Chapter VIII: Recess is over
Basilisk's horn is the best remedy for uncontrolled hissing.
Take it preferably with your first meal, in the morning.
Slytherin's Codex footnote.
Slytherin hadn't won the encounter against the Gryffindors, Bellatrix having been thrown with her broom against one of the hoops because of the wind. Without their beater the team had not been able to bounce back and they had lost a few points apart. With Gryffindors having been stripped of points all year, Slytherins were the expected winners of the House Cup.
The end-of-year banquet took place in this cheerful atmosphere. Eddy had spent the rest of the year revising for his exams and thought he hadn't done too badly. Even though he had been unable to turn the owl into a vase, McGonagall looked pleased and gave him a small smile of congratulations before sending him off to wait with the others for the rest of the exams.
Everything could have been perfect, but Salazar hadn't said a word to him since the match. He had returned to the solitude in which he had met him. Always solitary, cold, and distant. Eddy had found him in the park drawing against a tree and had tried to talk to him but he never answered. He stormed back to the castle.
At the end-of-year feast, Salazar was alone at the end of the table, reading a curious book with blackish pages.
Bellatrix sitting next to Eddy agreed to give him the basket of bread when he asked for it. She bore him with her dark violet gaze and hissed:
"Try to come back alive from the summer, squiby, I have a few more tortures to try."
"It almost looks like you've come to like him," Medusa scoffed. "But what's happening to you Bella? Did you hit your head too hard during the match?"
"Never. I was just saying we need to have our little poodle alive for next year, that's all."
"But I'm not a dog," cried the boy as Rita giggled and behind her even Gwendal couldn't help smiling.
"Yes of course. A dog bites when you hit him but it always comes back, and you do. You came to sit next to us after the hellish weeks we put you through. So you like it."
The boy rolled his eyes but Medusa looked pensive. She darted a glance at the end of the table where her brother sat and Eddy discovered an expression of pure sadness that she had never let show before on her pretty face.
The dinner ended with Dumbledore's warm congratulations to the Slytherin House and then he urged them to rest well during the summer. Professor Riddle didn't lost his icy air for a moment. Since the incident in his office, Eddy hadn't spoken to him again and that was a good thing He had been focused on the name of his newly discovered father but hadn't forgotten the one he had glimpsed in his teacher's mind. Lord Voldemort. Was it him? Who was that boy he had seen in the flames?
The professor looked at him with dangerous eyes, and Eddy was paralyzed. He could hurt him if he spoke, or even worse hurt Salazar and Medusa and the alternative terrified him. He felt his magic crackling inside him, and as he stood up, he took a sip of his potion to calm himself down. He hurried back to the dormitory without saying a word to his comrades.
The day of departure arrived. Eddy was a bit feverish and worried about leaving Hogwarts to go back to his guardians. He had managed to find a balance these last months between his potions, his progress and his new comrades. What would happen once at the Scamander Cottage?
He wondered as he walked past the lady with the carriage on the Hogwarts Express. He had Charm under one arm, his suitcase in the other and was struggling to move forward. He got up late and almost missed the train. He looked around for Medusa and Salazar in the compartments he passed. He would have liked to explain himself properly with his classmate, but he could not find him anywhere, just like his sister. He entered after Gwendal, who shared his compartment with Frank Longbottom, a Gryffindor and Pettigrew's cousin. The train started.
"Do you dislike our company? Are you looking for someone?" Longbottom mocked when he saw that he kept glancing out the window to see his friend pass.
"The Riddle twins. I have to talk to them."
"They hardly ever take the train," Gwendal warned him.''Their father accompanies them back home."
He thought, disappointed, that he had missed his chance. Maybe summer was the best way to take sistance of this complicated situation? It had been a busy few months and never when he got back to Hogwarts had he thought he would be embroiled in so much trouble. Yes, he might do better to think about reuniting with his family, telling the Scamanders of his plans and so many other things. He had promised Salazar to invite him to his home, but he doubted he would even answer his letters today.
He mingled in a game of wizarding chess Frank and Gwendal were playing, then managed to quieten down for the rest of the trip to Charm's purr.
When he arrived on the platform, his suitcase under his arm, Tina was waiting for him between the parents of the students. It was like the day they parted in March. Tall but a little hunched over by age, her short grey hair styled in ringlets framed her slightly wrinkled but infinitely soft face. Upon seeing him, her black eyes sparkled with happiness.
"You've grown so much, my boy. I'm really glad to see you. How are you?"
"Fine."
And he was sincere, he was recovering his memory, his Obscurus was calm, for once things were moving forward.
"Newt couldn't come. He had a little accident with a hippogriff. Nothing serious I assure you, his leg is just immobilized for a few weeks. Come, come, my boy, I have heaps of things to tell you! You have to see the house; you've never seen it now that I think about it."
Carried away by the little whirlwind that was his tutor, Eddy left the quay. Charm leaped onto Tina's shoulder and under his forked tail flapping they disappeared.
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.
.
Medusa and Salazar left the Slytherin common room later than the others and took their bags once it emptied. The castle was empty; they crossed it in silence towards the second floor.
They entered the classroom and sat at the back two places apart. Their father was there, working silently, he did not greet them or change his position, completely focused. Out of habit, Medusa and Salazar opened their schoolbooks and started working on their holiday homework. They did not move from this position for several hours.
The sun was warming their class despite the heavy curtains, the afternoon had started and Medusa was getting hungry. Other than a few scones for breakfast with her tea, she had not eaten anything. But her father didn't seem to move, still concentrating. Salazar, two places farther back, had given up on the idea of working, he was scribbling vaguely in his notebook hidden behind two books.
"Accio."
The notebook flew into their father's outstretched hand and Salazar froze. Medusa left her Herbology notes and watched the exchange, tensed.
"Recess is over, Salazar. Hold on tight and work."
The tone was so stark that the two hungrily plunged back into their parchments, eyes downcast.
About an hour later, their father got up, gathered the remaining items, and ordered them to follow him. They complied and left the floor, taking their belongings with them. In the Hall they met McGonagall who also seemed on her way out.
"Mr. Riddle, Medusa, Salazar, nice to see you before we left. You two have made a lot of progress this year."
"I've seen that indeed, some more than others," their father cut her off, stepping forward.
McGonagall looked shocked at his words, but Medusa tried a small smile to smooth things over. She was quite fond of McGonagall; she was a few years older than their father and had a way of teaching and an accuracy that Medusa liked.
When you see people under the mask, coming across people driven by justice and impartiality is indubitably disturbing. Minerva McGonagall fell into this troubling category.
