Lucy Snape and the Final Battle (Book Seven)

The Farthing and Tolouse Mission

Chapter 20: The Farthing and Tolouse Mission

Lord Zuc deftly made his way along the line, admiring all of his recruits for the army. Some beamed with pride and bowed furiously in his prescence whereas others just nodded and muttered 'My Lord'. Zuc kept walking and inspecting until he paused in his tracks. The whole room went silent.

Zuc turned to face the individual stood in front of him and stared, even Kingston who had been following close behind, seemed unnerved by this sudden pause. Was this someone who would be snatched from the army? Only the other day Zuc had dragged someone from the crowd and slaughtered them in front of everyone to show those who used his name in vain would be made example of.

"Name," Zuc said to the man in the metal suit, looking exactly the part of a knight like the rest of the army. "And remove your helmet."

The man slowly removed his helmet and turned to face King Zuc the mighty so his whole face could be inspected, he felt so unprotected. "Daryl Farthing."

Zuc turned to Kingston who nodded. Zuc then turned back to Daryl. "Come with me. The rest of you are dismissed."

The crowd dispersed, asking no questions, and headed back to their bunks while Kingston grabbed Daryl's arm and steered him in the direction of Zuc's office. Zuc sat down in his usual chair and Kingston threw Daryl in the seat opposite.

"Mr Farthing," Kingston said. "While training I noticed you were spending a lot of time with a man named Stuart. I want you to tell me everything you know about this man and what he said to you while here."

Daryl gulped, he hadn't seen Stuart for weeks now, not since he'd gone into Zuc's room for a personal meeting with him after the graduation ceremony. The rest of the army had stood waiting for their turn when guards burst into the room to destroy the commotion. Daryl didn't know what happened but he assumed it wasn't good, it looked like Stuart had said something that had been a suicide mission for himself. It was a long time before the guards left and the next recruit was called in and when that one left the whispers began about what had happened with Stuart. All the other traitors were publicly executed, what had Stuart done that was so bad?

Daryl remained calm and told his story, if he remained calm Zuc had nothing to hold against him so he wouldn't meet the same fate as Stuart. "I met Stuart on the day of recruitment in our village. He claimed he'd been to the wizarding world for a whole year which is why when he arrived he wore a suit. He said he was in allegiance to you because of it. Miguel Tolouse and I thought he was strange when we met him but he never doubted his allegiance to you, My Lord," Daryl briefly bowed his head in Lord Zuc's direction.

"Interesting," Zuc scratched his chin while Kingston seemed on edge. "Very Interesting."

"What happened to Stuart, My Lord? He was a good friend of mine and if he's...um, well I'd like to send him a prayer tonight because..." Daryl's voice trailed off, he shouldn't have said that. Pray for a traitor? He'd surely be dead before he left this room now.

"Mr Farthing, what I am about to tell you may not be uttered outside of these four walls and to anyone you know. If you do repeat what I say to another living soul I will personally ensure you do not inhale another breath ever again, understood?"

Daryl nodded. "Yes, My Lord."

"Stuart was not your friend. Everything that Stuart said to you was a lie because he didn't even exist. It was in fact Lucy Snape using her metamorphmagus abilities, she revealed herself to me on graduation day. She got onto the medieval islands to spy on me in an attempt to bring me down and is no doubt succeeding as we still speak."

Daryl's mouth hung open and he nearly had to scream with joy. No matter how much anyone ever interrogated him he would never ever admit that he was on Lucy Snape's side, even if she was so far away and on the opposing side. She was fighting for what she believed in and not starting violence on purpose. His friend Dean Cousins had secretly gone to join her not so long ago he, apart from his mother, had been the only one who knew.

"So to ensure these secrets aren't uttered upon our ranks we are dismissing you," Kingston continued. "You may no longer be part of the army."

Daryl now felt ashamed and struck with worry but his external persona was calm. "Yes, Mr Kingston."

"Instead you will join higher ranks along with Mr Tolouse and give Lucy Snape a taste of her own medicine. You will go to Hogwarts and gather as much information as you can, understood?" Zuc raised an eyebrow.

Daryl could now hardly believe his luck; he was going to be reunited with Miguel. He wanted to shake Zuc by the hand. Then as if on cue Miguel walked through the doors without a scratch on him.

"Miguel..." Daryl breathed.

Miguel said nothing and only smiled.

"How do we get in to Hogwarts, my Lord?"

Kingston handed them a list of instructions. "You must go through a portal to get to the wizarding world and then head to Kings Cross station and follow these instructions."

Daryl took the piece of paper and admired it, it was almost as if it was his get out of jail free card.

"Mr Farthing you are expected to pack your belongings and leave immediately with Mr Tolouse, once packed return here and I will send you on your way. Good luck to both of you and stay alert, the Wizards are smarter than they seem." Lord Zuc finished and Daryl and Miguel nodded their thanks before rushing out of the room.

Once the door was shut Kingston turned to Zuc. "I can't quite understand why you won't go yourself."

"I'm busy, Kingston, I have an army to rear and to be expected to be in two places at once would prove tricky." Zuc placed his feet on the desk and stretched out his overly large form. "If I were there spying on her I would not be able to obersve my army's every move and ensure that they are strong enough, I cannot lose this war, Kingston."

"Why not let me go?" Kingston pressed on. "I'm your right hand man after all."

"You failed in Miss Snape's third year and failed only months ago, don't flatter yourself, Kingston," Zuc shut his eyes.

Kingston bowed despite himself and left the room after a hasty mutter of: 'My, Lord.'

Zuc had only been asleep five minutes when he felt someone standing over him. He looked up to find the grinning face of Lucy Snape standing there. "Wakey, wakey!"

Zuc flinched and stared at her, this was the last person he had been expecting.

"Oh, Zuc, dearest. Don't get yourself in a twist this is only a dream, I just want to have a quick chat with you, we haven't seen each other for a little while have we?"

This was true, Zuc hadn't really been looking into Lucys head at all recently. It was almost as if he could not reach her and now she was breaking into his head and casting a projection of herself in front of him just like he had in her sixth year.

Lucy sat down on Zuc's footstool that he'd kicked out of the way and settled the book on her lap. Zuc frowned. "The Tale of the Knights, you've had it all this time."

"Very good," Lucy whispered. "I've been doing my research you see, I'm a very good student."

"What do you want," Zuc hissed, impatient that this pathetic girl was trying to outsmart him.

"I should tell you that — well, the tale isn't done."

"Why're you...?" Zuc was astonished that she was telling him, surely she'd want to keep this to herself.

"We're writing our fate together, Zuc, I can't leave you out of this. Whatever we do will be written down in history — " Lucy glanced down at the book that had now opened and was beginning to furiously scrawl down the encounter with the quill that kept appearing. "So make some good decisions."

Zuc opened his eyes and she was gone, the only indication that she'd ever been there was a small indent in his footstool. Zuc muttered to himself: "I want that book."