The Man with Two Faces
It was Quirrell.
"So it's you after all." Arthur said.
Quirrell smiled, his face not even twitching, confirming the fact that he was putting on an act.
"I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Pendergast." He said calmly.
"So Snape isn't after the Stone, after all." Arthur then said.
"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, not in his quivering treble, either, instead it was cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell? Well, it seemed you did."
Arthur decided to learn how he did it all.
"So you're the one who tried to kill me in the Quidditch match?"
"Yes. Your friend Miss Ranger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at the Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a counter curse, trying to save you." Quirrell replied.
"Snape was trying to save me?" Arthur questioned, finding that hard to believe, considering how much the man hated him.
"Of course." Quirrell said coolly. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really… he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor winning, he did make himself unpopular… and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight."
He snapped his fingers and ropes appeared out of thin air and all wrapped themselves around Arthur tightly.
"You're too nosy to live, Pendergast. Scurrying around the school at Hallowe'en like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."
"So you also let the troll in?"
"Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls, you must've seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off, and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly. Now, wait quietly, Pendergast. I need to examine this interesting mirror."
That was when Arthur finally noticed that behind Quirrell was the Mirror of Erised.
"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone." Quirrell murmured as he tapped his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this… but he's in London… I'll be far away by the time he gets back…."
Arthur had to keep him talking and lessen his concentration on the Mirror.
"You and Snape in the Forest-" He blurted out.
"Yes." Quirrell idly said, walking around the Mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me, as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side…." He then came back from behind the Mirror and stared with hunger into it. Arthur started thinking that he knew what he meant by Voldemort being on his side.
"I see the Stone… I'm presenting it to my master… but where is it?"
Arthur started struggling against the ropes, seeing that they wouldn't give. He just had to keep him from giving his entire attention to the Mirror.
"Snape seemed to hate me so much."
"Oh, he does, heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead." Quirrell said casually.
"What about a few days ago? I heard you sobbing." For the first time, there was a spasm of fear on Quirrell's face.
"Sometimes, I find it hard to follow my master's instructions, he is a great wizard and I am weak-"
"Then where was your master?" Arthur said, saying 'master' with venom, feeling an anger grow within him.
"He is with me wherever I go." Quirrell said quietly.
"I met him when I travelled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it…. Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell shivered on the last point.
"He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the Stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me… decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…." Quirrell's voice fades. Arthur recollected his trip to Diagon Alley. He would never have suspected him then.
Quirrell then cursed under his breath.
"I don't understand… is the Stone inside the Mirror? Should I break it?"
This made Arthur's mind racing.
He knew that as of this moment all he wanted most in this world was to find the Stone before Quirrell. So what would he see, exactly, if he looked into the Mirror? Where it was hidden? But how could he look without Quirrell noticing?
As he was thinking this, Quirrell was still talking to himself.
"What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"
Then to Arthur's horror, a voice had answered. It also seemed to come from Quirrell himself.
"Use the boy…. Use the boy…." This made Quirrell round on Arthur.
"Yes, Pendergast, come here." He clapped his hands just once and the ropes that bound Arthur fell off of him. Arthur got onto his feet.
"Come here. Look into the Mirror and tell me what you see."
Arthur walked towards him, deciding that he has to lie about what he sees. Quirrell moved closely behind him, making Arthur breathe in an odd smell from his turban. He then closed his eyes, stepped in front of the Mirror and opened them again.
He saw his own reflection, initially pale and scared. But then his reflection smiled at him, putting its hand into its pocket and then pulled out a blood red gemstone. It then winked at him before putting the Stone back into its pocket. As it did, Arthur felt a heavy object enter his actual pocket. Somehow, he'd gotten the Philosopher's Stone.
"Well? What do you see?" Quirrell snapped impatiently.
"I see myself winning the House Cup for Gryffindor, shaking hands with Dumbledore himself." Arthur invented a lie on the spot, hoping he was convincing. This made Quirrell curse again.
"Get out of the way." He said. Arthur moved aside, feeling the Stone against his leg. He decided to make a break for it.
But he didn't even make five paces before a high voice spoke, yet Quirrell didn't move his lips, further adding to Arthur's suspicion about what was hiding behind his turban.
"He lies…. He lies…."
"Pendergast, come back here! Tell me the truth! What did you just see?" Quirrell shouted.
