The Eagle and the Badger

Chapter Fourteen: Private Eyes

With exams looming, Lucia was forced to focus most of her attention on her studies. She still hadn't decided how she was going to find out whether Claudia hated Muggles, and she'd had no chance to speak to Scorpius about the holiday, which was rapidly approaching.

Scorpius surprised her one evening by waylaying her outside the library. He pulled her out of the stream of students pouring out the door, then released her sleeve from his grasp.

"Mother said I ought to talk to you about the holiday," he said in his usual abrupt manner. "I haven't had the chance till now. Just so you know, I'll be going home with Nott. I assume you're staying here?"

His expression softened a bit at the sight of her sad little smile.

"Mother said we could come with her to Greece," she said, "but I don't think she really meant it, do you?"

Scorpius crossed his arms and pressed his lips together. "No, I'm sure she'd rather we didn't come. I wish I knew what she's up to."

Only a few laggards were left in the corridor, and neither Lucia nor Scorpius paid any attention to them.

"What do you mean?" Lucia demanded. "She's traveling with friends; didn't she tell you?"

Scorpius snorted. "Of course she did. That's exactly the point. I don't know what she told you, but in my letter she dropped all sorts of hints about 'advantages' and 'futures'. She's plotting something, mark my words."

There it was again: Scorpius' tendency to see their mother in the worst possible light. Lucia didn't know how to respond, but her face must have reflected her distress, as her brother unexpectedly reached out to put a hand on her shoulder.

Then, without another word, he was gone. He hadn't given her a chance to ask him what he knew about Sam Thicke, or to probe him as to his best friends' attitudes toward Muggles.

With a sigh, she trudged back to Ravenclaw Tower. Scorpius probably wouldn't have told her anything useful, anyway.

ooOoo

"How could Kindle give us two feet to write and still expect us to study for his stupid exam?" Marco grumbled as the Hufflepuffs left Potions.

For once, the chronic malcontent expressed a sentiment Hugo shared. School at this time of year was like a ski slope; once you started down it, you just kept picking up speed till you reached the bottom - or crashed.

The difference was, skiing didn't involve grades, as his mum liked to point out whenever he landed on his bum.

Walking down to the greenhouse for Herbology gave him some much-needed exercise, and he felt considerably happier as he slid into his customary seat. He was looking forward to the solid hour of review that Professor Longbottom had promised them, but also to the chance to cross one more item off his ever-expanding to-do list.

"Go on without me," he told Trevor when the question-and-answer session came to an end. "I need a word with Professor Longbottom."

He took his time putting away his things as the greenhouse gradually emptied, then approached his teacher, who was erasing the blackboard and didn't realize Hugo was there. Still not entirely sure what he was going to say, Hugo cleared his throat.

"Er - Professor? Do you have a moment?"

The Herbology teacher turned around, a broad smile on his face. "For you, of course," he said. "Still have questions about Shivelfig propagation, do you?"

Hugo shook his head. "No, it isn't about the exam. It's - could we sit down, do you think?"

Professor Longbottom looked at him with keen brown eyes, then gestured toward the nearest bench and seated himself across from Hugo.

"What's on your mind, son?"

Now that he had his Uncle Neville's attention, Hugo struggled for a way to begin. At last, he found his voice and launched into his narrative, beginning with Sukie's anonymous note. He'd been debating with himself over whether to reveal Mike's identity - Chalmers hadn't seemed to care - and in the end, decided to place his trust in his favorite teacher's discretion.

Professor Longbottom listened carefully, fingers of one strong hand tapping lightly on the table and his eyes fixed on Hugo's face.

"I see," he said when he was sure Hugo was finished. "This is indeed disturbing. It's bad enough to think that blood-status prejudice still exists, and it's worse that students are being harassed. But actual attacks - that's something else.

"I assume these students have told their heads of house?"

Hugo shrugged. "Not that I know of. But that reminds me - have any Gryffindors gotten these notes? Lily said she didn't think so, but she wouldn't necessarily know. I haven't had the chance to ask any of the others."

Actually, Hugo was pretty sure the cousin grapevine would have yielded up this sort of news, but asking the Gryffindor head of house was worth a try.

Professor Longbottom pursed his lips. "No one's come to me so far. Then again, in my experience, Hogwarts students have a tendency to try to handle things on their own, without adult interference. I seem to remember a certain set of Gryffindors who did just that, years ago, and they often put themselves in great peril by doing so."

He smiled ruefully at Hugo, who grinned back. He knew exactly whom Uncle Neville was talking about.

