XVII. Truth Wrapped in Lies

The sound of a weeping girl slowly drew Galdir back into the world of the living. Years of training under his Master suddenly kicked in as he started to analyse his current situation.

Physical state? Fine. A bit weak, probably due to blood loss. Location? Infirmary, most likely. Immediate threats? None that can be detected… there appears to be some form of magic cast on me… Heru, are you there? he asked.

I am Selda. The magic is from the healer. She tried to contain your blood loss, replied the voice.

Well, that explains it. Right then, so I must be in a bed in the Infirmary… how long have I been out?

Almost all day. It is midnight now.

Oh… that is… worse than I had anticipated. What happened?

Are you sure you want to know Selda? The events were of a more… violent nature than you are used to. Galdir felt a cold feeling sweep through his body. What had he done? All that he remembered was the pain. Nothing else existed but the pain. It had been quite a long count of years since he had lost consciousness like that, and he was at a loss as to why it happened again.

I need to know Heru. Any damage that was made needs to be rectified immediately.

Very well Selda.

Immediately Galdir entered his mindscape, where he saw the figure clad in yellow standing before him. To his right was a solid wall of inky blackness: the representation of his Absolute Occlumency. To his left was a huge wall of energy that slowly flowed upwards, like a waterfall in reverse. He could feel the dark energy lurking behind it, but there was no way that it could break through without his permission. It could seep out at times, but never gain full control. As soon as he reached his companion, the figure raised a clawed hand and waved it, generating a hazy screen where he began to project the memory of what happened.

Galdir's breathing hitched when he heard the ice in his voice, and winced when he saw the crescent arc of magic leave him. He slowly eased his breathing when he realized that the two students that had been caught by it were not harmed. He knew that with a sliver of more power that spell could cleave through almost anything, and was relieved to see that he had somehow held enough control to not do anything lethal. He saw the way that he treated Malfoy and Snape, and then how he snapped out of it thanks to Harry. He quickly noticed the crimson blood stain his uniform and slowly pool beneath his feet. Before he collapsed, he noticed a very faint flash of light, and he slumped contently. The spells had held. His secret was safe. Mostly.

The memory then cut to Madam Pomfrey trying to save him and the shock on her face when she saw the lines.

Rhaich! That is potentially problematic. I see that you were unable to hold the additional wards?

Yes. Though I live through your power, I could not interact with them whilst you were unconscious.

Well, there is not much that can be done then.

I concur Selda. What are you going to do about it?

They will probably summon Aglareth. Although it will be a minor annoyance, it is not without solution. I had prepared an explanation for this should the need arise.

And what about them? I am sure you noticed that the spells do not apply to them. And you are also aware of the fact that the explanation that you have prepared will not please them. Galdir sighed.

I guess I can tell them part of the truth. Just enough to appease them for the time being.

Very well. Shall we return?

Galdir slowly opened his eyes and craned his neck just as Madam Pomfrey came bustling in. Her hands immediately went to her mouth as he took in the scene in front of her. Daphne Greengrass was sobbing softly, her bloodshot eyes spilling a never ending stream of tears. Her robes were shredded, and the only reason she was standing was because Harry was holding her up. The look on his eyes caused her to take a step back. He looked positively murderous. His emerald orbs shone with cold anger that promised pain at those that had caused this.

"Mr Potter! What… what happened?"

"She was attacked Madam Pomfrey. I found…" Harry had to clench his jaw in order to contain his anger. "I found Crabbe and Goyle pinning her to a wall."

"Did they…?"

"No. At least I don't think so. She has not said much since the event."

"Alright. Miss Greengrass if you could…" Just as the matron was about to touch her, she flinched violently and tightened his grip on Harry even more.

"I don't think that would be wise. She has not left my side since I found her. It took me a couple of hours to calm her enough to bring her here." Pomfrey sighed sadly and nodded.

"I'll get her a Calming Draught and a Dreamless Potion. If you could put her on one of the beds, I will be right back." Harry nodded and slowly lead Daphne to the nearest bed. Since she refused to relinquish her hold on him, Harry had to carry her and sit her on his lap, where she slowly curled herself on his chest.

