The Legacy of Our Love

Chapter 7

ASRA

I didn't like lying to them, and I was certain that it was obvious that I had. But I had spotted a scroll of parchment sticking out of the beak of one of the stone hippogriffs carved from the fountain, and didn't know what it would mean. I meant what I said when I didn't mean to get them involved any further. I could've gotten them hurt, or worse. I quickly removed the scroll, unfurling it to reveal a rather hastily scrawled message. 

    Scrope knows about that book you found. Is it missing something? Scrope does not believe it is safe to speak out in the open. Scrope has left another note – across the bridge, among the circle of rocks.

    Take care, tell no one about this.

    I had been right about something at least, sending Sebastian and Ominis on their way. Whoever this Scrope was, other than having the strange habit of referring to himself in the third person, he must have been following her. Stuffing the parchment into one of the pockets in my robe, I hurried across the bridge, slightly exasperated at the thought of having to backtrack where I had just been walking not ten minutes prior.

    When I arrived at the other side of the bridge, I decided to move things along by casting Revelio, and was relieved when a faint blue shimmer caught my attention. I noted a second scroll tucked in one of the cracks of a standing stone, and promptly removed it, revealing a third message. I took in my surroundings hurriedly, certain now that I was being followed.

    "Homenum Revelio." I whispered, growing frustrated when the charm revealed nothing in the immediate area. Either they had made their way out of range, or whatever was tracking me wasn't human. Swallowing my nerve, I unfolded the parchment to reveal the next message;

    Almost there. Head for the Pumpkins, just down from the stone circle. Look inside one of them.

    You may be able to help poor, broken-hearted Scrope.

    Great, so this Scrope wants something from me. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

    Tucking the parchment into my robe with a sigh, I set off towards the gamekeeper's hut which was just past the stone circle, a large patch of pumpkins trailing their way across the yard, nearly overtaking it. Having no idea where to start, I gave Revelio another shot, relieved as I saw that familiar blue shimmer coming from inside of one of the pumpkins to the far left.

    I fired a basic cast at the pumpkin, splitting it in two with ease. Pulling the pulp covered parchment from the center, and flicking the seeds obscuring the writing off, I quickly read the third clue.

    The young Slytherin must be exceptionally curious by now.

    Meet Scrope at the water's edge, by the broken docks.

    I sighed, peering over the rocky overhang to the beach below. Of course I was curious, but this was turning out to be a far longer trek than I had anticipated. Composing myself, I set off toward the edge of the lake, careful to step around the various pools of wet sand and avoid soaking my shoes. By the time I had reached the broken docks, the sun was lowering in the sky, indicating it would be dark soon. Whatever I was doing here I would need to wrap it up quickly. I wasn't eager to have to sneak past a plethora of Prefects eager to use their newfound authority.

    "This had better not be a trick." I muttered aloud as I waited by the dock, not another soul in sight.

    A loud snap sounded behind me, and my heart nearly leapt from my chest in surprise as I saw a house elf standing in the sand before me, a large bandage wrapping around his head, covering where his other ear was supposed to be.