The Talisman of Monguk

Chapter 5: At the Leaky Cauldron

Angela and Lupin were sitting at a table in the corner of The Leaky Cauldron. This well-known establishment was a pub at the end of Diagon Alley, a street of wizard shops hidden deep in the heart of London. On the table were the remains of a steak and kidney pie, a half-eaten ploughman's lunch, and a couple of open bottles of butterbeer. It was late on a Saturday afternoon in mid-September. Their usual dueling lesson had been cancelled for today, as Angela and Lupin were on a mission for the Order. They were here in the tavern awaiting the rest of their party and talking quietly, when a woman entered the pub followed closely by a house-elf laden with packages.

The woman had full red lips and bright blue eyes. Her wavy black tresses were swept up on top of her head. Around her stately white neck she wore a necklace with a conspicuous ruby matching the color of her lips. She was wearing a long black duster with the collar turned up. It was form fitting on the top and left unbuttoned below the waist to reveal a pair of tight black leather pants and high-buttoned, high-heeled shoes. Every head in the room turned to stare.

Noticing Lupin's gaze, Angela turned to look. "Ravena! Is that you?" she exclaimed, seeing the woman.

"Angela! Good to see you," the woman replied, strolling toward them.

They hugged and kissed each other lightly on both cheeks. Although Angela was pretty, the contrast between the two women was striking. There stood Angela dressed simply and modestly in trousers and a woolen jumper, her hair tied back in a plain ribbon, and next to her stood Ravena dressed in the height of fashion, her hair perfectly coiffed.

"Ravena, I'd like you to meet Remus Lupin. Remus, this is my cousin, Ravena Hawkins," said Angela, making introductions.

Lupin shook her hand. "Won't you join us?" he said politely, pulling up a chair for her.

"I'd love to," she replied. "But I can't stay long. I'm meeting Mother and her crones for tea in a half an hour."

"Don't you mean cronies?" Angela asked.

Ravena laughed. "No, I mean crones. These are Mum's old school chums."

Then she excused herself and turned to the house-elf behind her. It was tottering under its load. All you could see of it was a pair of large ears, long fingers, and some feet sticking out from around the packages.

"Knobs, would you be a dear and take those packages out to the carriage for me please?" As the elf turned to go, she handed him some silver Sickles and added, "And here, take this. Go treat yourself to something nice. But you mustn't let Mum see you or ever tell her that I've given them to you. Then meet me at Trudy's Tea House in one hour. That will do."

"Thank you, Miss. You are too kind, Miss," replied the pile of packages, bowing obsequiously.

When the house-elf had left, Ravena sat down at the table.

Angela spoke first. "My mother told me that you were back in the country. I'm glad that we ran into you. What brings you to Diagon Alley?"

"I've been doing a little shopping this afternoon. Most of my wardrobe just won't do for Hogwarts. I've come to purchase a set of more suitable robes. I had my fashion consultant, Carson, flown in this morning to help me. He just left. Anyway, I just popped in here for a little refreshment before my meeting with Mum."

Ravena wrinkled her nose at the mention of her mother. Then she summoned the innkeeper and ordered a Firewhisky.

"Imagine my good fortune at meeting you here," she added.

"So what do you think of Hogwarts so far? Do you like it?" inquired Angela.

"I just adore it. I love teaching there. The students are wonderful and the faculty has been very supportive...Well, most of them have. Professor Flitwick practically falls over himself whenever I need something. Minerva McGonagall invited me to a delightful tea. It seems that your Mum told her all about me. I had no idea that Aunt Eudora and Minerva were friends. And Headmaster Dumbledore is such a dear. I really don't understand why mother dislikes him so. She was dead set against my taking this position."

"And have you met Severus Snape?" Angela asked.

"Oh," Ravena replied, curling her lip in scorn. "You mean, Severus Snipe. He is perhaps the most disagreeable man that I've ever met. Apparently, he opposed my appointment to this post and makes it perfectly clear every chance he gets."

"He objected to my appointment when I was teaching there too. He's always been interested in the Dark Arts and, I understand, would like the post for himself. I wouldn't take it personally," Lupin said kindly.

Ravena raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You taught Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, and he's quite good too," Angela interjected. "He's been giving me dueling lessons all summer."

Ravena looked at Lupin with obvious interest. "Perhaps we should get together sometime and compare notes?" she suggested.

"Perhaps," Lupin replied with a smile.

Angela frowned.

Ravena tossed down her Firewhisky in one gulp and made a face. "Well, I really must be going. Believe me, I would much prefer to stay and chat with you, but Mother is expecting me and I can't keep her waiting." Ravena stood up, extending her hand to Lupin. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Lupin."