"Who?" asked Galdir. Harry nearly jumped when he heard his voice.

"Galdir! You're… you're awake! How are you—"

"That is not important right now Harry. Who did this to her?" his voice was hard and cold. Harry shivered involuntarily as he remembered his actions earlier that day. That feeling was instantly squashed and replaced with a fury that matched Galdir's.

"Crabbe and Goyle", he answered curtly.

"Malfoy?" Harry raised an eyebrow, but nodded.

"I believe so. I doubt the ferret would taint his hands like this", his voice was trembling with rage. Galdir nodded, and laid a calculating gaze on Daphne. Madam Pomfrey hustled in with two vials in her hands. She did not even question the arrangements that Harry and Daphne had taken.

"Here they are Mr Potter. Make sure that she takes them both. Although I may not like it, it seems that you will have to spend the night here with her just in case." Harry simply nodded. With a casual wave of his wand, the bed enlarged so it could fit them both comfortably. Pomfrey merely raised an eyebrow at this, but said nothing.

"Daphne. I need you to take these", said Harry softly. Daphne's eyes darted towards him, her blue eyes shining with fear. "It's alright, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here when you wake up."

"Promise?" she whispered.

"I promise." Just as Daphne was about to take the first potion, her body tensed and her head snapped towards Harry.

"Astoria! She's…. I need to…"

"Do not worry Miss Greengrass, it will be dealt with", said Galdir as he propped himself up. He casually summoned his wand to him and aimed it towards the door. A white light shot forward and disappeared quickly. Harry cocked his head, a question apparent in his eyes.

"Just wait for it", replied Galdir with a smile.

Not two minutes later, Professor McGonagall busted through the doors.

"Can someone explain why a dragon appeared in my office and then proceeded to—"

Her question died in her lips as she saw the two teens in the bed. "Mr Potter! What happened?!"

"She was attacked Professor. Crabbe and Goyle were about to…" Minerva's eyes widened at this, her shock quickly replaced with a fury that would make anyone cower.

"Where are they?!" she spat.

"You will find them stunned and bound in a room on the third floor. I would show you myself but…"

"Say no more Mr Potter."

"Harry… Astoria… please", whispered Daphne.
"Professor, her sister Astoria is still in the common room. She…"

"She will be brought here immediately. Do not worry Miss Greengrass. I will personally guarantee the safety of your sister", replied McGonagall. Daphne gave her a very brief nod and then relaxed visibly. She slowly took the Calming Draught first, but refused to take the Dreamless Sleep.

"You can take it when your sister gets here", said Harry softly. Daphne just nodded and tried to burrow herself more against his chest. McGonagall took her cue and left quickly.

"A patronus?" asked Harry. Galdir nodded.

"Perhaps with a bit more enthusiasm than I had anticipated, but the situation was rather desperate", replied Galdir in monotone.

"Now Mr Aglaron, how are you feeling?" said Madam Pomfrey, quickly turning her attention to her other patient.

"Tired, but well. Thank you for your assistance", said Galdir.

"Would you mind explaining me why you have those…?"

"Lines? I assume that you told the Headmaster?"

"Yes. He has already notified your mother, who said would be here first thing in the morning."

"Then if you do not mind I would rather explain it then. The memory is not particularly pleasant", replied Galdir.

"Very well. If there is nothing else, then I will let you all rest." She turned and left.

Silence filled the room until the doors were opened once more. A panicked Astoria rushed in to embrace her sister, followed by a furious McGonagall and Dumbledore. His usual twinkle was gone, and his hands shook with unrestrained fury.

"Be sure Harry, that there will be consequences to this", said Dumbledore. Harry nodded.

"Miss Greengrass. I have contacted your parents, who inform me that they will be here in a couple of hours. Is there anything that either of us can do to help you in any way?" asked Dumbledore. Daphne shook her head as she held her sobbing sister while pressing herself onto Harry. Galdir noticed the discomfort of having two girls on his lap and silently cast a charm that eased the load from him.

"Mr Potter, I would ask you to join us when their parents arrive. We will need a full account of the events", said McGonagall.

