Harry Potter and the Ring of Slytherin: Year Six

Chapter 3: Agatha Trimble

The woman slowly reached for the door's handle. Harry held his breath as she carefully turned the knob. When she pushed the door open, a huge but perverse-looking room revealed itself. Harry felt himself being pushed inside and he didn't even resist. Half of him knew he had to escape because Voldemort would surely kill him, but half of him wanted to face Voldemort and finish this conflict between them once and for all.

The room looked definitely creepy. It was the exact opposite of Lizzy's office. Everything inside seemed to be made of glossy, dark wood. The only source of light was the huge stone fireplace beside a large old bookcase filled with antique-looking books. Right in front of Harry was a large wooden desk with a huge ancient armchair behind it. Harry felt that someone was sitting on it although he couldn't see the person's face because only the back of the chair was facing him.

Harry waited anxiously for the person to face him. He expected to hear Voldemort's cold, hissing voice and see his pale, snake-like face. But again, what happened next wasn't what he expected at all.

Harry heard a woman's voice coming from behind the chair. "Leave us,

At the sound of the old lady's voice, the woman behind Harry turned to leave the room. He glanced behind him to get a better look at the face of the woman who grabbed him. The fire cast some light at the woman's face and to his surprise, it wasn't Lizzy. It was a short, plump, middle-aged witch with oversized glasses and mousy brown hair.

The woman sitting on the armchair stood up and ripped back the divide of the curtains, allowing the sunlight to fill the room. The room wasn't as creepy as Harry thought. In fact it wasn't creepy at all. The furniture were all antiques and well-furnished but they all looked quite elegant. The books on the shelves weren't really that old and the armchair was definitely not ancient. Harry noticed for the first time that there were actually crystal vases filled with pastel-colored wild flowers sitting on the long table near the window. The walls were also covered with Victorian wallpaper and large scenery paintings in shiny brass frames. The room was actually very stylish and cozy and Harry was just too paranoid to think that it was eerie.

The woman faced Harry and she was definitely the exact opposite of Lizzy. She's probably on her late sixties but her elegant and poised stature made her look ten years younger. She was wearing a silkylor="Black">turquoise robe that looked great with her emerald necklace. Her silvery grey hair was held in a sleek bun and her eyes were bright green just like Harry's. Her face looked stern but kind and she gave Harry a feeling of security.

"Harry Potter, right?" the woman asked in a gentle voice.

Harry nodded without taking his eyes of her.

"Well Mr. Potter, May I ask you what are you doing here at the Daily Prophet?"

"Ah... well... That reporter, Lizzy...I mean Elizabeth Iglich transported me here using a portkey. She said she wanted to get an exclusive interview," replied Harry.

The woman shook her head lightly and said in a disappointed tone, "She never listens! I told her dozens of time not to abduct people again just to get an interview!"

She walked towards the fireplace and threw some floo powder into it. The bright orange flames instantly turned green. A few seconds later, the plump woman's head appeared on top of the flames.

"Mathilde, go to Lizzy's office this very minute and tell her that I wish to see her! She has some explaining to do," the old lady said in a very bossy tone.

Harry imagined Hermione to be somewhat like this woman fifty years from now. Everything about her, from her bossy tone and poised appearance reminded him of her. After a few secondor="Black"> accompanied by a guilty-looking Lizzy. Lizzy looked so nervous that her face looked even older than it already was. Whoever this old lady was she's definitely someone with high authority here.

"Mathilde, go to Mr. Riley and ask him to bring me a portkey to Privet Drive," ordered the woman.

Mathilde bowed down and immediately left the room. Lizzy didn't seem as cocky now as she was when she talked to Harry. She looked like a well- behaved little puppy.

"Well...speak!" commanded the woman.

"I...I, um.you see.it's kinda like.ah. I sort of sent him here," stuttered Lizzy.

"Sort of! What did I tell you about bringing outsiders here," the woman said in a composed voice.

"I...I just wanted an interview! Please, Ms. Trimble," begged Lizzy. "I was just trying to do my job."

"Your job is to write about Fashion and Lifestyle! So, stop meddling with things outside your department! As chief editor of the Daily Prophet, I have a duty to stop my employees from doing things that might ruin this paper's reputation. So, this is the last time I'm going to let you get away with this sort of fia! Do you understand?"

Lizzy nodded. She disapparated without saying a word. She was so different from the Lizzy Harry met earlier. What just happened made Harry wonder even more about the identity of the woman in front of him.

Once Lizzy was gone, the woman approached Harry. As she came closer to him, he couldn't help but notice her great resemblance to his mother. Her bright green eyes and her thin but lovely lips looked just like Lily's. When she was only an arms length away from Harry she smiled and said in a soft voice, "I'm terribly sorry for what Lizzy did. That woman seemed to have a few screws loose. Don't worry. I'm going to get you back home in no time."

She paused for a moment and said, "But first, let me look at you." She stared at Harry from head to foot. Harry's ears went pink with embarrassment but the woman seemed quite pleased. "My...my...You sure have grown into handsome young man. Your mother would have been very proud."

"You knew my mother?"

"Yes, I did. I knew her very well..." There was a very sad look on her face when she mentioned Harry's mother. It seemed like Lily meant a lot to this woman.

Harry was about to say something when they heard a loud knock at the door. The woman ordered the new visitor to enter and the tall bald man Harry saw earlier went insican of soda on top of it.

"I have the portkey you asked for Ms. Trimble," the man said in a very courteous manner.

"Thank you Mr. Riley! Now, would you please hand it over to the boy, so that he could finally go home." She brought her attention back to Harry and said, "Well, I guess this is goodbye. It's an honor finally meeting you Mr. Potter. Just touch the can and you'll be back home."

Mr. Riley walked towards Harry and extended the tray to him. As Harry touched the crushed soda can, he felt the familiar jolt behind his navel, but before he lost sight of the office he yelled out to the woman, "Wait, I still don't know your name!"

The woman smiled and said, "The name's Trimble. Agatha Trimble." After hearing this, Ms. Trimble and the office vanished and all Harry could see were swirling winds and colours.