"It's been nearly a month and a half, why are you still trying to decipher that letter?" Charles inquired.
They had just finished eating breakfast in the Great Hall and were making their way to the Transfiguration classroom, walking through the vaulted corridors.
"Because I am getting sick and tired of not knowing stuff about me", Dreogan replied, irked.
"I wonder who could have left it, still. Has to be a Slytherin, no one else knows your Common room's password", Emerick stated.
"Head of House does, I bet other Professors can learn it if they wanted to."
"I doubt Professor Rawthorn knows this kind of information about me", Dreogan said.
"Harold Nott?" Charles asked next.
"I thought so too, but by his reaction when I…asked him, he didn't leave the letter or was the one who composed it", Dreogan shook his head.
"He could be lying?" Charles insisted.
"I didn't give him Verasaterum, but I don't think he was lying."
"Besides, you can bet if it was him, he'd be taunting you about how much more he knows about you than you", Emerick pointed out.
"Hmmm, yeah true", Charles conceded.
"Did you hear?" Dreogan heard two first years whispering behind them. "Azrail didn't join his father in the battle of Xi'an", said a short, auburn-haired, green eyed Gryffindor boy.
"Yeah, but even so, Cillian didn't lose, it was a long battle which ended in a stalemate, with lots of casualties on both sides", replied the second boy, a dark-haired Ravenclaw with an arched nose and blue eyes.
"You'd think he'd want his father to win", said the Gryffindor.
"The Imperium Arcana was never my brother's desire", Dreogan said before he could stop himself. So far, the two boys hadn't noticed who was in front of them. "Besides, he won a battle in Wales, devastating the Irish, UK and Spanish Aurors."
Had they been hit by electricity or a thunder, their surprised jump backwards, would have been less pronounced.
They looked at him, afraid.
"I want Azrail and Cillian defeated and dead as much as you do", he tried to assuage them.
"Doubt it, my mother was an Auror", said the Ravenclaw boy.
"There's no point, let's go", Claudia cut in.
"Traitor", whispered the Gryffindor boy.
"What did you say to me, half-pint?" Claudia snapped her head at him, enraged.
"What are you doin' hanging around with the enemy's brother?" he replied, feeling bolder.
"He possesses more honour, loyalty and bravery than you can even begin to dream of. Now, leave before I transform you into a cockroach or somethin'", she said with a piercing gaze and an iron demeanor.
"You'd be expelled for that!" The Ravenclaw tried his luck at intimidating her.
Claudia, slowly and with purpose, got her wand out. "Oh Professors, I…I – hick- I felt so threatened, I did! Two strong-looking boys against little ole' me! I was soooo mortified they'd hurt me!" She pretended to cry. "Sure, ya wanna risk it, peepsquicks? Think of the humiliation alone, transfigured into a roach, by a girl", she said, her expression back to brimstone and hellfire.
"What humiliation! No one would know!" the Gryffindor replied, trying to hide his fear.
Her lips turned into an evil sneer. "I'm a popular girl, with lots of girl friends in all four houses. Trust me, there won't be a person or even pet or stone in Hogwarts that won't know of it after I'm done with you two", She never broke eye contact with the Gryffindor boy.
Dreogan couldn't help a snort.
"Now, beat it and try to do your house more justice in the future, yeah?" She dismissed them.
"You're mah friend, but you're scary sometimes!" Charles laughed.
"Good, I dislike people messing with my friends", she stated.
Dreogan smiled his gratitude.
"Why wouldn't your brother arrive in time?" Emerick asked some time later.
"I dunno", Dreogan shrugged.
"Maybe he didn't arrive in time? I mean a raven can only fly so fast", Charles asked.
"While he does prefer raven travel to apparate, apparition is instantaneous and during the battle of Tours he proved he can apparate. Had he wanted to be there he would have been there, fought and been back for supper."
"Maybe he was after something else?" Claudia offered.
"He never does or does not do anything without a reason. He wasn't in China for a reason, but as to what his goal may be I dunno", Dreogan considered.
"Why though? I can't imagine him wanting Cillian to lose or the Coalition of Magical Governments to win", Emerick pondered.
