The Eagle and the Badger

Chapter Sixteen: Curiosity

"So, your mum faced down Lucia's mum. Then what happened?" Ruth turned wide brown eyes on Lucia and Mike in turn as the story of New Year's Eve at the Carmichaels' unfolded. Amanda pretended to be reading, but the amused little smirk on her lips gave her away. Students were beginning to leave their compartments to seek out the tea trolley, but food was the last thing on the first year Ravenclaws' minds.

"So, then, Mother told me to get my things and come home with her for the rest of the holiday."

When Ruth asked the reason for the sudden change of heart, Lucia just shrugged and answered, "I suppose she felt lonely," without adding that the Greek island trip had been cut short for reasons her mother didn't share.

Mike broke in. "Yes, but Mummy wouldn't let her drag you away before the party was over. Tell her what Daddy did."

Lucia grinned, torn between family loyalty and the humor of the situation.

"Well . . . Mother didn't really want to spend time at the Carmichaels' - "

" - They're Muggles, you know," Mike supplied with an expressive little flip of her wrist -

"but she wasn't prepared for Mr. Carmichael."

"The thing is, when Daddy turns on the charm - "

Ruth's eyes widened further. "Is he very handsome, then?"

Lucia's cheeks turned just a shade pinker. "Yes, he is, very, and before Mother knew what hit her, she was sipping champagne and listening to him do some sort of speech from a play, and by the time the party ended - "

Lucia broke into giggles and could barely finish her own sentence. " - she was almost too giddy to Apparate. I was terrified we'd land in the Channel or get Sp-Splinched!"

She laughed with the others, though her mood changed quickly as she thought about the rest of her holiday. No sooner had Astoria Malfoy brought her daughter home than she'd begun to fill the house with people, most of whom Lucia barely knew. Lucia found herself spending long hours on her own, as Scorpius had been adamant in refusing to leave the Notts'.

In a way, it was nice to be back in her own spacious quarters, complete with a comfortable nook for reading and a sweeping view of the sea below. After a term at Hogwarts and a prolonged stay with Mike's family in Muggle London, however, Lucia couldn't help feeling that Villa Malfoy was somewhat . . . dull. To pass the time, she took out some of her old stories, thinking she might work on them. She soon put them away again; the tales of lost princes held prisoner in haunted castles seemed the work of a child now, naive and even silly. So much had changed since the day she'd kissed her mother goodbye at King's Cross and boarded the Hogwarts Express last September.

Fantasies no longer satisfied. Lucia turned her attention to her textbooks until an idea gradually dawned on her: There was a real-life story that remained untold, and the person who might be able to tell it was close at hand.

Lucia found her opportunity at breakfast one morning shortly before the end of the holiday. Her heart fluttering like a captive Snidget, she waited for the house-elf to finish pouring tea and leave before blurting out her question: "Mother, may we please talk about Father?"

Surprise very nearly caused Astoria to spill her tea, but Lucia was determined. "I've been thinking about this a lot lately, but it's no use guessing and wondering. If you know anything about why Father left us, would you please tell me? I know you want to protect Scorpius and me, but - "

Here she stopped, not knowing quite how to continue and very much aware of her mother's stiff posture and guarded expression.

"I mean," Lucia went on, swallowing a lump in her throat, "we're not little children any more. I'd much rather know the truth than have to guess, and I'm pretty sure Scorpius feels the same."

There was a long moment of silence, in which Lucia could almost hear her heart beating painfully in her chest. What if she'd offended her mother? At last, Astoria Malfoy's face softened and she reached out to place her hand on her daughter's.

"I'm so sorry this worries you, Lucia," she said. "You are right, it is difficult not to know."

Astoria withdrew her hand to stir her now-cold tea but left the delicate cup in its saucer, her expression sober. "You are also right about being old enough to hear the truth. Unfortunately, there is very little to tell."

A house-elf appeared to whisk away the cold tea, replacing it with a steaming pot, and Astoria waited for her to pour and leave before continuing.

"Your father's disappearance came as a complete surprise to me and to his family," Astoria continued. "The day he left, I had no reason at all to think he would not return from his walk, as usual. There had been no quarrel between us, and the business was going well as far as I knew. Nothing came to light later to contradict that."

