Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling

Part 3/Chapter 24

The reward was found, the spells were broken, but now the most powerful wizard in the world had to contend with an irascible farmer accusing them of trespass. "Bloody horse riders! Think they own the world!"

Xander snarled, but a quiet word from Bellamy silenced him.

Pat took command, her baby in her arms. She apologised profusely, admired the beautiful pasture, which the horses were now enjoying, and Susan helped by smiling on the short and angry man and reaching out her hands to him.

The man snorted and told them just to get moving. They mounted, and got moving.

Peter asked Victor, laughing, if the farmer was meant to be one of the protectors of the treasure. For a while, they just rode back the way they came, but then Pat called a halt, and pulled out the map. "We're a lot closer to home than we are to the horse boxes," she said. "We could just go home and send for the vehicles."

Peter said diffidently that it was probably a good idea, for himself, especially, as he was supposed to be at school in just three days.

Bellamy looked at him in surprise. "Has it been that long?"

Peter caressed his chin. "I've grown a beard!"

Victor's own beard seemed blacker and bushier than ever. "Are you going to keep it?"

Peter grinned bashfully, "I think it's against the rules for students, and I bet Mum won't let me anyway."

"If we hurry, it should take about a day and a half," said Pat.

Bellamy grinned at Peter. "We'll hurry." And when Pat directed them to turn east into a grassy bridle track, Peter and Bellamy raced, while Victor and Pat watched.

"He seems quite fit again," commented Victor. In the distance, the skewbald started to buck. They couldn't see Bellamy laughing, but they knew he would be. He always laughed when he played with his horse that way.

In the Ministry, reporters interviewed Minister for Magic, Dianne Abercrombie, who took care to convey the impression that Bellamy had put the reward on display with her full prior knowledge and approval. The following day, the Daily Prophet displayed pictures of bags of gold, the backdrop the golden statue that had offended tastes for centuries. The amount that was mentioned was the amount known from other sources. No-one had been able to touch the treasure in order to count it. Dianne wished she could contact Bellamy so that he'd at least tell her how long he planned to leave it there. The atrium was very crowded now, as so many came to see the sight.

At home, they knew from the newspaper that Bellamy had been successful, and Archie had been able to tell Keifer, who'd arrived unexpectedly, that they'd probably hear from him soon. His contact had given Archie a dilemma, but he decided that Pat's brother was unlikely to be a risk, and Ursula and Therese met his aeroplane and drove him home.

Since then, Keifer had wandered the property, exploring and admiring, approved the gentle English summer weather, used the pool, and found the library. He saw those boxes of his own books, too, and an old suspicion was confirmed. He didn't think he'd say anything. He walked in and out of the library several times, and into the room next door, before shaking his head, and deciding the spaces just were not logical and must be magic. He wondered how Pat had come to terms with her specialty of advanced Physics being so casually discredited.

It was frankly warm the following day, and Keifer listened in amusement as the owner of the sheep complained of the 'heatwave.' The ewes and lambs were rounded up and driven off, the efficiency of the farmer's sheepdogs hindered only slightly by some interference by the resident crossbreds. But they had their job, and did it very well, sounding a ringing alarm when Dianne Abercrombie appeared in the apparation zone, wanting to speak to Bellamy. Archie had to admit they hadn't heard from him in a week, adding in an exasperated tone that Peter had to be taken to London to catch the Hogwarts Express the next day.

They gave her morning tea in the garden, and Dianne asked to speak to the redheaded child whom she'd met on her previous visit. Margaret Barnes was proudly introduced to the Minister for Magic, and the Minister for Magic pinned a Sherlie Medal on the girl, in recognition of her role in saving the life of the great wizard.

Margaret was thrilled, her face hardly big enough for her smile. Caradoc was a friend, and suitably admiring, and then Margaret strutted off to show Clare. Clare's painting was interrupted, to her annoyance. Clare wasn't very satisfactory, and Margaret stayed longer with Sybil, who was more appreciative. Meantime, Dianne talked to Ursula, Archie and Keifer. It was a different world that Keifer's sister inhabited, but Keifer thought it seemed very pleasant.