"Same here," he said, taking her hand.

Then Ravena turned to Angela, who stood and kissed her cheek.

"Angela, dear, we really must get together for tea soon. Send me an owl, won't you?" she said. In a barely audible whisper, she added, "Intriguing friend you've got there."

With that, Ravena bid them good day, walked to the bar, handed something to the barkeeper, and headed toward the door. As she was leaving, Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody entered the tavern. Moody did a double take, eyeing her appreciatively, and whistled. Tonks spotted Angela and Lupin at the corner table. They came over and sat down.

"Wotcher, Mates," greeted Tonks, sporting a spiky black hairdo for today's mission.

Moody, who was still watching the door, inquired, "Who was that?"

"That was my cousin, Ravena. She's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts," Angela replied, sounding slightly annoyed.

Moody seemed distracted.

"Watching her with your magical eye, are you?" asked Lupin with a chuckle.

"Yes, and she's just disappeared around the corner," Moody answered with a sigh.

Angela was exasperated. "Honestly, will you two put your eyes back in your head," she said.

Both men chuckled.

"Can we get down to business?" added Tonks with a glare.

"Do you have the address?" Lupin asked Moody in a hushed whisper.

"Of course. Dumbledore wrote it down for me."

Moody took a small piece of parchment from his cloak pocket. They all leaned in to read it.

Snogblod

13 Knotting Way

"It's probably best if we walk there in pairs," suggested Lupin. "It'll look less conspicuous. I'll walk ahead with Tonks. Mad-Eye, you follow behind with Angela. Keep a look out for Death Eaters."

"Then we might need these," Moody said, taking out two small round mirrors. He gave one to Lupin and the other to Angela. "Just say the other person's name into it and they'll appear in the mirror. We can use them to communicate, if we get separated."

Angela turned to Lupin and asked, "Are we ready to go?"

"I think so," he replied.

Angela motioned to the innkeeper. "Our bill, please."

"Oh, that's all been taken care of, Miss. The lady that just left already paid. And generously too," the innkeeper replied with a bow.

Angela and Lupin exchanged glances.

Once out in the open, Lupin and Tonks split off from the group and walked down Diagon Alley. Angela took Moody's arm and they began to stroll at a more leisurely pace to allow some distance between the two groups. Angela and Moody pretended to window shop while strolling the street, but they always kept Lupin in view. Moody walked with his trademark bowler hat pulled low over his magical eye. Angela knew that the magical eye was probably spinning wildly under that hat, looking for anything suspicious. About halfway down Diagon Alley, they saw Lupin and Tonks duck into a side street. They followed a little behind them. The street narrowed. They stopped in front of a small unassuming row house.

"Is this the address?" asked Lupin.

Moody checked the parchment and nodded. Lupin knocked on the door. A small peephole in the door opened and a surly voice demanded, "What do you want?"

"We're here to see Mr. Snogblod, please," replied Lupin politely.

"Who are you?" the voice asked.

"Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody, Angela Hawkins, and Nymphadora Tonks. Albus Dumbledore sent us."

"Did he now? Then what's the password?"

"Avarice," Lupin answered.

From outside the door, they could hear the clicking of locks and bolts. The door opened and an old goblin peered out. He stood about four and a half feet tall with pointy ears, a clever face, razor sharp teeth, and long fingers. He looked up and down the street nervously and gestured them all inside.

"Be quick about it," he said brusquely.

Lupin walked in, followed by Tonks, Angela, and Moody.

"Don't touch anything," Lupin whispered as they stepped inside.

The old goblin bolted the door behind them and said gruffly, "Follow me."

While the outside of the house had looked like a perfectly normal row house, the inside looked quite different. The hallway appeared as if it had been chiseled out of rock. Niches were carved in the walls at intervals to hold torches for light. It was cold and dank. Angela shivered and moved closer to Tonks.

Leading off of the main hallway were numerous smaller passages. Their host led them down one of these, turned left and then right, until the tunnel opened up into a larger room. It was apparently a parlor. In the middle was a braided rug surrounded by a sofa, an end table, and two chairs. Against the near wall stood a curio cabinet filled with old and grotesque objects - a shriveled hand, various vials filled with mysterious substances, and an elaborately carved wooden box with clawed feet. On the far wall stood a table holding several potted plants lighted by glowing orbs that floated above them. Among the plants, Angela recognized several deadly specimens, including devil's ivy, serpent's tongue, and hemlock. She looked at them with growing apprehension.

"Take a seat," Snogblod demanded, motioning toward the sofa.