"Of course. Though I don't think I should leave her side just yet. She…"

"We understand Harry. You need not worry. On a somewhat related note, I have notified your mother Mr Aglaron. She assures me that she will be here by morning."

"Of course Headmaster", said Galdir with a short bow of his head.

"Very well then, if there is nothing else, we have some students to deal with", spat McGonagall.

After the two professors left, Daphne gave Astoria half the bottle of Dreamless Potion and then proceeded to take the rest. Soon they were both soundly asleep.

"Malfoy needs to be taught a lesson", said Harry venomously.

"I agree Harry. With some care, I believe that we can come up with something that befits his crime."

"Come up with something?! There's no thinking involved! Walk in to the common room and…"

"And what exactly would that solve Harry? As skilled as you are becoming, do you think you can tackle the entirety of Malfoy's supporters on your own? Especially considering many, if not all, of them are either Death Eaters or are planning to get the mark?" Harry's jaw clenched in fury.

"So we do nothing?" he spat.

"No. I did not say that. We need a way to show them that not only is Daphne under your protection, but that they should under no circumstance try to cross you", replied Galdir evenly.

"And how do we do that? Like you said, I cannot tackle all of the Slytherins on my own."

"You do not have to. Neville and Hermione will side with you, as will I. That alone already tips the balance in our favour."

"So I assume that you have a plan?"

"Not yet. I have some ideas, but I need time to determine the best approach"

"We can't just leave her like that! What if they go after her again?! What if no one helps her? What then?!" snapped Harry.

"You asked about teaching Malfoy a lesson. How we will accomplish that I have yet to figure out. However, if we play our cards right, it may be possible to provide her with enough protection until then."

"What cards?"

"You will know when the opportunity presents itself. All that I ask is that you trust me on this."

"A very big thing to ask considering how much you've been keeping from us", snorted Harry. Galdir eyed him carefully.

"Harry, I consider you a friend. However, there are things that I must keep secret for various reasons. Some because I am bound to. Others due to your safety. I promise that I will reveal what I can."

"You do realize that not only will I hold you to that, but you will have to explain it to the three of us right?" Galdir merely smiled.

Four hours later the peace and quiet of the Infirmary was broken by the slamming of doors. Lord Cygnus Greengrass was livid. Behind him, Lady Aurora was split right between rage and sorrow for her eldest daughter. Tears streamed from her icy blue eyes as she hurried to her side. She paid little notice of Harry, who was currently in the middle of her two daughters, one arm around each one.

"Daphne! Oh my dear child", said Aurora between sobs. Harry slowly extricated himself so she could hold her. "Is she…?"

"She's asleep Lady Greengrass", said Dumbledore who had just arrived. McGonagall and Snape followed close behind. Snape spared a sneer in Galdir's direction, who merely gazed back with cold eyes.

"I demand an explanation Headmaster!" growled Cygnus.

"Certainly Lord Greengrass. I would normally suggest that we move to my office, but due to the current circumstances, I believe it best that we have the discussion here", replied Dumbledore. Cygnus eyed Galdir warily. Noticing his discomfort, Minerva conjured several privacy wards. Galdir internally rolled his eyes. The ward as pretty much useless around him, but they did not need to know that. He simply closed his eyes and dropped into a light meditative state.

"What happened to my daughter?" spat Cygnus.

"I believe that Mr Potter here will be able to answer your questions. Harry, if you would", said Dumbledore.

"Well, I left from here after curfew. Hermione was… unavailable to cover her usual guard on the third floor and asked me to cover for her, so I did. As I was walking down a corridor, I hear a muffled scream. Since it was after curfew and no students should be there anyway, I decided to investigate. I found Crabbe and Goyle pinning Daphne to a wall. Her robes were already as you see them now. Without a second thought, I stunned and bound both of them. Daphne was… well, she wasn't in a good state. I tried to get her to come with me to the Infirmary immediately, but she refused. She asked that I stay with her, so I transfigured a pair of cushions and a blanket so we could stay there until she calmed down. After a couple of hours, she was sufficiently calm and so I brought her here", replied Harry evenly. Aurora gave Harry a thankful look, while Cygnus grew even more furious.

