The Secret Magic Of Potions And Daggers

Chapter Ten

The ride on the Hogwarts Express took most of the day, and since Dumbledore had left Harry in his own compartment for most of it, he felt a little board. Harry took out the book Morgain had given him several times, but just couldn’t think of anything to write. Each time he put it back in his pocket wondering what he could have to write about. Harry changed into his nice wizard’s robes as per instructions instead of Muggle clothes. As the day drew to a close and the train pulled into London’s King Cross station Harry grew nervous. A long green car met them outside the station and drove a ways into the country. Harry couldn’t help but think it looked familiar.

“This is the way to my Aunt’s house,” Harry informed a quiet Dumbledore as they passed a sign reading “Surrey.” Dumbledore sat, reviewing papers he had brought with him. When they approached Privet Drive Harry was downright anxious, calming only when they slowly past it. They turned in two streets down, on Chestnut Lane. The car stopped in front of number 3 Chestnut Lane, the driver opened the door of the car and Harry followed Dumbledore around the side of the house to the basement door.

“Mrs. Figg’s house,” Harry realized. Once inside Harry’s eyes need time to adjust to the bright light. A young witch greeted them in a large foyer and led them down a corridor to a sitting room.

“Wait here Harry. Get some rest if you can, this may take a while.” Harry sank into a comfortable couch but was unable to rest. Dumbledore followed the witch further down the hall where he entered a side room. Harry watched many well dressed witches and wizards roam the halls and go in and out of the seemingly endless doors in the extended hallway. ‘What sort of place is this’, he thought aloud.

“This is the division temporarily overseeing this trial for the ministry,” a voice answered him. Harry turned to see a man, dressed in a well pressed black suit, shirt and tie. “Harry Potter I presume,” she said holding out his hand.

“Yes Sir,” Harry shook the man’s hand. “Pleasure to meet you. And you are?” The man surveyed Harry kindly, smiling at him.

“No one of importance really, my name is Thomas Taylor. Are you nervous about testifying?”

“A bit, but Dumbledore said not to be.”

“He’s a wise man, and here he comes. I’ll see you inside.” Mr. Taylor left before Dumbledore reached Harry.

“Everyone is gathered and ready to begin. Are you awake enough for this.” Dumbledore asked. Harry was alert in anticipation of these proceedings and nodded, then followed Dumbledore down the hallway through carved wooden doors bearing the images of unicorns and tigers. Harry was amazed with how bright and white everything was in the room. About thirty long tables, each with five chairs were set on tiers of increasing height. The bottom of this auditorium was flat, but lined with chairs as were the sides of the room. In the center of that bottom floor a witness box stood next to a taller desk draped with purple cloth. The witches and wizards who occupied the desks spoke formally with one another in hushed voices. Two larger desks stood before the large one in the middle. Cornelius Fudge sat at the closest one, rummaging through papers and giving orders to a young man. The other desk Dumbledore stood behind.

“Harry, you are to sit over there,” indicating a chair to the side of the room. Harry sat there watching the ministry members. Mr. Weasley, sitting near the back caught his attention with a wave. Harry was grateful to see a compassionate face. Suddenly a loud voice echoed through the chamber.

“This court will come to order. The honorable Judge Taylor presiding.” Everyone in the room got to their feet as the man who had approached Harry in the hall walked in the door and took his place at the center, purple clad table.

“Please be seated,” he instructed. “Today we have an unusual case before us which requires a three fourths majority, as is the custom. The defendant will now enter.

Genevieve tentatively entered the courtroom, standing at the bottom of an arena full of ministry officials, escorted by Hagrid. She could feel herself shaking from the inside and took deep breaths in an attempt to control it. She stood, as was the custom, in the front of the room, clinging to the bars of the witness box. Harry was grateful when Hagrid then sat beside him. Opening statements began for the prosecution.

“Witches and Wizards,” began Fudge, “I present to you the part-boggart known only as Genevieve. It stands before you today accused of aiding You Know Who.” Genevieve couldn’t stop trembling and sank to her knees. Fudge turned and spoke directly to her,

“You will stand to show respect for these proceedings.”

”I have shown respect for your office by consistently taking the Stabilizing Solution, stripping me of my ability to transform, for over six weeks. Because of it I lack the strength to stand. I ask for your forgiveness and indulgence while I kneel here.” There were murmurs throughout the audience, and Fudge agreed reluctantly to leave her where she was.

