A/N: If I could only claim this was the longest I'd ever left between chapters… So sorry for the delay on this but it's a bit of a monster and the actual proofing took forever! It's also quite a significant one so I really wanted to get it right. Thanks as always to the followers and favouriters. Huge thanks to jadely31 and Fred for taking the time to review. The continued interest in this story astonishes and encourages me. :)
A Subtle Change
Chapter 22
Two days after the full moon, Remus once again tracked Druscilla to the ministry. Seeing the man in a much calmer frame of mind, Percy waved him through to Druscilla's office, promising to hold up her first meeting for a few minutes.
Remus watched Druscilla from the doorway for a moment as she paced the room reading a report. She had donned a pair of tortoiseshell reading glasses for the activity - a necessary concession to age - but even this had been turned to her advantage. The frames had clearly been chosen with some care, they were severe and traditional. Remus had noted on previous occasions that she had a habit of fixing her eyes on people over the top of them – a habit he found undeniably sexy.
Between the glasses, the hair piled atop her head in a matching severe style, and her long, stocking-clad legs, ending in vicious stilettos, Druscilla looked every inch the predator. Remus cleared his throat, wondering if she had genuinely not noticed his presence or if he was simply being ignored.
Druscilla looked up at the sound and raised a delicate, sharply defined eyebrow; "Yes? Can I help you?"
"You usually do, in your own funny way."
She relaxed into an almost self-conscious smile. It seemed his instinct to open the dialogue with a concession that she may have been right had paid off.
"Dru, I wanted to apologise for the other day. No matter how provoking you are, I overreacted. You did me a favour persuading me to make my own decisions about the Wolfsbane and I repaid you by losing my temper."
"I am somewhat provocative," she grinned cheekily.
He was unable to resist laughing at the relief he felt in seeing her smile and tease so readily. "Yes, you are."
Her expression became serious. "I manipulated you. I shouldn't have done that. I still think I was right, I still think you needed it," Druscilla insisted, "But that didn't give me the right to do it."
"And I shouldn't have pushed you like that. I could have really hurt you."
She shrugged. "Remus, I'm a witch not a cowering damsel, I promise if you ever really hurt me you'll know about it."
"I hope so," he said quietly.
"Remus," her soft tone dragged his eyes back to hers from the carpet. "Get out and let me work?" She gave him a sweet, amused smile.
Percy came in as Remus was leaving, just in time to see his employer sink her head into her hands and groan; "The man wears cardigans and makes them look good. What am I supposed to do!?"
Percy gave his boss the look he so often cast in her direction. The one that implied he was internally questioning her sanity. "I'm sorry?"
She sighed. "Never mind, not your problem. What can I do for you?"
"Just letting you know the aurors haven't found anything yet. I'm going out there myself tomorrow."
"OK, but take someone with you! No one is to go out there alone." Druscilla insisted.
Her employee nodded readily. "Of course. I have someone in mind actually." He shuffled through the large heap of parchment in his arms, "You need to sign a couple of things, then your ten o'clock's here, and you really need to attend a meeting with Fudge this afternoon - I've set it up for you."
Percy held up a hand as she started to protest, "You need to speak to him. He threw a fit when he heard about this search from the Auror office instead of from you!"
Druscilla threw up her hands in despair. "He already knew about it!"
"He didn't know it was going to involve the entire Auror office." Percy calmly clarified.
"Fine," she grumbled, signing her name in a flourish across the documents Percy had handed her. "I suppose we should at least try to make sure he knows what's going on around here. A lost cause in my opinion but we can give it a go..."
Percy nodded, "Three o'clock, his office, try not to kill each other."
"I'll play nice," she smirked at her retreating assistant and added in an undertone, "As long as he does."
Fudge was never the first person Druscilla wanted to see, but at this particular moment she felt even less inclined towards his company than usual. She was aware that her behaviour towards him the previous day had been deliberately aggressive. She had been looking for a fight because of her conflicted feelings regarding her encounter with Remus. She had behaved unprofessionally and possibly destroyed the improved working relationship Fudge seemed to have been trying to build between them. Quick as she usually was to apologise once she saw herself in the wrong, apologising to Fudge rankled.
It was, and Druscilla was half irritated and half amused by the thought, all Remus' fault. An increasing number of things were recently, and she had found him preying more and more upon her mind.
At what point had this slightly scruffy, irritatingly moral, deceptively mild-mannered man become essential to her happiness? When had he insinuated his way into her affections and the heart she hadn't been entirely convinced she had? More importantly, how had he done it when he clearly hadn't been trying to do anything of the sort? He had to be one of the only men she'd ever met who, when in a room with her turning on the charm, still wanted to talk business.
Well there was Percy, but God only knew what went through his head. She smiled and shook her head at her work-addicted assistant.
"I wonder who he's taking to Scotland with him?" She mused.
XXXXXXX
At three o'clock sharp Druscilla arrived at Fudge's office, bearing several scrolls of information on her investigations and as much good will as she had been able to muster.
"You're late." The Minister snapped as she came in.
Druscilla took a deep breath and reminded herself of her own behaviour the previous day. Let Fudge snap if it made him feel better. "I'm sorry, Cornelius, I can come back another time if you have somewhere else to be."
For a moment he seemed to be genuinely considering sending her away. "No, sit down. I want an update on what the hell you've been doing with the Auror office."
There followed a painful half hour of repeated explanations in which Fudge seemed as determined to needle her as she had been him the previous afternoon. For once in her life however, Druscilla bit her tongue and accepted his snide remarks without comment.
Even once the explanations were over however it seemed Fudge was far from done with her. Repeatedly she tried to interrupt as he ranted about the state of the ministry, making dimly veiled remarks about respect and cooperation that were clearly aimed at her.
Eventually Druscilla accepted that there was only one way to deal with this situation.
"Minister." That got his attention. It was a long time since she had used his title without a trace of sarcasm or disdain. Overly familiar as calling him Cornelius was, 'Minster' usually managed to sound even less polite coming from her lips.
"You don't normally call me that." Fudge commented, warily.
Druscilla grit her teeth before ploughing ahead. "I owe you an apology. My behaviour towards you yesterday was inexcusable. I was feeling frustrated and I took that out on you. I may not call you Minister very often, Cornelius, but I am well aware of the respect due to the office you hold. Yesterday, I behaved with no respect at all and I am sincerely sorry for that. When I think you're wrong I'll tell you, when I see you going in the wrong direction I will try and pull you back but, in future, you won't have to worry about any more childish provocation from me. The Ministry was formed the way it is in the interests of cooperation and it works best when we all work together."