Astoria gazed into her teacup as though reading the leaves.

"The weather was especially fine that day, warm and sunny after several days of rain. Your father said he was in need of exercise; he took a light cloak and his walking stick, and then - he was gone."

Lucia sat still as a stone, her breakfast forgotten. Her mind formed a vivid picture of Draco Malfoy striding alone the cliff top, sun turning his hair to a gleaming beacon, cloak fluttering in the breeze. Farther and farther he walked, his figure growing smaller and smaller, until he vanished from view.

"Naturally, I was worried when he did not return for dinner, and when he failed to appear before it was time for you and Scorpius to go to bed, I began making inquiries among our friends and neighbors. The next morning, we began to search in earnest."

Astoria looked at her daughter, eyes shadowed with memory and an unspoken question.

Lucia nodded slowly. "I don't remember much, only that there were a lot of people about and everyone seemed very solemn."

Astoria shifted her gaze to the window, which framed distant hills. "Yes, you and your brother kept asking where your father was and when he would come back, and I simply didn't know what to tell you. It was a difficult time for all of us."

Painful as it was to make her mother relive that time, Lucia still had nagging questions.

"I don't suppose Father left a note, or any clue?"

Still gazing out at the hills, Astoria shook her head. "No, darling, there was nothing. We went through all his things, all his papers, just to be sure.

"Then the rumors began, some of them obviously ridiculous, but we had to pursue every possibility. Of course, your grandparents' resources and connections were very helpful. In the end, however, the tips led nowhere. It was as though your father had disappeared into thin air."

It occurred to Lucia that, being a wizard, her father could have done just that, but she didn't say it.

"The Daily Prophet and the Quibbler ran some stories full of wild theories about why your father left and what might have happened to him," Astoria went on, grimacing at the memory.

She looked at Lucia, slanting rays of sun revealing the fine lines around her eyes. "There are only two real possibilities, I'm afraid. Either your father somehow came to grief, or he chose to disappear without a word to anyone. Why he would do something so - hurtful, I cannot imagine, and so I have no choice but to accept the first alternative."

An icy hand clutched Lucia's heart. Could it be true? Was there really no hope that her father was still alive? The sunny breakfast room suddenly felt cold and alien. Lucia forced herself to smile, more to convince herself that she was all right than to reassure her mother.

"Thank you, Mother," she said. "May I be excused?"

Astoria smiled back, still a little sadly. "Of course, dear, but let's plan on shopping and lunch in town, shall we?"

As Lucia reached the door, her mother spoke again and she turned, surprised.

"No matter what your grandparents think, your father and I were very happy together. And he loved you and Scorpius more than anything in the world. If he could have come back to us, I am absolutely certain that he would have."

ooOoo

Hugo and Trevor stopped to stamp snow off their boots outside the great oak doors, getting bumped from behind for their trouble.

"Will you children hurry up before we all freeze?" complained someone behind them. Not stopping to argue, they hastened inside.

"I hate being called a child, don't you?" Trevor said, not sounding particularly upset. "Can't wait till we're in a position to do it, though."

Hugo kept a wary eye on Braker as the two boys headed through the entrance hall to the stairs. Braker wasn't Filch, of course - Hugo had never even heard him raise his voice - but there was something about the burly, grizzle-haired wizard that made one want to stay on his good side.

They just had time to hang up wet cloaks and change into dry boots before dinner. As they approached the entrance to their common room, Hugo found himself wondering what it would be like to be back in Hufflepuff after weeks surrounded by Gryffindors, immersed in gossip and references he couldn't quite follow. He loved his relatives, but . . .

"Oh, Merlin," Trevor groaned as he preceded Hugo through the entrance, and Hugo had to laugh as he realized what his friend was reacting to. The bright yellow of walls and furniture was an assault to the eyes.

"I swear," said Trevor as they hurried toward their dormitory, "next term I'm bringing sunglasses."

Gabe Link had reached the dormitory before them, but he didn't look at them when they came through the door. He was standing in the middle of the room much as he had done on their first night, his face white and his posture rigid. In one shaking hand, he held a crumpled piece of parchment. The sight of it made Hugo's stomach lurch.

