"There's the Harry I remember, just beneath the surface. I'll see you tomorrow, Harry," she smiled, then, after a moment's hesitation, darted forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
As Hermione opened the wall and ran inside, all Harry could do was stare dumbly after her, moving a hand to that spot on his cheek. He saw her have a brief word with the barman and then bolt upstairs. That's when he realized, they already had a room.
'Huh,' Harry thought. 'Apparently people plan these things after all .'
...
He found it much easier to evade the man's probing questions about what happened after he left than it usually was. Perhaps Lester didn't really want to know. Then again, without his trusty Concealer in his hand Barchoke felt much less forthcoming. Lester was less than sympathetic about his loss.
"Just be glad he smashed the orb and not your skull," he said in a low voice. "He's not someone to poke. I'm surprised everyone got out of the room alive to be honest."
Barchoke fiddled with the inside pocket of his suit so as to avoid having to say anything; he would have to get it mended, his dagger kept threatening to slip out. There might've been easier ways to turn off the Concealer than breaking it but Gutripper wasn't known for his subtlety. He supposed he shouldn't really complain, it wasn't something to shave your head over - though he technically couldn't do that without removing his own scalp. Besides, everyone had more to think about than him at the moment so they should be fine.
"Abnormalities like it pop up from time to time," Barchoke said with a wave, getting back to business as they walked by the Halfwit's statue. "Who knows why it happens. Forget about it, it's not relevant to the case, but Bumblebee Press most certainly is and I really want to get in Marsh's face and tear him a new-"
"Trace amounts of magic have shown up before, sure, even whole runic structures somehow, but the same unknown abnormality popping up with both Dumbledore and the boy?" Lester pressed in a whisper. "You heard what the man said; there's something strange about the boy's blood and it sounds like the old man knows what it is. I don't like him knowing something I don't; it smells wrong."
"Speaking of blood," Barchoke said, changing the subject that wasn't going to go anywhere as they turned down the Hereditary hallway. "Why didn't you mention the Will? Because of Sirius Black?"
"It's bound to be a sore subject for him," Lester said. "You didn't go anywhere near it either. I trust Moody, but I'd prefer to have it in my hand just to be sure; I should be getting it tomorrow, and with the Ida Beeman angle I've got someone else I'd like to pin down for corroboration - if I can find her."
Running steps from behind them made them stop short and turn as Overseer Alkrat skid around the corner with a large file in his hands.
"Ah! The Barchoke," the odd goblin cried warmly.
That made him nervous. Why was he being so friendly? He'd never even seen him in this hallway before.
"I was just to be leaving when heard you wanted," he said, handing over the file with a smile. "But who know when you get if I go - so I deliver. You know," the strange foreign goblin said conspiratorially, "if someone be wanting the keeping of files in one place for the security and things - I would not be fighting on this."
Alkrat held his hands up in front of him with an expression saying he couldn't care less. "I go now," he said, turning to walk away. At the end of the hallway he turned back. "We should be talking restructure of the overseas, it's very old. But-but-but later. I go Cairo."
When the oddball finally left, he shared a baffled look with Lester.
"That's the strangest goblin I've ever met," Barchoke said.
"That's saying something, coming from you. What'd he even give-," Lester cut off when he saw the file name. "That's Bumblebee Press."
"I knew it - they're spying on me," the Overseer mumbled, looking around everywhere before backing towards his office door. "You called me paranoid."
"Just because they're spying on you doesn't mean they're out to get you," Lester tried to say reassuringly.
"What else could it possibly mean?" he asked, fumbling with the door handle.
With a thunk! a dagger embedded in the door just inches from his hand. As Lester flattened against the wall Barchoke saw Overseer Gutripper coming towards him and tried not to wet himself.
.....
Want to read ahead. Then Join my P@treon 60+ exclusive chapters that are waiting for you.
Free members can get 2 advanced chapters FOR FREE.
Link: ptreon.com/Lotus_Lover
Join Right Now