Chapter 5
"Why are we doing this?!" demanded one of the elders. "Dumbledore is no longer our friend. He has betrayed our oldest ways. Centaurs do not share their knowledge of the heavens with outsiders. I say we let them fight their own battles. This Voldemort is one of their kind, so it is their problem."
"What about the sanctity of our forest my bretheren? Are we to let this beast, this grendel hag to come in and kill whomever she wants? One of our own has already been killed by her. We were so blind that Hagrid could not even deliver the body to us properly. For we have driven our old friend away."
A third centaur declared, "It is true that Hagrid has always respected our ways. What if this hag were to endanger his life? I would not feel honorable if something were to happen to him that we could have prevented. He is half magical beast. He shares a heritage with us."
Another spoke angrily, "Yes, but he is also half-human. They cannot be trusted. How long have we suffered under the oppression of human kind. How many have our people have been slaughtered by their ignorant centaur hunts."
"Those were a long time ago." declared another. "They do not do that anymore. Is it not appropriate for us to hold hostage the present generation for the sins of their forbearers."
A very old centaur stepped into the middle of the bickering elders. He raised his hand for silence. The other centaurs backed up a step, to show their respect.
"It is true that Dumbledore has broken a sacred agreement with us. However, I do not know what his reasonings maybe. That will need to be dealt with in time. Nevertheless, that is not what is at stake right now. This Dark Lord, this human, has sent a soulless creature into our midst, into our home. This vile thing has killed one of our hunters in a way that was without honor. I will not stand for her to be in my forest one day longer. Nor, shall I allow this wicked human Voldemort, to use our forest as a launching ground for assassination against the human children."
"I will go great one. I shall bring back her head to you," cried a bold centaur.
"As shall I," cried one of the younger hunters.
"And me as well," yet another.
Five centaurs, in all, stepped forward to accept the old one's call for battle. Five centaurs would begin their hunt by the cold moonlight. Five centaurs would restore honor to their clan. For this night, the hag would die.
Fate had dealt these warrior-hunters one fatal flaw. The hag had already been given her orders. The boy was to die. She was on a hunt this night as well. She salivated at the thought of a tender youth to feast upon. She ran through the darkness towards the unsuspecting school. A small brass charm was clutched in her hand. She had been given a dark tool that would allow her to bypass the spells of protection around Hogwarts. It was given to her by one of the servants of He-who-must-not-be-named.
"I am coming little one," she cackled into the night.
--- ---
"Err Hi, I'm Harry, Harry Potter."
"Yes, I know," Tobias said with a grin.
"Right then. So, Hermione asked me to ahh meet you."
"I see," he replied. "What did you want to see me about?"
"Err, Hermione never actually got that far."
"Well, is there anything you'd like to know about me?"
"Well, I'd like to start by saying you are the first and only Slytherin who has not immediately begun taunting me, laughed at me or one thing or another. That really gives you quite a bit higher marks with me than some of the rest."
"Well," he smiled in response, "I believe less in, say 'house spirit', than I do the pursuit of learning. I happen to have a bit of a knack at dark arts and so the sorting hat felt it appropriate to place me under Snape's guidance."
"Dark arts you say? Isn't that a bit illegal at Hogwarts?"
"Indeed my lightening scarred friend. I don't actually practice the dark arts, well almost never anyway, but I am gifted in understanding it."
"Really? Maybe I do have a question or two for you then," Harry said cautiously.
"Tell me then, what do you know about?"
"You see there's this curse I've been wondering about, I was hoping to understand the counter-curse a bit better…"
Harry and Tobias talked quite a bit that evening. Before Harry knew it, an hour had passed. He apologized to Tobias that he had somewhere to be. The fellow D.A. students would be waiting for him. He shook hands with the strange, but interesting third-year and told him that he would like to talk again sometime. Tobias agreed and said the strangest thing when they parted.
"You know she feels the same way," Tobias said as he stepped through the painting into the Slytherin common room.
