‹ Prequel: The Battle of Perfecto
Into the Pensieve: Of Blood and Snow
1
“Tendencies, maybe. But Horcruxes?” Jolo said incredulously. “Surely he wouldn’t go that far! Okay, he was, uhm, crooked most times but he wasn’t evil.”
“Still,” Junix said, “It’s a possibility. Like you said, he certainly had the means. Whether or not he was too far gone into the darkness to actually create one…well, let’s just hope that he wasn’t.”
“Well,” Pryce said, speaking up. “There was this one time…a couple of years ago…on our first assignment as Aurors-in-training…”
“Oh, Merlin’s beard…” Dave looked as though he was remembering something foul…
*
It was late in the afternoon. The clearing in the middle of the forest was quiet. Snow lay heavily on the forest floor, on the trees, and on a lone, glass mansion that stood in the clearing. Garlands of holly and Christmas lights decorated the front of the house. A single, clumsily made snowman stood sentry at the yard. From the windows, warm light spilled out onto the white, snowy outdoors. Piano music can barely be heard from within.
The silence was broken by four sharp crack!s. Appearing from thin air were four people, all clad in heavy black coats, mufflers and bonnets.
The one whose name was Don Rage adjusted his glasses and looked up at the pale gray sky. The four of them were Aurors-in-training. Although Filipino citizens their prodigious skills had gotten the attention of several foreign Aurors, earning them a sponsorship to do their training out of the country. This was their first in-field assignment.
“Tch,” Don Rage said. “We came too early.”
“So?” Junix said, rubbing his arms to further warm himself. “Let’s get this over with. Place gives me the creeps.”
“They do try, though,” said Pryce, who was the only female in the group, pointing at the decorations.
“We have to wait for nighttime,” Don said. “It’s where they’re most comfortable, after all. We wouldn’t want them thinking we’re taking advantage of the remaining daylight.”
“So what do you suggest we do in the meantime?” Dave said testily. “Enjoy the scenery?”
“There’s an idea,” the former winked.
“Don! It’s freezing out here. The sooner we finish this, the sooner we get out of the cold.”
“Guys,” Pryce said. “Someone’s at the door.”
A lone girl stood at the doorstep, wearing a simple dress, seemingly unbothered by the biting cold. Her head was tilted to the side, curiously looking at the three of them.
“Good, uh, evening, Madam,” the bespectacled wizard said, raising his hand in greeting and stepping forward. “We are from—”
“The Auror Office!” the girl said in a bubbly manner. “Yes, yes. I knew you’d come early. Come in!”
“Still,” Junix said, “It’s a possibility. Like you said, he certainly had the means. Whether or not he was too far gone into the darkness to actually create one…well, let’s just hope that he wasn’t.”
“Well,” Pryce said, speaking up. “There was this one time…a couple of years ago…on our first assignment as Aurors-in-training…”
“Oh, Merlin’s beard…” Dave looked as though he was remembering something foul…
*
It was late in the afternoon. The clearing in the middle of the forest was quiet. Snow lay heavily on the forest floor, on the trees, and on a lone, glass mansion that stood in the clearing. Garlands of holly and Christmas lights decorated the front of the house. A single, clumsily made snowman stood sentry at the yard. From the windows, warm light spilled out onto the white, snowy outdoors. Piano music can barely be heard from within.
The silence was broken by four sharp crack!s. Appearing from thin air were four people, all clad in heavy black coats, mufflers and bonnets.
The one whose name was Don Rage adjusted his glasses and looked up at the pale gray sky. The four of them were Aurors-in-training. Although Filipino citizens their prodigious skills had gotten the attention of several foreign Aurors, earning them a sponsorship to do their training out of the country. This was their first in-field assignment.
“Tch,” Don Rage said. “We came too early.”
“So?” Junix said, rubbing his arms to further warm himself. “Let’s get this over with. Place gives me the creeps.”
“They do try, though,” said Pryce, who was the only female in the group, pointing at the decorations.
“We have to wait for nighttime,” Don said. “It’s where they’re most comfortable, after all. We wouldn’t want them thinking we’re taking advantage of the remaining daylight.”
“So what do you suggest we do in the meantime?” Dave said testily. “Enjoy the scenery?”
“There’s an idea,” the former winked.
“Don! It’s freezing out here. The sooner we finish this, the sooner we get out of the cold.”
“Guys,” Pryce said. “Someone’s at the door.”
A lone girl stood at the doorstep, wearing a simple dress, seemingly unbothered by the biting cold. Her head was tilted to the side, curiously looking at the three of them.
“Good, uh, evening, Madam,” the bespectacled wizard said, raising his hand in greeting and stepping forward. “We are from—”
“The Auror Office!” the girl said in a bubbly manner. “Yes, yes. I knew you’d come early. Come in!”