Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

Circles Within Circles

Dracaena and Sebastian stared up and down the corridor, Ominis sweeping the area with his wand.

"Where'd he go?" Sebastian said. "Disillusionment?"

"No," Ominis said. "I can't sense him. There's no one here but us."

"But..." Dracaena turned a circle. "He can't have just vanished!"

"I'm starting to get the feeling there's a lot he can do," Sebastian said, darkly. "Look, let's not hang about. Reckon they'd mind if we used one of the fireplaces to floo back to Hogwarts? I don't think they'll have been nice enough to order a carriage for our way home."

"I doubt they'd let us," Ominis said, leading the way towards the stairs. He reached back for Dracaena's hand, and she grasped it, taking Sebastian's arm as well. "Do you really think he altered the records for me?"

"Why would he lie? If he hadn't, this place would be crawling with people looking for you," Sebastian said, lowering his voice as they began to ascend the stairs, passing a few Ministry workers, who paid them no attention whatsoever. "He really wanted us to stop looking, and removing the information to hold over our heads as a threat that he could bring it back makes sense."

"I don't like it," Dracaena said, her brow furrowing. "I don't want to stop."

"Regardless of what you want, we have to," Ominis said, tightening his grip on her hand. "I'm not about to turn my nose up at such an offer if it means we're all kept safe."

"He seemed especially keen on you stopping the search, love," Sebastian said, eyeing her. "He said so."

She frowned. "But why me? We're all involved, he shouldn't have singled me out."

"He did, though," Ominis said, frowning. "Perhaps it's because he knows of your tenacity when it comes to solving problems like this."

"Maybe," she said, unconvinced. "He knew something about my magic, maybe that's what worried him. I hope he doesn't know exactly what I can do." She shot a glower at Sebastian, who grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck. "Provided he didn't put two and two together because of someone's big mouth."

"Sorry," he said. "I thought he knew. But maybe Ancient Magic's got something to do with this." They crossed the atrium towards the Visitor's Entrance, lowering their voices. "Maybe that's why he doesn't want you looking."

"Could be," she said, glancing around them for any sign of the strange, wild-looking man.

They left the Ministry, winding through the streets of London to the Leaky Cauldron, the tiny, smoky pub crowded with wizards and witches.

"Shall we stop for a butterbeer?" Sebastian asked, peering through the crowd for a spare seat.

"I'd rather just get back to Hogwarts," Ominis said, with a shiver. "I just hope Fotheringham makes good on his promise to..." he moved his wand over the crowd. "Well. You know."

"I hope so too," Dracaena said, pulling them towards the fireplace, where a flowerpot of glittering Floo powder sat waiting. "If we're quick, we might even catch him at the castle, we might be able to spy on him and see what he does." She took a pinch of powder and threw it into the fire, turning the flames green, before stepping into them and declaring "Hogwarts Central Hall," in a clear voice.

Soon enough, they were all huddled at the top of the stairs, watching the students milling around, heading to class. There was no sign of Fotheringham at all.

"We could still make it to Charms," Sebastian said, with a low laugh. "I'm sure Ronen's got piles of homework to give us for the holidays."

"Might as well," Dracaena sighed, scanning the crowd, her shoulders slumping. "Reckon we've got time to head back to our dorms and change?"