Post by Koalingo Academy on Mar 11, 2007 21:09:09 GMT 10
Chapter Three
The muggle policeman were called by Rea’s father after he had announced he’d wanted Lucius charged with murder, however Rea’s mother had summoned with wizardry law enforcement and Obliviators whom wiped Rea’s sister’s memory, as well as her father’s and replaced them with something acceptable. Rea’s mother had accepted the fact that her son had been taken over by a Babzicizj though Lucius, Alex, Rubeus, and Godric had to give statements of the evening’s events. Of course Rea took it as badly as expected and cried her heart out on Alex’s shoulder while Madame Fines discussed the matter of Babzicizj’s having possessed her son with Godric’s parents whom had arrived before any of the law enforcement muggles or wizards had.
“It puzzles me as to why there would be a Babzicizj here at this time of the year, they prefer cooler climates don’t they?” Rubeus was saying to Elwyn and Sylvia while Godric leant on the nearest tree still I shock.
“Babzicizj have been known to work for the Guild of Avada, and their missions often lead them into places they would not normally be, Rubeus,” Arutha ConDoin, General of the Australian Wizardry Defence Force, had arrived with the some Auror’s after the muggle policemen left.
Godric watched as the distraught Madame Fines was led away from Elwyn, Sylvia, and Rubeus to a wizardry guidance councillor as they started to go over the technicalities of tonight’s outcome with a Wizardry law enforcer, “Madame Fines, do you accept that your son Daniel Charles Fines was murdered this evening as a result of possession by a Babzicizj?”
The woman nodded slowly, there were tears streaming from her eyes and she did not seem ready to speak just yet. Lucius was sitting away from everyone, Godric could see him, resting on the front of Rubeus car staring out into the darkened evening damp forest, did he not feel any remorse for what had happened, maybe he had destroyed a dark creature, but in a way he had still killed Rea’s brother, and Godric was sure Rea felt that way about it, even if Madame Fines did not.
“How are you felling?” a soft soothing voice reached Godric’s ears as a delicate arm clad in periwinkle blue silk raised to pull Godric into a loving hug. Sylvia Saphricorn, his mother, kissed him softly on the forehead and held him for a while, “This horrible camping trip, I told Rubeus it was a bad idea,”
“I’m ok, mum, really” Godric smiled for his mother and continued to look at Rea whom was balling her eyes out. And then to Bethany and her father whom were sitting on the ground with their legs crossed looking dazed and rocking on the spot as if someone had fed them too much morphine, “Was it really Avada?”
The Guild of Avada were the most infamous group of dark wizards in Australia, the people called them Tebo’s matching the name of a dangerous creature with the power of invisibility; for years the Ministry assumed them beaten, but Godric’s parents had been saying for years it would only be a matter of time before they returned to what they once were.
“I don’t know – the Guild usually sends Tebo’s for things like this, to employ creatures… well it’s not like they have never done it before, but last time they did, it was under the order of Avada herself,” Sylvia told him, Godric’s parents were always very open with him about everything, they never hid a thing from him he possibly knew more about their plans then the Ministry of magic did, no doubt.
“Of course, there is always the possibility that the guild does not have enough wizard members,” Rubeus joined the conversation, having now finished giving his statement to a wizardry law enforcement officer whom looked nervous around him the entire time during the interview, “The Guild will not use force to gather members, it only takes those whom are willing; their wizardry forces may be low and so it is possible they needed to use a Babzicizj this time,”
“What is a Babzicizj?” Godric asked them at last realising he didn’t really know what one was.
Rubeus looked at Sylvia, whom looked at her son curiously, looking slightly bewildered, “I did not know you had never learned about them in Defence Against Dark Arts,”
“Well, father is taking the class this year, I persuaded him to after his constant bitching about the ‘horrible job Professor Vade was doing’” he mocked with his final six words, “Elwyn is letting father tell her of course, I daresay she’ll not be too pleased when she finds out,”
“I would be more concerned about her finding out Lord Rubeus has her planned for the new school librarian,” Elwyn added when he joined them, “From beasts to books, such a change in job description – well Rubeus will have to handle himself, does Iselith know, yet?”
Godric knew by now that Iselith was Professor Vade’s first name though he did not dare ever call her by it, she was one for the rule, and if anyone should do anything that did not conform to the rules of the school, Professor Vade should not be the perfect teacher to be around, unless you wished to have your body’s molecular structure transformed into something quite undesirable. Yes, Professor Vade facing off with Lord Ruberagon should be something quite entertaining.
“Poor dear, this must be terribly hard for her, especially without a husband in any state to consol her, but she knew it had to be done, he was ranting and raving about revealing us to muggles,” Sylvia spoke again and Godric blinked back into reality again remembering what was happening.
“Forellius sends his regards of course, Madame Fines works very closely with him in the Ministry of Magic, you know” Godric’s father told them playing with the end of his new golden beard in his fingers on his right hands. It was a known fact that without the beard Lord Elwyn Emerindyl looked no older then twenty-five years of age, though to keep it completely shaven he would have to carry a razor with him every moment of the day, and it always turned out to be too time consuming to bother with except on important occasions. This evening of course it was as long, as thick, and as golden as ever seemingly sparkling with the drops of evening dew upon it.
