Perplexity Part Four (Hugo/James)
Mar. 9th, 2010 08:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dysonrulesEnter... BETHANY! *grin*
Hugo tried not to be nervous as he paced the empty space behind the sofa, glancing at the fireplace every so often while he waited for James to arrive. The clock had struck eleven already, which was James’ usual quitting time. It should not be long, now. He suppressed a yawn and took another drink of tea. The tepid liquid made him grimace. He did not enjoy tea in the evening and cold tea was even less appealing. Still, the caffeine was helping—he didn’t feel quite as tired as he normally did at the late hour.
The flames erupted, disgorging James—and Hugo’s worst nightmare.
“Hugo! Thanks for staying up, cousin. This is Bethany Chambers.”
Hugo stepped forward with a forced smile and held out his hand politely. Bethany bobbed a fake curtsy and took his hand with both of hers as she beamed at him. “Oh, I’m ever so pleased to meet you, Hugo. James talks about you all the time, he does. And aren’t you the cutest thing? You didn’t tell me he was the cutest thing, James, for shame.” Her voice was low and seductive, which was a rather marked contrast from her petite form, her bouncy, golden ringlets, her perfect, heart-shaped face, and her wide, guileless blue eyes.
James cleared his throat. “Yeah, Hugo is the cutest thing,” he deadpanned.
Hugo glared and Bethany giggled. Her bubbly laugh seemed to fit her more than her sultry voice. She gave him a smack on the arm that spoke of familiarity and Hugo felt a surge of jealousy that nearly took his breath away. His fists clenched involuntarily.
“Stop it, James, you tosser. Hugo, I’m so glad you’ve agreed to help me. The goblins will fire me for sure if these strange things keep happening.”
That would be a crying pity, Hugo thought dryly and then felt almost bad when she beamed at him.
“If Hugo can’t figure it out, no one can,” James added and then Hugo did feel guilty for his less than charitable opinion of Bethany. At least until she nearly bowled over James by enveloping him in a huge hug.
“You are so wonderful!” she cried and planted a loud kiss on his cheek.
Hugo watched, feeling almost nauseous, as James laughed weakly and set her away from him. “Easy, girl, we haven’t sorted you, yet. Hugo, where should we start?”
We could start with hexing her into a pumpkin, Hugo thought, but he gestured to a clipboard and quill he had placed on the table in front of the sofa. “I’ll start by asking some questions,” he said. “This might take a while, but we need to find common threads, similarities, and connections between the incidences.”
James nudged her. “I told you he was half Ravenclaw.”
She giggled again as she moved to sit on the sofa. “I was a Hufflepuff, like me mum,” she explained.
Hugo quickly moved to sit next to her, leaving James to seat himself in the chair across from them. If he thought it strange that Hugo chose to monopolize Bethany, he said nothing. Hugo picked up the clipboard and began.
By the time they finished, Hugo was yawning hugely and doing a poor job at covering it. His eyes felt like two gritty stones rolling in his eye sockets and he could barely read his own writing. He tossed the clipboard and quill down.
“Okay, that should be enough to start with,” he said. He had filled two and a half pages with data. “I’ll start cross-referencing tomorrow and let you know if I find anything.”
“Bethany is taking tomorrow off, just in case,” James said.
She nodded. “Be sure to call me if you need anything, Hugo,” she said emphatically. She gave him a squeeze. During the past hour, he had discovered that she was naturally a tactile person. She had patted Hugo’s hand, poked his side, pinched his cheek, tugged at his hair, pulled him into an affectionate hug more than once, and even planted a kiss on his temple. After each exchange, Hugo had looked quickly at James to gauge his reaction. To his dismay, James seemed to grow more and more displeased with each touch. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his long legs at the ankles, and folded his arms over his chest as though impatient. Hugo recognized the set of his jaw. James was annoyed.
“I’m sure that won’t be necessary,” Hugo said quickly, not wanting to anger James more than he already had. It was obvious James had feelings for Bethany and, even though Hugo seethed with jealousy, he would never stand in the way of James’ happiness. Hugo would help Bethany to the best of his ability and then she and James could run off and live happily ever after while Hugo drowned himself in the Thames.
“Thanks, Hugo,” James said in a clipped tone as he took Bethany’s arm, somewhat roughly, Hugo thought. “I’ll see Bethany home.”
“All right. It was… um, nice meeting you, Bethany,” Hugo said politely.
She leaned forward as if to kiss him—on the lips!—but Hugo stepped back so quickly he nearly fell over the tea table. She giggled. “Good night, Hugo.”
“Yes, good night, Hugo,” James repeated, but with an edge to his voice that made Hugo’s heart sink.
“Good night,” Hugo whispered and then James whisked perky-cute Bethany to the fireplace and they were gone.
