Flames

Chapter 18

"You're an idiot," Professor Quirrell told him.

The pub at the Three Broomsticks was busy during midday. Witches and wizards bustled about, serving drinks, trading japes and arguing in loud voices. Madame Rosmerta had served them two Butterbeers without blinking an eye at seeing a student out of Hogwarts.

"I did what you taught me to do," Hydrus said feebly.

"So you found his motivation. And then you used it against him. Very well. And has it ever occured to you that there was a different way of doing it?"

Hydrus looked down at his mug of Butterbeer. "I -"

"You could have wormed it out of him, you could have tripped him up, you could have tricked him - you could have done anything. Anything. And it would have been better than that bit of theatre." Professor Quirrell shook his head. "You had a person of high power. You have learned much from me, but clearly not enough. It is patience that you lack. Yes, I should have seen that before. We will work on that."

"I still got what I needed," Hydrus protested feebly.

"Yes, you did. But it was very short-sighted of you to lose him. No, don't open your mouth to argue. You should have let it stew. Rubeus Hagrid is a trusting old fool. He would have told you anything, if you were a good friend. But now... to threaten him, you idiot."

"I..."

"Do you think that my master thinks only of today? Tomorrow, the sun will rise, and the light will be back the day after. My master plans for tomorrow and all the dawns after that. Already, he has started threading his web. In years, many, many years, the fruits shall ripen and they will be the sweetest, most succulent fruits to ever grace the land."

There was silence for a very long time, where Professor Quirrell shook his head and sighed, and Hydrus wondered whether or not he ought to ask his question.

"Sir," he said carefully.

"Well go on, then."

"Is your master ill?"

"Ill?" He looked almost amused. "No, I assure you."

"Is he trying to blackmail the Flamels, then?"

"No," Professor Quirrell sighed. "None of that. He's a bit more patient than you are, Hydrus."

"I don't understand, sir."

"And I don't need you to, Hydrus."

Words could not dissuade his rambling thoughts. Some part of him was tingling, feeling that there was a greater part of which he knew nothing of. The stone was part of it, in a certain, odd way.

He had a sudden horrible feeling.

_(O.O)_

When March came around, the snow began to thaw, and for the first time, their thick fur cloaks were taken off, their boots discarded for lighter apparel. Rather, during the day it was warmer.

When the sun set and the stars blinked to life, cold winds swept through the empty halls of Hogwarts, and a chill unlike any other would creep through his bones. Hydrus wrapped the Invisibility Cloak tighter around him.

His legs were sore from sparring with Professor Quirrell, and in the cold, they felt like chunks of lead, plodding down a crumbling hill. The fire crackling in the common room was a slight relief. It glowed green and hot, thawing his legs.

Too tired to do anything, Hydrus collapsed on an armchair and stared at the flames for a while.

"Hydrus Malfoy."