"Come along, little one!" My uncle called me from a few steps ahead "I don't want to stay more than we have to."
It was Ollivander that had distracted me: the shop was completely destroyed. I squeezed my hand around my wand in the pocket of my long cardigan, reassured it was still there; it always gave me comfort and warmth.
I remembered when Olivander had looked at me, pleasantly explaining "Heart strings and apple wood, 12 inches and 3/4, very flexible. That" he had said with a smile "is an interesting wand!"
I tried to make sense of my memory and that shell of a place together and then turned around and locked my arm with my uncle's.
"I don't understand why they would attack Olivander" I said in a voice just a little louder than a whisper "His family is of pure blood and he didn't defy them openly... even though I think maybe he might have in the future"
"Acute abservation" he commented, his voice no louder than mine, he kept looking straight ahead "And though I agree with you about Mr. Olivander's political views, I do not think this was the result of a preventive act"
"Then why do you think?" I asked, curious to hear my uncle's opinion.
"I taught you to look at the world with analytical eyes, Josie" he smiled at me "Why do you think?"
I rolled my eyes, annoyed that he chose such a sad circumstance for me to analyze as if it was another excercise. It was true that since I was very young, my uncle had tried in every way he could to give me a way of analyzing the world, a way that not only relayed on cause and effect but also the inverse.
I had to admit that training my brain in that way had served me good both in arriving at my own conclusions about stuff, and to be more elastic in my thinking.
I also had to admit this was a great example: I had the effect (the shop destroyed and Olivander gone, maybe dead) but not the cause; so now, having the conclusion and some basic information about the circumstances, I could deduct the cause.
I thought about how Olivander was an old man but they took care of coming during the night and not be seen... Why? I mean everybody knew it was them... it was Him. Maybe they wanted to take him by surprise; he must have been a good duellant, studying the wand and its capabilities as an instrument for all those years.
"Maybe they want him to be in their ranks?" I asked tentatively
My uncle nodded approvingly "That is almost certain, seeing as he is a great wizard"
"But there is something else?" I asked when he didnt go further
He smiled "There might or might not be, but I'd like to see if you can think of something else"
I kept reflecting: as I already thought wanting him as a Death Eater was probably why they took him and it was something they had already done quite a few times... There it was!
I looked at my uncle, puzzled "This is not their usual way of doing things"
He looked at me encouraging so I continued "They usually contact the wizard or witch and tell them what they want... after all it wouldn't be good to scare a potential ally"
"Very good" nodded Oberon
"Well, then" I continued "if they want they join them.. or they run"
"Let's not forget they might choose to fight" he reminded me "like Madama Bones did" I patted him on the shoulder, remembering how difficult it had been for him to hear that. They must have been good friends once.
"So if they chose to operate differently this time" he continued, walking a bit faster "what does it imply?"
"That" I answered "if Olivander had chose to not join them, as it probably would have happened, the other options weren't acceptable. So it means they need him for something."
"Why would you say that?" he smirked
"Well if he had run they would have had to find him, which they might not have... and if he fought he might have died." I thought a little longer. I felt like something was right in my reach but I couldn't quite touch it
"You're on the right path, little one" my uncle said patiently
I took a big breath "Ok, so if him running and him dead are both bad results it means the good result is him alive, but at what can he be useful for if he does not want to fight for them?"
"Unless..."
"Unless He doesn't care if Olivander fights, He needs him for something else! They took Olivander for something he can do, for something He who must not be named cannot do himself?" That seemed silly but my uncle looked very pleased
"My thought exactly" he smiled nodding
"Then what do you think it is?" I asked eagerly
"Oh" he waved his free hand "that is something only they know... Only, if I had to guess, with all the people He has at his command I cannot think He wants Olivander to do something. I mean he is a great wizard but, to my knowledge, the old man doesn't have any particular ability that He who must not be named might require"
"He can make wands" I pointed out "that's not an easy art"
"No" he admitted Oberon "it certainly is not, but if all He who must not be named wanted was a wand he only had to go buy one... No, what I think is that Olivander might have informations, although of what nature I cannot fathom"
We silently walked on towards the shops and quickly bought what I needed before materializing back home. When we arrived, my uncle took my head between his hands and kissed my forehead delicately. Then he smiled murmuring 'little one' and went towards the study. I sighed putting down my things: he must have been in the same weird, sad and anxious mood I was. I did my breathing exercises going to the kitchen to eat something.