“Moron…” Sylvia muttered darkly looking away from Godric when she did, “Didn’t think he’d bother showing up of course, that would have been much more supportive then anything verbal,”
“Well no, it was written of course, I did not have the pleasure of speaking with him this evening,” Elwyn spoke, though not sounding at all very convincing. He handed Sylvia a small slip of writing, she tutted at it disgustedly before passing it onto Godric, muttering; “Sad excuse for compassion,”
Godric lifted the slip of paper close enough to read in the horrible light flooding the area, or more clinging on wherever it could before fading into complete blackness before it even reached the edge of the camp clearing;
“Doesn’t even try that one? Is that secretary of his another anti-muggle witch or is she just really really dense, I mean really, Abby’s son was murdered by a creature famous to the Guild of Avada and all that idiot can send is a little heartless message on a piece of paper written by his secretary,” Sylvia fumed, Godric rarely saw his mother like this, but it reminded him of why she was thought to be such a formidable woman.
“Joanna has a good heart, most likely it has been sent by some other Ministry member not wishing to make it seem the Minister is ignorant,” Elwyn mused, “Most likely, Forellius hasn’t got a clue,”
“Idiot…” Sylvia muttered again as General ConDoin approached them, his Auror’s were gathering on the outskirts of the campsite muttering sinisterly amongst themselves.
“Well, there aren’t anymore out there,” he announced sounding almost disappointed, “Pity you had to finish the creature off, Lucius, I would have happily accepted time to interrogate it,”
Lucius did not call back, Alex was scowling at Arutha loathingly, his words had obviously not had a good affect on Rea whom was crying now even harder.
“Well I think we’ve all spent enough time here now,” The head of the law enforcement Angelina Maudred, a tall stocky looking woman whom Godric had mistaken more times then not, to be a man, marched towards them holding her hat in her hands; her face as solemn as anyone else’s, “We’ll see the Fines’ home Lord Emerindyl, Lady Saphricorn, Master Godric,” the woman bade them good night as she ignored Arutha and Rubeus quite obviously walking back to Madame Fines.
“Alright then, Rubeus, you and Lucius will be alright for a way home, I trust?” Elwyn looked to Rubeus whom nodded and answered with a quick, “Of course, yes My Lord,”
“Very well… hmmm… a port key for the boys perhaps,” Elwyn started before beginning to look around for something to use.
Alex looked up suddenly when he heard Elwyn announce it time to leave and quickly said, “I want to go with Rea, please, with permission?” Alex was still holding onto Rea and neither seemed prepared to let go of the other.
“Um… well I don’t know if that is such a great idea Alex, you see this family has gone through quite a lot, it is perhaps better if you returned with us,” Lady Saphricorn suggested looking at Alex anxiously, though Alex wanted to, Godric had to agree that it would not be good for Alex or Rea to be near one another at that time.
Alex reluctantly stood and Rea slipped slowly back to her mother, neither looked too pleased about having to part, though neither seemed prepared to argue the matter with Lady Saphricorn.
“I’m sorry Alex,” she spoke soothingly to him, he did not reply.
“Now lets see, ah yes, perfect,” Elwyn was scanning the ground when at last he brought them an empty sleeping bag case, “Yes, this should be sufficient, Portus,” he tapped the sleeping bag case, it glowed momentarily then seemingly returned to normal, “Ok everyone,”
“WAIT!!” a screech broke through the air, Godric turned along with everyone else to see the source of the sound, Henry was bouncing and jumping along at high speeds towards them, “WAIT! YOU CANNOT LEAVE WITHOUT HENRY AND GUMNUT!”
Elwyn and Sylvia narrowed their eyes for the most fleeting of moments though these looks soon curled into smiles, “But of course not,” Sylvia smiled, her sapphire eyes sparkling.
“Well come then, Gumnut cannot walk well, we will go to her, come! Come!” Henry grabbed the ends of Elwyn and Sylvia’s robes and pulled them along just as a muggle child would his or her parents into a toy store at Christmas, “Come!”
Godric shrugged and walked on after his parents, Godric saw Alex looked over his shoulder towards Rea and her mother before turning back and following Godric along through the thick undergrowth Henry was now leading them through.
“Gumnut wishes to come live with Henry!” Henry announced as he scuttled along hurriedly.
“So soon?” Godric heard his mother say, sounding utterly shocked, “Are you sure she wants to come live with you, Henry? I mean, did she actually say those words exactly?”
“Well… not exactly,” Henry told them all, Godric wondered if his parents felt the same pity for Henry that he now did, “Gumnut does not say much though,”
They all scrambled into a dark grove, surrounding the small opening of rough undergrowth, dried wheat grass surrounded the trunk of a very large Eucalyptus tree. For a moment Godric hadn’t realised the others had stooped and walked on a little further before running into the back of his mother whom didn’t seem to be moved at all by it.
“Beautiful, is she not?” Henry grinned, Godric looked around for a moment and then his mouth dropped, Henry was hugging one of the larger trees in the grove.
