The Unknown of the Order (Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

What Brothers Do

"The Knight Bus won't work," said Jacob. "The conductor's made to check your name and blood status now." 

"We're all pure or half bloods," said Barnaby. 

"And you're wanted for treason."

"Oh, right." Barnaby frowned. "Well, what about the thestrals?"

Jacob gaped at him. "Thestrals?"

"Yeah. The Death Eaters can't track them, most people can't see them, and if someone holds onto Merula, it's not an uncomfortable trip."

Sarah looked at Jacob. "That could work."

"Great. Fine. But we'll wait until dark. Then, we can rustle up a couple."

"We'll need at least three," said Sarah. "But four would be be better."

"I'm not taking them with us," said Jacob. "You're lucky I haven't cursed them into oblivion. I should at least wipe their memories, so they don't know we were here."

Sarah stepped in front of Barnaby, her hands help up imploringly to her brother. "Jacob, please. Trust me."

"It's not a question of trusting you. It's them I'm worried about."

"If you question them, you question me."

Jacob stared at her disbelievingly. 

Barnaby stepped around Sarah. "I understand why you don't like me," he said. "But I'm not with the Death Eaters. I know how to fight off their influence. I've been doing it my whole life." He glanced at Elena. "I know I've made a few mistakes, but I've learned from it. You can trust me. I just want to make things right."

Jacob shook his head in bewilderment, but before he could reply, Elena came out from behind her rock, taking several bold steps forward. Now, she looked more like the confident witch Sarah loved to hate. 

"I've let my brother go, so I could fight for this side. He is lost to me, perhaps forever, but I will make those who took him suffer for it. You have a chance to fight alongside your sister. Do not waste it over your fear of me."

The cavern was silent, apart from Grawp picking at his teeth. Hagrid stared at them all open-mouthed. Sarah looked from Jacob glowered down at Elena,  but she merely gazed back, the picture of defiance. Sarah realized hers and Elena's relationship had changed since last night, but only just. They certainly weren't friends, but Sarah found she no longer thought of the Romanian as the enemy. 

"Just be ready to leave at nightfall," said Jacob. He stalked out of the cavern. 

"Where are you going?" Sarah called.

"To fix the enchantments!"

When he was gone, the others stared at each other for a moment. 

"WHERE FOOD?!?!" bellowed Grawp. 

"Oh, right," said Sarah, and she pulled out the pouch. 

*******************

They were a quiet group as they waited for the sun to go down. Hagrid had plenty of questions about how Jacob had survived and what he'd been doing for all these years, but Jacob wasn't in a talkative mood. 

At around six, Barnaby left to fetch the thestrals. Sarah volunteered to go with him, but he thought it would be safer and quicker if he went alone, as he knew the exact paths to take. 

Jacob had settled against the cavern wall and Sarah sat down beside him. 

"Thank you," she told him. "For letting the others come. It was actually easier than I thought to convince you."