"Is this far enough from spying ears and eyes yet?" I asked as I walked in front of Fleur while she followed , never letting fall behind her. We were already way away from the castle, right next to the cold lake that was getting closer and closer to being frozen over.
"Yes."
"Then speak." I stopped at once, turning not towards her but facing the water, watching the Durmstrangs' ship in the middle of it. Krum wanted to co, but in the end, he closed his mouth before speaking, nodding at before watching us leave.
"Two classmates gone. You killed them."
"Proof?" I chuckled, and neither did I deny nor acknowledge it. Although I didn't turn towards her, I could feel the anger radiating off her body. Behind my calm exterior, so nervousness began rising, as I wasn't sure if the spells on her had been reversed or not.
"None... but I feel I right. You attacked us with unforgivable spell... you are evil."
"Then why are you still alive?" I asked, this ti turning to face her and peer into her eyes, making her subconsciously step back multiple tis. Was it fear that I slled in the air? Probably... and I could clearly hear her heartbeat jump.
"You dare?" She said hurriedly, wand in her hand, raising it at .
"I attacked your Headmaster. You tell !"
"That was stupid! You thought much of yourself, Conrad Anguine!"
"Yes. It was stupid, but I felt my head was about to explode. So, I thought less about the possible consequences! Now, you called out here for what? To ask if I killed your missing classmates? Why? When? Don't worry; if they had anything to do with Quincy's disappearance, I will find them and deliver their corpse to you."
"You don't scare !"
"I am not here to scare you, Fleur Delacour. I am stating my intentions... anyone who had anything to do with it, I will kill them. You can go and tell it to those who kidnapped her."
"I see... Hogwarts raise sa evil that rules your school..." She snorted, wanting to leave when I blurted out a question that ca to mind, not expecting the results it had on her.
"How's your sister?" I asked, rembering a flash of her from Fleur's mories and thoughts. It made her stiffen, and whatever else she wanted to say was stuck in her throat. Instead of arguing, she hurriedly turned around and left while I picked out my notebook and wrote in it as fast as I could. "Keep an eye on Fleur. DON'T LOSE HER."
Was she coming with an olive branch originally? I doubt it. She wasn't thrilled with what happened. I could gather that from her mories and feelings, but she wouldn't betray them as she was committed to the thought of eradicating evil. Was she trying to confront or make a deal with ? Should I have told her what happened to their missing students in exchange for news on Quincy? Was that what she wanted? Or was she sent here to ask about it because nobody could explain where two of their students disappeared? Good, because they can't explain Quincy's disappearance either! Whatever she thought would happen initially was thrown away by now as I watched her quickly disappearing figure.
She was afraid. I felt it, and I realized one thing that never really ca through in the lessons we had in school. Fear was a powerful weapon if used well. I think Umbridge was the one who told us sothing similar in one of her lessons.
"Bitch..." I grumbled, walking back towards the castle myself, keeping an eye on my notebook.
Barely ten minutes had passed when the first ssage arrived. It detailed that she was seen rushing into their carriage, looking pale and worried. Only five minutes later, she was scurrying out, looking worse for wear, almost sprinting towards Hogsade.
"Does anyone know where her sister is?" I wrote, asking, and an answer ca back after a minute or so while I changed my route to head into Hogsade.
"She is in the village; we saw a group of Beauxbatons walk around Zonko's joke shop."
"Try to lure them out of Hogsade before Fleur arrives, and don't let them see each other! I don't care about the thods; just don't let them see each other! I don't need to do you anything else; just make sure they don't et!"
It seems rlin himself was on my side today, yet I didn't drink a Felix Felicis either. My little question, which I threw out on a sudden impulse, sent Fleur into a panic... not finding her sister could be the breakthrough I needed.
I was nearing Hogsade when a new ssage appeared in the notebook, making frown.
"She looked erratic and disappeared inside the Hog's Head... We waited, but she didn't co out, so Liam went in, but she was not there. She couldn't have left; we were watching the pub and its only entrance!"
"You did good... No, you did even better. Keep it under watch! Write down anyone who appears! No matter how they look! I want to know everyone who goes in and cos out!"
When I arrived, I went to the Three Broomsticks and drank butterbeer at the window, reading the ssages coming in until dark. She never reappeared in the end, but then ca a new report from the castle grounds. She was seen going into the carriage, arguing with her sister so loudly everyone could hear it.
"How did she do it? Invisibility cloak? Were we busted?" Appeared a new ssage as more and more began popping up.
"Liam, were you seen?"
"Hell no, I was careful!"
"You are Hufflepuff; being careful is not in your vocabulary!"
"Stop it." I wrote down, smiling. "This ans that sothing is hidden in there that can lead to who knows where... There must be multiple entrances in and out that are not as obvious as the front door!"
