Hey everyone!
Somewhat frazzled today, so I'll just get down to writing.
Onwards! Chapter 16.
***
Reporter Extraordinaire Found Murdered!
Rita Skeeter was found dead, last night, killed by a horrible unknown curse and abandoned in a back alleyway in Hogsmeade. The murderers left an odd mark burned in her back, of a scarab beetle in distinct Egyptian style. This could be the signature of these unashamed killers that deprived the wizarding world of a herald for truth and objective journalism. Who knows what Rita Skeeter discovered and was silenced for? Her associate in the Daily Prophet says that she was deep in a new article regarding the mysterious offspring of the ambivalent Severus Snape, Rasmus Octavian Snape who has been reported to be already adept in exotic and dangerous curses from Greece, where he grew up.
It has also been affirmed that he is not the illegitimate son of Lily Potter, but rather the illegitimate son of Aello Galanou, of a family notorious for dabbling in extremely dangerous and potent magic. While she is most known for her contribution to the wizarding world of such helpful things as the Asthma-Relieving Potion and the Sterilizing Charm for living creatures, she was also known to use unsolicited methods for her magical research. That she died of Craigh disease, the sickness of magical energy drain, is not unrelated to her dabbling in dangerous, extreme and even- some would say- dark magic. One can safely assume her son will have be enimbued with the same dangerous, bordering-on-dark principles. This information was already part of Rita Skeeter's research. What else did she discover about the Snape line that was worth losing her life over?
In deference to the honour of Severus Snape as one of the most important war heroes, we must also say that the murder could be unrelated to the particular story she was researching, and she may have stumbled upon some other nefarious situation unraveling in Hogwarts or the vicinity. The hideous curse that hit her is suspiciously similar- or even identical- to the killing method of ex-auror Guiren Bai, who was dismissed for using this nearly unforgivable curse of his on Death Eaters he was supposed to arrest, not murder. Could Rita's murder be related to him?
We are waiting for the results of the Ministry investigation of the murder, and hoping that by the time of her funeral, on Friday, we will know considerably more.
May every reporter aspire to reach Rita Skeeter's sense of conscience and truth in journalism.
Minerva was split between breathing in relief and scowling at Rita Skeeter's death. She was quite happy to be rid of the horrible floozy that thrived on cheap gossip rather than serious reporting- but Rita had managed to make even her death troublesome and a gossip fest. She peered at the name of the reporter signing the drivel announcing the murder. Hoyt Cam Kade. Was that even a name?
Her fireplace flared and a secretary asked her if she had a moment for Minister Isa Dawlish to speak with her. Minerva was sorely tempted to say no, but she knew that it would be a mistake with Isa. She took her job quite seriously and felt she had to work twice as much to convince the conservative wizarding world that a woman in the position of minister was a wise choice. Her name had helped in her election, but that was about it. And since an epidemic of dragon pox had cause Isa Dawlish to shuffle through Hogwarts' hygiene regulations in every way known to man, McGonagall had no doubt that a murder would provide a new sort of administrative hell for the Headmistress if she wasn't careful.
So she said yes.
***
Minerva hated to do this to Nikos Galanos, but she felt she couldn't trust Bai with someone like Isa Dawlish. She hoped Nikos would. She smiled tightly at the woman sitting opposite her- she was dark blonde, tightly swathed in her dark green and yellow robes. There was a pendant dangling just over her stomach, which Minerva knew was a watch and stop-watch. The minister was sitting at the very edge of her chair, lips tight- they seemed to strive to take the smallest possible space on her face- and eyes glancing here and there suspiciously.
"Tea, Minister?" McGonagall asked. Dawlish shook her head.
"No, thank you. The only reason I came through the floo instead of simply talking to you is to get the information you won't just relay to me, and maybe be convinced why not to employ the Unspeakables to investigate this," she said in a dry voice.
"I would not dream of stopping you from using Unspeakables, Madame Minister," McGonagall tapped for a tea tray anyway, "but rather from using the Auror department, or the Law Office- where the sources of all the Daily Prophet reporters are. This cannot be known."
"Hm," Dawlish sipped the tea she had refused.
There was a polite knock on the door although Minerva knew Nikos had used the password outside to enter her office.
"Please, Mr. Galanos, come in," she said. Nikos entered. Minerva's heart tightened. The man was obviously tired and sleepless. His eyes were heavy lidded, though very sharp and alert. His face had about a day's stubble, and his clothes were clean, but still disheveled- his shirt was not tucked in, and the sweater just pulled over it. His hair was sticking out at places, not quite long for a ponytail, but not short enough to be tame. The moment he glanced at the Minister he straightened up a little, and looked at McGonagall.
The Headmistress rose and made the introductions.