They parted like this. Medusa took her brother's arm. They walked through the park to cross the gates and once out of the school, Apparated clinging to their father.
They were back home. Their ancestor's priory was a large two-storey greyish stone building. It opened into a square courtyard with a fountain in its middle. The residence was thick with vegetation that twisted over the grey stone like long little snakes of foliage. The priory was concealed by large weeping willows, snake-wood, yew, and umbrella pines and sheltered an immense swamp in which they played as children.
But you had to be careful with the Slytherins Swamp, because it was household to several poisonous snakes, which never delay to hunt outside of their waters. They entered the priory. The hall was as cold as usual. Duddy and Tinny their house-elves appeared to collect their luggage in a servile motion and disappeared.
Their father left them without a word and disappeared in a blackish smoke. Salazar's stomach growled, so they followed that primal instinct and headed for the dining room.
This room, all in length but much lower in ceiling than the Great Hall of which it had once been the model for Helga Hufflepuff . The elves had prepared a stew that sat on the long stone table carved with snakes. They helped themselves and ate in silence. Salazar had never looked so sad to her. He could certainly go days without speaking, but he had never had this icy and desperate look. Medusa thought that the summer was going to be long.
"Would you like us to take care of the thestrals afterwards?" asked the girl, finishing her plate.
He nodded. He had probably decided long ago to go. They left the table and went behind the pond where the enclosure was. In the shadow of a thestrals, their mother was hidden. When she saw them, she emerged in the moonlight.
"How was your year, children?" she hissed, combing the hair of a thestral with her long fingers.
"Good," the twins replied in unison.
Salazar approached the thestral and petted it, then slowly climbed onto its back. Thus exposed to the lunar crescent, while straddling the skeletal creature, he offered a picture as disturbing as it was serene. Not really knowing what meaning to give to this scene, Medusa turned to her mother:
"Father gave me a new companion. This is Echo, Mother."
The pink snake hissed at her mother. If she seemed to understand the irony, she didn't appreciate it and wearily turned away from it. She looked tired, the girl thought. Their mother came home. Medusa thought she had known her warmer if that was possible.
Medusa climbed awkwardly behind her brother onto the thestral's back. She hugged him tightly as they trotted around the carousel of the enclosure, hidden between the gigantic reeds. The magical creature trotted slowly, unable to fly. Their mother had taught them very early to break the wings of the thestrals, a wave of the magic wand enough to put them back together. Salazar came back traumatized from this experience.
Since then, he spent all his time outside with them. Medusa would have thought that Lee's presence might have helped her brother forget their worries a little, but it was in vain. She felt him even sadder than when they last came home, but she did not dare rush him out of legilimency to find out more.
She would talk to him later.
.
.
During the holidays, they got up every morning at dawn, took a book from the family library and had to memorize all the spells by noon. Then they had free time in the afternoon. In the evening, their father questioned them about what they had learned. Depending on his mood, a few blunders could pass, if he was angry, even the slightest misplaced comma guaranteed them punishment until the following morning. And Salazar sometimes tasted it too often. Today however for two days their father was absent, they had spent the morning working together in the laboratory and hoped to enjoy the rest of the day. It was noon, and it was under this sun and the crushing summer heat that they went to bathe in the marsh.
Taking advantage of the coolness of the pond, they paddled for a while in the muddy waters, greeting their little reptile comrades who were arriving. Medusa introduced Echo to the snakes as Salazar plunged his head back into the water. School had been out for a week and they were bored.
Medusa got out of the water and went into the sun to tan. She liked to have this little tanned complexion sign of her exposure to the sun, unlike her brother and her father, who were almost suspiciously pale. She invited her brother to join her in the sun. They stayed for a moment enjoying the warm rays on their skin. Echo beside her was also tanning, her black and pink scales shimmering like little diamonds. The snake seemed to sleep.
She looked into her brother's eyes.
"No news from Lee?" she asked him in thought.
"He found work on Diagon Alley. I did not respond to his letter. I should never have approached him."
Medusa wanted to retort something venomous to her younger brother, but she refrained from doing so. This wasn't Sal's fault, it was hers.
"He invited you to spend the summer at his house, didn't he? We can ask Mother in August since Father will be in Greece. She may consent, as long as someone stays with her, she says yes more often than not. "
Nagini arrived, undulating slightly in the muddy waters. The Maledictus sighed in delight at Salazar. She wrapped herself playfully around him, and Salazar answered aloud:
"It's not sure that it will happen anyway, he still has things to look for."
He dove into the water taking Nagini with him. Medusa adjusted her sunglasses with a sigh. She turned to retrieve her book on common poisons and began to read as Salazar raced Nagini.
As the afternoon progressed, she felt her mother passing behind her in the shade of a willow tree but did not greet her. Later, she raised her head. Her father stood in front of her, wearing his wizard's robe. She hadn't heard him coming but gave him a beautiful smile. He seemed to be in good enough humour to have the urbanity to answer it, and even better. He sat down on a worm-eaten stump near where she lay among the weeds. He had in his hands Salazar's notebook that he had confiscated from him. She frowned behind her sunglasses.
"We weren't expecting you until tonight, Father. Everything went well?"
"Certainly. Where is your brother?" he asked with a smirk.
He did not seem really angry, just highly intrigued. Medusa wondered what was so interesting about her twin's notebook. She turned her gaze to the pond, assuming Salazar and Nagini must have dived in and fled as soon as they heard their father approaching.
"He must probably be in the fields, with Mother. For what?" she asked a little worried.
"Study your book, Medusa, I'll question you tonight," he retorted in parseltongue while getting up.
"This one's for fun," she scoffed.
She had felt it, he was in a very good mood.
"Then have fun, my little viper."
She smiled at this affectionate little nickname between them and watched him disappear into the thickets. She knew she shouldn't move, if she followed her father her mood could change completely, because she was not in her place. If she did not act, her father would be more accommodating when talking to Sal.
They came back later. Her father looked surprisingly satisfied, and Sal looked almost reassured. Medusa found this very suspicious. During dinner, their mother was not there. They recited their lesson, ate, and then were dismissed. As Salazar sped into his bedroom with Nagini wrapped around his neck, his sister called out to him.
"What did our father want with you?" she asked.
"He figured out what I was drawing…he thinks they're old runes. Maybe I do not know."
Medusa knew he made these drawings without really thinking; the scribbles she saw in her brother's notebook were very different from the acronyms they were both learning in Runes Study. Yet, Salazar was the first in this matter without the slightest effort. Her twin took leave of her for a midnight swim. She thought about doing the same but refrained from doing so.
