The Lost Painting: Part Three
Half an hour later, and one hell of a traffic jam, the horse drawn carriage pulled up to a large villa on the outskirts of town.
`Master Dubont's residents' the driver said `that'll be 10 lira'
`There' Marcus said as he handed over the coins and stepped out.
Hermione lowered herself as gracefully as possible from the carriage and watched as Harry just jumped over the side.
`I have to warn you' the driver said `but that Dubont is a right miserable git'
`Thanks for that' Harry said brightly as he turned to follow Marcus up to the intimidatingly large building. If the house you owned dictated how good you were at what you did, then Hermione thought that this guy must be as good as Picasso.
Marcus hammered on the door and instantly it was answer by a small girl, about twelve years of age.
`Yes?' she asked looking at the three of them suspiciously.
`We've come to see Master Dubont' Marcus said quickly.
`Master Dubont isn't seeing people' the girl said as she went to shut the door, but Marcus held out a hand and stopped her.
`This is Harry and Hermione, the Popes Art advisors' Marcus said authoritively making the girls eyes almost shoot out.
`You should have said' she spoke happily as she opened the door and beckoned them inside.
Hermione looked around the large foyer and was amazed at how lavishly the house was decorated, with rich rugs, gold plated door handles and marble everywhere. This place seemed to fly in the face of the clique that all artists were poor.
`I'll just go and get him' the girl said before curtsying and hurrying away.
`Nice place' Harry said letting out a low little whistle `wonder how he affords it'
`Master Dubont is world renowned' Marcus said `for years he has been requested by Kings and the extremely rich to paint for them'
`A tale of not what you know' Harry said cynically as he wandered up to painting `this isn't very good'
Hermione strolled up to the painting and saw a canvas painting of a hillside. It was adequate, but seemed to miss a little spark.
`That was once of my earlier works' a voice came making them all look and realize that Master Dubont had arrived. He had almost spat the word earlier in distaste `I keep it hung up for all to see to show people the reward of hard work'
`And of having good connections' Harry said brightly.
`As you know, working for the Pope' Master Dubont said `it is necessary to know the right people'
`Certainly' Harry shot back determinedly.
Hermione looked at Master Dubont but couldn't help it, with his slim figure, pointed features and well groomed moustache, he reminded her of a French man. She suddenly felt very English.
`Have you seen my fiancé' Marcus said stepping forward making Dubont blink slightly as if he hadn't realized Marcus was even there `Lasiandra?'
`Lasiandra?' he said recovering his composure and pulling on his ear in deep thought `Lasiandra…I don't remember…'
`This is her' Marcus said handing over one of his missing sings, but he stared at it but didn't seem to recognize the face.
`Pretty woman…' he said handing it back `but I don't recognize it'
`Ok' Harry said with a smile as he went to walk away but Marcus stood rooted.
`She was getting it as a…wedding…gift?' Marcus said desperately, and as he said the words something behind his eyes seemed to light up.
`A wedding?' he said softly `Lasiandra?...now I remember!'
`When did you last see her?' Marcus asked desperately.
`About a week ago, she wanted a painting of herself as a wedding gift…' Dubont paused for a few moments to look at Marcus `I'm afraid I didn't have the time to do it for her'
`Did she say where she was going?' Marcus asked.
`I'm sorry but she didn't' Dubont said `she seemed upset and left straight away'
`Are you sure?' Marcus asked pleadingly.
`I'm sorry, but I know nothing more' Dubont said caringly before he turned to Harry `so why has the Pope got an interest in me?'
`A painting' Harry said guardedly.
`Of her?' the man said looking at Hermione `she is remarkably beautiful…'
`Thank you' Hermione said blushing
`No' Harry said forcefully making Hermione shoot him a confused look.
`The painting is a secret, a huge surprise, something to go down in history' Harry said smiling `and the Pope demands us to investigate everything properly'
`Like what?' Dubont asked suspiciously.