*
The next morning Godric blinked several times before he remembered why he was back in his own bed in his own bedroom instead of on the cold dewy ground inside a sleeping bag at the beach. He contemplated sleeping in, but the sun was already shining on the lawn beyond the terrace and though he was supposed to have had his last morning here three days ago, he though it appropriate to get up and enjoy it while he had the opportunity.
He passed Alex’s bed at the opposite end of the room not realising that Alex was not in it until he’d returned from his shower half an hour later. He walked through his bedroom door and started back along the carpeted corridor that ran the entire length of the house; gazing at the usual paintings on the walls, for some reason Emerindyl Manor never had a portrait of any human beings. It had plenty of his mother, father and Godric himself, but no one else. And for some reason, every time Godric entered his room, he’d have to look for the photo he kept of Elouise, as it always ended up in his top drawer or under his bed. He’d asked the house elves many times if they had moved it, but they had always sworn they had not even seen it. Lady Saphricorn always fell silent during these interrogations, Godric always assumed she was listening for hints of lying in their voices; she was good at that with all things living.
When he made it to the lounge room he saw two envelopes sitting in the centre of the coffee table, he knew at once what they were; letters from school which contained the new list of books he needed for his final year including a lot of information about the DINGOS (Dreadfully Important National Grading Of Students), the final exams of higher magical school education, the highest degree Koalingo Academy offered. It was also jam packed with leaflets for different professions Godric would be suitable for if he got certain passes in the subjects he had chosen for his final year, and not to his surprise at all, at the very top of the pile was a pamphlet on teaching. He quickly stashed the envelope in his pocket, not wishing to get another lecture on his future. His mother and father had dropped subtle hints about what they’d like to see him do when he graduated. Less subtle were the other Professor’s and all of his family’s associates whom suggested he join the Ministry of Magic and one day run for the office of Minister, Minister Crudge was never present during these conversations of course; he had told Godric to stay at the school, become a Professor like his father, but Godric knew this was just to keep Godric out of Crudge’s business at the Ministry.
The other letter still lying on the coffee table was Alex’s, it had not been opened though it looked quite a lot thinner then Godric’s. Godric was momentarily jealous of Alex, he had another two years to go at Koalingo, he wouldn’t have the worries Godric had now, for another year.
It appeared that day would be no different to any ordinary day at Emerindyl Manor, his father rose from bed at about ten o’clock at which time his mother entered the dining room with grubby gloves in a plastic bag tied to her wrist, she was wearing baby blue overalls, though they were now fairly messy with dirt, her hair was loosely tied behind her head, looking a little tangled from the morning breeze that sent the noise of swishing leaves into the house. She had a wattle blossom sitting in the breast pocket of her overalls and was looking quite pleased with herself.
“Got it planted, Henry insisted she be close to his bedroom so I planted gumnut around the side of the house, I doubt the smaller plants there were too pleased with their area now being shaded, so I think I’ll relocate them before lunch,” she spoke to an audience of Elwyn Emerindyl, Godric, and Nikko, whom was bringing in a jug of milk and setting it upon the table in front of Godric’s father, “What are you and Alex doing this morning? I could do with a hand if you don’t mind, there are quite a few plants around there,”
“I haven’t seen Alex this morning,” Godric announced with a tone of hope that his mother or father had seen Alex, or could tell him where Alex was.
“Haven you? I gave him his school letter this morning, he was up quite early,”
“Well he didn’t read it, it’s in the lounge unopened on the coffee table,”
Sylvia sighed, “Perhaps he wanted some alone time, as I understand it he and Rea are very close?”
Godric nodded silently, not wishing to elaborate on the fact that Alex and Rea had broken up long ago and Alex had told him time and time again he did not wish to relive his and Rea’s relationship.
“Well it has been my understanding that in times of emotional discord, it does not do well to stew on disaster while alone – I’ll have Henry help me with my gardening today, find Alex and do whatever it is males do to raise your spirits,” Sylvia suggested, “And no, you may not go out drinking, alcohol is the disease, not the cure,”
Godric excused himself from the table no more then ten minutes later. Crossing the green lawns with the wind in his face, he looked skywards to see the clouds were moving very quickly in the howling wind. It was almost strange for it to be such a warm day when the wind itself was cold and prickled the skin, while the light and warmth from the sun gathered heat in Godric’s jumper.
He found it hard to make his way up the mountain side as thee wind seemed to take every possible chance to try and blow him off his feet, he though he’d be pleased when he met the cap of tree’s at the top which concealed the entrance to the cave hideout. Though the wind was twisting it’s way through the tree’s and if anything else, it was more annoying to have the branches whacking him every few seconds rather then the full force of the wind in the opening, at any rate he was definitely pleased when he made it to the clearing in the centre of the tree’s, where he stood for a moment before feeling a jolting motion and seeing a brief flash of green light before everything went quiet. To have entered the cave at last was to feel a very definite transition from the outside. No longer were there leaved branches swinging dangerously trying to slap him in the face. There was no longer the howling whir of the wind cutting through his ears. There was now silence, nothing but the distant sound of ruffling paper. Alex was there in the lounge around the corner from the entrance; laying on one of the long lounges with an empty envelope on the floor beside him and a piece of parchment scrunched in his right hand.