“In addition to deciding Its guilt or innocents it is our duty to verify the evidence It has brought in defense of Sirius Black. In fact that is truly the heart of the matter because being part-boggart there is no need for these proceedings, and it is only at the insistence of the Defense that It has been kept alive to be questioned before you concerning this supposed new evidence. The Defense may try to cloud this issue with sentimental stories and irrelevant and dangerously optimistic fairy-tales but I ask you to keep in mind always the truth regarding Its species and Its actions.” Fudge sat smugly in his seat turning the floor to Dumbledore.

“What most people believe to be fairy-tales Genevieve, and those who know her, perceive as facts. Here you see not an It, not just a part-boggart, but a part-witch who came to us with a plan to defeat Voldemort once and for all. In fact, it was the very plan she spent years developing with James and Lily Potter while they lived. I believe it to be a plan that would have worked had it been given a chance. Genevieve kneels before you having committed no crime but at risk to her own life delivered a crucial piece of evidence for Sirius Black which you will see. She had nothing to gain from doing so except to bring the truth to light. I ask that you keep your eyes and minds open for that truth leaving behind any preconceptions you may have about what she is, looking instead on who she is.” Dumbledore stooped down and helped Genevieve to a chair beside him, while Fudge stood and called,

”George Fransin to the stand.” An elderly wizard with a short white beard and neatly pressed robes stood in the witness box. “Mr. Fransin. Please tell me what you witnessed the accused do eighteen years ago just outside Godric’s Hollow.”

“Yes sir,” he stammered a bit while he spoke although he eagerly told his story. “I saw that creature there,” pointing to Genevieve, “look’n just like that on the ground diggin’ in the underbrush by my property. Well, I went up to her, thinkin’ it was either a witch or a lost Muggle girl and asked what she was up to. Well, she changed into this bear and came runnin’ after me and didn’ stop until I got to my cabin. I summoned the ministry magic control right away but they couldn’ do nothing about it,” he shifted his weight uncomfortably when he looked at Genevieve who was writing a note.

“That thing there is dangerous. It would have killed me without a second thought, like all of them creatures.” Mr. Fransin was visibly upset as he relayed the story.

“Thank you Mr. Fransin, that will be enough.” Fudge said, then turned the witness over to the Defense. Dumbledore summoned to him the paper on which Genevieve had been writing, took a moment to read it and then slowly approached the witness box.

“Mr. Fransin, I understand you lived next to the old Potter House is that correct?”

“Yes,” Mr. Fransin answered shiftily.

“When you say you saw Genevieve by your property you mean she was on the Potter’s land, where she resided at the time?”

“Why them Potters would harbor a known species of killers is beyond me.”

“Just answer the question. She was on the land she belonged to?”

“I suppose so.”

“Wasn’t it you who first trespassed onto their property, Mr. Fransin?”

“I never gone in that forest, it’s cursed.”

“Are you sure you didn’t go over there just to pick a few of their berries.”

“What,” Mr. Fransin was now very uncomfortable and openly angry. “I never done no such thing.”

“You are sworn to tell the truth here.”

After much delay Mr. Fransin finally admitted, “All right, I snitched a berry or two. No harm in that but that thing almost mauled me and my family.”

“Genevieve was protecting her friends land from thieves and didn’t actually hurt you or anyone else did she?”

Mr. Fransin sat with his arms folded across his chest wholly irate until he was released to step down. Fudge then called Argus Filch, Hogwarts caretaker, to the stand.

“Mr. Filch, you work at Hogwarts do you not?” Fudge inquired.

“I do sir.”

“Do you remember a time when Genevieve attended there?”

“Yes sir. I kept a close eye on that one. Bad feeling about her. She was always slinking around the furniture and the bathrooms. I caught her going into the Dark Forest a couple of times.” It was obvious that Fudge had called Filch to assassinate her character.

“What was she doing in the Dark Forest, as it is forbidden to students.”

“She was meeting with some ghosts, they always seemed to follow her around. From the looks of it they were having tea.” The crowd began to laugh. It seems the answer was odd enough that Fudge concluded his questioning. Then Dumbledore had a few questions. Filch was uncomfortable facing his employer in such a fashion.

“Argus, do you recall why she was having tea with ghosts?”

