking for it. It was surrounded by trees, wild life and the Black Lake. The houses were very uniform: all of them were built of faded brick and had tiled roofs that perhaps dated as far back as the 15th or 16th century. Some houses looked even older. All of the houses had ivy and other plants growing on them. The houses with window boxes had plants Harry had never even seen before growing out of them, some with such a vibrant colour it was almost blinding. The road was exceedingly narrow; Harry wasn't surprised to note that their carriage took up more than half the space.
Their driver dropped them off at the middle of the village where stalls were set up, selling everything from herbs to potions to clothes, to confections to artefacts. "I will pick all yee kids up in about an hour and a bit," the driver informed.
The Hogwarts students nodded and agreement and then followed an excited Orion to the market who was making a beeline for a witch in a long tartan skirt, blouse and a huge piece of square cloth made off tartan as well, fastened with a beautiful brooch. Harry and the others followed, dodging familiars and children practising flying on their brooms, who were promptly told off by their parents.
The witch sold carving tools, magical paints and paint brushes, and different woods and jewels. Harry shamelessly gaped at them and watched Orion and the stall owner talk enthusiastically about Ancient Runes, especially the old Pictish symbols. Orion bought several magical paints, brushes and carving tools before moving quickly on to the potions and herbs stall with Altair close behind, ran by a young man who could be no older than they were, brewing in the back of his stall while his owl familiar manned the stall for a bit. Harry then plucked up the courage to ask the witch a question about her unique piece of clothing.
"Excuse me, may I ask where you got your shawl?" Harry asked as politely as she could manage.
The witch looked taken aback for a moment but a bright smile spread on her face. "Aye, bairn. Made it meself; it is an arisaid; me friend Beitris sells them at that stall there."
Harry followed the witch's gesture to see the stall at the end of the row indeed was selling some garments of vibrant colours, mostly made of tartan. Harry smiled at the witch. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Is e do bheatha, bairn! Have a good day!"
Harry, followed by her friends – especially Minerva, who was telling them enthusiastically about the history of the arisaid and the different manners of wearing it – made a beeline for the Scottish clothing stall. As the girls browsed, Minerva explained the different tartan meanings and the families who traditionally wore the colours, much to Beitris' delight. When Harry had picked a forest green with blue, white and silver accents and lines, Beitris showed her the classic ways to style the arisaid with a brown leather belt and then with a beautiful annular plaid brooch engraved with vegetal patterns and images of the dragon, unicorn, stag, bear and wolf.
"Harry, you look like a proper Scot!" Artemis laughed.
"You do wear it well," Minerva agreed, giving Artemis a pointed look for her comment.
"See, Harry? Shopping can be fun," Walburga teased, causing Harry to mock scowl at her.
"Yes, Wally. You win this one," Druella rolled her eyes.
Harry did end up buying the arisaid, several brooches and another Scottish shawl called a ruana in a deep royal blue with some Pictish symbols and traditional Celtic dragon designs. Artemis too bought a ruana but hers was blood red with lion and wolf designs. Loreley didn't buy anything but Harry's dorm mates did buy several brooches.
Orion and Altair met up with them at the fountain, carrying – to Harry's utter amusement – levitating several plastic plates of fish and chips, all under Heating Charms, over to where the girls were sitting on the edge of the fountain. Orion was looking very pleased with himself.
"I managed to get the bog myrtle, the Wailing Heather, sea lace, Selkie tears, the Creeping Cailleach tresses and the blaeberries!" Orion sang. "Oh, you won't believe the potions-"
"Black, please, calm down," Altair begged. "I am getting a headache."
"Sorry," Orion calmed down, looking apologetic. "But the potions I bought are quite useful for helping people to sleep. Maybe you girls can use them?"
"I might take you up on that," Walburga answered after finishing a piece of fish.
"Same," Harry agreed.
"With the mocks coming up, I am definitely considering it," Ygraine added.
"Did you buy anything, Nott?" Artemis asked curiously.
"No, I don't need anything or saw anything I like," Altair answered after finishing a mouthful of chips.