Harry tried to ask what he meant, but it was too late. He certainly did not know the password through 'that' painting. So he turned and began to make his way to the secret meeting room.
--- ---
"It's no use arguing with me Ellie. I want you to wait out here. I'll need someone to start hollering if anyone shows up. Please don't start again. I need you to be here for me. I won't be long, I promise."
Seeing that Gevin's mind was not going to be changed, she stubbornly agreed. She quickly cast the Chameleonus spell upon herself and immediately disappeared into the surrounding shadows.
"Don't be long," Ellie said with a forced smile that no one could see.
With that, Gevin faced the cobbler's shop. After a few fertive glances around the alley, he walked up to the front door. It was dark inside, but he thought he could make out an outline of the door in the back of the store. There was a dim light coming from behind it.
"Jacob, must be working late tonight," he thought.
He reached out and turned the knob on the door. It was unlocked. Gifflewad must have told Jacob he was coming and the shoemaker had left the door open. He walked in and began to make his way to the back. He did not notice the broken glass just to his right. He was concentrating too hard on not tripping over anything in front of him.
He finally got to the back door and swung it open. He blinked his eyes to adjust to the light.
"Gevin!" smiled Jacob. "How good to see you. Come in, come in."
"Hi Jacob. Listen you really shouldn't leave your front door unsecured like that. You know it's not safe."
"Of course, of course. You're right, my boy. I wasn't thinking. Can I get you a mug of hot tea?"
"No thank you. I don't mean to be rude, but have you seen Gifflewad? I really need to talk to him."
"Oh, yes, yes he told me all about it."
"He did?" Gevin questioned.
"Yes. I think it is very brave what you're doing. Gifflewad couldn't be here, he is out celebrating his 'death day' with a host of his friends. Don't worry though, old Jacob Gilpin got the scoop."
"That's great Jacob. Wish him a happy death day for me. I didn't even realize when it was. Anyway, it's really important for me to get that message."
Jacob leaned in close to Gevin.
"This is what Giffle told told me to tell you…"
He listened to everything very carefully, and told the cobbler, "I understand. I tell you, that Tobias really came through for me. Thanks for the information Jacob. Tell Giffle I stopped by and tell him hello for me."
"Of course, I'll do just that. Now you go hurry along and take care of whatever it is you need to take care of. I've got a lot of shoes to get working on. Good night."
"Good night. See you later."
Gevin quietly closed the front door of the store behind him and walked out into the waiting night. He concentrated on the alleyway for a long time. Then after being sure of exactly where he wanted to end up, apparated.
Ellie sat as still as she possibly could, trying not to breath. She was determined to scare Gevin really good. She decided it would make her feel better for making her wait outside. She always liked Jacob Gilpin and would have enjoyed catching up with him. Suddenly, Gevin vanished. She stood up and looked around wildly. She felt warm arms wrap around her from behind. She let out that kind of nervous giggle you do when someone has just snuck up on you, when you knew it was coming.
She let all the stiffness out of her body and just sank into his arms. He gently lifted her and turned her around to face him. She looked longingly into his face. And began to scream. It was not him, but he already had his hand over her mouth. Her scream was muffled quite effectively. The black cloaked figure raised his wand and the two of them disappeared from view.
Gevin finally made his way back out of the store and began to look around for Ellie.
"Ellie, where are you?" he whispered loudly. "Ellie?"
He walked over to where he thought she had been waiting.
"Ellie?" he said a bit louder, "Listen, I know you're mad at me for making you wait outside. C'mon now, we need to get going… Ellie?"
Gevin felt a twisting, sick panic well up in him.
"ELLIE!!"
He turned and ran back toward the store.
"Lumos!" he incanted.
His wand lit up as he threw open the door. He noticed the broken glass. He looked toward the workshop door. It was dark now. He stumbled forward and grabbed the handle and swung the door open, practically off of its hinges. There was Jacob lying on the ground in a pool of blood.
"Jacob! My friend! Jacob!"
