"Don't you think we should be, I don't know, sneaking around or something?" Harley asked through chattering teeth.
"Sometimes it's better to be unnoticed than unseen. Right now we're just an old man taking a stroll with his granddaughter." Aaron reasoned. They were walking down the sidewalk of a sleepy Scottish town where most everyone had retreated indoors. Warmth spilled out into the street from the open door of a tavern where a couple of large men made their way inside. Harley shivered as a short wave of warm air made its way over her. "Let's head inside to warm up. Maybe we can find out where we need to go from one of the locals." Aaron nudged her gently towards the tavern door. Inside the spacious room there was a large rectangular bar that took almost the entire back wall. Tables and booths were spread across the floor and raucous cheers or boisterous conversation filled the air.
"What can I do for the two visitors?" A burly man with a dark red beard and matching hair appeared. There were two mugs in his hands and he wore an apron.
"A table and two pints of your warmest drink please." Aaron smiled.
"Ay, there's a table right there next to the window that'll suit you. I'll be right back with your drinks." Harley made her way to the table and sat across from her grandfather. They both angled their bodies where they could see the door. The bartender returned with two large mugs. "Anything else I can do for you?"
"Tell me friend, who is the best storyteller here?" Aaron asked.
"Oh ho, in the mood for a yarn are you? You want that gentlemen right there." The barman pointed to a particularly raucous crowd in the middle of the room, surrounding a blonde haired giant of a man covered in tattoos. "You really want a laugh ask him about the mermaid on his left arm." The barman chuckled as he turned to greet two more men who walked in the door.
"You stay here, I'll go see what I can dig up." Aaron grabbed his drink and made his way towards the crowd. Harley took a sip of the drink in front of her. It was warm and tasted like a particularly bitter coffee. She surveyed the crowds around her. Most of the men had either black or red hair that they wore long. Nearly all of them had beards. There were only two women: a short and plump blonde who was serving drinks behind the bar and a tall and thin red head who was hanging on the arm of the storyteller. Nearly everyone was smiling and having a good time. It made Harley feel like she was from another planet.
Here they are having a great time and I'm on the run.
It was then that something caught her attention. There was a man seated in the furthest corner of the room, half covered in shadow. He was wearing a long black travelling cloak with the hood pulled up. Only his jaw line was visible. Yet, even with so little visible to her, something about the man seemed eerily familiar.
"Excuse me," She tugged on the arm of the blonde woman who had come from behind the bar to clear a table, "who is that man?"
"Oh him," she waved her hand airily "strange lad he is. Never does say much. Don't even know his name, but he comes by here pretty often. I always see him heading up to the McGonagall's old place."
"Wait, do you…"
But two men had already grabbed the woman's attention at the bar. She looked over at the crowd where her grandfather had taken a seat. He was smiling at whatever the storyteller was saying, but she had seen that look before to know that there wasn't any relevant information forthcoming. Here was a real chance to find Minerva McGonagall and figure out what was happening.
Harley took a giant swig of her drink and purposefully strode over to where the man was sitting. She could feel her grandfather's eyes watching her as she took a seat in the booth opposite the stranger.
"Hello, do you know Minerva McGonagall?" she spit the words out before she could chicken out. The stranger had his eyes closed, but when he opened them a flash of recognition went through her brain when she registered their bright green color.
"No nonsense aren't we?" a grin tugged at the corner of his lips for the briefest moment. "It turns out I do know her. The real question however, is how did you end up here?"
"You're the man from the shop. The one who dropped in this morning."
"Yes." His eyes darted to the door and back to her. "I never thought I would see you here, so let me ask again. Why are you here?"
"How do I know I can trust you?"
His eyes narrowed. "You've already walked across the bar to sit across a table from me and asked me if I knew where the person you're looking for lives. I'd say you should have thought of that a few minutes ago. That and if I really wanted to kill you I could have done it this morning."
Harley felt herself flush.
The man closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry, you're not exactly used to living on the run." When he opened his eyes they were much softer, "Point is, you can trust me."
"Making friends dear?" Harley felt her grandfather's hand on her shoulder.
"Sortave." She hesitated. "He knows Minerva."
Aaron eyed the man suspiciously. "Who is he?"
"For now, you can call me Mr. White."
Harley and her grandfather eyed each other. "Alright….Mr. White, I'm here because two men broke into our shop a few hours ago and tried to arrest both of us."
"Her mother left instruction years ago, to come here and find Minerva if something were to happen." Aaron finished.
"Why did those men show up?" Mr. White's eyes narrowed.
Harley looked around the bar once. "We think it has to do with my mother's ummm……watch. I found it right before they showed up."
"Her watch?" Mr. White looked incredulous. "Look, I didn't ask how you managed to end up all the way out here in a matter of hours because I know that you either used a portkey or apparated. I'm a wizard too."
"Oh, well it wasn't her watch. It was her wand."
"Her wand?" Mr. White's eyes widened.
"Yes."
The man collected himself. "Then we don't have long. Don't follow me directly out. Head to the west road up the mountain and I'll meet you there." He stood up and stalked his way out without another word. Aaron took his seat in the booth.
"Do you think we can trust him?" her grandfather eyed her.
"He showed up to the shop this morning, while you were at mass." Aaron's eyes widened in surprise. "If he wanted to hurt me he could have done it then. I think he's our best chance to find Minerva."
"Can I get you another round?" the barman strolled up to them.
"No I think we'll settle up. Thanks for the hospitality." Her grandfather followed the man to the counter while Harley waited by the door to the bar. The redhead who was with the storyteller caught her eyes. Hers were a dark brown and Harley felt as if the woman was looking through her. It sent a shiver down her spine. Aaron appeared next to her, also looking at the woman. "Let's go." He grabbed her arm and gently pushed her out the door and back into the night.