“I did hear part of their conversation. They were trying to help the North Tower Ghosts pass on. She was the ghost with the baby who cried all night up there.”

“I remember that particular ghost. I also know what happened to her the night before Genevieve left the school. You were there, would you like to tell us what that was.” Filch glanced hopelessly at Fudge before beginning his testimony.

“Genevieve finally quieted the baby by pulling a ghost toy out of that bag of hers. When it laughed for the first time both of the spirits were released and they were no longer ghosts.”

“Thank you very much Argus. That is all I have for you.” Before Fudge could call his next witness Dumbledore turned to the long line of those ready to testify against Genevieve to ask a very probing question.

“If you are not willing to subject your testimony to the rigors of truth serum or if your story purposely omits parts to cast a shadow over Genevieve I ask for you to step down and leave these proceedings or face prosecution yourselves. The group cast their eyes around at each other and the ministers, then last of all at Genevieve. One by one all of them filed out of the court room. Harry was so impressed by the scene he had to stop himself from cheering. Fudge was flabbergasted and struggled with his notes to regain composure.

“Then I call Genevieve to the stand.” Fudge said loudly. Genevieve walked with the assistance of the guards who stood by the door and was given a chair to sit in before

Fudge found the paper with his questions for her. “Under what pretense did you stay in the Potter House?”

“These was no pretense, sir. My parents worked for Grandpa Potter, and I was raised there along side James.”

“That is not quite the truth is it? You too worked for them.”

“That is true. I was a companion and protector for James.”

“In fact, you were a slave of the Potter family isn’t that true?”

Genevieve hung her head and interlaced her fingers. Closing her eyes with a deep breath she answered, “Technically, yes.”

“Then you do have a motive for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to resurface. Did he promise you a release from slavery? Did you help murder your masters and now you want to see their son dead too?”

“It wasn’t like that at all,” Genevieve began quickly. “On paper my family ‘belonged’ to the Potter’s because centuries ago my kind was not allowed to marry unless we did. In reality we were always treated as equals.”

“Is there any proof of that?”

Dumbledore stood in interruption and addressed the court, “I beg the pardon of this court, but I hold in my hand the proof.”

Fudge tried to stammer his protests but was overruled by the curious majority of ministry members.

“I have here two documents. Genevieve will you read aloud the first one.” He handed to her the crumbling old parchment which she began to read.

“Notice of Ownership. The part-boggart family consisting of the members listed below, their ancestors and all descendants hereby belong to the Potter family, their ancestors and descendants, so long as both shall continue to exist.” She then began reading the names of her ancestors until Dumbledore stopped her.

“Does your name appear on that document, Genevieve?”

“Yes sir, it is the last entry amended to this contract on the date of my birth.”

“Very well, will you now read this contract?” She read that one as well.

“The Last Will and Testament of James and Lily Potter.” Dumbledore pointed on the page where to skip to. “After a long and faithful service in which both parties have benefited greatly, we hereby release Genevieve of all contractual obligations to the Potter family while retaining the protection afforded her by us. We do this with grateful hearts and sincere thanks in friendship.” She stopped reading to wipe a tear from her cheek.

“It sounds as though you were close,” Dumbledore prompted her to press forward through the emotions.

“Yes,” Genevieve smiled. “To be honest, I thought I was somehow related to James until I was eleven we were brought up so closely together.”

“What happened when you were eleven?” Dumbledore asked.

“I was prepared to go to school with James, but my parents told me it would not be wise.” Fudge then retook the floor with his question.

“You did go to Hogwarts eventually didn’t you?”

“Yes, about ten years later.”

“Didn’t the other children wonder why someone so old was in their class?” Fudge set her up.

“When one can choose their own appearance age is no issue.”

“So you deceived everyone around you and used treachery to infiltrate Hogwarts.” He accused.

“I only wanted to learn what I could from such a fine school. But all I really learned was that my parents were right…it was unwise for me to go.”

Fudge sat down and gave Genevieve a look of disgust then vigorously took notes on some parchment. From what Harry could see Fudge was planning a slanderous and emotionally charged closing statement. Dumbledore then stood to address the court again.