`We had to meet the artist, which we've done' Harry said with a smile `now we just need to investigate your studio'
`No one is allowed in my studio, I'm sorry' Dubont said with a little smile that said this was the end of the issue.
`We're really going to need to see it' Harry said forcefully `we cant hire you without it, it's the Popes command'
`I'm sorry but no one is allowed in my studio, except for me and my models' he said `I do the cleaning up so my maids don't have to come in'
`So paint Hermione' Harry said with a quick smile, and Hermione almost fell to the floor laughing. So this was how she became a model. The man stepped closer to her and looked her over, his eyes staying for longer on her breasts and legs as he strode about her making her feel uncomfortable.
`I do need to paint the goddess Isis' the man said thoughtfully `caring, beautiful and petite…the perfect wife and sister…'
`So Hermione fails then?' Harry teased.
`On the contrary' the man said `her eyes scream out in care of the world while her beauty disarms you…'
`So…' Hermione asked feeling herself strangely nervous.
`You will be perfect' he announced as if handing her a treat.
Harry started to follow them towards the studio but he put a hand out and stopped him.
`You cannot come' he said.
`Oh' Harry said thinking things over before shrugging and giving her a smile `ok…be careful…'
Hermione followed Dubont through a few corridors but stopped outside a large heavy door. Dubont gave her a smile as he withdrew a set of keys from his pocket and opened the door, and as he pushed it open and she walked in she found herself in what appeared to be a Museum of dozens of paintings.
`These are all my work' Dubont said proudly as he strolled about purposefully, taking a few seconds to examine some of them before carrying on.
`There beautiful' Hermione said nervously as she stood in the doorway waiting for some direction.
`I already know that…my work I sought by kings' he said with a grin as he ran a hand over one of the paintings before turning quickly to her `if you'd like to sit down'
He had pointed to a small block, similar to a block of large stone but it had been grooved to slightly resemble a chair. Hermione made her way over to it and sat down, hoping that she wouldn't have to spend days on this thing waiting for the painting to be finished.
The door was suddenly pushed open and the small girl stumbled into the room carrying a tray of drinks and food.
`I thought no one was allowed in here?' Hermione asked as the girl approached her father and handed him a drink.
`She's the exception to the rule' Dubont said smiling as he took a large gulp. The girl wondered over to her and handed her a glass of red liquid which Hermione assumed to be wine `she's my daughter'
Hermione tried to smile but was too taken aback, he seemed to treat her as more a servant than a daughter so instead of answering she took a large gulp of the drink, loving the taste of wine on her lips.
`All I wanted to do was to create beauty' the man said as he walked up to Hermione, the young girl walked from the room and closed the door without a look back. Dubont walked up closely to her and Hermione felt her head spinning slightly. Dubont extended his arm and pulled her sharply to one side as if rearranging a doll, but Hermione found that she couldn't react, her arms had become heavy, and her eyelids threatened to close.
`But I was dammed with these' he said holding up his hands for her to look at, but her eyes were losing focus `and then one day it all changed'
`What are you doing…' Hermione managed to breathe out.
`I'm making art' he said looking sadly down at her `and you're becoming it…'
*
Harry kicked the ground in boredom a he wondered how long a painting took to do, he guessed it was probably at least a few days. It had already been about three hours and looking out of the window Harry could see that the sun was already starting to set. Marcus was walking back and forth in front of him, stopping every few seconds as if he had something before continuing his pacing. If Harry was honest with himself, and that was something he was usually pretty good at, he felt the desire to pace nervously as well, although he didn't know why. He had seen the outcome of this modelling, so Hermione must be safe for the next few days at the very least, and then after that he would be with her, and he would never let anything happen.
`Why are we waiting here?' Marcus finally said, now turned to look directly at Harry.
`Because the trail went…' he wanted to say dead but was sure that was one of the tactless words that Hermione would usually condemn him for `…cold…just after she visited here'
`We should be canvassing door to door' Marcus said spilling the thoughts he must have been having `find out where she went after here'
`We don't know that she left here' Harry said, he hadn't voiced the words earlier but something was definitely strange about Master Dubont. People, generally, weren't as forthright with answering questions to complete strangers as he was, and especially not artists. They usually had mighty tempers as well as poetic souls, but this man had neither, rattling of cliques one after the other.