"I'll make a point of asking our prefects, and it might not be a bad idea to call a house meeting.

"You've done the right thing, Hugo. In fact, it would be wise to leave the whole matter to your elders, though I'm realistic enough to know you probably won't follow my advice."

Hugo chuckled. He'd known Uncle Neville would understand.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'm not going to do anything stupid. Besides, I'm not working alone."

Professor Longbottom's eyebrows rose. "Oh?"

Hugo told him about his collaboration with Lucia Malfoy, bringing a twinkle to his honorary uncle's eyes.

"I see. Well, Miss Malfoy is quite a bright young lady, though I suspect her academic interests lie outside the field of Herbology. But seriously, Hugo, the two of you must be very careful. Make your lists, talk things over, but please don't go so far that you put yourselves in danger."
 "Funny, that's just what Chalmers said to me. We'll be careful, I promise."

He got up, and Professor Longbottom rose to accompany him to the door.

"Thanks, Uncle Neville," he said as they reached the door. "Erm - you won't mention I told you all this, will you?"

He looked a little worried, and the Herbology professor clapped him on the shoulder reassuringly.

"You're very welcome. And I promise you, I'll be be discreet, and I'll be on the alert for any suspicious activity - that is, more suspicious than usual for Hogwarts. Whoever is responsible for this ugliness, he has to be stopped."

Hugo said goodbye and walked back to the castle, suddenly aware that his stomach was growling and that he was late for lunch. It was a cold, clear day with little wind, but the weather wasn't responsible for his lightened spirits. Uncle Neville was a good listener; it was comforting to know he'd be keeping an eye on things; and best of all, he hadn't told Hugo to stop investigating.

He also hadn't asked Hugo whether he'd told his own head of house, and that was a good thing, because Hugo would have had difficulty explaining why he hadn't. Professor Witherspoon seemed genial enough, but Hugo didn't know him at all, whereas he'd known Uncle Neville all his life.

ooOoo

I Mike was uncharacteristically subdued as she and Lucia walked to Defense. She'd seemed fine lately, but was she still upset about the latest note and harboring some doubts about her best friend's loyalty? The thought hurt a great deal.

"Is something wrong?" Lucia asked as the two girls settled themselves into their seats. As this lesson was to be devoted to review, the Defense classroom was set up in the conventional way.

"It's nothing," said Mike with a great sigh. "It's just that I've been hoping to hear from Mummy. No doubt Lady Windermere is simply too, too exhausting."

Professor Kindle's entrance prevented Lucia from asking who Lady Windermere was and why being with her would make Mrs. Carmichael too tired to write a letter. She knew that Mike's parents counted a good many Lady Thises and Lord Thats among their acquaintances, who according to their daughter ranged from the pinnacle of society to "the absolute dregs".

While they waited for Professor Chang to appear, Lucia mused that life among the Carmichaels must be very interesting. Except when Mother gave one of her parties, Villa Malfoy tended to be quiet.

There was no time for further conversation, as their teacher walked in and the lesson began.

Afterward, Lucia really wanted to go back to the common room and try to cheer up her best friend, but she had something to do first.

"Go ahead," she said, as everyone stowed their belongings and began to leave. "I'll be along straight away."

Lucia waited until everyone was gone to approach her teacher.

"Erm," she said, slightly uncomfortable under Professor Chang's black-eyed scrutiny. She had a way of seeming to look right through you.

"Question about the exam, Miss Malfoy? Sorry, but I'm afraid I can't tell you what the questions are going to be."

Professor Chang said this with a perfectly straight face, and Lucia wasn't sure whether she should laugh or not.

"No," she answered, opting for seriousness, "it's something else. I hope you're not too busy . . . "

Professor Chang stood for a moment, then came around the desk and seated herself on the front edge.

"Sit," she said, not unkindly, waving Lucia into the nearest chair. Trying not to flinch under her professor's keen scrutiny, Lucia forced herself to begin..

"Whatever it is, I'm listening," she said, and Lucia was at last able to begin.

The words came more easily as she related her story from the beginning. Professor Chang listened intently, and Lucia quickly gave up all thought of concealing any details, including the two notes implicating her and her brother.

Professor Chang listened without interruption until Lucia finished and remained silent for quite some time afterward.

Finally, she said, "I don't suppose these three have told someone who could actually help them?"

Her teacher's words stung a bit, but Lucia had to admit that Professor Chang had a point. She was only a first year; even with Hugo's help, what could she really do to stop the stalker? At least, the Defense teacher wasn't dismissing her narrative as the work of an overheated imagination, as she'd feared.