“I am finished with this witness for now, but reserve the right to recall her later. I assume, since there are no more who prepared to testify against Genevieve that I may produce Genevieve’s evidence, Wormtail.” Whispers filled the hall that mounted to a loud roar as the small cage containing the rat was produced. The rat was placed in the witness box, Genevieve had just vacated. With a wave of his wand Dumbledore forced Wormtail to take his human shape. Those in the audience gasped in disbelief, and those who had known Peter Pettigrew in his youth leaned forward for a closer look. Dumbledore ignored all this and started straight into questioning.

“Would you state your name for the record?”

“Peter Pettigrew.” He stuttered. He brought his hands together and then thrust them into his pockets to hide his glistening silver hand, a gift to him from the Dark Lord.

“Given the fact that you are alive I think you have a lot of explaining to do. Why don’t you just start from the beginning.” Dumbledore was confident while in contrast Pettigrew shivered in his seat while he began his story. Harry was pleased to hear him start from the very beginning, with his spying for You-Know-Who. His account continued through his being made secret keeper and betraying the Potters, to setting up Sirius by zapping open the street the changing into a rat. He said it all with very little prodding from Dumbledore although his audience was dumbstruck. Harry watched the ministry members faces contort when they heard Pettigrew’s treachery. Some stared in disbelief shaking their heads, hardly blinking. Others were taking fervent notes. But one ministry member seemed to be searching for something in her purse. Once Pettigrew had finished this particular ministry member stood before Fudge had a chance for rebuttal. The room quieted when the others saw her standing, and when she approached the front of the room her light footstep was the only sound that echoed in the room. Pettigrew trembled at her advance and stared at the door. Harry fingered his wand, just in case the rat should attempt escape.

“Peter,” the woman whispered. “Do you know who I am?” The voices were low but the silence carried them to the back row with ease.

“Yes, you are my sister Patricia Pettigrew.” He could not meet her gaze and looked intently past her to the door.

“If that is true, tell me what this is.” She opened her palm to reveal a small charm bracelet with four small trinkets attached to it. I pained Pettigrew to see it and his voice faltered.

“I gave that to you on your sixth birthday. I gave you that charm,” he pointed to one in the shape of a house, “when you were scared to move to a new home.” He then indicated a larger on resembling a tree. “That one I gave you when I left for school and that one when you turned eleven and came to Hogwarts as well.” Peter and Patricia began to cry together. She pointed to the next charm, a heart, and cried a little louder.

“And this one?”

“I gave to you as my promise to be your big brother forever.” Peter trembled, but answered unmistakably.

“Then where were you all these years. I got married, I have children. All of these things you missed and why, because you were a rat. I really could have used a big brother these last fourteen years. At these words she turned from him and walked up the stairs to her seat. Several people she passed offered her a hand of comfort. Fudge on the other hand was flustered. All of the questions he had prepared were no longer appropriate following that display, so after several attempts to conceive a question, he had to sit down without having asked one. Dumbledore turned to Harry, who began to stand up ready to be called as the next witness, but the words he said indicated otherwise. Peter was then again transformed into a rat, caged, and removed from the courtroom.

“Would Genevieve be willing to answer a few more questions?” Genevieve looked up at him from where she sat.

”If it is possible for me to remain seated?” Everyone witnessed her to be intensely exhausted from the extended exposure to the Stabilizing solution as well as this ordeal and granted her wish.

“The question I believe everyone here wants answered is why Peter Pettigrew has come forward and now chooses to tell the truth?” Genevieve turned in her seat to face the crowd and appeared to be surprising a chuckle.

“He believes that if he tells a lie he will melt from the inside out, causing a very slow and excruciating death.” Gasps from the audience held both amazement and disgust.

“And why would he believe that?”

“If you will allow me a brief moment to catch my breath I will explain.” She only continued after he, and the majority of the onlookers took the attitude of intense interest.

“Peter is unaware of the limits Old Magic places on its practitioners, such as myself. From what he has seen it appears limitless. Once he confided that to me I pretended to conjure a very powerful enchantment which he supposes is on him. Although there is no such thing it was the incentive he needed to tell the truth.

“Old Magic has limits?” Fudge couldn’t help but interject.

“Of course, there are boundaries. In fact Old Magic’s foundation is based on understanding what one can and cannot do.” Fudge sat back down, and Dumbledore spoke again.