"How much time do we have left?" Ophelia wanted to know.
Orion cast a quick Tempus. "Thirty five minutes."
Druella, Ophelia, Walburga, Ygraine and Minerva seemed to put some more tempo into their eating at hearing that and were soon heading off to explore the shops around the market. Harry chuckled at their antics. Artemis took a deep breath of relief. "I needed this more than I thought," she commented.
"Everything all right, Potter?" Altair asked, frowning. "You're usually more chatty."
"Our Captain, Jonathan Wood, has been militant in training," Artemis explained. "He has a vendetta against Turpin and he really wants to defeat Slytherin, so he has been preparing us in the event the Slytherin versus Hufflepuff rematch ends in a Slytherin victory."
Oliver Wood's ancestor was a tough nut; that did not surprise Harry at all. She would have been more surprised if she was told Oliver's grandfather was an artist with a fear of puppies.
"Wood also hopes Harry never gets the Seeker position back," Artemis added.
"Ravenclaw as well," Loreley added. "Harry is a genuine threat. Lament poses no threat; Turpin once said, 'he'll be easier to squash than a fly'."
"What did she say about Harry?" Orion asked eagerly.
"Well, she used some very colourful language," Loreley informed with a smile, "but what I can say out loud in good society is that Turpin considers Harry a 'genuine bloody problem if that girl ever gets on a broom again' and that if Harry ever comes back on the team, she will 'sneak new brooms into Hogwarts for the Ravenclaw team just in case'."
Harry shook her head, chewing on her fish. "Am I that scary?" she asked once she swallowed the piece of fish.
"Yes, you're existence is terrifying," Altair teased. "Ghosts flee from you and your family for goodness sake! Binns turned into a bloody puddle!"
"Oh yeah … that happened," Harry grinned.
Ophelia, Druella, Walburga, Ygraine and Minerva met up with their friends around ten minutes before their carriage driver arrived, with bags looped over their wrists. Harry and the others had simply sat outside a café with pumpkin juice and cake waiting for them and when it was time to go back, the girls talked their ears off about the quaint antique stores and the book stores. Harry on the way back put her head on Altair's shoulder as her head started pounding at the overload of information. Altair in turn let her because he too was wishing he could put the girls under a Sleeping Charm for a bit.
When they got back to Hogsmeade, Harry, Altair and Loreley were among the first to escape from the carriage.
"So, we still have a few hours before we need to go back," Orion stated as he jumped from the carriage and gallantly helped his fiancée and the other girls out of the carriage, much to their amusement. "Have you girls got anything planned?"
"They were going to study at their gazebo," Loreley pointed out.
"Gazebo? What gazebo?" Altair asked curiously.
"It's quite hidden; we only found it by accident," Druella answered.
"So what are you studying?" Minerva wanted to know.
Harry and her dorm mates exchanged a quick look before Harry answered, "Occlumency."
Altair, Orion, Artemis and Minerva blanched.
"You're joking right?" Orion squealed. "That's amazing-"
"Sssssh!" his friends chorused.
"It makes sense," Artemis was the one to compose herself. "Harry's status as Lady Regnant of House Peverell needs to be protected. Plus she's a Potter; that would make her a valuable to anyone who could blackmail my family."
"And Slytherins love their blackmail," Minerva added darkly. "I completely understand why you do it."
"Would you like to come?" Ygraine asked amicably.
"No, I think I am going back to the common room to relax," Minerva answered.
"Same, and I need a bath," Artemis added, stretching. "I think I will sneak into the Prefects' bathroom."
"I think I will go with Artemis to take a bath," Loreley decided.
"I want to come!" Orion lit up.
"Me too," Altair grinned.
As they set off, none of them noticed that Tom Riddle and his Knights had watched them from a distance inside Madam Padifoot's Tea Shop. While Tom found himself smiling at the group, genuinely smiling, Rosier and Lestrange as well, Dolohov, Mulciber, Avery and Malfoy were not.
"Lok at them. They only need a Hufflepuff to complete the collection," Malfoy sneered, sipping his tea.