"Are you writing a speech for your next campaign or apologising to me?" Fudge asked dryly.
She snorted in irritated amusement, "I'm apologising."
"Very well." The Minister nodded sharply. "Thank you for the apology. I'm growing tired of the merry-go-round of fights your hormones seem to lead us on."
Druscilla's grip on the papers in her hands tightened considerably. "Cornelius..." she warned.
"What happened to Minister?" Fudge seemed almost amused.
A small smile escaped her. "You're pushing it."
"If anyone should recognise pushing the boundaries it's you."
"Quite." Druscilla shuffled the papers in her hands and headed for the door. "Allow me to say you seem more on form today than you have been in some time. If you'd sparred this well through the Daily Prophet headlines you might have given me something to worry about."
"Druscilla, I don't need to give you things to worry about - you generally cause your own problems. I also don't deem it well-advised to sabotage my own staff."
She raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Well, I'll grant you the first of those points. I have work to do, I'll keep you informed of our progress."
Fudge nodded shortly, "That would be acceptable."
Druscilla bowed out while she still had a grip on her temper. She had to admit that had Fudge always played his hand and kept his temper as well as during this most recent power struggle, their rivalry would have been much more interesting. There was a sudden composure to the man that she couldn't remember seeing in years and she was clueless as to where it had sprung from.
XXXXXXX
Oliver was just sitting down to eat that night when he was disturbed by a knock at the door. His internal grumbling however ceased once he saw who it was.
"Percy," he grinned, "Come in, I was just making dinner. Well," his smile turned sheepish, "The pizza had just arrived to be honest but there's more than enough for two, I usually end up with some left over for breakfast."
Percy looked unimpressed, "Aren't you professional sports stars supposed to eat healthily?"
"I only do it every now and again, I'm not much of a cook," Oliver admitted sheepishly.
"You should come to the Burrow sometime, Mum would undoubtedly love to feed you."
Oliver's grin returned, "Sounds good to me. Good food, good company..."
Percy grimaced, "Just be on your guard against the twins slipping something into your dinner."
"Like being back at Hogwarts, really."
They both laughed and Oliver noted how relaxed Percy seemed. "You look better," he observed.
Percy smiled. "Thanks, and thank you for getting me home the other day, I really needed a good night's sleep."
"I could tell," Oliver smiled fondly, "You work too hard you know."
Percy was instantly defensive, "I like work! Besides, it feels like we may finally be getting somewhere."
"Have the Aurors got any promising leads yet?"
"Not really," Percy sighed, "I'm going out there myself tomorrow. Actually that's why I came over. I was hoping you would come with me. The area of Scotland I'm going to is a bit off the beaten track and you stand out rather less than most ministry workers. We absolutely must not call any attention to ourselves."
"I'll get you that kilt then," Oliver grinned.
Percy chuckled, "I think I'll leave the kilts to you, I'm not sure I have the legs for one."
Oliver looked him up and down, "Oh I don't know, I could have been wrong about that, hard to know what you're hiding under those robes!" He laughed as Percy flushed, "By the way, might want to ditch them before you wander around small-town Muggle Scotland!"
"Yes, thank you Oliver, I believe I am capable of finding something suitable." Percy huffed.
"Just as long as it's not a suit! Something casual, Perce."
Percy ignored this remark. "So I take it this is a yes to coming with me?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world. It'll be nice to feel like I'm doing something useful finally."
"Oliver!"
"Oh come on, Perce, I'm not exactly crucial to the Order at the moment!"
"Everyone is. The more support we have the more chance we have of defeating You-Know-Who. And frankly you've been more than 'useful' to me!" Percy protested. "Without your support I think I'd have completely lost it by now, I was so close to cracking under the pressure of all this and you kept me sane."
This time it was Oliver who flushed, "You didn't need me."
Percy smiled, "Yes, I think I do. Now are you going to meet me at Grimmauld Place tomorrow morning or am I going to have to come over here and drag you along behind me all the way to Scotland?"
"I'll be there," Oliver assured him, "Now are you going to come in and help me eat this pizza?"
Percy looked genuinely regretful, "I can't, I told Ginny I'd spend some time with her this evening, that's the only reason I'm out of work this early."
"Early? Perce, it's half past six!" Oliver protested, unable as ever to understand just what would drive somebody to sit behind a desk for that long every day.
XXXXXXX
Oliver was unsurprised when Percy showed up at Grimmauld Place at 7 on the dot the next morning. What did surprise him was the sudden evidence that Percy owned a pair of jeans.
"Oh, you're already here." Percy exclaimed, clearly used to people being late - Oliver could imagine that getting the Weasley family anywhere on time was difficult. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting. I wanted to go into the office first."
"No, I've only been here a few minutes. I'm used to the early starts from training."
"You're not training at the moment then I take it? I didn't mean to interrupt anything."
"Percy, it's New Year's Eve and though I like to think Quidditch doesn't stop for anything, even I have to admit it's nice to take the holiday season off. I don't start training again until next week so until then my mornings are as at your disposal as the rest of my days."
Percy laughed. "In that case we'd better get going. We're flooing to Hogsmeade then apparating to a quiet stretch of coast and we'll work our way north."
XXXXXXX
Percy had long left The Burrow by the time Ron struggled out of bed, awoken by a firm knock on his bedroom door. He had not slept well since Harry had been taken and emerged from his room red eyed and exhausted to see Hermione, already dressed but with her hair still wilder than usual from sleep and in bare feet, brandishing a mug of coffee at him.
"I thought you might need this." She said.
He accepted it gratefully and took a gulp. It was just the right side of too hot, precisely as he liked it.
"We're meeting Neville and Luna in an hour, your mum's made bacon sandwiches. I convinced her not to wake you earlier, I was hoping you were finally getting some sleep."
"Thanks, Hermione." He glanced down at his faded pyjama pants that stopped several inches short of his ankles. "I'll be down in a few minutes, I'll just get dressed."
She looked oddly flustered for a moment, backing quickly out of his doorway. "Oh, yes, of course, sorry, I'll let you do that."
Ron watched her go, puzzled by the tinge of red that had crossed her cheeks.