"They're after me now," Gabe grated out, crushing the note into a ball and thrusting it into his pocket. "Enough is enough. I'm going to the headmistress about this." Without another word, he left Hugo and Trevor alone to stare at each other, shocked into silence.

Finally, Trevor let out a low whistle. "Damn," he said. "I was really hoping - "

"Yeah," Hugo agreed, sitting on his bed to pull off his wet boots. "So was I."

They hurried to the Great Hall without much more conversation. By the time they reached the Hufflepuff table, Gabe was already in his seat. From the looks on their faces, Hugo could tell he had wasted no time in telling the other first years what had happened.

"Don't worry, Gabe," Sukie was saying soothingly as Hugo and Trevor took their seats. "I think you're right - Professor Sinistra will find out who's guilty and make him stop."

Gabe shook his head, his fair skin flushed. "She'd better, or my parents will have something to say about it. They didn't send me here to be the target of some -"

He stopped and looked down at his empty plate.

Nobody had a response to this, and a sober mood prevailed as dinner proceeded. Though Hugo helped himself to roast beef, he merely picked at it until Trevor noticed and gave him a nudge.

"Nothing we can do," he muttered. "No use starving yourself."

He was right, of course, but Hugo nevertheless excused himself before pudding, saying he was going to take a walk.

"I'll come with you," Trevor offered, half rising, but Hugo shook his head. "No, stay. I'll see you back in the common room."

With no particular goal in mind, he headed up the main staircase at a good clip, pausing at the top to decide on his next move before turning right.

Torches were flicking dimly in the corridor, and Hugo slowed his pace a bit as he reached a turning into an even darker corridor, in case a stairway might be at the end of it. He wasn't eager to suffer the same fate as Camilla Carmichael. At the sound of footsteps behind him, he quickened his step once more as he rounded the corner. He wasn't nervous, of course he wasn't, but -

"Weasley! Where's the fire?"

Hugo turned to face the speaker, unease giving way to astonishment at the sight of Jack Sutphen standing there, an amused grin on his face.

"No fire," said Hugo as his heartbeat slowed to normal. "I just fancied a bit of a walk after dinner. You?"

Still smiling, Sutphen tossed his head to shake a stray lock of hair from his eyes. Hugo was reminded absurdly of a horse.

"Why, I was following you, of course." Jack's smile broadened when he noted Hugo's confusion.

"Following me? Whatever for?" Hugo strove for a tone of indifference but knew his irritation probably showed.

"Well, I overheard your classmate - Link - say something about getting the Headmistress involved in something, and then you bolted and that made me wonder . . . The sainted Hufflepuffs in trouble, are they?" The boy cocked his head to one side, hazel eyes sparkling as if at some private joke.

Hugo snorted and crossed his arms, feeling the need to defend his house. "We don't claim to be saints, Sutphen." His mind was working furiously.

On the one hand, he was uncomfortable about confiding in this near-stranger, who was a Slytherin to boot. If nothing else, the boy's superior air set his teeth on edge. On the other hand, he did think it important to get better acquainted with Slytherins, and the process had to work both ways. He wasn't likely to get any sort of information out of Sutphen unless he shared at least a bare minimum himself.

He forced his features into a bland mask before saying, "Well, if you must know, it seems some git has sent Gabe a threatening note, simply because he's Muggle-born. Naturally, he's upset about it."

He was watching Sutphen as he said this, but the boy's face betrayed nothing.

"Naturally," he agreed soberly. "I'm sorry to hear it."

The statement was patently insincere, and it would have been easy to drop the subject there, but Hugo decided to forge ahead.

"You're a Slytherin," he said. "I'm sure you know that someone in your house is likely to come under suspicion." He decided against describing the notes any further.

To his surprise, Sutphen's lips twitched in amusement. "Oh, really? And why is that?"

So he wanted to play innocent. "Well, you know Slytherin's reputation," Hugo said mildly. "Of course, since the war, all that's probably changed, so it wouldn't be fair to point the finger. Still, you can't blame people for wondering - "

"No," the boy cut Hugo off with a sage little nod, "It most certainly wouldn't be fair."

