Ch. 11-Divine Divination
Although he was powerful once more, Artemis couldn't deny there were a few things he would have to establish before he could start his revenge plan: a base of operations, food, and supplies. Of course now that he was a wizard once more his next trip to Diagon Alley went smoother than the last, although the streets were very unpopulated and many shops were closed down. Newspapers flew across the cobblestone street all with the same headlines, The Dark Lord Rises To Power, Voldemort Assumes Power, Wizards Fear To Speak His Name. Artemis had heard of Voldemort before he had been banished, he was told that he was a very dark and powerful wizard bent on wiping out half-bloods and muggle-borns. The thought of killing mud-bloods didn't matter to Artemis anymore, all that mattered now was revenge, still, this Voldemort may know something about the Malfoys or Tom, and after all they seemed to have the same objective in mind.
Artemis still had countless amounts of wizard money, as well as muggle money left over even after the twenty years. His parents were quite wealthy, although all the money was left to Artemis because his parents were murdered by Broderick Muldoon. That was his first target; he finished buying supplies and bought a tall skinny house with a grand second floor view that overlooked Diagon Alley. It was well hidden in the endless buildings of the alley. He applied amulets and charms about the house to prevent intruders, as well as a skull to hang by his door, designed to scream if anyone entered. You had to feed it chocolate within five seconds to keep it from setting off. It was good to be back in the wizarding world.
He had all his revenge plans set out on a large table on his second floor, when he heard a tapping at his window; it was Amicus. He opened the window and fed him some special food he found at the Magical Menagerie just for ravens. He turned back to the large parchment rolled across his drawing board, the first step…Broderick Muldoon. He dressed in his long black cloak, and his pin stripe suit with a deep purple tie, and nice leather gloves and a purple pocket square with his initials on it. He put up his hood and set out with Amicus, his plan was for Amicus to be a sign, a sign that Artemis would soon be there. He set out for Broderick's old home.
It was exactly as he had left it, the entire home was destroyed. Walls blown out windows shattered. The house was silent all that could be heard was the summer wind, blowing through the trees that pierced the dark sky. He searched the entire house and did not find him. He wasn't here, and from the looks of it, he hadn't for some time. Where could he be, someone has to know, but whom? He searched his house for clues, overturning the shambles of the house that was left. Finally he came across a small pile of various parchments buried on an overturned chair. They were notes, profiles of past students, he found several notes that no doubt belonged to Artemis: "…showing great improvement with his musica…seems very anxious…I sense darkness." It appears that he tried to destroy these records, all that was left were scraps, he looked over by the fireplace, which had burns all over the surrounding walls. He gazed into the fireplace, and saw only ashes left.
"Phoenix Cinis", Artemis said pointing his wand into the pile of ashes. The ashes shifted around and regained their color forming back into the documents they once were. The first one he came across was a witch, who by Broderick's notes was very gifted in divination. Broderick had always taught children with very extreme gifts, who wouldn't fit in to Hogwarts either because they were way ahead of their class or they were a danger to those around them. Artemis remembered a little girl that had lessons right before him, she could transfigure herself into anything, any person any animal or any magical creature. Problem was she had no control over it until she met Broderick, she would be transfiguring into dragons and giant snakes accidentally within the halls of Hogwarts. It all became clear that Broderick most likely housed these extraordinary children in order to reap them of their gifts; God only knows how many others he had stolen gifts from. He turned back to the gifted divination witch, her name was Mafalda MacDougal; this name seemed oddly familiar to Artemis, although he knew he had never met her.
Artemis returned to his hideout, and began searching through any records of parchment he had for the name Mafalda MacDougal, he finally came across her name when he knocked over a stack of books. A bright blue book with gold etching on the front "Divine Divination" was the title, and on the back was a moving picture of the author, she had long, messy curly blonde hair, and a fair innocent face. Under the picture was her name, Mafalda MacDougal, of course, Artemis had read this book before while studying during his twenty years of exile. It was a brilliant book on divination, and the author was once a student of Broderick's, and more, her shop was in Diagon Alley.
He arrived at Mafalda's shop, Prophecies by Mafalda, it was a strange looking house, a very cartoonish house, but it blended in quite well with the rest of the quirky shops along the alley. He walked in and there was a sign floating just as he walked in it said "I knew you were coming, please have a seat" a finger on the sign pointed to the right were there was a small section with an overhanging sign that said "Waiting Room" but there were no seats, the floating sign nudged him to move, and Artemis wandered into the small waiting area, he stood there and the sign motioned for him to sit down. Feeling ridiculous, he sat on the floor, the sign returned to its original post. A curtain of beads separated this lobby area with what he assumed was Mafalda's shop. Artemis sat for only a moment when he heard a voice.
