The Girl who Vanished

Chapter 10

A/N: Last night I took a look at the new update for Hogwarts Legacy, I haven't done the new Haunted Hogsmeade quest (which I doubt will be part of this story) yet but I did briefly check out the new photo mode (would have been nice to have this while I was recording my playthrough >:( but what can you do).  I was surprised that they added a new potion to the game, Felix Felicis aka Liquid Luck. Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled program. 

Ravenclaw Common Room

While working on her homework, a brown barn owl flies through the window and drops a letter on her lap. After giving the owl a treat she picked up the letter and found it was from Natty asking to meet up with her at a hamlet called Lower Hogsfield just south of Hogwarts. Putting away her homework she grabs her Field Guide and opens up the map.

Lara: "Guide me, Lower Hogsfield." She points her wand at the map, a yellow path appears from her current location to her destination.

Lower Hogsfield

Lower Hogsfield rests on the edge of the Black Lake, it's a tiny hamlet with only a few homes and only one merchant. She finds Natty waiting by some gates.

Natsai: "It is good to see you, my friend."

Lara: "Hello, Natty. How are you? I hope you've recovered from our rather eventful trip to Hogsmeade."

Natsai: "I am well, but I have been worried about you, my friend - with Ranrok and Rookwood and Harlow after you."

Lara: "I'm all right at the moment."

Natsai: "We did not speak about it at the time, but I am hoping now you might tell me why they were looking for you."

Lara: "They want something that Professor Fig and I found at Gringotts." She decides that Natty can be trusted with her secret.

Natsai: "When were you at Gringotts?"

Lara: "Just before we came to Hogwarts. In fact, it's why I was late to the Sorting Ceremony. A Portkey brought us there after the dragon attacked our carriage."

Natsai: "What on earth?"

Lara: "There's one more thing. It's a bit odd, if I'm honest. Professor Fig says I have a rare connection to a powerful form of ancient magic."

"I hope she knows what she's doing, Fig clearly said not to tell anyone."

Natsai: "Is that the magic you used fighting the trolls in Hogsmeade?"

Lara: "I think so. I'm still learning. But I can see traces of it, and I've cast magic I can't otherwise explain. I know that's a lot to absorb."

Natsai: "It is. And I will have more questions. For now, it is safe to say that Rookwood and Harlow are a threat to both of us - to all of us. Which is why I wanted to speak to you. I realized something that day in Hogsmeade. You displayed such courage fighting that troll. And Sirona wasn't intimidated one bit by Rookwood and Harlow. Both of you have inspired me to take a stand of my own."

Lara: "What sort of stand?"

Natsai: "Men like Rookwood and Harlow are the reason my mother and I left Matabeleland. I am not going to sit by and watch them destroy my new home."

Lara: "Good. Rookwood and Harlow are a dangerous pair. And the fact that they're working with Ranrok, well -"

"I wonder what they are after, they clearly don't like each other?"

Natsai: "All the more reason they must be stopped. Rumour has it that Theophilus Harlow runs Rookwood's day-to-day operations. Taking him down would cripple Rookwood's entire enterprise."