10 Chapter Nine: The Wand

The man stretched out his fingers painfully before moving. He coughed as he got up from the ground. He brushed rocks off of himself as he struggled to stand. Parts of the street was uprooted and there was a hole in one side of a building. He cringed and spit out one of his skull teeth, blood filling his mouth. He clenched his fists in anger. Then there was a sudden panic. "Where was it? Where was the letter." He searched his robes frantically as someone said, "Are you alright?" He shook his head and looked very disturbed.

He climbed over a piece of the uprooted street and saw Ilena lying on the ground. He couldn't look at her, his cousin, dead on the street. The man scrambled over a piece of building to see the old witch cradling her knees mumbling over and over: "The girl with the blackthorn wand, the girl that can see, the girl with the blackthorn wand, the girl that can see...". A strong hand suddenly clenched his arm and the man turned to see an accomplice of his. Makx.

"What happened back there?" Makx said, pointing at the destruction behind them. The man with the skull teeth shook his head and clenched his fists, making his nails cut into his skin. "It was the girl. She and a few other children showed up somehow." "He's not going to like this." The man with the skull teeth grinded his teeth together annoyingly. "I know."

Wizards in black coats suddenly apparated onto the street, creating some kind of protective shield over themselves and the street. Makx backed up and tried to make a run for it: "Aurors!". A woman fired a spell at him, "Incarcerous!" Makx stumbled to his knees as ropes binded his arms, legs, torso, and mouth.

Makx made some kind of gurgling sound at the man with the skull teeth, but the he just cringed in response. An Auror walked up to him along with two others. "What happened here?" A young wizard asked. The man with the skull teeth gave the Aurors a bloody smirk. "I'll never tell." "We'll see about that," the young man said and then motioned for the other two Aurors to bind him. "Take them in..." He said cruelly. "And don't forget the witch." He furrowed his brows and he knelt down to inspect the street. There were burnt markings all around as if there had been a fire. He suddenly spotted something and he moved to pick up a thick piece of fabric. "What it is it," a younger Auror said, looking over his shoulder. "Some part of a uniform. It has the letter H embroidered onto it." His face lit up as if in realization. "Now Ben, I want you to find the Minister of Magic. This could be a breakthrough on the case..." "Alright Callum, but don't have all the fun without me," Ben said and then disapparated.

Callum shook his head, laughing at his younger brother's joke. Though this had to be from Hogwarts. He remembered his school days there and he knew that this couldn't have come from anywhere else. He cocked his head to the side, listening to something the old witch was saying. He stood and walked over to where she was sitting by an Auror with a mustache. Even with her bonds, she somehow managed to sway back and forth, mumbling something.

He looked at the man, "Have you questioned her yet?" "No, she seemed dazed when we tried." "Remove her gag." The Auror took out his wand and waved it through the air. "...blackthorn wand, the girl who can see, the girl with the blackthorn..."

He squatted down in front of her. "Hello, my name is Callum. What is uh, what's your name miss?" The witch looked at him crazily, her bloody nails making a ticking noise against the rock she was sitting on. "Hildary Forwither." "Alright good. Now what's this talk about a girl? "THE GIRL WITH THE BLACKTHORN WAND, THE GIRL...". He cringed at the high pitch voice and motioned for the Auror to silence her. The noise was muffled as the gag wrapped itself around her mouth. "Just take.. take her somewhere," he said and stood back up. He nodded towards two Aurors and they came together to flank at his sides. "Hogwarts," He told them and they nodded and then all three of them disapparated. The last thing he saw was a scrawny man glaring at him and a witch mumbling gibberish as she was put into a carriage before he disapparated...

He apparated onto the bridge that lead to Hogwarts. The castle was in front of them in the distance. There was a misty fog swirling in the air and the sound of wind. Callum nodded to one of the Aurors, a man with a beard called Ivan and he took the lead as they walked up to the large, wooden doors. The other Auror, a woman named Helena Worthington, twiddled her wand nervously.

Callum knocked loudly on the door, an bouldering echo sounded. There was a grumble as a grumpy, old man opened the door. "Aurors? From the ministry?" he said, as he held a wand that had dusty feathers sticking from the tip of it. "Is the headmaster here, Phineas Black?" Ivan said, his fedora shadowing his face as he spoke. The man nodded and held the door open for them to come in. Callum entered first with Ivan at his side and Helena coming up behind him.

Callum remembered his time at Hogwarts and smiled as they passed the Great Hall where children sat, laughing and eating their food joyously. The Headmaster's office was a few floor's up and Callum rushed up the moving staircases. He and the other Aurors barged into the office with the caretaker grumbling behind them.

Phineas Black stood abruptly, and lifted a brow. "What is the meaning of this! Could you not knock on the door gentlemen! And you!" He pointed at the caretaker, "You squirming half-blood, get out of my office!" The caretaker hurried out with an apologies to the Headmaster and returned to his duties of cleaning the castle.

Phineas looked at the men and the one woman, "How may I be of assistance to you all?" Callum nodded, "We found something, from one of your students," he said and handed the burnt patch over to the headmaster. "A Hogwarts seal? Gentlemen, I don't know what you..." "We found this in Knockturn Alley sir," Callum said, interrupting him. "What? What do you mean Auror?" Phineas said, intrigued. "We believe that one of your students was there. They used an explosive spell that nearly destroyed the entire street.

Phineas huffed, "I do not believe that one of my students would dare to do such a thing." "Well sir, someone has to pay for the crime," Ivan said and glared at the Headmaster. "Aurors, this weekend is the Triwizard Tournament. Surely this matter can wait!" Callum shook his head, but answered back: "The ministry can give you a few days, but by the end of the tournament, we need a witness," Callum said before walking out of the office with Ivan and Helena, leaving the Headmaster speechless.

Phineas rubbed his temples in frustration. What was he to do? He yelled and banged his fist against his desk and sat down in his chair. It must be one of those half-bloods or muggle-born wizards. "Phineas..." a deep, scratchy voice said. "Do not talk to me. I know what I'm going to do and I do not need a portrait of a former Headmaster giving me advice about my students!" The portrait sighed, "I was going to say Phineas, doing the just action is not always the right action. Just something to think about..." Phineas rolled his eyes and grabbed a black and blue robe from a closet and rushed out the door, carrying a piece of parchment and a quill.

His quick steps echoed down the hall as he stomped into the great hall and walked past the students and up a few steps that lead to a long table with chairs for the professors. He took his seat and then with his wand, the festivities for the tournament ceased. The music came to a stop. The cheerful concersation between students stopped. Everyone looked towards the Headmaster. He stood, along with the rest of the school's professor's. "I would like to bring to everyone's attention that there has been a crime..." Students gasped and the Ilvermorny, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons, all started to whisper and look over the crowds at each other. "Now, now Hogwarts students. There is no need to be worried. As for the rest of the wizarding schools, I am afraid that we, professors, and your teachers...Headmistress Esmelda of Beauxbatons, Headmaster Crichington of Durmstrang, and Headmaster Copperal of Ilvermorny Have decided to cancel the games this year unless someone confesses...