"Search me. I don't know what goes on in that sick mind of his."
"Why indeed", Professor Jordan's voice came from behind a column, just before he appeared in front of them, his left hand, as always, gloved to the elbow. "It would seem your brother's agenda may no longer be the same as your father's anymore?"
"If it ever was, sir. Father does not realize Azrail is…his own, demented man. He sees him as a tool or a weapon to yield."
"Ah, astute observation, Mr. Dreogan. The question then becomes is your half-brother aware of this?" Professor Jordan seemed…happy at the conversation.
"I think…I think he is beginning to, Professor."
"You'll be late for class. Either of you may be trying for your respective Quidditch teams, mayhap?"
"I'm not the most athletic person, in Hogwarts", Emerick shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm going to!" Charles beamed.
"Of course, you will", Dreogan laughed. "I dislike broom-flying."
"I'm thinking about it. I kind of like the idea of bludgering boys off their…broomsticks", she smiled slyly.
"That's the spirit! Well off I go, good day to you all", Professor Jordan left.
"You're thinking about it?" Charles asked.
"Uhu, why?"
"Oh, nothing. You'll be good at it, I think", Charles shrugged.
"Damn straight!" They laughed. "Thanks."
"I wonder who will win the Hogwarts dueling championship this year?" Emerick mused.
"Probably a seventh-year, again", Charles groaned.
"Oh, I dunno. Angel Yang did really well last year, and he was only a fifth-year", Dreogan said, semi-excited.
"Yeah, I'd love it if my second cousin once removed could win this year", Emerick beamed.
"Cousin? I didn't know you two were related. He's so cool! And an animagus to boot", Charles nodded.
"Yeah, through our mothers' side. His mum was studying magical creatures and his dad saved her from a Penghou. Or at least that's the story of how they met. Funny thing, both my parents are muggles, yet mum's sister's a witch and I'm born magical", Emerick gave a smug grin. "His mum's a children's books writer now and his dad's a spellcaster at Gringotts."
"Woah! So cool! Spellcaster?" Charles talked fast.
"Curse-breakers make sure there's no curses on items or buildings, and if there are, they break, remove or undo them. Spellcasters do the opposite, they add spells on items or places, to secure them against intrusion or the like. Shiro Yang makes sure vaults and items in the bank remain protected."
"Cool!" Charles exclaimed, entering the transfiguration classroom.
"Sit down class, today we'll learn Avifors. This is what you need to know about the theory before we get started on learning the rest,", Professor Horsewood told them. They took notes then learned the incantation and wand movement as well as the transfiguration alphabet's word for it they needed to know.
"Well…that was funny!" Charles tried containing a laugh. Class had ended, and they were exiting.
Dreogan threw him an angry look.
"Come now, it was hilarious", Emerick said laughing. "Your wand creating that half-plucked, black chicken that egged on the Professor's head was downright the funniest thing I've ever seen."
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone as enraged as she was, before today", Claudia affirmed.
"I still don't know why sometimes it performs as it should and sometimes it fails so spectacularly."
"Might have to do with your emotions, wands are quasi-sentient after all", Claudia guessed.
Dreogan shrugged, exasperated. "I'm going to the library, wanna search something."
He headed to the library, alone. "Hello, sir. As pale as ever."
"Compliments will get you nowhere, Mr. Gaunt. What do you want?" Thorson tried not to smile.
I was wondering, sir if you know anything about Godric Gryffindor being greatly ashamed of or for anything he did?"
The librarian gazed deeply at him, making direct eye contact and maintaining it for a few seconds. "All humans have done things they regret, but I fear I have no book in this library containing what you describe", He said, finally.
"Oh…where would I search if I wanted to find something about it, sir?" Dreogan asked, disappointed.
"I think…you'll be better off in History of Magic, third row", Thorson replied, with a faint smirk.
"Thank you, sir. I know where it is."
After searching in the section of the library with books on History of Magic and History, and having found nothing, he straightened up. "Wait a second…" Exiting the Library, he made his way the short distance to the History of Magic classroom, next door.
Knocking on the door he entered the classroom. Sixth years were having a lesson.