"You may come in now!" It was a sweet sounding voice, a woman soft and fair. Artemis pushed aside the beads, and made his way into a very strange room, dimly lit by the sun pouring in through the red curtains and making the room quite warm. Incense was burning which gave off a very heavy smell. There were Arabic looking decorations and furniture all around, a large oddly shaped fireplace was in the corner of the room with a tea kettle, hovering over the fire. Small circular table sat by the fire with two large high back chairs on either side. Beads and amulets hung from everywhere, it all seemed very cluttered but very homey at the same time. Artemis didn't see anyone, but he took two steps and his foot caught something and he went tumbling forward landing face first on the ground.
"Perfect!" Came a voice from above him who was examining Artemis very closely. "I thought of moving it slightly to the left but I thought that would be too far, let me help you up dear." The petite blonde woman stood up Artemis, and he got a good look at her, she was quite beautiful just like her picture on the book, she wore beautiful blue robes that conflicted with the red and gold décor in the room. She was smiling happily and seemed to be very excited. She looked a bit older than her picture on the book. Artemis tasted blood and knew he had a bloody lip; he raised his hand to wipe the blood away when she stopped him. "No no no, let me get that." She raised a white handkerchief to his lip and wiped away the blood than excitedly rushed over to the other side of the room. And threw the handkerchief into the fire, she examined the flames very carefully than turned back to ask Artemis, "Have you touched a turtle recently?"
"Umm, I don't think so."
"Hmm", she said curiously, "thought not." She came over to Artemis and peered at him, then started rifling through his pockets. Artemis was taken aback, as to what she may be looking for. "Ah-ha!" she pulled triumphantly out of his pocket a small piece of black lint from his black pants. She ran across the room back to the fire, and noticed Artemis. "Well come on", she motioned for Artemis to go over to the other side of the room where there were a large amount of shelves on the wall holding several ingredients, candles, bottles and other assorted things. She began pulling things and handing them to Artemis. "Hold this, and this please, thank you", his arms were now busting with an assortment of things. "This way please", she led him to a small table by the fire with all his ingredients and then started pulling things out of his arms and mixing them into a small glass, finally she mixed together a small potion, after which she added the lint that sizzled noisily in the glass, she swirled it around and after smelling it gulped the whole thing down in one swig. She shuddered and made a funny clicking noise and then put the glass down. A very confused Artemis stood staring at a woman who just drank his pocket lint in silence with only the noise of the fire crackling. Finally Artemis broke the silence and spoke.
"Are you..."
"Yes, Mafalda MacDougal, you're doing good"
"What?"
"Well the normal response for me would be to ask how do you do, to which you would respond with…good."
"Ah, I see."
"See what?" There was another awkward pause until she spoke. "Well have a seat if you would", Artemis made his way for the chair on the right side of the table, until he was stopped. "Oh no, don't sit there dear it has a broken leg." Artemis shifted over to the chair on the left and sat down. Smiling happily Mafalda sat down on the chair on the right side and immediately there was a snap of wood and the chair fell backward sending Mafalda tumbling across the floor. She scooped herself up still smiling. "Well that was fun; perhaps next time I'll let you have a go." She waved her hand and the chair propped up and repaired itself, she finally sat down and before Artemis could speak she cut him off. "Yes I'm fine. Would you like a cup of tea?"
"No thank you", Artemis said politely.
"Take the tea", she waved her hand and the pot hovering over the fire poured tea into the two cups on the table; she sipped her tea and stared at Artemis over her teacup. Artemis sat awkwardly and took a drink of his tea. She continued to stare at him.
"Is something wrong?"
"You have one hundred and eighty two eyebrow hairs above your left eye, but only one hundred and eighty one over your right. Disappointing indeed, very disappointing, I did expect better from you."
"Sorry about that, listen all I need is to ask you a question than I'll be on my way."
"My husband Arthur has two hundred and twelve above his right eye, but to be fair it's hard to tell when his right ends and his left begins." All Artemis could think was that this woman was mentally imbalanced; nevertheless she may know where Broderick is.
"Do you remember your teacher Broderick Muldoon?"
"Well of course I remember Broderick, one hundred ninety seven over his right, one hundred eighty nine over his left. Fascinating man isn't he, quite the teacher too. Don't know where I'd be without him, well I do know. I'd currently be in Papua New Guinea married to an indigenous cashew farmer who smells of pickles." She gave a smile and a slight pause. "And to answer your question, yes I know where he is."
"I didn't ask you", than Artemis remembered who he was talking too, "Right."
"But no, I won't tell you, not yet."
"Why not?"
"It isn't time, goodness gracious I thought your lint tasted of impatience."
"So what am I…"
"Ooh, one moment", Mafalda stood up rather hastily and rushed over to her couch where she shuffled through the various pillows on it. Finally she chose one with an "ah-ha" and fluffed it and placed it strategically on the floor, than she used her foot and inched it and finally stopped, satisfied with her odd task. "Now what were you saying?"