"I don't know - I don't think so."

Professor Chang mulled things over for another long moment, then asked a question that took Lucia completely by surprise. "Why did you come to me and not Professor Flitwick? He's your head of house, isn't he?"

Lucia didn't answer right away; she hadn't really thought about it.

"Because," she said finally, "you're the one who teaches Defense. I suppose what's going on seems pretty Dark to me."

Professor Chang raised her eyebrows and gave Lucia the merest hint of a smile. "Good answer, Miss Malfoy. I tend to agree, though it's still possible that the perpetrator is merely an immature prankster, a sadistic git who takes pleasure from scaring people, or an attention-seeker - or all three."

It startled Lucia to hear her teacher use such a vulgar word, but she didn't let it distract her from giving careful consideration to Professor Chang's words.

"It's true, people were talking about the first note, the one Sukie Lawrence got. She didn't bother to keep it a secret. But hardly anyone knows about the others. If this Muggle-baiter is looking for attention . . ."

She trailed off, realizing she was being stupid. It wasn't just the threats that were creating a sensation; it was Mike's fall and Chalmers' miserable performance as Keeper. The question was, how far would the stalker go, whatever his motive?

Professor Chang waited for Lucia to work this out, then said, "Look. I can see why you'd want to find out who's behind all this; it's your friend who ended up in the hospital wing. And you're a Ravenclaw, so I can't really expect you not to try to solve the riddle, can I?"

She smiled knowingly at Lucia, who shook her head. "No, I don't want to give up trying."

Professor Chang's expression turned serious. "That being said, do not make the mistake of underestimating someone who is ruthless enough to target boys and girls just because they weren't born into magical families, and to follow up their threats. Simply by pursuing the case, you risk becoming a target yourself. Had you thought of that?"

Lucia was ashamed to admit she hadn't, so instead of answering directly, she blurted out, "I'm not working alone, you know; Hugo's helping."

"Hugo Weasley?" Professor Chang quirked a shapely eyebrow at this, but Lucia didn't notice, as her own eyes were fixed on a very realistic-looking model of a werewolf that sat on a corner of the Defense teacher's desk. At the moment, it was serving as a paperweight, its bared fangs quite enough to discourage anyone from touching the pile of parchments. Like a dragon guarding its treasure, Lucia thought.

There wasn't much you could do to protect yourself against a werewolf attack except stay indoors during the full moon. Fortunately, werewolves didn't live in castles, only people with bad intentions . . .

"All right, Miss Malfoy?"

Lucia shook herself out of her reverie. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"I was just saying, I'm not surprised to hear Mr. Weasley is involved. I know his parents."

Lucia's own surprise must have shown, because Professor Chang gave her a wry smile.

"You'll find your teachers are actually human, Miss Malfoy, though some would like to pretend otherwise. Now, I need to prepare for my next class, but try not to worry too much. I'll spread the word among my colleagues, and I assure you, an eye for suspicious behavior isn't the exclusive province of Aurors. It comes naturally to teachers as well. For your safety and that of Mr. Weasley, I won't mention your names."

With that, she slid gracefully off her desk, walked around it and sat down, removing the model werewolf from the stack, whereupon it growled in quite a realistic fashion.

Lucia recognized her cue and thanked Professor Chang for taking the time to listen. It would help to have the teachers looking out for the culprit, and it was true that neither she nor Hugo had the skills to engage in any heroics. All the same, she was glad Professor Chang hadn't extracted a promises from her to stop investigating, because she was quite sure she wouldn't have been able to keep it.

ooOoo

"Merlin, that was horrible," Hugo groaned as he and Trevor left the examination hall after their Transfiguration exam. "When I saw all those questions, I thought I'd never be able to write fast enough, and then the moment I started, I went blank, like somebody put a Freezing Charm on my brain."

"Come off it, Weasley," said a loud voice behind him. "It doesn't take a spell for you to muck up an exam. It just comes naturally."

Hugo whirled around to see Sam Thicke smirking at him. He started to say something, but to his surprise, the Slyitherin boy next to Thicke intervened before he could open his mouth.

"Shut up, Thicke. Taunting Weasley's not going to improve your own mark."

The speaker was Jack Sutphen, a tall, handsome boy with dark hair, a lock of which tended to fall over his bright hazel eyes. Whether it was his good looks or his air of quiet confidence, Sutphen seemed to be something of a leader among the first year Slytherins, Hugo had noticed.