She spun on her heels, crossed the cold stone alcove connecting the courtyard to her father's apartments. She knocked on the heavy solid oak door and was signalled to enter. The office of her father and Salazar Slytherin before him was a large square room somewhat like a chapel. There was the same darkness there as in the Defence Against the Dark Arts class, only two braziers near a throne-like chair lit the room. Her father was just sitting on that throne taking notes. A potion was brewing at the back of the room, on his distant hand movements.
"Where's Mother?" she asked in a quiet voice.
"You didn't come here to tell me about your mother. Speak. Be honest with the blood of your blood," her father retorted softly.
He reread his notes, still with a half smile on his face, so Medusa stepped forward.
"Salazar seems to be writing runes in his notebook?"
"Not runes, Medusa, not just at least. These are several ancient languages mixed together. Runes, Sanskrit, Greek and Aramaic in what I discovered."
"Oh, and what do they say?" she could not help asking.
Her father looked up and waved his parchment away. He put his long fingers under his chin thoughtfully, and then looked at her.
"I don't know yet, we'll work him and me to find out."
He looked excessively interested by this fact and even seemed happy, almost proud of his son's ability. He had never had that expression before. When they were little, she quickly understood that her brother was incapable of causing harm, and he had no desire to hurt anyone. Killing a snake for a potion, breaking the wings of thestrals, or mistreating their two elves was wrong because it caused them harm. He had then seemed to be a source of failure for their father who had taken Medusa aside to take care of his occupation personally. It was after all these years of study that the vision of the young girl - as well as her moral sense -, had become a little blurred.
But thinking back to her brother's sadness, the scramble of her moral compass thickens a little. She had to do to something.
"All the better if this mystery is about to be solved," she hissed. "But whatever the name of his gift, he does not have to be the only one to be useful to you."
She approached and sat down on one of the wide stone arms of his chair. He didn't flinch and looked at her calmly. He was definitely in a very good mood if he spent more than a week away from Dumbledore.
"What do you want, Medusa?" he hissed almost teasingly.
"I knew how to reveal the little Obscurial, I can still help you. I'm the top of our class, my gift is growing-"
"So you want more responsibility in my business?"
"Yes," she admitted frankly. "The Obscurial is in Diagon Alley right now to earn his galleons for a short trip. I can continue to get closer to him."
She was silent, waiting for her father to decide whether or not to correct his impudence.
"You've made a lot of progress this year, I have to admit. And you even managed to advance Edward Lee. You are becoming a brilliant witch... but you still need supervision."
He seemed to ponder for a moment longer.
"Perhaps a little internship would be beneficial? If you succeed in the little mission I'm going to give you, you can stay after the Derby," he purred affably.
Gladness and apprehension battled for dominance in her head. Her father got up and went to put out the fire of the potion. He poured out the contents of the cauldron with the back of his wand. They were little vials of strengthening potion, she saw. He seemed to realize her interest and continued:
"I never told you and your brother about your birth. When you were born, I did not expect it. Only Salazar was planned. I remained frozen beside your mother without moving until your brother was born five minutes after you. That is why I named you Medusa. You are the first person and the only one to have made me like this. Somewhere today you still surprise me. You weren't expected but I'm happy to have you with me."
He corked his last bottle, and Medusa got up, watching him with confusion.
"I'll make arrangements with a former collaborator for your internship. Your workload here will remain the same. Oh, and if you want to learn a more interesting tome for tomorrow, learn this one.''
He threw a small red book into her hands. The authors were Newt and Porpentina Scamander. The girl frowned as she read the title. Her father dismissed her with a look and she went back to her room.
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.
Medusa looked at herself in the mirror of her mirror built into the wall. She finished tying her hair in a bun with a pin. She smoothed her outfit, satisfied. With her long witchy skirt, fitted little blouse, dark stockings and black leather boots, she looked professional and adult. It was perfect.
She went back behind her to take the little red book she had read and reread for days even though she had learned it in one evening. The Scamander's' thesis lay on her four-poster bed with dark purple drapes. She sat in the inner of the cracked stone room. Medusa's room was not the largest room in the priory but she liked it very much.
They were two old rooms of priests attached to each other, that her ancestors had modified over time by digging it into its foundations around a small basin that acted as a bathtub. The room was at ground level, as was common in the chambers of ancient priests, and it had a small balcony overlooking the pond. Salazar would often dive there as a child to escape their father or mother. Echo was bathing in the tub when she slipped the book into her bag and left the room. The sun was slowly rising over their marsh.
Salazar was already up and reading a rune book against the courtyard fountain, Nagini wrapped around his bare feet. Near him was a curious garden gnome that Salazar didn't seem to notice. However, a shudder alerted her brother who, with a wave of his hand chased the gnome from the courtyard. Barely five seconds later their father appeared in the hall open to the outside. The little creature had run away, Sal looked relieved and their father turned to Medusa:
"Let's go." He didn't bother to give Sal a look and they Apparated.
When they arrived at Borgin & Burke under an invisibility spell, the shop was not yet open but her father entered without worrying. Medusa soon followed him. She didn't like being alone in Knockturn Alley. If she didn't doubt her ability to defend herself with dark magic, the freezing street was dirty and smelly.
Burke's shop was only slightly less seedy and grimy. The young girl held back a grimace as she became visible again. Mr Burke came from the back of his shed and offered them both a most hypocritical grimace. He was a dirty, bald old man with a little rat's snout and a runny nose.
"Professor Riddle, how nice to see you again. So here is my new little intern."
Medusa read something disturbing in his eyes, she suppressed a grimace of contempt.
"Indeed. Say hello to Mr. Burke, Medusa."
"Hello Mr. Burke," she sneered with a fake smile.
She knew that her father had worked here for a while before going on a trip and meeting their mother. From the little he had confided in her about his life, she knew that Caractacus Burke was a senile but sneaky old man. He had perhaps two or three things to teach her, her father had told her. She would therefore be commercial for this old fox for the month. As other small missions, of course. Her father took a large pair of round eyeglasses from a purse in his pocket.
"I put a Blurred-All spell on the lenses so you wouldn't be recognized. Reactivate the spell frequently and do not remove them. I think that says it all, have a nice day."
He disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. Mr. Burke turned to her:
"Even with the glasses you have the pretty little face of your parent, I'm counting on you to turn heads like him before you. He was my best seller."
"I have no doubt about it. Well, where's the repair I need to make?" she commanded in a dry voice.
Burke grimaced and led her to the back of the store; between two seats with acromentula legs, there was a Vanishing cabinet.
