The Traveler's Secret

CHAPTER 5: ON THE ROAD AND BACK AGAIN

The journey to Hogwarts was rough in the slipshod rain. With the country roads leading to the school in dire need of repair, it was a wonder that the wheel of the coach had not broken twice. Of course, Albus Dumbledore could have fixed it with magic, but he had had to do it once already. He didn't think it wise, if the wheel broke a second time, to do it again, considering one of his traveling companions was a Muggle, or so he claimed. It wasn't too much of a surprise of how horrid the conditions of the roads were in with the war on, and resources as tight as they were. Most Muggles believed that Hogwarts was just a pile of ruins from an ancient past.

Dumbledore had his fingertips slightly out the window, enjoying the soft touch of the rain. The crystal veil of water fell over the richly lush countryside, its cool touch bringing life. Albus had become entranced by the melodic accompaniment that drummed softly on the roof of the coach. He closed his eyes, letting the damp air wash across his face, smelling the green fertility around him, and for a moment, he caught the scent of lavender. That was Ariana's favorite flower. In that drop of time, there was no war, no Grindelwald, or hideous weapon that he wanted to unleash, no death. In that elongated second, his sister, Ariana, was her sweet self as she had once been.

"Dumbledore, are we almost there? Are we close to Hogwarts?" inquired Mr. Krum.

Dumbledore turned away from the pleasant countryside, to face the dark interior of the coach, and the situation at hand. Sitting at his side, Sergei was hunched over, still trembling from the Dementor encounter. His black eyes were more strained and bloodshot than they had ever been before. Every once in awhile, Sergei would shift those eyes to the young man who sat in the opposite corner from him. Unlike the Russian, this man was not scared, but tense and alert.

The man opposite Mr. Krum was young, with a shock of untidy white hair, cold blue eyes, and who wore an old, tattered bomber jacket. He said his name was Jean Fulver, a French soldier on the trail of a Russian spy, who was selling information to the enemy. Or that was his story.

Sitting next to Fulver was a fourth man, an American wizard named Johnny Wolfbane. He was tall, with thick black hair to his shoulders, and a strong, bronze face. But it was his violet, almost hawk like eyes, that stood out the most. They were unique in more ways than one. He was the product of an Native American princess with the gift of foresight, and an African wage worker, who had the ability to morph into any animal he wished easily. Their son had both abilities united in one person, which made him one of the strongest wizards Albus had ever met, but also the most untamed. Johnny had never had a formal magical education, until he had met Albus some years back. Wolfbane had heard of the famous Professor Dumbledore all the way from his home in a Louisiana bayou. With his parents' help, he had raised enough money to come to England, and find the adept Albus Dumbledore, and to, of course, see the famous Hogwarts. Unfortunately, Johnny was too old to be admitted to Hogwarts, but Dumbledore had befriended him all the same, helping him control his abilities. He could do things that Dumbledore had never seen before. He was a formidable wizard. It was his violet colored eyes that never left Jean Fulver. He, too, had a hard time believing that the French soldier had told them the absolute truth.

Dumbledore still found it odd that a Muggle soldier had somehow been clued into the fact that Sergei was carrying information. Dumbledore would need to watch this one. The Professor, as well as Johnny, had agreed that Fulver was not a wizard, but they still debated on whether or not he knew of the Wizarding world, or Grindelwald's plans. It was true that the boy hadn't even realized he was running straight toward the Dementor, after he had burst out into the alley, not far behind Sergei Krum. It was quite a surprise for Wolfbane, who had been standing at the back door, expecting only one man to come out of it, and got two with a Dementor not far behind. But Johnny Wolfbane wasn't the only one startled by unexpected visitors.

The Muggle French soldier, Jean Fulver, had anticipated on catching Sergei Krum alone, and was not prepared to deal with such a physically intimidating opponent like Wolfbane. But it was the young, bespeckled man wrapped in an emerald cloak, who seemed to have popped out of the very rain that fell around them, that astounded the Frenchman. Jean Fulver was still recovering from this new arrival, when the man in the emerald cloak pointed a stick in Fulver's face. Jean wasn't quite sure what to make of this, staring absentmindedly at the tall, lean newcomer with the long, crooked nose.

Without realizing it, the Frenchman had given them the distraction they had needed. The Dementor had turned from Sergei onto Mr. Fulver, as another Dementor rounded the corner, bearing down on Albus and Johnny. Albus had taken on the Dementor attacking Jean, chasing the gliding creature away with his phoenix Patronus. Behind him, his American friend's huge bear Patronus barreled through the second Dementor. Each grabbing a companion, Dumbledore snatching Sergei's coat, and Johnny wrapping his thick muscled arms around the struggling Frenchman, they Disapparated out of the alley, and into a lonely country lane. Albus had picked the secluded spot as a backup meeting place should anything go wrong, and he was right in doing so. Nearby Johnny had hidden a carriage and two horses in an abandoned barn.

Completely bewildered, Jean Fulver had begun to put up a vicious struggle with Johnny, even though the American was a foot taller, broad chested, and had an almost bear like strength, seeing as he often turned into one. Albus would have chuckled at the sight if the situation were not so dire.

Knowing they didn't have much time, Dumbledore quickly stunned Fulver, and Johnny placed a silencing charm over the Muggle, as he caught the falling Frenchman. Albus was sorry to have to stun the man, especially if he was just an innocent bystander, who had been sucked into the situation, but Dumbledore couldn't take the chance if he were more than that.

He was doing it for the greater good.

The moment he thought the words, a wave of revulsion passed through him. Those were words that he never wanted to hear, or think of again. Disgusted with himself, Dumbledore turned to the man whom he was suppose to be protecting.

Sergei Krum had been so weakened by the attack that he had fallen to his knees in the middle of the country lane, sucking in the cool, mid summer air, and exhaling all the bad feelings he had had. Dumbledore knew how he felt. The Dementors had brought back fresh the faces of his mother and Ariana, two people whom would haunt him forever. He had failed them; they were dead because of his weakness. He knew he would have to face his past, would have to face Grindelwald sooner or later, but today was not the day. Dumbledore wondered how long he could put off the day when he would have to deal with his former friend, who had turned into the darkest and cruelest wizard to date.

As Dumbledore had been deep in thought, ruminating over the Muggle and his involvement, Johnny had gotten the carriage ready to go, and they were off in a matter of minutes. Dumbledore, not use to such a thoroughly Muggle way of traveling, found the ride, at first to be, uncomfortable, but soon grew accustomed to the quiet time and beautiful scenery. It gave his mind a time and place to escape.

"Dumbledore, are we almost there? Are we close to Hogwarts?" repeated Sergei Krum.

Albus turned to his companion and answered, "Close."