“Alex?” Godric called forward to give Alex a chance to hide the letter in case he didn’t want Godric to know about it.
As expected, Alex scrambled to hide the letter before sitting up and answering back, “In here,” when Godric walked forward into sight of Alex, he saw him seated upright instead of on his back and he was smiling as he normally did, “Mornin’!”
“Morning,” Godric said much slower as he poured himself and Alex a piping hot mug of butter beer to cure the chill the wind had laid upon him, handing one to Alex; he sat himself on the opposite couch, “School letters came, why didn’t you open yours?”
Alex shrugged, “It’s just the usual booklist, I’ll open it when we go to Diamond Alley on Friday,” Alex shrugged trying to hide another emotion from Godric’s sensors, but failing dismally, Godric could tell Alex was not at all as happy as he made out to be, “Did you get the school captaincy?” Alex looked up, hope now in his voice, cleverly hiding what sounded like unhappiness earlier.
Godric narrowed his eyes and shook his head; in all honesty he had forgotten someone from his year would be the new school captain; he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t hoped to be the new school captain, but he had been a prefect since his fifth year and it would be good enough, “Nope. No I didn’t,”
“Your kidding,” Alex sounded scandalised, “I was sure you’d get it – I mean – who else could get it, no one else from Emerindyl surely and it’s not like anyone else in the other houses deserve it,”
Godric shrugged, he did feel slightly let down, but what was done was done and he’d learned long ago to accept the things that couldn’t be changed, “That’s not true, there are some people I’d think would suit it, Aurora Celeste from Ameraid-“
“You know I’m talking about the male captain,” Alex spoke hotly, “Your dad has some screws loose if he picked a Ruberagon, all the Saphricorn’s are a bit dim-witted and well… the Ameraid chaps don’t exactly have that leadership ability about them, and besides if little miss know-it-all Aurora Celeste makes School Captain female, they’re not about to pick a male from there”
“I though you liked Saphricorn’s, Shane’s in Saphricorn you know, or have you forgotten?” Godric went on, Shane was one of Alex’s good friends from school, though Godric never had much to do with him.
“Shane’s a good mate, but I wouldn’t make him captain,” Alex rolled his eyes.
Godric shrugged, “I don’t really mind who they made Head Boy,”
“So long as it wasn’t that rich sob of an upstart Lucius,” Alex muttered, “Then we’ll really know your father has completely lost it,”
“Don’t be too surprised if it is – dad’s not the only one who makes that decision – there’s still mum Lord Ruberagon and Lady Ameraid,” Godric went on counting them off on his fingers.
“What about good old Hortensia Tweed,” Alex spoke twisting his last two words with sour dislike. Hortensia Tweed was the Koalingo Academy High Inquisitor for the Ministry of Magic; she’d been stationed in the school ever since Godric’s second year. No one liked her, but since she didn’t exactly teach any class of her own most students rarely had to put up with her, though she was known to call ‘special surprise assemblies’ and what not which often caused secret anger from the other staff. All in all she was tolerated with much hatred.
“Well yeah, she gets a say in it as well I reckon” Godric muttered.
“That settles it then, both School Captains will be Ruberagon’s!” Alex flopped dramatically back onto his lounge. Hortensia Tweed seemed to favour the Ruberagon’s, she had a hideous dislike of muggle-born’s and half bloods though she also always hated Rob, though it was no secret that her being positioned in the school was a move by the Ministry once Godric’s father had appointed Rubeus Ruberagon II as the school Duelling Professor.
Godric and Alex had a chuckle over imagining what things would happen if the two school captains were both Ruberagon; Alex mentioning his thought that the students around the school would probably be told they had to open doors and bow when a Ruberagon came by if Lucius wasn’t the new head boy, but the head boy was a Ruberagon, would Lucius have him killed even though they were in the same house? Of course they knew it was in the school constitution that no to school captains could be in the same house
By the afternoon Alex seemed to have returned to full spirits and Godric had forgotten about the envelope and mysterious letter from that morning, they had invited people over for a game of energy ball which saw Godric, Alex, and their friend Arthur, win against five other teams, three of which they had defeated themselves.
Godric was in much higher spirits himself and was somewhat happier with this arrangement then he had been at any time during his camping trip with Rob. The sixteen other people all had to leave around nine pm that evening, which was a bit of a letdown considering how much fun they had had, but Godric reminded Alex that except for Arthur; whom now went to a military Academy, the others would all be returning to Koalingo as well in two days. And a couple of them would be meeting up with them at Diamond Alley the following day.
Godric and Alex did not sleep themselves until much later that night. They were sitting in comfortable deck chairs out on the grass with a roaring fire in a metal container in front of them. Laying back watching the stars all they could do now was discuss the much more important things that held significant importance in their lives.
