Fan fiction: Harry Potter
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter. I own the original characters. Any similarities to persons living or dead are coincidental.
Rated R: For violence, some language, mature content, and eventual slash. Though I haven't decided how much, you have been warned.
Author's Notes: Left you hangin' off a cliff, didn't I? Well it was either that or have you wait another three or four months for the chapter. Instead you only wait three or four months more for this chapter.
"For the hundredth time, he wore a mask and it was dark," Eric told the detective. "I wish I could tell you more but the fact of the matter is I can't. All I know is that I'm alive and that's all that matters to me."
"Very well," the police detective replied sadly, "We'll do our best but to be honest sir, without more to go on I doubt we will be able to capture your assailant."
"I understand, detective. Thank you."
The policemen who were questioning Eric left his hospital room without another word. Eric furrowed his brow in frustration. They had asked him far too many questions. Questions he had to think up lies for on the spot. Thankfully, the police didn't dig to much into his false identity. He had little time to put much background into it and any in depth investigation would reveal that.
At least he was being released today. If he had to stay one more day in this god forsaken hospital he was bound to kill someone. The only good thing about his near month long hiatus was it gave him time to think about the fight that put him there in the first place.
His assailant was a wizard. At the time he didn't think of it because all the wizards were thought dead, but everything fit into place. The wand, the spell, everything. He remembered everything he learned as a Knight of Merlin's Keep. He would have to do some research to refresh that memory, but he knew the answers were there.
This also meant that the boy who Prometheus had given the key was also a wizard. Their auras were far to similar. If he couldn't find his assailant, then he would look for the boy. The boy may have the answers he needed.
Eric carefully finished dressing in what remained of his clothes. His shirt was completely ruined as the surgeons had to cut it off him to operate but the hospital graciously allowed him to keep the gown he wore during his stay. He grimaced as he tucked the gown into his black denims. Even though he could not use the arm that had been shot, moving and stretching with the other arm sent spike of pain throughout his body.
Thankfully he would not have to deal with the pain much longer. His cabal's healer would see to the wound and by evening it would almost be as if he had never been shot. Then he would begin his search in earnest for the boy.
Tracking down the mysterious man wasn't hard. After all, how often do people in Surrey get shot. The hard part was observing him, and for that, Darrin had to use practically every trick he knew.
The man's name according to the hospital was Charles Uesef Farley. Darrin suspected that this was a false name. He remembered he'd heard a very similar name from an old business associate from the states. Something to do with insulting the government or other, but that was neither here nor there.
Darrin was reluctant to get too close to the man as he had some sort of power. The man wasn't a wizard in the classic sense, but the fact that he had mostly repelled his Vermillious spell meant he had some sort of magic shield. Plus the fact that he had Apparated without a wand.
All these things ran through Darrin's head as he tried to figure out what manner of being this 'Charles' was. Certainly nothing Darrin had come across before. He suspected that Dumbledore knew something, but as usual the old codger was being quite elusive. But Darrin was used to that.
The blond Irishman watched as the mystery man was discharged. He followed as close as he could but it was difficult because the streets were full with pedestrians. The mystery man turned the corner and left Darrin's sight for only a few seconds, but it apparently was enough for him to disappear entirely because he was no where to be seen.
Darrin cursed his luck and continued cautiously on his way, finding a secluded spot for him to pull his own disappearing act. He arrived safely in his own apartment with a crack. Thankful once again for having the walls sound-proofed, he hastened to his desk to write Bill an update. Something in the back of his mind told him there was no time to lose.
The sanctum was decorated with ornate tapestries, figurines and furniture. When one walked in it was if they were transported back a thousand years. The walls were of simple stone and mortar and the stained glass windows were authentic and beautiful.
Even a man as cold as Eric couldn't help but be inspired by the ancient glory of the architecture. And inspired he was as he appeared with a pop.
Several heads turned to the noise and after satisfying that it was no one unwelcome turned away again. All but one.
"You're late," rumbled a deep bass voice. The man behind the most ornate and well-aged desk stood as he spoke. He was an imposing man, tall and broad shouldered. The expensive suit that he wore was tailored just tight enough to show that his size was not a trick of the light.
