Chapter 22

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Orion looked around the study, observing the boxes that he had opened. Books, inks, pins, old and broken artefacts- simple things. 

Until he pulled out the books and discovered long lost family grimoires from the Malfoy's, Blacks, Potters, Gaunts, Nott, Ollivander and Prewett. There's ancient books from ancient times- from when the Roman's invaded Britain- from as far back as 600 B.C. 

It's ancient things like this that people had forgotten. His brother hadn't been a person to leave such valuable things untouched. They were made to be seen, learnt and understood. So had he left the files in his study as a fool safe to ensure that they were found should he fail?

"Salazar is there anything here of value?" 

"You will have to be a tad bit more specific. There's nothing in here that doesn't have value. Even the inks are invisible inks or blood inks. 

Orion reaches into a box and pulls out some red ink and looks at the label- 

Borgin and Burkes  Blood Ink. 

"Merlin..." He puts the inks down and tries to come to a conclusion why he'd need blood ink of all things. "Revelio," he whispers and blue magic creeps around the room-  and suddenly everything was glowing blue and he frowns. That isn't- 

A box catches his eye. Underneath the desk in a flat hole at the back. 

He cancels the spell, casts a lumos and get's on his hands and knees to pull out the box and drag it towards him. 

What on earth was it, was the question. 

It had so many spells on it that it took Orion hour to individual unlock each and everyone and Salazar had to help him out thrice with parseltongue before the thick black lid finally unlocked, springing slightly ajar. 

Orion furrows his brow as he opens the box. Whatever is inside is covered by yet more spells and Orion wants to groan. 

What was it in here that Hadrian was so viciously defending? He's lucky he's read most of the books Hadrian had on protection spells for safety reasons but... 

He digs into it, carefully plucking strands of magic from one another. He takes it slow, he's not in a rush. The meeting had just finished- he'd left Arcturus at Malfoy Manor and he'd be back there later for tomorrow morning- 

The last ward came off and the cover seemed to settle. So he plucks it off and gapes at the pensive innocently placed in the box. The water was still- serene, unspilled- and glowing white, because it was so filled with memories. There was no bottles, it was just- it was just memories- 

No wonder the box was such an odd shape- no wonder there had been so many spells- 

He stares at Salazar- who was also staring. 

"Is that a pensieve?" The man demands. 

"You didn't see him do this?" 

"Why would he? Memories are the most vital things that make up a person. The memory is taken out- but can never be replaced. He must have done it before he left to fight." 

"Wait- so he left us these memories- he went into battle without these memories? What if they were vital to him?" 

"They may have been," Salazar says sagely. "But remember that he knew he was going to die either way." 

"I-" Orion stares at the pensieve and gingerly lifts it out of the box to find a letter underneath. He sets the pensieve down and unfolds the small note. 

To whoever finds the pensieve. 

I hope I succeeded but if I didn't these memories will be of great aid to you

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