57 Apparating

"Almost ready." Steven replied, as he finished preparing the enchanted net. "Ready!"

The boss concentrated on the Hippogriff's head as he screamed with all his might "Depulso!"

Held in place by the third person and not expecting the sudden switch in magic, the animal had not enough time to dodge, causing it to dive head first back to the ground.

Steven ready as ever swiftly activated the enchantments on the net and threw it over the Hippogriff. It slithered over it's body like a snake searching for the best way to smother it's victim.

"It still looks creepy." Steven remarked as he watched the net find the best spots to bind the animal.

"But effective." The boss said as he walked over. "You can say what you want, it was a great investment."

The Hippogriff eventually succumbed to exhaustion after futilely struggling against its fate. Afterwards they loaded it onto a cart and were about to make their way out of the Forbidden Forest, however, a deafening pop made them come to a sudden halt.

Behind them, at the small clearing they were just at, a small hill made out of dirt, grass and parts of a tree had appeared out of nowhere.

They heard a muffled sound coming out of the mysterious hill. With their wands at the ready they patiently waited for whatever was happening.

They didn't have to wait long, because the next moment everything turned to water, revealing the child within.

It was Lucas, who had apparated with his surroundings for some reason.

The three poachers watched incredulously at what was happening in front of them.

"Boss, am I dreaming or did a dwarf just grow out of the ground?" Frank asked, while rubbing his eyes.

"..." The other two remained silent. After exchanging a quick glance they continued to push the cart as carefully and quietly as possible, hoping that whoever it was would let them be.

Lucas after drying himself, looked them over. They weren't anything special. He could neither see nor feel a single magical artifact on them, apart from the net, which he instantly recognised.

It was his net.

He had made it.

Not that it was his concern any longer. They were just a small group of not even poachers really. Adventurers would describe them better. And they had accepted a mission to capture a strong Hippogriff to bring it back to Hogsmeade unharmed.

That's why Lucas merely tweaked their memories a bit, so nothing would lead back to him and let them go their way.

What he was more concerned about was why part of his surroundings had apparated along him.

A few exhausting and dirtying tries later he had come to the conclusion that it was because of his domain. Everything inside it was from a magical standpoint part of him.

An easy fix later he even managed to apparate without his clothes by shrinking his domain. Not very useful, yet could have some interesting applications.

Overall it was a very productive day and he didn't even need the medical potions he had 'borrowed' from Madam Pomfrey.

----

Somewhere else in Hogwarts an old man was watching a scene replay in a cup of blood similar to a Pensieve, made out of one of the four vials he had extracted.

Dumbledore was well aware that Lucas would try to circumvent his supervision, however, if he gave him a distraction, diverting his attention from the real one, then the boy wouldn't suspect a thing. Especially, when the other tool was made to be impossible to bypass.

The headmaster had recorded everything everytime Lucas had ventured into the Forbidden Forest, amassing a rather sizable collection at this point.

"This time you let them go huh."

----

Soon two weeks had passed.

"Mmmh." Susan slowly turned in her comfy bed. She had had the best sleep ever and wanted to sleep some more, yet a memory flashed before her eyes.

Then another.

And another.

Slowly over the course of hours she began to remember her encoutner with Lucas.

She was lost for words

With every new recollection her heart broke anew. 

Then she heard some footsteps and her aunt carefully opened the door in order to not wake her up. When she saw that she had been awake she ran to hug her.

It was nice.

And warm.

Something totally missing from Lucas. 

Which made her sad again.

"How do you feel?" Amelia asked.

"He never has fun." Susan replied hollowly.

Susan's words hung heavy in the air, a poignant reminder of the depths of Lucas's isolation. Amelia felt a pang of sympathy for the young boy.

"He never has fun," Susan repeated, her voice filled with sadness.

Amelia sat down on the edge of Susan's bed, reaching out to gently squeeze her hand. "I'm so sorry you had to experience that, sweetheart," she said softly, her heart aching for her niece.

Susan nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "I just wish there was something I could do to help him," she whispered.

Amelia's heart swelled with pride at her niece's compassion, yet she knew that it wasn't supposed to be. "I know, darling. But sometimes, people don't want to be helped and we have to accept that," she said, her voice gentle and comforting.

Susan wiped away her tears, her expression filled with determination. "I won't give up on him," she vowed.

Amelia smiled tenderly at her niece's determination. "I know you won't, dear," she replied, her voice filled with pride. "But just this once keep away from him. A lot will happen soon and I don't want you to be caught up by it"

Amelia's words struck a chord with Susan and against her usual shyness, she rebelled. "NO!"

A first for Amilia.

Yet not something she didn't expect to be happening soon, but she absolutely wouldn't allow her to risk her well-being for a boy, especially not him.

----

Susan had not returned to Hogwarts, rumours spread fast of a possible attack by Lucas, which quickly turned into an inevitability, going so far as to say she now needed special treatment at home.