Eric almost laughed. The other man was physically strong and well-abled and he respected that, but he lacked Eric's more unique talents and training. Both knew who would win if they fought. However, the man was their leader and it would not do to make him lose face in front of the others, especially as none of them liked or respected Eric all that much.
And the unfortunate fact was that Eric needed this group to not only find Merlin's Keep, but deal with the knights as well.
Eric walked into the main atrium with a forced smile.
"Traffic was impossible," He replied sardonically, "I was the unfortunate victim of road rage."
The leader remained silent, just glaring his rich brown eyes into Eric. Eric stared back just as intensely. The other man finally relented.
"So what happened?"
"I was shot, Nostramus. I would've thought you'd known that especially since it was all over the Surrey newspapers."
"My faith in your abilities is faltering, Lear. What you're basically telling me is that you let someone get the drop on you."
Eric curled his lip in restrained disgust as he walked over to a young woman reading an old book. "Truth be told I had the drop on him, however skilled as I am, even I have to lose at some point. Fate was not my friend that night and at the risk of sounding melodramatic I am truly lucky to be alive."
He snapped his fingers at the woman impatiently. She looked up, annoyed at his interrupting her reading. After an intense stare at his wound she went back to hear reading. Eric sighed as he stripped his shirt and bandages. There was only a faint scar where the bullet had penetrated his skin.
"Thank you, my dear, your talents are almost remarkable."
Her only response was a rather profane sounding comment in a language he could not understand.
"Did you get the key?" Nostramus asked, getting impatient himself.
"No," Eric replied as he walked up a small spiral staircase, "The wizard who shot me had recovered it first. I was following him but due to an unfortunate set of circumstances I was discovered. We fought and the short of it is, he won."
He disappeared behind a heavy curtain for a moment despite just having gotten the entire groups attention and soon returned with a new black t-shirt in hand. Eric put it on as he climbed back down the stairs.
"However," the former Knight continued before Nostramus or anyone else could comment, "Now that I know what he is, I might still be able to find the key. This wizard had an aura not too dissimilar from our own. Now that I understand it better, I believe I may have a lead. The boy who had the key also had an aura similar to the wizard's. Too similar not to be connected. If he is a wizard then he probably goes to a wizarding school."
"You speak of the ancient school supposedly built by the founders of the Knights?" The healer spoke, "That's as preposterous as saying wizards still live. They were all wiped out during the Inquisition."
"And that my dear is as preposterous as saying the moon is made of blue cheese. I admit it's difficult to believe but the facts speak for themselves. The man who had defeated me used a wand and invoked his powers with words. No psychic power we've ever recorded manifests itself as a red beam. Not a flame mind you, a red beam. Like a laser only slightly more fluidic.
"There is no doubt this man was a wizard. It's is my contention that the boy is also a wizard. Prometheus gave him the key before he died. He would not have done so unless he felt the boy were trustworthy. I'd like to know what would have given him that idea."
"But you said this other wizard has the key," said a squat man in the back of the room. "What use is the boy to us then?"
"The wizard that I fought knew the key was there," Eric explained as he searched through the tall bookshelves. "The boy had been rescued by two men the morning before the fire. No one else knew the key was there so the boy must have told him about it. When we find the boy, we find the man who has the key. Now stop wasting my time with pointless questions and help me find the school."
The others looked to Nostramus for his lead. With his nod, they began their search for an ancient school of witchcraft and wizardry.
"This is absurd, Professor Dumbledore! Why are we even discussing this?" Minerva's voice was hard but quiet, "The rules are clear; Draco Malfoy must be expelled!"
"Unacceptable!" Professor Snape hissed back, barley controlling his temper. "If it was one of your precious Griffyndors-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Severus Snape!" Professor McGonogall cut him off with her well practiced voice of command. "This isn't some minor indiscretion. The boy tried to kill Harry Potter. You even told us yourself he didn't see it as a game. If it were a Gryffindor I would be demanding the same punishment and you damn well know it!"
Snape curled his upper lip in sheer disgust but didn't reply. If Minerva McGonogall was angry enough to swear then she was angry enough to cast a spell out of spite. Snape was a powerfully skilled wizard in his own right but he was no match against her Transfiguration. If she hurled a changing spell at him and hit, even Dumbledore would have some difficulty countering it.
"Professor Snape did have a point however, Professor McGonagall," the Headmaster interrupted gently, "It is clear that Draco is not entirely himself and considering what little he revealed to Professor Snape it is not surprising."
