Chapter Thirty-Four

Cold

The next day turned out to be cold and icy, and Essie's forecast informed them that they wouldn't see relief until the end of the week. No one had any inclinations to go out on the grounds at all; only Oscar and Pippa, who both joined the Bridal Club, had braved it long enough to take care of their mounts. They rushed in after breakfast and straight over to the warming stove, not even bothering to take off their scarves and mitts until they had sat there for a few minutes.

"There is a spell for that, you know," Jeremy informed them from where he and Libby sat at a small table to work on their Transfiguration.

"We used it! And it didn't help enough," Oscar protested.

"The stables were nice and warm, but that walk back was murder," Pippa agreed.

"Just why does the school have to be so high up? I'm sure it's nowhere near this cold at sea level," Pete complained.

"Obviously, it was picked to help hide the castle before there were disguise spells implemented after the Secrecy Act," Quintin said, walking over to the research table with his notebook in hand. "Personally, I rather like the alpine feel to the place in the winter, especially in Hogsmeade. I've always liked the snow here."

"Snow, sure, but this biting cold I can do without," Pete said.

"Do you have much left to do on that Transfiguration assignment, Jeremy?" Quintin asked.

"Uh, no, we're almost done," Jeremy said, and turned his attention back to homework.

"I bet he's doing more chatting than working," Curt said at the research table.

"We can be good friends and mind our own business. I was just wondering because I'd like to interview O'Laren soon," Quintin said.

"Did you get Rowena's death date sorted yesterday, Quintin?" asked Virginia.

"Yes, at the beginning of the sixteenth century, according to the records. She died at sea," Quintin said. "In fact, my mother thinks that she might have died in an attempt to find out what happened to Wuscfrea, Janus, and Dagda's Cauldron. Her theory is that Rowena might have gotten too close and the Fomorians took issue with it; but the official entry is that their ship sank in the storm, and only a single lifeboat managed to escape, eventually running aground on the Blanket Islands. It's the fact they ended up there that makes her believe that might have been what she's doing," he explained. "And she thinks Rowena may have even realized that the likelihood of her death was quite high, because Icarus told her that was the first time that the Chest with his Cloak in it left the castle; she had claimed it out of the Memoriatorium and then gave it to a great-great grandchild at that point in an effort to safeguard it."

"Why didn't she want it at Hogwarts any longer?" Curt asked.

"Nobody is quite sure, but Mum thinks it probably has something to do with the politics at the time, and the persecution of witches by Muggles was ongoing. It might have been an effort to protect her family rather her wanting to take it from Hogwarts, but it's hard to say. Either way, she does think it's a sign that she knew she was taking a trip that she might not survive, but the mystery of what happened to them had probably haunted her over the centuries and made her decide it was worth the risk," Quintin said.

"But all of that is opinion," Jeremy pointed out, and Quintin looked over to where he sat with an arm thrown over the back of his chair as he listened.

"Yes, it is. All I can use in the paper is her death date and that she died at sea," Quintin confirmed.

"It's quite frustrating just how much we are learning that we can't put in the research paper because it can't be confirmed," Libby said.

"Well, we may not be able to put it in some stuff-robed education report, but that doesn't mean we can't use what we know to base our own opinions on when it comes to naming this house," Pete said. "That's the real point of this whole research is anyway, right?"

"True, but what if the opinions we're basing our decision on is wrong?" Quintin asked.

"Quintin, really! Haven't you been paying attention to our history class at all?" Jeremy replied, closing his Transfiguration book. He got up and the two of them went over to the research table, sitting down with the others. "Opinions aren't necessarily right or wrong, they're just opinions. They might be based on bad information, or worse, disinformation, but you can't put them in the same category."

"Mum's opinions aren't based on bad information, they're based on educated guesses," Quintin said.

"You can have a good opinion or a bad opinion. You just can't have a right or wrong opinion," Jeremy replied. "So if your opinion is based on your mother's opinion, do you think it's a good opinion?"

"Yes," Quintin decided.

"Bzzt! Wrong answer! Trick Question," Jeremy said, Quintin gazing at him in annoyance. "You listen to different opinions that you think are good and then form your own."

There was a clapping sound echoing through the room, and they all looked up to see Anna standing there with a smile.

"Hey, Gran! What are you doing here on a Sunday?" Oscar asked.

"Checking in to see how you're doing, and to make sure you're staying out of the cold," Anna said. "Although I see you're dressed for outside for some reason."

"We had to go out to take care of our mounts, but we're done now," Pippa offered, pointedly taking off her scarf and mitts.

"As long as you're not cold in this room. I was a little worried this stove wouldn't be enough, but you seem alright," Anna said.

"It's warm enough here in the research corner near the heating stove, although it is a bit nippy in the front room near the ladder," Curt replied.

"Yes, there's no real reason to heat the lower level right now. I'll make sure the trap door is sealed before I leave to make sure the heat's not getting out," Anna offered. "So what are you guys working on that involves good opinions and bad opinions, anyway?"

"We're learning a lot about past events that we can't really prove and can't put in the research paper," Quintin explained. "But it seems wrong to exclude everything we're learning about Hogwarts history from our decision on what our House name should be, despite the fact that we can't prove it."

"Yes, I think you're right," Anna agreed. "There's too little information to go on from that time period that you can academically prove, and from what Ambrose and Jennifer have been telling me, even dates are sometimes a problem."

"Yes," Quintin confirmed.

"But you have an entire castle of resources when it comes to interviews when you include ghosts, paintings, and even the Hat," Anna said. "And I know you're allowed to use them for this paper."