"Those animals! Did they…"

"No sir. I do not believe that they did anything to her, other than what is visible", answered Harry quickly. Cygnus relaxed visibly, as did Aurora.

"I want my daughters withdrawn from Hogwarts at once Headmaster", said Cygnus icily.

"Cygnus, you…"

"What would you have me do Aurora?! I cannot allow her to remain here and be harmed!"

"What of… You-Know-Who?"

"What of him?"

"He knows that we oppose him, and if today is any indication, our daughters will be in great danger."

"We will leave the country then! We can go stay with your relatives in France."

"As much as it pains me to say this Lord Greengrass, I do not believe that this is a viable option", said Severus silkily.

"And why not Professor Snape?" snapped Cygnus.

"The Dark Lord's arm has grown quite long. I do not believe that escaping is an option. Even if you somehow managed to get out of England, you would still be in danger", replied Snape.

"I agree with Severus. There have been reports of several small changes in the Wizengamot and the Ministry", said Dumbledore. Cygnus growled in frustration.

"Yes, I have heard of these things. I just didn't think that they would impact that much", he said.

"Under normal circumstances they wouldn't. However, all of it is pointing to something that I believe will not be pleasant for anyone", replied Dumbledore.

"What do you suggest then? Surely you do not expect me to leave them here with them", spat Cygnus.

"I don't want to sound overconfident, but Hogwarts' wards are impenetrable. They will be safe so long as they remain within its walls", said McGonagall.

"SAFE?!" roared Aurora. "This is not safe Professor McGonagall. One of my daughters was almost raped tonight and you tell me that she and her sister will be safe?" Minerva blanched at this.

"I was merely…"

"How do you have the gall to tell us that they will be safe when your own staff is seemingly oblivious to what happens in their Houses?" spat Cygnus.

"I assure you Lord Greengrass, that I had no idea—"

"My point exactly. You are the one that should have prevented this from happening Professor Snape, not this young man!" yelled Cygnus.

"I agree with my husband. If you cannot protect them from the dangers inside, then what is the point of them being supposedly safe from the outside world? I believe I would rather we take our chances in the safety of our own home." Cygnus gave a long sigh.

"I believe that this is something that we need to discuss. Headmaster, I am taking my daughters home for the time being. As soon as I am convinced that they are unharmed, then we will discuss what to do. Rest assured that you will be notified of our decision", he said evenly.

"Of course Lord Greengrass. All of her professors will be notified and her school work will be dealt with. If you require anything, please do not hesitate to contact me", said Dumbledore.

"We will", replied Aurora. "One more thing Headmaster. What of the two students that attacked Daphne?"

"They have already been expelled and sent to the DMLE. Alas, I do not believe that much will become of them. There' s far too much political unrest for this to take precedence. While we do have an interim Minister in Madam Bones, we have yet to elect a formal Minister", explained Dumbledore.

"So they will not got to prison?" growled Cygnus.

"We currently do not have anywhere to put them. They will be held in custody in the Ministry, but that is all we can do at the moment. Ever since Azkaban fell, we have had many problems that have unfortunately been left unsolved. Rest assured however, that so long as your daughters remain here, they cannot be harmed by those two anymore", said Dumbledore.

"Mother…?" said a sleepy Daphne.

"Daphne!" yelled Aurora as she engulfed her eldest daughter in a warm hug, followed by Cygnus and Astoria. Looking uncomfortable, Harry removed himself from the bed.

"If I am no longer required Professor, it's been a long night."

"Certainly Harry. Minerva, if you would be so kind as to escort Mr Potter back to Gryffindor Tower?" said Dumbledore. McGonagall nodded and walked Harry out, followed by Snape. Just as Harry was about to open the door, a soft voice caught his attention.

"Harry?" said Daphne. Harry turned around to see the eldest Greengrass approach him slowly. She then proceeded to hug him tightly. "Thank you for saving me."

"N-No problem", he said as a blush crept to his face. "I'll… I'll see you later then?" he asked not sure what to say.

"I… I would like that Harry", she replied softly. She then proceeded to give him a soft kiss on the cheek. Blushing madly, she hurried back to her parents, leaving Harry a very bright shade of crimson.