"Yes, what is it, Mr. Gaunt?" Mr. Binns asked, in the same, unchanging, droning tone of voice.
"Oh, sorry Professor. I just have one question, please? What is Godric Gryffindor's greatest shame, if you know?" Dreogan asked, trying not to sound as excited as he was.
Mr. Beans eyed him in the same manner Mr. Thorson had. "The last person to have asked me this, do you know who it was?"
"No, sir", Dreogan shook his head.
"The only person in fact, ever", Mr. Binns paused for affect, realizing that for the first time in his career, alive or dead, he had everyone's undivided attention. "Your father."
"What – what did you tell him, sir?" Dreogan nearly choked on his own saliva.
"Same thing I'll tell you. I know nothing of what could possibly shame such a man to such a degree. There is nothing of it in the History books. The library is the only place, in this school, you might find something or anything about the subject."
"But Mr. Thors…oh that…" He run out. "Thanks Professor!"
"You…didn't mean…the section…", he panted.
"No", Still maintaining a serious face.
"You meant Mr. Beans", Dreogan continued panting, from the excitement as well as the running.
"Yes, calm your breath. Answers are not going anywhere, once you have them", The librarian kept his serious visage.
"You said "there's no book in this library, but I hadn't asked you about a book", Dreogan said.
Mr. Thorson smiled, wickedly.
"There was a book, wasn't there? And my father stole it."
"That is my belief, even if I can't prove it. That your father stole the book", Thorson nodded with his head.
"What was its tittle, sir?" Dreogan leaned in the librarian's desk, unable to control himself, anymore.
"Gryffindor's Greatest shame."
"You could have told me this from the start!" Dreogan whined.
"I could have, indeed. But then you would not have used your brain to find out. And I would not have had my bit of fun."
"What did the book say?"
"That I don't know, despite popular belief I've not read all of the books stored in this place…yet."
"Thank you, sir", Dreogan left the library, so lost in his thoughts he bumped on a Slytherin girl on his way out, without even noticing.
He headed to the Dungeons, and the deserted, due to the time of day, Slytherin common room.
"Let us see, how powerful House elf magic really is. No human can apparate inside Hogwarts without permission", He breathed out. "Averill!"
Not a second later the House Elf popped in front of him.
"Yes…Master's son?" He said with no lack of disgust in his voice.
"I order you to bring me the book "Gryffindor's Greatest Shame" from father's library, in his study."
"No, sir", Averill shook his pointy-eared head.
"What do you mean no? I am your Master's son, you can't deny me when I've given you an order!" Dreogan felt anger rise within.
"I can ignore it if it contradicts one of my Master's orders. And that book is no longer in Master Gaunt's private library. He sold it to a close friend and ally", Averill sneered, happy with himself at being able to deny Dreogan his order.
"Who? Tell me who!" Dreogan felt like he wanted to choke the House Elf.
"Master told me "Never tell anyone who, Averill. No one ever!" Master's son, Azrail tortured me to tell him who, but I never told him. I would never betray Master's confidence", Averill said proud of himself.
"Ugh! Damn you and your fucking loyalty to my father, leave."
Averill dissaparated.
"Okay, that letter can't mean that book if I have no way of acquiring or reading it. Unless they didn't know…no, can't be they know something like that about me, but don't know where a book is!" He is mumbling to himself, pacing back and forth in the common room.
"Maybe they never meant the book? Maybe I'm supposed to read between the lines and piece it together?" He took out the envelop with the letter he kept, always, in his inside pocket in his school robes.
"The sum of four, and time, to find out who you are, find Gryffindor's greatest shame..", He reread the letter.
"I don't think the rest matters. Sum of four and time. All his work? How could one deed or action undo a lifetime's worth of work when you're Godric Gryffindor? He valued courage, loyalty and Honour above all else. He was friends with Salazar Slytherin, but their friendship deteriorated when Slytherin wanted to admit only pure-blooded kids in Hog…his greatest shame…undoing his work…LIES! TIME!" He felt electrified.
"I know what Harold Nott was bragging about!" His heart raced, his mind run faster than light. "I know what that reporter was going to write about!"
7