Chapter Ten

Back to Defense

Quintin was more than ready to return to a normal routine, getting up early for breakfast and walking with Jeremy to their first class, Defense against the Dark Arts. Jeremy was eager to catch up on everything he had missed over the summer; Quintin was much better keeping him up on family events than he was keeping Jeremy up on news events.

"This year we're going to explore even more Dark Creatures, and if everyone does well, we'll begin an introduction on dark items later in the term," Professor Laura Lupin informed them. "Go ahead and get your newspapers, but don't be surprised if I don't give you as much time to work on them in class. Once your topic choices are approved, we'll need to move along if we want to cover everything. Please turn in your summer homework and pick up the review worksheet on my desk to fill out before next class, thank you!"

"Dark Items sounds interesting," Jeremy commented to Quintin as they walked over to the newspaper stand. "I bet you'll have an advantage since you're going into Items this year."

"Actually, most of what I know about Dark Items came from my mother, and that was mostly about how to avoid them," Quintin explained. "But I am looking forward to taking Items this year."

"Did you get into Items early too?" asked Pete as he stepped over with a Wizard Weekly in hand. "I'm taking it myself, thanks to Doctor Arcadia signing my sheet when I asked her about it last year."

"I learned a lot about item making during my summer job, so Mum added me to the schedule before we arrived. Do you want to partner up?" Quintin asked.

"Sure! I take it you're not taking Items this year, Jeremy?" he asked.

"No, I'm concentrating on getting a lot of the boring stuff out of the way like Magical Creatures and Muggle Studies so I don't have to deal with it later, but I still left myself enough time to take Runes with Quintin and I'm joining the Auror Club during the weekend," Jeremy said.

"Really? Did you want to be an Auror?" Pete asked.

"I was thinking of being a detective or something, since I know they teach investigation skills as part of it," Jeremy said.

Suddenly they heard the professor clear her throat.

"I know you are all excited about getting back to school, but during this hour you're on my time," Laura said sternly. "How about putting some of that energy into finding a defense topic for next week?"

"Yes, Professor, sorry," Jeremy said quickly.

Pete went back to his seat while Jeremy and Quintin grabbed their own newspapers before returning to theirs. But Jeremy didn't have to look for very long before he noticed something interesting.

"Hey Quintin, do you know anything about these missing wizards that the Auror department seems to be looking for?" Jeremy whispered.

"You mean Lockhart and Heron?" Quintin asked, and Jeremy nodded. "Lockhart is a writer who's known for going off on wild goose chases looking for wizards he's wronged in the past. Heron's a Defense teacher from Canada who went along as a bodyguard or something, and now they're both missing. A lot of people think they got caught up in a mess they couldn't handle, so we might never know what happened to them."

"That sounds interesting. Maybe I can write a Defense essay about that," Jeremy pondered, glancing over the article.

"That'll be easy. You can say, 'the best defense against Roy Lockhart is to not accept one of his invitations to accompany him on a trip'," Quintin suggested.

Jeremy smirked at that, turning his attention back to the article.

High above them in the Headmaster's Study, Jennifer was reading the newspaper as well. "'While their exact whereabouts are unknown, a proximate location of where they were when they disappeared has been determined. The Auror department is working on obtaining permission from local authorities to send a specialized team.'" Jennifer read out loud.

The Rogue Painting played two violin notes curiously.

"Oh, Pyther helped them, of course, but apparently it landed him in an abandoned wizard hut in the middle of the rain forest," she explained. "Why do I suspect that there will be relatives involved in this search and rescue?" Rogue gestured. "No, it wouldn't be Pyther because he's teaching now, and really there's only so much they can do if they're lost somewhere without paintings. You would think there would be some closer... what I mean is, if they were looking for ancient magic site, the caves would more than likely painted with religious iconography. I wonder if it still counts as a painting?" she asked. "After all, Alicia can sketch in the air and make it work. Any sketch will do."

"If that was the case, then they could theoretically reach the Pythers by drawing a picture on the wall, if they were clever enough to think of it," Godric proposed from his shelf.

"I suppose, if they believed that Pyther and Alicia would even be looking for them. But would they have reason to? Perhaps the drawings are somewhere protected that has a way to block outside interference. Or perhaps Roy and Rhett never reached the caves they were looking for at all and are lost in the jungle somewhere," Jennifer suggested. The Rogue played some hopeful notes. "No, Severus, I do not think they were eaten by tigers... now, don't you give me that disappointed look. I don't care how much you dislike Lockhart. I don't believe you'd really want him to come to a bad end."

The Rogue Painting turned quite thoughtful, internally debating whether her point had any merit or not. Suddenly he looked around and then pointed at the appointment journal.

"A visitor?" Jennifer said, checking. "Oh, it's Llewellyn! Maybe that means we're about to get an update," she decided, turning over some coffee cups and using her wand to wave open the door.

Not long after, Leu stepped out of the Doorlift. He glanced in cautiously before walking in with a smile, the only thing about him that seemed remotely boyish now. He was the same height as Aurelius and his grey hair had become much lighter in hue; but its full, tossed appearance and his slim yet athletic build easily revealed a wizard in his early twenties.