"Mr Potter", said Cygnus as he approached him, a small smile tugging his mouth. "I would like to formally thank you for saving my daughter. We are forever in your debt." He then offered his hand, which Harry shook timidly.

"It… It was nothing", he whispered.

"It was to us Mr Potter. Words cannot describe just how thankful Aurora and I are for this. If there is anything that you should ever need, please do not hesitate to ask." Harry merely nodded. He was then engulfed in another hug, this time from Aurora.

"Thank you", was all she could say. Harry merely nodded. He then turned to Galdir, who was watching him with an amused expression.

"I'll see you later", he said. Galdir got the subtle reminder and nodded.

A couple of hours later found Galdir along with Madam Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore waiting in the Headmaster's office for his mother to arrive. Pomfrey had begrudgingly agreed to allow the meeting to take place here. Try as she might, she could not find anything else wrong with Galdir. The speed at which he had recovered astounded her. He should still be in bed, yet he seemed fine. Granted, he was still a bit pale from the blood loss, but otherwise he was in excellent shape. A knock on the door heralded the arrival of Aglareth.

"Enter", said Dumbledore. Galdir was immediately engulfed in a warm hug from her, which he returned. He raised an eyebrow at the smirk that had formed on the other person that had arrived: Anuon.

"How are you? I heard that you were injured…"

"I am fine mother. Had a… little accident that's all", answered Galdir. Anuon's smirk grew larger until it was immediately wiped form his face by the icy glare that Galdir sent him. "What are you doing here…uncle?"

"I… she…" stammered Anuon.

"Yes?"

"Your… mother was worried for you M… Galdir", he said. Galdir raised an eyebrow at this. Aglareth blushed lightly. She slowly moved back towards Anuon, and their hands grazed for a moment, which did not go unnoticed by Galdir.

"I see…", he said softly. "Thank you for your concern, uncle."

"I'm sorry, but I don't believe that we've been introduced. I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. These two ladies are Minerva McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House, and Madam Pomfrey, our resident healer", said Dumbledore.

"Pleased to meet you. I am Anuon of the House of Arnor. I am a… distant uncle of Galdir's", he said sheepishly. Dumbledore chuckled at his behaviour, but thought nothing of it. After all, how was he to know that the boy in front of him was not only older, but was also that man's master?

"What happened to Galdir Headmaster? All that I was told was that he was in the Infirmary due to blood loss", said Aglareth.

"Yes. When Mr Aglaron arrived to my wing, his robes were heavily drenched with blood. However, when I removed his shirt I… well… I found something which I had never seen before", said Pomfrey.

"What did you find Poppy?" asked McGonagall.

"She found what she believes are curse scars. I must confess that I am intrigued by them", said Dumbledore.

"Sc-Scars? What scars?" asked Aglareth. Her sister had mentioned that Galdir did have a collection of scars, but she had never mentioned curse scars before. These were very rare in the Elven World, since there were very few curses that could leave a permanent mark that even their magic could not heal. Galdir sighed and rolled up his sleeve, exposing the dark lines that were etched on his skin. Aglareth's eyes widened and Anuon flinched.

"So it is true…", he muttered quietly.

"If I may Mr Aglaron?" asked Dumbledore. Galdir nodded. They all watched as Dumbledore rose and started examining his arm, muttering several incantations under his breath. After a while he gave a sigh and sat back down.

"Any luck Headmaster?" asked Pomfrey.

"No. I'm afraid I have not been able to identify what they are", said Dumbledore wearily.

"Not surprising Headmaster", said Galdir. Everyone's head snapped as they turned to see him. "It was a very… strange combination of curses that gave me these. It was not just one", he said evenly.

Anuon's blood ran cold when he saw the lines that his master sported. There were rumours that had been circling for a long time. Whispers that said that Galdir was Demon Touched, but he refused to believe them. After all, there was no evidence to support these claims. He remembered that night that Duvainor had insulted Galdir and how he had bristled when asked about it. How he had managed to keep it hidden all this time was beyond him. Even more intriguing was how he had managed to survive this long. If what he had learned during his apprenticeship was any indication, no one had survived the Touch. All the recorded victims had sported lines similar to the ones that Galdir had, but they had all died within weeks, months at the most. There were no records of an Elf surviving years, let alone possibly hundreds of years as Galdir had. He found that the respect that he already had for his master grow. It would have taken a great deal of power for him to make it this far, and he understood why he kept it quiet. The stigma that he would have had to endure… it was too much to even think about it.

