Harry Potter and The Alchemist's Cell

Broadening The Horizons

Lord Roth closed the large doors to the drawing room and turned to face Hermione, who was standing over by one of the large windows and admiring the fine prospect down towards the trout lake. The atmosphere in the room was taut already, which was largely Hermione's fault after she'd barged in full of bluster and demanded answers from the Lord of the Manor.

Though a large part of Hermione wasn't sure that she really wanted to hear them.

But Lord Roth had agreed to speak with her, which in her mind meant he was at least compliant in the disclosure she was seeking. Hermione thought it was quite likely that he expected her to just demand details about Harry's faux-demise, which she had her own concerns about. For even pretending that Harry was dead hurt her heart, but it was a ruse she had to keep up for the sake of gaining some much needed intelligence.

"Can I get you some tea, Miss Granger?" Lord Roth enquired.

"No, thank you."

"A glass of wine, perhaps?"

"No beverages, thank you," Hermione returned firmly. "I would like answers from you, Lord Roth, nothing more."

"Yes, I deciphered that much from the way you scared away my guests!" Lord Roth quirked, pouring himself a glass of claret from a decanter on the table. "But I forgive that. You are in an emotional way, no doubt, considering the trauma you have suffered. Your behaviour is understandable."

"I don't believe Harry is dead, so let's establish that before we start," Hermione volleyed back. "I know you produced the evidence, but you'll have to forgive me for holding out hope. Call it the blind optimism of a lovesick teenager, if you like, but I wont believe Harry has left me until I see it for myself ... until my heart feels it. Which it doesn't."

Lord Roth smiled sadly at Hermione's fierce determination, but decided not to challenge her logic. If this was her coping mechanism, who was he to undermine it with the truth she couldn't process?

"So, if this isn't about Harry Potter, what is it about?" Lord Roth asked. "I confess myself curious as to what else could have stirred your passions so."

"Project Horizon," Hermione blurted out. "I want to know all you know about it."

Lord Roth's fist tightened around his glass, as his jaw set firmly. "How do you know about that?"

"Your daughter mentioned that you know about it," Hermione confessed. "That it was how you came to be in league with Albus Dumbledore. That wasn't the first time I heard about the project, though, so don't be angry with Celesca for telling me. But I want to know your involvement with it, and Dumbledore's, and this deal that you did to escape Dark Wizards."

"Celesca really did give you a speech, didn't she?" Lord Roth quirked, semi-amused. "I'm not sure whether to be angry with her for telling you, or to thank you for encouraging her to talk. I do worry sometimes about her social skills. But if you can improve them, maybe I should encourage the friendship."

"Lord Roth, please ..."

"Very well, Miss Granger," Lord Roth replied. "I will tell you my story, if you tell me yours first. How do you know about Horizon? The project is so secretive it has been practically Memory Charmed from the Magical population. How did you come across it?"

"My parents were part of it," Hermione explained. "And my grandparents, too. They told me."

Lord Roth's eyes went very wide in his surprise. "What ... both sets?"