Fife led Hermione out of the West Wing and to a comfortable sitting room. He shut the door behind Hermione. He proceeded to look around the room to see if anyone else was in there. After deeming it clear, he turned to Hermione.
"I-I really hope y-you're not mad at me," he stammered referring to the conversation earlier with Forte where he'd caved to Forte's demands.
"Of course not," Hermione said, not resenting Fife in the slightest. "He's a bully and skilled at manipulation."
"I'm afraid of what he'll do if I don't bring him to you," Fife said, wringing his small flutey hands in worry.
"Don't worry, you're going to bring me to him," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "This is the perfect opportunity for me to talk to him."
"Really?" Fife asked, clearly shocked. "But why? What if he hurts you?"
"How could he hurt me?" Hermione asked. "Isn't he bolted to the wall?"
"Well, that's true," Fife admitted. "But he's able to do something with his music. And he's also so convincing. And he knows just what to say to make you feel bad."
"Words can't hurt you," Hermione said. "It's only if you allow them to hurt you. Which, of course, is easier said than done, especially if you care about the other person."
Hermione looked thoughtfully out of the window, the snow-covered grounds reminding her of Hogwarts. It made her miss her friends. Miss being able to do magic.
"I'll have to risk the music," Hermione said. "I suspect it's a matter of will." She looked at Fife. "Could you tell me more about how Forte works?"
"How he works?" Fife asked, perplexed. "I don't really know, he's an organ who can play powerful music that preys on people's emotions."
"And he's remained in that room all this time?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, that's where he appeared when the spell transformed us," Fife confirmed.
"So he has you go about the castle and report back?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, I'm his eyes and ears," Fife said. "But I don't tell him everything."
"Really?" Hermione asked.
"Nope," Fife replied. "I especially haven't told him about us being friends."
"I appreciate that," Hermione said. She thought about whether she should confide her plans to Fife. "I'd like to see if there's a way to incapacitate him. Not kill him but remove or weaken his ability to play music."
"I don't know how you'd be able to do that," Fife said. "But let me know how I can help."
"I will," Hermione said. "You're a good friend, Fife."
Hermione left the room to go find Cogsworth. She suspected he might have an inkling of what to do, being a mechanical object himself.
She found Cogsworth in his study.
"Cogsworth, I need your help with something," Hermione said. "Do you have any idea how Forte works? Mechanically speaking?"
Cogsworth looked at Hermione thoughtfully. "Well, he's a pipe organ," Cogsworth said. "And a rather complex one at that. You see, the pipes are intricately designed to produce specific tones when air is forced through them. It seems that Forte can manipulate the airflow within himself, creating a wide range of music that can stir emotions in those who listen. Specifically, the master."
Hermione listened intently, taking in every detail Cogsworth shared. She marveled at the complexity of Forte's design and how he used it to his advantage.
"Is there any way to disrupt his ability to control the airflow?" Hermione asked, her mind already racing with ideas.
Cogsworth stroked his chin thoughtfully. "It would require a careful approach. Perhaps if we were to tamper with certain key mechanisms within him, we could throw off his ability to play his manipulative tunes…"
Hermione nodded. "If only there were some way we could find out how those mechanisms are interconnected, like a blueprint of sorts," she said.
"You know," Cogsworth said. "There might be a way."
Hurriedly, he hopped to one of the bookshelves behind him and dug around until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out several large scrolls and unfurled them on the table one by one until he said, "There!"
Hermione craned her neck to see what Cogsworth pointed at. She had a hard time making heads or tails of what she observed.
"The floorplans of the castle," Cogsworth said by way of explanation. "This is the blueprint of the West Wing, where Forte resides with the master." He pointed to a specific place on the map. As Hermione looked closer, she could see that it was indeed the West Wing.
"It appears that there are several pillar-thick tubes that run below the floor connecting Forte's pipes to…" Cogsworth trailed off, tracing the lines of the tubes directly below the room where Forte resided. "The boiler room."
"The boiler room?" Hermione confirmed. "Interesting. So that would be the source that controls the airflow?"
"Yes," Cogsworth said. "The boiler is nice. He likes to keep things warm and cozy. Sometimes he overdoes it on the wood and causes minor explosions, but the boiler room staff has it well handled."
"I guess that's where I must go investigate next," Hermione said. "How do I get there?"
"I'll show you!" Cogsworth said. "It might be best for me to come with you and help explain who you are."
"Okay," Hermione said. "I'll be glad for the company."
Cogsworth led Hermione along several hallways, through a door, and down some stairs to a room that Hermione immediately recognized as the boiler as she could feel the warmth radiating up from the space as she climbed down.
Hermione's eyes widened as she stepped into the boiler room. The room was filled with a symphony of whirring gears, hissing steam, and the rhythmic thumping of pistons. Massive pipes crisscrossed above them like metallic vines, pulsating with energy. In the center stood a hulking figure made of burnished iron and brass — the enchanted boiler.
Hermione noted large piles of wood along with many other fire-maintaining related objects around the room: axes, pokers, bellows, brooms, and more.
Cogsworth beamed proudly as he introduced Hermione to the boiler room staff. "Hello everyone, this is our new guest, Hermione. She's here to help us all, so I trust that you'll make her feel welcome."
The boiler let out a content rumble, sending vibrations through the floor beneath their feet. He had a kind face etched into his metal exterior, with glowing embers for eyes that flickered warmly.
"All right, welcome, welcome," said a mustachioed axe with an impatient, no-nonsense tone. "Let us know if you need anything. Back to work people!" He yelled the last line at the fire-related objects, who scurried back into action.
"Let's see what we can figure out," Hermione said.
Cogsworth nodded in agreement and led Hermione around the bustling boiler room, pointing out various devices and explaining their functions. Hermione listened intently impressed by Cogsworth's knowledge of machinery. She marveled at the complexity it took to keep a castle running.
As they made their way to the heart of the room where a massive control panel loomed, Hermione marveled at the complexity of it all. Gauges and levers adorned the panel like a clockwork masterpiece, each serving a specific purpose in maintaining the boiler's temperature and airflow.
This is very advanced, she thought. I had no idea that during this time period there was so much machinery already.
Among the sea of dials and switches on the control panel, Hermione noticed a particularly ornate valve tucked away in a corner. It gleamed with an otherworldly sheen, intricate engravings dancing along its edges like ethereal vines. Curiosity piqued, she approached it with caution, her fingers tingling as she reached out to touch the cool metal.
"What's this?" Hermione asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The valve demanded her attention. It had an air of magic to it.
Cogsworth peered over her shoulder, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "Ah, that's the Airflow Control Valve," he explained. "It regulates the flow of air into Forte's pipes." His voice grew excited. "If we shut it off, we might be able to disrupt his mind-controlling music!"
A thrill flowed through Hermione as she studied the valve more closely. She felt the hum of magic emanating from it, an undeniable power flowing through it. With a determined glint in her eye, she turned to Cogsworth and turned the valve so that the supply of air was cut off.