The muggle policeman were called by Rea’s father after he had announced he’d wanted Lucius charged with murder, however Rea’s mother had summoned with wizardry law enforcement and Obliviators whom wiped Rea’s sister’s memory, as well as her father’s and replaced them with something acceptable. Rea’s mother had accepted the fact that her son had been taken over by a Babzicizj though Lucius, Alex, Rubeus, and Godric had to give statements of the evening’s events. Of course Rea took it as badly as expected and cried her heart out on Alex’s shoulder while Madame Fines discussed the matter of Babzicizj’s having possessed her son with Godric’s parents whom had arrived before any of the law enforcement muggles or wizards had.
“It puzzles me as to why there would be a Babzicizj here at this time of the year, they prefer cooler climates don’t they?” Rubeus was saying to Elwyn and Sylvia while Godric leant on the nearest tree still I shock.
“Babzicizj have been known to work for the Guild of Avada, and their missions often lead them into places they would not normally be, Rubeus,” Arutha ConDoin, General of the Australian Wizardry Defence Force, had arrived with the some Auror’s after the muggle policemen left.
Godric watched as the distraught Madame Fines was led away from Elwyn, Sylvia, and Rubeus to a wizardry guidance councillor as they started to go over the technicalities of tonight’s outcome with a Wizardry law enforcer, “Madame Fines, do you accept that your son Daniel Charles Fines was murdered this evening as a result of possession by a Babzicizj?”
The woman nodded slowly, there were tears streaming from her eyes and she did not seem ready to speak just yet. Lucius was sitting away from everyone, Godric could see him, resting on the front of Rubeus car staring out into the darkened evening damp forest, did he not feel any remorse for what had happened, maybe he had destroyed a dark creature, but in a way he had still killed Rea’s brother, and Godric was sure Rea felt that way about it, even if Madame Fines did not.
“How are you felling?” a soft soothing voice reached Godric’s ears as a delicate arm clad in periwinkle blue silk raised to pull Godric into a loving hug. Sylvia Saphricorn, his mother, kissed him softly on the forehead and held him for a while, “This horrible camping trip, I told Rubeus it was a bad idea,”
“I’m ok, mum, really” Godric smiled for his mother and continued to look at Rea whom was balling her eyes out. And then to Bethany and her father whom were sitting on the ground with their legs crossed looking dazed and rocking on the spot as if someone had fed them too much morphine, “Was it really Avada?”
The Guild of Avada were the most infamous group of dark wizards in Australia, the people called them Tebo’s matching the name of a dangerous creature with the power of invisibility; for years the Ministry assumed them beaten, but Godric’s parents had been saying for years it would only be a matter of time before they returned to what they once were.
“I don’t know – the Guild usually sends Tebo’s for things like this, to employ creatures… well it’s not like they have never done it before, but last time they did, it was under the order of Avada herself,” Sylvia told him, Godric’s parents were always very open with him about everything, they never hid a thing from him he possibly knew more about their plans then the Ministry of magic did, no doubt.
“Of course, there is always the possibility that the guild does not have enough wizard members,” Rubeus joined the conversation, having now finished giving his statement to a wizardry law enforcement officer whom looked nervous around him the entire time during the interview, “The Guild will not use force to gather members, it only takes those whom are willing; their wizardry forces may be low and so it is possible they needed to use a Babzicizj this time,”
“What is a Babzicizj?” Godric asked them at last realising he didn’t really know what one was.
Rubeus looked at Sylvia, whom looked at her son curiously, looking slightly bewildered, “I did not know you had never learned about them in Defence Against Dark Arts,”
“Well, father is taking the class this year, I persuaded him to after his constant bitching about the ‘horrible job Professor Vade was doing’” he mocked with his final six words, “Elwyn is letting father tell her of course, I daresay she’ll not be too pleased when she finds out,”
“I would be more concerned about her finding out Lord Rubeus has her planned for the new school librarian,” Elwyn added when he joined them, “From beasts to books, such a change in job description – well Rubeus will have to handle himself, does Iselith know, yet?”
Godric knew by now that Iselith was Professor Vade’s first name though he did not dare ever call her by it, she was one for the rule, and if anyone should do anything that did not conform to the rules of the school, Professor Vade should not be the perfect teacher to be around, unless you wished to have your body’s molecular structure transformed into something quite undesirable. Yes, Professor Vade facing off with Lord Ruberagon should be something quite entertaining.
“Poor dear, this must be terribly hard for her, especially without a husband in any state to consol her, but she knew it had to be done, he was ranting and raving about revealing us to muggles,” Sylvia spoke again and Godric blinked back into reality again remembering what was happening.
“Forellius sends his regards of course, Madame Fines works very closely with him in the Ministry of Magic, you know” Godric’s father told them playing with the end of his new golden beard in his fingers on his right hands. It was a known fact that without the beard Lord Elwyn Emerindyl looked no older then twenty-five years of age, though to keep it completely shaven he would have to carry a razor with him every moment of the day, and it always turned out to be too time consuming to bother with except on important occasions. This evening of course it was as long, as thick, and as golden as ever seemingly sparkling with the drops of evening dew upon it.
