Chapter 214: Round Two? Undefeated (1/2)
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The link is also in the synopsis.
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”Finally,” said Quinn with a gleeful smile on his face, ”finally on the last chapter.. . just a few more pages and I would be finished.”
He sat behind his office desk with Stigweard Gragg's biography in front of him. With no other clue on how to proceed with the pedestal in the Architect's vault, Quinn had chosen to focus on the only lead he had — the biography and had taken upon himself to comb through every paragraph, sentence, phrase, and word written to find some hint, any hint on how to proceed inside the vault.
And how he was on the last chapter after an arduous process of analyzing every page, chapter, and section of the book to see if there was something hidden in words — he even went as far as to check the book for the magic to see if it was hiding something, but no, there was nothing weaved into the book other than preservation charms and traces of shelf-life elongating potions that the pages had been soaked into.
In the dozens and dozens of chapters Quinn had read, he hadn't found a single clue or mention regarding the vault. Yet Quinn was happy; in no way did he think that this book was going to help him — he was simply happy that he would be able to cross this book out of plausible helping resources and proceed to the next step-of-action — finding Architect's tomb and go grave-digging to find the clue.
”I better find a zombie so that I can bash his head in to release some irritation,” he smiled while humming a tune. Finally, with one hand on the book and the other hand holding a pen over a sheet of paper, he began reading the last chapter.
But even before his fountain pen's nip could touch the paper and stain it with its glossy black ink, Quinn sighed as he sensed someone out of his office. He closed the book, capped the pen, and put aside his research material just in time to hear the bell chime.
He got up to greet his client/guests.
”Welcome to AID, how may we help you today.. .. Quidditch!”
Angelina Johnson, Roger Davies, and Cedric Diggory, who had entered the office, stopped at the sudden exclamation.
”What?” asked Roger Davies.
”You guys are here for Quidditch,” said Quinn, then nodded, satisfied with his guess.
”.. . Yes, how did you know?” asked Cedric.
”Three Quidditch captains stepping into my office at the same time, the balance of probabilities dictate as such,” said Quinn as he sat down back on his chair and gestured for them to take a seat as well.
”So, what seems to be the problem,” asked Quinn; of course, he could guess what they want to talk about.
”The problem,” sighed Roger.
”It's Umbitch,” hissed Angelina acidly.
”Who else could it be?” said Cedric putting on a wry smile.
”Of course, of course, the usual, huh; the High Inquisitor sucking the fun out of Hogwarts,” said Quinn chuckling.
”Yes,” Roger rubbed his forehead, ”she has allowed the Slytherin team to exist, and they have been practically practicing every free slot they can get at the field.. . which because of Umbridge's ban on us is any time they want, as long as they want.. .”
”We're sure that we will be able to get the teams reinstated eventually,” said Angelina, ”but it might be too late by then.. . we would be lacking practice, and the Slytherin team would have too much practice,” she stared deeply at Quinn, ”we need to get this ban lifted as soon as possible.”
”I have tried a lot from my side,” said the Headboy, ”but no matter what I do, Umbridge isn't budging — every time I try, she cites academics and grades as the reason for refusal.”
”Hmm.. .” Quinn went silent for a few seconds, and the three captains waited with bated breath — ”Can you get the support of the House Heads?” he asked.
”Is that even a question?” said Roger.
”Ever since Umbitch stepped into Hogwarts,” continued Cedric.
”She is willing to rebel,” added Angelina.
Quinn chuckled as he nodded, ”Alright, that is great for you guys.. . Now, all I want you guys to do is gather signatures from a majority of people from all three houses.. . If you do that, then I'm willing to guarantee that I will have all three teams un-banned the very next day you get me the signatures.”
”You don't really believe that showing signatures from us 'lowly' students will move the 'High Inquisitor,' do you?” said Angeline, sceptical about Quinn's promise and methods.