Hugo trudged with leaden feet upstairs, where he shucked his clothes and climbed into bed. His exhaustion did not keep him from lying awake until he heard footsteps in the hallway. They paused at his door—or was that his imagination?—and then continued on until the door down the hall opened and closed with a familiar creak.
Only then did Hugo fall asleep.
xxXxx
Hugo spent most of the morning yawning over several cups of tea and cross-referencing Bethany’s information while sitting at his desk at Worsted and Turner. None of it was making much sense. The only common element Hugo could locate was the cavern wherein all the episodes had happened. He had never heard of such varied symptoms.
A trip to the Worsted and Turner Research Library—which was his mother’s pride and joy—gave him access to the best information available, and still little to go on. He began to wonder if Bethany had picked up some sort of artefact or magical item. It could be something as simple as a ring. Hugo had briefly asked about what she had worn during the incidences, but he had not drilled down to specifics.
His mother popped her head inside the door. “Hugo, darling, what are you doing for lunch?”
“Um, meeting a friend,” he said quickly. She loved to grill him about his current cases during their informal lunches and he hated to lie and pretend he was still working on the case involving spelled peonies instead of doing research for his cousin.
“Anyone we know?” she asked with a sly wink and he blushed, despite himself.
“No, mum,” he said firmly.
“Oh, all right,” she said with a laugh. “I know how young people hate their parents’ interference. I was young once, also.”
“Yeah, and traipsing around under invisibility cloaks with Harry Potter, travelling through time, rescuing hippogriffs and searching for Horcruxes,” Hugo muttered.
She laughed. “Fine. I’ll just have to hope you’re not doing anything as dangerous as that. Have a nice lunch. Say hi to Lily for me.”
Hugo rolled his eyes. “Mum. I am not having lunch with Lily.”
She smiled. “All right. But if you were, it would be all right with your father and me, okay? We just wanted you to know. There are spells that prevent any damage caused by inbreeding; otherwise we would all be surrounded by demented purebloods. You know how they like to marry their cousins.”
“Mum!”
“I’m just making conversation!”
“Goodbye, Mum,” he replied, stressing the words.
She sighed. “I’m going. Don’t forget you and Rose are coming home for dinner on Friday.” She blew him a kiss.
Hugo smiled and shook his head as she departed. They worked together, but she was good about leaving him be and not dropping in every day. As mums went, he supposed he could do worse. Sometimes, the knowledge of what his parents had done as teenagers still filled him with awe.
He mulled over her words and wondered if she and his father would feel the same if he admitted it was James he was interested in, rather than Lily. He supposed it didn’t matter; he would never need to have that conversation as long as James was dating perky blond girls.
Hugo got up and went to call Bethany.
She was as bouncy as ever, even when scantily dressed in a cut-off t-shirt and a pair of pink hot-pants that seemed far too skimpy for the cool weather. It had been raining off and on throughout the morning. Her oversized breasts jiggled with each bounce, obviously unfettered by anything as mundane as a bra. Hugo knew his face was a permanent shade of red as he tried to focus on his clipboard.
Thankfully, she did not try to touch him at all, or he would probably have bolted in a panic. Instead, she bopped around her flat watering an endless succession of plants with her wand. The place resembled a jungle and Hugo half-expected some dangerous creature to leap out of the foliage at him.
“I can’t think of any new jewellery or anything I’ve worn,” she said, standing on her bare tiptoes to reach the pot that held a massive ivy plant that had taken over nearly an entire wall. Her shirt rode up even farther, exposing her ribcage. “In fact, I generally only wear this, a gift from my mum.” She turned to him and showed him a gold pendant she wore on a chain around her neck.
“Has anyone else had access to it?” Hugo asked, wondering if someone had spelled it when she wasn’t around.
“Not that I know of. I don’t take it off, except when I go to bed. I suppose someone could have sneaked in and taken it while I was sleeping, but I hardly think anyone able to break through my wards would be content with casting a strange spell on my necklace.”
“No, probably not,” Hugo admitted. “Still, I can take it back and test it, to be sure.”
She reached back and undid the clasp before walking over to hand it to him. She smiled. “Thanks again for this, Hugo. James was right. You’re a peach.”
He flushed and slid the necklace into his pocket. “James said that?”
She nodded. “That and plenty of other things. It must be nice to have such a wonderful cousin.”
“Cousin,” Hugo agreed, not appreciating the reminder.
“And he’s so very handsome, don’t you think?”
Hugo was glad his face was already red, because it went a bit darker at the thought of cataloguing James’ looks with Bethany Chambers. “Um… yeah,” he stammered.
She laughed. “Sorry, I suppose you don’t notice such things, yeah?”
Only every damn time I see him, Hugo thought, but he just grinned and shrugged. “I should get back to work,” he said.
“Of course! I didn’t mean to keep you with my babbling. Let me know if you think of anything else!” she said cheerfully.