As they filed into the room, the old goblin watched them suspiciously with his beady eyes. Lupin headed toward one of the chairs with Tonks right behind. Just then, her foot snagged on the carpet and she pitched forward with a cry of surprise. Reacting quickly, Lupin turned and grabbed her arm to steady her. She recovered, bumping the end table. They watched with alarm, while an old urn sitting on the table tottered precariously and then righted itself. Snogblod turned on Tonks and bared his yellowed teeth.

"Careful, that's been in my family for generations," he snarled.

Tonks reddened and muttered, "Sorry."

She sank down on the sofa. Angela sat down next to her, with Moody on her left. Lupin sat in one of the chairs with his elbows resting on the arms and his fingertips together. The near fall had unnerved Angela and Tonks, but Lupin and Moody appeared perfectly calm.

Snogblod stood imperiously on the carpet in the middle of the room, sizing them all up. Angela could see his small black piercing eyes darting from person to person, a calculating look on his clever face. When he looked at her, she squirmed and edged closer to Moody. After a minute, Snogblod seemed to decide that Moody was the leader and approached him.

"So, Dumbledore sent you, did he?" Snogblod asked, feigning innocence.

"That's right. He said you're the keeper. So where is the map?" Moody growled.

"What map?" Snogblod replied evasively.

"The map to the Talisman," Moody replied with increasing impatience.

"I don't have it."

"Now see here, we don't have time for your games," Moody barked.

He rose to his feet and pulled off his bowler hat, exposing his magic eye. The goblin jumped back in alarm.

"Calm down. I only meant that I don't have it here," Snogblod replied, trying to regain his composure.

"Well, then, where it is?"

"The precise location?"

"The precise location," Moody demanded, leaning over him threateningly.

"Take it easy, Mad-Eye," Lupin said calmly. "It's obvious that Mr. Snogblod doesn't wish to do business with us. It seems that Dumbledore was misled. Perhaps we should just leave." He leaned forward in his chair, as if preparing to rise, and paused. "But you do realize that we are not the only ones seeking this map," he added indifferently.

Moody laughed heartily. "Yeah, Lord Voldemort and his gang are looking for it too. You can bet that they will be less tolerant of your tricks."

At the mention of the name, Snogblod cringed. "It's in Gringotts Wizarding Bank, vault seven hundred nineteen," he whimpered. But then his eyes twinkled maliciously and he added, "But you'll have to pick it up yourself."

"Then we'll need a letter of permission from you," growled Moody. "And no more of your nonsense."

"Naturally," replied Snogblod.

He crossed to the curio cabinet, removed the carved box, and took a yellowed piece of parchment from it. He handed the parchment to Moody with a sly smile. Moody didn't like the look on his face or the fact that he had complied so willingly this time. He prodded the parchment with his wand suspiciously. Then he opened and read it.

"It looks in order," he growled. Then he handed it to Lupin. "Remus, take a look."

Lupin examined the letter himself. Apparently satisfied, he tucked it in his pocket.

"That letter better not be written in disappearing ink or I'll be back to deal with you," Moody warned, fixing his magic eye on the goblin.

Snogblod didn't answer, but merely stared back without blinking.

"What about my compensation? Dumbledore promised me compensation," the goblin demanded, rubbing his hands together greedily.

Moody pulled a sack out from under his cloak and threw it down on the end table. The sack jingled as it landed. Snogblod snatched it up, peered inside, and smirked.

"Oh, there's just one more thing," the goblin said with a mischievous grin. "Things are not always what they appear. But you will find what you seek, if you heed the signs and call Monguk," he added cryptically.

"What's that supposed to mean?" barked Moody.

The goblin refused to answer. He just laughed, his eyes glittering malevolently.

Realizing that the interview had ended, Lupin rose to his feet. The others followed his lead.

"Thank you for your cooperation," Lupin said politely. "Now we must be going."

Without another word, the goblin led them out of the room and ushered them out of his house.

Once out of earshot of the house, they huddled to discuss their next move. Lupin took out the letter and they all examined it over his shoulder.

"It appears to be authentic," Lupin remarked. "No disappearing ink. No dissolving parchment."

"Still, I don't trust that Snogblod," growled Moody. "Too shifty. And what was that bit in the end?"

"I didn't like the looks of him either," agreed Angela. "Did you see his plant collection and the stuff in his cabinet? I'd hate to think what he was keeping in that urn." She shuddered.

"Even so," said Lupin. "This is the only lead that we've got. We'd best go and see what's in that vault."

