Disclaimer: The same as the previous chapters.
Chapter 63
Severus Snape stood stunned as he mumbled aloud, "This piece of work is owned by Miss Minerva Estella Evanson. Minerva Estella Evanson." Turning abruptly, he started pacing about the room, tapping the photograph on one of his palms, muttering to himself. Then, he walked back to the painting and took it off the hinges. The painting mirrored the simple mechanism of a door. Studying the hinges for once, he realized them to be ordinary muggle-made, while Harry narrowed his brows at the two dust lines creating a rectangle within a rectangle. Exclaiming aloud, he drew Draco Malfoy's attention," Look, two dust lines, it proves there was another picture frame hanging here. The older one was smaller and see for yourself Malfoy, the dust line is thicker and darker and the bigger newer one."
Draco nodded at the excited man and went back to watching Snape who kept on studying the back of the painting minutely. When the silence grew too much for him he tried," What are you looking for Severus?"
Muttering absent-minded, the man informed," Date Stamp, all paintings when sold have a card printed or pasted. Here!" pointing his wand he muttered a spell and the two-man who had by now crouched beside the headmaster, read aloud," This piece of work is a gift to Lilac Evansage. So that was the name she took up. The date stamped here is just a year before you were born, Harry. Which would mean, Red Lady or Red Lilac was active in hunting death eaters and dark relics including Horcruxes. Potter is there a way, in which you can make the Muggle relations department pull up files of transfer of ownership of this piece of art? Because, I am sure, this was an important clue."
Freya chuckled at that and mused," And what clue would that be Severus?" resting her fingers over her sword, she leaned over the door frame and smiled encouragingly. The dwarves were watching the three attentively.
As if talking to an old friend, Snape explained enthusiastically,"I doubt that this painting first belonged to Griphook, Lily might have got hold of that after she had accomplished something of great significance. And Hermione too had got that after she had accomplished something huge. But the first stamp says 'a gift' and the second called it 'owned by'. Potter, look at this house and look at this painting and tell me what is the first thing that you notice?"
Draco spoke ahead of him and pointed out," Everything here wants all three of us to be present. And most importantly it involves you, and not the goblins. The vault does not allow the goblins and the house too, well perhaps is not meant for the goblins to prowl about and not all wizards can come in. Does this mean she wanted all of us to be involved, or she wanted us to learn of this in one way or the other? Like if Potter suddenly realized, Granger is missing he would come here and then he would go to you or the Head Auror Shacklebolt. But only three wizards would be allowed at all times, the three of us."
Potter joined in," The whole place no longer looks lived in, rather it is like a resting place, a place of utility of sorts. A place to plan as well. But why would Mum go by the name Evanson and Evansage…? Oh! I see."
Fobs from the doorway chortled, his head tilted towards Malfoy," Okay Ladie, I take back my words, you do have a sharp brain, Missy says, you were always just a step behind her. Well, well you earned it nevertheless. And don't turn a prune and stutter, you got better things to do."
Freya turned to Snape and smiled," As I said, she never left you, your Lilac." Then looked pointedly at the bare wall, and shimmered away. Snape marched up to the shot and peered at it. Poking his wand at a spot, he ended up releasing a loose brick. Inside the cavity, he found just a single red phoenix feather. Harry had conjured a collecting pouch and they sealed the feather inside for further studies.
Turning on the spot, the headmaster looked about and questioned the man who killed Voldemort twice," You mentioned that the Grangers lived a regular muggle life," then turning to Draco he added," and you were sure, the visiting death eaters found nothing here. I recall, Yaxley and the others being thoroughly reprimanded, Noxfinger died that night as well," turning back to Potter he spoke carefully," you think Hermione utilized this as a planing base, but we have already considered her Gringotts vault as...of course it makes sense, she could not risk being seen, coming in and out of the Bank. But here, in this muggle locality, she could mix well within the backdrop, without being noticed." Stepping around the rug, he noticed the coffee mug rings and nodded enthusiastically," Was Granger inclined to drinking...no some rings are smaller as well. I remember, she would surround herself with huge tomes and literally get buried behind them in Hogwarts library."
Potter grinned and nodded back," well, that was how she would do her homework and voluntary research, so this rug in front of the fireplace worked as her own research area. And that too under that painting with Mum's photograph hidden behind it...but why the Phoenix feather, Sir?"
Staring hard at the man with ever tousled hair, Snape gently pocketed the picture of Lily, a gesture that made Draco look away and suggested," You said these shelves had books lined up in them previously. But ever since we are in this room, only the painting and the ghosts have emitted magical auras. I don't feel any other presence down here. So, where are those plans, charts and maps and notes and research work, she worked on for the last time?"
Draco seconded that thought," Exactly, according to the Bank records, Hermione did not go back there after her return to Britain. She went back to the Ministry of Magic and Blaise mentioned she would just mumble, 'going home' to after at the end of the day. I know she would come down to the archives, but then this is the only place that is close to considering "her home"..."
The three men had grown quieting, turning over the clues they had in hand trying to fix the constantly changing mysterious puzzle on their hand when a soft voice surprised them.
It was coming from above and it seemed like a little girl was singing a lullaby to herself. Alarmed, Severus had turned to Freya, who just nudged her head towards upstairs and said," Oh! She is finally awake. Now, Severus, promise me, you won't be your horrid, snarky self. Or else you would be upsetting Little Hermione. It took us nearly three days to find ourselves in her good books. She knows you are here. We will be down here, guarding this floor. Now, go up and don't make too much noise, or the muggles will end up calling the flashing flights and blurring horns." Beside her, the three triplet-dwarves Knights of the Undead showed them their misty thumbs and shimmered away.