Ruse Ⅳ

In a warm barnyard, the strawberry-haired, freckled figure of Wilfredius can be seen. "Oh dear, I am going to be in so much trouble," Wilfredius murmured to himself as he gazed at the pocket watch in his hand every few seconds. His freckles are stark against his pale skin as he paces back and forth in forth in front of an empty hay-filled stall. In the background, a milk cow happily chews hay, while a mare further down the stall's neighs at her playful colt. A tortoise shelled cat with bright eyes rests on top of a haystack watching the entire scene below and cleans its face clean with its pink paw.

"Er, sorry, sir," Wilfredius apologized for the thousandth time. "I'm just obeying, Master Belby, Auror Clements. Please don't haul me off to Azkaban, sir! I'm the eldest, and I've got two younger brothers, and two younger sisters to help with. I help my Mum and Da' out with the farm! And with paying for my schooling, and my younger brothers about to start Hogwarts soon, Mum and Da' are financially strained!"

The polyjuiced figure of Damocles Belby finally spits out the chewed covering from his mouth and snaps, "Cease your blathering, Wilfredius, and untie me this instant!"

Wilfredius reflexively moves to obey, before freezing and glancing at the time. "Er, just a few minutes more, Auror Clements, sir."

Switching tactics, the polyjuiced figure of Damocles Belby says, "Wilfredius, you can't possibly be certain that the Aurors will arrive in time to save, Master Belby."

Wilfredius trembles with uncertainty, before taking a deep breath and somewhat confidently replying, "Master Belby has it all planned out, sir. I believe in master's plan."

The polyjuiced figure of Damocles Belby resists the urge to slam his head against the straw-covered floor in frustration, before recalling the previous words said by the potion master's apprentice. With a gleam in his eyes resembling too much that of the original Damocles Belby, the polyjuiced Damocles Belby says, "100 Galleons."

Wilfredius blinks incredulously. "Auror Clements, are you attempting to bribe me, sir?"

The polyjuiced Damocles Belby innocently blinks and replies, "No, young man, I am attempting no such thing. I am merely donating educational funds for your future studies and those of your younger siblings."

Wilfredius gazes at the polyjuiced form of his master with mixed feelings. Seeing that Wilfredjus is tempted, the polyjuiced Damocles Belby continues, "300 Galleons."

"No, sir, I couldn't," Wilfredius declined less firmly this time.

"500 galleons," the polyjuiced Damocles Belby firmly interjected.

"I-," Wilfredius stammers in disbelief.

"1,000," the polyjuiced Damocles Belby loudly declared.

Unable to resist the persuasive offer, Wilfredius sighs with resignation. "Sir, I accept your most generous offer, and this will be the only bribe I will ever accept in this lifetime. And I know that you are just as concerned about Master as I am, Auror Clements."

"Finte!" Wilfredius said as he cast the general countercurse spell. With a wave of his wand, the effects of the full binding spell are removed.

Grumbling unhappily under his breath, the polyjuiced Damocles Belby unsteadily stumbled to his feet. Wincing, he rubs his aching, stiff joints, he wasn't as young as he once was. He sends a fierce scowl at Wilfredius, who is used to his master's scowls and does not even blink an eye the scalding glare.

Wilfredius with a rather innocent look, helpfully says, "Sir, you can apparate just outside of the barn by the apple orchard. Mum and Da' have warded the house and the barn, but not much more beyond that."

"Thank you, Wilfredius," the polyjuiced Damocles Belby stiffly answered, before stiffly walking away with a slight limp. One of his legs was still half-asleep, and it hurt to walk on as the blood rushed back down his leg.

"And sir, should I send a request to Gringotts for the generous donation from Auror Clements to further my family's education and studies?" Wilfredius shamelessly called out to him causing the polyjuiced Damocles Belby to stumble at the potion apprentices' words.

Staring peevishly at the innocent-looking Wilfredius, the polyjuiced Damocles Belby stiffly replies, "That would be fine, Wilfredius. Just one question though, if I may ask, but you were sorted into Gryffindor so is my understanding?"

"Yes, sir!" Wilfredius cheerfully replied despite his pallor and concern over his master. "Though," he paused, "the sorting hat did say that I had quite ambitious, and that was a fine Slytherin trait to have, but in the end, the sorting hat sent me to Gryffindor."

"Of course, I should have known," the polyjuiced Damocles Belby grunted under his breath, before stumbling away and making his way to the apple orchard. The apple orchard is bare, and it is dark as he stumbles over tree roots, before safely apparting away. Hopefully, he was anything but late! However, he could not push away the apprehension that he felt which only served to hasten him even more.

The polyjuiced Damocles Belby apparated near the edge of the woods of Damocles Belby's cottage only to find himself in a barrage of spells. He lets out a loud painful hiss as a white flash hits him in the chest nearly causing him to double over in pain. He recognized the spell, a Stinging Hex. He could already feel a red brand-like scorch mark appear on his chest and begin to painfully swell.

Having already been hit by a hex, the polyjuiced figure of Damocles Belby despite the pain does not linger in place and hurries to take cover behind a tree stump. He does not escape unscathed as he is hit by another hex. Pulling out his wand from his pocket, the polyjuiced Damocles Belby casts a small healing spell over himself, "Reparifors."

The effects of the healing charm are almost instantaneous as the swelling from the Stinging Hex and other hexes begin to fade away. There would be red marks left behind, but those could be fully treated afterward by a proficient healer. These were only minor injuries that could be ignored. He had far more important properties to deal with. And he could not afford to waste any more time. He had to get up the hill and reach Master Damocles Belby!