Basilisk Eyes

Chapter 98: Talons

"Thank goodness you're both okay!" Besel said. There was something in her voice that made Harry sit up straighter and pay closer attention. She sounded really relieved and worried. As she neared them in her levitating chair, Harry turned toward her wondering if her chair was like his staff in that it looked like a muggle electric wheelchair to the barman.

"We couldn't get back into the Center—we were... " Harry trailed off as he started to tell her the story, then realized that it probably wasn't wise to say what happened while they were still in the pub.

"We rang... did you get our message... mum?" Harry added, trying to keep up the story he'd told the barman.

"Er... How about we head back and you tell me all about it," Besel said, catching on.

"Good idea," Harry said standing up and shaking out his staff. He grabbed his glass to gulp down the last swallows and heard Gemma grab hers. She offered Harry her arm and guided him to the bar where they left their glasses.

"Thanks so much for letting us stay here while we waited and for the ginger beers," Harry said.

"Cheers!" replied the barman from a way down the bar. He was muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "... and ye poor lame mum..." that Harry didn't want to hear the end of.

Once they were outside, they didn't talk right away. There were a lot of people out and about in the Old Ellerby, even at that late hour.

Probably flooding back in after being randomly sent away with the Muggle Repelling charms... Harry guessed with a twinge of guilt.

Harry and Gemma followed behind Besel as she crossed the street to the pavement that led to the park. Harry knew that Gemma was probably wondering what was going on even more than he was. He didn't hear the Scribunt loqui papers fluttering by Besel's mouth and guessed that she'd also noticed the number of muggles out and about in the village and ended the charm.

Harry could tell from the sounds that Besel's chair was a lot easier to maneuver over the curbs and uneven stones in the pavement than Mei's had been. He wondered how high up she could go in her chair.

Did it use similar magic to brooms? Why do wixen insist on flying around on brooms when there are much more comfortable forms of transportation?

He'd ask Hermione when he wrote her next.

He noticed that Besel seemed to be muttering things as they walked back to the gym—he wondered what spells she was casting and why.

Gemma's pace was faster than normal and Harry stumbled a few times trying to keep up and finding uneven stones with his toes.

This was easier when we were running! Has Besel communicated something visually that I missed?

After walking along the hedgerow and not encountering anyone on the pavement, they turned into the park, on the path that led to the gym. Harry noticed that the cars had stopped passing, too. It was becoming the deserted village with which he was more familiar.

A bright light exploded in Harry's eyes and he yelled and grabbed his head.

"Oh, sorry, Harry—that was my Patronus. I should have remembered to warn you. I sent Healer Jordan a message," Besel explained. "The muggle repelling charms are working again." The papers were fluttering by her mouth as well.

"No one can see us here, but the Egress is closed. We have to go through St. Mungo's. I'm sorry, Gemma. Not until we're safe. We just need to get back to the Center. I've notified Healer Jordan."

"So I can cast the Scribunt loqui charm again?" Harry asked and did as soon as she said: "Yes, do it." Gemma made the happy sign on his back when the papers started fluttering again.