The boy put his hand on Sam Thick's shoulder and gave Hugo a rueful little smile before turning away, steering his companion down the corridor before Hugo or Trevor could respond.

"What was that?" Trevor asked when the two were out of earshot.

"No Idea," Hugo said with a shrug, but his mind was working furiously. Not knowing - really knowing - any Slytherins was a huge disadvantage when one was trying to discover if one of them was guilty of the threats against Muggle-borns. He made a mental note to try to get better acquainted with Jack Sutphen. At the moment, however, all he wanted was lunch.

ooOoo

Lucia tried to review yet another set of Potions instructions but gave it up when the words began to swim before her eyes. She marked her place, stretched, and then got up from the table she was sharing with Mike and Ruth. She badly needed a break.

Looking around at the tall library shelves, she remembered something unrelated to exams that she'd been meaning to do. The question was, where to begin looking for the information she wanted?

Scribbling her request ("I want to know about Professor Claudius Vector") on a slip of parchment and feeding it into a slot on the enchanted card catalogue, she had to wait only a moment before several drawers popped open, each displaying at least one upended card. All of them waved invitingly at Lucia, who hesitated before choosing one bearing the title, Hogwarts Professors, Past and Present and indicating the book's location.

Lucia found the correct volume in an impressively large set and took it back to her seat, nearly staggering under its weight. Both Ruth and Mike gave her curious looks as she slipped back into her seat and spread the book open. Neither ventured to ask what she was doing, as Madam Loftus seemed to have magically enhanced hearing as well as eyes in the back of her head.

Lucia was pleased to discover that the book had an index (many did not), and she soon found the entry she was looking for.

Cladius Euclid Vector (professor of Arithmancy, 1977-1998) was born in Cambridge, England on February 13, 1954. He entered Hogwarts School in September, 1965 and was Sorted into Ravenclaw House. Known for his outstanding work in Arithmancy, he was awarded the Archimedes Prize for excellence in that subject in his seventh year.

After a period of advanced study in Europe and Asia and publication of numerous articles in his field of specialty, the use of arithmancy in the design of conjuring spells, he was hired to teach at his old school in September, 1977. He continued to teach, lecture, and publish until resigning his position in May, 1998.

That was all: no mention of parentage, a wife, a child, no personal information at all. And it struck Lucia as very odd indeed that the book made no mention of any activity after Professor Vector's departure from Hogwarts.

He couldn't have perished in May, 1998. So what on earth had become of him? Just as she was about to fetch another volume, the torches dimmed and then flashed three times, signaling that the library was about to close. With only a few days left until the end of term, Lucia's research into Claudia Vector's background would most likely have to wait.

Back in the common room, she made some notes in her daybook and then went to bed. Though the prospect of a lonely holiday still bothered her, the library's vast resources offered the welcome prospect of a way to occupy her time.

oOoo

After the Potions exam, Hugo handed in his Anti-Cheating quill and hurried out of the dungeon. He was pleased to see Lucia hovering near the door, and by unspoken agreement, they moved aside as the rest of the class emerged.

"What did you think of the exam?" she asked, by way of an excuse for standing there with the Hufflepuff boy. "I'm not at all sure about my answer to Question Four."

He grinned, strongly suspecting that Lucia had said that for the sake of possible eavesdroppers. "Give three examples of how stirring angle affects brewing outcome? Yeah, I wrote so much I thought my hand would fallen off, but I'm not sure any of it's right. They should give us DictaQuills instead of Anti-Cheating ones."

Lucia giggled. "We'd never be allowed to use them. Can you imagine everyone gabbling at once and trying to overhear what everyone else was saying?"

The corridor was empty as they headed up the stairs, and Lucia looked at Hugo inquiringly. "Has something else happened?"

Hugo shook his head. "No, but if you've a moment, it might be good to touch base once more before the end of term, see what progress we've made, if any."

Lucia agreed, and soon they were sitting in their usual spots in the empty classroom. Lucia's face brightened as Hugo told her about his encounter with Sam Thicke and Jack Sutphen.

"It would be brilliant if you could actually get to know a Slytherin?" she said. Then an idea struck her. "I suppose I could try with one of the girls . . . "

She tried to think which one seemed most approachable. The snobbish Bianca Zabini was out of the question, and Katrin DeBeers stuck to Bianca like a burr. Flattery might work as an opening gambit with Amy Perlman; she could always pretend to need help with a spell or something. Helen Pritchard was an unknown quantity, usually seen waling a step behind Bianca and Katrin. That left Octavia Nott, Septimus' little sister.