"All the more reason to keep him away from the other students," she replied, seemingly regaining her composure, "I agree that the boy needs help and that Azkaban is not in his best interest, but his interests alone should not dictate our actions. It is prudent that we consider the entire student body in this matter and with that, there is no room for argument. Draco Malfoy must leave Hogwarts."
Professor Sprout nodded her agreement most solemnly. Professor Flitwck gave no indication of agreeing or disagreeing.
"You would send him back to the snake's den, Minerva?" Snape's voice went soft and calm, "Azkaban would be a reward by comparison. I dare say I don't know who makes me more ill, Voldemort or Lucius Malfoy."
"What would you have me do, Severus?" she replied, much calmer than before but no less impassioned, "The good of the many must outweigh the good of the one."
Before Snape could come up with an answer, a large, white snowy owl soared through the window and landed on Dumbledore's desk with grace. Fwakes ruffled his feathers and chirped in mild annoyance at this new bird's intrusion into his space. Dumbledore removed the letter from the owl and gave it a nod.
"Thank you, Haley. There are some owl treats on the shelf." The Headmaster pointed to a shelf on the opposite wall as Fawkes' perch. He set the letter aside to continue his conversation with the Heads of Households.
"We must come up with a short term solution-Ouch!"
Haley was apparently not satisfied that the old professor had not read the letter and screeched softly his disappointment. Fawkes ruffled his feathers some more and his annoyed chirping started to carry a harder edge.
Dumbledore sighed, "I realize it is important, Haley," he admonished the owl,"but a student's life is at stake. Your letter will wait. You are welcome to stay in the school owlery and when I am ready to send a response, I will look for you there."
The owl flew off, Fawkes snapping at the air just behind him as he flew out the window. The other professors were used to Dumbledore's eccentricities but admonishing an owl as if it were human was stretching it a bit, even for him. The headmaster just ignored them and continued as if it had never happened.
"As I was saying, we must come up with a short term solution. Both of you have made valid arguments. Were it not for his current familial situation I must admit that I would be inclined to expel Mr. Malfoy immediately and ultimately, that will likely happen, but Professor Snape is correct; We cannot abandon him to his father." He looked at Minerva right in the eye, "I learned that lesson this summer."
Minerva scowled at being rebuked but it was clear that her mind had been swayed and for the moment she would relent. Professor Sprout looked disagreeable but said nothing, knowing it would be futile.
It was at this point that Professor Flitwick chose to speak.
"Perhaps an in-house suspension?"
The other professors looked at him as if he were speaking a foreign language. He just sighed.
"I overheard one of my muggle-born students explain it once. Her brother goes to a muggle boarding school. When a student breaks one of their more serious rules but it does not warrant expulsion, they separate the student from the rest of the school. Effectively he is imprisoned but he still gets his education via a tutor."
"All we would need to do is put him in a furnished room and have one of the house elves perform a charm that will prevent only him from leaving. Draco is excellent in charms but he is definitely not up to disenchanting a house elf's spell. We then set up a set of mirrors with viewing charms so he can still attend classes. At the end of the day we re-collect his wand to discourage him from trying to escape."
"That hardly seems appropriate." Sprout finally voiced her opinion, "What happens if another student crosses the line? If we do this for Draco now we will have set a very dangerous precedent."
"But the circumstances are quite extreme in this case, Professor Sprout," Dumbledore replied, "We know that Draco has suffered some horrific mental abuse over the summer and it would be disastrous if he were to return to that. I believe in giving everyone a second chance. This will be Draco's."
"We will do as you suggest, Professor Flitwick. If you would please arrange for the charms, I will have Mr. Filch prepare quarters in the guest wing. Now is there anything else?"
The headmaster's question was completely rhetorical and all four professors knew it. They dismissed themselves orderly yet quickly, Snape rushing out far ahead of McGonagall.
When he was finally alone, Dumbledore opened the letter that Haley had delivered. He read Darrin's report and sensed the same urgency but without more on who this person was or where he came from there was little he could do about it.
What really troubled Dumbledore is that the description of the man's powers fit the legends, but to think that a Knight had gone rogue was disconcerting to say the least. Albus had only met one of them and that was immediately after his fight with Grindelwald.