"Shouldn't we report this to the teachers?" Asked soone, and she had to be a freshman by the handwriting as her letters were still perfectly paced out.
"I am a Death Eater, appointed by Lord Voldemort himself." I 'said,' making sure thick lines and authority accompanied my writing. "When this is all over, and I make a report, I will ntion every and all of your families' nas. Do you want to be part of this, or should we let the teachers solve it? What? Do you want the Rat-Man to bag the rewards? Which teachers helped when they took Quincy?" Watching the notebook, nobody was writing, which made my smile grow a little, and I felt confident. "Which teacher helped then? I waited for the Headmaster, yet he said he couldn't do anything! I went to Professor Slughorn! You all know he favored her, yet he refused to help! What then?!"
"Sorry..."
"No..." I continued, my quill almost tearing up the paper as I was writing, "Think about it more, my friends. Hufflepuff? Ravenclaw? Gryffindor? Slytherin? Who cares... when shit goes down, it is shown we can't trust the Professors! It was a Slytherin student who went missing. It was a Champion of Hogwarts... It was MY WIFE! A Death Eater's family! Just think! If they refuse to help soone like Quincy, like , would they care if YOU go missing? Heh! No. They wouldn't!"
"Right... if nobody is willing to look for soone who is important for the school's prestige to win the tournant, why would they bother about anyone else?!" Sobody else wrote it, and I couldn't help but nod at the hurriedly appearing words.
"I promise you this..." I continued, "I will rember every one of you who are in this with . If you ever run into trouble, I will help. With everything I got."
I don't know how successful my impromptu speech was, but I hoped it would significantly affect them. I need reliable helpers not just now but in the future, too. Whatever is happening in the background, whatever my Father is involved in, I won't be able to do things alone. Otherwise... HE wouldn't need the Death Eaters, either.
...
....
...
Snow was hanging above our heads when December ca, but it had not yet co down. I was cursing at the clouds multiple tis as we realized that repeating, familiar faces were coming and going from the Hog's Head on a rotation, like people sent on patrols. Sothing was happening with that place as people were going in, reappearing elsewhere afterward. Apparation? It could be, but then they manage to outplay the warning systems. You can't do it here without a proper license from the Ministry. That would set off all the warnings directly at Lord Voldemort himself! No. There was sothing different at play, and with a fresh coat of snow, we could look for clues and footprints.
"Hey, Conrad!"
It was Professor Lockhart's voice that pulled out of my thinking. Looking around in the classroom, I was sitting there alone, biting on the end of my quill.
"Sorry..." I murmured, starting to put my things away, totally not paying attention in his class.
"It's okay..." He shrugged, surprisingly normal, missing all of his jolly attitude since the mory incident. We didn't really speak since then, and it was the first ti he approached on his own accord. "So... I was asking around." He whispered, leaning over my table, making blink my eyes and rub my ears... He really did?
"And?" I asked, trying to contain my excitent.
"Multiple muggle-born wizards who your Father obliviated and sent back into their world disappeared. I have multiple friends in the Auror division, and they looked into the nas I had... All gone."
"I see..." So Father was really part of the Order, and whatever was happening he had a role in it. Did he know about Quincy? I bet not because he wouldn't have let it slide! Nor would he not tell !
"Sothing big is happening, and we are in the middle of the eye of it!"
"That I gathered so far, Professor."
"Anyway..." He waved his hand, continuing, "I was speaking with so other friends of mine in Hogsade, and they say multiple unfamiliar faces have been popping up constantly. Of course, it is explained with the tournant, but I'm not buying it!"
"How's the two co together?" I asked, furrowing my brows, watching him sigh.
"Look... You know that I was there to monitor your family, yes?"
"Yeah, that is why you are having sex with my mother."
"Err... n-no, we were just, I... I..." He stuttered, not knowing what to say, and that was a first. I couldn't help but laugh, which I hadn't done since Quincy was kidnapped.
"I don't care! My mother never showed any love for . I. Don't. Care. You can take her away; I would be thanking you instead! But please, Professor... continue!"
"Let's... drop that topic... so! If it cos out that your Father is a... you know what... Then I would be beheaded! Worse! Cruciated into insanity! My life is over!"
"I get that part. So...?"
"I need to get out of the country! I need protection! Fast! I need to speak to your Father! Now, I know you don't know where he is, and neither do I! But... BUT! I found one of the supposedly muggle-born wizards who was dealt with by your Father! Right here in Hogsade! If I go there... That can be trouble... but you! My young friend!"
"I got it," I said, standing up, grabbing his hand, and shaking it. "I will do my best!"
"Ah, my boy!" He yelled, hugging firmly, "I knew we were best mates the mont you arrived at Hogwarts!"
My happiness was twofold... Even if this clue doesn't lead closer to their secret hideout, it could lead to my Father. Both would be good...
"Now, Professor! Tell all you know about this man, and let's go find him!"
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