Chapter Twenty-Two: An Auror Named Maurer

The two of them were rushed to the hospital wing as soon as the faculty had been alerted. Poppy, or rather Madame Pomfrey, as Erin discovered she was called, gave Erin a disapproving look and said, "You again?" before fussing over the state of Nick's head.

The door to the hospital wing flew open, and Professor McGonagall barged in, followed by a harried looking Professor Dippet and a squinty-eyed man, who was rather smaller and stockier than his two companions. "Ms. Lyths!" Professor McGonagall cried, rushing over to the bed where she laid, as Nick was currently preoccupied. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Erin said.

"Ms. Lyths, you and Mr. Grindelwald nearly died, I don't think 'fine' is the correct response. This is the second scare she's received this year," she said, turning to the squinty-eyed man, who nodded as though he understood, "so naturally she must be in shock. I've proposed sending her to go see a school counselor…."

"I don't need to see anyone," Erin said heatedly. Dippet came to stand at the opposite side of her bed. He wiped a few beads of sweat off his brow. "Erin, if you feel up to it, could you please describe the events that occurred?"

"Yeah, I told you, I'm fine. Nick and I left Potions early and were heading up to your office-"

"Why were you going to see the headmaster?" the squinty-eyed man interrupted. Erin didn't like the heavy suspicion that rang in his voice.

"Jace Moon told us Professor Dippet wanted to see us. You can ask Professor Prince, he'll verify."

"No, she's right, Wallace," Dippet said nodding, "I needed to speak with them. Please continue, Erin."

"So we were headed up the stairs, and Nick dropped his stone, and then-"

"Stone?" the man named Wallace interrupted again. "The stone we got in Auctorology class," Erin said dismissively. "Will you let me finish my story?"

Wallace fell silent.

"So then Nick dropped his stone, and the steps disappeared and turned into this large black hole, and we ran. And that's it," she finished lamely. No need to say they had nearly fallen in or that she had miraculously saved them. Or rather, that her wand had.

Dippet, Professor McGonagall, and Wallace all turned to one another. "That trap required a great deal of Dark Magic," Wallace said in an undertone. Professor McGonagall looked fearful. "Is that what you think it was? A trap?"

"Of course," Wallace said, and he cast a significant look towards Dippet. Dippet shook his head. "No, I won't believe it…."

"Now's not the time to believe or disbelieve," Wallace snapped. "This has gone too far. It's now very obvious that there's someone trying to kill you. After that decoy, I had my suspicions. But I didn't ever think it was as serious as Dark Magic."

"It's curious, though," Professor McGonagall said, frowning. "Doesn't this remind you of something, headmaster?"

"What?"

"Remember that room in the haunted house where the floor disappeared and turned into a dark pit… fake, of course. But the similarities between the two are so great, I can't help but wonder… do you think whoever it is got the idea from the house?" Professor McGongall asked.

Dippet closed his eyes as though remembering something. "Could be."

"So then it must be someone in this school," Professor McGonagall whispered. Erin strained her ears to hear. "I'm almost sure of it," Wallace said. Professor McGonagall looked horrified. "A teacher?" She looked behind her shoulder as though expecting to see Madame Pomfrey attacking them from the back.

"Yes… I'm going to have to investigate everyone thoroughly. With your permission, of course," Wallace said to Dippet, inclining his head. "I suppose so," Dippet said. Wallace gave him a strange look. "You seem very calm throughout all this, headmaster. You're not worried?"

"Well, if whoever it is wanted me dead by now, I'm sure they would have succeeded," Dippet said slowly. "They seem to be putting in a lot of effort to just make a show."

"Headmaster," Wallace said through gritted teeth. "They've made it very clear they want you dead. This last ploy, creating a never-ending abyss, was created right outside your office, activated by a step right by your office. We're lucky we managed to get rid of it before it spread any further. And these students are just lucky to have survived," Wallace said, nodding at Erin and Nick. "But next time, they might not be so lucky… and neither might you."

"I understand. Thank you, Wallace," Dippet said. "I'll be in your office at half past eight," Wallace called as he exited the room. "There's something you're not telling me, headmaster!"

