Chapter 6

"So, what did you guys do at Alex's place?" Eric asked. "Did you get anything to eat?"

"I remember we had some tea and biscuits," Mark said. "Alex has a lot of tea choices, like black, earl grey, chamomile, and peppermint. And the biscuits were really good. They didn't taste or look store-bought. I think Alex baked them. If he did, he's a great baker!"

"Really? Last time I checked, Alex didn't cook or bake," Hermione said, frowning.

"Well, lots of things change in a course of fifteen years," Ginny said. "It is perfectly possible that Alex taught himself to cook. I mean, he doesn't seem like the type to go out to eat or buy stuff from the store."

"I suppose that makes sense," Hermione said.

"Besides, for all we know, Alex already knew how to cook. He just didn't show his skills," Eric said.

"Probably," Hermione agreed, but still uncertain.

"What else did you guys do?" Ron asked.

"We explored the rooms. Don't worry; we didn't mess anything up, so Alex wouldn't be mad at us." Rose said. "Hugo found a book he wanted to look at, but he couldn't reach it."

"What book is it?" Hermione asked.

"One on Arithmancy," Hugo said. "I just wanted to look at it since you said Curse Breakers need to know Arithmancy."

Hermione chuckled.

"Well Hugo, I have a few books in Arithmancy at home. I can help you get a head start on the subject if you'd like," she said. "I was quite good at Arithmancy when I took the class. Although your father and Eric didn't take it because they said they didn't need it."

"We really didn't need it!" Eric exclaimed. "We're Aurors. We fight, not learn numbers for business."

Hermione chuckled again.

"I'm just teasing you guys," she said.

Eric and Ron grumbled. Ginny laughed.

"All right you two, calm down. She was only teasing you," she said, still laughing.

Ginny sighed, shaking her head fondly.

"Anything else?" she asked, turning back to the three kids.

Hugo nodded.

"We also found a book on..."

Hugo frowned in sudden confusion.

"I don't remember what the book was on," he said.

He perked up.

"And then we went outside," he said. "We were outside for a long time."

"You three were dead asleep when we came back. It looked like you were there for hours. And Alex said he didn't feel you guys exit the wards of the cottage." Hermione said.

"Really? I clearly remember we went outside for a while," Mark said. "Maybe Alex's wards malfunctioned?"

"Alex's magic doesn't just malfunction," Hermione said, narrowing her eyes. "Something happened to you three."

She pulled out her wand and waved it over the three kids.

"I don't sense anything wrong you three," she muttered. "We'll have to talk to Alex tomorrow."

"Do you three feel like you're missing anything?" Ginny asked.

Rose, Hugo, and Mark frowned thoughtfully.

"No," Mark said finally.

Rose and Hugo nodded their agreement.

"All right...if you say so..." Ginny said hesitantly.

"I'm still going to talk with Alex tomorrow." Hermione said firmly. "Something weird is going on and I don't like it."

Harry smirked as he listened to the conversation. He had planted a small bug on one of the three kids earlier. He stroked Hedwig gently, causing the cat to purr in content.

"Well...we have a problem on our hands now," he muttered.

"I'd say," Alex said, coming into the lab.

He had obviously heard the conversation, or at least part of it.

"Because of what you did, they're going to suspect something is wrong," Alex said. "You're going to be the one to fix it."

"Don't worry, I already have a plan, Alex," Harry said.

"Are you going to mess with the others' minds as well?"

"No, nothing like that," Harry said. "What I have planned is a...slightly safer...way to avoid suspicion. You'll find out what it is tomorrow when they come to visit. Your surprise has to be genuine or it won't work."

"Don't do anything reckless," Alex said.

"I will be careful; don't worry about a thing, Alex," Harry said.

Alex spotted a small familiar looking black notebook on the table, but it looked newer. Alex frowned; it couldn't be that notebook.

"What's that?" he asked. "It looks like the notebook you kept the information of the Horcruxes in."

"Oh this?" Harry picked up the notebook. "You destroyed the notebook on the Horcruxes when you destroyed Riddle Manor, Alex. Do you not remember that?"

"I remember all too well, so it can't be that notebook," Alex said.

"No, it isn't," Harry agreed. "It is something entirely different."

"What is it?"

Harry held up a hand, stopping Alex from walking forward and grabbing it.

"Nothing you need to know," he replied softly.

"You're keeping secrets from me again?" Alex asked, his eye twitching in irritation.

The notebook disappeared from Harry's hand, no doubt going to some hidden location Alex knew nothing of.

"Calm down and be patient," Harry said evenly. "I will tell you eventually. Don't I always?"

Alex scowled and didn't answer, but his silence was answer enough. Harry smiled slightly.

"Go upstairs and sleep. You have a busy day tomorrow, don't you?" he stated.

Alex glared at him but turned around, going upstairs. Harry's smile faded. The black notebook appeared on the table in front of him. He opened it, looking at the contents.

"Sorry Alex, but you can't know about this...not until my plan goes into action." he said quietly. "It's too dangerous and I don't want you to get involved in it. You've already gone through too much trouble for me in the past fifteen years."

Harry trailed his fingers along the pages, reading his neat spidery scrawl handwriting.

"This is something I have to do myself. I hope you can forgive me, Alex."

On the chair, Hedwig meowed, her golden eyes watching Harry. Harry looked at her. Hedwig meowed again, worry clear in her eyes. Harry went over and picked her up. Hedwig purred slightly but still look worried. Harry rested a hand on her back.

"Everything will work out just fine, Hedwig, you'll see," he muttered.

Hedwig shifted in his arms, agitated still. Harry stroked her pelt to calm the black she-cat. Hedwig finally settled down in his arms but was still tense. She meowed again. Harry turned his attention back to the black notebook on the table before him.

"You won't have to suffer for much longer..."