Chapter 31

Reparation

Luther was in a brilliant mood. As he walked down the narrow dirt path past a decrepit fence surrounding an overgrown pasture, Luther turned to his friend with a laugh and said, "That was far more fun than I expected."

The tall blond wizard with classic, aristocratic Gallic features smiled narrowly as he twirled his wand and crudely drawled, "Yeah, it was ace, but how many times did you have to tell him to belt up before he stopped squealing? That's the worst of these effing Ravenclaws who think themselves too clever by half—no stomach for real curses. Wears me out, la."

Luther grinned, "Not noticeably, Fabian. You were in excellent form. I liked that last one. Is it your own?"

This time Fabian Lefevre looked genuinely pleased as he said reflectively, "Ta. Been working on it, but I'd only actually cast it once before in earnest. Last month when me cousin and me was over in Brittany and we had a bit of a disagreement with a Muggle I gave it a wobbly effort. This was the first go when I was not thoroughly bladdered though. Worked beautiful, didn't it?"

Luther nodded and added, "I never knew anyone with your skill at Haematoma Curses, Fabian. Really brilliant work. Fleming won't be able to even get himself to St Mungo's for at least a day."

The two wizards reached the end of the lane and turned in unison to Disapparate. When they appeared together on a side alley of Hogsmeade, Luther looked round and then asked, "So we'll all meet on Thursday?"

Fabian, who was smoothing his robes, answered, "Think so. Depends on Aldebaran's little cousin, who has him in a nark about something. Might have to help him with that. I'll owl you tomorrow."

Luther shrugged and said, "Right then."

"Quite sure you've decided against visiting Goodwin?"

Luther turned a look on his friend that only his closest mates ever saw, but which would have been sufficient warning to anyone who witnessed it.

"Just asking, Luther. Would have been more fun than this binhead, who whimpered like a big girl's blouse from the moment he saw you."

Luther replied in a tone that told his friend that the issue had been settled, "No. Fleming deserved it, since he attacked my sister in public and sent the Ministry to the house. Goodwin has not actually done anything beyond being a precious job's worth and muddling things with Eva. Poor bastard has done worse for himself then we could. He really loves Eva."

Fabian fluttered one hand casually at his friend saying, "If it were about Mireille, I'd have Jinxed him blind, I would. But you was always the one with a conscience. Sodding useless thing to have been cursed with if you ask me. Any road, I'm supposed to meet Mireille to take her shopping, so I'd best go. She'll have me bollocks if I even think of being late."

Luther smirked as he said, "I think it's too late to avoid that, mate."

The two young wizards nodded their goodbyes and walked in separate directions down the street.

By the time that Luther had reached the corner of Wygracket Road, however, his good mood had evaporated. Speaking of Eva to Fabian had made it impossible for him to think of anything else. Accordingly, he had allowed himself to walk up Grimpenmire instead of Holdredge, even though it was slightly longer, because it made him feel better just to imagine that she were near as he passed the large, dark edifice of Daedalus Wizarding Home Supplies. He had become truly pathetic.

Six months before he had not even known that he had a better nature, however he had come to feel a sense of protectiveness for his sister that he could hardly believe. Even more surprising was the effect that Eva Rosser had on his life. Except his twin, the only thing that had ever been important to Luther was his research on nonverbal spells. This had been his passion since his fourth-year at Hogwarts when he had cast his first during a 'duel' with a sixth-year Ravenclaw. Luther had never let anything come between himself and his interests, his only limit being a genuine sense of decency that kept him from stealing, cheating, or permanently maiming. Yet Luther had manipulated and manoeuvred anyone he needed to have his way. Until Eva.

Nothing had gone as he had wanted. He had given up before he had even begun. Eva despised him. Even now that she had broken off her engagement, Eva had begun avoiding any situation in which she might come into contact with him. He could only assume that this was because she feared he would now try to take Goodwin's place. The day before last when she had come with Patience into London, Eva had even moved her chair so that she was sitting several feet away from him, so that there was no chance he could talk to her or touch her. Luther stomped up the steps to the house and knocked angrily as he told himself that he would have to find a way to bury his feelings, since as it were now he could hardly function.

However when Luther had almost trudged to the top of the first storey stairs, he heard her voice. Lifting his eyes from contemplating the pattern of old candle drip stains on the stairs, Luther saw Eva standing in the doorway to his sister's room. Barely registering his sister's presence in front of him, Luther only saw that Eva had been crying and she looked as if she were scared. A cold wave of panic rushed over him as Luther jumped up the last two steps and asked curtly, "Eva, what is wrong?"

Eva did not answer, only looking up at him in a way that told him that his presence was entirely unwelcome. Ignoring the voice in his head telling him to retire and leave Eva some privacy, Luther latched on to his instinct, which said that this was something serious. Something had happened to her and he could not do nothing. Luther pulled out his handkerchief and stepped very close to her, putting it in her hand. "Tell me, what has happened?"

Luther heard his sister speak, "Llewellyn's has brought suit against Daedalus."

Luther turned briefly to look at his sister, who appeared quite alarmed, and asked her, "What is the suit? Doesn't Daedalus have several of these every year?"