As he left, another man entered, this one with short red hair and a clean-shaven face. "Are they here, headmaster?" he asked in a curt voice. Dippet sighed. "Not now, Maurer, I don't know if you've heard but there's just been an accident…"

"I heard," Maurer responded. "But I've got to speak with them immediately. If you two would kindly exit the room…." He spotted Madame Pomfrey hovering over Nick. "And you too, Madame. This will only take a moment."

Erin suddenly didn't want to be left alone in the room with this man and Nick. Madame Pomfrey seemed to feel the same way. "These children have just experienced a horrible trauma!" she cried. "They need bed rest!"

"The boy seems to have merely bumped his head. And as for the girl, she seems to be in perfect condition," Maurer said coldly. "The Ministry of Magic asks you to please let us do our job. Exit the room, please. We won't be long." Madame Pomfrey harrumphed, but didn't press the point; she left with Dippet and Professor McGonagall, both of whom were in heavy whispers.

The door closed with a snap behind them and Maurer conjured up a stool that he sat on directly between the beds where Erin and Nick laid. "I was the one who requested Professor Dippet you call you to his office. I wanted to speak with each of you. I had hoped to do this separately," he said, "unfortunately, this incident has gotten in the way. No matter, though. Questioning you shouldn't take long.."

"Question us?" Erin asked. "What for? I already described what happened to Wallace."

"I don't care for that. I'm here investigating the death of Seamus Finnigan."

"We don't know anything about that," Erin said, narrowing her eyes. Maurer chuckled coldly. "That's for me to find out, isn't it? Let's start with you, Nicholas Grindelwald," he said to Nick, he flinched slightly at being addressed to. He hadn't spoken the entire time.

"Nicholas, are you aware that your father is one of the most wanted criminals abroad?"

"Yes," Nick said, wincing in pain as he tried to look angry but only managing to exacerbate the bruise on his head.

"Are you aware that Seamus Finnigan was in charge of investigation?"

"No- well yes, I read it in the Prophet…."

"Have you had any contact with your father since the warrant for his arrest? Have you seen or communicated with him in any way? Do you know where he is right now?"

"No," Nick snapped. "Sir, can I ask you a question? Do you really believe my father killed Seamus Finnigan?"

"I definitely believe he was involved somehow. I don't believe Seamus Finnigan was tortured before death, but experimented on," Maurer said with somewhat of a shudder. "So you can understand why I suspect your father, especially since there have been recent sightings of him in England."

"There have been-"

Maurer cut him off. "Did you ever meet a man named Malvus France?" Nick frowned and shook his head. "No, I don't think so…. Wasn't he that man that Finnigan was investigating along with my father? Isn't he dead? What's he got to do with this?"

"What about someone named Rein Lyths?"

Erin gasped horribly, and then clapped her hands over her mouth immediately. Maurer gave her a grim smile. "Yes, I'll be getting to you soon…" His head snapped back to Nick. "Well?"

"Rein Lyths…" Nick murmured, gazing at Erin oddly. "I may have seen him around our place once or twice. Gold eyes," he said as confirmation, still staring at Erin.

Maurer's smile widened. "Excellent. I suspected they were working together. This is just what I needed. I've already spoken to your mother, of course-"

"You spoke to my mother!" Nick looked outraged. "She doesn't want to think about this stuff, you think she likes it when you bring this up?"

"I'm only doing my job," Maurer said smoothly. "In any case, she couldn't tell me much. You're right. She doesn't seem to remember anything. Or at least, doesn't want to. Very well then, last question, Nicholas, and then you can rest your head again. What can you tell me about the last project your father was working on before he disappeared?"

Erin saw Nick's fists curl up into balls like he did when he suppressing memories that made him angry. "Nothing," he retorted, perhaps in a voice that was too soaked in fury because Maurer raised his eyebrows. "You do realize that by withholding information you are committing a crime against the Ministry of Magic and are thus liable to-"

"Alright, alright!" Nick said loudly. "He was… working on a way to extract the magic out of a person."

Erin froze. Extract magic? It sounded very painful… and horrible. Maurer appeared to be thinking along the same lines. His eyes seemed to be close to popping. "And did- did he succeed?" He seemed almost afraid to ask the question.

Nick nodded. "Yes," he said, rather hesitantly.

"On who?"

But Nick reached the end of his participation. He closed his eyes and settled underneath the cover. "No one I knew," he mumbled, and then turned over.

Maurer, stroking his brow as he processed everything Nick had said, turned to Erin.

"It's your turn."