Aglareth was shocked. Her sister had never mentioned this, which made her wonder if she even knew about Galdir's condition. She suspected that he normally carried very heavy Glamour Charms that kept them hidden, but how he managed to maintain them so well was beyond her. She would be normally inclined to believe that he used runes of some sort, but that thought was quickly dismissed. More importantly: how had he gotten them? The war was already over by the time that he had finished his training, so there was no way that he could have been in contact with them was there? Her mind quickly surmised the same thing that Anuon had: it seemed impossible that he had survived as long as he had. She added that to the mystery that was Galdir. Just what had he done and how much had he lived through?

"Do they normally bleed?" asked Pomfrey.

"No. I find myself at a loss as to why they did. Normally there are just…"

"Just what Mr Aglaron?" asked McGonagall.

"They will randomly cause me to have seizures in which I will experience great pain. The only thing that I have been able to do is try to get through them… although I would usually be in a room with… a healer", he said. Anuon's eyes widened in understanding. Throughout their training, there would be times in which Galdir would disappear for the day. These usually happened roughly once a month. Although they did not think much of it at the time, what Galdir had just revealed fit what they had seen.

"Did you have a… seizure yesterday?" asked Pomfrey.

"Unfortunately yes", said Galdir.

"Why did you not come and see me then?!" she demanded.

"I… did not consider it", said Galdir sheepishly.

"Lady Aglareth, not to be rude, but why were we not informed of this?" asked Dumbledore.

"I… I was…"

"She did not know Headmaster. I tend to keep this a secret, generally employing several Glamour Charms to ensure that they remain hidden. It was my choice not to tell her, and I would greatly appreciate it if it did not leave this room", he said, pointedly staring at Aglareth and Anuon.

"Yes of course Mr Aglaron. However, I believe that certain precautions should be taken for your sake", said Minerva. Galdir eyed her curiously.

"If you experience a… seizure, as you call it, you will notify your professor immediately and then report to Madam Pomfrey, where you will remain until it passes. Is that agreeable?" asked Dumbledore. Aglareth nodded.

"Excellent! Then if that is all, I believe that breakfast will sit just nicely right now", said Dumbledore. Galdir bowed, followed by Aglareth and Anuon. The minute that they had stepped out of the room, all the memory of the event was wiped clean from the three professor's minds, replaced with an inconsequential meeting with Galdir's mother regarding his academic prowess.

Finding an empty classroom, the three Elves ducked in quickly. Galdir waved his hand, creating several privacy wards.

"As I said during the meeting, my… condition should remain a secret. As you might imagine, my House has gone to great lengths to keep it from being common knowledge due to my status. It will remain that way", said Galdir.

"Yes, of course Master", said Anuon with a bow. "Should Canadion be informed?"

"If you must. So long as he understands the conditions under which this knowledge is given", said Galdir evenly. Anuon bowed once again.

"Did she know?"

"I do not know. She probably suspected something, but I never told her", replied Galdir with a hint of sadness and shame. Aglareth mentally slapped herself for asking. She saw the wave of pain that passed through Galdir's eyes.

"What about them? Will you adhere to their terms?" asked Aglareth.

"I am sure you will find that their memory of the event will be… foggy at best", he said with a smile. Deciding not to question him further, Aglareth nodded.

"On to more important things: do you carry news?"

"Yes Master. The Council of Nobles from each House have all agreed that preparations must be made in case of another war." Galdir raised an eyebrow at this.

"And why was I not notified of this decision? Your last letter did not carry any indications that a decision had been made."

"We had managed to persuade them not to do anything as per your request, but yesterday they decided to override your instructions. Your lack of presence also made it easier for your House, but the rest arrived at the same decision. I was going to notify you today either way", said Aglareth. Galdir snorted.

"That comes as no surprise. What preparations have they made?"

"Standard procedure. I do not believe that the armies have yet been assembled", said Anuon.