Hugo waved and Flooed away.
James was sitting at his desk. His feet were crossed atop Hugo’s blotter calendar and he was twirling his wand idly in his fingers. He sat up with a jerk when Hugo walked in.
“Where have you been?” James demanded in a sharp tone that surprised Hugo.
Hugo realized his cheeks were getting a workout today. Oh shit, he thought guiltily. James had been angry enough last night with Bethany patting and poking him. He would be livid when he found out Hugo had visited her, even though she hadn’t even really come near him. “I went to see Bethany,” he admitted and winced.
James got to his feet. “Oh really?” he asked. His voice sounded perfectly normal, but a quick glance showed a muscle working in James’ jaw and his eyes flashed blue fire.
“Yes, I needed some information we didn’t cover last night and she gave me her necklace to check out and see if it had been spelled and, honestly, she was watering her plants the whole time and I didn’t even sit down.” Hugo’s words spilled out in a rush and he realized he was babbling as he pulled the pendant from his pocket and dangled it in the air.
James opened his mouth to speak, snapped it shut, opened it again, and then merely nodded curtly.
“I’m sorry! Should I have checked with you, first?” Hugo asked.
James stared at him and then scowled. “Of course not! Don’t be stupid.”
Hugo frowned. James’ words certainly seemed a contradiction of his attitude. It occurred to him that James had been waiting. “Why are you here?” he asked.
James shrugged. “I wanted to see if you had made any progress. Thought we’d have lunch together. But, I have to get back now.”
He strode by Hugo without a pat or a hair ruffle or a dig in the ribs, making Hugo’s breath seize up in his throat. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, wishing he had not gone to see Bethany at all, even though he thought it was what James would want. To solve the problem, nothing more.
James grinned at him wryly, but it didn’t touch his eyes. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll see you later.”
He went out, leaving Hugo to sink into his chair with a sigh. He was cursed. That was all there was to it.
xxXxx
Hugo was surprised when an owl fluttered into his office shortly before closing time.
Meet us at Gringotts at six was all it said. It wasn’t even signed and Hugo could practically feel the chill emanating from the words. Dammit, he was going to have to explain to James that he was not interested in Bethany. He snorted. Merlin, what a mess.
He bid goodnight to Mildred, who gave him her usual muttered response that could have been a salutation or an insult, he was never quite sure, and went out. Lily was waiting for him outside St Mungo’s, as usual.
“I don’t think I’ll go home,” he said. “I’m meeting James at Gringotts in a bit.”
“Why? Are you opening a joint account in preparation for your upcoming nuptials?”
Hugo pushed her. “Very funny.”
“You would look so cute in a white dress.”
“Did anyone ever mention that you’re pure evil?” Hugo snapped.
She laughed. “Certainly not.”
He rolled his eyes at that, knowing she heard it at least once a day from each of her relatives, the bint. “Liar.”
“Since you unjustly insulted me, I think you should repay me by buying me dinner. I insist on fish and chips from Rodney’s. And ice cream, if we have time.”
Hugo shook his head at her manipulation, but decided it was better than eating alone. Thankfully, she confined her commentary to a monologue about one of her co-workers and left the subject of him and James alone for the duration of the meal. As thanks, he bought her an ice cream and then left her at Fortescue’s to walk to Gringotts.
James was waiting on the front steps. With Bethany. She waved happily. Hugo was glad to see she wore more clothing this time; she was somewhat sedately dressed in dark blue robes.
Hugo half-heartedly lifted a hand toward her and then smiled at James. He couldn’t help it; James still made his heart twist painfully, no matter how much he tried to talk himself out of it.
“I told the goblins you were going to open an account, Hugo, to store something you didn’t want your parents to know about. Do you, um… have anything like that?”
“Are you joking?” Hugo stared at him. Honestly, even if he did, he certainly wouldn’t have it on him.
“Of course he’s joking, Hugo,” Bethany said and patted his cheek. “Here, you can use this.” She handed Hugo a small parcel.
He turned it in his hands. “What is it?”
She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. The goblins won’t ask. It’s just for show.”
“Isn’t this your day off?” Hugo asked. “Won’t they wonder why you’re here?”
Bethany looped her arm through his and smiled brightly at him. Her curls bobbed. “I’m here as your girlfriend, silly.”
Hugo blanched and looked quickly at James, whose smile could have curdled milk. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Hugo squeaked.
“Nonsense. Go on, James. The sooner Hugo gets a look at the caverns, the sooner I can get back to work without worrying.”
“Yeah, all right,” James said brusquely. “Let’s go.” He turned and made his way into the bank. Bethany guided Hugo after him. It took a moment for Hugo’s eyes to adjust to the gloom and he realized he had only been inside Gringotts a handful of times. Bethany shuffled him to the counter, explained that Hugo planned to open an account, and giggled coquettishly at the goblin, who did not even glance at her as his small eyes bored into Hugo’s.