He felt obligated to explain who he was to the beautiful young woman though he couldn't say why. Unfortunately he did not have enough time to learn more about her. Though Grindelwald was dead, his army wasn't and they would soon converge on their position. After modifying the survivors memories he left them, giving the woman nothing more than directions that would lead her to a safe place for the night. Beyond that they were on their own.
Albus often wondered what had happened to her after that night, but if she was still alive then she was very good at hiding, for even with all his resources Albus could not find even a hint of her existence.
The old professor brought himself out of the past and began once again concentrating on the present. The Knights were looking for the key, of that he was certain, but was this one with them, or on his own? He wanted this man to be a rogue, for if he was not then the Knights may very well have become corrupted and that was truly frightening.
Especially as this one not only had significant training, but was powerful enough to block most of Darrin's spell. According to legend, no Knight should have ever been that powerful. If a corrupted order had become that powerful, the damage they would do would be horrific.
Albus believed that wizards still had the advantage but it would not be for long and if it did come to a conflict, it would not be easy in the least.
And on top of that he had Draco Malfoy to deal with. Why now?
Darrin floated though the shadows of downtown Surrey. Dumbledore's response was less than satisfying. The old dingbat had absolutely no clue on how to deal with this situation or so Darrin thought. The headmaster had thanked him for his information and said he would be in touch if he needed Darrin's services again.
That was just unacceptable to Darrin, so now here he was back in Surrey in the middle of the night attempting to track down this foe. Darrin had a few tricks up his sleeve that even the great Albus Dumbledore couldn't fathom.
Darrin finally reached the spot where this Charles had disappeared. He pulled out his wand and cast Ocular Revelo once again. As he looked around he could see the fluctuations of energy swirling around the streets and buildings.
The lamps were doubly bright as he could not only see the light but the heat. He noticed the electricity running through the wires far above his head and swore he could feel the hum of the current running through his own body.
He searched the immediate area and found what he was looking for. There was a rift of energy where this Charles disappeared. It was very faint and Darrin was surprised that it had lasted this long. Apparating left a distinct wake of magical energy for a short time and a wizard skilled in magical tracking could use that to help pinpoint the destination point, or in the case of Disapparating, the originating point.
But those fluctuations usually cleared up after three or four hours. This one had lasted a good six hours and though it was nearly gone, would probably last for another half hour or so.
The Irishman looked around quickly to make sure he was alone and not being watched. Then as he cast a tracking spell on the rift of energy, he stepped into it. It felt as if he were Apparating only he knew he had never left Surrey. But the destination, though precisely unfamiliar, was in a vicinity he knew quite well.
"The man's in London," he said softly to himself.
Darrin smirked viciously. He had half a mind to just Apparate directly there and give this foe a little surprise but he stayed him self. His prey was skilled and experienced and had powers that Darrin did not fully comprehend. To Apparate blindly into what could very well be his enemy's haven would just get himself hurt.
Instead, he relaxed and took in all the sensations of the destination. He had an idea of the general location in London. Once there he could use some other methods of tracking down his quarry. Safer methods.
Darrin released the tracking spell and with a wave of his wand dissipated the remaining energy of his foe's departure. With a pop, He disappeared.
"We have a problem!" the squat man had woken the rest of the cabal suddenly in the middle of the night. "Some one has somehow managed to bypass my scrying wards."
"What do you mean 'bypassed'?" Nostramus demanded angrily.
The squat man brushed his thinning brown hair from his face. "I mean someone knows where we are. It was as if my ward didn't even exist for him."
Nostramus scowled as he looked at Eric. "The wizard?"
Yawning, Eric nodded. "Their magic works different from our psychic abilities though they're close enough to affect each other in some instances. What I don't understand is how he could have found us to scry us."
"Your little disappearing trick, no doubt," the red headed healer seethed, "He tracked you, Lear, and your foolishness led him straight to us."
"Impossible!"
"IDIOT!" her slap nearly sent him reeling, "You said yourself their powers are different from ours. That means their perceptions are different. Your ignorance has put us in danger!"
Eric's face became red with anger, his voice barely controlled but quiet, "I stand corrected."