"Impossible to fix, it's completely out of whack, all my repairmen have tried it, one of them almost got sucked into it. But it seems that Father Riddle managed to repair its twin."
Medusa wondered where the twin cabinet to the one being sold here was, but refrained from commenting. She smiled quietly. It shouldn't be too hard to fix that damn closet.
She noticed a shiny object on the chimney hood and went towards this luminous point. Between a thestrals skull painted with runes and two shrunken heads of elves there was on a small cushion the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. It was a long necklace of opals, set with jade stones and grey pearls. The jewel emanated a dark and dark charm. She wanted it immediately and powerfully.
"Hands off," Burke hissed. "I saw him twenty years ago, you're the same. Two little thieving magpies, dirty little nifflers, that's what you two are."
"No doubt," sneered the young girl. "You can say whatever you want, you don't have a choice. So let's remain cordial Mr. Burke. If I fix this cabinet, I want to have this necklace."
"It will kill you if you wear it, you fool. Ah, the little witches-
"Who said it was for me to wear?"
"It is out of the question that I give it to you, it's almost triple your salary trainee, little brat. Go work on your closet while there are no customers in the shop."
"And risk not learning to negotiate with you?" she deviated immediately to take over the reins of the conversation. ''We do not have to agree, but to understand each other. I repair this unsellable cupboard, I bring you back your customers and precious objects and you teach me how to negotiate as well as all your little tricks. I want to study this necklace, that's all you need to know.''
Burke's little rat face creased, but he looked more playful when he continued:
"Perhaps this month in your company will be less terrible than I thought, little witch. Do what you have to do, and we'll talk about it."
Medusa smiled a little. Like her father before her, she had seen that Burke was too weak to really attack, so he was easy to overpower. Medusa thought she was going to have fun after all. She couldn't wait to find Lee.
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.
Eddy had spent the first two days of vacation with Newt and Tina before broaching the idea of finding a job. Newt's leg was broken by a hippogriff when he was trying to calm down. So most of the time, he was sitting on his rocking chair reading or working with his leg immobilized. His med-witch had ordered him to get plenty of rest. When Eddy offered his summer job project, Newt looked surprised:
"Why is that? If you need anything just ask us, boy."
If he did not seem to understand, Tina somehow felt that he was growing up and that he had the right to have a little independence.
The Scamander Cottage was close to the sea, in Selsey in Sussex. It wasn't the only wizarding dwelling in the area. Hidden behind a small cliff, away from Muggle town, Newt had told him other wizarding were nearby, like the Averys or the Lovegoods. This small wizarding community in Selsey had a chimney installed by the Ministry, hidden between the thick sand dunes of the beach. Every morning Eddy went there with Tina and with Charm in his arms.
"I'll let you work then," said the old woman. "Congratulations again on your exams, you have made so much progress."
He had had around average in almost all subjects, his marks in Botany and Care of Magical Creatures had allowed him pass with honourable encouragement on his report card which had arrived earlier in the week. Eddy felt proud and relieved at this fact. He hadn't yet told them about his decision to go alone this summer.
"I'm counting on you to watch over him, Charm," Tina said to the sniffer in his arms before leaving him.
He entered the fireplace with his cat, took a dose of floo powder which he had taken from the pot on leaving the cottage and shouted:
"Diagon Alley!"
The common conduit was connected to a small thoroughfare in London's Witch Alley. Several wizards arrived here through a network of several chimneys. The teenager moved aside to let a large witch appears after him and started to walk towards his job.
He had found a job as a waiter at the ice cream shop, the Fortescue's sister. Gladys and Gelate were just opening the store when they saw him arrive. The two sisters were twins, both small and plump with short blond hair; they were experts in frozen flavours.
"Come on, get dressed quickly. The day will be hot, that means a lot of customers," exclaimed Gelate, levitating a table.
He wasted no time in doing so, Charm on his heels.
The day was indeed very hot, the witch alley had not been designed to shelter trees so much so that the main highway was a real furnace that nothing could cool. He had trouble focusing while he was registering the orders. He was sweating so much. (His ice blue suit with a small purple bow tie did not help). Gladys who was the eldest of the twins shouted at him while he took on a duo of goblins.
"Go get rid of number 7, I have to give Flo his snack."
He noticed Florean, Gladys' five-year-old son, who was drawing on the wrought-iron table with a chocolate tip pilfered in the kitchen. He complied and served his coffee to a harpy in a rigid dark dress.
It hadn't taken him so long to find this small job. The hot summers attracted the mass and the Fortescue Sisters had jumped at the chance to have a waiter even if he was incapable of magic.
He joined Gelate who was preparing an order in the kitchen. Her wand moved gracefully pouring ice creams, sorbets and small sweets into the swan-shaped dish. The condiments were flying gently, coming together in an airy ballet. Eddy thought that was stunning magic, -something he desperately wished he could do, instead of explosions.
"Take that ice cream to 9. Take a break then, you look like you're going to melt, little kitty. This ice cream is for you."
She showed him a huge pumpkin Applebitte ice cream on the counter. So salivating with anticipation, and despite the nickname, he complied. When he returned the ice had started to melt but he carried it with him down the alley. He passed Ace, a tall, dark-skinned boy who had just returned from his cigarette break to take over.
"Don't hope to have any freshness outside, it's hot like in a cauldron."
Ace hadn't lied, he started eating his ice cream in the furnace. Charm was hidden from the sun under a garbage can and pressed his chest against the coolness of the cobblestones. He had a twenty-minute break but didn't quite know how to fill it. He suddenly felt a little draft behind him. There was a neatly folded little paper phoenix hovering around his head and trying to peck at his skull.
Intrigued, he grabbed it and opened it:
"Follow this little paper once you've read it, my little Obedient Obscurial "
Small crudely drawn hearts, as well as other small drawings of the same level and of questionable taste surrounded the message.
It was the most bizarre letter he had ever read, but from someone aware of his condition. The paper reformed into a phoenix and invited him to follow it. Curious but a little tense, he put down his cup of ice cream and followed Charm on his heels.
The little origami stalked through the crowd in the afternoon sun and branched off. He was heading for the only place the Scamanders had forbidden him: Knockturn Alley. Before he could arbitrate the pros and cons, the paper phoenix had already entered the alley. So, he followed it, and Charm let out an outraged cry.
"I know, I know, you'll be pissing me off later."