XXXXXXX
By late morning Percy had seen more little Scottish fishing villages than he cared to name. Most of them were tiny hamlets, quickly dismissed, with nothing even close to matching the description of the building he was looking for. It had to be somewhere isolated but nowhere seemed isolated enough, the modern world was creeping in even here. The village they were currently passing through was a little larger than the others, almost a town really, and Percy would have avoided it altogether but he had heard in the previous village that there was a museum here with a collection of historic maps of the local coastline. If Voldemort was drawn to things with a sense of permanence then Percy felt anything marked on those maps might provide a way forward.
Percy sighed, he was clutching at straws he knew, but he couldn't just wander aimlessly along the west coast of Scotland all day. He had wandered a few yards ahead of Oliver, deep in thought, when he suddenly collided with someone coming the other way. The chuckle from behind him suggested that Oliver considered this quite a feat when they were the only three people on the entire waterfront.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Percy hastily apologised to the grumpy looking fisherman.
"That's quite alright but you should watch yourself, you young folk wander along with your head in the clouds like nothing can hurt you!" the elderly man scolded, much to Oliver's further amusement. "You'd best be careful," he continued, "Especially here!"
"Why especially here?" Percy was instantly curious.
"There's 'things' round these parts, like of which you wouldn't care to imagine and nor do I!"
Oliver let out a small snort of laughter.
The fisherman frowned, "Ay, you may snicker but I've been fishing these waters many years longer than you've been breathing so you'd best listen when I tell you there's something out there! I hear things when I've been out on the water at night, strange, terrible things! People crying out…" he shuddered and trailed off, shaking himself. "Ah but that were nigh on twenty years ago now, I don't go fishing at night no more. Not since those nights. There's something out there, you mark my words! Young people today they don't believe in nothing, but I believe! They've no time or use for the old tales and their warnings."
"What old tales?" Percy asked, strangely compelled by the old man's rambling.
"Old tales of an island and the evil that dwelt on it. A terrible witch they tell of, who kept demons as pets and lured in passing sailors to feed to them. Now I don't know about witches and demons but those stories were written for a reason and that reason's still out there in the fog."
"Ok, this reads like an old horror film – I'm waiting for ghostly pirates to get in on the action," Oliver murmured in Percy's ear. His eyes widened as a bony elbow connected sharply with his ribs and Percy cast a quick glare at him as he thanked the old man and made their polite retreat.
Oliver rubbed his side as they walked away, "That hurt!" he moaned.
"You were being disrespectful. I admit the poor old man was rambling a bit but what sounds crazy to muggles is very possible in our world."
Oliver looked unconvinced. "Not demons, Percy, in either world that's still an issue for the crazy and the overly religious."
"If you saw an Acromantula without knowing about our world wouldn't you think it was a demon?" He smiled, "Relax, I don't think there was anything in his tale, it just struck me as a little odd that it was 20 years ago – when Voldemort was last in power. However, I checked the coastal maps for miles on either side of this village and there's no island anywhere near here. It's one of those legends that is just a legend."
"This place seems like just another dead end," Oliver sighed. "Why don't we bunk off for the afternoon – get an ice cream or something?"
"Oliver! This is not school! This is serious – not that school wasn't serious, but this is life and death serious! We have to keep looking! We cannot stop because you want an ice cream!" Percy found himself laughing in spite of himself. "Anyway we're not done here yet, there's a small local museum I want to visit."
"Now who's bunking off!"
"They've got a collection of historic maps showing the local area – I'm hoping for inspiration." Percy pulled some muggle coins out of pocket and thrust them into Oliver's hand, "Here, go get yourself that ice cream, I don't need you whining all the way round this place. Talk to the locals, see if you can pick up anything that could help us, I shouldn't be more than half an hour."
Oliver grinned, "Wander along the coast with an ice cream instead of poring through some dusty old museum? Even in these temperatures that sounds preferable."
"You're the one who thinks that it's ice cream weather."
"It's always ice cream weather at the seaside."
Percy laughed, "Meet me back here in an hour if I haven't found you by then."
XXXXXXX
Several bacon sandwiches and two large mugs of coffee after Hermione's wake up call, Ron was following her and Charlie through the floo system to the Leaky Cauldron with Bill following behind. Neville and Luna were already there, it looked as though they had been there for some time as there were discarded breakfast dishes and a large teapot on the table beside them.
"Hi," Ron strode over to meet them with Hermione at his heels.
Luna smiled at their approach and Neville stood up to briefly hug Hermione. "Hi. You made it."
"Yeah, mum wasn't keen to let us out, we've got Charlie and Bill keeping an eye on us," Ron gestured over to the pair of older redheads now sat at the bar. They nodded in greeting and Neville gave a small smile while Luna waved enthusiastically.
"My grandmother wasn't keen on letting me out either but she's as desperate for news as I am. Please tell us you know something," Neville entreated as they all sat down.
Ron sighed, "I wish we could. No one's saying much but they're all looking really worried." He felt it might be better to have this conversation here rather than at the Burrow where Ginny or his mother might become distressed.
"My dad was hoping you might have something for the Quibbler," Luna said.
"The Order's not saying anything right now," Hermione said quietly, "But if you want some advice for your dad tell him to contact Professor Thornfield at the Ministry through Ron's brother Percy rather than going through their media offices."
Luna smiled, "I'll tell him, he's spoken to her before when there were all those rumours of proposed werewolf tagging but at the moment no one at the Ministry's telling him anything other than 'it's all under control'. They won't even confirm Harry's missing."
Ron snorted, "Trust me, Luna, it is not under control."
The girl's large eyes turned to him with a quiet anguish and unshed tears and he found himself grasping her hand where it lay on the table. "Don't cry, they're not giving up."
Luna forced a small smile and squeezed his hand in return, "I know. We'll find him, it'll be ok."
Hermione cleared her throat and Ron released Luna's hand quickly without being quite sure why. "Mrs Weasley said if you two would like to come back to The Burrow and visit Ginny you'd be very welcome."
Neville nodded, "That would be nice. How is she?"
Ron's smile seemed genuine for the first time, "She's not good but she's making progress. You can tell she's getting better." He waved Bill and Charlie over. "Neville and Luna are going to come back to The Burrow with us."
"Nice to meet you both," Bill offered a hand to each of them while Charlie clapped Neville on the shoulder and gave Luna a warm smile.
"Shall we then?" Charlie gestured to the fireplace.
At the Burrow they were all greeted fondly by Molly Weasley who, within minutes, had produced a tray of tea and biscuits.
"Here you are dears, take this up to Ginny's room with you," she passed the tray to Ron, "She's dressed and expecting you but she finds the stairs very tiring so it's easier if you go up to her."