He really wanted to get into the studio and check, and maybe after dark he would. For the time being he had to rely on Hermione, and as he thought this he smiled as he knew there was no one else he'd rather rely on.
`But Master Dubont said…' Marcus said but stopped as he gathered Harry's meaning `you think he might have something to do with it?'
`Now now, I didn't say that' Harry said shaking his head `I only implied it'
`That's the same thing' Marcus said angrily, his temper was flaring as Harry knew it would, people were at their most volatile when fighting for people they loved.
`Not at all' Harry said brightly, hoping his manner would help calm down Marcus who seemed ready to crash into the studio `implying something means it's only an idea…if I really thought it I'd say it'
`So we're waiting for Hermione to report back?' Marcus said in disbelief `leaving this in the hands of a woman?'
`Yep, but you missed one point' Harry said with a smile `that woman is Hermione Granger, and neither of us could wish for anyone better'
As he said this the door opened and the small, barely twelve, girl entered the room and shot them a quizzical look.
`What are you two doing here?' she said shocked as she strolled into the room.
`Waiting for Hermione to finish posing for the painting' Harry said brightly.
`But Master Dubont has finished' the girl said blinking.
`What?' Marcus said standing up angrily `how?'
`He's already finished and left for Venice' the maid said apologetically.
`Then where is Hermione?' Harry said through gritted teeth as he felt anger pulsing through his body.
`If she's not here, then she must have left with him' the maid said looking down at her feet.
Harry stepped up, breathing deeper and resisting an urge to pull out his wand and find out by force what she was hiding. Slowly he took a few steps closer to the girl, who seemed to back away slightly in fear.
`Tell me what you know' Harry said, his voice as calm and low as he could make it.
`I know nothing' she said, water was breaking into her eyes now as she shook her head violently. She reminded Harry of another servant he had once known, fighting against the constraints of master-servant binding, but not even this could calm him down.
`Please, tell us what is going on here' Harry said forcefully, but the small girl only shook her head violently again.
`I can offer you protection and money' Marcus said desperately.
`No one can protect me against him' the girl yelped out, tears now falling freely from her eyes `please, please don't make me tell you!'
`Ok, we wont' Harry said as he felt his heart start to beat slower, his adrenaline system closing down slightly in preparation for what he needed to do.
`What?' Marcus said in shock `we can't leave here!'
`We're not' Harry said shaking his head and walking towards the door `we're going to the studio'
Harry pushed his way past the young girl, who now seemed to be crying uncontrollably, as he walked down the wooden panelled corridors, feeling his way with intuition towards the studio.
He stopped outside a large door and tried to open it and found it locked, knowing instantly that this was the right room. He held his hand over the keyhole to perform a little bit of wandless magic and the door sprung open.
He strolled forward into the room and looked about, dozens of paintings made this room look more like a gallery than a studio.
`I have to admit' Harry said as he walked around the studio examining the dozens of beautiful paintings, looking more like photographs than pictures `but Master Dubont does have some talent'
`I know what you mean' Marcus said, his words sounding slightly cold `but don't you think that they look too…real…it's a little creepy really'
`Too real?' Harry said turning to look at the bewildered Marcus. He could feel his brain rolling over, working things out, and then he had it `Marcus, look for the painting of Lasiandra'
`But he said he hadn't done one' Marcus said.
`Just do it' Harry said shaking his head in haste.
Harry bolted around the room, scanning each painting as he went, looking for what he now understood must be here.
`Oh my god!' Marcus bellowed in shock from the other side of the room. Harry instantly stopped what he was doing and ran over to where Marcus was standing, and quickly looked at the painting that had stunned him.
`It's my Lasiandra!' he said, his words low and scared `I mean…that is actually…literally…Lasiandra!'