Gevin knelt beside him and turned him over. There was no doubting that Jacob Gilpin had been murdered. He was too late. The only thought in his mind was to run to Borgin and Burkes. Maybe Mr. Borgin would know something, anything. He had no one else to ask. So, he ran.
If Gevin had been in his right mind, he might have looked closer at poor Jacob. He would have been able to tell that he had already been dead for hours. If he had searched out back of the store he would have seen a floating wisp. Nothing more than a trace of what was left behind of Gifflewad. The wizards of the Circle were very powerful. They knew just the spell… to kill a ghost.
--- ---
"How could I have missed it," Hermione muttered to herself. "I gave Tobias completely false information. How on earth did I not see this one?"
She was angry at herself. She slammed the book closed and stood straight up. She needed to find Tobias and tell him. The maker of the chest was indeed alive when Emeric the Evil was, but no one would be able to prove that. No one really knew how old he was when he died. Tobias would have been looking in the wrong place altogether.
The problem, she realized, was that he would most likely be in bed, or at least in his common room by now. After quickly thinking it over, it came to her. She would send a quick note to him by owl. She practically charged down the hallway and made her way to the owlery.
Hedwig saw Hermione walk in with a piece of paper in her hand. Without another thought the owl flew down to her arm.
"Listen, I need you to get this note to Tobias Beldower, right away Hed. It's so very important. He'll want to know about this."
Hedwig thought it extremely odd to fly to somewhere you already were, but decided it wasn't worth nipping her about it. So, with a flap of the wings, the night awaited.
"Boy, is Tobias going to be in for a bit of a shock," Hermione said, quite pleased with herself.
--- ---
Tobias was just about to lie down, when he saw a large, white flutter in the window. He looked out and realized it was an owl. He reached across and opened the window. The snow white owl hopped over to him and dropped a piece of paper into his hand and immediately turned back around and took off.
With a mild curiosity he unfolded it and began to read.
Hi Tobias,
Guess what I found? Sorry for sending you on a wild goose chase.
The chest did get a protective rune from Emeric the Evil, but you'll
never guess who originally constructed the thing…
He looked up with a strange look of triumph on his face. He did not even need to finish reading the note to know what it said. It was so painfully ironic, he was not sure if he should laugh or be supremely concerned.
"Salazar Slytherin you old dog you. How did Emeric trick you out of that old chest of yours? I bet he stole it and placed his rune on there to protect it from you. You probably killed old Emeric for doing it too. Or, maybe Emeric killed you… I do believe I have a thesis paper to start writing."
Tobias was pleased as punch and immediately took out his trusty quill, a bottle of ink and a roll of parchment and began to write as fast as his little hand could write. Out of nowhere, he felt an icy chill on the back of his neck. He looked around and saw nothing, so he continued writing.
--- ---
Hermione entered the Gryffindor common room and saw Harry lying sideways on one of the chairs. He had been so tired, that he fell asleep the moment his end had hit the cushion. She cocked her head to the side a bit and just looked at him. His hair was a mess and his glasses all askew. She felt warm inside. She stepped closer to Harry.
Her hand gently brushed a bit of the hair from his eyes and she set his glasses straight. He was so exhausted that he did not even stir. It made her feel safe to see him sleeping like that. She always felt safe around Harry. Somehow, when he was around, everything always seemed to turn out right in the end.
"Harry," she whispered, "Tobias tells me that our time is short. I'd really like to talk to you about some things that I've been thinking about. Though, I'm not sure you'd want to hear them. Even if you did, I'm scared to make your life any more complicated. There's so much on your shoulders as it is. I don't want to wait, but I know that I need to."
She smiled at him and just before heading up to bed herself said, "Sleep well Harry. Try not to have any nightmares tonight."
Harry groggily woke up and realized that he had fallen asleep waiting for Hermione to come through. He must have missed her, so he got up and walked up the stairs to find his bed. Umbridge was sure to make his life even more miserable tomorrow, so he thought he had better get some rest now, while he could. As he stood up, he thought for sure that he could smell the scent of Hermione lingering near him. She always did smell kind of nice.