“Moron…” Sylvia muttered darkly looking away from Godric when she did, “Didn’t think he’d bother showing up of course, that would have been much more supportive then anything verbal,”
“Well no, it was written of course, I did not have the pleasure of speaking with him this evening,” Elwyn spoke, though not sounding at all very convincing. He handed Sylvia a small slip of writing, she tutted at it disgustedly before passing it onto Godric, muttering; “Sad excuse for compassion,”
Godric lifted the slip of paper close enough to read in the horrible light flooding the area, or more clinging on wherever it could before fading into complete blackness before it even reached the edge of the camp clearing;
The Minister of Magic wishes to convey his sympathy for your misfortune on this evening,
22nd January.
Minister Crudge would like to meet with you when time allows.
Joanna Howard
Personal Secretary to the Minister of Magic
[/center]22nd January.
Minister Crudge would like to meet with you when time allows.
Joanna Howard
Personal Secretary to the Minister of Magic
“Doesn’t even try that one? Is that secretary of his another anti-muggle witch or is she just really really dense, I mean really, Abby’s son was murdered by a creature famous to the Guild of Avada and all that idiot can send is a little heartless message on a piece of paper written by his secretary,” Sylvia fumed, Godric rarely saw his mother like this, but it reminded him of why she was thought to be such a formidable woman.
“Joanna has a good heart, most likely it has been sent by some other Ministry member not wishing to make it seem the Minister is ignorant,” Elwyn mused, “Most likely, Forellius hasn’t got a clue,”
“Idiot…” Sylvia muttered again as General ConDoin approached them, his Auror’s were gathering on the outskirts of the campsite muttering sinisterly amongst themselves.
“Well, there aren’t anymore out there,” he announced sounding almost disappointed, “Pity you had to finish the creature off, Lucius, I would have happily accepted time to interrogate it,”
Lucius did not call back, Alex was scowling at Arutha loathingly, his words had obviously not had a good affect on Rea whom was crying now even harder.
“Well I think we’ve all spent enough time here now,” The head of the law enforcement Angelina Maudred, a tall stocky looking woman whom Godric had mistaken more times then not, to be a man, marched towards them holding her hat in her hands; her face as solemn as anyone else’s, “We’ll see the Fines’ home Lord Emerindyl, Lady Saphricorn, Master Godric,” the woman bade them good night as she ignored Arutha and Rubeus quite obviously walking back to Madame Fines.
“Alright then, Rubeus, you and Lucius will be alright for a way home, I trust?” Elwyn looked to Rubeus whom nodded and answered with a quick, “Of course, yes My Lord,”
“Very well… hmmm… a port key for the boys perhaps,” Elwyn started before beginning to look around for something to use.
Alex looked up suddenly when he heard Elwyn announce it time to leave and quickly said, “I want to go with Rea, please, with permission?” Alex was still holding onto Rea and neither seemed prepared to let go of the other.
“Um… well I don’t know if that is such a great idea Alex, you see this family has gone through quite a lot, it is perhaps better if you returned with us,” Lady Saphricorn suggested looking at Alex anxiously, though Alex wanted to, Godric had to agree that it would not be good for Alex or Rea to be near one another at that time.
Alex reluctantly stood and Rea slipped slowly back to her mother, neither looked too pleased about having to part, though neither seemed prepared to argue the matter with Lady Saphricorn.
“I’m sorry Alex,” she spoke soothingly to him, he did not reply.
“Now lets see, ah yes, perfect,” Elwyn was scanning the ground when at last he brought them an empty sleeping bag case, “Yes, this should be sufficient, Portus,” he tapped the sleeping bag case, it glowed momentarily then seemingly returned to normal, “Ok everyone,”
“WAIT!!” a screech broke through the air, Godric turned along with everyone else to see the source of the sound, Henry was bouncing and jumping along at high speeds towards them, “WAIT! YOU CANNOT LEAVE WITHOUT HENRY AND GUMNUT!”
Elwyn and Sylvia narrowed their eyes for the most fleeting of moments though these looks soon curled into smiles, “But of course not,” Sylvia smiled, her sapphire eyes sparkling.
“Well come then, Gumnut cannot walk well, we will go to her, come! Come!” Henry grabbed the ends of Elwyn and Sylvia’s robes and pulled them along just as a muggle child would his or her parents into a toy store at Christmas, “Come!”
Godric shrugged and walked on after his parents, Godric saw Alex looked over his shoulder towards Rea and her mother before turning back and following Godric along through the thick undergrowth Henry was now leading them through.
“Gumnut wishes to come live with Henry!” Henry announced as he scuttled along hurriedly.
“So soon?” Godric heard his mother say, sounding utterly shocked, “Are you sure she wants to come live with you, Henry? I mean, did she actually say those words exactly?”
“Well… not exactly,” Henry told them all, Godric wondered if his parents felt the same pity for Henry that he now did, “Gumnut does not say much though,”
They all scrambled into a dark grove, surrounding the small opening of rough undergrowth, dried wheat grass surrounded the trunk of a very large Eucalyptus tree. For a moment Godric hadn’t realised the others had stooped and walked on a little further before running into the back of his mother whom didn’t seem to be moved at all by it.