"Let me speak to him… face to face…." The high voice spoke once more.
"Master, you are not strong enough!"
"I have strength enough… for this…."
Arthur felt as though some force of some kind was rooting him on the spot as he watched Quirrell reach up to unwrap his turban. The turban eventually fell away, making Quirrell's head look smaller without it.
But then he turned slowly on the spot and what Arthur saw on the back of his head made him swell up with the most rage and fury he had ever felt in his entire life.
Where what should've been the back of Quirrell's head was a chalk white face with glaring blood red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake. It had to be the most terrible face he had ever seen. And he knew right away that it was Voldemort himself.
"Arthur Pendergast…." The face whispered.
"Voldemort…." Arthur hissed back through gritted teeth.
"Yes…. See what I have become? Mere shadow and vapour… I have form only when I can share another's body… but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds…. Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks… you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the Forest… and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own…. Now… why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"
Seeing that he knew, it gave Arthur the feeling needed to move and he stumbled backwards.
"Don't be a fool. Better save your own life and join me… or you'll meet the same end as your parents…." Voldemort snarled.
"YOU LIAR!" Arthur shouted at the top of his lungs with pure hatred. Quirrell walked backwards towards him, so that Voldemort could still see him. Voldemort was also smiling.
"How touching…. I always value bravery…. Yes, boy, your parents were brave…. I killed your father first and he put up a courageous fight… but your mother needn't have died… she was trying to protect you…. Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain." He hissed.
"NEVER!" Arthur roared back at him before racing to the flame door. Voldemort screamed 'SEIZE HIM!' and, next second, Arthur felt Quirrell's hand close around his wrist. Instantly, a pain unlike any other seared through his scar, making his head feel like it was going to split open. He yelled, struggling with all of his strength, and was surprised when Quirrell let go of him. This made the pain lessen.
He looked around to see where Quirrell was until he saw him hunched over in pain, looking at his fingers, which were blistering before his eyes.
"Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" Voldemort shrieked and Quirrell lunged once more, knocking Arthur clean off his feet, landing over him with both hands around the boy's neck. Arthur's scar was now nearly blinding him with pain yet was able to see Quirrell howling in pure agony.
"Master, I cannot hold him, my hands… my hands!" Quirrell, whilst still pining Arthur to the ground, let go of his neck and stared in shock at his palms. Arthur was able to see that they were burnt, raw, red and shiny.
"Then kill him, fool, and be done!" Voldemort hissed with vile. Quirrell raised both hands to perform a deadly curse, but Arthur, on pure instinct, reached and grabbed his face.
"AAAARGH!"
Quirrell rolled off of him, his face was now blistering too. It was clear to Arthur that he couldn't touch his bare skin without suffering terrible pain. This was his only chance to keep hold of him, to keep him in enough pain to not perform the curse.
He jumped to his feet and wrapped himself around Quirrell's arm, hanging on as tight as possible. Quirrell screamed, trying to throw the boy off.
The pain in Arthur's head started building and building, to the point that he couldn't see. All he could hear was Quirrell screaming himself to death, Voldemort's yells of 'KILL HIM! KILL HIM!' and another voice that cried out 'Arthur! Arthur!'.
The last thing he felt was Quirrell's arm being wrenched from him before he fell into blackness….
Something gold glinted just above Arthur. At first, he thought it was the Snitch and so he tried to catch it, but his arms felt as though they were made of metal, too heavy to lift.
He blinked, eventually realising that it wasn't the Snitch and instead were a pair of glasses. He blinked once more, seeing the smiling face of Albus Dumbledore.
"Good afternoon, Arthur." He greeted him.
At first, Arthur stared at him until he remembered.
"Sir! Quirrell! The Stone!"
"Calm yourself, dear boy, you are a little behind the times. Quirrell does not have the Stone."
"But-"
"Arthur, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out."
This made him look around, seeing that he was currently in the hospital wing. He was also lying in bed with white linen sheets and a table next to him was piled high with sweets, looking a lot like what a sweet shop would show in a window.
"Tokens from your friends and admirers." Dumbledore beamed. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friend Michael McGonagall sent you that pile of pumpkin pasties."
The idea that Mike sent him something made Arthur feel much better than he expected.
"Just how long have I been out for?" He then asked.
"Three days. Mr David Merlon and Miss Ranger will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried."
