Legacy Disowned - Book 2

Chapter 2 - What Comes Next

Maggie trudged up the stairs towards the 7th floor. Sebastian and Ominis followed silently behind, the events of last night weighing heavily on all their minds. Another dead end. Another cold trail. Maggie knew they were running out of leads on the Ashwinders. There was still Rookwood's family, of course, but the idea of harassing potentially innocent people who had nothing to do with his criminal activity didn't sit well with her.

No, she was quite certain she knew what their next move should be, and she didn't like it. The man she suspected as Rookwood's silent backer was their best bet. She hadn't shared this theory with the boys. Poking around into his affairs would be far more dangerous than raiding Ashwinder camps and the thought of that man knowing she now had people she cared about sent shivers down her spine.

As they reached the 7th floor they began their familiar pacing in front of the blank stretch of wall, until finally the ornately carved door materialised.

They had barely stepped inside when Deek came running up in a panic. "Oh thank goodness you are back!"

"Sorry if we worried you, Deek," Maggie replied quickly. "We just decided to camp out for the night."

"It is not that, Miss Darling," Deek insisted. "Deek has been asked to deliver a message. The Headmaster has requested you three report to his office. You are to be there in just ten minutes."

"Ugh, so much for taking a load off," Sebastian grumbled, while Ominis let out an exasperated sigh and the three of them turned right back around.

As disgruntled as the others were Maggie couldn't deny feeling a strange thrill at the prospect of finally being invited to the headmaster's office. "I wonder what he wants," she mused aloud, her mind whirring with curiosity.

"Probably has something to do with those O.W.L.s," Ominis grumbled, "It's about the right time for them to be delivered."

Maggie laughed. "Oh, yeah! I totally forgot about those."

The gargoyle guarding the entrance spiralled open at their approach, clearly it had been expecting them.

"Let's see what he wants," Sebastian said warily as he lead the way up, the other two filing in behind him.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, they stepped into the headmaster's office, revealing Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black seated at his desk, travelling cloak draped over his chair.

"Ah, you're here," he said briskly. "Please, have a seat."

Maggie hesitated only for a moment before she dropped into one of the chairs opposite the Headmaster, propping her feet up on his desk insolently.

Black's eye twitched but he didn't comment on her lack of decorum.

"Let's get straight to the point, shall we?" he said, as the boys took seats on either side of her. "I have your O.W.L. results, and there are a few things I'd like to discuss with the three of you before the start of term."

Sebastian frowned, his brow furrowing. "Doesn't the head of house usually handle this? Shouldn't we be speaking with Professor Ronen to choose N.E.W.T. classes?"

"Indeed," Black replied, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "However, the Gaunt family has expressed a vested interest in Mr. Gaunt's academic performance, and Miss Darling is a special case. As for you, Mr. Sallow... you were just here."

Sebastian looked a bit grumpy at being dismissed as an afterthought, and Maggie did her best not to chuckle at the look on his face.

"If there are no more pointless questions," said Black, picking up a stack of envelopes from his desk. "Here are your results."