`Just as thought' Harry said stepping up to it, looking at the raven haired woman he gave her a little sad smile, he could see the look of fear in the woman's eyes, a look so tiny that if you hadn't known it was there you would have missed it.
`What witchcraft is this?' Marcus demanded, but his voice sounded hollow as he ran a hand over the painting.
`Potions' Harry grumbled as he stared closer at the painting. He could see the traces of magic that enveloped the painting, he almost had to look away because of how much powerful magic was evident. Whoever did this was in an all together different league, past anything or anyone he had seen on his journeys. The magic may seem simple, but the truth was that it was man made, a potion of sorts, and whoever made it, whoever invented such a concoction was even better than he was.
`You can save her?' Marcus said hopefully, his voice shaky as he hoped for the answer he needed.
`Maybe…' Harry said slowly as he peered closer at the woman, trying to follow what he could see between the colours, but the dense magic made it hard to follow. And then he spotted it `Fantastic!'
`So you can do it?' Marcus said with hope in his voice.
`I believe so' Harry said nervously, he had just realized that Hermione must have already become one of these things `I will'
`How?' Marcus said desperately `What is it?'
`Well…' Harry started, wondering just how to describe what has happened to a man such a Marcus who was already tittering over the edge of reason `The body is in there, you can see that for yourself, but its not strictly alive…over time the soul will leave it and all that will be left is a painting…but, fortunately, I can see the soul is still there…'
He realized that Hermione's painting is in 2006, but he banished this thought instantly.
`I should be able to reverse the potion' Harry said as he withdrew his wand and heard Marcus gasp slightly `invert the magic field and the body and soul should…pop…out!'
Harry waved the wand over it, performing every bit of magic reversal he knew and then stepped back.
`Its' worked' Harry said with a smile as eh watched the painting begin to melt, dripping down the wall in all the colours of the rainbow.
`Is she safe?' Marcus demanded turning to him.
`Just watch' Harry said as he watched the colours roll together over the floor, before slowly it started to raise to a woman's height, and the paint began to dry, and before he could marvel at such magic it had dried, and Lasiandra was back in the room.
Marcus threw himself forward and Lasiandra enveloped him in a hug, both were kissing each other furiously as they ran their hands over each others faces and bodies. Harry knew he should find this beautiful, a joy of life, but his mind was elsewhere. Could he save Hermione.
`Lasiandra, your safe!'' Marcus called as he backed away from her, holding her still in his arms.
`He drugged me…' Lasiandra said nervously and confused `and then…and then…I don't know'
`You're safe now' Harry said interrupting her, he didn't want too many people knowing what had happened here `and you have a wedding to get to'
`Yes' Marcus said, tears in his eyes `we missed the first one'
`I missed it?' Lasiandra yelped slightly, and Harry could tell they were both very much in love.
`Yes, my dear' Marcus said gently `but it's only a few days, and we have forever to make up for it…'
`I love you so much' Lasiandra said.
`I love you to' Marcus replied kissing her lips tenderly.
`And I better get going' Harry said awkwardly as they kissed. Marcus broke completely from her and turned to Harry.
`What about Hermione?' he asked forcefully.
`I'm going to save her' Harry said uncertainly.
`Do you know where she is?' Marcus asked.
`Yeah' Harry said gently `The British Museum'
`I've never heard of it' Marcus said confused `I'll come with you'
`No' Harry said forcefully `you have a wedding to get to'
`But, isn't Hermione more important?' Marcus asked.
`Yes and no' Harry said shaking his head `to me she's the most important thing in the world, but to the universe…the universe loves you two, because you're in love, and because you two will live happily forever…what more would the worlds want? True love that works is astonishing rare…now I must go and see about mine…'
Harry turned on his heel and walked out of the studio, in search for his Anglia, in search of the hope that Hermione was still alive.
*
Hey, hoped you enjoyed that… poor Hermione! Being a model isn't going as well as she had hoped!
Till Next time…
Jms Granger…
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