Hugo couldn't quite tell if Sutphen was mocking him, and he felt his temper rise, though he struggled to keep it in check.

"Of course," he said, "you wouldn't know anything about who's responsible, would you? House gossip being what it is . . . "

There was a momentary pause before Sutphen shook his head slowly. His lips quirked a bit as he said, "You know, Weasley, I fail to see any advantage to me or my house in telling you, even if I did happen to know something."

Slytherins: always focused on self-interest. Hugo should have remembered that before having this conversation. He took his time, trying to think of a persuasive argument, then came up with something that sounded lame even to him.

"By helping to stop this git, you'd be a hero," he said simply.

To his relief, Jack merely nodded, looking thoughtful, before saying something Hugo didn't see coming.

"Thanks for the heads-up, Weasley." With that, he turned and strode rapidly away.

Hugo was left feeling he'd given something away without gaining anything in return. At least, he'd actually talked to a Slytherin, if that counted for anything.

ooOoo

Lucia was unaware of the commotion among the Hufflepuffs, though she did see Hugo leaving the Great Hall with a sense of disappointment. She hadn't seen him on the train and was impatient to know what, if anything, he'd learned about Professor Vector.

Feeling rather restless, she encouraged Ruth to play chess with Mike in her stead. Amanda had gone to the library, so questioning her about Claudia would have to wait. Claudia herself was nowhere in sight, but as Lucia looked around the common room, she saw Stephen Mullen sitting by himself, reading.

Did she dare? It took her a few minutes to summon her nerve, but at last she got up and strolled with as casual an air as she could muster to the other side of the common room. She pretended to search the tall cabinet near Stephen's armchair, which was full of games, including some mysterious and intriguing puzzles.

Every item was enchanted, so that a borrower who failed to return it after twenty-four hours would find his hands dyed a bright red. Rumor had it that only Professor Flitwick could reverse the spell. She picked up and replaced a few of the puzzles before finally getting up the nerve to approach the sixth year.

He started and looked up when she cleared her throat, pale eyes quickly sharpening as he saw the first year standing in front of him. Feeling thoroughly intimidated, Lucia forced herself to speak.

"Erm - you're Stephen, aren't you?" she said, hoping her voice wouldn't betray her nervousness.

"Stephen Mullen," the boy said in a voice as thin as he was. "What of it?"

Lucia summoned the poise she'd been schooled in. "I'm Lucia Malfoy." She held out her hand with a pleasant smile, and after a moment, the boy took it. HIs hand was rather clammy, and Lucia wasn't sorry when he quickly dropped hers.

"Malfoy." It wasn't a question. "What do you want?"

Lucia ignored his rudeness and said, "It's about Claudia, actually - Claudia Vector. It's just that we're finding her a bit difficult to get to know, and since the two of you talk sometimes, it occurred to me that, well, you might be able to give us some - er - insight."

There was no place for Lucia to sit, and she felt stupid just standing there, especially as Stephen was staring at her in a way that made her insides churn. At last, however, he said, "Oh, did you?"

Lucia felt herself beginning to blush, but she was determined not to give up. "Well, yes," she said.

She took a deep breath, willing herself to go on. "I don't suppose she's mentioned anything about her life before coming here? Her family, for instance?"

She wanted desperately to add, "or her attitude toward Muggles," but that would have sounded very odd.

Something flashed in the boy's eyes, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by a look of mild disdain. Lucia might have been a rather distasteful specimen in the Potions master's cabinet.

Stephen himself, Lucia thought with a touch of resentment, was nothing to look at. He was one of the tallest boys in her house, but thin to the point of emaciation, and he carried himself with a slight stoop, perhaps from weakness or to avoid calling attention to his height. His mouse-brown hair straggled to his shoulders, and he had little in the way of a chin.

It seemed an eternity before he said, "I know that Miss Vector's father was a professor of Arithmancy here, and that is what I discuss with her: Arithmancy. I am quite adept in the subject myself and she is eager to learn. As for her private life, I doubt she would appreciate your prying into it. If there's something you wish to know, perhaps you should try asking her."

