Chapter 8 : Scoop of the year

Christmas and New Year being now over, it was time to think about what was coming next. And for the fifth year students, it was all about the OWLs. The exams for which they were breaking a sweat year after year under the amused gaze of their younger peers who didn't have to put on the line their future during June, at least for now because it would soon be their turn.

However, two fifth year students weren't sharing their colleagues' apprehension. They were Akira and Arcturus. Indeed, these two hadn't recovered yet from the emotionally tiring holidays that they had spent.

For Akira, she had been following Moody in his Auror work and helping recruit members for Dumbledore's secret organization which desperately needed more people to face their ennemies – namely Voldemort and his followers - who were already numerous. It had been a tedious task to convince ministry employees, opponents of Voldemort, Pure-bloods, Half-bloods, Muggle-borns and even criminals to join the good guys. But many accepted, therefore Akira got a long and juicy list of names to give to Voldemort, which would certainly please him. She could also inform him that his followers – Death Eaters or not – were closely monitored by Dumbledore and his group, which was also good for Voldemort to be aware of if that wasn't the case already.

For Arcturus, Slughorn New Year party had left a bitter taste in his mouth which was still present. After Phineas Bourne - aka the famous Potioneer that he had once admired - had mocked his dream job as an electrician, he had never stopped questioning his choice of career in the field of electricity. One day, he was reading all the books that he hadn't read yet on the subject to become an expert and the following day, he was throwing in the fireplace all the drawings that he had made of electrical outlets or the path of electrons in a circuit. Not knowing what to choose between giving up or continue, he was desperate to the highest degree. But he didn't dare to share this with anyone to not being made fun of again, which would be unbearable for him.

It was after these events – a secret mission for Akira and a shameful party for Arcturus - that the two friends met again at Hogwarts after spending two weeks apart from each other. No need to say that they didn't want to tell much about their holidays when they met at the snow-covered Hogsmeade train station on the last Sunday before the start of the courses.

"Did your vacation with your family go well ?" Arcturus asked Akira once she reached him among all the students that were looking for their friends who were getting off the train.

"It went fine." Akira answered hastily while racking her brain to find an anecdote about the holidays that she had been supposed to have spent at home but she couldn't find any. "And you, how were yours ?"

"It was calm." Arcturus lied while trying to suppress the flashbacks of the horrible party that he was reliving in details thanks to his super memory.

And that was it. They never mentioned those strange holidays again except when Arcturus warmly thanked Akira for the pinball machine that she had given to him as a Christmas present. A pinball machine that he had already broken thanks to his clumsiness but he used this "opportunity" to dismantle it and see how the lights were lighting up with the help of the batteries that were installed.

From then on, they each continued their activities without telling the other about it. Akira taking part in some meetings between Dumbledore and his Order of the Phoenix - standing in a corner of the latter's office while not daring to intervene – after Moody gave his approval for her presence since he found that her internship with him was "not so bad" and Arcturus continuing discreetly his research on electricity by reading or dismantling objects related to this field under his blanket when all his dorm mates were asleep.

But as a routine was settling into the following weeks between classes, homework and their respective side activities, they were each thrown into disarray by events that they hadn't anticipated at all.

The misadventure began first for Arcturus. Thinking that his short discussion with Bourne was water under the bridge now, he was surprised to hear that name being mentioned again when Slughorn asked him to stay one day at the end of Potions class.

"I have some extraordinary news to tell you." The latter announced enthusiastically to him while arranging on a shelf the potions that the students had just given to him for a grade. "Do you remember Phineas Bourne ?"

"Vaguely." Arcturus lied as he preferred to not think about this character.

"The renowned Potioneer that you met at my little party. Well, it turns out that he's insisting on taking you under his wing and give you private lessons until the end of the school year. Then, he'll have the possibility to take you as an intern for the holidays if he sees that you're indeed gifted in Potions."

"Wait, what ?" Arcturus replied as he had expected anything but that. "He still wants to hire me even after I've upset him with the career path that I'll follow ? And I don't really want to take private lessons for a course in which I'm already ahead. I prefer to keep my free time for my… other activities."

He wanted to add "Muggle" in this last sentence but he knew that it was a sensitive subject so he didn't say a thing about it. However, Slughorn was able to read in him like in an open book since he was a student with great potential for whom he had a lot of interest.

"Ah yes, those related to Muggle sports and light." Slughorn remembered with a pout. "But these hobbies are very incidental. Unlike these extra courses which would make you take a leap in the field of Potions. And Mr. Bourne will regularly highlight your talent to your family who'll be more than proud to have such a gifted Potioneer among them. Maybe it will help to soothe your relation with them."

"The relation with my family isn't that great but it could be worse." Arcturus replied as he didn't want to talk about this.