”Of course not,” said Quinn laughing at the absurdity of the thought, ”but the thing is, negotiation isn't a science; it's a strategic conflict, it's persuasion, and persuasion is an art — negotiation means getting the best of your opponent, and it's unwise to take anything personally during,” he chuckled, ”and with Umbridge's big personality, I'm not sure if she's capable of it.. . even if she's, I don't think she would be able to be objective when I'm sitting in front of her.”
”She doesn't like you very much, does she,” said Cedric.
”No, she doesn't,” smiled Quinn, ”from what I've heard from the Ministry; she is in the works to somehow update Educational Decree Twenty-Four, which is blocking you guys to change the definition of Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs from three student bodies down to two student bodies.. . but that isn't going to work, is it? Even she can't stop two people from talking and doing an activity together.”
Quinn was a sixth-year this year, and this was AID's fifth year of operation; in all that time, he had handed out plenty of favors, helped a ton of students, and made many 'friends' — students who had graduated from Hogwarts and were now working in all parts of society — several of Quinn's 'friends' had joined the Ministry as their careers as such Quinn had contacts in Ministry who could provide him with information.
”Are you sure this is going to work?” asked Angelina, still a little doubtful.
”It's going to work,” said Quinn relaxed, ”you just need to get me those signatures.”
”We can do that,” said Cedric, ”I will work with the willing Prefects to streamline this — I'm guessing.. . it will take a couple of days for the stack of signatures to be in your hands.”
”Excellent,” said Quinn smiling, ”you guys can relax now and start working on building your teams — I will have the Quidditch season started in no time.”
After thanking him, the three captains left, and of course, Quinn asked them to help him out in return in the future. When he had started AID, Quinn had only aimed to increase his influence inside Hogwarts and hadn't thought of the future after that, but after the first 'batch' of his debtees left Hogwarts, he realized that his network had now expanded up from the closed-world of Hogwarts to the big, open, real world.
”Now, let's continue,” he took out the Architect's biography and his pen and paper.
Time passed in silence with only the clock's ticking and turning of pages audible in the room. After a while, Quinn finally capped his pen, neatly stacked his notes, and then raised them up high in the air, as high as his hand could reach up.
And then.. . the flash-burned into nothingness, not even ashes remained.
”I hate this guy,” he said, ”I absolutely hate this guy.”
The Architect's biography — which Quinn was now sure was an Autobiography — was open on his book and on the second last page of the book, in tiny font, written on the last line of that page was.. .
「Magic of Earth shall let the Mast sink and reveal the Secret.」
It was utterly unrelated to the contents on the page, and if someone didn't know the context, they wouldn't understand the line — but Quinn was different, he knew the context, and he knew it well.
Quinn groaned. He had spent a lot of time analyzing the Autobiography — more time he had spent on some magic books — but all his hard work was for naught as it turned out that he only needed to read one single line.
”Nasty bastard wasting all my time,” he grumbled heatedly. And the biography wasn't even interesting; Stigweard Gragg might have been a great Architect, but he couldn't write for shit.
”Alright, calm down, calm down,” sighed Quinn, ”he's dead, dead for centuries.. . don't let the dead guy rile you up.. . I'm the best, he sucks, I'm the best, he sucks.. .. that's right.”
He finally calmed down.
”Damn, Earth magic, huh,” but then he grinned, ”oh boy, it's time to buy new books! Such a treat!”
He got up and exited the office, heading towards his dormitory. He needed to see what he had and what more he needed.
”I love the Architect!”
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- (Scene Break) -
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A few days passed, and as promised, Quinn had signatures from seventy-five percent of the school. A big majority of Slytherin refused to sign because it had nothing to do with them, and they knew that the more time the other three teams remained disbanded, the greater chances would have at winning.
Of course, as expected, students from the three houses refused to sign, fearing retaliation from Umbridge.
”We thought there would be more,” said Cedric as he, along with Angelina and Roger, walked with Quinn as they walked to the Headmaster's office.
”This is more than enough,” said Quinn, flipping through the sheets they had given him this morning, updating the information in his hands of who signed and who didn't. He did notice a few names he was expecting to see in the list but were missing.