"Black might as well count as a Hufflepuff," Dolohov growled. "How Arcturus Black can stand the sight of his useless Heir is beyond me. At least Lord Nott doesn't tolerate that kind of weakness."
"Shut up," Rosier snapped at him.
Dolohov looked set to say something but quickly shut up when he saw Tom's glare. "I still think Black and Peverell were involved in messing with our hair," he grumbled.
"We have no evidence," Tom stated silkily. "Besides, it is a harmless prank."
Mulciber stared at him in disbelief. "How are you so calm about this? You were messed with and still no one has felt retribution for it."
"True," Tom smirked. "But as you know, Felix, I love biding my time."
Lestrange chuckled. "She still amuses you, doesn't she?"
Tom knew exactly who Heron was referring to. "Hera Peverell used to amuse me; now, her character is known to me. I am more … intrigued than anything else. In some ways she is now more unpredictable than before, and it is quite fun. If this is her vengeance, let her have it."
"We did kind of ask for it," Rosier muttered.
"Then why isn't she messing with Rosier, Avery or Lestrange?" Dolohov demanded. "Why did she forgive Nott?"
"Altair is easy to forgive, especially since it was clear she had a soft spot for him from day one," Rosier pointed out. "And she did mess with me, Dolohov. She put Altair in mock danger, to teach me a lesson. It worked. Lestrange did nothing to her, and didn't help. He was completely neutral so Harry ignores him. As for Avery, something tells me Peverell has a plan."
"What?" Avery's eyes widened.
"I could not tell you," Rosier shrugged. "But I do know her by now, slightly. The way I have seen her look at you when she did; calculating. The worst of it is, I don't think you will know until it is too late."
Avery had the good sense to shudder.
Tom had wanted to argue with Rosier, but knew that he was more than spot on.
########################
The Hawk awaits your call.
The Hawk is impatient; what news do you have?
Aurem wishes to know about your mutual friend. Contact as soon as you can.
It was a Saturday, and normally that meant it was his day off, but Rollo Rowle paced up and down his study, fighting internally with the options before him. The telegrams that he had been receiving for three days in a row told him that he was getting impatient for news, news of the girl. True, in theory Rollo had more than enough juicy and intriguing information to hand over. Harry Evans was actually a bloody Peverell!
This had complicated matters. Telling Grindelwald about a possible new recruit, one with a decent amount of talent, intelligence and magic, was one thing; handing a Peverell over to an overly obsessed Dark Lord was a different matter entirely. Rollo already had done enough to bring shame to himself and to his family – handing a child over for possible execution was not a decision Rollo would take lightly.
But if he failed to keep his side of the bargain …
He also knew the price goblins took for espionage and Rollo knew that he could forfeit his life if he confessed.
But, there was also a chance the goblins would be willing to bargain, especially if Rollo was more useful alive than dead, and useful information Rollo had in abundance.
Before he knew what he was doing, the Cursebreaker swept out of his study with the three telegrams and walked briskly towards the lifts, practically ignoring the calls of greeting from Katerina and Satoshi, both dealing with reports from lower rank Cursebreakers. A condemned man sometimes could not look others in their eyes for good reason; Rollo did not wish for his two friends to note any guilt in his countenance.
The Merlin-awful music in the lift did not drown out the pounding of his heart like drums announcing the arrival of the condemned in his ears and only worsened once he stepped out of the lift and walked towards the front of the bank to where Griphook was busy reviewing some bank statements.
"Mr. Griphook, am I disturbing you?" Rollo spoke up before he could dissuade himself of his action.
Griphook looked up after finishing his sentence. "Ah, Mr. Rowle. No, no, you are not disturbing me." His brow furrowed slightly. "I thought it was your day off?"
Rollo swallowed. "Yes, but … there is a matter I must discuss with you and His Grace in private. If I may?"
