C H A P T E R 97
"What?" Remus noticed her expression change to deep in thought again.
Samantha paused. "N—Nothing, I'm fine, Remus."
This time Remus did not buy it. "Now now that's the second time I've caught you thinking. What's going on?"
She sighed and started to put her thoughts together to try and tell Remus what she saw that night. When she finished, Remus had his eyebrows raised. "So you saw the name Barty Crouch on the Map and then Mad Eye Moody emerging from Snape's classroom?"
Samantha nodded. "Interesting." Remus muttered. "Very interesting."
"Any idea of what this means?"
Remus sat back and furrowed his eyebrows. He thought for a moment and tried to make sense of what Samantha had said. Why would those two be in Snape's classroom that late? If they had anything to talk about, surely that could have met up some time during the day. Not midnight. "I really don't have any solid ideas but I'll sleep on it."
Samantha nodded. "It was just far too strange and I don't know why I all of a sudden remembered this now. I wasn't tired or anything that night. That memory just suddenly came back to me."
Remus' expression changed back to confused. "That is very strange...." he muttered and trailed off. Something about what Samantha was saying was not sitting well in his stomach.
Just then the door opened and Sirius walked inside. "Dumbledore is here to speak to you, Rem."
Remus nodded and stood up, knowing what they were going to talk about. Sirius took the seat Remus was sitting in after Remus left and noticed Samantha's expression. "Your exams are over, stop with the thinking face."
Samantha laughed slightly. "I wish it was that easy....plus academics are far from my mind."
"The tournament?"
"Something like that."
Sirius rested his head on his hand being propped up by his elbow. "I know you want to figure out the clue but you have until the end of February, just let it go until after break."
A sigh escaped Samantha's lip. "I guess I'll try but no promises. It's better I figure it out sooner rather than later. I assume we'll have to think even more once figuring out the clue. The clue is probably only step one."
Sirius shrugged. "Well you can always wing it like I do. Just rely on your own natural magical abilities."
Samantha smirked. "Yeah like that'll do me any good."
• • • • •
Dumbledore had indeed dropped by to talk about him and Remus visiting the Riddle House the following day to search for any possible Horcruxes. They would meet up separately even though Dumbledore did not think Voldemort would still be there. He knew he was the one who killed the poor Muggle housekeeper and would not want to stay a minute longer in a place his Muggle family once lived.
That next morning, Remus went down to breakfast earlier than usual to get a cup of tea and hoped he didn't run into Sirius or Samantha. He knew they both wanted to come but it wouldn't be safe. Remus himself was nervous and did not know how this trip was going to turn out. All the evidence pointed at this location but no one could be sure when it came to Voldemort. Tonks had already left about an hour ago due to wanting to get to work early to finish up early.
Remus stepped over the step that creaked and made sure to be extra quiet. He slowly opened up the kitchen door and almost yelled with surprise.
Sitting at the table with cups of tea was Sirius and Samantha who had expectant grins on their faces. "Thought you could try and be sneaky, Moony?" Sirius said with a smirk. "You never were that good at sneaking around."
Remus rolled his eyes. "Personally, I thought I was the best at sneaking around among the four of us."
"Debatable."
"Are you leaving soon to meet Dumbledore?" Samantha asked.
Remus nodded as he took out a cup from the cabinet and poured himself some hot water. "We're meeting at separate locations and then Apparating there together."
"Any chance I can—"
"No," Remus spoke firmly, sitting down next to Sirius.
Samantha sighed. "But—"
"Absolutely not."
"But Remus, I'm a Triwizard Champion—"
"And?"
"And that means I am worthy."
Sirius chuckled. "As much as I do believe you are a great witch, Samantha, an old rusty goblet is not a credible source."
"I beg to differ."
Remus stood up, not wanting to be caught in the middle of their mindless bickering. "Well I best be off, don't want to keep Dumbledore waiting."
Samantha and Sirius both stopped talking and stood up to hug Remus. "Stay safe," Samantha spoke.
"Yeah, Rem, come back in one piece," Sirius continued.
Remus smiled. "Don't worry, I will."
He left Grimmauld Place and then Apparated to the remote location him and Dumbledore agreed upon. He gripped his wand and tightened his cloak a bit as the cool December breeze flew by him.
Remus checked his pocket watch and found he was a few minutes early to when he had to meet Dumbledore.