Ginny was indeed dressed and out of bed, sat in a low, comfortable chair by her bedroom window through which she'd been watching the garden gnomes scrapping with each other and tormenting Crookshanks. She smiled delightedly at the company, "Luna! Neville! It's so good to see you!" She gave a sigh, "It's so good to see anyone actually!"
"How are you feeling?" Neville asked while Luna gave her a gentle hug before joining him in perching on the immaculately made bed.
"It's a good day," she smiled wanly, "One of the few times I've been out of pyjamas since the attack. I can feel myself getting stronger again but I'm still so tired." She pointed at a chessboard set up mid-way through a game on a nearby table, "Tried to play against Percy last night but I got too tired to even finish the game."
Ron grinned, "Were you white?"
Ginny nodded.
"Hate to tell you but I don't think it would have lasted much longer anyway, he's got you practically in checkmate there and there's not much of a way out left," her brother chuckled.
Ginny smiled fondly, "I know, he keeps trying to let me win to make me feel better but I'm really not good at chess!"
"Don't feel too bad, he even beats me sometimes when I get distracted. Play him at Gobstones, once you've got him covered in goo the first time he's too disgusted to focus properly and you can beat him easy!" Ron grinned.
Hermione shuddered, "It's a revolting game!"
"I like it," Luna piped up.
Hermione glared at her, sometimes she felt Luna's sole aim was to oppose her every view. Neville and Ron both seemed oblivious to the girls' interaction.
"So what news is there?" Neville asked quietly.
"Not a lot. We know the Death Eaters have Harry and that he's still alive and relatively well for the moment. Percy's making progress on where they might be holding him, God knows how he's done it but he seems have cracked whereabouts You-Know-Who is. The Death Eaters are making less attacks since the Azkaban breakout but…"
"Azkaban breakout?" Neville interrupted, "What breakout?"
"There was another mass breakout on the same night they took Harry. Lucius Malfoy and several others are at large again." Hermione explained.
"That's not been in the Prophet!" Neville looked shocked.
"No, they're trying to keep it hush hush, they're terrified of a panic," Ron explained. "Percy said people are getting nervous enough as it is, they keep getting reports of fights that have nothing to do with Death Eaters because people are so on edge they're jumping at shadows. Dad said it got like this last time, no one trusted their neighbours, or their colleagues, or even their friends."
"I still think people should know, they have a right to the truth," Hermione insisted.
Ron looked gloomy, "Even if they're just going to bludgeon each other over the head with it?"
"If you start using the lying to people 'for their own good' excuse where do you stop?" Hermione asked tiredly.
It was clear despite their words that Ron and Hermione were in no hurry to fight with each other at present. Neville couldn't help but notice how much closer they were sat together than usual and that Hermione had neatly placed herself between Ron and Luna.
XXXXXXX
The dim, dusty little museum Percy had been so keen to explore was so quiet that, in the low light, he at first thought it was deserted. He consequently jumped violently upon the plump, cheerful little woman behind the desk bidding him good morning.
"Sorry, dear, didn't mean to make you jump. I was pleased to see someone, you're the first visitor we've had all morning," she welcomed him.
"Really?" Percy wasn't exactly surprised but thought he'd rather talk about falling museum visitor figures than focus on the fact he'd nearly pulled out his wand on a harmless muggle.
She nodded, "The perils of running a small museum, especially out of season."
He smiled sympathetically, "Do you charge an entrance fee?"
"No, but if you enjoy our exhibitions all donations are gratefully received," she gave a cheerful smile in return, though it seemed edged with the despair of one who knows that a 50 pence donation isn't going to solve her problems.
Percy approached the desk, "I was told you have a collection of historic maps of the local area?"
She nodded, interest firing in her eyes, suggesting her work in the museum was a labour of love. "Yes, we do, I'll show you them myself if you like as we're not busy."
"Thank you, I'd be very grateful." Percy followed the woman up a narrow staircase, through a room containing a collection of oil paintings by local artists. The next room was the map room.
Jean, as the woman had introduced herself, gave a short but informative talk about the various maps the museum housed before asking if there was anything in particular he wished to see.
Percy seized on the opportunity of local knowledge, "Yes actually, can I see any maps you have showing this stretch of the coastline?"
"Of course, these over here all show the coast and there's a modern Ordnance Survey map for comparison. Not searching for our mysterious island are you?" she chuckled.
"Would that be the same island one of the fishermen was telling me about?"
"Very likely, there's an old local legend talking about an island, hidden out there in the fog, inhabited by a witch and her pet demons. Lot of nonsense really but a couple of the old sailors really are scared by the idea. If you're interested in maps then let me show you this," she opened a glass cabinet and removed a stained and curling piece of paper. "This is the oldest map we have here, it shows the coastline just around the village as it was in the late 18th century, it was drawn by a local fisherman who also painted several of the works you saw in the previous room." She handed him the map, "Now be careful with this, I shouldn't really let you handle it but it's so nice to have someone take an interest that far be it from me to discourage you."
Percy took the map reverently and stepped closer to the window to see it in better light. The paper was clearly old, almost crumbling in his suddenly trembling hands. It was simple, nothing more than an ink sketch, but there, clearly marked if a little faded, was the mysterious island of local legend. His pulse quickened even as he told himself it still might mean nothing.
He looked to Jean in amazement, "Is this the island they talk about?" He pointed at the map as she frowned in confusion, "Just there."
Jean scanned the map with her eyes which suddenly widened in disbelief. "You're right," she gasped, "and yet I must have looked at this map dozens of times but I never noticed it until now. This must be the island the old fishermen talk about, there's no other island along this stretch of coast, the legend's obviously been around even longer than I'd realised."
"Would you mind if I sketched a copy of this?" Percy asked setting the map down gently on its case and pulling a notepad from his bag.
"No, go ahead," she smiled, "Just don't go out looking for an island of witches and demons."
"Oh damn!" a pen dropped from Percy's bag and rolled across the room.
"I'll get it, don't worry, you carry on sketching."
As the woman turned around to pick the pen up Percy whipped out his wand and created a replica of the map in his notebook. By the time she handed him his pen his wand was back in his bag, he had flipped the pages of his notepad to a blank page, and he was sketching a rough image of the coastline as shown on the map. For Percy the woman's reaction had clinched what he had already begun to suspect. There had to be something more to this island story than just local legend. This was not a woman who pulled out a map like it was a prize possession of the museum and then turned out to have been missing the glaringly obvious on it until a wizard came along and pointed it out. It had to be a spell of some sort, if the island were unplotable then perhaps all the legends were based in truth and it really was out there.