"Good morning, Mother! I'm not bothering your work schedule, am I?" Leu asked.

"No, not at all. I was just trying to get caught up with the newspaper, actually," Jennifer admitted. "Have you found out something about what might have happened to Roy and Rhett?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Leu replied, taking the offered cup. "Apparently, they went to find a smuggler's cache that one of his old acquaintances left behind. He's in the Tower until spring for a minor smuggling offense, but the items he was transporting were never found. From what Aurelius read off of him, Roy was interested in going over there to uncover them as a way to make amends with him, and that cache is what they were looking for when they disappeared. Anyway, since they're going to need an items expert and Diana and I were already helping the Auror department by researching Lockhart's books, Harry asked us to be a part of the expedition. He's taking Chuck, Jamie, and Sir Owain too. I don't suppose there's any way you can take care of Caitlyn for a while? I already asked Dad, but he suggested that I ask you."

"Well, of course we will look after her! Sir Hat doesn't mind either, do you?" Jennifer asked.

"One more for tea," the Sorting Hat said unconcernedly.

"I do have a question or two about this expedition, however. Why is Charles going?" Jennifer asked.

"Well, apparently Chuck has gone with Roy on a few trips where he was searching for wizards he Obliterated, and they had a few close calls together. One was so close that Chuck gave up and told him he wouldn't do it again," Leu explained. "So Chuck offered his expertise in dealing with Roy in general and what sort of messes he can get into. Diana thinks he is doing it because he feels responsible since he refused to go with him on this latest attempt."

"Considering that Roy and Rhett are currently missing, I think it's just as well that he didn't go," Jennifer said seriously. "And since you don't know what you're going to be walking into, I suggest you add one more to the party. I think you should take Lucky with you."

"Lucky? I don't think this is worth bothering her about, do you?" Leu said.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have suggested it," Jennifer pointed out.

"But she is so busy these days considering how many businesses she advises, not to mention keeping up with Robert and Susan," Leu protested. "I don't want to bother her."

"I believe Myrine and Dale are more than capable of stepping in, and they know they have a whole family willing to jump in with one request for assistance," Jennifer replied unconcernedly. "I have a suspicion that paintings won't be an option this time. I really think you'd be better off if you invited Lucky along."

"You're worried about us getting trapped somewhere, aren't you, Mum? But there's no reason to be concerned about it. Diana can get us out of any place we might get trapped inside just as easily as Lucky can. You know her power over the elements," Leu reassured her.

"Those powers can be sealed, as Ciardoth demonstrated when she captured her Grandfather and their entire city," Jennifer reminded him.

"That was a special case. Really, Mum, we got this. There's no need to worry about us any more than we should worry about leaving Caitlyn here with you," Leu said. Jennifer smiled knowingly.

"It's perfectly normal to worry even in the best of circumstances, Llewellyn. You know there's no safer place than Hogwarts," Jennifer said.

"Sure, if the Elves don't revolt... or the gargoyles... or as long as those Moors Hags stay where they belong... okay, okay, don't fold your arms like that, I'll stop," Leu said with a chuckle. "If you promise not to worry about us."

"I promise that I'll have a reasonable amount of worry rather than an unreasonable amount," Jennifer told him. "But I'd worry a lot less if you asked Lucky to go with you."

"We'll be fine," Leu assured her. "We'll bring Caitlyn over first thing in the morning. Is that enough time?"

"Yes, that'll be perfectly lovely! Serendipity will be very excited to share her room," Jennifer replied.

"Thanks, Mum," Leu said. "I'd better go talk to Diana and Harry and get ready for the trip."

"See you tomorrow morning, then," Jennifer said, watching him go.

She exhaled very loudly.

"I really wish he'd take my advice and ask Lucky if she'd tag along. I just have a bad feeling that things won't go as planned without her. Still, it's really not my place to say, is it?" she asked the Rogue Painting, who nodded at her in confirmation. "Well, they had better not be gone for more than a week, or I really will be tempted to get involved," Jennifer decided, taking her seat.

After having breakfast with in the Headmaster's Study the next day, Quintin met Jeremy on the way to Charms class.

"I thought you'd like to know that my family is definitely involved with that Lockhart thing," Quintin informed him, matching his stride. "Leu and Diana dropped off Caitlyn at breakfast. Apparently, Mum is going to be watching her while Leu and Diana join the team going after Lockhart."

"Well, maybe with a Fomorian along, they'll find them quick and be back in no time," Jeremy said. "I'd better finish my report before it happens."

"At least you seem confident about it, but if you saw my mother's expression this morning like I did, you might wonder about it," Quintin said seriously.

"Don't worry. If anyone knows how to clean up someone else's disaster, it's your family," Jeremy reassured him. "They also have impressive investigation skills. Not as good as mine, of course, but close enough," he decided. Quintin couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"Come on. We need to hurry to get to class on time on now," Quintin told him.

"Well set the pace then," Jeremy said, and the two of them strode off to class.