The grave look on the senior Cursebreaker's countenance made Griphook quietly panic. He gave a curt nod and beckoned Rollo to follow him. The pair hurried to the back of the bank to King Ragnok's opulent office where the Goblin King was reviewing top secret reports from Hit Wizards on the continent. The King was most surprised when there was a knock on the door and when he bade the visitor to enter, both Griphook and Rollo Rowle entered and bowed.
The King frowned. "Mr. Rowle, Griphook, what can I do for you?" he asked, looking between the spooked wizard and confused goblin.
"Forgive me, Your Grace, but I … have something to tell you and I'm afraid that the time has come that I cannot in all good conscience hold my silence," Rollo stated, his head still bowed as though he was waiting for the blow from the executioner's axe already.
"Very well. Come in both of you. Griphook, ward the office," the King ordered.
Griphook locked the door and set to work immediately as Rollo shakily took a seat in front of the King's desk. King Ragnok kept his beady eyes on the apprehensive Cursebreaker. Once Griphook was finished, the King leant forwards. "Tell me what this is all about, Rollo."
Rollo took a fortifying breath and then promptly laid the telegrams he had been receiving on the desk in front of his employer. "You need not look much further for the spy within Gringotts, Your Grace."
The King was flabbergasted. "Rollo … I don't understand…"
"It was me," Rollo clarified bluntly. "I fed the Dark Lord information about Hera Evans, Lady Peverell. Bar her name."
"What are these?" Griphook studied the telegrams in shock.
"Orders from Austria," Rollo stated. "The Hawk refers to the Dark Lord himself. Aurem refers to one of his Generals, Queenie Goldstein, on the account of her golden hair. They are more impatient than ever for news."
Both goblins could not quite believe their ears. All this time, they had been checking the mail of every single bank clerk, the security wizards, the younger and new Cursebreakers (exempting Hera Peverell) and all the private secretaries. Nothing had been found; yet, here was the supposed spy making a full confession, and it was someone both goblins held in very high regard.
"How often did you … make contact?" Griphook asked carefully.
"Once every few weeks, but more regularly when the Dark Lord set his sights on the Lady Peverell," Rollo answered immediately.
"Why?" the King whispered. "Why did you betray us?"
Rollo smiled mirthlessly, a cold glint entering his eyes. "It was not a decision I made on a whim, Your Grace. Do you remember that mission you sent my team and myself on to Albania to recover the Sphere of Clelia?"
"Of course, half of your team came back from that expedition with their lives, including you but most of them either are spending the rest of their days in St. Mungo's Hospital, quit their jobs and left the country, or became recluses," Griphook frowned. "You said you were attacked."
"We were attacked, just not by hostile centaurs," Rollo stated, chuckling humourlessly. "As it turned out, Vida Rosier had been monitoring our movements and had caught us completely off guard. Rosalind and the others … they told us to find the Sphere and leave Rosier and her forces to them."
Rollo's breath quivered involuntarily and he pinched the bridge of his nose. "We got the Sphere, dismantling the centuries old traps around it but it had taken us too much time and soon Rosier and her forces had caught up with us. We were all captured – every single one of us and brought to Nurmengard Castle where Grindelwald greeted us like he had been waiting for house guests instead of prisoners. He was rather pleased to tell us that he had known about our little mission for weeks and that he had been rooting for us to get the Sphere, but that he also needed to 'invite us over' for a chat."
Rollo scoffed.
"He wined and dined me, as the leader, for the rest of the evening, behaving is such a manner that would suggest, if I did not know better, that he was flirting with me. I suppose in a way he was. I had something he wanted." Rollo's cheeks flushed at this.
"And what was that?" the King asked further.
"My name and my position at Gringotts," Rollo stated. "A Rowle is respected in Britain; they would be beyond suspicion. I also have access to sensitive information as Head of the Cursebreaker Department and am usually the first to meet potential new Cursebreakers. Potential followers and allies for the Dark Lord."
"How did he woo you?" Griphook pressed.