Slughorn then looked dull as if he felt sorry for him.

"Ever since he met you, Mr. Bourne has wanted to make you his worthy successor. He's ready to do anything for this to happen and if you don't follow the path that he wants to trace for you, then I'm afraid that he'll reveal to anyone the Muggle career that you picked instead, knowing that this news will destroy your life. He advised me of his decision and wouldn't listen when I told him that it was an intolerable blackmail. He'll do it no matter what and believe me my boy, I've already seen Pure-bloods being awfully treated and even rejected by their family for having shown too much interest for Muggles. You don't deserve this."

"Then, do something to help me !" Arcturus exclaimed as the shock was making him forget to be more respectful towards Slughorn. "I can't live with this threat hanging over my head !"

"I'm sorry." Professor Slughorn sighed sadly. "I wish things were different as well as never inviting you to this New Year party but there's no going back. Because refusing something to Mr. Bourne is the worst thing to do. He's capable of breaking someone for less than that, so I prefer to not intervene if I want to stay in his good graces."

"So, what should I do now ?"

"The best option would be to accept his offer and postpone your dream career in elkecti... elcti... something like this for latter. That will make you an excellent Potioneer, whose talents will help the society by inventing the revolutionary potion of tomorrow. There's no better way to become famous and rich these days. And then when you'll retire, you'll be able to do what you want, like the Muggle jobs that are fascinating you so much. Nobody will hold it against you anymore after you brought so much to the world."

"Ooh, rich. That's more than tempting. Except that I don't want the fame that goes with it." Arcturus thought bitterly. "I want an easy, nice life with a cool, exciting job in electricity. Not Potions."

Only, he wasn't given the choice and knowing that Bourne would destroy him without hesitation as Slughorn mentioned if he didn't do as he was told, Arcturus ended up reluctantly accepting this forced labour.

Suffice to say that the first month of this new year wasn't going as Arcturus had planned with Bourne - who had been made aware of his acceptance by a more than happy Slughorn – covering him with difficult and time-consuming potions to occupy him during all his free time. It would have been productive if the latter had deigned to supervise Arcturus job. But Bourne was always absent. It was Slughorn who would send him the final potion and after a few days, Arcturus would receive harsh remarks regarding it as it seemed to never be perfect according to Bourne. Arcturus would then have to redo it over and over again until the final product was "acceptable", making him brew potions until late at night or during the whole week-end instead of doing his homework for school.

Meanwhile, Akira was struggling with the juicy information that she had to pass on to Rookwood at their next meeting that would take place during the last Saturday of January in Hogsmeade. As always, she wanted to get rid of Arcturus for it and was thinking on a solution to succeed. However, everything got solved by itself when the latter accidently slipped on a patch of ice in the courtyard as they were leaving the castle for the trip. He hit his head pretty badly – seeing stars and whining that he had probably cracked his skull – but according to Akira and her doctor expertise, he was just fine. However, she insisted that he went to the Hospital Wing to be healed and take some rest.

"There, you're in good hands." She assured him once he was settled on a bed and Madam Pomfrey had gone to get the necessary potions to heal him from a cupboard. "I'll come back in an hour to see how you're doing, with lots of sweets and butterbeers."

"Certainly not !" Madam Pomfrey interfered while abruptly putting down the bottles that she had collected. "I don't want any of that food here. This is an infirmary, not a canteen !"

"How long will it take for me to recover ?" Arcturus asked her plaintively while staring with apprehension at the potions that Madam Pomfrey had started to mix together. "Because today it's Hogsmeade outing and I don't want to miss it."

"It's just a bump. In ten minutes, you'll be able to leave the Hospital Wing. However, I advise you to not leave the castle because you'll still be a little bit dizzy. A lot of rest is all you need to fully recover."

"Too bad." Arcturus grumbled with spite.

"Don't be sad. I'll spend the day with you after making a quick stop at Hogsmeade." Akira promised him.

Then she slipped away as Arcturus was becoming fussy because he didn't want to drink the strange looking and smelling mixture that Madam Pomfrey was giving to him. Akira had to hurry because this setback had made her late for her meeting. Speeding to Hogsmeade, she didn't slow down until she got the Hog's Head Inn in her field of vision. But as she was about to reach it, she was accosted by the last person that she wanted to see.

"If it isn't Miss Chitsute. What brings you again in this… sinister place ?" Deloney threw at her as he was calmly reading a newspaper while leaning against a lamppost despite the biting cold that must have frozen him to the bone.

Folding up his copy of the Daily Prophet, he threw it in the trash can next to which he was standing before looking at Akira with unwholesome interest that wasn't very reassuring.

"Until proven otherwise, students are allowed to go there on their outings." She answered briefly.

"But will they ? Before you go, answer one or two of my questions. How was that internship with Alastor Moody ?"