"Enough!" Nostramus interjected before the two became violent. "What's done is done. What we need to do now is prepare to evacuate. Aesop, you and Friga will take the elder section of the library. I will take care of everything else. If he comes alone, we can try and take him. If he brings friends we scatter and rendezvous at the safe house. Lear, since you brought this upon us you can go and make sure the coast is clear."
Too angry to argue, Eric just returned to his quarters to dress for action.
Darrin slowed his motorcycle, thankful for the extra powerful silencing charm he enchanted the bike with. He was now in the area he sensed with the tracking spell. It wasn't too hard to find the right building. With his revealing spell cast it stood out like the sun.
He stopped his ride and continued cautiously on foot. The shadows enveloped him as if he were nothing more than a shadow himself. When he was about one hundred feet from the building he noticed movement. The man was 'invisible' again, but Darrin could see him with his spell active.
The other man had not yet seen him, so Darrin took the initiative and cast stupefy. He fell limply to the ground and Darrin closed the distance between them hurriedly.
Satisfied that the man was good and unconscious, Darrin flicked his wand and ropes shot out, tying the prone figure. He was tempted to revive the man, but Darrin knew that would be foolhardy as the man still had his telekinetic powers. Instead he decided to take him back to Dumbledore t deal with.
"Impressive." Darrin let go of the unconscious body and his wand was almost instantly aimed at the red-haired young woman. "But then again, I am beginning to think his abilities are vastly overstated."
Darrin kept his wand pointed strait at her. Though she was quite beautiful and had curves in all the right places, Darrin knew well how dangerous women could be.
"Haven't had the pleasure," he said carefully.
"Who I am is not nearly as interesting as who you are." She said seductively, "Or should I say what. When that buffoon told me about you I couldn't believe it, but Wizards do exist. How exciting."
"I'm sure," he replied dryly, "And do you have similar abilities to this 'buffoon'?"
"I have some," she admitted with a smile, "But nothing that would be considered combat worthy, I assure you."
"I guess it would depend on your point of view," Darrin said carefully, glancing around to make sure he was not about to be ambushed.
The red headed woman laughed.
"You soldier boys are all alike. Always looking for the tactical advantage in the most mundane things. I suppose paranoia is a survival trait but frankly I'd rather enjoy myself. So what brings you to our little haven? Surely now that you have the artifact you do not need anything from us?"
Darrin thought about the item that he had given to Bill to bring to Hogwarts. "Well I wouldn't if this gentleman hadn't made such an issue out of it. But he obviously considers it valuable enough to get violent over so that tells me there's a hell of a lot more going on than I first thought."
The red head smiled even more. "I know who has the Key!" she yelled out, "And Aesop knows the location!"
Darrin spun around and noticed a squat man next to his motorcycle holding Dumbledore's most recent letter to him. He swung his wand around to stun the man but found himself thrown aside. When he landed he noticed that the stupefied man was now awake and though he was still bound by the ropes his telekinesis was not.
"Leave him! We have what we need," A third man walked out of the building, "Let him deal with the police for arson."
No sooner did the man finish his statement than the building erupt into flames. The conflagration consumed the building and within seconds every inch of the building was aflame.
The squat man quickly ran to an auto nearby. The woman and third man joined him. Darrin was about to cast a spell at them when the third man winked at him. Parts of him instantly caught fire and Darrin had no time to douse them with any magic. He quickly rolled around to extinguish the flames and when they were put out he noticed that the only one left was the telekinetic, still bound but watching him smugly."
"You've been most helpful," he said mockingly and with a laugh, disappeared, ropes and all.
Darrin looked at the building continue to burn. There was no way he could stop the fire and repair the damage. Instead he grabbed his wand and ran to his motorcycle. He started the bike and stowed his wand into a hidden compartment, having a bad feeling that the fire department was called beforehand.
His suspicions were confirmed when he was nearly rundown by the engine not two blocks away from the fire. The police car that was following pulled off suddenly and blocked Darrin's path. With a snarl he shut down his bike and held his hands up, waiting to be arrested.
Darrin swore at himself yet again as he waited in the interrogation room. Things were not going well at all. He had one of his fake IDs on him but the fingerprints they were running would bring up his real identity. An identity that already had a criminal record.
He knew it was only a matter of time before they would come in and charge him with more than just arson and then his goose was cooked, to chose a moderately appropriate metaphor. What made things worse was that he couldn't contact Bill or Dumbledore to help bail him out. Neither one had any muggle identification.