"Two ways: persuasion and intimidation," the Cursebreaker responded, his hands curling in his lap. "Grindelwald … has a silver tongue. It is true that Muggles out number us and have weapon capabilities that we do not have an answer for and if rumours are true, it will not get any better from here. The Muggles would cut us down like corn; they are already doing it to each other for years! Plus, in some countries such as in America and South America it is still illegal for a witch or wizard to fall in love with a Muggle – I mean, come on! This is the 20th century for Merlin's sake! It is utterly barbaric." Rollo's eyes shone with anger at this point. "I am not a prejudiced man, you know this. I am a practical one, and things cannot remain as they are. I genuinely believed that Grindelwald … had a point."
"So that was persuasion," the King sighed. "What about intimidation?"
"Grindelwald made me a deal, once he noticed I was amenable to listen," Rollo sighed. "He would allow me and half my team to leave with our artefact – and the other half of my team would remain at Nurmengard as … insurance." He swallowed. "They spent an entire evening arguing amongst themselves who would stay …"
Rollo gathered his nerves together again. "Once it was decided who would stay and who would get to leave, Grindelwald hexed and cursed some of my team to make it look like they were shellshocked. The next thing we know, we land in front of an embassy in Switzerland and we are Portkeyed back to London."
The goblins sucked in their breath at hearing this, utterly conflicted as to what to do.
"Why confess now?" Griphook demanded. "You had us fooled-"
"Because if Grindelwald ever finds out the Cursebreaker he seeks is the Lady Peverell, his curiosity will turn into murderous inclination," Rollo stated simply. "He is obsessed beyond measure with that family – it is, frankly, concerning. Should he get a whiff of who she actually is …"
Rollo shook his head, refusing to countenance the outcome.
"I did what I had to do to keep my people safe," Rollo stated with conviction. "I did not sign up to hand a child over to a maniac."
"And now they are getting impatient for information," the King nodded, "because you have not been sending messages to evade us."
Rollo could only nod.
"Just out of curiosity, do you know who those two men who were inside the portrait are?" Griphook asked, sounding slightly eager.
Rollo's face turned graver. "Yes. They are high ranking former Hit Wizards who were recruited to the resistance by Theseus Scamander, and were assigned to the protection detail of one Nicholas Flamel."
"Nicholas Flamel?!" the King's coronet fell from his head in surprise. "The Immortal Alchemist? That same Flamel?"
"Indeed," Rollo nodded. "In hindsight it was not a coincidence Grindelwald used those two. It was a message to anyone who is in the Resistance, especially Albus Dumbledore."
The King and Griphook exchanged a long and heavy look with each other.
"You realise the penalty for spying, do you not?" the King stated.
"I do," Rollo agreed, already preparing himself for his sentencing.
"But given that you have handed yourself in and told us what you have, which I am assuming is the truth, given the pledge you made to Gringotts all those years ago, you have complicated matters for us," the King continued. "We cannot clap you in irons, as much as Griphook might wish to," Griphook harrumphed, "because if Grindelwald has one spy he could have others. We'd rather not have him realise his agent is compromised, lest something happens to the hostages. So this is what we do: you will remain under house arrest until I convene a Council of Goblins and we will debate what we do with you."
Rollo sighed. At least he would not die today.
"I am very disappointed and angry with you, Rollo," the King confessed, "but I am glad you came forward. It may save your neck yet. Griphook, show him out and escort him home. Enchant it thoroughly to make sure nothing can get in and out."
"Yes, Your Grace," Griphook bowed and glared at Rollo. "Follow me."
As Rollo followed his possible former friend out like a prisoner following his guard, he quietly promised that he would accept any fate given to him. For the first time in a long while, he was convinced that he had made the right choice.
##################
So this was one hell of a chapter – two spies confronted, one involuntarily and one who confessed. Will Rollo come out of this alive? What will an impatient Grindelwald do next? Ambrose and Bradley; what would they need to tell Harry and her friends? Then of course there is Harry's rotten luck with Samhain … Guess you will just have to stay tuned and find out!
I have not made this disclaimer in a while so I will just reiterate that this is me playing around with JK's world and characters and having fun while doing it!
As always, I am so glad you took the time to read this latest instalment and I would love to hear your thoughts. See you guys in the next chapter!
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