Maneuvering a Manipulator!

The Report from the Person hired to keep an eye on Trelawney's movements made me happy and worried at the same time.

She was still planning to apply for the post of Divination at Hogwarts and haven't yet decided to do it.

It was still the 1979s, and baby Potter had yet to arrive. This meant, that prophecy won't be made until the Chosen One is born.

But, I didn't want Trelawney to be a loose string, which would come to bite me later. I asked my parents to have her relocated at a single apartment we bought, and to assign a House-elf to her, for housekeeping.

The elf was also ordered to record anything the oracle says, using a Quick-quill. But, the elf was told to do so, only when Trelawney spoke in a distorted voice, and had turned into a fitful state.

The elf was smart, and a good babysitter, as Sybil was a clutz, and remained dipped into a bottle of alcohol, imbibing on it, till she had drained her savings and all her funds.

I don't mind having an extra mouth to feed, and she wasn't frankly a bother, if keeping her safe, could ensure the things didn't get out of hand.

I had decided to visit her personally later and prevented my parents from contacting her, until I did. Fate was a fickle mistress, and I was literally going against her intended grand design.

I didn't want her ire, to reach my parents, whom I had come to care and love for dearly, than I knew was possible.

I decided to visit her after my parents' interview with Dumbledore at Hogsmeade, for which I had a specific plan in mind.

I wanted to make a lasting impression in the minds of Dumbledore, but I also wanted to be untouchable in his mind.

I had discussed my plans already, and my parents agreed to play their part.

***Hogshead Inn***

Three days later, my parents went in the room, after having me sit at the bar table.

They were about fifteen minutes early than the scheduled meeting. I was acting like the child I was, and dangled my feet as I glared at the door in silence.

Aberforth was manning the bar, and wiping a glass with his cloth. He seemed content with the silence, until he noticed me uncharacteristically quiet for a child my age.

"Hoping to catch a glimpse of the greatest wizard of our time?"

I turned from the door, looked at Aberforth and shrugged. "I am hoping to test if is as great as they say he is."

Aberforth chuckled at my unusual response. "And how are you going to test him lad? You don't even have a wand."

I grinned at him. "No. With this." I had heard a loud set of footsteps approaching the Inn, and decided to get started with the show.

I levitated the glass in his hand, and floated it before me. Then all the glasses from the shelf behind him came floating and started to rotate around me, as I sent them back one by one in their place.

I could now vaguely sense the dense magic in the man, peeking from behind the entrance to the Inn. So I made a palm sized ball of light, and made it change colour as it floated before Aberforth.

He seemed amused, than shock, and asked me mirthfully, "And how do you plan to test him lad? By floating glasses and colourful lights?"

I sneered at him. "Of course not. I am going to sneak up on him, when he isn't looking, and cut his long beard, so he can't pretend to be Merlin or Gandalf anymore."

Aberforth erupted into boisterous laughter, and patted the table in amusement. "You are alright kid. But say, how will you cut his beard? He won't just wait for you to shave it off, ya know."

I scrunched my nose at him cutely, and pouted. "No, why would I get close to him, I can just do this."

Saying that, I made the still floating ball of light condense into a beam, and elongate to about a metre and half in length. Then I floated that "light beam" and cut the cloth in his hand cleanly, before he could react.

He looked at the two pieces of cleanly sheared cloth, then at me and finally at the floating beam of light. He then, sighed and murmured to himself. "Of course, it's another gifted prodigy."

I straightened my back cutely, and said, as if answering his unasked question. "And with this, I will cut his beard, and be can no longer pretend to be Merlin or Gandalf, anymore!"

Aberforth seemed to return to the present, from his deep thoughts. He decided to entertain me once again, and replied as expected.

"I know who Merlin is, but who is this Gandaft?"

I shook back in shock, and answered with a huff. "Where have you been living Old man? Everyone knows who Gandalf is. And how can you know of Merlin, but not Gandalf?"

Aberforth jeered at me mockingly. "Apparently, not everyone knows who Gandaft is. Seems he is not that important."

I pointed my finger, with mock indignation. "You take that back! You don't know what you are talking about. Gandalf the Grey, is the greatest human sorcerer to live in the Middle Earth. He was monumental in the defeat of Sauron, the greatest Dark Lord since the age of Arda. He even defeated Balrog who blocked the path of the heroes who were on the quest to destroy the One True Ring of Power."

I sneered back at the man, in lower but clear voice. "Compared to him, Merlin is a second rate wizard at best, who apparently served King Arthur. Well, I don't see what is so great about that. Arthur's reign didn't even last that long. And Merlin was nowhere to save him, when he was needed the most. Merlin is a useless pompous wizard who is revered for absolutely nothing. No great spell to his name, no great tale of bravery, cunning and wits, and no mention of him doing something worthwhile to remember him."

I saw the smack face of Aberforth at the verbal beatdown, and he only managed to squeeze one question, as his throat dried up. "Who is this Gandalf?"