“I have only one more witness.” Harry prepared himself to be addressed. “Mr. Alastor Moody.” Harry looked confused as from across the room Mad Eye Moody clumped to the front of the room. “What do you see when you look at Genevieve, Alastor?” Mr. Moody’s magic eye swung in the direction of Genevieve, who looked back at him with obvious fear.

“I see,” he hesitated searching for the right words, “a woman older that she appears, with a haze around her.”

“Is that typical of part boggarts?”

“Yes, I recognize that look about them from dealing with them years ago.”

“When Peter Pettigrew sat up here, what did you see?”

“Besides a coward… he looks like a wizard. Just a wizard.”

“Thank you.” Dumbledore sat and Fudge stood angrily.

“Where did you get your experience recognizing part-boggarts, Mr. Moody?”

“As an Auror. After their extermination order was signed I hunted them for several years. Caught and executed twenty five of them. Actually, twenty four since this one seems to have gotten away.” Harry realized why the fear was frozen on Genevieve’s face, as Mad Eye Moody had been the Auror who’d killed her parents.

“Tell me, why was there such an order written against them?” Fudge sneered.

“As most everyone here remembers, they were scary and dangerous times. Having things floating around with their powers was just too dangerous.”

“Thank you.” It was obvious Fudge had hoped for a more damaging explanation, but would settle for that and sat down. Thomas Tyler then addressed the crowd.

“I believe these proceedings have gone by much faster than anyone could have hoped. Let us break for a small meal and only voting ministry members will be allowed back in for closing statements and voting in twenty minutes.” A crack of his gavel unleashed a whirlwind of voices, everyone energetically about what they just saw. Hagrid and Harry past by Genevieve with her head down on the desk and went back into the hall where they found muffins and pumpkin juice. Twenty minutes past as twenty seconds and soon they were almost alone in the hall. Harry kicked the wall anxiously.

“I can’t stand to just wait out here, I need to do something. Dumbledore didn’t even call me to tell them how she saved my life.” Hagrid, taking up most of the couch he sat on, spoke sleepily from beneath his beard.

“Seems he didn’t need it. With all of Fudge’s witnesses leaving like that, weakening the evidence against her and all.” Harry continued to pace impatiently.

“Hey I’ve got an idea. Let’s go by the Dursley’s while we’re waiting.” Hagrid just about hit his head on the ceiling he stood up so fast. “Not really,” Harry backtracked quickly. “They would keel over dead of nerves if they knew this was here, so close to their house. Wait a minute, this is here because I was there isn’t it.” Harry tried to contain his agitation at again being left out of the loop yet again. He spotted the witch who had greeted him when he first cam in and stopped her. “How long has all this been here?”

“It was expanded for today’s events just last week.” She answered frankly.

“But before then?”

“It was merely a satellite office that served as an inconspicuous overflow for several departments.”

“So why was this place chosen to do all this stuff now.”

“Several higher ranking officials were already stationed here and it is a central location, why do you ask?”

”Just wondered,” Harry pretended and she continued down the hall. Harry turned to Hagrid, though the giant spoke first.

“Settle down Harry. So a few ministry members wanted to look out for you, make sure that You-Know-Who never came by. Calm yourself, and set by me a bit. It’s nearly three in the morning and I’m betting you didn’t sleep getting here.” Harry plopped onto the couch and leaned against his large friend, his arms folded and feet up on the couch. “Just rest here a bit Harry, and keep in mind the reason we’re here.” Once Harry closed his eyes he found that sleep overtook him quickly.

The seat Harry leaned against then gave way as Hagrid stood while talking to Mr. Weasley. Waves of exhausted ministry members filed past them and entered small rooms off the hall.

“Sorry to wake you Harry,” Hagrid apologized. “The ministry made their decision.” His face appeared grave and Harry braced himself. Hagrid fumbled for words before Mr. Weasley sat beside Harry to explain it to him.

“Harry, I have some great news. The ministry voted nearly unanimously that Genevieve’s evidence is real and that Peter Pettigrew, not Sirius Black betrayed your parents.” Harry smiled up at Mr. Weasley who put an arm around him instead of smiling back. “After all the preparation what finally convinced them was Patricia recognizing him. The greatest debate now lies in what to do with Genevieve.”

“What do you mean?”

“Many people believe she still poses a great risk to security.”

“Risk, she is the one who risked everything to bring in Peter, and she’s the only one with a great plan for getting the Death Eaters out of the Dark Forest.” Harry’s voice rose in anxiety.

