Checking In

Not long after Easter Sunday at Prince Manor, Reginald is in his study, when Tadbey without warning pops in to deposit a letter onto his desk, before popping instantly away. Already used to Tadbey's brisk manners, Reginald merely grabs the envelope to glance at who it is from. He furrows his brow in surprise at seeing that it is from his granddaughter.

Taking a silver engraved letter opener from the top drawer of his desk, Reginald cuts through the enchanted wax seal to read the contents found inside. He begins to frown the more he reads, while his hand clenches the letter in his hand hard enough to begin to crumble it.

"Dawn!" Reginald bellowed as a loud pop is suddenly heard.

"Dawn is here, Master!" Dawn quickly said. "What is master needing?"

"Tell Georgine that I need her now!" Reginald hurriedly said. "It is a matter of urgency."

"Yes, Master!" Dawn hurriedly said, before popping away.

A loud pop only moments later, Dawn appears holding the somewhat startled figure of Georgine in a rather unusual state of undress. "What is it?" Georgine gasped as she tied her bedrobe around her slim figure before Dawn popped away again.

"Read it," Reginald snarled in anger as he tossed the letter to his sister.

Georgine caught the fluttering letter with one hand and began to read quickly the letter. She frowns as she glances up, "I thought the Hogwarts grounds were protected?"

"That is exactly what the Blacks and the Malfoys thought," Reginald flatly said. "And as I recall, a very curious young witch all on her own broke through some of the wards at Hogwarts and was nearly expelled as a result."

Georgine looks away in embarrassment and says, "True enough. I was fairly young and ambitious back then. Nevertheless, even I had some trouble with them."

"But my point is that it can be done," Reginald said through pursed lips. "Though Rowan would not have lied regarding such a thing, you know better than that, Georgine. And there is not much that Rowan fears, whatever it was that she sensed it truly did disturb her."

"Some rare magical creature?"

"Or a person, a very dangerous individual."

"We have no shortage of enemies, Reginald. And there are those that will solely seek the children for their lineage to gain further power."

"I know, but that is exactly what bothers me," Reginald admitted. "I can't even trust in the fact they will be safe at Hogwarts!"

"Did you really think our enemies would dare to do so?" Georgine folded her arms over her chest. "Don't be so naïve, Reginald. They attacked a wedding for heaven's sake!"

"I know that," Reginald growled. "Write a reply, I'll be going to see, Sanderson."

"Why do you think, it's one of his own kind?"

"I don't know, but I aim to find out."

"Very well, but don't do anything stupid, brother. We can't afford for the children to be wrapped up with that side of the wizarding world because of your actions."

"They won't," Reginald growled as Georgine sighed and was left to write the letter.

Reginald smartly made his way through Prince Manor, before roaring into the flames having tossed sparkling floo power into the hearth, "Monarch Pub!" It was late evening and everyone in the pub went into shock at seeing a tall, stern figure emerge from the flames.

Anger could literally be felt pulsing off of him as they all glanced at the gray-lean bartender. Bertram instantly says, "The pub is closing early for the night."

There is no need for words as everyone scrambles out in a hurry. The clattering of coins can be heard as the last of them scurry out the door and slammed shut. "Well, this is a surprise," Sanderson said as he leaned back in his booth. "To what do I owe the unexpected honors, Prince."

"Is one of your own presently at Hogwarts?" Reginald barked as the two burly wizards Floyd and Hyde intently pay attention to every word ready to move at the slightest hint of danger in order to protect their boss.

Sanderson slowly nods and says, "Aye, he is. But he's no danger to the children as he resides in Hogsmeade. He's been keeping an eye out for them as instructed too."

Some of Reginald's anger slowly deflates as he takes the seat across from Sanderson. "My granddaughter said that something frightened her. That something or someone was watching her from the forest."

"Well, that could be any number of magical creatures," Sanderson said. "I'm certain that one just got too close to the edge of the Forbidden Forest."

"You don't understand," Reginald said. "Even Dragons seemed to like her. Did you not hear what she did at the First Task?"

"I heard," Sanderson warily admitted. "But surely it was mere coincidence."

Reginald shakes his head and says, "Magical creatures tend to like her. She and her brother often played in the woods when they were younger. And she would be covered in Bowtrunkle's and they're the shyest creatures of them all!"

Sanderson slowly says, "Then if it was a person and the Hogwarts wards did not keep them out, what or whom might you suggest?"

"Your man can he keep an eye on the woods?" Reginald asked.

"Not until the tournament," Sanderson confessed. "I would have to get one of my own to fulfill a teaching post. But as of right now, there is not a single available post or likely to be soon."

Reginald nodded his head in understanding. He would have Malfoy change that. And not even the rest of Hogwarts Governing Board would be able to protest, if there were enough purebloods requesting said changes especially if they gave some rather generous donations.

Satisfied that the situation can be dwelt in the future at least, Reginald abruptly changed the subject. "And what of my request on what I have asked of you?"

"We've found his hideout and as you well know, Alphard Black took care of that," Sanderson sighed. "We have to start from scratch again. There's no telling when we'll find their next hideout again."

"Yes, I know," Reginald said. "Anything else?"

"There is something, but I need to find the Rain Man," Sanderson confessed. "I'll be gone by the start of summer. I don't know how long, but Bertram will handle business in my stead."

"And what exactly are you going to ask the Rain Man?"

"Something that I'm not sure what it means. But whatever it is, it's somehow all connected."

"Very well, I won't further pry," Rowan said as he rose to his feet. "But remember Sanderson if I find that it was one of your own. I will not be kind nor as generous as in the past. I have stayed my hand twice for you, but I will not a third time."

"I understand, Prince," Sanderson coldly said as his wolfish eyes glinted in anger.

"I wanted to make things clear, where we stand," Reginald just as chillingly replied.

Turning away, Reginald makes his way across the empty pub floor, before pausing. "Bertram, I still recall what you did, and I nor my sister have ever forgiven you. You would do well to never appear before her."

"I know," Bertram croaked. "I've not stepped out of this pub unless an emergency rises."

Reginald doesn't reply as he goes out the door, leaving the pub in silence as the door clatters after him. The brawny wizard with a large forehead indignantly says, "Boss, how can you stand that man talking down to ya like that?!"

"Because he's much more powerful than I am," Sanderson admitted out loud. "And the fact that he so easily tosses it in my face is that I owe him more than one life debt."

Hyde grunts in frustration as the beady-eyed, Floyd says, "I'd rather know what exactly Bertram did that earned him the ire of the Prince's."

Bertram is silent, before solemnly saying, "I was young and foolish and took a job that I never should have. In the end, an innocent life perished because of me." Then Bertram turned away and began to clean, making it clear that he wouldn't speak more on the subject. Whatever it had been, it was bad enough that the Prince's would kill him for it. And why they hadn't before, it was solely because of Sanderson's invervention.