Chapter 14

Severus had urged Harry to make an early start on the pretext of him being back at the warehouse to do some business that afternoon, but his in reality he was keen to sample the tradition breakfast fare at the foot market. So by 8.30 they were at a stall buying fresh warm bread.

"This is a lot like working with Ron, "observed Harry. "A culinary tour of the food sellers linked to the investigation. I am an expert on several areas of the UK."

"This is an unanticipated side effect of Polyjuice potion,"observed Severus.

Although they sampled a number of delicacies, they were heading down the narrow alley towards the Magicum Taberna by 9am.

"He might not be there yet, "warned Harry. "He seems the sort of chap who would make his assistant open up."

"That is certainly possible," agreed Severus thinking that they could pop back to the market for another coffee and maybe a pastry if that were the case. He stumbled into the back of Harry.

"Potter you can't just ….."Severus stopped. The shop had disappeared. The space where the shop had been had disappeared and the two properties on either side appeared to have been squashed and stretched to fill the gaps.

"What the?" said Harry.

Severus slid the Elder Wand discreetly into his hand and tested the magical residue. It was very faint.

"Obliteration spell, very powerful, dark magic. Would be undetectable with my normal wand."

"I don't understand why he would do this?"

"He wanted to disappear. Permanently, by the looks of it. It was a Death Eater failsafe spell. Get away from the authorities, leave no clues "

"But why?"

Severus nudged him, "Look who's here."

Harry turned to see Gerard with his mouth wide open walking up the street.

"Hi"

"What? where?"

"I take it you were not given formal notice?" Severus observed.

"Where's the shop? "

"Gone. I'm afraid," said Severus drily "And your job with it I would imagine."

"I take it Mr Schmit had not warned you he was planning to leave?" asked Harry.

Cleary stunned, Gerard shook his head. His eyes riveted on the place where the shop had been.

"Saves on redundancy costs, "muttered Severus.

"You look like you need a coffee," said Harry.

"Or something stronger, "muttered Severus.

"Let's find somewhere to sit and chat."

"There's a Cafe on the main street."

"Lead the way," encouraged Harry.

"Cake and pastries !" thought Severus/Ron

Severus bought two coffees and a hot chocolate, while Harry got the man settled at the back of the café by the fire.

"Drink your chocolate and have pastry, "encouraged Harry. "You've had a shock"

Severus stirred his coffee and discreetly chose a chocolate twist pastry.

"Has he left for good do you think?" asked Gerrld

Harry hesitated and glanced at Severus, who nodded.

"I think so yes. I take it he has never done anything like this before?"

Gerard shook his head. "He's been in that shop since I was a child. " He took a sip of hot chocolate. "I'm going need a new job aren't I?"

Harry nodded sympathetically.

"Can you tell me what happened yesterday after we left?"

Gerard shrugged, "He questioned me closely about the questions you asked me,"he said looking at Severus. "He didn't seem very pleased that I had mentioned his mother, but that was it. After about ten minutes he went back to checking the stock and doing his research."

"What time did you leave?" asked Harry.

"About 6pm. I waved goodbye. He ignored me as a matter of fact, a patronus had just arrived."

"Who was it from?"

"His mother's care home I think, it was a snake I've seen it a couple of times before," said Gerard. "My mum's going to be annoyed that I have lost my job. She thought it would be steady employment."

"You can tell your mum he is being investigated by the aurors, she will probably be pleased that you have to move on," pointed out Harry.

After another hot chocolate, a few questions about Lubricus who he had never met, and more reassurance Gerard headed home. As soon as he was at the door, Harry headed outside to the alley behind the café and discreetly cast a patronus which he briefed with a short report on the discovery and sent it on its way to head office.

"Why don't you go back inside and have another pastry, "said Harry kindly "It could be a while before I get a reply."

Severus was momentarily annoyed. "Is that what Ron and you normally do?"

Harry smiled and nodded.

"I'll get a table by the window."

It was half an hour before Harry reappeared. Severus was relieved. His normal self was too embarrassed to order any more pastries, whatever his body was telling him.

"Well?"

"He's definitely done a runner. He's cleared out all his accounts overnight."

Severus nodded. "Does it look like he had been planning it for a while?"

Harry shook his head sadly. "Nope. It looks like he took a decision yesterday afternoon."

"After our visit?" confirmed Severus.

Harry nodded.

"Looks like we hit a nerve."

"Yes but how?" mused Harry. "What are we missing? I mean we only realised last night that he might have seen Lubricus shortly before he died and we got nothing to tie him to Trank's death."

"What did HQ say?"

Harry sighed. "Follow all leads. Which means we have to go back to the care home again."

Severus groaned.

Harry nodded. "No choice, I'm afraid."

Severus nodded. "Let's get on with it then."

Severus noticed immediately that Helga, the receptionist, did not look surprised to see them.

"I'm afraid we need to see Mrs Schmit again for a few minutes," confirmed Harry after the initial exchange of greetings.

"I had a feeling we'd be seeing you two again. She's still in her room, you might find it best to talk to her there in private."

"You were expecting us?" observed Severus.

Helga paused, "Yes I thought you might arrive sometime today. I'm not sure she will talk to you though. "

"Why's that? "asked Severus although he feared he already knew the answer.

"Her son arrived shortly after you left yesterday."

"You let him know of our visit? "

The receptionist nodded. "He'd left strict instructions that he was to be informed about all his mum's visitors."