Dianne was just gone when a procession of horses turned into the driveway. Keifer stared at his sister as she approached, riding a tall horse, a small child held securely in front of her. Even from that distance, Pat wore an air of self confidence and a happiness that he'd never seen in her before. Keifer loved her dearly, and remembered that she'd been hesitant to marry Bellamy, whom he now picked out in the rear, with a scruffy looking young man. There was a much more heavily bearded man beside her, and couple of lightly loaded packhorses behind.

Bellamy stopped, staring at the group, and then called to Pat, "It's your brother."

Pat said in surprise, "Keifer?" and leaned forward, Susan still held securely, and galloped to the group.

Bellamy smiled and left her alone, but Peter galloped also, to greet his parents, and to be rebuked for his scruffy appearance. Bellamy, Victor and Archie tended to the horses, and then Bellamy went to greet the old ones. And when he joined the group, it was with the addition of Caradoc and Sybil, though Clare had just told him impatiently to go away.

Kitty provided more morning tea which blended into lunch. Bellamy looked at some mail which Alison thought demanded his personal attention, and Ursula presented Peter with his Hogwarts letter. When he looked at his mother and announced 'Head Boy,' she forgot his scruffy appearance, and hugged him. His textbooks were a problem, but Bellamy looked up from a letter he'd been reading, and said to look in the library, as there was a whole rack of textbooks there.

The result was that Peter returned to school with one very old dog eared textbook labelled H. Potter, two only slightly neater, labelled Adrian Potter, and two with small and precise writing, that said Archibald Barnes, Hufflepuff. It appeared the old textbooks of his father had also found their way to the library. Only one text would have to be purchased new, and that would be sent on to him.

Peter shaved, regretfully. He'd liked his beard, it made him look so grown up. Ursula thought it did too, but hugged him when he appeared clean-shaven again. She didn't want her boy to grow up too fast.

The day that Peter left for school, Pat and Keifer strolled the grounds, talking. Keifer watched Archie, who was walking in the deserted sheep paddock, pointing his wand, and making the soil turn itself over and bury the sheep dung. "A lot easier than ploughing," he said.

Pat said, "Bob wanted to use our place for fattening lambs for slaughter next, but Archie warned him the boss wouldn't like that, though he liked the ewes. Now he thinks Henry's a sentimental twit, but says he'll send us a flock of ewes again next year."

Keifer was surprised. "We had lamb just last night, and he certainly seemed to enjoy it!"

Pat smiled fondly. "I think he knew half the ewes by name, and nearly all the lambs."

Keifer regarded his sister with a great deal of love. "You've got everything you could want," he said. "A beautiful home, friends, and a man who loves you."

"And my daughter," said Pat. "More children if I want." They sat on a garden seat and looked back over the property that seemed to shine with an air of contentment.

"Everything comes with a price, of course," Pat said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Not much over a month ago, he was nearly killed, and was very ill, though almost entirely well again now." And as they watched, Keifer saw a caped wizard suddenly there, in the apparation zone, greeted by a clamour of barking dogs, and by Therese, who drew her wand. He looked back at his sister, stunned to see that she had a gun in her hand. Pat put the gun away. "It's Graham, the healer. He's probably come to check on Henry."

By the time Pat and Keifer joined Graham and Bellamy, they found Graham looking annoyed, and Bellamy blithely unconcerned as he leaned against a wall in his workshop, hands in pockets. Graham was introduced to Keifer, and looked at him with interest, before turning to Pat. "It's your husband. He refuses to be examined."

Bellamy looked at Pat with a touch of apprehension. Pat was amused, but said sternly, "Go with Graham, Henry. You owe him cooperation."

Bellamy turned and growled at Graham, "Inside then."

After they left, Keifer let his laughter out. "The most powerful wizard in the world, and you order him about?"

