To be precise, the elderly woman before them, Sister Aie, was Swedish.
As one of the witches who interacted most with Muggles, she had naturally heard of and read the stories of the great British detective.
"British wizards?"
She spoke in fluent English, extending her hand to shake Severus's, then Remus's.
Severus nodded.
"We originally ca to visit Mr. Flal, but we never expected to encounter such an incident. Later, at the invitation of the French Aurors, we joined the investigation, hoping to contribute in so small way to recovering the great alchemist."
"There are many wizards in this world who wish to be friends with Nicolas and his wife." Sister Aie said calmly, "But what they don't know is that the Flals possess a book with a phoenix engraved on its cover, which allows them to communicate with any wizard in the world. Yet they rarely use it, preferring to live quietly in Paris."
Severus caught the underlying implication in her words. Yuma coughed awkwardly beside them.
"Sister, perhaps we should focus on the case itself."
"I've already told you everything I know, including handing over that mory. What else could an old woman like possibly clarify for you?"
Her tone made it clear she was very dissatisfied with the French Aurors' progress.
"It's been three days since their disappearance, and the fact that you're still bringing people to question ans you've found nothing so far!"
"We've made significant progress and expect to identify the two n you saw following the Flals today. We're here just to gather additional clues." Yuma said, wiping sweat from his brow.
It was obvious that Sister Aie's attitude wasn't hers alone… many French wizards were growing increasingly frustrated with the French Ministry of Magic's sluggish handling of the kidnapping case.
Nicolas Flal was a symbolic figure in French wizarding society, a living banner of their magical heritage.
If anything happened to him, it wouldn't just embarrass the French Ministry… it would humiliate the entire French wizarding community.
"Then ask away, gentlen."
In the courtyard of the convent, Sister Aie formally submitted to Severus's questioning.
"You first t the Flals eight years ago, when you had just arrived in France?"
Rather than diving straight into the case, Severus began with Sister Aie herself.
The elderly witch seed accustod to this line of inquiry and recounted:
"It was the spring of 1981. The wizarding world was still in turmoil back then… the shadow of that Dark Lord in Britain had unsettled all of Europe. A wizard-priest here in France wrote to , saying Nicolas and Perenelle wanted to establish an orphanage in Paris. He recomnded to them, suggesting I could oversee it."
"So, I ca here and t the couple. They learned of my past, my faith and devotion to the Lord, and ultimately entrusted with the funds. That's how this place ca to be."
"After that, you remained in frequent contact?" Severus pressed.
"Of course. They provided the initial sum and made substantial donations nearly every year. As the caretaker, I had to ensure they knew exactly where every Knut they sent was spent."
Sister Aie sat rigidly upright in her chair, eting Severus's gaze unflinchingly.
She struck him as a woman of utmost integrity and discipline.
Severus nodded, as if he'd already grasped the broader context.
"Then let's return to the case itself."
"On the day the Flals disappeared, why were you in the 16th arrondissent?"
"Taking a child to see a doctor." Sister Aie replied. "A girl nad Sandrine had broken out in a rash, so I brought her to a church-affiliated hospital there."
"And that's when you saw the Flals on Rue Foch?"
"Yes. I was on one side of the street, while they were on the other."
"You called out to them?"
"I called Perenelle's na… his wife's. I'm certain I was loud enough. The mory I gave the Ministry confirms this. Yet they acted as if they heard nothing, hurrying forward without pause."
"You didn't try to catch up to them?"
"I had a sick child with ." Sister Aie emphasized, frowning, "I didn't know what was happening to them, and with a child in my care, I didn't dwell on it."
"It wasn't until the Aurors approached you that you recalled the two n following them?"
"Correct. The two n weren't walking closely behind them, so at the ti, I didn't realize they were together. It was only after the Aurors explained the kidnapping that I understood what had happened."
Sister Aie fixed Severus with a firm stare.
"If you want a clearer picture, I suggest you visit the French Ministry and review the mory they took from . Since I've already broken my vows by handing it over, it might as well serve so purpose, don't you think?"
Her words left Yuma shifting uncomfortably.
Severus, however, rely gave a solemn nod.
"Of course."
"One last thing, Sister," Severus asked suddenly.
"There's sothing I don't quite understand. If Nicolas Flal rely wanted to fund an ordinary Muggle orphanage, he didn't necessarily need to seek out a witch to run it, did he?"
His question caught Yuma off guard.
Only now, with Severus bringing it up, did he realize how unusual this arrangent was.
Putting a witch in charge of a Muggle orphanage?
It wasn't that it couldn't be done… but it seed unnecessarily extravagant.
And from Sister Aie's own account, it was clear that eight years ago, the Flals had deliberately sought out a witch for this role, ultimately choosing her.
Sister Aie fell silent for a long mont before finally speaking in a asured tone.
"If revealing this helps your investigation, then I believe Nicolas and Perenelle wouldn't object."
"The children taken in here aren't just ordinary Muggle orphans. So of them are... Squibs."
"Squibs?"
"Squibs!"
While Severus rely raised an eyebrow in curiosity, Yuma's voice sharpened in alarm. He frowned at Sister Aie.
"That's highly illegal, Sister! You know French magical law explicitly-"
"Which is exactly why I didn't tell you in the first place!" Sister Aie cut him off impatiently, "I know what you Aurors would say… that Squibs aren't entirely Muggles, that they know about the Wizarding World but can't perform magic, and so on!"
"But what does that matter? You spout these rules, yet who actually takes care of those children? Especially the ones from pure-blood families, where the re existence of a Squib is seen as a disgrace, abandoned by their own parents?"
"They're trapped between two worlds… neither fully accepted by wizards nor Muggles! Many are dood to lives of poverty and struggle! Perenelle and Nicolas learned of their plight and sought out to establish this orphanage!"
"I'm here to teach them how to navigate the Muggle World… how to read, attend school, find work! I give them a chance at a real life, at building families of their own, instead of forcing them to scrape by in a Wizarding World that refuses to even register their existence yet still insists on passing laws to control them!"
Her voice was fierce, her words impassioned, leaving Yuma at a loss.
A heavy silence followed before Yuma finally exhaled sharply, still attempting to argue.
"But if word spreads that there's an orphanage in Paris specifically for Squib children, it'll only encourage more families to abandon them here! You'd be enabling the very tragedy you claim to oppose!"
Hearing this, Sister Aie just sneered.
"If a family is willing to abandon their child here, do you really think they'd treat them any better at ho? At least I can give them a proper upbringing!"
Yuma had no rebuttal. He could only mutter, "Regardless, this matter must be reported to the Ministry and reviewed by the Wizarding Ethics Committee!"
"Then you'd better bring Perenelle and Nicolas back first." Sister Aie said coldly, "If anything happens to them, your Ministry won't need to intervene… these children will have nowhere to go anyway."
"Alright, alright, you two." Severus said, stopping their quarrel and removing the pipe from his mouth, "Thank you for your ti and honesty, Sister. You've shared sothing deeply private, and I give you my personal word that we will recover the Flals and ensure your orphanage remains standing."
"On the word of the 'great detective' Sherlock Hols?" Sister Aie said dryly.
"My na may not an much to you, but I swear it on the honor of Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Severus gave her a faint smirk as he stood.
The ntion of Dumbledore's na visibly startled her… proof that the old wizard's reputation carried weight even here.
"Thank you for your hospitality this morning. We'll inform you of any developnts."
Yuma also put aside the argunt and thanked the nun before leaving.
Reviews
All reviews (0)