“I know that, but the majority is still unsure. Some of the people in there still want to see her dead, others are arguing for banishment or Azkaban.” Harry looked up at him horrified.

“Isn’t there anything Dumbledore can do?” Harry pleaded.

“I’m afraid he had to leave. The Death Eaters around the school are getting bolder, pressing forward. One report said they found a way through the barrier.” Horrible images of Death Eaters waging war against Hogwarts once Dumbledore had gone flashed through Harry’s mind. “I have one more hint of good news. During these negotiations Genevieve didn’t have to take the next dose of Stabilizing Solution so she’s not shaking anymore.”

“Can I see her?”

“If all goes well, you’ll see her so often she’ll be driving you crazy,” Mr. Weasley tried to cheer Harry up. “They will be voting in an hour and which ever way it goes you have a ticket for the next train to school. Try to get some rest until then.” Mr. Weasley left Harry with Hagrid and entered the door next to the couch.

“Hagrid. Why did Dumbledore bring me all the way here to do nothing?” Harry leaned into the thick coat of his friend.

“To know for sure, you will have to ask him, but from what I saw there was enough without you.” Harry sat trying to remember everything that had happened in the trial. Everything had moved so quickly and seemingly in Genevieve’s favor. ‘This isn’t fair’ he thought to himself. When the hour had passed wizards and witches emerged from the side rooms, making their way back to the courtroom. Harry studied their faces in hopes of discerning what the outcome would be but could not tell. After most of them had disappeared behind the carved doors Harry stood outside them, straining to hear what was going on. A kindly voice spoke from behind him and Harry swung around to see who it was.

“If you are that interested in these proceedings why don’t you just slip in, take the first seat next to the door,” Thomas Tyler instructed, then opened the door and walked to the judges bench up front. Before the door shut Harry took Mr. Tyler’s advice. Harry strained to see Genevieve sitting upright at the desk, Dumbledore’s chair vacant. Mr. Tyler shattered the eerie silence, speaking directly to Genevieve.

“Before the judgment of this court is announced would you like to say a few words?” Genevieve slowly rose to her feet and took three steps toward Mr. Tyler, then turned to face the ministry.

“It has been my pleasure to come before you this day.” Her voice was clear and her posture stable, though at great effort. “I have no more to say than has already been said except to thank you for your patience.” She then sat down with a great sense of relief. Mr. Tyler then read from a large scroll.

“It is the findings of this courtroom that the part-boggart Genevieve is to be released and live free in accordance to the will of James and Lily Potter. This is with the understanding that any minor infraction of the law or failure to report while on probation will result in immediate incarceration at Azkaban followed by execution.” He then looked over the scroll at her adding “Do you understand all this.”

“Yes sir.”

“And what do you plan to do now?” Genevieve stood behind the desk using it to support her weight.”

“After arranging my affairs in Britain, I plan to return to America to live with my late-husband’s family.”

“Very well. Case dismissed.” The bang of the gavel ignited the voices of everyone in the room as they pushed out of the room. Genevieve however stayed sitting until everyone else had left, except Harry. She sat there in deep thought, turning a metal object over in her hands which occasionally flashed in the light of the room. She stood slowly and limped toward the door only stopping when she saw Harry.

“Did they tell you what happened?” She asked him.

“I saw it,” Harry admitted. Hagrid ducked under the doorway, apparently having been looking for Harry and very anxious when he spoke.

“I just got word from Dumbledore and have to get Hogwarts immediately, would you mind taking the train back yourself Harry?”

“I’ll go with him Hagrid,” Genevieve offered, “I’m going on the same train anyway.” Hagrid turned to leave when Genevieve stopped him. “Hagrid, do you by chance know who won the Quidditch cup?” Slightly startled by the frivolity of such a question at this time Hagrid stuttered,

“R-r-ravenclaw.”

“That’s marvelous, thank you.” Hagrid hesitated only for a moment and then ran out of the building so quickly Harry could feel the floor vibrating with each of his massive steps. Harry looked incredulously at Genevieve.

“Why are you happy? We’re Gryffindors, if only I had caught the Snitch in that first game,” he brooded. “You may be a Gryffindor. It’s good to see my old house win for a change”. She smiled as she threw something gold into the air, caught it then tossed it into her bag.