"Bloody hell!" he hissed to himself just as the door opened.
"That about sums up your predicament, doesn't it Mr. Killroy?" The old detective asked as he dropped a large file onto the desk. He sat down opposite Darrin as his partner shut the door behind them.
Darrin couldn't help but sigh when he heard his real name.
"Oh yes, we matched your prints," he said rifling through the file, "I take it from your reaction that you realize just how much trouble you are in. False identification, perjury, arson and that's just this evening."
"All my parking tickets are paid, thank you," Darrin grumbled.
"And we here at the yard so thank you Mr. Killroy," the detective replied sarcastically, "It's nice to know that some criminals take responsibility for their law breaking, however innocuous. And I must add that's a lovely shade of brown. Who does your hair coloring? My wife would surely love to know."
Darrin just glared at the detective.
"Look Mr. Killroy, I'll make it simple for you. Admit to the arson now and we can bargain down a sentence or you can force this to trial where your previous record will be used to it's fullest extent against you, thus ensuring that you are locked up for a very long time."
"Or," Darrin replied "I can wait until the fire department finishes their examination which will prove I had nothing to do with setting that fire."
"Come now, Mr. Killroy," the detective laughed, "Do you honestly think you will be able to walk? Take a look at yourself. Those burnt clothes of yours are a pretty good give away.
"So's your hair line," Darrin's retort earned a snicker from the detective's partner and a glare from the detective, "Now yeh can either let me speak to my lawyer or let me go but this conversation over."
The detective slammed the file shut as he stood.
"Very well, Mr. Killroy," he said angrily, "I tried to be nice but you are obviously not smart enough to recognize an opportunity when you see it."
The two detectives left the room, the senior slamming the door behind him. Darrin couldn't help but chuckle. He was as good as convicted and there was nothing he could do about it but the man's obvious toupee was just too much.
After a few more minutes, the door opened again. Darrin stood, expecting to be taken back to the holding cell, but the person who entered was not a uniformed officer.
"Please be seated, Mr. Killroy, I don't have much time," he said shutting the door quickly behind him.
"I already told your friends I don't talk without my lawyer.
"Then don't talk, just listen. I know what you are and why you are here. I want to help. I can take care of the records that link you to the arson but you will have to return the favor."
"Yeh must be desperate to try and illicit a..."
"Will you shut up and listen!" the man hissed. Darrin noticed that he seemed genuinely nervous. "I told you I don't have a lot of time. I know you are a wizard. Don't scoff, sir, I have your wand."
Darrin's attention was immediately on him.
"I found it in a secret compartment on your motorcycle. Ingenious. I had to really search for it."
"But how..."
"How I know is irrelevant, the point is you can not stay here. The man who set you up is still at large and we don't know where to find him. We need your help to capture him."
"Who is we?" Darrin asked.
"An ancient order of knights created by the apprentices of Merlin. I can't explain more but I will be glad to do so later on once we've gotten you out of here. Now am I correct in surmising that you can alter a persons memories?"
Darrin was tempted to say nothing more, feeling that this man was trying to trick him, but when the other man pulled out his wand and set it within easy reach, Darrin began to have second thoughts.
"I don't have time to not trust you. I ask that you trust me, otherwise I will not be able to help you and you will go to prison. We both lose if that happens."
Darrin slowly took his wand and pocketed it. "I can modify memories to a limited extent. The deeper the memory the harder it is to change or erase. Do you have a plan?"
"I and another of my order can take care of the records. We can even deal with the officers that arrested and booked you eventually, but the detectives are out of our influence and they are the immediate problem."
"And am I to just walk out the door after I modify their memories?"
"Well..."
"Yeh haven't planned that far," Darrin stated wryly.
"Time was short," The other man said sheepishly.
"Right," Darrin rolled his eyes, "Okay, I can take care of the detectives' memories but you must make absolutely sure that my prints from this evening are destroyed. That's the only thing that is truly damming to me. Everything else is can be chalked up to coincidence."
"But how will you escape?"
"Ever hear of plausible deniability?" Darrin asked. When he got a nod in return he continued, "Then don't ask that question."
"Friga my dear, you were wonderful!" Nostramus commended the woman sitting next to him in the auto.