“Beautiful, is she not?” Henry grinned, Godric looked around for a moment and then his mouth dropped, Henry was hugging one of the larger trees in the grove.
*
The next morning Godric blinked several times before he remembered why he was back in his own bed in his own bedroom instead of on the cold dewy ground inside a sleeping bag at the beach. He contemplated sleeping in, but the sun was already shining on the lawn beyond the terrace and though he was supposed to have had his last morning here three days ago, he though it appropriate to get up and enjoy it while he had the opportunity.
He passed Alex’s bed at the opposite end of the room not realising that Alex was not in it until he’d returned from his shower half an hour later. He walked through his bedroom door and started back along the carpeted corridor that ran the entire length of the house; gazing at the usual paintings on the walls, for some reason Emerindyl Manor never had a portrait of any human beings. It had plenty of his mother, father and Godric himself, but no one else. And for some reason, every time Godric entered his room, he’d have to look for the photo he kept of Elouise, as it always ended up in his top drawer or under his bed. He’d asked the house elves many times if they had moved it, but they had always sworn they had not even seen it. Lady Saphricorn always fell silent during these interrogations, Godric always assumed she was listening for hints of lying in their voices; she was good at that with all things living.
When he made it to the lounge room he saw two envelopes sitting in the centre of the coffee table, he knew at once what they were; letters from school which contained the new list of books he needed for his final year including a lot of information about the DINGOS (Dreadfully Important National Grading Of Students), the final exams of higher magical school education, the highest degree Koalingo Academy offered. It was also jam packed with leaflets for different professions Godric would be suitable for if he got certain passes in the subjects he had chosen for his final year, and not to his surprise at all, at the very top of the pile was a pamphlet on teaching. He quickly stashed the envelope in his pocket, not wishing to get another lecture on his future. His mother and father had dropped subtle hints about what they’d like to see him do when he graduated. Less subtle were the other Professor’s and all of his family’s associates whom suggested he join the Ministry of Magic and one day run for the office of Minister, Minister Crudge was never present during these conversations of course; he had told Godric to stay at the school, become a Professor like his father, but Godric knew this was just to keep Godric out of Crudge’s business at the Ministry.
The other letter still lying on the coffee table was Alex’s, it had not been opened though it looked quite a lot thinner then Godric’s. Godric was momentarily jealous of Alex, he had another two years to go at Koalingo, he wouldn’t have the worries Godric had now, for another year.
It appeared that day would be no different to any ordinary day at Emerindyl Manor, his father rose from bed at about ten o’clock at which time his mother entered the dining room with grubby gloves in a plastic bag tied to her wrist, she was wearing baby blue overalls, though they were now fairly messy with dirt, her hair was loosely tied behind her head, looking a little tangled from the morning breeze that sent the noise of swishing leaves into the house. She had a wattle blossom sitting in the breast pocket of her overalls and was looking quite pleased with herself.
“Got it planted, Henry insisted she be close to his bedroom so I planted gumnut around the side of the house, I doubt the smaller plants there were too pleased with their area now being shaded, so I think I’ll relocate them before lunch,” she spoke to an audience of Elwyn Emerindyl, Godric, and Nikko, whom was bringing in a jug of milk and setting it upon the table in front of Godric’s father, “What are you and Alex doing this morning? I could do with a hand if you don’t mind, there are quite a few plants around there,”
“I haven’t seen Alex this morning,” Godric announced with a tone of hope that his mother or father had seen Alex, or could tell him where Alex was.
“Haven you? I gave him his school letter this morning, he was up quite early,”
“Well he didn’t read it, it’s in the lounge unopened on the coffee table,”
Sylvia sighed, “Perhaps he wanted some alone time, as I understand it he and Rea are very close?”
Godric nodded silently, not wishing to elaborate on the fact that Alex and Rea had broken up long ago and Alex had told him time and time again he did not wish to relive his and Rea’s relationship.
“Well it has been my understanding that in times of emotional discord, it does not do well to stew on disaster while alone – I’ll have Henry help me with my gardening today, find Alex and do whatever it is males do to raise your spirits,” Sylvia suggested, “And no, you may not go out drinking, alcohol is the disease, not the cure,”
Godric excused himself from the table no more then ten minutes later. Crossing the green lawns with the wind in his face, he looked skywards to see the clouds were moving very quickly in the howling wind. It was almost strange for it to be such a warm day when the wind itself was cold and prickled the skin, while the light and warmth from the sun gathered heat in Godric’s jumper.
He found it hard to make his way up the mountain side as thee wind seemed to take every possible chance to try and blow him off his feet, he though he’d be pleased when he met the cap of tree’s at the top which concealed the entrance to the cave hideout. Though the wind was twisting it’s way through the tree’s and if anything else, it was more annoying to have the branches whacking him every few seconds rather then the full force of the wind in the opening, at any rate he was definitely pleased when he made it to the clearing in the centre of the tree’s, where he stood for a moment before feeling a jolting motion and seeing a brief flash of green light before everything went quiet. To have entered the cave at last was to feel a very definite transition from the outside. No longer were there leaved branches swinging dangerously trying to slap him in the face. There was no longer the howling whir of the wind cutting through his ears. There was now silence, nothing but the distant sound of ruffling paper. Alex was there in the lounge around the corner from the entrance; laying on one of the long lounges with an empty envelope on the floor beside him and a piece of parchment scrunched in his right hand.