"She's the one I need to get to know," Lucia said slowly. "Why didn't I think of it before? She might not know all the older students, but she must talk to her brother."

Hugo stretched his legs out in front of him and leaned back with his hands behind his head. "That makes sense. What's she like?"

Lucia shrugged. "You know as much as I do. She's quiet, doesn't talk back to her teachers or get into trouble, keeps to herself most of the time . . . Actually, that's good, isn't it? Maybe she has trouble making friends."

Hugo saw where she was going. "So, if someone were to reach out - "

" - she might respond," Lucia finished for him. "It hasn't worked on Claudia so far, but it's worth a try. And speaking of Claudia, I'm not going to give up trying to learn about her family background. If nothing else, I'd like to find a way to reach her. I can't stand the thought of six more years with being in the same dormitory with someone who can't or won't carry on a nnormal converstion."

Hugo gave her a knowing little grin. "You're really determined to make friends with her, aren't you? I'm beginning to think you're part Hufflepuff - just can't stand to see anyone left out."

Lucia laughed. "Is that what's driving me? Here I thought it was Ravenclaw curiosity. We just can't let a problem go unsolved."

"Maybe it's a bit of both." Hugo's expression sobered. "I'm looking forward to the holiday, of course, but I sort of wish we had more time. Whoever's stalking Muggle-borns is going to have plenty of free time to plot mischief over the break."

Lucia sighed as she closed her daybook and put it into her bag. "Well, if it's any comfort, I'll have plenty of free time too, though I'm not sure how much I'll be able to accomplish on my own."

Hugo took this as an implied compliment, and his ears reddened just a bit.

"Well," he said, "at least a holiday will help us clear our heads a bit. And I've been thinking of asking my mum what she knows about Professor Vector, if anything. It might not help, but it couldn't hurt."

"That would be great," Lucia said. "I don't know if we'll have a chance to talk again, so if not, have a happy Christmas."

"You, too." Hugo wanted to console her for having to spend the holiday by herself, but he couldn't think of what to say, and the two of them were quiet until they parted ways.

ooOoo

Lucia's last exam was in Defense, and at the moment, she was pacing the common room, formulating possible questions in her mind. For the sake of her nerves, she was glad Professor Chang was making this strictly a quill-and-parchment test.

"If you're trying to wear a hole in the carpet, you'll need help."

Lucia jumped; she hadn't heard Mike's approach.

"No," she said with a little smile, "I'm just trying to work off my nerves."

She couldn't really explain why she was especially anxious to do well on the Defense exam.

Mike fell into step beside her. "Well, then, I'll keep you company. I'd much rather duel for a final mark than face another test paper."

Her face brightened. "I do have some great news, though. I finally heard from Mummy, and she says yes."

"That's nice," said Lucia, not having the faintest idea what "Mummy" was supposed to agreed to.

The two girls circled back toward their favorite study spot and sat down. Lucia checked her watch for the third time in five minutes; it wouldn't do to be late. When she looked up, she saw Mike grinning from ear to ear.

"I asked her if you could come home with me for the holidays, of course, and she says she and Daddy would be thrilled to have you. Isn't it brilliant?"

Lucia was so surprised that she simply sat there, tongue-tied, until Mike prodded her for a response.

"You would like to come, wouldn't you? I thought it'd be great fun to spend the hols together. Much nicer than moping about a moldy old castle on your own, anyway."

Mike looked slightly crestfallen, and Lucia hastened to say, "Of course it would be fun."

She wasn't completely sure, but Mike looked so relieved that she found herself warming to the idea. "It's very nice of your parents to ask me, but it's up to Mother. If she agrees, then, yes, I'd like very much to come."

"Wonderful!" said Mike, her grey-green eyes sparkling with glee. "You'll love Mummy and Daddy, I know you will, and there are always so many amusing people about. Let's inform our respective maters right away, shall we?"

Without waiting for a reply, she began digging in her schoolbag for writing materials. Lucia put out a restraining hand.

"We'll write after the exam," she said firmly. "It's time to go face the music."

As she and Mike headed for the examination hall, Lucia wondered just how she was going to present the Carmichael's invitation to her mother. She was pretty sure her mother would be less than thrilled at the idea of her daughter's spending so much time with Muggles, no matter how well known they might be in their own strange world.

Well, she was once more going to have to conceal certain facts. Evasion was becoming second nature to her, she realized, at least in letters home. Perhaps there was more Slytherin in her than she cared to admit.