Chapter 24

Alex sighed. The jewel wasn't anywhere in Arras. He had searched everywhere, spreading his magic out to help. Of course, he was very subtle; too much magic would give him away to anyone with magic in the area.

He climbed out of the hole he had dug in the area he had sensed dark magic. It was the wrong kind of dark magic; it didn't feel like the trace of strange dark magic he had felt in that box in the pyramids. He was covered in dirt and he had dropped his disguise so he wouldn't be wasting his magic. He wiped some dirt from his pale skin and then brushed his black bangs out of his face. His icy blue eyes glared down at the hole.

"What a waste," he muttered.

"Hey you! What do you think you're doing?!" a voice shouted from behind him.

Alex looked behind him to see a guard.

"You're under arrest for desecration!" the guard shouted.

"How annoying," Alex rolled his eyes.

Without a second thought, he pointed a finger at the guard. The guard crumbled to the ground dead with a green flash of light. Alex walked over and grabbed the dead body of the guard and dragged it over to the hole. He dumped the guard's body into the hole and picked up the shovel. He cast his magic out to check for anyone else; there was nobody else. Then he began filling the hole back up, burying the guard's body in the process.

Once he was done, Alex leaned against the shovel. He looked across the field. In total, he had dug five holes where he had sensed dark magic, but they were all the wrong kind of dark magic. Alex shifted his grip on the shovel to grab the hand mirror from his pocket.

"Show me Hermione Granger," he muttered.

The mirror's surface shimmered briefly before Hermione's face came into sight.

"Alex? What is it?" she asked.

"Did you find anything?" Alex asked.

"Nothing," Hermione said. "What about you?"

"Nothing on my side either; I don't think the jewel is—where are you?" Alex frowned in confusion.

Hermione glanced behind her before turning back.

"We're looking around the local areas right now. Ginny said it would be a good place to start gathering information," she said. "What were you saying?"

Alex sighed.

"I don't think the jewel is in Arras," he said. "I tracked some dark magic over to a tomb site hundreds of years old. There's nothing here."

"Please tell me you didn't dig holes everywhere again," Hermione said.

"That's the first thing you ask?" Alex asked in disbelief. "Is that what you're so worried about? Not that the jewel we've been searching for weeks now isn't anywhere in the city?"

"Sorry, sorry," Hermione apologized. "Did you run into any trouble?"

Alex blinked and glanced down at the hole he had recently refilled, the hole that was also hiding the dead body of a guard he had killed only moments ago.

"I was careful not to let anyone see me," he said after a few seconds of hesitation.

"Alex," Hermione pressed. "You didn't kill someone, did you?"

"Focus on the jewel, not if I killed someone." Alex said. "I'll meet you soon."

"Hang on, Alex! You didn't even deny it-!"

Alex hung up, cutting Hermione off, and shoved the mirror into his pocket.

"How troublesome," he muttered.

He heard a voice calling a name in the distance; no doubt the name of the guard he had killed. Alex turned on his heel, disappearing with a mere soft pop instead of a loud crack.

"Why are we just sitting here?" Ginny asked, looking bored.

"Since Alex didn't specify a meeting place, we're just going to have to let him find us. He can't do that if we've constantly moving," Hermione said, her arms crossed.

Ginny looked at her.

"You seem awfully invested in what he wants, you know. All this time, you haven't been worried about Ron or your kids," she said.

"I could say the same to you, Ginny. Ron can take care of himself. He's one of the best Aurors in the Ministry. And Lily is looking after the kids," Hermione said.

"Aren't you a least bit concerned? I mean, Harry was in England a little while ago. There's a small chance they could encounter him," Ginny said. "I know Lily is perfectly capable of protecting them, but still, it is rather nerve racking."

"I guess we've been so occupied with finding the jewel before Harry that I haven't really been thinking about anything else." Hermione admitted. She turned to Ginny. "Does that make me a terrible person, Ginny?"

"You just really want to help Alex; you still count him as a friend," Ginny said. "Although, we are technically aiding a criminal. If anyone found out about that, we'd be charged as accomplices. Not to mention, Ron and Eric would be both mad and anxious if they found out we went behind their backs to help Alex. But I don't think it makes us terrible people for wanting to help Alex find Harry before anyone else does. To us, we are merely helping a good friend the best we can."

"I guess so," Hermione said, laying her chin on the back of her hand, her elbow on the bench's armrest.

"Ugh! How much longer is Alex going to take?" Ginny groaned.

"I'm right here."

Ginny and Hermione jumped in surprise as Alex practically peeled away from the shadows.

"Geez! What the hell?!" Ginny exclaimed. "Are you a ghost or something?!"

Alex stared at her blankly; he was back in his disguise.

"There's nothing in the city, Alex," Hermione said, making Alex turn his attention towards her. "While Ginny was talking with people, I was searching for any sign of the jewel: nothing."

"And I got nothing from the locals," Ginny added. "I asked several people on the streets and in various stores, but some of them never even heard of the circlet, let alone the gem."

"I see," Alex replied. "Let's get going then."

Ginny and Hermione stood up and linked arms with Alex as he pulled out the portkey. In the next second, they were gone.