Between the cold stalls, the alley meandered, winding between the crooked and greyish houses. Not a ray of summer sun was able to penetrate the thick purple mist between the houses, so the alley was cold, icy. As they advanced, wizards in the alcove of a house glared at him. He suppressed a shiver. It was completely crazy and unreasonable to follow this little paper origami. But the mention of his condition had greatly aroused his curiosity. So slowly, he was about to enter the shop in front of him. A young woman with glasses was busy inside.
When he entered, the binoculars threw herself on a desk, struck a pose and looked at him with a superior air.
"Surprise."
"And you are-?"
The four-eyed seemed to understand something, she threw her glasses on the desk. It was Medusa. Annoyed that her effect had been spoiled, she pouted sulkily and childishly. Eddy did not recognized her with those big glasses; it was as if the features of her face were blurred. He cast a glance at the room they were in, it was that of an antique dealer but clearly focused on dark magic.
"What are you doing here ?" he grimaced as Charm hissed behind him.
The girl glanced imperiously at the Kneazle but then shrugged knowingly, unwilling to rub against his claws:
"I heard you got a little job, I thought that was surprisingly wise of you, Lee. I thought a little work experience would be a plus for me," she said in an innocent voice.
"We wonder what you'll learn here," he gritted. "I have to go. My break is almost over."
"I can't believe you didn't recognize me with the Blurred-all glasses, after everything we shared," she interrupted him with the false air of a capricious little girl.
Eddy had rarely seen her in such good mood; she was clearly hiding something.
"The world doesn't turn around you, you know."
"Not yet," she breathed wickedly. "But it will not be long. I can't believe you followed a message you didn't know about the launcher. It's not very wise. I was right to put little hearts in it to attract you. Do you have the hormones working on you, Lee, uh?" she scoffed then.
The teenager turned away, tired, but blushing. Medusa came around her counter and grabbed his arm before he walked through the door:
"You need money for your little vacation in search of your past, I'm ready to give you. But you have to invite Sal to your house. He is at his worst."
"I don't want your money," he cried. "Especially from this place. W-What's going on with Salazar?"
"He's withdrawn, cold, worried… I don't know. No idea, the girl admitted honestly. Father approaches him and he lets him. It worries me. Remember your promise, I couldn't make you your potion but you, please help him."
She seemed upset at this failure, and Eddy even felt sympathy, - he knew failure so well.
"Our father will be away next month, and our mother might be inclined to such an arrangement between you two. So please invite him."
"Are you asking me to protect your brother from the plans of your father that you yourself are following? I'm not sure I understand you Medusa."
"Because," the girl muttered coldly. "I told you my father never wanted kids. I read his mind and saw a sentence, one day before he kicked me out. We are plan B. And I don't know what it is. I have to know. Now you better not think about what I told you the next time you look at my dad."
Eddy gulped in front of the young girl's glare. She was so close to him that their faces were only inches apart. Charm at the window, watched them with a curious eye. Eddy managed to slip away near the entrance, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
"Why're you telling me all this?"
"Because, now my little redhead in a penguin suit, you're bound to plan b. Invite Salazar, a little time away from our mother will do him the greatest good."
And she quickly escorted Charm and him outside.
As he walked up the main thoroughfare of Diagon Alley, Eddy's head was buzzing with a thousand questions and he felt his Obscurus rumbling within him. His magic crackled so loudly that when an old witch tried to sell him human fingers on a decrepit cushion, he electrocuted her.
She fell back against the wall, stunned, with a little cry. The other wizards left him alone as he walked out of the driveway. He returned to his work without being able to calm down, but did his tasks robotically, completely obsessed with Medusa's revelations.
.
.
Two days later, he decided to tell his tutors about his plans when he got home from work.
The Scamander Cottage was a tall house, made of light stone and with a high roof of thatch and black straw, typical of the region. At the edge of the sea, there was a serene calm, except when Newt accidentally opened his suitcase, — which happened a little too often.
He entered the house as the sun was setting. He was surprised to see a somewhat unpleasant guest at the table with his guardians.
It was Theseus, Newt and Tina's son. He was in his late twenties, tall, wiry black hair with neatly cut little sideburns around his limp face. They hadn't seen each other much in recent years, Newt and Tina having found him, he had already left the family cocoon a long time ago. Newt and Theseus did not get along very well. He was not very fond of magical creatures or even very close to nature having accepted a small position as an accountant at MACUSA. He had chosen a small, simple and bureaucratic life, much to the misunderstanding of his parents. They have not seen each other much since this choice, so meeting him here was surprising. He looked up from his plate and met Eddy's gaze at the door.
"You're late."
Holding back a groan, he sat down. Theseus and Eddy didn't get along very well either, from the little that they had seen each other. The boy found him always looking a little phlegmatic and contemptuous towards his parents' choice of life, always on the road and unpredictable.
"How was your day?" Newt asked. "Today with Twinki we flew a little over the sea. His wing has repaired, he will soon be able to return home."
Twinki was the huge hippogriff that Newt and Tina had taken in three months earlier after returning from Japan. The animal injured by poachers, had been very suspicious of the couple. Then, as he knew how to do so well, Newt managed to calm him down and give him treatment. This ability reminded him that he still hadn't told them about Salazar.
He took a portion of spaghetti, chewed it and while Tina was talking with Theseus, he answered slowly.
"Fairly calm, a typical day. Newt, do you remember the friend I told you about in my letters? I would like to invite him for a few days."
"Of course, what's his name again?" I'm not sure, Sullivan?"
"No, Salazar. Salazar Riddle."
At that name, Tina froze and stopped talking with her son. The look she exchanged with her husband spoke volumes. She took the time to drink her glass of wine and answered in an uncertain voice:
"Yes, of course, why not."
From her tone, Eddy knew immediately that Dumbledore had warned them about the Riddles. He was angry with the old man for preventing him from helping Salazar out of his unwelcoming home for a while.
"You two got yourself in trouble, again," Theseus realized, glaring desperately at his father and mother. "What's wrong with this Riddle?"
"Nothing, nothing," Tina said very quickly. "They're the children of the Deputy-Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus doesn't like him too much, and that just surprised me."
"Dumbledore, huh, Dumbledore again," Theseus said angrily. "What does he want to get you into this time? You are out of age!"
"I'm still young enough to give you a fine beating in a duel, young man," his mother snapped. "This does not concern you. Let's talk about something else."
They buried their noses into their spaghetti. Despite the tension in the room, Newt seemed calm. He gave small vegetables from his pasta sauce to the little bowtruckle that had accompanied him everywhere for years.
"I found my father's name," he said without preamble. "His name was Danny. Daniel Lee."
"Oh that's fantastic," Newt enthused, brushing his hair while Tina smiled. "Just for my contact, Bill Berry is near Cardiff at the beginning of August. I think my leg will have healed well by then. We can meet him."