With that, he returned to his book. Recognizing dismissal, Lucia went off to bed, thinking that Stephen Mullen had a point. She probably ought to make more of an effort with Claudia. It wasn't going to be easy, she was sure.

ooOoo

Back in the common room, Hugo pretended to read while keeping an eye on the entrance. After what seemed like ages, Gabe appeared and headed for the first years' usual gathering place. At once, the others began pelting him with questions, leaving him no opening to answer them.

Since Hugo didn't know any Silencing charms, he intervened in the only way he could.

"Pipe down, all right?" he bellowed over the chorus of voices. To his amazement, the noise actually died down a bit. Taking advantage of the his classmates' momentary attention, he said in normal tones, "Gabe can't answer everybody at once. Raise your hands, and he'll call on you."

He colored instantly, realizing how ridiculous he must sound, playing teacher, but to his relief, no one laughed. Sukie's hand was the first to go up, and Gabe nodded at her.

"What did the headmistress say?" she asked, leaning forward eagerly. "Is she going to investigate?"

Gabe took the empty seat beside her before answering.

"I showed her the note and told her about yours. She asked how I came to have it and I told her I got jostled about in the train corridor and found it when I went to hang up my cloak.

"She listened and examined the note and then she said whoever did it had 'engaged in highly unacceptable behavior' - her words. Then she said, since nothing had happened to Sukie, I shouldn't worry, but to tell her or Professor Witherspoon if we hear of any more threats."

Hugo listened with a feeling of guilt. He was sure Professor Sinistra would have taken Gabe's story more seriously if she knew all the facts. It might have been better if he'd gone to the headmistress himself and told her everything he knew.

Then it struck him that, of course, she must know, because Uncle Neville or Professor Chang would have told her. The wheels were in motion; it was only a matter of time until the perpetrator (another term he'd learned from crime dramas) was caught and punished.

Meanwhile, it was up to his fellow Hufflepuffs to try to protect Gabe and Sukie. How they were to manage it, he had no idea.

The buddy system they'd devised months before had been easy enough to maintain, given the Hufflepuffs' tendency to travel in packs, but it would be impossible for Gabe and Sukie - not to mention all the other Muggle-born or half-blood students attending Hogwarts - to be under guard at all times.

"Don't worry, Gabe," said Glinda earnestly. "We're all going to stick together; we won't let anything happen to you, we promise."

Gabe shrugged, his lips pressed together. "If someone wants to get to me or Sukie, he will, and there's nothing any of you can do to stop him."

He got up abruptly and stalked off to bed. Sukie, looking distressed, soon disappeared through the round hole as well, and the rest of the Hufflepuffs talked quietly for a while, brainstorming ways to protect their Muggle-born friends.

Hugo scarcely listened. Much as he hated to admit it, Gabe was probably right; if the stalker wanted to hurt people, he probably could

ooOoo

Lucia had planned to connect with Hugo after Potions, but she was slow bottling her Freckle-Fading Solution and watched him leave with a mounting sense of frustration. She'd had no chance to talk to him since their return to Hogwawarts.

That afternoon in Defense, however, she spotted an opportunity when Professor Chang told her students they could choose their own partners. She made a beeline for Hugo and the two of them very nearly collided, as he'd apparently had the same idea.

She just managed to mouth, "We need to talk," before Professor Chang signaled for silence and began giving instructions for their practice in non-magical distraction techniques.

"Who can tell me what role distraction plays in defense?" Professor Chang asked, pacing back and forth in front of her students.

Trevor's hand shot up first.

"Yes, Mr. Roberts?"

"Suppose you're disarmed - lying on the ground, maybe, helpless - your only hope would be to distract your opponent somehow, so his spells won't land."

Lucia thought she detected a slight quirk at the corners of Professor Chang's lips.

"Quite right," she said simply. "Point to Hufflepuff. As to the techniques - "

Sarah Soloway broke in without thinking to raise her hand.

"You could dodge, or drop down and roll out of the way, but" - she trailed off - "that's not really distraction, is it?" She looked down at her shoes with a little frown.

Professor Chang's lips twitched. "It can be, trust me. Point if you can think of others."