Pat smiled. "I think it makes him feel like he's just ordinary. He likes it, I think."

Inside the house, Bellamy still grumbled, as Graham ordered him to strip to the waist, and noted down results from his various monitors.

"You're fine," he concluded, "Just a bit thin, still."

Bellamy looked at him resentfully, then suddenly grinned, "Thanks for saving my life, by the way."

A couple of days later, Bellamy resumed work at the Ministry, and a man with a face like a pig, looked more normally ugly again, and another could now scratch his nose without stabbing himself in the eye.

Bellamy apparated that day, direct into the workroom, and when the work finished, Dianne escorted him to the atrium. It had always been open to the public, now it was jam-packed. Bellamy leaned against the wall, his dog by his side, and listened to what appeared to be a tour guide.

A large group entered, swelling the crowd, speaking volubly in Italian. Bellamy listened, and translated for Dianne and Dieter. "He's telling them that the great wizard always likes Italy the best of all, because he's looked after better than anywhere else." He paused, and grinned, "And he loves Italian girls better than any other girls."

He listened a moment longer, and hesitated. Dianne looked curious. "What?"

"Well, I sincerely hope it's not true, but he's saying that there are currently twelve illegitimate children sired by me in Italy."

Dieter and Dianne laughed. "Unlikely," Dianne said.

Bellamy shook his head. "I certainly hope it's not true. Accidental children are embarrassing!"

Dieter suggested that Bellamy should leave before he was noticed, and when Bellamy looked too much entertained, pointed out that there were undoubtedly reporters and photographers among the crowd. Bellamy reluctantly withdrew, and went to Dianne's office and talked about his plans for the reward instead. When Dianne promised faithfully to do as he wished, he decided to trust it to the Ministry. Dianne said that some of the excess aurors could ensure that it went to various needy countries in a way that was not too conspicuous. "And how long..."

"Another week OK?"

Dianne nodded.

And then Bellamy said, very casually, "I just might visit a few of the aurors if you have no objection?"

Dianne raised an eyebrow, even as she said, "Of course, go ahead." She wondered what he had in mind.

What Bellamy had in mind was a party. But it was the young ones he spoke to, Scott and Jeremy. Arrangements were made, quiet word spread. Responsible senior aurors were not invited, and nor was Julia Everett, the boss.

No-one took any notice when aurors started quietly appearing in the evening. There was a particular unused office where apparations could be made discreetly, but few aside from the aurors knew about that. In any case, aurors were the elite, and would not be questioned. Bellamy made his appearance quite late, and apparated straight into the corridor just outside the door to the department. There were already a lot there, hardly any of the young ones had declined the invitation, and Scott, Jeremy and Heather had ensured an ample supply of provisions.

By the time an hour had gone by, the noise level had risen considerably. Bellamy was meeting a lot of the aurors he hadn't known before, and maybe it was only habit now, but Bellamy still liked to know all the aurors he could.

In two more hours, Bellamy had his wish, and barracked on the steeplechasers as they wreaked havoc in the department. And then there were horse and jockey races. Bellamy was a horse for Heather for a while, but he was already quite drunk, and staggered into a desk, and his rider broke her arm. Then there was a bit of wrangling over who was the best at first aid before Shelley finally fixed it.

"I think I should have an 'Injured On Duty' badge now," announced Heather, but the vociferous argument that followed was interrupted by Ryde, grinning, who said that such a minor injury would not have qualified her in any case. There was a bit of a hush among the young aurors at his appearance, as Ryde was senior, and might disapprove.

But Bellamy welcomed him with loud exuberance, and suggested that he was big enough to make a good horse. Ryde and Bellamy won the race that followed, although Heather declined being a rider any more, and volunteered to be a horse for Shelley, instead. But Shelley said demurely that she was quite pleased with the horse she already had, and Peter preened himself.