"But what about the Stone?" Arthur asked, wanting to get back on the subject in matter.
"I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say."
"Wait, you got there? How did you respond to Chrys' owl so quickly?"
"We must have crossed in mid air. No sooner had I reached London than it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you-"
"So it was you I heard before I blacked out."
"I feared I might be too late."
"And you nearly were. I thought that I couldn't have kept him off the Stone for much longer-"
"Not the Stone, boy, you. The effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Ston, it has been destroyed."
"It's destroyed?" Arthur asked, surprised, and remembering who created it. "But what about Flamel?"
"Oh, you about Nicholas?" Dumbledore, rather delighted. "You did do the properly, didn't you? Well, Nicholas and I have had a little chat and agreed it's all for the best."
"But then he and his wife would die eventually, right?" Arthur asked.
"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die." Dumbledore smiled when Arthur looked at him with amazement.
"To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicholas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well organised mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all, the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things which are worst for them."
Arthur just lay there, thinking over what he was just told. It all astonished him. He also felt that he was speaking from experience. Dumbledore hummed a little as he smiled at the ceiling.
"Sir? Even with the Stone gone, Voldemort will find other ways of coming back, right? He isn't truly gone." Arthur then said, still remembering all of that rage he felt upon laying eyes on Voldemort's face.
"No, Arthur, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share… not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die, he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies. Nevertheless, Arthur, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time, and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."
Arthur nodded, though he stopped as soon as he realised that it hurt to do so. He also felt the need to know the truth.
"Sir… there's some things I feel like I need to know, if you can tell me… the truth."
"The truth. It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."
"Well… Voldemort said that my mom's dead because she tried to stop him from killing me. Why would he want to kill me in particular?"
That question made Dumbledore sigh very deeply, as though he was faced with something truly difficult.
"Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day… put it from your mind for now, Arthur. When you are older… I know you hate to hear this… when you are ready, you will know."
Arthur knew it was best not to argue with him. He'll just have to be patient with whatever this is about.
"But what about Quirrell? How come he couldn't touch me?"
"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realise that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."
Dumbledore started getting interested in a bird out on the window sill, which allowed Arthur to dry his eyes upon hearing that it was because of his mum that he was protected, it truly made him emotional. Eventually, he found his voice again.
"The Invisibility Cloak, do you know who gave it to me?"
"Ah, your father happened to leave it in my possession and I thought you might like it. Useful things… your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
"Another thing…."
"Fire away."
"Quirrell said Snape-"
"Professor Snape, Arthur." That little correction slightly irritated Arthur, not really wanting to give respect to Snape.
"Right, well, Quirrell said that he hates me because he hated my dad. Is there truth to that?"
"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mister Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."
"And what's that?"
"He saved his life."
"Excuse me?" Arthur now felt that Snape was just an ungrateful brat.
"Yes…." Dumbledore said dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt… I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father quits. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace…."
Arthur decided to think about this at a later date as he felt he needed to know one more thing.
"Sir, one last question…. How exactly did I get the Stone?"
"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone, find it, but not use it, would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes…. Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavoured one, and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them, but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?" He smiled, popping a golden brown bean into his mouth and then choked.
"Alas! Earwax!" Arthur chuckled, finding it to be funny.
Despite being a nice woman, Madam Pomfrey, the matron, was very strict, a lot like McGonagall.
"It's just five minutes." Arthur argued.
"Absolutely not."
"But you let Professor Dumbledore in."
"Well, of course, that was the Headmaster, quite different. You need rest."
"But I am technically resting. I'm lying down and everything. Please, it's just five minutes…."
"Oh, very well. But five minutes only." She finally let David and Chyrs in.
"Arthur!" Chrys looked as though she was about to embrace him but she held herself in, much to his relief as he head was still sore.
"We're so glad you're alright. Dumbledore was so worried…."
"The whole school's talking, what really happened?" David asked.
This was an instance where the true story was much more strange and exciting compared to the wild rumours that spread around the school. Arthur would go on to tell them everything: about Quirrell, the Mirror, the Stone and Voldemort. Both David and Chrys gasped at the right moments and Chrys even covered her face in fright about what was under Quirrell's turban.
"So with the Stone gone, Flamel will just die?" David said once Arthur ended the story.
"Yeah. And Dumbledore thinks that 'to the well organised mind, death is but the next great adventure'."