"For sure, but ... I would like to go alone. He's a Romani like me, I think it'll be better… without you."
He looked down, distressed by his awkward demeanour. Newt had frozen just like Tina, only Theseus was eating his pasta negligently with a calm air.
"You want to be alone in nature and go on the road with him," Tina understood. "Listen big guy, we trust you... but you're too young. You are only fourteen. It is not possible."
"But you can brew some potions for me. I know how to defend myself without magic and manage on my own. That's why I took this job. I will buy all the ingredients and all my equipment."
His two guardians were petrified and even Theseus had stopped playing with his food and looked at them a little confused.
"All we care about is your good, Eddy. But it is not possible to stay alone for several days with a stranger. Newt acclimatizes very well to others' culture; he will make himself very small."
"You don't understand anything," he grumbled, getting up.
"What I understand is that you're giving us a teenage crisis," Tina whispered. "Go to your bed, we'll talk about it tomorrow."
"Good night," Theseus cried sardonically as he took refuge on the stairs.
He hurried up to his room, furious.
.
.
The next day, Eddy did not speak to Tina. She accompanied him to the chimney of the dunes and seemed so sorry for his displayed silence that Eddy did not open his teeth for hours. He was busy cleaning the glasses. The day was slowly ending; most of the wizards were going home. He went to serve the order of a family of tourists then went to cash another witch and finally cleared his table.
"You seem to enjoy serving others, why not serve me?"
It was Medusa, she had that tight little bun on which her glasses sat and a demure grey witch dress that was pleated down to her calves. So, she looked a bit like a banker working at Gringotts with the goblins. She had her usual sly little smile on her face.
Ace came to see her, happy to be able to serve her order. He was a young man of sixteen, but a squib, he was unaware of little Riddle's reputation at Hogwarts.
"I manage it," said Eddy, unwilling to leave his comrade in the mischievous hands of the young girl.
He looked jealous but shrugged. There weren't many customers anymore, the ice cream parlour was going to close soon.
"What do you want, Gorgon?" he asked as Medusa sat quietly.
"Golden-Dandel-Ice cream, please," she said, adding a little honeyed tone to the polite formula.
He walked over to the ice bucket. Gladys and Gelate were smoking a cigarette outside and little Florean was rummaging for things to steal among the kitchen utensils. He brought her his order and sat across from her. Eddy noticed that her hands were bruised as if she had done manual work.
"It's going to be complicated for Salazar… Newt and Tina did not seem thrilled when your last name was mentioned. They're friends of Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore," she hissed after removing her spoon from her mouth. "Beware of his judgments, he is well placed to give lessons."
The teenager frowned. He was about to question her about her words when little Florean stood in front of them and gave the young girl a bright smile then presented her with a cookie, charming:
"Ma'am, ma'am, I drew you! Wanna' see?"
The cookie represented a large potato made of sour cream and two pieces of liquorice acted as hair. It was the clumsiest portrait that could have been made of her.
"Oh thank you, what if you were to choke on it now? Dirty little cockroach."
Florean left sobbing to join his mother outside. Medusa had finished her ice cream and was looking satisfied, but she also looked very tired. Both her vacation and Eddy's weren't very relaxing, obviously.
"You made a kid cry, are you proud of that?"
"Oh come on, it's so good to be bad," she mocked.
Unwilling to respond to her provocation, he went back to what she had said.
"Your father…he mentioned that Dumbledore had done something and he couldn't do anything against him…you know what that's about?"
"Yes," she said quietly. "When we were little, Dumbledore tried to kidnap us, Sal and me."
Eddy froze, not knowing what expression to offer at Medusa's smirk. She seemed sincere though. She was smiling quietly as she played with her spoon.
"What?" he managed to articulate a little in shock.
"Yes, he sent two wizards to kidnap us while we were with Mother in Diagon Alley. They killed one of our elves to try to get us. These wizards were the Prewett Brothers, Molly Prewett's older brothers in Gryffindor. Great friends of Dumbledore, them too. My father has the evidence to indict him, as well as the witnesses. Dumbledore knows he knows and acts rather wise. Since then, he's been holding it more or less by the end of his old prune beard. With the right timing, he's screwed."
Eddy thought with trembling that it would surely be the case without knowing what the right timing was. But how could Dumbledore have plotted a kidnapping? Did he really know this man Tina had told him to beware of?
"These wizards were?" he raised, remembering the use of the past for the two brothers. "And why did he want to take you away?"
"Yes, one is dead, the other has disappeared," she said in a voice of false grief. "As for his motives for this scabrous old man, I don't want to know them. Just beware of him even if he got you into Hogwarts."
Eddy pensively looked down, and crossed his arms over his chest. Gladys came back to the shop dragging Florean by the arm. She looked furious.
"Did you insult my son?"
Medusa stood up quietly and picked up her bag. She looked at her watch in an insolent way before raising her head towards Eddy's boss and deigning to answer her.
"I didn't insult him. I reminded him of his condition and the proper use of a biscuit. When you can't draw, you don't draw. It is not good to be too flexible with a child, it reinforces mediocrity."
She offered Gladys a broad smile before leaving.
"What a filthy little doxy! I don't want to see your girlfriend here anymore. Did, she paid for her ice cream?"
Eddy realized no, but Medusa was already gone.
The ice cream was taken from his salary. While he was arranging the last tables in the back, cursing, Ace, a big box between his arms, called out to him, ironically:
"You managed her like a chief, for sure. If this is how you handle your girlfriend, I pity your life choices."
"It's not my girlfriend and get involved with your mandrakes," he retorted uncomfortably.
Ace laughed and they closed the store.
.
.
When he returned in the evening, the house was very quiet. Theseus, still on vacation, had taken Tina and Newt to a recital near London. He strongly doubted that Newt had any attraction for the recital, but he had apparently decided to come since there was no sound. He fed Charm and collected enough to make a sandwich in the pantry. Then he went up to his room. In the bluish summer light, the weak air currents invading the household gave it a somewhat gloomy and ghostly air. His guardian had grown up in this house but had never loved him as a child, he confided to him. He understood why. Without the sounds of explosions and the continuous screams of magical creatures following Newt and Tina, this house was a bit cold and gloomy.
Upon entering his room, Eddy turned on his lamp. He was about to sit on the bed when he saw a row of carefully prepared small vials. It was illuminial , it was for several days.
He turned his head towards the door when he heard a small creak. Newt was there, leaning on his cane. His age-aged face still wore that air of infinite gentleness and his large blue eyes gleamed softly in the moonlight.