"The man who drew this map, you said some of his paintings were in the room next door, could you point them out to me?" It was just a hunch, but it seemed his hunches were playing well today.
"Of course." Jean took the map and carefully stored it back in its display case. "I think you'll like his subject matter," she grimaced, "the last painting we have of his might well have been inspired by the legends."
He followed her eagerly back to the room with the paintings and, now that he was paying attention, saw instantly which one she had been talking about. The small watercolour she stopped in front of showed a castle-like structure with an air of decay, but what drew the focus of the picture was the pack of dogs in the foreground, all with forked tails, all baring their teeth and looking ready to pounce.
"Crups." Percy exclaimed quietly.
"I'm sorry?" Jean asked.
"Nothing, I was just muttering to myself," he moved closer to the painting in astonishment.
She showed him the three other paintings they had by the same artist but they were of little interest to him, amateur watercolours showing the local coast and fishing boats. "He didn't paint anything more after this last one?" Percy questioned.
"Not that anyone knows of, he died not long after I think, he had become a bit of a recluse by his later years."
Suddenly, with the eerily painted Crups snarling at him from the frame in the dimly lit room, Percy felt desperate to get outside again. "Thank you, that was very interesting but I really should get going."
"It was my pleasure," Jean assured him as she lead him back down the narrow staircase to the entrance. "It's so rare for someone to take an interest in all of this."
"Oh I definitely found it interesting," he smiled and dropped the rest of the muggle money he had on him (not much but a gesture at least) into the donation box as he hurried back out into the cold.
XXXXXXX
It didn't take long to find Oliver, who had been wandering close at hand along the waterfront with some chips.
"Decided it was too cold for ice cream after all?" Percy's normally low appetite seemed to wake up at the salty smell and fresh air.
"Nah, already had an ice cream, then I spotted the chip shop!" Oliver looked very pleased with himself.
Percy shook his head and laughed, "Well it's good to know you're working hard. I suppose it is getting past lunchtime, I was longer in there than I expected."
Oliver looked guilty and held out the newspaper parcel as a peace offering, "Chip?"
Percy accepted the offer, "Mmm, why do chips taste better from newspaper by the seaside?"
Oliver shrugged, "Do you have to question everything?"
"Usually." Percy walked alongside Oliver down the front, staring out at the sea and occasionally picking at the chips. "I think I've found something," he said eventually. "The island the old fisherman was talking about, it's a local legend, there's even a painting of it in the museum showing magical creatures inhabiting it. And there was a map, it had an island marked off the coast of the village, the lady who runs the museum must have seen the map hundreds of times, it's the prize of the collection due to its age, but until I pointed the island out she'd never noticed it." Percy pulled the copy out of his bag and handed it to Oliver.
Oliver took the map and looked at Percy questioningly. "You think there's an unplotable island out there? Maybe one that's been unplotable so long that the magic's fading to the point where it's no longer invisible to wizards, just muggles?"
Percy was pleased by how quickly Oliver had followed his train of thought. "Yes, and I have idea of how to find out for sure, but I need your help and I don't know if you're going to like this."
Oliver grinned, "I've never been one to back out of a bad idea, what's your plan?"
Percy took a deep breath as though bracing himself. "I want you to fly me out there. Out over where that island should be so we can find out if there really is anything in this."
Oliver was secretly pleased at Percy's use of the phrase 'we can find out'. This had been Percy's project from the start but he always referred to Oliver as though this was an equal partnership, rather than him doing the work while Oliver alternately ate ice cream and annoyed him with daft questions. It had always been that way with Percy though, he never treated Oliver as some dumb quidditch obsessive which was the attitude he had often received from others. Percy could be very good at helping people feel involved and appreciated. Oliver had a shrewd suspicion that was due to him so rarely feeling that way himself.
However all this was, in Oliver's opinion, a damn good reason to say no on this occasion. "No. No way, you have no idea what's out there! If you're right, and you usually are, it's a bunch of Death Eaters and a crazy Dark Lord! How is that a good idea? Besides, I left my broom at home," he pushed the map back into Percy's hands and continued to walk onwards, leaving Percy a little way behind as he stopped to store the map in his bag again.
Percy ran after the exasperated quidditch player, placing a hand on Oliver's arm to get his attention. "You can apparate back and get it. Please Oliver! I just have a hunch about this place and the information we could get would be invaluable."
"You're invaluable and I'm not going to help you get yourself killed!" Oliver protested.
"I'm not invaluable, don't be dramatic." Percy scolded, withdrawing his hand.
"You are to me," Oliver sulked, his words bringing a quiet smile and light blush to Percy's face.
Percy smiled softly, "Well who better than Oliver Wood to get me there and back safely? I'm asking you because if I go alone I'll probably crash into a Death Eater or just end up in the sea!"
Oliver sighed, "Are you saying that if I don't help you you'll go alone?"
Guilty as Percy felt about manipulating the other man like this, the issue was too important to allow that to stop him. "I have to, Ol, I need answers. We all need answers. Harry's running out of time."
Oliver shook his head firmly, "I'm not letting you do this alone."
"I wouldn't ask for your help if I thought this was going to get us killed." Percy was quite sincere in his words; he might be desperate for answers but dying for them? Not quite. "If we find the island I'm not planning on landing."
"We most certainly won't be landing! I'll do it on the condition you don't turn out to be a back-seat flyer! This is my area of expertise so I decide what's safe and how we go about this, ok?" Oliver had rarely sounded so authoritative and Percy could tell what he was seeing was what had so frightened the Gryffindor quidditch team in to line.
It didn't frighten Percy in the least but it did reassure him. "I put myself entirely in your hands," Percy agreed, smiling inwardly as he remembered how much more confident Oliver always was in the air. On the ground he might be happy to follow Percy's lead but if Percy wanted to enter his territory it involved relinquishing control and trusting Oliver to call the shots.
"Well I still don't like it," Oliver grumbled, "But I suppose apparating back will give me a chance to drop something else off at my place. Don't suppose you're the only one who had a productive morning, look what I discovered."
Percy looked up hopefully as Oliver opened a plastic bag he'd been carrying, only to see him produce a bottle of whisky. "How is that helpful?"
"It's the good stuff, found a fantastic little shop." He smiled apologetically at Percy's stern expression, "Well, it's New Year's Eve, what were you planning on drinking tonight?"