"That's what I love about Dumbledore, he is smart yet bonkers." David said with a look of admiration.
"Anyway, what about you two? What happened?" Arthur asked them.
"Well, I got back through the purple flames, brought David around, which took a while, dashed to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we had met him in the Entrance Hall. He also seemed to already know because he just said 'Arthur's gone after him, hasn't he?' and then hurried off to the third floor." Chrys explained.
"Do you think that he meant for you to do it? Sending you your dad's Cloak and all?" David asked.
"I think so. He's interesting. It's like he wanted to give me a chance. It's as though he knows more or less everything that goes on here at the school. He must've had a good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he taught us enough to help out. And I'm sure he let me find out how the Mirror worked on purpose. He clearly felt I was in the right to face Voldemort if and when I could." Arthur replied. This made David and Chrys chuckle.
"Hey, look, you need to be at the end of year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and unfortunately, Slytherin won. You also missed the last Quidditch match. We got steamrolled by Ravenclaw without you, partly thanks to their Seeker." David said.
Just then, Madam Pomfrey bustled over.
"You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT." She stated firmly.
After having a good night's sleep, Arthur felt like he was nearly back to normal.
"Am I allowed to go to the feast tonight?" He asked Madam Pomfrey as she straightened all of his many sweet boxes.
"Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go." She replied sniffily, clearly thinking that Professor Dumbledore didn't realise how risky feasts could be.
"And you have another visitor."
"Who?" Arthur questioned in confusion.
That was when Hagrid sidled through the door as he spoke. He just looked too big to be allowed, as always when indoors. He then sat next to Arthur, taking one look at him before bursting into tears.
"It's… all… my… ruddy… fault! I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!" He sobbed, his face in his hands.
"Hagrid!" Arthur said, just shocked seeing Hagrid be consumed with grief and remorse.
"Hagrid, he would've found out somehow, it's Voldemort we're talking about. So even if you didn't say anything, he would've still found out."
"Yeh could've died! An' don' say the name!"
"VOLDEMORT!" Arthur bellowed out, making Hagrid so shocked that he stopped crying, much to Arthur's relief. "Face it, I'm gonna say his name, even after having met him. And please cheer up, Hagrid, the Stone was saved and is now gone, so he can't use it. Now have a Chocolate Frog, I have so many."
"That reminds me. I've got yeh a present." Hagrid said as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand.
"Is it a stout sandwich?" Arthur asked him anxiously, making Hagrid give a weak chuckle.
"Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'Course, he shoulda sacked me instead, anyway, got yeh this…."
He handed him what looked like a handsome leather covered book. Arthur had opened it with curiosity, seeing that it was filled with wizard photographs. And smiling and waving at him were both of his parents.
"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos…. Knew yeh didn' have any…. D'yeh like it." Arthur didn't reply as he cried. Hagrid understood.
Arthur had made his way down to the end of year feast on his own that night. He was held up thanks to Madam Pomfrey, who insisted on giving him one last check up, so it wasn't surprising to see the Great Hall be full already. It was also fully decked out in green and silver to celebrate Slytherin winning the House Cup for the seventh year in a row. Behind the High Table on the wall was a huge banner that showed the Slytherin serpent.
There was a sudden hush before loud talking when Arthur walked through the Hall and slipped in next to David, who had Chrys sitting on his other side. He was also trying to ignore the fact that people stood to look at him.
Thankfully, Dumbledore entered moments later, making the chatter die off.
"Another year gone!" He said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts…."
"Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding and the points stand thus: in fourth place, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty two points; in third place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and eighty two points; Ravenclaw have four hundred and twenty six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy two."
An eruption of cheers and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Arthur watched Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table, possibly the worst sight he could ever imagine.
"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin. However, recent events must be taken into account." Dumbledore then said, making the room very still and the smiles from Slytherin fade a little.
"Ahem, I have a few last minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…. First, to Mr David Merlon…" David's eyes widened and his face went as red as a radish. "...for the best played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house thirty points."
All of Gryffindor cheered, so much so that the bewitched ceiling was nearly raised. Sam can be heard yelling to other Prefects, 'That's my brother! He got past McGonagall's giant chess set!'. Mike also gave him the thumbs up. The silence then came back.
"Second, to Miss Chrysanthemum Ranger… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house thirty points." Chrys started bursting into tears of pride and joy as the whole Gryffindor realised they were now in second place, could this get any better? They do.