Just then, he heard a faint crack and saw the Headmaster's figure nearing him. "Good morning, Remus."
"Albus," Remus said politely as he greeted the powerful wizard. "Ready to go?"
Albus nodded. "Yes but remember that this is very dangerous. I know I do not have to remind you but just to be safe. This mission is not for the faint hearted."
Remus agreed. "Yes, Albus. Anything you say, I'll follow."
"Alright, then. Take my arm."
And with that, the two disappeared. They ended up at the bottom of a large hill in the town of Little Hangleton. Remus looked up in awe at the mansion sitting at the top. It was unlike anything he had ever seen and then noticed that it was a grand house but the years had taken its toll. There were boarded windows, missing roof shingles, and the paint had worn off several years prior.
"This is it," Dumbledore muttered. "The Riddle House."
"And you think it'll be here?" Remus whispered as they started up the trail.
Dumbledore gave a small sigh. "Doesn't hurt to check. Although I do have a few more places one might be if this doesn't work out."
It was very dewy outside as the night's snowfall was slowly melting due to the sun starting to rise. Remus' fingers started to freeze but soon later, they had reached the top of the hill.
The House was now even larger and Dumbledore started to mutter a few words. Remus guessed it was protective enchantments.
Dumbledore nodded in confirmation. "There is no one in the house and I have set up a protective barrier. Ready, Remus?"
Remus looked over at the old man and nodded. "Yes, Sir."
Dumbledore walked in first and slowly checked each corner to be sure. Even though there wasn't anyone inside didn't mean Voldemort hadn't set up any traps. Remus followed and checked around the foyer which was full of old antiques that Pureblood families would fight over.
There was an eerie silence that could only be produced from the events that took place. Dumbledore had given Remus a brief history on the house which consisted of Voldemort killing his family around 50 years ago and then quite recently killing the old housekeeper.
"Anything, Sir?" Remus asked as they moved from the foyer to the living room.
Dumbledore paused. "Nothing yet. Even though I cannot sense them like Harry, I can definitely feel when dark magic is present."
Dumbledore had sent Remus to look at the upstairs rooms and a charm to use which would reveal all the past spells used. He went upstairs slowly and heard the loud creak with each passing step.
Remus went into the first room and used the charm. There was nothing. He went all throughout the rooms on the first floor and came up empty.
As he went back to the stairwell, Dumbledore emerged from the third floor. "Nothing, Remus. Anything here on the second level?"
Remus shook his head. "Nothing, Albus."
"I can definitely sense that Voldemort was here so I want to check around one more time. I want to use some more advanced spells to ensure we are not missing anything."
Remus let Dumbledore do his thing as he went back into a nearby room which looked to be a single bedroom. It was very bare and held only the necessary pieces of furniture for a basic bedroom. There were a few shards of glass on the floor from the neighborhood kids throwing rocks or whatever they found on the street.
He pondered the old house and the thought of a young Voldemort possibly living here and maybe even this room. The wise man still felt a bit on edge being here and couldn't believe he was searching for something that contained part of the Dark Wizard's soul. He had never even heard of this branch of dark magic and didn't even think it was possible. Only one evil mind had the ability to mindlessly kill those around him without blinking an eye just for his own gain.
As Remus continued to think of Voldemort's motive, there was movement from the doorway and soon emerged Dumbledore who had a disappointed look on his face. "From my judgement, there isn't a horcrux here but I do think being here has led me to where I now believe it is."
• • • • •
Samantha checked the old clock on the wall of the library again and read just after eleven am.
"Hey, pay attention," Sirius barked as Samantha yet again checked the time which took her away from their game of Wizard's Chess.
She glared at him. "Remus should be back by now. Aren't you worried?"
Sirius shrugged. "Of course I am but I trust him and Dumbledore. Who knows what happened at that house and where it may lead them."
Samantha sighed and moved her knight to take Sirius' Queen side castle. "I trust them too...I should have gone with them," she grumbled as Sirius looked up.
"Absolutely not."
"But Sirius—"
"No, this is far too dangerous for a child."
"I'm not a child. I'm an of age witch. And don't you think someone who is actually somewhat involved should go? At least Harry should be here and in on everything. I know he knows what Remus and Dumbledore are doing but he of all people is the most help."
Sirius let out a shaky breath. "As much as Harry is involved in this...you are too...dark magic is not to be tampered with. Take it from me experiencing what I saw as a young child with my family. You and Harry don't know enough to handle what could arise on this trip."