"I believe champagne is traditional, not whisky, and actually I don't think I'm in the mood to celebrate. I don't think we're doing anything much at The Burrow. Ron and Ginny have got a couple of friends round and I think they're staying the night, though I imagine Ginny will be long asleep by the New Year. This is the first time she's even been up to visitors since she got home. Even Dean, her boyfriend, hasn't been round yet."
"I thought you might just want to spend a quiet evening in. Come over and have a New Year's drink with me. You can't just go to bed alone on New Year's Eve."
Percy was puzzled, "Are you not going home, I thought New Year was a big deal to you Scots?"
"Exactly why I won't let you spend it being miserable, despite the less than ideal circumstances. I suppose I feel like a quiet one myself but New Year alone is just pathetic and I'd love your company."
Percy was touched by the offer, "Alright, I'll join you. But first, go get your broomstick, stash that Whisky somewhere safe, and I'll meet you up the coast out of sight."
XXXXXXX
Oliver managed to complete Percy's instructions faster than Percy could make it to their prearranged meeting place himself as he had decided to walk. The less magic used on this trip the less likely they were to attract any attention. He found Oliver waiting atop a deserted cliff looking out over the stormy sea. He had his broomstick in hand and a grim look on his face.
"I can't talk you out of this, can I?" It wasn't even really a question, Oliver knew the answer already and was on his broom before Percy answered.
"Not a chance."
Oliver sighed in resignation. "Right, sit behind me and hang on. To me, Percy," Oliver quickly clarified as Percy sat gingerly behind him, trying not to crowd him, "Hang on to me, not the broom, and move closer, I need the weight to balance. Here, put your arms round my waist," Oliver grabbed Percy's hands and linked them around him. "Now hold on tight, I remember what you're like on a broomstick and I don't want you falling off!"
Percy closed his eyes as they took off, his stomach giving its usual lurch as it lost its connection to the ground. He gripped Oliver tighter and eased himself even closer to him.
"Calm down," Oliver laughed, "You're in safe hands."
"I know."
Oliver smiled to himself, pleased by the quiet trust in Percy's voice. For a control freak who didn't like flying, to be on a broom with someone else in charge wasn't easy and feeling the redhead relax against him was a definite vote of confidence.
"I'm going to need to stay pretty high until we're out of sight of the shore," Oliver explained as he soared upwards, "Not that I don't have complete faith in your disillusionment charm but I'm not taking any chances!"
They both remained silent as they flew out over the grey coloured ocean, Oliver concentrating on steering towards where Percy thought the island should be and Percy concentrating just as hard on not being sick down Oliver's back. Oliver felt the redhead's breath against his neck start to hitch as he pulled them about rather sharply to avoid flying through a cloud and risk creating a trail.
"Just keep breathing, Perce, you're ok."
"Of course I'm alright," Percy muttered but lacking his usual authority, "Aren't we there yet?"
Oliver frowned, "I don't know, we're close to where you thought it was but whoever drew that map was no cartographer. I can't see an island."
Percy raised his head from where he had laid it against Oliver's back in an attempt to block out the fact they were a few hundred feet in the air above the sea. "What's over there?" he gestured as best he could without letting go of his death grip on Oliver's waist.
"It's just a bit of mist over the water, there's likely some rocks not far below the surface kicking up some spray."
"Go closer." Percy ordered.
Oliver followed Percy's directions and then stopped when they were hovering still some distance from what was now unmistakably something jutting out of the sea.
"You need to take us closer."
Oliver hesitated, "If that's really what you think it is, that may not be a good idea."
"Well I can't tell anything from here!" Percy argued.
Oliver sighed and descended some way further towards the misty shape.
"It is an island," Percy pulled his wand from pocket, forgetting all about hanging on to Oliver in fright now that he had a distraction. He cast a spell Oliver couldn't hear over the wind and a green light travelled down towards the misty island before suddenly seeming to rebound and bounce back at them. "Magical wards," Percy was rooting around in his bag again and pulled out what Oliver was astonished to see was a pair of omnioculars. "Present from Harry to Ron, I borrowed them," Percy said in explanation, focusing them on the island and fiddling with one of the many dials to zoom in.
It zoomed far too quickly of course leaving Percy staring a very detailed patch of mud. He altered the dial. No mistaking it there was definitely a castle or keep on the island, small and built of rough stone but large enough to house a few dozen death eaters and with no visible windows, exactly as Snape had described. Percy still needed further proof though, he was contemplating asking Oliver to set them down on the island despite what he'd said earlier when he noticed a flicker of movement amongst the rough marram grass covering the island. Closer inspection revealed a snake of truly terrifying size. "Nagini," Percy breathed.
"What?" Oliver looked worried.
"You-Know-Who, oh sod it, Voldemort's pet snake."
Oliver nearly sent the broom spiralling down at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. "Percy!" He steadied them quickly. "Are you sure?"
"Well it's a magically protected island matching the location and description of the Dark Lord's current base of operations and there's a giant snake on it. No, I'm not sure of anything, won't be until I can get in there, but I'm sure enough to want to try."
"Oh no," Oliver kicked the broom quickly upwards, "Not just the two of us."
"Of course not," Percy burst out once he'd recovered his breath. "Now hold still, one last thing." He cast another spell and the air around the island seemed to crackle and glow a faint shade of red. "There's dark magic here."
"I can't say that's a surprise. Percy, if that is what it seems to be, we can't stay here." Oliver was adamant but still waited until Percy had nodded his agreement to quickly turn the broom around and speed back in the direction of the distant shore.
The flight back was a blur. Oliver was flying far faster than Percy was comfortable with but he hardly noticed, feeling giddy with discovery and holding onto the other man for dear life.
When they landed on a small concealed beach he almost tumbled off the broom, staggering slightly and needing to be steadied by a fondly amused Oliver, who was suddenly taken by surprise by Percy throwing his arms around him in a tight hug and laughing delightedly.
"We did it! We've found it!" Percy seemed to suddenly realise what he was doing and quickly withdrew from the other man, blushing a shade that clashed delightfully with his hair. "Sorry, just a little overexcited."
"No need to apologise." A surprisingly gentle hand brushed the unruly, windblown curls from Percy's face. The taller boy flinched at the unexpected contact and automatically drew away. Something in Oliver's gaze was unnerving him, reminding him of situations he hadn't been in in so long. At the sudden thought that Penelope used to look at him like that, his vocal chords shocked back into order. "I need to go. I'll just apparate, it's easier," and with an odd hand movement that appeared caught between a fond wave and a gesture of dismissal, he was gone, leaving Oliver feeling oddly rejected.
