A Dance In The Moonlight

Chapter Ninty-Nine- Arcturus Gaunt

London in the Winter is like being surrounded by flowers in the summer. Beautiful but annoying. Busy people had shuffled past us as we all made our way to the park we were to meet at. Way too obvious for my taste but I wasn't the one in charge. Technically Edward was and none of us had a problem letting him hear about it. The park was blanketed in snow with no children in sight. Only the occasional person passing by while walking their dog. The sun was barely coming up but it didn't matter since the clouds blocked out any sort of light.

"Where is everyone?" I asked Ominis, the only person with me.

"I don't know. Perhaps they got lost?" He answered with more worry in his tone than anything else.

Ominis and I getting lost was a definite possibility since he was blind and I was clueless. Even Poppy, Garreth, and Professor Sharp was possible. Edward and Sebastian though? Definitely unlikely. Just as I was about to call out for a search party, the rest of the groups arrived with only Professor Sharp looking obnoxiously tired.

"Great! I'm glad we're all here. No one was followed?" Edward asked, looking around to see as if someone would announce they were.

"No. Now what's our mission?" I quickly asked, already wanting everything to be over with.

"Three people apparently have some insider information for us. We'll divide and conquer, splitting into groups of two. Professor Sharp will go with Garreth and Merlina to the Benjo Pub. Ominis and I shall go to the same cafe I took you to during the summer. Poppy and Sebastian... go to Temple Bar. Your informer will be here shortly at 8. Do we have our understandings?" Edward asked.

I could already see Poppy wanting to argue and the vein popping out of Professor Sharp's forehead. Still, I place my trust in Edward. Even if it wasn't completely warranted. We split off in our directions with Garreth and Professor Sharp following closely behind me. Benjo Pub wasn't too far from where we were so we could just walk all the way there.

"Merlina... how are you feeling?" Professor Sharp asked while walking.

"Completely annoyed but as soon as we finish with the Puppeteer, things will hopefully go back to normal." I admitted, never taking my eyes off of the person walking in front of me.

"Do you think Minister Spavin will give us medals or something?" Garreth daydreamed, completely loosing track of the task ahead of us.

"I'm just surprised you passed the potions NEWT. Consider yourself blessed there Garreth."

"That is totally unfair Aesop!" Garreth shouted. I didn't need to turn to know the vein popping out of Professor Sharp's forehead had reappeared.

We had arrived and could see through the window only one man sat at a table. Professor Sharp gasped and quickly grabbed both mine and Garreth's hands, dragging us around the corner of the pub.

"We are... totally fucked." Professor Sharp quickly spoke.

Could it be the fact that he spoke foul language or the sweat clearly dripping from his forehead that worried me? Professor Sharp was a man who could only be described as calm and collected. Nothing bothered this man yet seeing the lonely stranger in the pub did.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"That's... That is... Ominis' father."

Both mine and Garreth's jaw dropped. I didn't get a good enough look at him but why would he act as an informant? Perhaps he would want to give us false information. I didn't know much about Arcturus Gaunt but I knew that he was one to hold true power despite coming from a long line of incest and that he thought highly of only pure bloods.

"Merlina... you're going to have to go in alone." Professor Sharp informed.

"What? Why me? You do know I'm a half blood, correct?"

"Yes, I know. He knows my face and will instantly not want to speak. Garreth, on the other hand, is too immature to handle him. Perhaps lie and say you're Morgana. Maybe he doesn't know how she looks."

I couldn't argue with that logic. Besides, if he found out I was lying, he couldn't kill me in front of the muggles. The Ministry would be here quicker than finishing the spell. I took a deep inhale and walked back out on the pavement before pushing the black wooden door open.

The place smelled of dust and depression. Simple black wooden furniture to match the black bar with a sad looking bartender behind it. The walls had paper already peeling and stripped in shades of a dark purple and black with the floors made of brown wood.

Arcturus Gaunt was bald with a pig like nose. Despite what I had always imagined he would look like, he was almost identical to Ominis. Even down to the mole placement. The only differences were his dark brown eyes and feet larger than any I had ever seen before. His hand wrapped around the metal tankard of whatever he was drinking and brought it up to his thin lips before he noticed me at the door. The minute his eyes made contact with mine, I could feel my legs go stiff and a cold chill run up my spine. A smile peeked from the edges of the tankard before he slammed it down on the table.

"Come on girl. I know who's behalf you're here for." He demanded, speaking loud as if we had nothing to worry about. I hesitated for only a moment before realizing just who I was in front of. The man who tried to tear Ominis and I apart. Quickly getting myself together, I pulled the chair opposite of him out and sat in it. "You want anything to drink? You're paying."

"No, I'm fine. What I want is information about-"

"Woah woah. I'm guessing your mother and father didn't teach you manners? Who are you anyway?"

"Morgana Avery" I lied, gaining a side glance from him before he started to laugh.

"You chose the wrong pureblood to impersonate. I actually know that one so try again." He took another sip after speaking his words but there was no point in lying to him.

"Merlina Wood"

His ears twitched hearing my name and he stopped his chugging, as if thinking whether I was lying or not. He knew my name and knew of me. I didn't care how he felt any longer. I had both Ominis and Sebastian Sallow in the palms of my hands, waiting hand and foot for my every desire. Arcturus Gaunt set his tankard down and looked me up and down, as if finally putting a face to the name.

"I understand now why that damn bastard was so adamant to get out of his engagement to Morgana. He's not good enough for the Gaunt blood but he's definitely better than mixing our precious blood with the likes of you."

"Is that supposed to offend me? Your son is the only Gaunt's opinion I care about. Either you can tell me what information you have for the Ministry or I can walk out and-"

"Fine fine. Tell that old kook that Morgana and the Puppeteer are planning on taking over Hogwarts. Also tell him they want you."

"Why the hell would they want me?"

"You're the only one who seems to know where this magic storage thing is."

The repository? Why must all things lead back to that damn repository? If I could move it or at least make it smaller, I would just so I can stop hearing of it.

"Is that it?" I asked, trying to be calm and collected like Professor Sharp.

"Is... Is that it? I just told you that they're taking over your precious school and you ask if that's it? Your generation can be so disrespectful." Arcturus Gaunt spat out.

It shout have been it. I should have gotten up and just left. I couldn't leave though knowing everything I know. How he treats Ominis. How he tried to force Ominis into marriage like he was literal royalty. How he apparently had eyes on us all summer.

"No. One more thing. You ever even think about hurting Ominis again, I'll make you regret it. I may not be a pureblood but that doesn't mean I'm against performing certain spells on people who hurt the ones I love." I threatened.

No response was needed from him because frankly, I didn't care whether or not he believed me. I just stood up and walked out of that pub. I know he said I was to pay for his drinks but they were his and not mine. He could pay for them himself. I made my back into the alley where Professor Sharp and Garreth stood.

"You need to get back to Hogwarts tonight."