"Minister Dawlish, meet Mr. Nikolaos Galanos. He teaches advanced Arithmancy in the Athens School of Magick, and Heal-"
"I am aware of who Mr. Galanos is," Dawlish said. "Auguror- summoner of dark spirits. The type that demonize all things magical."
Nikos chuckled and shook his head.
"You wrong me, Minister. I could use Augury to summon spirits- light or dark- but I actually use it to get a feel of what, say, the next step should be. And you will thank me soon, once you hear how two war heroes' remains were nearly used for dark purposes- but were not, because of your friendly Greek Auguror."
Isa Dawlish paled a little.
"So there is something going on in Hogwarts that got Rita Skeeter killed!" she exclaimed. "Whose remains?! Not Dumbledore's!"
"And Severus Snapes," McGonagall said. "But we transferred their bodies, and swapped them in the graves with …" she trailed off and looked to Nikos for help. He obliged.
"…what they'd want to use but would also help me see what they are up to in Augury."
"And where are the-the real remains?"
"Over there," Nikos pointed with a smile at two urns. "Where they can be honoured and not used."
Dawlish stood up straight scandalized.
"You turned the two Headmaster's of the War into ASH!?" she screamed. "That's disrespectful!"
"It would be more disrespectful if we were turned into dark potions ingredients," came Snape's drawl from his portrait.
"That would be most unpleasant, I have to agree," Albus nodded conversationally.
Dawlish looked to the side thoughtfully.
"You seem to have a plan about this," she said, looking at Minerva and Nikos.
"We definitely would need your help to make it fool proof," Nikos said with a smile, looking at the minister in the way that always unsettled McGonagall.
It seemed to flatter Isa, though. Her mouth twitched, and she huffed.
"Tell me what you are doing, and if it washes, I will… support it."
***
Rasmus woke up, but didn't feel like stirring. He was so very tired, and comfortably numb.
He didn't understand why he was so tired since he had been sleeping. Unless he had woken up and he didn't realize it. That would mean I was sleeping anyway. Rasmus chuckled to himself. My thoughts are silly. That's what mum says.
"Darling? Are you awake?"
That's not mother.
No, it couldn't be, could it? Mother was dead, and he was in Hogwarts, not Athens. And he was tired because he'd nearly died. He sighed, and forced himself to open his eyes. Poppy Pomfrey's face came into focus. She was waving a crimson potion vial in his face.
"You must drink your Blood Replenisher potion right away, dear. And after that, we'll see if you can get some ice cream."
Rasmus frowned.
"Ice-cream?" he croaked and winced. Talking hurt his throat as if a grating paper had replaced his windpipe and vocal cords. He toned it down to a whisper. "For breakfast?"
Poppy chuckled as she very gently helped him sit up. Rasmus noticed his bandaged arms but chose not to think about how they began itching the moment he looked at the white strips around them or how they began burning the moment he raised his hands to get the vial. Poppy let him handle it, and wandlessly ensured that he would take it to his lips successfully. If he was anything like his father, and Poppy knew he was from the moment she laid eyes on him, he would want his dignity intact.
"You are lucky; it's the only thing you can have today due to your throat and esophagus. Tomorrow, we can switch to normal, but light food. Just warm, though. You can't eat anything hot this week."
Rasmus swallowed the viscous potion and made a face, then let Pomfrey lower him back down. He panted and cold sweat had broken on his forehead. But he didn't let himself consider that, either. His mind threatened with the memory of how that curse had felt in the courtyard, the feeling of certain death- and he didn't want to think about it. Not while he was panting and feeling so weak he had to be supported by good willing wandless and silent spells.
He sighed and managed to smile lopsidedly.
"B-but Prof…essor Frideswide told me not to… eat anything sweet yet. From that… copperhead."
"Copperhead?" cried Poppy in horror. Rasmus realized the Potions mistress hadn't shared that with the school nurse. But Poppy huffed anyway and shook her head. "Well then, we'll just need to give you ice cream that isn't sweet. How about bread and butter flavoured?"
***
And that's that for now! I'm exhausted, and couldn't bring myself to write the next scene. I hope you like this one anyway! I hope you don't mind Rita's exit…
Zoe Bright: I really like Nikos, too! Can't wait to get him into a real fight. (Though he avoids those!)
Duj: Well actually, Harry was looking at Rasmus, not Bai. He and Hermione were getting ready to whisk him off the curse's path.
RebeccaRoy: I certainly do know about Viking berserkers! And how accomplished sailors they were, too.
Silverweed- Ella Jonquille: Thank you! I am happy you do. I like to tell stories, and the setting is just the story stage ;) But I must ask, if you want to tell me, what you mean by 'self-contained' in a story?
And that's that! Till tomorrow!