Once decided, they walked in the direction of Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

Gringotts Wizarding Bank was an imposing structure in the middle of Diagon Alley. It was built of gleaming white marble and had enormous bronze doors with brass knobs. A goblin in uniform greeted them at the front and opened the doors for them as they entered the building. The lobby of the bank was huge with rows of teller windows lining the walls. Behind each window sat a goblin waiting on customers. The bank was full of witches and wizards conducting their business.

Lupin and Tonks approached the first empty teller window, while Moody and Angela kept watch a short distance away.

"How may I help you?" the goblin teller asked.

"We'd like access to vault seven hundred and nineteen, please. We have a letter from Snogblod," said Lupin, handing over the letter.

The goblin examined the letter and then squinted at them suspiciously.

"Wait here a minute, please," the goblin said, taking the letter and disappearing through a back door. He emerged a few minutes later. "Everything appears to be in order. Grapple will take you down to the vaults. Please wait over there."

The goblin handed back the letter and motioned to a doorway that led down to the vaults. After a minute, another goblin met Lupin and Tonks at the door, ushered them inside, and lead them down a corridor. He conducted them to a small boxcar and motioned for them to get inside.

"What vault, please," Grapple enquired.

"Vault seven hundred and nineteen."

"Hold on. Keep your arms and legs in the cart at all times," instructed Grapple.

Grapple got in the boxcar with them and it started to move. The cart started slowly, but rapidly picked up speed. Soon, it was hurtling at a breakneck pace down the tracks. With jolts and clanks, it would abruptly change direction as the track twisted through the many tunnels, finding its own way to the vault. Tonks seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the ride. She hooted and screamed, holding both her arms high in the air as they careened along through the tunnels. Lupin seemed much less enthused. Soon they were deep underground below the bank. The boxcar slowed, then stopped with a screech of its breaks in front of vault seven hundred and nineteen.

"Blimey, that was brilliant!" Tonks exclaimed, hopping out of the cart.

Lupin exited more slowly and said nothing. His normally pale face had turned a delicate shade of green. Grapple climbed out of the cart and began to open the door of the vault.

Meanwhile, upstairs in the lobby, Angela and Moody were keeping watch for anything suspicious. Angela was startled when an impeccably dressed gentleman in his early forties entered the bank. He had long blonde hair and cold gray eyes. He was wearing a gray traveling cloak and carrying a cane with a serpent's head on the handle. Angela recognized him immediately. It was Lucius Malfoy, one of Voldemort's most dangerous Death Eaters. She nudged Moody and nodded discretely in Malfoy's direction.

"What's he doing here?" she asked Moody.

"He owns the largest vault in the bank. Several, I believe," Moody replied matter-of-factly.

"I know that. But isn't he supposed to be in Azkaban?" Angela retorted.

"Yes, but he's so well connected, I'm not surprised that he's out." Moody replied darkly. "We'd better warn Remus though."

Angela took out Moody's mirror and pretended to check her hair. "Remus," she whispered. Instead of her own face, Lupin's stared back at her in the mirror. "You look ill," she whispered, seeing his face. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he answered. "What's going on?"

"I thought you should know that Lucius Malfoy just entered the bank."

"Keep an eye on him," Lupin replied with alarm. "And if you can, try and find out what he's doing here."

Angela pocketed the mirror and moved closer to Malfoy. With her back to him, she took out her purse and pretended to count out some money. She listened in on his conversation with the goblin teller.

Deep below the bank, Grapple had finally opened the vault. Lupin and Tonks entered and were astonished to find the large vault empty, except for a small parchment scroll tied with a ribbon sitting in the corner.

"This must be it," exclaimed Tonks, picking up the scroll.

"Perhaps we'd better check it," said Lupin cautiously.

But before he had a chance, he heard Angela's voice calling him on the mirror. "Remus," she said urgently. "He's headed down to vault seven hundred twenty. You've got to get out of there before he arrives."

Glancing back at the entrance to the vault, Lupin pocketed the scroll and motioned to Tonks. Grapple was waiting for them outside.

"We're ready to go now," Lupin said to Grapple. "And we're in a bit of a hurry."

Grapple began closing the vault, but he didn't seem to be in any rush to do so. Tonks and Lupin watched him tensely as the minutes ticked past.

Another message came from Angela. This time, there was panic in her voice. "Remus, He's entered the tunnels. Get out fast!"

Finally, Grapple finished locking the vault. He ushered them back into the boxcar and they started off. Just before their cart rounded the first corner, Tonks looked back over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of Malfoy's boxcar. They had narrowly missed him.

Moody and Angela were waiting anxiously for them in the lobby.

"Did you get it?" Moody asked.

Lupin nodded, pointing to the bulge hidden under his shabby cloak.

"Did Malfoy see you?" asked Angela with concern.

"I don't think so," answered Tonks. "But it was close."