"You managed to keep them from doing that?" asked Galdir with a smirk.

"Barely. They were very… adamant. We believe that they are still afraid of the last war", said Aglareth.
"It makes sense. The wounds are still fresh in everyone's mind. Tell my Council to not ready the armies. As of now, our true enemy remains unclear. I would also recommend that you pass the same message to the other Houses."

"It will be done Master."

"What of the humans?"

"Their government is unstable. Several members of the Wizengamot have prevented the election of a new Minister. The Director of the DMLE had been chosen as an interim, but it is unclear why they have yet to allow an election", said Aglareth.

"It seems that they are waiting for something", said Galdir.

"Yes, that is the general perception. What they are waiting for is unknown though. There is certainly no lack of theories, but nothing is known for certain", said Anuon.

"Do we know anything of the whereabouts of Lucius Malfoy?"

"No. He has not been spotted since his escape from Azkaban. No rumours either", said Aglareth.

"That is… disturbing. This is completely different from Voldemort's usual style."

"Indeed. No attacks have happened either. It has many people on edge", said Anuon.

"We are keeping an eye on the situation either way. If something comes up, we will know about it immediately", said Aglareth. Galdir nodded. The way Voldemort was behaving made Galdir very uncomfortable. It was far too cloak and dagger for his usual style. He would have expected to wield the power of fear as he had before, especially since he had been revealed in the Ministry, but this… this was far too quiet. The break out of Azkaban was clean. His Death Eaters had not even attacked once since then… just what was he doing? There was also a growing sense of foreboding that gnawed Galdir. He clearly felt the darkness growing, but he had no idea what could be causing it. As far as he knew, the only one that could cause this was locked away forever. Yet the signs were starting to become too blatant for his liking. Maybe I am overreacting. Paranoia might be clouding my judgement, he thought.

"Galdir?" asked Aglareth, snapping him from his thoughts.

"Sorry. The situation is rather unnerving, but there are far too many unknowns to ascertain anything. If either of you could contact Dimaethor and tell him to get the battle mages ready and assembled I would greatly appreciate it. I know not if they will be needed, but it will cause no harm to have them standing by", said Galdir.

"Will do", said Aglareth.

"Before you leave, I need a word with Anuon. Alone", said Galdir. Aglareth nodded and exited the room. Galdir eyed Anuon critically, making the Elf fidget under his gaze.

"I know not what your intentions are, nor am I particularly concerned about them. However, know that if you harm her, you will answer to me", said Galdir. Anuon gulped audibly.

"Y-Yes… my Master."

"Good! Now that we have clarified that, shall we?" he said with a smile. Anuon quickly composed himself and exited the room, followed by Galdir. Aglareth gave him a quick hug.

"Take care of yourself", she said softly.

"You too", he answered. After they broke apart, she gave him a quick bow and left, followed by Anuon who also bowed.

Well, that was interesting…, he thought.

The rest of the day was a bit awkward. Harry, Hermione and Neville could barely hold themselves together. Their wish of taking Galdir at the first chance and interrogating him thoroughly was almost unbearable. They had all groaned audibly when Galdir told them that they would discuss it after classes when he arrived to breakfast. Their last class of the day went agonizingly slow. Finally, when they were dismissed, they literally dragged Galdir to their training room and locked the door. Galdir eyed them with a bemused expression and quickly waved his wand, creating the usual wards. As soon as he had finished, Hermione's mouth was opening to begin the bombardment of questions. Galdir chuckled and raised his hand, effectively halting the stream of questions that was about to spew forth.

"Before I answer anything, I need to make two things perfectly clear. First, although I may not want to, there are things that I will not be able to answer. The reasons are simple: it is either because I am bound to secrecy, or for personal reasons. These two are not negotiable. The second thing is that nothing, and I do mean nothing, that we discuss leaves this room. Are we agreed?" He received nods all around. "Very well, you may begin."

The following reaction made Galdir realize very quickly that he said the wrong things. The three teens were asking questions at a speed that truly amazed him. Hermione was literally talking nonstop, asking questions at a frightening rate. The other two, while more subdued, were also making a fantastic job of making their doubts known. Galdir raised his hand again, halting the cacophony of sound. "Patience. I will answer all of your questions, just please… one at a time. Hermione, please remember to breathe every so often. I would not want you to faint", he quipped. Hermione had the good grace to blush at his comment.