"Third, to Mr Arthur Pendergast…" The whole room became silent instantly. "...for pure nerve, bravery and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house thirty points."
The Hall became deafening. Gryffindor was now at four hundred and seventy two points, tying with Slytherin. If only they had more points.
But then Dumbledore raised his hand, making the room gradually fall silent.
"There are all kinds of courage." Dumbledore said with a smile. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr Neville Longbottom."
Never had Gryffindor house been so loud before as it seemed like an explosion went off. The trio all stood to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, blended into a pile of people who all hugged him. He'd never won Gryffindor anything, let alone even one point. Arthur and David were able to see Draco so stunned and horrified that he looked as though the Body Bind curse was put on him. They were just overcome with joy.
"Which means…" Dumbledore called over the large amount of applause as even Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw celebrated Slytherin's well deserved downfall. "...we need a little change of decoration."
He clapped his hands and all the green and silver hangings changed colour to scarlet and gold. The huge banner changed as well with the Slytherin serpent being replaced with a towering Gryffindor lion.
Snape shook McGonagall's hand with a horrible forced smile. He made eye contact with Arthur, who saw that his feelings towards him didn't change at all, but Arthur didn't give a damn. He was having the best evening of his life. It was much better than winning Quidditch matches, Christmas or knocking out mountain trolls. He'll never forget this night.
Eventually, the exam results came in. Arthur was glad to see that he got great marks on the various subjects, even Potions and History of Magic, which he thought he'd do poorly. David also got great marks. Chrys, to no one's surprise got top marks, being the best of the year. Neville was able to scrape through with his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions mark. Mike, unsurprisingly got top marks in Transfiguration, considering who his mother is.
Naturally, they hoped that Goyle would be thrown out, as he was pretty much as stupid as he was mean, but he passed, too.
Suddenly, their wardrobes were empty and their trunks were packed. Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets. Then notes were handed out to all of the students, warning them all to not use magic over the summer holidays.
Hagrid was there to lead them to the boats and sail across the lake. They then boarded the Hogwarts Express, talking and laughing around as the countryside got greener and tidier; eating treats like Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, speeding past Muggle towns. They eventually pulled off their robes and put on jackets and coats, pulling up into platform nine and three quarters at King's Cross station.
It had taken a while to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was by the ticket barrier, letting them through the gate in groups of two or three so that they don't attract the attention of Muggles when they burst out from a solid wall.
"You must come over to our place during the summer. I'll send you an owl." David told Arthur.
"Thanks. That'll be fun." Arthur replied.
People would jostle them as they moved through the gateway and into the Muggle world. Some said:
"Bye, Pendergast!"
"See you, Pendergast!"
"See you at Hogwarts, next year, Arthur." Mike parted ways with him, shaking hands.
"Still famous, I see." David grinned.
"Where I'm going, I'll just be an average boy. It'll be nice to take a break from all the fame." Arthur shrugged as he, David and Chrys passed through the gateway together.
"There he is, mum." Mary Merlon said. She was pointing at Arthur, clearly starstruck.
"Don't point, that's rude." Her mother softly told her off.
"Busy year?" She then asked Arthur, giving him a warm smile.
"To say the least. Thanks for the pumpkin pasties and the book, Mrs Merlon." He replied.
"Oh, please. Call me Martha. And it was the least I could do." She said.
"Hey, Arthur!" Uncle Nicholas came up behind her with Aunt Patty and their son, Deacon. Arthur waved at them, and they waved back.
"Oh, hello…. You must be Arthur's family." Martha greeted them, shaking hands with all three of them.
"That's right. And based on your hair, you must be one of the Merlons. Arthur told us about you in his letters." Nicholas greeted her back.
"I hope I'm not rude about this but we are in a bit of a rush, so…." Patty said, pointing behind her.
"Oh, of course." Martha said.
"Well…. See you over the summer, you two." Arthur said to David and Chrys.
"Hope you have a good holiday." Chrys replied back.
"Well, I'm hoping to have a break from all the magic I've dealt with at Hogwarts. Goodbye."
And off he went to go and be with his relatives….
Here we are... The end of the first entry of the Arthur Pendergast series.
Look forward to Chamber of Secrets shortly, I'm looking forward to write that for various reasons.