Another hour went by, and Ryde discreetly vanished again. There was going to be hell to pay in the morning, but he was fond of Bellamy, and had helped look after him in the years of confusion. Now he was just bent on play, and Ryde enjoyed seeing him like that.

Later again, Bellamy sat on the floor next to an overturned desk, just watching the gathering, and continuing to drink. Heather sat beside him, and asked if he was going to try and seduce any of the female aurors, because that's what they were all warned about in training. Bellamy indignantly said that he'd hardly ever seduced any female auror, and the last time was before Heather was born! Heather laughed at him, "Keep your hair on! It's just something we were told." But she wandered off then, and started making moves on Larry, instead.

Things were quieting down, and Scott and Jeremy sat beside him. Bellamy was looking at his friends, as they stood around, talking. Most of them still wore their uniform capes. Aurors were very attached to their uniforms, as a sign of their place in their world. Jeremy noticed that Bellamy looked very sad, and asked what was wrong.

Bellamy looked at him mournfully. His voice was slurred. "You're my friends, but aurors obey orders, and one day you might be ordered to lock me up."

Jeremy punched him lightly on the shoulder, "Why would we be ordered to lock you up?"

Bellamy looked at the wall, and a vision appeared, very real. This ability to conjure images was not unique to Bellamy, but it was a rare skill. The image of five grim aurors surrounding Bellamy and the two who sat beside him, became more and more solid, and more and more menacing. "I was just seventeen, still scrawny from being ill, and they wanted to put me away."

There was a quiet now, as the attention of others was drawn. Dieter had just made an appearance, and he, too, quietly came closer. Bellamy's face started running with tears. The image changed, and two of the conjured figures touched wands to themselves, and now wore the garb of mediwizards, and then there was an ambulance trolley conjured. "They'd stuck me full of tranquilliser, and they were going to take me away." And the images became blurry, and seemed to waver in the air.

"They're not coming any closer," said Dieter.

"I knocked them over if they came closer, and I made their shoes burn." He remembered something, and a sad half-smile appeared. "I gave them boils, too."

The conjured aurors were now very blurry and there was a confusion of other people and noises. "I wasn't even finished school, and I wanted to be an auror myself, because otherwise how could I ever defeat Voldemort? And I had to, because the prophecy said, that either I killed him or he killed me. But the aurors wanted to lock me up, instead."

"No-one wants to lock you up, now," said Dieter, reassuringly.

"Things change," said Bellamy. "One day, you'll be enemies again, very likely." And suddenly there was a new image. An auror appeared and was seen aiming a stunner at his back, Bellamy fell, and the image vanished. And then there was another. A gloomy hospital ward, and four aurors wheeled in an ambulance trolley, accompanied by a strutting man, pompous and round. "I'd been very sick again, and they would have taken me away if I hadn't woken up just a half hour or so before. And then they weren't quite game to take me on. But they organised committal papers instead." His voice had died down to a slurred mutter.

"That was probably the time the Tullochs had a prison prepared," quietly commented Stan, otherwise known as 'Scarface.'

"The Ministry always wants to lock me up," said Bellamy, and he rose to his feet, staggering helplessly to the left, before a cane was instantly conjured, neatly and precisely in his hand, in time to save himself.

He looked around blindly, and suddenly there was another image, ropes around wrists, and there was a sudden feeling in the air, of an acute and overwhelming horror.

Bellamy spoke again. "Never bore grudges when people tried to kill me, much. Far worse to be locked up."

His face wore a bleak expression, and there were still tears, but he swayed dizzily, and suddenly muttered, "Going to bed now." He took a few meandering steps, and curled up in a corner. Dieter looked at his wet face, and slipped off his own cape, and tucked it around him.

"I guess that's why he has nightmares," observed Scott. But Bellamy was sound asleep.

He woke early, had no memory of betraying his fears, and instead just observed the mayhem around him, including Shelley and Peter curled up very close together, grinned, and disapparated, leaving Dieter's cape hanging neatly over a chair.

***chapter end***