The quidditch player frowned and wondered how much he had been misreading things.
Apparating directly outside the Ministry, Percy stumbled and almost collided with a wall. He felt oddly off-balance, a feeling he was desperate to ascribe to the broomstick ride, and he had to stop a moment to collect himself before he hurried on into the Ministry's Grand Foyer.
It was quiet at this hour and Percy quickly found himself alone with his turbulent thoughts. Before he had pulled away it had seemed like Oliver was about to…he hesitated to complete that sentence even in his head, the implications were too unsettling. Instead he slumped against the interior of the lift and started straightening the events of the day out in his head into a suitable verbal report for Professor Thornfield.
XXXXXXX
Druscilla had, against all odds, managed a fairly quiet day at the office and was just packing up her briefcase to leave when Percy Weasley came striding in with a slightly manic look in his eye that she wasn't at all sure she liked. This feeling was quickly submerged by the information he concisely and carefully communicated, only to resurface when she noted that he was alone.
"So where is Oliver?" she asked.
Percy coloured suddenly, causing Druscilla's unease to grow. "Oh, I left him in Scotland , it seemed quicker to apparate."
She frowned, "Why didn't he come with you?"
Percy hesitated, "I didn't ask him to, I just told him I had to go and I left. I'm sure he understood the pressing nature of this information and it's not like he could have added anything further."
Druscilla raised an unfriendly eyebrow at the officious note in her employee's voice. "So, having got what you wanted from him, you judged him to be of no further use and left him alone in the near vicinity of Voldemort," she emphasised the name in the way she had that was calculated to make people flinch and achieved the desired result from the tall redhead. Her tone aside from this had remained worryingly neutral.
"I…no, it wasn't…it's not like that!" Percy protested.
"Then what is it like?" she asked calmly. As her employee groped for an answer, she continued with an exasperated shake of her head, "I know you haven't had anything beyond the most basic of training out in the field but I was fairly confident that you understood that we do not leave people behind if we can possibly avoid it! What the hell happened, Weasley?! You better have some better explanation than you didn't need him anymore!"
Percy had unconsciously recoiled from the attack, "I just, I wasn't thinking, I'm sure he's fine. I wasn't using him…"
"Don't ramble, it's not attractive," she cut him off decisively. "Go. Go home, it's late, I'll check on Oliver myself." There was clearly something more here than her employee was willing to say and she was determined now was not a time for odd or secretive behaviour.
"Check him out more like," Percy was horrified to find himself muttering aloud. He wasn't sure entirely what had provoked him but he was beginning to feel ever more defensive and irritable.
"What?" She responded simply in the same flat tone of voice she used on Fudge when he had really enraged her and for some reason this infuriated Percy. He'd done the impossible for this rude, demanding, woman and this was her thanks, like everyone else in his life, to worry about someone else.
"Well I can't help but wonder if you'd be so keen to check up on Oliver personally if he wasn't an extremely attractive young man," he said coldly.
She smiled like a hunter watching an animal blunder into a trap. "Oh I'm fairly sure that we wouldn't be in this situation if he wasn't."
Percy had a bad feeling that she meant something rather different to him.
"You could always check on him yourself?" she suggested.
Percy knew what his employer wanted, knew he was supposed to say yes and go and sort this out, but the idea of seeing Oliver again made him want to keep running. He shook his head, "I don't think…" he trailed off quietly and shook his head once more.
"No, I didn't think so either." She watched as he retreated stiffly, uncertain and unconcerned if her suspicions were well founded. She had more important issues than being let down by her staff, however personally irritated she might feel by his childish disrespect for the basic safety protocols of the Ministry. She shrugged it off as best she could and quickly dashed off a letter to Dumbledore, Kingsley and Remus explaining their progress. Then, after a moment's deliberation, she sent a copy to Fudge.
An Owl to Oliver to check he was alright received a prompt, if somewhat abrupt, response that he was at home safe and with that she decided that work had had quite enough of her time lately and stormed out of her office, slamming the door. The elation she should have felt at such a strong lead on Voldemort, and therefore Harry's, whereabouts had transformed into a bone deep dread that finding them wasn't enough and she couldn't shake the doubt that the Order or Ministry were up to dealing with this.
XXXXXXX
Despite the Weasleys' kind and often repeated invitations, Remus had decided to spend the New Year quietly at Grimmauld Place. He knew it was important for the others, and particularly for Ron and Hermione, to stay hopeful and upbeat and he knew that he would be no use at all at present for that. They would almost certainly do better without him. Even Druscilla's letter, bringing the news that they had found the likely location where Voldemort was holding Harry, couldn't raise his emotions anything beyond a desperate, quiet hope that would hardly have made him suitable company.
He had therefore expected a quiet evening alone and yet was somehow unsurprised when the doorbell rang loudly and he found Druscilla stood outside with a bottle of wine dangling from one hand and an expression that said she most definitely did not want to talk about the contents of her letter. "I feel bad. I had to shout at Percy. Cheer me up." She barked her orders and brushed past Remus into the house. "Anyone else in, or are we alone?" she wiggled her eyebrows in an irritatingly provocative manner and sashayed her way to the kitchen in search of a corkscrew.
Remus threw up his hands in defeat and followed his friend. "Yes, we're alone. The Weasleys are all at the Burrow, they asked me to join them but I didn't much feel like company." His hint fell on deaf ears. Druscilla was already rooting in a cupboard.
"Ah ha!" she pulled out a pair of mismatched wine glasses and set them down beside the wine bottle. "Corkscrew." She held out a hand expectantly and Remus found himself complying with her command and passing her the desired implement.
Dru, in typical fashion, did not bother to say thank you but busied herself opening the wine and passing Remus a glass.
A few minutes later they were settled in an upstairs sitting room with a fire burning in the grate. Dru had abandoned her tailored jacket and her shoes and was curled up like a cat in an armchair across from Remus. She had said nothing further to explain her bad mood and was simply sipping her wine in a sullen manner.
"So come on, what did you shout at Percy for?" Remus pressed.
She snorted, "He's messing things up with Oliver, needed a good kick up the backside."
"Messing things up with Oliver? What exactly were you trying to do with Oliver?" Daft question really, he thought to himself, what did she usually do with handsome young men?
Druscilla laughed, "Oh Remus, I am not thinking of doing anything with Oliver." She sighed, "Of course at this rate I wouldn't place any bets on Percy doing anything either."
