Curses & Cries ; Sebastian Sallow

chapter 9: Club of Thieves

"Letty."

She looked at her friend as if she did not understand him, then began to think.

Before she could get on with it, Garreth was already saying, "It's no harm. Lucan said he'd do it alone if he had to."

"I wish he wouldn't. For that I'll take it up with him. But you should know that I've other obligations I must prioritize if it needs me. However, I'm sure I'll be able to get whatever it is that you want in the meantime."

"The Slytherin boy. Oh no! And your allegiance lies with him!"

"That's not what I meant at all," she said with an injured air.

Garreth burst out with a laugh, which made several passing students smile in spite of themselves.

"Very well then. I'll send you an Owl to meet up some time this week. Cheers!"

Garreth's Owl could not have been more ill-timed, arriving one Friday afternoon when Letty sat outside in the grassy courtyard at a round table with Sebastian and Ominis. While they did their homework she intercepted the tawny owl, a scroll of parchment tied to its leg, and began to read:

LETTY
Meet me after your Astronomy class by the lake.
For now, I cannot say much.
Garreth

"Did your father finally learn how to send Owls?" said Sebastian.

Ominis was sat beside himself with amusement. He could not help but grin at the contents of Garreth's note, for he knew and was able to read whatever words or writing were currently nearby with his wand.

"You nosy sod. Had you read it?" she asked him, putting the note to her chest. "Don't say anything about it."

"Not a word," said Ominis.

"Cool! Leave me in the dark once again," cried Sebastian.

The first meeting turned out much livelier than expected. Garreth, who was used to thieving, knew exactly where to start and had prepared instructions catered to Letty and Lucan's skillset. Lucan, who was a perfectly innocent fifth year, but an experienced duelist nevertheless, seemed ready to begin, while Letty, his polar opposite, gave off an unusual spirit.

"Have either of you heard of Clagmar Castle just off the southern coast?" Neither Letty nor Lucan moved. "No. I didn't think so. See, there is a canister of a pure substance hidden inside the castle—that's what we want—and, of course, it's guarded by a society of Ashwinders. Or rather, they themselves don't know about the canister, but you'll have to put up a fight getting to it."

"And what's inside it?" said Lucan.

"That's what we want to know. Amit and I were busy translating Gobbledegook all summer and apparently—"

"Surely you're joking. Has Amit really?" said Letty. She could not believe her fellow was in on it.

"'Course, he's the reason we're planning a heist at all. But don't go around saying that. Now, if you two would listen," and Garreth explained, in detail, the hazards they were most likely to encounter followed by spells and tactics, from his experience, that would be most effective in defeating hoards of Ashwinders.

"I can sense you're worried about travel, but no matter. The flame network at Hogwarts can take you to and from the Coast. I would have liked for you to start tomorrow, but there was talk of some wind in the evening and I'm afraid we can't have you two risking it by the shore. So, instead I've decided on your departure at seven in the morning. Ideally, we should have it in our possession so that Amit can study the substance before the term overworks us. I think it's best we get to it as soon as possible. Any questions before I move on to the rules of communication?"

Letty was afraid of the answer, but asked anyways, "This has nothing to do with your concoction now, has it?" And Garreth smiled knowingly.

"In addition, I shall be the only one sending out Owls. If you so urgently need to talk you can find me in Gryffindor tower." He looked at Letty when he said this. "Speaking of Owls, don't go looking for mine and don't take the instructions lightly either."

No one would own that it was indeed a little scary, but by the end of the meeting each acknowledged to themselves that it was a well-thought out plan, so there was nothing else to feel but gladness.

"And as I've mentioned already," said Garreth in his closing remark, "the canister is hidden, so don't expect Accio to have its effect."

The little club of thieves seemed a solid one, and flourished wonderfully, for they accomplished the secrets of Clagmar Castle by the passing weekend, returning to Hogwarts with the canister.

It would be a lie to say injuries and scoldings had not been involved, which were fixed by good company and long nights being read books to in the infirmary, for Sebastian could not believe he let her out of his sight and for her to come back looking a negative state that he decided to live in the hospital wing in the meantime.

The three (Garreth, Letty, and Lucan) liked the fun while it lasted and, even after, amused themselves by sending odd messages and funny telegrams, before they disbanded altogether.