"Did you follow me during my Christmas holidays ?" Akira angrily asked.

"I'm the one asking the questions here. And besides, I'd like to know why you were chosen to help him with his tasks when they have dozens of qualified Aurors to do the job."

"I don't know. Go ask him directly." Akira added before heading towards the Hog's Head Inn while ignoring the other questions that he was throwing at her.

She was passing the door when she crossed path with Rookwood who was on the departure. Visibly upset after having to wait for her for so long, he grabbed her arm and pulled her harshly until they reached a corner of the room far from the prying ears.

"You're late !" He reprimanded her. "So tell me what news you have before I go report your incompetence to my Master."

"I have a list of new members." Akira advised him evasively while handing him a small piece of crumpled parchment. "And I know that the future plan will consist of hunting down every last one of your group."

"Be more specific. What does this gibberish mean ?"

"Since the Ministry isn't doing its job in finding all the followers of Voldemort - namely the richest and most influential members - Dumbledore wants to do it himself. Hence his secret organization." Akira explained slowly while rolling her eyes.

"Except that they can't do anything to us if we track them down first." Rookwood threatened while showing the parchment that Akira had just given to him. "Keep it up. Because we won't rest until Dumbledore's army is totally destroyed."

"Wait a minute." Akira intervened as Rookwood was already walking pass her to reach the exit of the Inn. "When will I be rewarded for everything that I do for you ? Because all these information that I'm telling you were hard to get. I won't go on like this forever if I don't get something in exchange."

"Don't worry. You'll get what you wished for when the time will come. In the meantime, continue your spying and stay close to Dumbledore."

On this recommendation, Rookwood strode away, letting Akira motionless for a moment before she also decided to leave the Hog's Head Inn as she began to feel sick. Not because of the nauseating smell of the place but rather because of what Rookwood had just told her. Voldemort was going to find and probably murder the people that she had hired with Moody during her Christmas holidays. Selfless people who were putting their lives at risk for the good of others. And she was throwing them to the wolves, namely the worst dark wizard of all time.

"Okay. Calm down. You were pushed to do this because the world isn't fair. If it was, Matsuo and Tatsuno would still be alive." She repeated to herself in her head to make disappear the horrible feeling of betrayal that was invading her.

Shaking her head in a dejected manner, she took a step towards the door before seeing from the corner of her eye a guy who was almost leaning against a dirty window of the Inn. Akira would have walked past without caring if she hadn't recognized Deloney, and she wouldn't have suspected him of anything if a pane of the window hadn't been missing, letting an icy air come inside the Inn that wasn't heated anyway.

Deloney himself didn't seem to have a clear conscience as he jumped up when he realized that Akira was looking at him after raising his head from his notebook on which he was writing something in a hurry. He then ran away at full speed without asking for his rest, making Akira realized that something was off.

Indeed from where Deloney had been standing, he had been able to hear her conversation with Rookwood as they were both chatting not far away from this window that was supposed to be closed, not with a missing pane.

Akira hoped that she was wrong and that Deloney didn't hear anything compromising but she nevertheless set off after him without worrying about the spectators who were watching her rush through the Inn and then across the street.

Thinking only of putting her hands on Deloney, Akira produced chakra under her feet to stabilize herself on the ground that was made slippery by the snow and the negative temperatures. Meanwhile Deloney was struggling, slipping several times and nearly falling flat on the pavement on many occasions.

It was Akira's chance to catch him as she managed to reduce the distance between them. She was only at one stride from him when she threw herself head first on him. She was about to close her arms on Deloney to grab him when the latter suddenly vanished by Disapparition.

Surprised by this sudden move, Akira closed her arms on the void and she simply fell flat on her stomach on the hard floor, holding her forearms bent in front of her to not get too much hurt. She only got some scratches but she would have preferred a broken arm than having let Deloney flee to an unknown place.

Now, she was left with bruises and cold sweats running down her spine at the thought of what she would have to face if Deloney ever revealed what he had heard. It was only a question of time because journalists weren't known for holding their tongue, especially when the news was crispy.

Hello dear readers,

Finally I wrote the chapter about Akira's betrayal being not a secret anymore. Because I didn't know exactly when I wanted to put it. At the end of the fifth year in the middle of the OWLs ? During the sixth year which is less eventful ? No, I think this chapter is exactly where it belongs.

For now, Deloney is the only one in the secret but believe me, it will quickly spread. And if it reaches Dumbledore's ears that he had accepted a traitor in his ranks, he'll be really mad. Not mad because Dumbledore can't hold it against a student, but rather disappointed. It's a shame after Akira finally managed to take part in his Order of the Phoenix operations and get Moody's trust. Too bad for her, but the exact consequences of her actions will be discussed in more details in the next chapter that I'll publish at the end of the month.