"What about me? I got the location of the school," Aesop asked from the driver's seat.
"Yes, yes Aesop, you performed admirably as well," Nostramus begrudgingly agreed, "At least you will have if the location is correct. Are you sure you can find it?"
"It will be tricky," Aesop nodded as he drove, "The strongest echo was the... thing that delivered it. I believe it was a bird of some sort as the view I get is from the air."
"They have birds deliver their mail?" Friga observed with curiosity.
"Perhaps it saves money on delivery carriers?" Aesop replied
"Foolish man!" Nostramus snarled, "Who cares on why they have birds deliver their mail. The only thing that matters is that we find that school."
Aesop gave a subdued reply, "Yes, Nostramus."
"Lear will no doubt already be at our safe house," Friga noted, "We must hurry. Our wizard friend is a very experienced man. All we have done is delay him."
"You saw his thoughts. Is he as great a threat as Lear lead us to believe?"
"Even greater. That fool Lear let his arrogance get the better of him. This wizard does not know what to make of us but he learns quickly. He can see past Lear's invisibility with a spell and he can teleport much like Lear, though he needs his wand to do so. I could not even begin to tell you the extent of his powers. Ours, though well trained, are still limited to certain aspects. My healing and telepathy, Aesop's Psychometry and shielding and your Pyrokinesis, this wizard can do most of these things and much more.
"And he is not the most skilled of his kind. There are a few names that I was able to catch. Albus Dumbledore, Voldemort and a Harry Potter. If what I sensed was correct, this Harry Potter is the boy Lear was looking for."
"What does the boy matter now?" Aesop interjected, "We know where the key is."
"There is something about this boy that the wizard is in awe of," The red head replied, "I did not have enough time to dig deeper but I feel we should investigate the boy further. He may not be able to help us with opening the Keep but he could prove useful in other areas."
"When we have an exact location we can send in Lear."
"Lear is dangerous. He is not a stable mind," Friga shuddered slightly at remembering her mental scan of him.
"We have no choice. He was once a Knight of the Keep and his knowledge and experience of them is invaluable. I have not played all my cards with him so when the time comes, he will be dealt with."
When he was well clear of Scotland Yard, Darrin cast a glamour charm on himself changing not only his hair color but some of his facial features. He then cast a repairing spell on his clothes. The knight, as the man called himself, had arranged a meeting with one of his leaders to discuss what exactly was going on.
Darrin was still half convinced that he was being set up but the man did seem on the level. His wand had been returned to him un-tampered and unharmed, but Darrin was still very cautious.
He made his way to the address given by the self-described knight. It was a quaint pub called 'Merlin's Beard'. Darrin couldn't help but smile as he saw the hanging sign. If only they knew.
He entered and was greeted warmly by the bartender. The patrons looked his way but didn't give him a second glance. As instructed, he sat at the bar and ordered an ale and shepherds's pie. The ale was served immediately and he nursed it while he waited for his meal. After a few minutes another man sat down next to him.
"Some say Merlin created Shepherds's pie," he said.
Darrin was told what his contact would say and was told a counter-sign to verify that he was a friend, but as far as Darrin was concerned this cloak and blade stuff was for the movies.
"Please spare me the spy games, mate," he replied, "I've had a really long day and I don't have time to fiddle with signs and counter-signs all night. Are yeh my contact or not?"
The other man paused for a brief moment before getting up to leave. Darrin reached out and grabbed him.
"Hold up, mate. You wanted my help. The least yeh could do is tell me why I wasted an extra hour and a half here when I could have been out tracking that bloke."
After another brief pause, the man nodded towards a back room. The two meandered back and Darrin soon found himself surrounded by several large men. He instinctively reached for his wand but an old woman's voice caught him before he could draw it completely.
"There will be no need for that, Mr. Killroy," she said. The currently raven-haired man didn't completely draw his wand, but neither did he remove his hand.
"Leave us," she commanded and the others complied without hesitation, "They are protective of me."
It wasn't until all the men had left that Darrin was able to take a good look at the woman. Her face was thin and near skeletal and her white hair was very thin. Darrin would have thought her hideous but she had a regal like quality about her that he couldn't place. It was almost as if she wore her age like a sash of honor. Each year that had deteriorated her body had likewise sharpened mind.
