Meg, Spawn, and Red Sun stood pale in the Throne Hall of the White Serpent Tower.
They couldn't believe it. They dared not believe it. But the news printed out by the Evening Daily Prophet was glaring right at them.
…
Female, 24, posing as a Reporter; Caught - In confinement at the Ministry of Magic
…
Under the headline, the article went into detail about why such unappealing news made the front page.
Because the said female had been trying to interview Darcie Malfoy.
The news article also showed the reporter's moving picture, with Aurors standing on either side.
Red Sun scratched his head. "Some plan, it was…"
Meg's mouth twitched. She looked at Old Sage standing next to her and her paleness returned.
What was happening? What had they forgotten? They were in the Bounded Field… but why? She could feel an anchor within her soul. It was Soul-Blood Oath. Both Red Sun and Spawn could also sense this oddness, she knew.
It was like the anchor's chains were missing.
It was like the anchor had been cut off from the ship.
It was like the ship had just… disappeared, vanishing into the mist of history.
"There's something…" Meg didn't want to say it. "… something amiss with this situation."
Red Sun, losing his listlessness, had gone serious. A rare occurrence.
"What was the last thing you remember?" he asked Meg.
Meg pressed her brows. "While Darcie needed to go to Diagon Alley, to deepen her influence on the Diagon Alley during the Chess Competition and other festivities… we needed to wait for the development regarding the Cloak of Invisibility."
Old Sage frowned. "Master, why do we always talk about Darcie as if she's one of us?"
They had no answer to that question.
"The Mirror of Erised…"
Meg and Red Sun's head snapped toward Spawn. "Do you remember something?" they asked together.
Spawn shook her head. "I just… know that I wanted to know more about it… from someone… I..."
She wanted to see her son… Meg realized. But how? We have no one at Hogwarts from among us…
Red Sun wasn't that perceptive about these things. He scratched his head, frowning. "The Mirror of Erised… It's not a big deal. No info, but Contestants are known to stand in front of it and see their desire, completing a Milestone. I never heard of something odd happening because of it."
"We can't just wait the oddity out," Spawn said. "Do you remember where we are right now?"
They remembered they were within the Bounded Field.
They remembered the Bounded Field was within a Suitcase.
They remembered the Suitcase was in Hogwarts' Slytherin dormitory.
Everything else… was gone.
Meg nodded, deciding. "I will go out."
*
*
Darcie entered the Headmaster's office in her pajamas.
Madam Villanelle had come and woken her up, alerting her about the sudden summons. Now, the witch was looking grumpier than Darcie, walking behind the girl in her nightgown.
"Good evening, Professors," Darcie greeted Professor Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall.
She then eyed the students. Harry, Ron, and her brother were there, standing in the Professors' shadows.
Lastly, Darcie looked at the Remembrall.
She recognized it.
Wasn't it the same Remembrall that she had lost to Harry and her brother? She frowned.
"I am sorry to call you here on such short notice, Ms Malfoy," Professor Dumbledore apologized with a small smile on his face. Then the smile died. "Much is at stake here, if we are to believe young Harry's words, I am afraid. Let me catch you two up with the situation."
Then Dumbledore told Darcie and Madam Villanelle about Harry's imaginary friend and the odd, but equally real thing they all shared regarding the Remembrall.
Madam Villanelle's eyes narrowed at Harry.
"I hope the children aren't just playing some Christmas joke on us, Professor," she complained. None could deny her doubts because the story was too absurd to believe even from a magical perspective.
It was like someone had performed Obliviate Charm on the entire World save Harry.
Yes. Absurd beyond absurdness. Even for a reincarnated myth like her.
"It's not a story!" Harry shouted, coming to the front. "My friend's missing! Why don't you all believe me?!"
Before things could take a worse turn, Darcie stepped forward. "It doesn't matter," she told Harry. "You want me to hold the ball, right?"
Dumbledore approached Darcie, stretching out his hand.
Suddenly, his eyes landed on the office's entrance. Blackness welled up in his blue eyes and he thundered, "Who's there?!"
They heard the rustling of steps as if someone had begun running.
Dumbledore, the Elder Wand in his hand, almost flew in pursuit.
Madam Villanelle, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape, after coming out of their initial shock, rushed behind the Headmaster, their wands out as well.
Ron and Draco, hungry for some real excitement, ran behind the Professors.
Darcie always carried her wand with her as per the new rules issued by the Ministry of Magic.
The underage magical laws had been relaxed after the Battle of Legends and the Werewolf attack at Hogwarts on Halloween.
Regardless of the new rules or laws, Darcie disliked visiting any place without her Wand.
She turned around, hoping to confront the eavesdropper from a roundabout route. Harry grabbed her shoulder from behind.
Darcie's brows shot up, her wand twitching. She looked over her shoulder. For the first time, she found herself devoid of any reason.
Tears were strolling down Harry's cheeks. "Please… It would only take a moment."
Darcie looked at the place where Harry Potter was pointing at.
In his hurry to catch the eavesdropper, Dumbledore had let the Remembrall go, it seemed. Now, it was lying at the foot of the stairs leading to the Headmaster's table.
Every second wasted here was another second the intruder would use to run away, Darcie knew.
Yet…
Darcie remembered Hermione. She wasn't exactly her friend before, but a fellow Slytherin, nonetheless. Now, the poor girl was staying with Daphne at her home to hide her monstrous transformation from her parents.
If it wasn't for Harry, Ron, and Draco, then who knew what could have happened that night?
Darcie let out a sigh. She shrugged, making Harry's hand slip off her shoulder. "Don't touch me so casually, Mr. Potter," she warned, planting her poisonous, green eyes on him. "I will humor your request. Once."
Darcie walked off and stood above the Remembrall.
She couldn't believe she was doing this… wasting her time over a boy's ridiculous tale. She could still hear the sobs, though, and that made her feel pity for Harry.
Darcie reached down and touched the Remembrall.
…
Harry's face went from pale to pink in a matter of moments.
He knew it! He knew it!
The Remembrall was letting out red smoke!
Darcie Malfoy also forgot about Black! Harry almost laughed through the sobs. Now they would believe him. Now they would all believe him.
"See!" Harry said, taking large steps toward Darcie. "See! I told you…"
Harry's words got stuck in his throat as if someone had choked him.
Darcie Malfoy had lifted her head to look at him, but…
Those eyes belonged to someone else!
**************
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