"What happened to you that day? And I want the truth this time Galdir Aglaron", said Hermione after she recovered. Galdir sighed.

"I am assuming that all of your other questions are related to this in some way or another, right?" He received three nods. "Very well. Suffice it to say that what you saw yesterday was an unfortunate event that usually does not happen. What happened yesterday? Well, the short answer is that I was having a rather brutal episode of pain caused by the scars that you undoubtedly saw."

"Pain?" asked Hermione in a small voice.

"I assume that you have not experienced the Cruciatus Curse before?" He received two nods. Galdir merely stared at Harry but said nothing about his lack of answer. "Imagine thousands of white-hot knifes piercing every single nerve-ending in your body. That is what the curse feels like. Now take that and multiply it by at least a thousand and you can barely start comprehending the pain that I experienced."

Silence. Harry paled at what Galdir had just said. He had experienced the Cruciatus at the hands of Voldemort himself and he knew it was no laughing matter. The curse hurt. A lot. He remember the feeling enough to still cause him to flinch involuntarily. But what Galdir was describing was… more. He could not really think of any words that could describe it. It seemed to resemble vaguely the feeling of his possession by Voldemort. Except that while that pain was centred around his scar, what Galdir was describing encompassed the entire body. How could he even function like that? When Voldemort had attempted to possess him, he had not been able to do much but squirm around. Galdir on the other hand had actually been able to walk and behave normally. Or at least as normally as he was able to.

"How?" he asked.

"How what Harry?"

"How do you manage?" Galdir was silent.

"I am not one to bow to these things Harry. Yes, it hurts, but unfortunately there is nothing that I can do about it. I just try to get on with my day as best as I can. Sometimes I succeed. Others, like yesterday, I do not."

"Y-Your scars… they… cause that?" whispered Neville.
"Yes. They are the remnants of a series of curses that I was subject to as a child", said Galdir coldly. Everyone flinched. Hermione saw his eyes flicker with several emotions. Pain. Anger. Sorrow. Shame?

"The spells that you used…"

"I am not sure Hermione. They were most likely manifestations of magic caused by my aggravated state. I am grateful that no one was permanently injured."

"Why did everyone seemed to… forget what happened?" asked Neville. Galdir eyed them critically.

"In order to… protect myself, I devised a series of wards that are wrapped around me. The easy version is that they erase certain memories that contain keywords or triggers. That way, if anyone saw what happened to me, they would not be able to remember anything."

"Why were we not affected?" asked Neville.

"I would think the answer is obvious Neville. You are my friends and I trust you." No one said anything after that.

Kingsley Shacklebot trudged from his office in the DMLE down to the newly reconstructed Atrium. The wizards in charge of renovating the damage caused by the battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort had taken a while to clean up all the debris that was generated. Reconstructing the broken arches was something that took a very long time, and the statue that adorned the central fountain was still to be finished. All in all, it was a far cry from the mess that it had been just a few months ago.

With a sigh, Kingsley headed towards the nearest Floo point. He hoped to get at least a decent meal and some sleep before he returned to the office on Saturday. Ever since the attack on Azkaban, the DMLE had been working overtime trying to accommodate all the prisoners that were left behind and the ones that were in transit between the prison and the Ministry. Teams had been deployed all over Britain trying to determine a new location to place them, while the warders from the Department of Mysteries and Gringotts tried to restore the wards in Azkaban with the hopes of getting it to function again. Added on to this was the instability that Madam Bones' position was generating. There should have been an election by now, but for some strange reason the members of the Wizengamot refused to allow a vote to happen.

Kingsley was shaken from his meanderings by a growing commotion that appeared to be coming from the Apparition point. With a sigh, Kingsley walked towards it, praying that it was just a minor incident that could be dealt with quickly. As he got closer, the roar of the crowd became deafening, but he managed to make out one thing that made his blood run cold: Lucius Malfoy had just Apparated into the Ministry of Magic.