"What are we to do until you tell me?" She looked blankly ignoring what he just said.
"Would you care for a spot of breakfast?" Artemis looked strangely at his watch.
"It's three o' clock in the afternoon."
"Suit yourself", she rose and went into her back room. Artemis gave a huff of aggravation. He was getting nowhere. She came back her arms bustling with eggs, bacon, and sausages, which she threw in a pan all together and stuck over the fire.
"When can I know where Broderick is?" Artemis said impatiently.
"When it's time."
"And when will that BE!" said Artemis raising his voice."
"Not so loud you'll wake the little ones", Mafalda said. She took her pan off the fire and sat back down scooping the food out with a gardening shovel and eating it. "Oh and I'll ask you to not mention your name to my husband when he comes home."
"I didn't tell you my name, and why not?"
"Because he's an auror with the Ministry and once you mention your name he'll attempt to arrest you which will lead to a fierce battle inevitably destroying my furniture, and of course my husband as well."
"Why would he want to arrest me?'
"Are you not Artemis Gridlock, the famed wizard responsible for the destruction of twelve muggle cities?" Artemis was stunned by this news and he reached for his wand. "Oh that won't do you any good." Artemis thought than sat back down, she was right killing her wouldn't do a bit of good. Strange though she didn't seem frightened by him; and famed? Artemis didn't realize he was famous, he didn't realize that he was known as the destroyer of those cities so many years ago. "Don't worry I'm not going to tell anyone."
"How do I know that?" Artemis said suspiciously.
"Well my dear boy, as the sign clearly stated I knew you were coming, and if I had the intention of turning you in, you would already be in the custody of the Ministry right now." Artemis thought of this stunning logic, and suddenly grew very anxious to be away from this person who seemed to know so much about him. Suddenly he grew very curious.
"Why don't you turn me in?"
"Well you don't intend on killing me and my family, and it's none of my business really."
"You know what I'm planning."
"Yes, and although I know it won't do a bit of good, you should know that Broderick didn't kill your parents." Artemis had sometimes suspected this, thinking Tom had killed his parents in order to get him to go after Broderick. "But do away with that Tom fellow, bad egg that one, one hundred seventy seven on the left and two hundred and two on the right."
"You know him?"
"Well everyone does dear, he's on every issue of the Daily Prophet," she said grabbing a newspaper from under the table and handing it to him. He saw the headline, Voldemort Strikes Again, and in the corner was a picture of a man with a thin face and a messy head of black hair. It was Tom! Tom is Voldemort, the dark lord Broderick had warned him about was under his nose the whole time. Artemis head whirled with this news, and he slumped back in his chair. He was startled by the sound of the door opening and a man coming through the beaded doorway.
"Hello dear I'm…" with a loud crash the man stumbled over the same footstool that Artemis had tripped over. A glass vase shook from the boom and fell from a shelf and landed softly on the pillow Mafalda had laid there a moment before. The man brought himself up and dusted himself off. "Perfect, knew you'd get it."
"Hello Arthur", the man came around and gave Mafalda a kiss on the head. He had on a tweed suit and looked as squirrely and crazed as his wife.
"How are Ainslinn and Harold?"
"Fast asleep upstairs."
"And who might you be?" Mafalda shooed him out of the room out the back where Mafalda had gone to get food.
"Oh no, you know I don't discuss clients with you, privileged information you know, now get, see to the children." She came and sat back down, grabbing Artemis hand and looking at his hand. "I sense darkness in you Artemis, darkness that may lead to your downfall, take heed to my advice. Go, start new somewhere else, forget your revenge plan and leave. This road you are on will only lead to pain." Artemis suddenly grew dark and evil with his next words.
"Pain perhaps for my enemies and one of them is hiding and only you stand in my way of getting to him. Now where is Broderick?" She looked sadly for the first time as if wary to some sort of danger.
"Bristol", she said sadly, "the church on Second Street", Artemis turned to walk away, when she called back. "Don't let it control you, Artemis, you have a choice". Artemis left the room and walked outside. He glared down the street and saw quite a bustle of people. Down the street he saw the minister himself being escorted by many guards, dementors, and even some famous aurors. It seemed to be some sort of parade, or perhaps public appearance. By the pace they were going it seemed that if Mafalda had told him where Broderick was when he asked, he would've run right into them, there's no way he could've taken on all that security, and he's secrecy would've been ruined. He looked back at the shop and smiled. He felt a new drive as if the universe itself meant for him to do what he set out to do. He knew where Broderick was now, and he wouldn't hesitate to do exactly what it seemed the fates wanted him to. He put up his hood and set off for Bristol.