Hogwarts: Era of Darkness

"Is this far enough from spying ears and eyes yet?" I asked as I walked in front of Fleur while she followed me, never letting me fall behind her. We were already way away from the castle, right next to the cold lake that was getting closer and closer to being frozen over.

"Yes."

"Then speak." I stopped at once, turning not towards her but facing the water, watching the Durmstrangs' ship in the middle of it. Krum wanted to come, but in the end, he closed his mouth before speaking, nodding at me before watching us leave.

"Two classmates gone. You killed them."

"Proof?" I chuckled, and neither did I deny nor acknowledge it. Although I didn't turn towards her, I could feel the anger radiating off her body. Behind my calm exterior, some nervousness began rising, as I wasn't sure if the spells on her had been reversed or not.

"None... but I feel I right. You attacked us with unforgivable spell... you are evil."

"Then why are you still alive?" I asked, this time turning to face her and peer into her eyes, making her subconsciously step back multiple times. Was it fear that I smelled in the air? Probably... and I could clearly hear her heartbeat jump.

"You dare?" She said hurriedly, wand in her hand, raising it at me.

"I attacked your Headmaster. You tell me!"

"That was stupid! You thought much of yourself, Conrad Anguine!"

"Yes. It was stupid, but I felt my head was about to explode. So, I thought less about the possible consequences! Now, you called me out here for what? To ask me if I killed your missing classmates? Why? When? Don't worry; if they had anything to do with Quincy's disappearance, I will find them and deliver their corpse to you."

"You don't scare me!"

"I am not here to scare you, Fleur Delacour. I am stating my intentions... anyone who had anything to do with it, I will kill them. You can go and tell it to those who kidnapped her."

"I see... Hogwarts raise same evil that rules your school..." She snorted, wanting to leave when I blurted out a question that came to mind, not expecting the results it had on her.

"How's your sister?" I asked, remembering a flash of her from Fleur's memories and thoughts. It made her stiffen, and whatever else she wanted to say was stuck in her throat. Instead of arguing, she hurriedly turned around and left while I picked out my notebook and wrote in it as fast as I could. "Keep an eye on Fleur. DON'T LOSE HER."

Was she coming with an olive branch originally? I doubt it. She wasn't thrilled with what happened. I could gather that from her memories and feelings, but she wouldn't betray them as she was committed to the thought of eradicating evil. Was she trying to confront or make a deal with me? Should I have told her what happened to their missing students in exchange for news on Quincy? Was that what she wanted? Or was she sent here to ask me about it because nobody could explain where two of their students disappeared? Good, because they can't explain Quincy's disappearance either! Whatever she thought would happen initially was thrown away by now as I watched her quickly disappearing figure.

She was afraid. I felt it, and I realized one thing that never really came through in the lessons we had in school. Fear was a powerful weapon if used well. I think Umbridge was the one who told us something similar in one of her lessons.

"Bitch..." I grumbled, walking back towards the castle myself, keeping an eye on my notebook.

Barely ten minutes had passed when the first message arrived. It detailed that she was seen rushing into their carriage, looking pale and worried. Only five minutes later, she was scurrying out, looking worse for wear, almost sprinting towards Hogsmeade.

"Does anyone know where her sister is?" I wrote, asking, and an answer came back after a minute or so while I changed my route to head into Hogsmeade.

"She is in the village; we saw a group of Beauxbatons walk around Zonko's joke shop."

"Try to lure them out of Hogsmeade before Fleur arrives, and don't let them see each other! I don't care about the methods; just don't let them see each other! I don't need to do you anything else; just make sure they don't meet!"

It seems Merlin himself was on my side today, yet I didn't drink a Felix Felicis either. My little question, which I threw out on a sudden impulse, sent Fleur into a panic... not finding her sister could be the breakthrough I needed.

I was nearing Hogsmeade when a new message appeared in the notebook, making me frown.

"She looked erratic and disappeared inside the Hog's Head... We waited, but she didn't come out, so Liam went in, but she was not there. She couldn't have left; we were watching the pub and its only entrance!"

"You did good... No, you did even better. Keep it under watch! Write down anyone who appears! No matter how they look! I want to know everyone who goes in and comes out!"

When I arrived, I went to the Three Broomsticks and drank butterbeer at the window, reading the messages coming in until dark. She never reappeared in the end, but then came a new report from the castle grounds. She was seen going into the carriage, arguing with her sister so loudly everyone could hear it.

"How did she do it? Invisibility cloak? Were we busted?" Appeared a new message as more and more began popping up.

"Liam, were you seen?"

"Hell no, I was careful!"

"You are Hufflepuff; being careful is not in your vocabulary!"

"Stop it." I wrote down, smiling. "This means that something is hidden in there that can lead to who knows where... There must be multiple entrances in and out that are not as obvious as the front door!"