Darrin drudged up what little social etiquette he learned as a son of a pure-blooded wizard. He bowed low, keeping his head down despite his long honed survival instincts telling him to do otherwise. When he rose, the woman was smiling.
"It's nice to know that some of the old ways have not died out," she said, gesturing for Darrin to take a seat.
"To be honest" Darrin replied, sitting in the offered seat, "They almost have. Please forgive my impudence but yeh have me at a severe disadvantage. You know who and more to the point what I am but I know nothing of you, or your... entourage."
"I have gone by several names in my youth, but you may call me Kay."
"Well then Kay, I am Darrin," he extended his hand across the small table and she took it gently.
"Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way, I will give you some of the answers you seek," Kay released his hand and poured him some tea, "My entourage as you call it are part of an order that was created by Merlin's four greatest apprentices; I'm sure you know their names."
Darrin nodded.
"They created a realm outside our dimension as we know it. It was dubbed Merlin's Keep and in that realm did they place Excalibur, the sword of Kings. To protect Excalibur, the keep was locked away in space and time. The Key to Merlin's Keep was created so that the keep may one day be opened.
"It is here that our legends become a little fuzzy. One says that only the true king can re-open the keep and only when the time was right to re-create Camelot. Another says that anyone can open the keep if the Key deems them worthy. Truth be told there are several variations of these legends and because our records did not survive the Inquisition we can not separate fact from fiction.
"In any case, we know that my order was created by Merlin himself to protect the Key and the Keep. He called us the Knights of Merlin's Keep. We are not wizards or witches as you know them. We were once completely mundane but through a series of spells, Merlin granted our forefathers certain powers. Limited in aspect but without the constraints of needing a wand. Mundanes know these powers as psychic phenomena."
"I've heard of such powers," Darrin interjected, "But until recently thought them nothing more than parlor tricks."
"And in many cases they are. Like your kind, we Knights are very secretive and do not generally advertise our abilities."
"But what of this man whom I've been tracking? Is he one of your knights?"
Kay leaned back against her seat and sighed, "The man whom you fought is known as Lear and he was once one of our most promising Knights. Unfortunately he has left our fold in both body and spirit. He has been actively searching for the Keep for his own ends. He is well trained as you may have noticed."
"And the others"
Kay frowned, "What others? Lear is acting alone."
Darrin shook his head, "Unless you and I are talking about two entirely different people, no he is most definitely not working alone. There were three others that I saw. One woman and two men."
Kay's face went hard, "You must describe them. Their powers if you saw them.
"One of the men was able to conjure fire with a wink. And not just little fires, I'm talking full blown conflagrations that literally consumed a building in seconds."
"Nostramus. Please continue.
"The other man I believe was named Aesop. The woman I'm not sure about, but I think she may have been able to see me thoughts."
"Oh dear! Hyperion, come quickly!"
The man who had first contacted Darrin barged in, ready to fight Darrin if need be.
"Lear has enlisted the other shunned ones. No wonder the seers could not see past the nexus; that damned Aesop. Hyperion, you must call an emergency meeting immediately."
Hyperion bowed quickly and left without a word.
"Mr. Killroy, this is very important. You said the woman saw your thoughts. What did she see?"
"She said she knew who had the key and that Aesop knew the location. Is she talking about that trinket I found?"
"Yes."
"How far will Lear go to get the key?"
"He would kill anyone who stood in his way."
"I must leave," Darrin stood suddenly, "Hogwarts is warded against many forms of magic but your powers seem to not be affected in the same way. The castle wards may not work against him and he already has a huge lead."
"You say the key is at Hogwarts?" Darrin nodded, "Tilhører, the listener will help you. He is more than he appears to be. Let him help you."
"Who is he?"
The matron shook her head, "You will know him only when he reveals himself. He was instructed to watch and listen and only act if the need arises. He will not deviate from those instructions."
"I hope yeh realize that children's lives are at stake here. If yeh can send help then for God's sake do so!"
"I will do what I can, but I cannot reveal the listener. I wish I could explain more but there is no time. You must hurry!"
Darrin bit back some very choice words at his opinion of the situation, but only because for some unknown reason he respected her. She hadn't earned it, but it was still there.
"We are not finished," he said in controlled anger. With her nod, he Apparated to as close to Hogwarts as he could manage.