“Alex?” Godric called forward to give Alex a chance to hide the letter in case he didn’t want Godric to know about it.
As expected, Alex scrambled to hide the letter before sitting up and answering back, “In here,” when Godric walked forward into sight of Alex, he saw him seated upright instead of on his back and he was smiling as he normally did, “Mornin’!”
“Morning,” Godric said much slower as he poured himself and Alex a piping hot mug of butter beer to cure the chill the wind had laid upon him, handing one to Alex; he sat himself on the opposite couch, “School letters came, why didn’t you open yours?”
Alex shrugged, “It’s just the usual booklist, I’ll open it when we go to Diamond Alley on Friday,” Alex shrugged trying to hide another emotion from Godric’s sensors, but failing dismally, Godric could tell Alex was not at all as happy as he made out to be, “Did you get the school captaincy?” Alex looked up, hope now in his voice, cleverly hiding what sounded like unhappiness earlier.
Godric narrowed his eyes and shook his head; in all honesty he had forgotten someone from his year would be the new school captain; he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t hoped to be the new school captain, but he had been a prefect since his fifth year and it would be good enough, “Nope. No I didn’t,”
“Your kidding,” Alex sounded scandalised, “I was sure you’d get it – I mean – who else could get it, no one else from Emerindyl surely and it’s not like anyone else in the other houses deserve it,”
Godric shrugged, he did feel slightly let down, but what was done was done and he’d learned long ago to accept the things that couldn’t be changed, “That’s not true, there are some people I’d think would suit it, Aurora Celeste from Ameraid-“
“You know I’m talking about the male captain,” Alex spoke hotly, “Your dad has some screws loose if he picked a Ruberagon, all the Saphricorn’s are a bit dim-witted and well… the Ameraid chaps don’t exactly have that leadership ability about them, and besides if little miss know-it-all Aurora Celeste makes School Captain female, they’re not about to pick a male from there”
“I though you liked Saphricorn’s, Shane’s in Saphricorn you know, or have you forgotten?” Godric went on, Shane was one of Alex’s good friends from school, though Godric never had much to do with him.
“Shane’s a good mate, but I wouldn’t make him captain,” Alex rolled his eyes.
Godric shrugged, “I don’t really mind who they made Head Boy,”
“So long as it wasn’t that rich sob of an upstart Lucius,” Alex muttered, “Then we’ll really know your father has completely lost it,”
“Don’t be too surprised if it is – dad’s not the only one who makes that decision – there’s still mum Lord Ruberagon and Lady Ameraid,” Godric went on counting them off on his fingers.
“What about good old Hortensia Tweed,” Alex spoke twisting his last two words with sour dislike. Hortensia Tweed was the Koalingo Academy High Inquisitor for the Ministry of Magic; she’d been stationed in the school ever since Godric’s second year. No one liked her, but since she didn’t exactly teach any class of her own most students rarely had to put up with her, though she was known to call ‘special surprise assemblies’ and what not which often caused secret anger from the other staff. All in all she was tolerated with much hatred.
“Well yeah, she gets a say in it as well I reckon” Godric muttered.
“That settles it then, both School Captains will be Ruberagon’s!” Alex flopped dramatically back onto his lounge. Hortensia Tweed seemed to favour the Ruberagon’s, she had a hideous dislike of muggle-born’s and half bloods though she also always hated Rob, though it was no secret that her being positioned in the school was a move by the Ministry once Godric’s father had appointed Rubeus Ruberagon II as the school Duelling Professor.
Godric and Alex had a chuckle over imagining what things would happen if the two school captains were both Ruberagon; Alex mentioning his thought that the students around the school would probably be told they had to open doors and bow when a Ruberagon came by if Lucius wasn’t the new head boy, but the head boy was a Ruberagon, would Lucius have him killed even though they were in the same house? Of course they knew it was in the school constitution that no to school captains could be in the same house
By the afternoon Alex seemed to have returned to full spirits and Godric had forgotten about the envelope and mysterious letter from that morning, they had invited people over for a game of energy ball which saw Godric, Alex, and their friend Arthur, win against five other teams, three of which they had defeated themselves.
Godric was in much higher spirits himself and was somewhat happier with this arrangement then he had been at any time during his camping trip with Rob. The sixteen other people all had to leave around nine pm that evening, which was a bit of a letdown considering how much fun they had had, but Godric reminded Alex that except for Arthur; whom now went to a military Academy, the others would all be returning to Koalingo as well in two days. And a couple of them would be meeting up with them at Diamond Alley the following day.
Godric and Alex did not sleep themselves until much later that night. They were sitting in comfortable deck chairs out on the grass with a roaring fire in a metal container in front of them. Laying back watching the stars all they could do now was discuss the much more important things that held significant importance in their lives.