Samantha bit her lip. Maybe Sirius was right. Maybe she was being stubborn and needed to take more caution. "Fair enough."
"Maybe you'll learn some more defensive spells during you class with Moody. How have those been?" Sirius asked has his Queen had taken Samantha's Knight.
Samantha thought for a moment as the hairs on her arms started to prickle. Even Moody's name brought an uneasy feeling to her stomach. "They've been....alright, I guess."
"Alright?" Sirius asked. "How so?"
"I don't know...I just feel on edge when I'm with him. There's just something off about him but I can't put my finger on it. I usually am able to see the reason behind most things but I can't for Moody."
Sirius nodded slowly. "Well try and go back to what started this feeling. Was it something in particular or did it happen from the start?"
Samantha thought for a moment and thought to when she first met Moody and then their recent interactions. "Well the first lesson with him was very intense. He showed us the three unforgivable curses."
"Did he now? Of course behind the Ministry's back. Those curses are extremely illegal and any use—"
"Is a one way ticket to Azkaban," Samantha finished with a small grin. "Moody's exact words."
"And what happened? I'm sure people were very shocked at the use of them."
Samantha nodded. "Yes, yes they were." She then told him how Moody used the curses on a spider and then she came to the part of using the Killing Curse.
"And what happened with the Killing Curse?" Sirius spoke softly, seeing the expression change on Samantha's face.
"I did it."
"Did what?"
"I killed the spider...with the Killing Curse,"
Sirius dropped the broken pawn he was playing with in his hands. "You...killed...with the curse?"
Samantha nodded slowly.
"But—"
"I don't know why but I guess being under Moody's pressure filled eyes, I just started to feel this power and then...did it."
Sirius started at her with wide eyes. "That's...wow. I didn't know being at that setting could bring out that branch of magic in you."
"I didn't either but it felt like this eerie adrenaline rush. I don't think I'll be able to do it again unless under that demanding setting. Moody was very calm when he approached me and I felt like his moving eye represented a though beady eyes watching me."
"So is that why you get this uneasy feeling when around him?"
Samantha shrugged. "Possibly, but then I saw the Polyjuice Potion in his office and then him sneaking around at night with Barty Crouch. Like why would he be with him in Snape's private office? I know he is an accomplished Auror but no one needs to be this skeptic of what's around him," she rambled and then Sirius held up a hand to silence her.
"Ok ok, calm down there hon," Sirius said meeting her frantic eyes. "I know some things about him don't add up and I know there is a reason behind it but you don't need to stress unnecessarily about it. You already have so much on your plate and I don't like to see you fret over what you don't need to be. Yes keep Moody in you watchful eye but just calm down a bit. I'm listening to you and will think things over. Anything else I should be aware of?"
Sirius words and soft tone definitely calmed her down and she started to think of what else there was with Moody. "Well his eye is always moving in crazy directions and he has this weird hip flask which Fred and George believe to be a strong brand of Firewhiskey."
Sirius chuckled. "Could be." He definitely knew some strong brands of Firewhiskey.
"But I don't think it is. Moody drinks out of it all the time and he definitely would have changed behavior if he was consuming that much alcohol."
Sirius grinned. That was more logical than the older man wanting to relax with a drink throughout the day. "Maybe you should try and figure out what he's drinking. That's the only way to know for sure....just be careful if it ends up being Firewhiskey," Sirius spoke with a suggestive wink.
Samantha's eyes widened a bit. "No no, I can't sneak around with the flask. He already has his eyes on me and I don't need to get caught."
Sirius shrugged. "It is a definite risk, yes, but it's the only way to know for sure."
Samantha nodded slowly and as she went back to their Chess game, she heard a faint crack from the hallway. Samantha's eyes met Sirius grey ones and both stood up. As they started to make their way to the foyer, Dumbledore and Remus emerged.
Remus held up his hand which was holding a small black box. "After moving to a second location, we got it."
Whoa!! Another horcrux and some more information revealed!! Not the most exciting chapter but definitely and plot mover!! Heading into some more interesting events!! Super excited!!
Updates are now sporadic!! Fall semester starts up next week and it'll be a BUSY one!! I love writing and want to continue which I definitely am!!
This story is FAR from over!!
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Until next time!
<3 Sam