A Dance In The Moonlight

Chapter Eighty-One- Azkaban Again

Professor Sharp and I had arrived at the entrance of Azkaban once more with a familiar face waiting. Edward stood, leaning against the wall with a pipe hanging out of his mouth. Unlike Hogwarts, Azkaban was cold and wet with the sound of saltwater waves crashing against the building. The smell of salt mixed with death could make anyone nauseous but I tried my best to swallow my spit.

"Hello there Professor Sharp and... and Merlina." Edward spoke with a smirk before putting out his pipe.

"When did you become a smoker?" I asked, pointing at it.

"What can I say? Once you've seen what I have, you don't go back. Right Aesop?" Edward nudged Professor Sharp who was giving him the same look he gives Garreth anytime he's in class.

"Anyways... what cell is Harlow in? And where are the dementors?" I asked, looking around.

"They're on the top floor and he's on the second next to anyone who supported the cause. Let's go quick before they come back. They've been told of us and not to attack but who knows if they will listen."

Edward was right. Both Professor Sharp and I nodded and despite Edward being the official Ministry worker, Professor Sharp led the way. Up cold stone steps, I could hear water dripping from the ceiling above us until we reached the second floor. As we walked down the cells, men and women alike began catcalling or even taunting us as if that would help them escape.

Once we passed a cell, I realized it was Harlow. He wasn't as big as I remembered. He looked frail- weak even. As if he hadn't eaten in years. You could see his spine despite being fully clothed. The only thing still big was his nose. He turned his attention to me and just his eyes sent rays of chills up and down my skin, making my hairs rise. Harlow flashed a crazed smile, showing all his teeth to be yellow and starting to rot.

"Why if it ain't the little cunt that got me in this place? Where's your little friend? Onai right?" Harlow taunted, creeping up on me slowly.

"She and I don't talk as often anymore. I need to ask you a couple questions Harlow and you're going to answer them." I demanded, trying to sound brave despite feeling the fear creep into every vein.

He could smell it. I heard him laugh madly before running up and wrapping his pale fingers around the ice cold metal. Harlow stuck out his tongue and widened his eyes before laughing even harder.

"Are you now? And who's going to make me? The little fucker who's barely got control of his dick or the old man about to loose control of it?"

"Are you one to really be talking? I'm fairly certain you're older than me." I could hear Professor Sharp mutter.

"Who is the one really in charge? The one you and Rookwood answered to?" Edward asked in a stern voice only to receive laughter.

"We answered to no one. The old bat thought we did but we used her as much as she used us. How else would we have been able to start up the dragon fighting rings?"

"So the Puppeteer is a woman? Edward; this confirms it's not Headmaster Black! I really can't believe she's been pulling the strings for this long."

I took a few steps away from Harlow to look around and keep an eye out for any dementors. I wasn't planning on waiting around to see if one would attack us or not. The taunts began to rise in volume, knowing we were giving attention to Harlow and not them.

"Puppeteer eh? I'm sure she will love that name." Harlow responded, laughing even more mad than before.

"And the missing students? Is she behind them as well?" Professor Sharp asked, his nose touching the bars.

Edward and I both gave our full attention to him before glancing at one another, asking if the other knew. What missing students was Professor Sharp going on about? Harlow laughed to the point of his sides hurting as if Sharp told him the funniest joke in existence.

"She finally did it eh? Then it's already begun and you're too late."

"Too late for what Harlow? Answer me!" I responded quickly, getting as close as Sharp was.

Harlow didn't hesitate to react, gripping onto my arm. His hands felt as cold as snow, yanking it towards him. He put my sleeve up and there lied the scar Morgana had given me last year. I was branded a squib for eternity despite having the most powerful magic in centuries. No matter how much Sharp tried to yank it out of his grasp, Harlow pulled harder. For someone who looked so weak and fragile, I was shocked he still had his strength.

"She's branded you now too. It won't be long until you go missing as well. Such a shame I'm not going to be able to see whatever the cocksucker that buys you will do to you." Harlow spat out.

I was finally able to release my arm, stumbling back. His laughter echoed the halls, giving it an even more chilling ambience. Professor Sharp was frozen white in fear. He clearly knew whatever the hell Harlow was speaking of.

"Uh... Sharp? We need to get Merlina out of here now." Edward pointed at the end of the hall. We all turned our glances and coming directly towards us were four dementors.

"Expecto patronum!" I shouted, casting my albatross to fly directly towards them.

It's blue glowing wingspan could scare any creature. We didn't wait long to try and start running down the stairs. Even while running, Harlow's voice taunted us and started riling up the entire prison. Even on the floor below, we could hear his maniacal laughter.

"The day of a pureblood nation is upon us! She spoke only of the truth!"

Professor Sharp grabbed both mine and Edward's hands tightly. What was once Azkaban was now shifting around us until we stood on the cobbled streets of Hogsmeade. People around us exchanged a few glances before continuing their own conversations, clearly unbothered by our presence.

"Come, we must get out of the public eye." We followed Professor Sharp until arriving in a tight alleyway surrounded by bushes and houses. Not a single soul in sight.

"Sir, why did you go white back there? Do you know what Harlow is speaking of? And when did students start to go missing at Hogwarts?" I started asking him question after question, bombarding him with whatever new thing popped into my head until Edward slammed his hand upon my mouth.

"Start talking Sharp." Edward demanded in a tone I had never seen upon him. Serious and gaze sharp like a dagger.

"When I first started working for the Ministry, there were rumors surrounding an underground blackmarket of purebloods buying squibs to turn them into house slaves. There's been no proof of the sort but Harlow may have just given us a confirmation of it's existence. As for the missing students, it started the second week of classes. Ten missing with eight of them being muggleborn first years." Professor Sharp explained.

"And you're just telling us this? Why doesn't the Ministry know?!" Edward started to scold.

"They do know. We reached out to them after the third student. They seem to believe the students are just lost in the Forbidden Forest or running back home. They won't do anything more until more students disappear."

Silence stood between the three of us. I should have known somehow that this would be happening. Suddenly, I remembered what my friends were supposed to be doing today. I knew I would get them in trouble if I told Sharp but he needed to know. Especially if Morgana is one of the people helping to kidnap the missing kids.

"Professor Sharp! Sebastian and Garreth have been following Morgana all day to see what she knows! We need to get there before-"

"Right. Edward- see if you can be stationed here at Hogwarts. I fear if what Harlow says is true, we are going to have a mass of missing students this year."

Edward nodded and didn't bother to bud a farewell but just apparated out of sight. Soon, I was flying on a broom with Professor Sharp holding tightly onto me. Thoughts of the most dangerous scenarios popped into my head of what Morgana could know or be possibly doing to my friends. Still, one could hope Sebastian and Garreth aren't that idiotic to get caught.