After a couple of days, David came to see me. I was laying on the grass in the garden behind the house. It was one of the first real good days in the summer; the sun was showing even though it was still cold, it was pleasant to bask in its light. That garden had always been my favourite: it was rather small and secluded, the tall trees all around made walls that no eyes could penetrate.
I heard steps in the grass approaching me and I instantly knew they were his.
A couple of seconds later his head came into view
"Hullo" he waved from above me
"Hey" I replied lazily sitting up while he plopped down next to me
"Have you already given up your great flyer project?" he teased
"Nope" I smiled, attracting Gilly's attention with my hand; the little elf jumped into action knowing full well what I wanted.
"Ah, so are you any good?" He looked suspicious. Of course, having played Quidditch while in Hogwarts, he knew how very bad I was.
"You'd be surprised" I winked positioning myself in front of him
Gilly brought us out food and we had a snack and talked like that for some time.
"I saw Olivander's" I said reluctantly.
I didnt want to spoil our time together, but he was the only one of my friends who visited me in person and I dared not talk about the war in my letters. I wanted to talk about it with someone my own age.
David looked down at the strawberries in his lap and sighed
"How was it?"
"Destroyed" I whispered
I felt my breath quicken.
Breath in.
Breath out.
David was spying me "Still happens?"
I nodded, calming myself. I took a strawberry and bit into it, savoring the sweet fruit and feeling a little better. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze and I let him, grateful for the contact. I knew he was partial to me, I had suspected it while we were in Hogwarts, but it was pretty evident now. He hadn't said or implied anything however, he just treated me extra kindly... it could just be that he thought of me as his best friend and I had hoped with all my heart that was the case: he was a great guy! Funny, intelligent, caring... and he was cute too even if he wasn't very tall. I just didn't feel that way. For me he was just a great friend, more like a brother actually, but I couldn't see myself loving him that way. Worst of all I think he knew that.
I thought that the best way to preserve this fragile state was to pretend not to notice and not treat him differently... But if I was more honest he would get over me... Would we still have this though?
So, as always when I held his hand into mine, I wondered if I was hurting more than helping
"I am leaving" he said suddenly, his voice low
"Already?"
"No" he chuckled for a moment "I mean I'm leaving the country"
I was completely shocked and couldn't do anything but stare at him in disbelief
"I'm not going to work for a Ministry as corrupted as this one" he explained "Besides, I am a half blood but my father died when I was little and I have no contact with his family. They'll come to question me pretty soon"
I nodded silently.
"I'm taking my mum to her relatives back in Spain and then..." he stopped and shook his head "I don't know. I don't know what I'll do after, but I probably won't come back until it's safe"
My eyes were stinging. It could be years before I saw him again. He was silent and then chuckled softly once again, incapable of looking at me straight in the eyes.
I threw myself at him and hugged him as hard as I could, tears freely coming out of my eyes and wetting his tshirt. He held me tight too and we stood like that for a while.
I finally found my voice and whispered "When?"
"I don't know" he let me go and dried his cheecks whith the palm of his hand "As soon as it is safe. I have a friend helping me cross the confines, might be tomorrow or the day after or in a week. I don't know"
I nodded drying my eyes as well; it was the right thing to do for him.
We got up and I took his hand again
"I have to go back home" he said "I have to help my mum"
"I'll walk with you"
He smiled tenderly, then wrapped his arm around my shoulders and we walked towards his house, just a couple of kilometers down the deserted road.
We didn't talk much and, when we arrived at his door, I said my goodbyes to his mum and hugged her tightly
"Be careful, dear" she said caressing my cheek, before saying "please hurry" to her son and disappearing inside.
I turned to look at him, our eyes leveled, and felt more tears coming
"I'll try to come see you if we have more time" he said tucking a strand of hair behind my ear "if not--"
"This is goodbye" I finished for him.
I hugged him tight once again and then he too disappeared inside the house.
While I walked home I thought bitterly that this was the first friend I lost to this war and I wondered... how many others?
David didn't come back and a letter was hand delivered to Gilly while I was asleep, explaining how he had to rush out but none so far knew he and his mother had left and they hoped it could stay that way for another couple of days. He confirmed that this would be the last contact we would have until the situation was safe enough for him to come back in the country, and he said he would miss me.
I burned the letter after reading it 6 times so I would remember it.
I couldn't risk putting them in danger just so I could keep this as a memory.
My uncle and I would probably be questioned at some point, being so close to them, as a couple of other neighboors. I just hoped they wouldn't use Veritaserum.