"Sure, but I still have to have some sort of means to backing it up. Only a fraction of it will be admissible," Quintin said.

"True, but this never was really about the research paper, was it?" Anna pointed out. "The research paper is nothing more than an excuse so that this house can can poke around, ask nosy questions, explain countless hours in the company of professors, and use restricted portions of the castle so that you can find out the truth."

"We're not allowed to use the word 'truth' in Professor Scribe's class. Just 'facts'," Jeremy said.

"This isn't Professor Scribe's class," Anna pointed out. "And pretty soon, you're all going to be doing interviews with paintings and ghosts with feelings and opinions and different points of view on their lives, their friendships, and what they went through when they were alive. I understand how important the research paper is, perhaps even more than you do. And I understand just how strongly all of you feel about getting this decision right," Anna said, looking around the room so that she could meet all of their gazes in turn. "But the ultimate decision about who you are as a house isn't going to be determined by either facts or opinions. It'll be determined by what you believe in," she informed them sincerely. "It's more than just whose opinion you believe, or even about what you believe really happened when the very last of your interviews are done. It's about what you believe as a person, what you feel is important to you, and what it is that you stand for. Those are very personal questions that exist only in your hearts, and only you can answer them. And whatever that answer is, it'll set the tone for this house from that moment forward, and for as long as the school lasts," she said evenly. "No pressure, or anything."

"Gee. Thanks," Jeremy said sarcastically.

"Keep warm," Anna suggested. "I'll arrange for a lunch table with sandwiches and stuff so you don't have to brave those frigid corridors until dinner if you don't want to."

"Thanks, Aunt Anna," Quintin said, followed by thank yous from various other people as she left.

"She sounded fairly well informed about what we were up to," Libby commented as she went through her homework to see what she had left to do.

"I noticed that as well. She said she'd been talking to Ambrose and Professor Craw," Jeremy agreed. "She keeps tabs on what we're up to but still let's us do our own thing. I respect that."

"Not only that, but she made a lot of good points," Pippa replied. "Especially now, when we mostly have interviews left... we're going to have to use our instincts, and we're going to have to decide what to believe... and who to believe in."

"Fine, but before we start going down that rabbit hole, let's gather all of the information we can first... both facts and opinions... so that we have the full picture before we start asking ourselves what we believe," Jeremy said.

"Yes, you're right of course," Quintin agreed. Jeremy helpfully added the fact that Quintin said he was right to his journal. "Let's see how much of this week's homework we can get done to free up some extra time. I'll head to the Headmaster's Study for dinner to set up interviews and get permission to borrow paintings."

"So who's still working on Transfiguration?" Pete asked.

After a bit of rearranging, the house split into groups to work on different subjects, sticking to the warmer parts of the room to keep from getting distracted by the cold.

It had been a difficult couple of weeks with Delilah on constant bed rest. Worley had to send his very reluctant butler to pick up his younger children from school so that he could head to the distillery to put the finishing touches on the main floor of the big house, sealing off the rooms above to conserve heat until late spring.

It was not long after the Cottonwood's insisted that Delilah be transported to St. Mungo's that Delilah took a turn for the worse. Exasperated by the fact that he was being inconvenienced yet again, Worley was called to the hospital, leaving Zelda and Wallace to play in the nursery while he was gone.

It was an hour later that Zelda looked up, frowning at what she picked up and wondering if she should say anything to Wally. Shrugging it off, she went back over to her doll house to finish setting up the nursery.

"Here, Wally, let's move one of the chairs from the dining room. There will be one less for dinner from now on," Zelda explained.

"Alright," Wally said, not understanding why she had said that but knowing it was always best to humor his big sister.

Worley sighed with impatience at the situation, turning to his sister for help since he knew she would have the connections needed to find an emergency nanny who could move in straight away.

"Thank you for coming. This is all been ridiculously inconvenient," Worley told Blair with annoyance.

"Brother dear, you can at least pretend to be remorseful. Personally, I feel a bit sorry for her under the circumstances," Blair said.

"Nonsense, Blair. Delilah had a good home and a comfortable life despite her deficiencies, but she picked the worst time to leave me alone with a newborn. I have enough to do, especially since I'm opening the new wizard's club next week and that horrid solidarity party is constantly bleeding away traditionalist voters."

"That may be, but I noticed that during the last wizard council, all of the solidarity members voted with the traditionalists, despite their recent support of Minister Malfoy," Blair pointed out. "Besides, this situation will probably work out to your advantage if you want to try to coax some of them back, since some of them will drop by to express their sympathy."

"I've already had my fill of sympathy, Blair, despite only speaking to doctors and nurses for the last few hours. If I hear one person say, 'she's in a better place,' I'm half tempted to give them a roaring headache that they'll never forget," he threatened. His sister sighed at the idea of such impulsive behavior.

"Well, I suppose I'll be polite and offer to take Zelda and Wallace off your hands while you're making arrangements for little Torcall. Are you planning to call the others home from Hogwarts?" Blair asked.

"What? And take them away from their studies? What for?" Worley asked. "I don't see why they should get a holiday because of this."

"It's a matter of custom, Worley dear. Besides, some of them might have had some affection for her. After all, she was their mother," Blair reminded them.

"Fine! They can come home as long as they stay with you. I already have my hands full right now," Worley said with exasperation.

"I think I'll pick up the younger ones first," Blair decided. "Then I'll head to the castle and speak to Danyelle."

"Thank you, Blair, for being so understanding," Worley said.

"Well, someone in the family has to be good at dealing with people," Blair replied, then left to take care of the matter.