Remus frowned, oddly pleased to hear she wasn't in fact pursuing the young quidditch player but a little confused about where Percy came into any of this. "What? Dru, what are you talking about? I thought from your letter that Percy and Oliver's assignment was complete."
"Oh Remus, this is not about an assignment!" She laughed again and shook her head, "Never mind, we'll have to wait and see if he pulls his head out of his arse on this one. I just hate having to yell at him."
"You two seem to make a good team," Remus commented.
"When he's not busy being idiotic he's quite brilliant!" Druscillla sipped at her wine. "He'll go a long way, he has all the talent and determination I had at his age but it's combined with a strong sense of right and wrong that I'll admit I may not have had at any age."
"You're certainly quite similar in some respects. You're both very intelligent, dedicated, work-orientated people."
"Work-orientated," Druscilla pulled a face, "That sounds like a nice way of saying workaholic."
"Well, you do both put your jobs before your personal lives a lot. I mean, you clearly chose a career over settling down and having a family and I could see him doing the same thing."
"Well, certainly the way he's going about things at the moment," Druscilla muttered moodily. The thought of there being similarities between herself and her workaholic, uptight assistant was not a pleasing one. Much as she liked Percy she'd be the first to admit that his personal relationships tended to leave a lot to be desired and having just kicked him up the arse about his inability to get a grip on his personal life she wasn't keen to discover she might need the same thing herself. "And I never wanted to settle down and have a family so there wasn't really a choice to make. Anyway, I like to think I'm rather more fun than poor Percy."
Remus laughed, "Well you certainly don't have his restraint!"
"Restraint! Hah!" She gestured emphatically with her wine glass, "I can be restrained, I haven't actually killed Fudge yet!"
They both laughed, "Yes, but in recent months I got the distinct impression that was because Percy had stopped you!" Remus grinned.
"What can I say, I maybe partly employed him to be my professional conscience."
"Are you implying you have a personal conscience of your own because I've not seen much evidence of this," Remus' eyes sparkled with mischief.
She smiled, "Yes you have, every time you look in a mirror." She sighed, stood up and wandered over to adjust the collar of his shirt, "Though by the looks of it, you don't do that that often. Certainly not often enough." She smirked at the shocked expression on his face. "What? Thought you were just someone I liked to entertain myself with when I had nothing better to do?"
His expression said that that was exactly what had crossed his mind at times. "Oh, Remus, have a little self-confidence, after all there's nothing sexier on a man."
He shook his head at her and laughed quietly, "You really can't behave yourself for long can you?"
"You'd get bored if I did," she winked and poured them both some more wine.
XXXXXXX
At The Burrow there were no New Year's celebrations, most of the family were sat downstairs with Neville and Luna awaiting midnight and trying to be cheerful. Percy's somewhat edited account of his day and the success he and Oliver had had in locating Harry had certainly helped with this. Indeed the only person looking less happy afterwards was Hermione and Neville strongly suspected that had to with Luna having hugged Ron impulsively. She had also hugged Neville, which had left him a little flustered, but had drawn back from hugging Hermione at the look on the other girl's face.
Percy had declined his family's invitation to join them and retreated alone to his room, ostensibly for an early night but in reality he had been sat at his desk attempting to work ever since; anything to stop himself from dwelling on the events of the day. He could hear the clock downstairs chiming midnight, ringing in the New Year and he hoped Oliver had changed his mind and gone to see his family in Scotland. He knew what it was like to be alone at New Year, he had been for the previous New Year as well. The memory of sitting in his dreary little London flat, staring at the clock and beginning to wonder where it had all gone so wrong, was still all too clear.
As the last chime sounded Percy threw down his quill. He'd twisted it through his fingers so many times that it was now almost useless and his hands were covered in ink. He was vaguely aware that the only thing keeping him from not being alone was himself but it just seemed easier to go to bed, sleep it off and ignore the uncomfortable train of thoughts his mind was trying to process.
XXXXXXX
Alone in his comfortable apartment Oliver had drunk at least a third of the bottle of whisky and was amazed he hadn't nodded off on the sofa yet. Even as the clock started to strike he found himself still hoping that Percy would turn up or even send an owl with an explanation. Even a transparent excuse would at least imply Percy cared enough to contact him, but at the last chime Oliver was still as alone and confused as at the first. He was aware that his actions on the beach had driven Percy away but he wasn't sure why, had he really misread things that completely? Percy had been warm, friendly, responsive and, for Percy, frankly even a little flirtatious. He'd accepted the invitation to spend New Year with Oliver but then when Oliver had touched him he'd jumped back like he'd been burned.
Oliver sighed and poured another glass of whisky. His bed was too far away and, to be blunt, too empty for him to bother removing himself to it. New Year's Eve alone on the couch, this whole glamorous world of professional sport was at times not all it was cracked up to be.
XXXXXXX
Remus Lupin had nodded off in a chair long before midnight but Druscilla had found herself content to sit quietly across from him and read a book as the fire crackled and popped cosily. As the midnight chimes started she got to her feet and stretched like a cat, smiling as she put on her shoes. She stopped by Remus' chair on her way out and draped a tapestried throw over him before bending down and kissing his cheek softly, "Happy New Year, Remus."
He stirred a little in his sleep as her breath ghosted over his ear making her long to stay but she would need to be in the Ministry early come morning, it was a New Year and she had only one resolution in mind. They were getting Harry back.
XXXXXXX
In the cold dark of a dungeon cell Harry Potter had lost track of the days so was unaware of the New Year celebrations now taking place across the country. He slept on obliviously, desperate for the escape sleep could bring. The nightmares that had once driven him to stay awake were now nothing compared to the waking world.
XXXXXXX
A/N: I really hope that was worth the wait. I'm not going to set dates for when you'll get the next chapter because I'm rubbish at sticking to things like that but I promise I'm working on it. The next one has Snape which always makes me happy.
In case anyone's interested, here are shortened versions of the entries from 'Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them' for the mentioned magical creatures.
Acromantula – The Acromantula is a monstrous eight-eyed spider cap[able of human speech. It originated in Borneo, where it inhabits dense jungle. Is distinctive features include the thick black hair that covers its body; it's leg span, which may reach up to 15 feet; its pincers, which produce a distinctive clicking sound when the Acromamtula is excited or angry.
Crup – The Crup originated in the southeast of England. It closely resembles a Jack Russell terrier, except for the forked tail. The Crup is almost certainly a wizard-created dog, as it is intensely loyal to wizards and ferocious towards muggles.
If you'd like to leave me a review I'd be delighted as always. :)