Even the muggle-born had started to become aware of the mind arts, if only a little. After all the professors refused to talk about it.

It didn't help that Lucas almost exclusively stayed in the Room of Requirements, only leaving it for classes. He didn't even go out of it for food. The house elves brought it to him.

And on one tragic day while sitting in class he felt something.

His mothers mood suddenly shifted for the worse, a feeling of panic and anxiety was transmitted by her mind.

"...will, the Bindrune of Destiny, a tapestry woven from the threads of Gebo and Raido. Gebo, the rune of gifts and partnerships, intertwines with Raido, the rune of journeys and quests, to form a union that shapes the very fabric of fate. Together, they chart a course through the currents of time, guiding the traveler to their destined destination.

But heed my words, for the creation of a bindrune is..."

Lucas' head snapped to London's direction, startling not just his fellow 3rd years, but also Ms. Babbling, who halted in the middle of her explanation. He paid them no mind, and with hurried steps made his way out of the classroom, leaving his books and papers behind.

"Mr. Foster, is everything alright?" The professor asked concernedly.

Lucas didn't acknowledge her words, he was focused only on the door. When the feelings of his mother didn't improve he broke out into a full on sprint, with the door automatically opening for him. He made a beeline for the castle grounds, outside of the no apparition wards.

No one dared to stop him, frankly, some were glad he was gone.

He practically flew through the corridors with the wind pushing his back. Once he reached the moving staircase he simply jumped down, trusting his magic to break the fall.

Which it did.

With the wind acting as a cushion he was swiftly outside of the castle, where a figure he definitely did not want to meet was waiting for him. The man was at a sneaky spot, which you wouldn't be able to see from inside the castle.

"Lucas, why the hurry?" Dumbledore asked standing before him with his usual infuriating grandfatherly smile..

Lucas's heart raced with worry as he faced the strongest wizard alive, his expression a mixture of frustration and anxiety. "I don't have time for this."

The headmaster's smile faltered slightly at Lucas's tone, but he remained calm and composed. "I can see that, Lucas," he began, his voice gentle yet firm. "But running haphazardly somewhere is not a wise decision."

Lucas clenched his fists, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "I don't need a plan," he snapped.

Dumbledore felt bitterness and anger starting to boil inside him. Now he definitely couldn't let him leave. If that is how he felt, then wherever he was going, death was sure to follow him. He was certain of that after having observed the young man for this long.

Dumbledore's expression hardened at Lucas's defiance, his eyes narrowing slightly as he regarded the young wizard before him. "Then what, may I ask, is your intention?" he inquired, his voice tinged with a hint of sternness.

Lucas met Dumbledore's gaze with equal intensity, his jaw set stubbornly. "I need to leave," he stated firmly, his tone tolerating no argument.

Dumbledore's expression remained unreadable as he listened to Lucas's words, a sense of disappointment creeping into his features. He had hoped that Lucas would come to his senses, but it seemed that the young wizard was set in his ways.

"Lucas," Dumbledore began, his voice taking on a seriousness only rarely heard, sending shivers down Lucas' back, "Don't. Kill. Anybody."

The young boy was baffled for a moment, but wouldn't question it further, not when the biggest obstacle to get to his mother just walked out of the way.

Lucas sprinted outside the castle grounds and with a pop disappeared.

----

A few minutes earlier.

Sophia was sitting in the living room watching TV, when she heard the doorbell ringing. Wondering who it could be she opened the door, only to see two darkly clad gentlemen standing before her.

"Good afternoon, madam. We are from the ministry of magic. Could we come in?" One of them said politely.

Sophia's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the Ministry of Magic. 'What could they want from me?'

"Of course," she replied with a smile, stepping aside to allow the two wizards to enter. She led them into the living room, gesturing for them to take a seat.

The two wizards glanced around the room, their expressions unreadable behind their dark cloaks. They seemed to be assessing their surroundings before finally focusing their attention back on Sophia.

"Madam, we are here on suspicion of unregistered artifacts. Do you happen to know anything about it?" one said, his tone serious.

Sophia's mind raced with worry as she tried to process the situation. Unregistered artifacts? She couldn't think of anything in her possession that would qualify.

"I... I'm not sure what you mean," she stammered, her voice trembling slightly. "I don't think I have any unregistered artifacts."

The two wizards exchanged a knowing glance before turning their attention back to Sophia. "Then what is that supposed to be?" The other one gestured towards the beautiful dark oak table.

Sophia's heart pounded in her chest as she struggled to comprehend the situation. That was the table her lovely son had made for her, how could that have anything to do with the ministry?

"I... I don't understand," she began, her voice faltering as she searched for an explanation. "That table was a gift from my son. He made it for me himself."

The wizards exchanged another glance, their expressions unreadable. "Your son, you say?" one of them repeated, a hint of skepticism in his voice. "Madam, would you mind coming with us to the ministry? We have some more questions we would like to ask you."