Eva finally spoke in a shaky, scared voice that was unlike anything Luther had heard from her before. "Yes, but this one is real. They are contesting the Proprietary Charm. That is how Daedalus has built up—no one else can guarantee delivery with everything in perfect stasis. If we are forced to disclose the specifics of the charm, then our competition will take over half our market. Neal has read the law and is afraid that they might win."

Luther, scowling seriously, as he thought for a moment, said gently, "There is no chance that Llewellyn's is going to succeed, Eva."

Luther gestured to his sister to follow them as he placed his hand on Eva's elbow and led her towards the private sitting room. After he opened the door with his wand, Eva allowed Luther to settle her on the sofa before he sat in the chair closest to her. Not even looking up to see where his sister was or notice that she had quietly closed the door behind her and perched on an ottoman by the fireplace, Luther placed his hand lightly over Eva's. "Your brother may be a competent Jurisconsultant for counselling Daedalus on daily affairs, but he doesn't know how to handle litigation. You need to bring in a Jurisconsultant who can handle this, Eva."

"How does one do that?"

Luther smiled reassuringly, "You don't. I will contact Aldebaran Shipley. He was one of my closest friends at Hogwarts and he specialises in litigation law, Eva."

Luther could see that Eva was both surprised and relieved as she asked, "You think he would take us on?"

Luther smiled, "I know he would. Aldebaran will not refuse me. He would probably take on Daedalus even without my involvement, since your family's company is well-established and large enough to be of interest to him."

Eva asked uneasily, "Do you think that he would take us on so quickly? Llewellyn's have procured a date in front of the judiciary panel for next week."

Luther raised his brows, but he replied in a measured tone, "Aldebaran has never failed me, Eva. He helped me once before with Govan even. Would you like for me to Floo him now? He should be in his office."

Luther noticed the strange look in Eva's eyes as she replied, "Thank you, Luther."

With his heart racing from the realisation that Eva did not, in fact, despise him, Luther stood up from the chair and said seriously, "I will come back once I have spoken to Aldebaran."

As she stepped out of the grate of the kitchen fireplace, the only fireplace that Luther would allow to be connected to the Floo Network due to security reasons, Patience reached out for the long iron pothook to steady herself. She had always disliked Floo travel over long distances and travelling from Scotland to London twice daily was taking its toll on her. She had already begun to suffer from nausea at odd times throughout the day, enough so that Luther automatically raised his wand to begin the Anti-Nausea Spell any time that she began to speak.

However, the last few days Patience had been unusually tired. It was possible that this was caused by the pregnancy; yet she thought that having spent six hours inside the asterodome each day for three days in a row was the real problem. Patience was completely miserable.

She had known that she would not enjoy her time spent at the RAS headquarters during the probationary exercises. She was at the mercy of two extremely condescending, older wizards who very obviously had nothing but contempt for Patience's intellectual capabilities. The situation had not been helped when Patience had proved Master McFarland wrong again when he had insisted that his calculation prediction was more correct than her intuitive prediction. Magistra Hunley and the two Masters had recalculated the plot using the standard calculations and had been unable to explain why Patience's prediction had a smaller deviation from asterothen observation.

Patience had believed that part of the purpose of having her work with the calibrated asterothen had been to advance the subject of Astrocartography. She had been told that the goal was two-fold. She would help the RAS to take measurements with increased accuracy for the current Cygnus project and she would work with Master McFarland and Magistra Hunley, both advanced Arithmancers, to improve prediction calculations. She had been told that the project was quite long-term, very likely 10 years at the least, but Patience had only agreed to work for the six-month probationary period as yet. However, although Magistra Hunley had spoken with Patience several times about how to begin the research, Master McFarland and Master Murgatroyd had apparently decided to use Patience only as an asterothen-reading automaton.

Patience walked dejectedly down the ground floor corridor towards the front stairs, hoping that Biter had not found the drawer in which she had put the fuchsia treat box labelled: 'Patent Crup-Taming Treats now with more Whargle's foot!' She had owled for another box the week previous, since Biter had found the last one and indulged himself in a binge that had resulted in a difficult stain on Patience's bedroom rug. As she climbed the stairs Patience remembered that Luther had gone to Daedalus that afternoon with Aldebaran Shipley for the final meeting with Llewellyn's Jurisconsultant, in which Llewellyn's was expected to turn over the signed agreement to pay Daedalus' legal fees in reparation. This meant that Patience would be alone for tea again. As she opened the door, but before she even walked into her bedroom, Patience knew that Biter had found the box.

Leaning against the doorframe, Patience felt a rush of abject misery wash over her. She was not going to see him again until after the baby was born. That was five months away and he had made it abundantly clear that he would only come the once—to see the child only—and he did not expect to return afterwards. As she felt the tears streaming down her cheeks, Patience thought unhappily that any chance for the life she wanted was gone forever. He had never wanted what she did. Patience would never understand how his mind worked or why he could love her, but not need her. All she knew was that Rem had sent his things on to his other home, which was the house in which he had been raised. She had not been allowed to know where it was. She only knew that he would be returning there when school ended.