Sarah brightened at once. "Erm, you could whistle or yell, or, or - waggle you ears - "

Everyone laughed at this except Professor Chang, who kept a straight face. "Quite right, Miss Soloway," she said with a nod of approval, "though I wasn't aware you could waggle your ears. I envy you. Point to Hufflepuff.

"Now, you will practice the aforementioned non-magical techniques and any others you can think of, within reason, of course. Throwing things is definitely out."

If Profesor Chang was joking, her smooth features gave no sign of it.

"Shorter partners, put your wands away and try to disrupt your partner's jinxes by distraction; change sides when you hear the signal. Tickling jinxes only, today. Ready? Go!"

Lucia managed to evade Hugo's first few jinxes with a a combination of dodges and sudden noises, but she let herself be distracted by thoughts of what she wanted to say to Hugo and dissolved into helpless giggles as his Tickling Jinx hit her full force.

"Finite Incatatem!" he intoned at once, pointing his wand at her, then reached down to help her up. "You okay?" he asked.

"Fine," she said, brushing herself off, just as Professor Chang's model dragon roared to signal a change of sides. "We need to meet. After dinner, usual place?"

Hugo nodded briefly and the two of them squared off once more. Hugo's performance, if anything, was worse than his partner's, as he couldn't keep his mind off their upcoming meeting. They had a lot to catch up on.

ooOoo

Hugo put down his pudding spoon and got up from the table, hoping to catch Lucia's eye, but before he could, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"A word, Weasley?"

It was Jack Sutphen, drawing stares from he other Hufflepuffs as Hugo tried to hide his surprise and decide on a response. He was supposed to meet Lucia now, but this might be some sort of opening, a tiny crack in the otherwise firmly closed Slytherin door, and he hated to pass it up. How long could a word take, anyway?

He followed Sutphen out of the Great Hall, wondering what the Slytherin wanted. In the entrance hall, Sutphen paused to allow Hugo to catch up.

"What's this about?" Hugo asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.

Jack looked rather pleased with himself, but then, that was nothing new. "I talked to some people," he said, "and one of them is willing to meet with you. He's waiting for us right now."

He turned and heaqded down the stairs leading to the dungeons with Hugo close on his heels. Surely he wasn't actually going to be permitted inside the Slytherin common room.

"Where are we going?" Hugo asked, attempting to match the other boy's longer stride.

"Dungeon Nineteen," Sutphen replied matter-of-factly. Hugo stopped dead, and in realizing Hugo wasn't following, Sutphen did the same. "I didn't know there was one."

The other boy chuckled. "You should get around more, Weasley. No time like the present, eh? And he strode off again, leaving Hugo to scramble after him."

Hugo didn't want to keep Lucia waiting, but if this person had real information . . .

"This won't take too long, will it?" he asked, a bit breathlessly as they hurried along. "I'm supposed to - er - be someplace."

"Don't worry, Weasley," Sutphen said, his footsteps echoing as they reached the end of an unfamiliar corridor and headed down another flight of stairs. "I don't think this will take long. My housemates' time is valuable, too. Come on."

They had already passed the Potions dungeon, and soon Jack was leading Hugo down a series of entirely unfamiliar corridors, then more stairs leading down. None of the doors they passed was numbered, and Hugo wondered how they were supposed to find Dungeon Nineteen, especially in the near-dark. The farther they went, the fewer torches there seemed to be.

"We're almost there," Jack assured Hugo as he led him down yet another set of stairs, these narrow, rough-hewn, and unlit. The silence was absolute except for their footsteps and, from somewhere far off, the sound of water dripping.

Hugo felt for his wand, but the Slytherin had anticipated him, lighting his own wand-tip. In spite of himself, Hugo was impressed by the strength of the beam.

Hugo followed the Slytherin down the stairs, heart beating fast with anticipation. This could be the night, the night when the pieces of the puzzle began to come together.

At long last, the Slytherin halted in front of a door that looked no different from any of the others. He rapped on it in a pattern that Hugo guessed was a sort of password, and after a moment the door swung slowly open.

"After you," said Jack, stepping back to let Hugo enter.