Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (MOD Novelization)

8

Harry glanced around, lowering his voice. "You made it back from Azkaban quicker than I imagined. What did the Warden have to say?"

"You were right, Mr. Potter," Delphi began formally, then corrected herself. "The Augurey mark. What you saw before the follower died wasn't your imagination. The image sprouts wings that flap when a member of the Tempest is signaling for help."

Harry nodded grimly. "I was afraid of this. Voldemort's Dark Mark changed in color. If they've learned that the mark on Teddy's shoulder is fake... We may have compromised him. I should've never sent Teddy underground with the Tempest. The mission was too risky."

"He insisted," Delphi reminded him.

"But it should've been someone else. What a fool," Harry berated himself.

"You couldn't have known, Harry," Delphi said gently.

She reached out, touching his arm tenderly before quickly pulling her hand away, aware of Ginny's watchful eyes.

"And Percy is breathing down my neck about the escape," Harry continued, releasing a heavy breath. "I've been hunting Rodolphus Lestrange since my first day in the office. No movements whatsoever—then he risks everything by coming out of hiding to free this man from Azkaban. I need to know why."

"Because he's Blitzfanger," Delphi suggested.

"Pariah Prince? Most likely."

In silence, they looked at one of the nearby posters of the convict as students continued to stream through the secret entrance to the platform.

"Lestrange," muttered Harry. "Lestrange must be the Augurey."

Delphi raised an eyebrow. "Lord Blitzfanger... Is that name supposed to arouse fear?"

"No one will be frightened to say that one in public, I assure you," Harry said wryly. "Apparently, it means Lightning Catcher." He pointed to his scar.

"They get right to the point, don't they? And we're taking them seriously?" Delphi questioned.

"We must. There's a hierarchy to their leadership. They've spread out. The Tempest have learned from the mistakes of the Death Eaters."

Harry noticed a man in brown robes leaving his family behind to approach them, eagerness in his eyes as he prepared to demonstrate his esteem with a genuflection. Quickly, Harry turned his back to the man.

"Lestrange has grown confident these past years, increasing their numbers, biding their time," Harry continued. "At least with Voldemort, we learned what he was planning because he was impatient. He didn't wait twenty years to make a move."

"And they say this Lord Blitzfanger has a knack for rallying stragglers to their cause," Delphi mused as she watched the man in brown robes returning to his family. "You should take a page from their book and use your celebrity to get information."

"That's what I should do, huh?" Harry replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Yeah, or just take it from their minds with your wand," she joked.

Harry chuckled. "Were it only that easy. Frankly, my wand can be bested by every student on this platform."

"I thought the new one was comparable to your Phoenix core wand," Delphi said, concerned.

"It rattles. The spells come out too slowly. I knew I shouldn't have gone with elm," he sighed, defeatedly. "And it's too long."

"What about my suggestion to—"

"No!" Harry cut her off sharply, then softened his tone. "I... I've thought it over, and the answer is no. However, you were using your mind in a way no one else would. I see the value in that. Which is why... I'll never let you leave my department."