Chapter 315 - Walden Macnair? (1/2)
It was near sundown when the figure of Albus Dumbledore made his way through Hogsmeade. Given that it was a fine evening there were plenty of residents outside of their homes enjoying the cooling air. Children were laughing as they flew their broom, while others chased fireflies and the like. It was a fine summer evening indeed.
Loud boisterous voices could be heard from the Hog Head Inn as Dumbledore made his way around the back. A spotted goat let out a loud cry in recognition. The goat snuffled towards the edge of the wooden pen and squeezed its head through the bars. Dumbledore lets out a soft chuckle and gives the goat a quick scratch under the chin, before heading over to the back door.
Dumbledore loudly knocked twice and waited. Not long after the bartender with long, stringy gray hair and match beard glares at him with blue colored eyes hidden behind spectacles. ”You're late, Albus!” Aberforth Dumbledore snapped as Albus Dumbledore made his way past his younger brother.
Aberforth slammed the door shut, before making his way back to the bar. He'd have to find a way to leave for a few minutes without anyone breaking into the barrels. Luckily, he had a new charm for that. With an evil gleam in his eyes, Aberforth returned to the bar.
Dumbledore quickly made his way upstairs and gently pushed the door open to reveal the six figures from the first meeting with the exception of Aberforth, who was not present for the moment. ”My apologies for the tardiness this evening, I was delayed as I was sorting my apprentices,” Dumbledore said causing quite a bit of surprise among those present.
”Apprentices?” Said, the elderly hunched up bald wizard, Elphias Doge. ”I had heard from Madam Marchbanks that the Prince twins had passed the C.S.A.E. exam with flying colors. I wasn't aware they had applied for an apprenticeship with you, Albus.”
”Their grandfather did,” Dumbledore replied as he took the vacant seat across from Doge.
The square-jawed man with dark hair furrows his brow. ”The Prince twins, huh?” Edgar Bones remarked with a bit of a frown. ”And that is not at all suspicious given the Prince's statement on their heritage.”
Doge snorts and says, ”I know what you're thinking, Auror Bones. But it's not some cunning Slytherin ploy on behalf of the Prince's to remain in the public's good graces. And Madam Marchbanks prior to my decision had indeed spoken to me in regard to that the Prince twins were already crackling with power. For very good reason their grandfather forced them into the apprenticeship. Being only fourteen they're much too young to already be awakening to their full powers. The two of them need to be grounded for everyone's wellbeing.”
”Is that normal?” Asked, the handsome redhead, Gideon Prewett.
”Normally, no,” the rugged Alastor Moody replied to the surprise of many. ”But in circumstances where a certain family is quite powerful as the Prince's, a certain set of circumstances can force the child in question to awaken much earlier than previously anticipated.”
Gideon's eyes widen in understanding as his large-nosed brother, Fabian Prewett says, ”Witnessing their grandmother's death.”
”Aye,” Alastor regretfully said. ”The two of them were in the second row sitting next to the Black's and their aunt. They witnessed everything.”
There is an awkward bout of silence until Edgar clears his throat and says, ”My apologies Professor Dumbledore it was not my intention to suggest anything otherwise.”
Dumbledore waves his hand and says, ”Then shall we get to the matters at hand, gentlemen?”
”Nothing for my brother and I,” Fabian replied as Gideon nodded his head in agreement. ”All we've got is the usual whispers, but the underworld's been rather quiet as of late too. But then again with the World Quidditch Cup around the corner, they're probably concentrating on smuggling right now.” The men in the room nod in understanding as they turn to glance at the Bones brothers.
The lighter brown-haired Jacques Bones says, ”Ignoring the Quidditch Cup, the other ongoing topic among the Ministry members is that of the Cure, which has all of the foreign diplomats and including potion guilds of the rest of the wizarding world eagerly vying to receive the cure early, before the other. I've even heard that Master Belby is up for receiving the medal of Merlin of the First Order. And since, actual descendants of Merlin have been found to still exist there are whispers that Reginald Prince will be brought in to stand alongside the Minister of Magic.”
”That is to be expected,” Doge sniffed as he wiped his nose with a hankie due to summer allergies. ”Nothing on my end beyond that the single attacker is to be sentenced tomorrow. He'll be going to Azkaban for certain. I'm just not sure about how many years it'll be for.”
”Yes, well he was part of a group that killed two members of two powerful families and a fourteen-year-old. Neither the public nor the Wizengamot will have any sympathy for him,” Gideon frankly said.