"Aren't you at the recital?" he asked awkwardly.
"Theseus knows I don't like it," Newt muttered, limping softly toward him. "Besides, Cassie the Occamy is giving birth, I didn't want to leave her too long."
"Oh…uh and how does it look?
"Good," Newt breathed, sitting down next to him. "It still takes a little more time, she takes strength for the last moments. I thought I had to see you."
Newt noticed the little vials on the table and asked even more gently:
"Are you still afraid of hurting me? I feel like you've been avoiding me since you arrived."
"I don't want to repeat what happened after I was fired," he whispered, barely holding back something that sounded like a sob.
"I don't blame you, and I've recovered, you know. It was an accident."
"It's always accidents, but I'm hurting," he whispered desperately. "I always end up hurting someone."
Eddy buried his head childishly in his lap. He felt Charm purring behind his back and his tutor's hand on his shoulder.
"I don't think you always end up doing harm, Eddy. You are a good boy who has had bad things happen to him. That's all. And I won't let you go with Mr. Berry if I didn't think you can."
Eddy looked up, uncertain. He shone in the eyes of his tutor all the sweetness of the world.
"I knew an Obscurial who, like you, was desperately looking for his roots. I told you about him, you know, Credence. He unfortunately did not survive and ended up being swept away by his Obscurus. But he had at least had his legitimate questions answered. I can't stop you from going. I know it."
Eddy wanted to say a thank you, only nothing came. As always, Newt 's natural sweetness produced a curious feeling in him, both embarrassed and dazed.
"The Obscurus grows all the same in you and we have nothing for the moment to stop it," acknowledged Newt with a sorry tone. "But you too must grow and live, this is the only role you must have and your primary concern. And for that, you need your roots. Tina is worried about you, which is legitimate, you've been through a lot at your age. Kind of like the Occamy in my suitcase. The Occamys always return to their nest as the saying goes. Magical creatures and humans are no different. Our role, your guardians, after having protected you, is precisely now to know how to let you leave."
Newt's eyes were a little bright as he spoke. Eddy felt the ball of anguish in his throat collapse for a second to become a ball of intense tenderness. He hugged the old man to him. Newt awkwardly responded to the hug and handed her a small ornate mirror.
"So we can communicate. I want to hear from you consistently, okay?"
"O-okay"
The affair was thus heard and Charm ended their embrace with a jealous paw. Newt cuddled the envious animal.
"For your friend, he can come here. We are not going to move in the summer. I am finishing my next book. If his parents agree, we agree. I can't wait to meet him."
He looked a little embarrassed though.
"Tina doesn't know Salazar is invited?" understood Eddy who knew that Newt could not lie at all.
"I'll tell her about it. But you seemed concerned about him at the table, so I imagine we can shelter one more boy at home, if that can relieve him a little."
"Thank you," the young man confessed honestly.
Newt gave him a bright smile and got up with his cane. Eddy came to support him.
"How about helping me bring baby Occamy into the world? Or do you prefer to sleep after your day? "
"Oh no, I'd love to," Eddy said sincerely, eager to tell Sal about it.
.
After three weeks on the job, Eddy had put aside enough to feel he could break his contract and move on with his trip. The Fortescue Sisters looked a little pained but assured him that if he was looking for something next year he was welcome. Ace wished him good luck with his girlfriend while Florean offered him a big cookie with his image, namely a kind of big potato with drawings of blood orange jelly for the hair.
He then ate his effigy with his 'girlfriend' in her store after returning his waiter apron. He had come to tell her that he was leaving and that Salazar could come to his house.
But the girl was concentrating her mind on a strange opal necklace lying on the counter, at a safe distance and her wand outstretched. He wanted to take it to inspect it, but the young witch slapped his hand violently.
"Hands off if you want to live. I'm asking you for another five minutes of concentration while I finish my spell."
Eddy wondered what strange spell she was creating and turned to look at Borgin and Burke's store. Mr Burke had left earlier before Eddy arrived to take care of some business outside. The teenager was therefore alone in a black magic shop in a very infamous street.
"Your family really had strange connexion," he muttered, eyeing an ashtray crafted from a fire crab shell. "Isn't it a bit risky to leave you here alone?"
"I'm with the wizards so I can use magic to defend myself. Now shut up, and don't touch anything."
He remained silent. At the back of the store, there was a huge cupboard of black, ornate wood. Medusa was leaning over it during his last visit. He then inspected from afar a wreath made of holly and nettles and then a hairy heart in a jar. Medusa had finished her experiment and put the end of the wand away the opal necklace in a dedicated pouch.
"I like to be surrounded by pretty things," said the young girl. "This necklace is too pretty not to be mine, but I have to get rid of its curse."
"If you say so. I sent a letter to Sal, he can come. It remains to be seen whether this will be possible with your parents."
"I'll take care of them," simpered Medusa. "Thank you, Eddy. Really."
She had lost all her simpering over her thanks. Eddy walked back to her, as she casually counted the crate. When she realized he was still there, she smirked playfully.
"You're still there, uh? Do you want us to split the cash register? Burke won't even dare to accuse me. I fixed his closet for him, and brought back lots of money."
"Nah, I'll pass. I just came to tell you that I'm leaving. I leave for Cardiff in two days."
The young girl lost her grimace and looked thoughtful:
"Oh. Thank you for letting me knows. Do you want me to follow you there? Do you need company?"
"Stop being meaner than you are," he gritted wryly. "I just wanted to wish you a good summer and wish Sal good luck from me."
She rolled her eyes but Eddy felt that somehow she was touched that he came. She played for a moment with the ribbon she had hung around her neck like a little snake.
"It will be done. Good luck finding the blood of your blood."
"Blood of your blood?" Eddy called out. "Where did you hear this wording? It's a romani formula."
"In my family book," said the young girl in a flat voice, frowning.
She froze as a hooded figure walked towards the store. Medusa violently grabbed his hand and put it back in the back of the shop, hidden between the big wardrobe and a sewing mannequin with eight long hanging arms. The figure entered the shop as Medusa returned to her place, putting her glasses back on. He was a tall, shifty-eyed man. He was stressed and didn't want to be surprised in this place. Judging that it was a little badly hidden, Eddy undertook to find a better hideout.
Slowly, he made the closet doors creak and camouflaged himself there without the stranger noticing. The man was advancing towards Medusa.
"I would like to sell this item. Its value is inestimable."
The girl leaned over to inspect it. From a distance, it looked like a big junk box, but it was a typewriter.
"Hum, a typewriter from Winston & Suing, from the last century. A little old, not worth that much. What is this BB?"