"Shouldn't we report this to the teachers?" Asked someone, and she had to be a freshman by the handwriting as her letters were still perfectly paced out.

"I am a Death Eater, appointed by Lord Voldemort himself." I 'said,' making sure thick lines and authority accompanied my writing. "When this is all over, and I make a report, I will mention every and all of your families' names. Do you want to be part of this, or should we let the teachers solve it? What? Do you want the Rat-Man to bag the rewards? Which teachers helped me when they took Quincy?" Watching the notebook, nobody was writing, which made my smile grow a little, and I felt confident. "Which teacher helped me then? I waited for the Headmaster, yet he said he couldn't do anything! I went to Professor Slughorn! You all know he favored her, yet he refused to help! What then?!"

"Sorry..."

"No..." I continued, my quill almost tearing up the paper as I was writing, "Think about it more, my friends. Hufflepuff? Ravenclaw? Gryffindor? Slytherin? Who cares... when shit goes down, it is shown we can't trust the Professors! It was a Slytherin student who went missing. It was a Champion of Hogwarts... It was MY WIFE! A Death Eater's family! Just think! If they refuse to help someone like Quincy, like Me, would they care if YOU go missing? Heh! No. They wouldn't!"

"Right... if nobody is willing to look for someone who is important for the school's prestige to win the tournament, why would they bother about anyone else?!" Somebody else wrote it, and I couldn't help but nod at the hurriedly appearing words.

"I promise you this..." I continued, "I will remember every one of you who are in this with me. If you ever run into trouble, I will help. With everything I got."

I don't know how successful my impromptu speech was, but I hoped it would significantly affect them. I need reliable helpers not just now but in the future, too. Whatever is happening in the background, whatever my Father is involved in, I won't be able to do things alone. Otherwise... HE wouldn't need the Death Eaters, either.

...

....
......

Snow was hanging above our heads when December came, but it had not yet come down. I was cursing at the clouds multiple times as we realized that repeating, familiar faces were coming and going from the Hog's Head on a rotation, like people sent on patrols. Something was happening with that place as people were going in, reappearing elsewhere afterward. Apparation? It could be, but then they manage to outplay the warning systems. You can't do it here without a proper license from the Ministry. That would set off all the warnings directly at Lord Voldemort himself! No. There was something different at play, and with a fresh coat of snow, we could look for clues and footprints.

"Hey, Conrad!"

It was Professor Lockhart's voice that pulled me out of my thinking. Looking around in the classroom, I was sitting there alone, biting on the end of my quill.

"Sorry..." I murmured, starting to put my things away, totally not paying attention in his class.

"It's okay..." He shrugged, surprisingly normal, missing all of his jolly attitude since the memory incident. We didn't really speak since then, and it was the first time he approached me on his own accord. "So... I was asking around." He whispered, leaning over my table, making me blink my eyes and rub my ears... He really did?

"And?" I asked, trying to contain my excitement.

"Multiple muggle-born wizards who your Father obliviated and sent back into their world disappeared. I have multiple friends in the Auror division, and they looked into the names I had... All gone."

"I see..." So Father was really part of the Order, and whatever was happening he had a role in it. Did he know about Quincy? I bet not because he wouldn't have let it slide! Nor would he not tell me!

"Something big is happening, and we are in the middle of the eye of it!"

"That I gathered so far, Professor."

"Anyway..." He waved his hand, continuing, "I was speaking with some other friends of mine in Hogsmeade, and they say multiple unfamiliar faces have been popping up constantly. Of course, it is explained with the tournament, but I'm not buying it!"

"How's the two come together?" I asked, furrowing my brows, watching him sigh.

"Look... You know that I was there to monitor your family, yes?"

"Yeah, that is why you are having sex with my mother."

"Err... n-no, we were just, I... I..." He stuttered, not knowing what to say, and that was a first. I couldn't help but laugh, which I hadn't done since Quincy was kidnapped.

"I don't care! My mother never showed any love for me. I. Don't. Care. You can take her away; I would be thanking you instead! But please, Professor... continue!"

"Let's... drop that topic... so! If it comes out that your Father is a... you know what... Then I would be beheaded! Worse! Cruciated into insanity! My life is over!"

"I get that part. So...?"

"I need to get out of the country! I need protection! Fast! I need to speak to your Father! Now, I know you don't know where he is, and neither do I! But... BUT! I found one of the supposedly muggle-born wizards who was dealt with by your Father! Right here in Hogsmeade! If I go there... That can be trouble... but you! My young friend!"

"I got it," I said, standing up, grabbing his hand, and shaking it. "I will do my best!"

"Ah, my boy!" He yelled, hugging me firmly, "I knew we were best mates the moment you arrived at Hogwarts!"

My happiness was twofold... Even if this clue doesn't lead me closer to their secret hideout, it could lead me to my Father. Both would be good...

"Now, Professor! Tell me all you know about this man, and let's go find him!"