"Is that normal?" asked Harry.

Helga shrugged, "Some relatives request that we do so but not many."

"He was unhappy she had seen us?" observed Severus.

Helga nodded. "He was very cross and she was quite upset. He apologised afterwards but the damage was done. "

"We'll try not to upset her any further but I'm afraid we will need to ask her a few questions," said Harry firmly.

Severus knew immediately that they would get little out of her, but Harry persisted gently for almost an hour using all the Harry Potter charm he could muster. Mrs Schmit was wearing an elaborate red velvet house robe. She was fully made up and Severus judged she had anticipated their visit and had applied her war paint accordingly.

"I understand your son paid you a visit yesterday evening?"

"Johan is a dutiful boy. He is very good to his old mum. Look at the wonderful care he has arranged, " she gestured round the room.

"I'm sure he's very thoughtful, "agreed Harry. "We need to see Johan again to ask him a few more questions but when we went to his shop this morning, it had gone. "

"He's gone away on business that's all. He finds the most remarkable objects. "

"Do you have any idea where he might have gone?"

"South America probably. They have some wonderful wands there."

"Did he tell you that was where he was going?"

"I didn't interrogate him Mr Potter! He's a big boy now. Old enough to look after himself."

"Was Johan angry last night?"

"Angry," she repeated opening her eyes wide. "Why should he be angry?"

"Because you had spoken to us"

She laughed. "My son is a busy man. My visitors are not of the least importance to him, he had far more pressing concerns."

Harry changed tack.

"When you were still in the shop, do you remember a visit from an auror, called Lubricus?"

The signs of recognition were barely perceptible but Severus spotted them without difficulty.

"I don't recall the name, so many customers."

"He was an investigator," said Harry. "Maybe wanting to know about one of your clients and embezzlement?"

For a moment, Severus got a sense of confusion then nothing.

"I see so many people and my memory is failing, as Johan says I get confused, I can't help you any further."

And that, was that. Harry persisted for another twenty minutes or so and then said his goodbyes.

"I am not covering myself with glory in this investigation, "said Harry ruefully.

"She was determined not to help. "Said Severus. "Schmit had clearly warned her off."

"Was she lying when she said she didn't know where he is?" asked Harry hopefully.

Severus shook his head. "I' don't think so, she was surprised when you said the shop had disappeared."

"Great ! "said Harry.

"It is hardly surprising that he has not told her, "said Severus. "She loves to gossip. She did remember Lubricus."

"Just didn't want to help us after Johan had told her off," said Harry bitterly.

"Possibly. But the implications are interesting."

"Why?"

"Thank about it Harry. We have Lubricus in that food market on 30 August?"

Harry nodded.

"So, she was in the Care Home by then."

Harry's eyelight up, "So she must have met him before then. Lubricus visited them more than once."

"Or at least once but before his trip to Munich in late August. "

Harry nodded, "We now know that Lubricus visited the Taberna but not necessarily on 30 August."

"Excactly. " Severus nodded, "Plus from her reaction, she seem afraid for some reason and surprised. "

"Why was she surprised?"

"I don't know," said Severus.

"Will you be back?" asked Helga

"I'm not sure," admitted Harry honestly.

"Has Mr Schmit done a runner? " she inquired shrewdly.

Harry looked surprised.

"He paid 6 months up front last night,"she explained. "Classic signs of someone clearing the decks. "I suspect that will be the last we see of him. "

"What about his mother?"

She shrugged, "We might get paid via some anonymous bank account, we've had cases like that before, or we hear nothing further and have to apply to the Ministry for a grant to cover the cost. "

"Which do you think it will be in this case?" asked Severus curiously.

She paused, "He'll find a way to pay," she concluded.

"Really?" said Severus surprised.

"He doesn't' like her much, "agreed Helga. "And he gets annoyed with her, Talks too much doesn't she?"

Harry nodded.

"But I sense an overwhelming debt, so I reckon that guilt, whatever it is will mean we get the money to keep mummy in the style to which she has become accustomed, even if we don't see him again."

"Will she mind do you think?" asked Harry.

Helga shook her "She'll pretend he's away on business, or touring the world. It's amazing the excuses they'll come up with. "

"Well thank you for your help. "

Harry moved towards the door.

"Are you going to track him down?"

"We're going to try, "said Harry.

"Has he done something wrong? "

"I'm sorry we can't.. "

"It's just.."

Harry turned back towards her.

She blushed

"I went out with him a couple of times, just for dinner. I don't know if he really liked me or she just wanted to ensure his mum was well looked after."

Harry waited, eyes alert completely unthreatening.

"It was something about him you know. It was like he was putting on an act. Talking about things and places he had read about rather than experienced. "

Severus looks sceptical.

"I can tell you know," she said defensively. "It is something you get a lot of exposure to in this job. The resident tells you about their lives and it is usually a mixture of truth and wishful thinking. Over the years you get to sense which is which."

Harry nodded encouragingly "You thought he wasn't genuine."

"Yeah, that's right. "

"Any idea where he might have gone to if he has disappeared?"

"He talked about so many places, places he read about. The only time he seemed genuine was when he was talking about his business and his early childhood in Gottingen."

"Gottingen?"

"Yeah, he lived on a farm near Knutsbuhren. Seemed genuinely fond of it. A time he was happy, you know?"