"These are the initials of Bathilda Bagshot," the tall man annoyed told her. "It's her old typewriter with its own notes and spells. It is a collector's item."
"Oh yes?" simpered the young girl, little surprised at this value. "Too bad she wants to part with it. How did you get this item?"
"I stole it from her house," murmured the little man, numb under the girl's power.
He looked devastated and blanched. Eddy moved closer to watch the scene, putting his hand on the wardrobe door that clicked softly.
"What have you done to me?!"
"Nothing that concerns you. I take two hundred galleons."
"You've lost your mind, it's a tenth of its price, little doxy head," the sorcerer got angry.
"Take it or leave it. Or else I'll tell the aurors the curious provenance of this object. For a little larceny you're not doing so badly."
Indeed, Medusa's gift made her a formidable trader. The thief blanched even more and as the coins were exchanged between them, Eddy felt himself being pulled back.
"It was as if he had been run over by a steamroller. He felt crushed as his feet left the floor of the cupboard. For a second, he floated in the air, biting back a cry. He landed hard on the back of the cupboard and rolled on the floor, barely stopping himself from vomiting. When he looked up, he was amazed to find himself no longer in Burke's shop. Instead, he was in a huge room filled with all kinds of odd artifacts. In one corner, there was a sword stuck in a rock, and in another, a half-broken fountain. An old grimoire lay on the ground. It was a diverse and ancient bazaar transported through time.
A shout behind him caught his attention. Medusa had just arrived and fell to the stone floor as badly as he did. When she stood up, shaking, she seemed to recognize where they were.
"We are in Hogwarts, in the Room of Requirement. Slytherin built it using the stones from our house," she explained.
Confused, Eddy mused that he hadn't thought a cabinet could transport him across the country, let alone to Hogwarts.
"At least that cabinet works on humans. Until now, my guinea pigs were rats. Didn't I tell you not to touch anything, Lee?"
"What would have happened if your repair hadn't worked?" Eddy asked.
"I would have found you in pieces on the other side," the young girl replied, unperturbed. "Alright, now it's time to go home."
As she was about to activate the mechanism on the handle, she froze.
"No...," she said, realizing something. "He said he fixed it on the other side!"
She smirked and hissed what must have been a Parseltongue insult.
"What's happening?" Eddy panicked. "Can't we go back?"
"No... he cursed the door to trap me here."
"He?" Eddy asked.
"My father," she replied, annoyed. "He's the one who fixed that wardrobe. He must want to test me."
"Your family has questionable taste in surprises," Eddy grimaced.
Slightly touched, Medusa now inspected the doors with an angry look, unable to lift the spell. Eddy was worried. What would happen if she couldn't cast the counter-spell? Would they be stuck? Eddy couldn't imagine looking for Dumbledore in the castle or sneaking away.
She stood there muttering a litany of spells for a while. Not knowing what to do, he began to browse the strange assortment of objects. In one corner of the room, he noticed the shed skin of a gigantic snake. Eddy realized it must be the molt of a Basilisk, a fearsome monster according to Newt, who had encountered one only once during his long career. He wondered how the shed skin of such a creature ended up within the walls of Hogwarts, while Medusa grew increasingly angry. She cursed something in Parseltongue.
"Are you okay?" he laughed at his comrade's disarray.
"If you knew how to use your ten fingers to handle a wand instead of serving silly ice cream and small plates, you could help me. So shut up," she hissed acerbically.
He gritted out a curse in Romani and returned to her, as she continued to curse more and more. The cabinet reacted briefly as a spark of magic shot out from the tip of his wand.
"The Old Father Snake. He wants me to lose my temper, doesn't he? Well, it's working."
With an angry cry, Medusa complied and rushed to cast a powerful red spell. She held her spell for a few moments before being expelled. As he ran towards her, the witch stood up, dusting herself off. She looked satisfied.
"What a pretty little joke. He wanted to make me angry; it was the only way to break his curse," she trumpeted in a voice chilling with rage. "I give you the honor, Lee."
Not very confident, the teenager vaguely thanked the young girl and went into the closet to disappear. There was a crack, and he felt the same pressure as before. As he was about to leave, happy to be back in Diagon Alley, he froze.
Mr. Burke was there and seemed to react to the noise Eddy had made when he arrived, as he looked up. A second later, a violent crack was heard, and Medusa appeared after him, accidentally crushing his foot under her weight. Surprised to see him in the cupboard, she grabbed his arm, and they both fell backward onto the dirty shop floor right in front of Mr. Burke.
"I'm not paying you to lock yourself in the cupboards with boys, Medusa," the old Burke hissed.
"Shut up, old wreck," the girl spat. "I fixed your damn closet. Your cabinet is functional."
She pronounced her sentence in a bad tone, but Mr. Burke wasn't finished. As they got up, he violently came and grabbed Eddy by the collar to shake him, looking furious and worried.
"Talk to me with more respect, you spoiled little girl. Who is this guy? What is he doing in my shop?"
"Let go of me!" Eddy snarled, trying to free himself from the old man's grasp.
"Leave him alone, Mr. Burke. He was about to leave," Medusa intervened.
But Mr. Burke didn't obey, and the young witch's expression grew even worse.
"Let him go, now."
Reluctantly, the old man let go, staring blankly for a second. Eddy backed away as Medusa pulled open the shop door. Mr. Burke looked terrified, having just experienced her wrath, and Eddy knew it wasn't a pleasant experience.
"It's late, time to go home. See you tomorrow, Mr. Burke."
And she left through the dark alleys with a quiet step. Eddy followed her. She whistled merrily on the dingy, grimy sidewalk, with an air of pure contentment.
"You need to stop doing this," Eddy whispered.
"Why would I stop using abilities that are natural to me and also benefit me? Come on, don't be a Hufflepuff, Lee. Be a real Slytherin."
They had arrived on the main thoroughfare. Eddy thought he was late; this Vanishing Cabinet story had made him lose two hours. The Scamanders must have been worried.
"Okay, and as for my little repair mission—"
"I know," Eddy cut her off. "I'll be quiet. I'm used to it when I talk to a member of your family now."
She gave him a slightly mocking expression. She undid the pin in her bun, and her black hair cascaded down her face. Medusa looked tired, undoubtedly in a hurry to get home.
"Fine, I'll go. My elf must be waiting for me. Be safe, Lee. No nonsense when you're on the road."
"Count on me," he replied anyway. "You too, take care of yourself... and Sal."
Her face flushed a little, and she walked away. Eddy watched her go, then took the chimney towards Selsey.