“Number 542,” the goblin said finally and slid a silver key across the stone counter toward Hugo, who took it nervously. It felt cold in his hand. “Bonethorn will escort you.”
“Thank you,” Hugo whispered and then felt Bethany tug him across the room.
James waited for them near the entrance to the caverns and he spoke to the grizzled-looking goblin that preceded them. “I’ll go along, Bonethorn,” James said. “He’s my cousin.”
“I know who he is, Potter,” the goblin replied and gave him a long stare. “None of you are trying to steal anything, are you? Like your father?”
James glared and shook his head. “You know I can’t steal anything from here and neither can anyone related to me.” Hugo knew something of the magical vows James had taken in order to work at the bank. The consequences were not good.
“See that you remember that,” Bonethorn said and then led the way into the darkness.
The ride through the caverns in the tiny, rickety cart was terrifying and Hugo found himself pressing close to James and finally giving up on pride and clinging tightly to his arm. To his relief, James patted his hand and then gave his fingers a squeeze when they finally stopped.
“Vault 542,” Bonethorn said and Hugo walked forward to put the silver key into the keyhole. He twisted it and the normal-looking door swung open to reveal a small, empty space. Hugo walked inside and dropped the packet Bethany had given him onto the floor.
He turned and went out before locking the door behind him.
Bethany was crouched near the rail track, hunched over, and James was next to her, appearing to hold her while she retched. Hugo hurried toward them. “What is it?” he asked in a low tone, glancing at the goblin, who stood impassively near the cart, watching them.
“Feel nauseous,” Bethany said and then made another tortured sound, as though trying to vomit, though nothing came out.
“Is this a new symptom?” Hugo asked quietly, trying to remain clinical, but failing as his heart went out to the poor girl. He might be ragingly jealous of James touching her, even now when she was ill, but he hated to see anyone suffer.
“Yes!” James said. “We need to get her out of here.”
Hugo watched helplessly as James guided Bethany to the rail car and helped her climb inside. The goblin watched her distastefully, but said nothing. She held her head over the side and James kept one arm around her as the car shot down the track once more. Hugo began to feel nauseous himself, partly in sympathy for Bethany, but also because the wild ride only exacerbated the sensation. He wished he hadn’t eaten.
When the terrifying ride finally stopped, Hugo gratefully climbed out on shaky legs. Bethany practically fell out of the cart after him and clutched his arm to regain her balance. The goblin shot them a final suspicious look and preceded them into the bank proper. Bethany kept a grip on Hugo, who asked, “Is that the same area of the bank where it always happens?”
James sighed. “It’s really hard to tell. The place is like a maze, but as near as I can pinpoint, she has always had an attack—or whatever you want to call it—within a certain general region. I’ll draw you a map and send it along.” James frowned when Bethany rested her head on Hugo’s shoulder. Hugo thought about shaking her off, but the poor girl was ill. He settled for patting her hand, hoping James would get the hint that he only cared for her as much as he would a sick puppy or wounded animal.
“I’m starting to feel better,” she said, “But I think I should go home and lie down. I’m not wearing any jewellery, Hugo.”
He nodded. He had left her necklace at work in order to perform tests on it the following day, but now those would be moot.
“Take Bethany home,” James said brusquely. “I’ve got to get back to work. I’ll check in on you later, Beth.”
“That won’t be necessary, James. I’m sure Hugo can take proper care of me,” she replied.
“I’m sure he can,” James snapped. “Have a nice evening.” With that, James turned on a heel and stalked back into the gloom that led to the caverns. Hugo felt even sicker to his stomach, watching him go.
“Come on, Hugo,” Bethany said brightly and tugged him outside. Once down the steps and standing on the cobblestone walk, she released his arm and let out a breath. “Ah, fresh air! It’s lovely. Sometimes I think it’s just being in that place…” She turned to him and grinned. “Is that possible?”
Hugo shook his head. “I don’t think so. Perhaps it is something in the air in the lower levels, though…” he began, but she laughed and cut him off.
“I’ll let you worry about that. I’m for home. You don’t need to escort me. I feel fine, now. Goodnight, Hugo.” She blew an air kiss at him, waved, and Disapparated.
Hugo blinked at the spot where she had stood for a moment and then pulled out his wand to spell himself home. At least he would be able to tell James that he had not even taken her home, and thank Merlin for that. It was obvious James was becoming ragingly jealous of every moment Hugo spent with Bethany. He needed to solve her problem and then leave them in peace.
He Apparated into the living room and was nearly bowled over by someone slamming into him.
“Merlin, Hugo, watch out!”
Hands clutched his arms and kept them both from tumbling. A wild thatch of red curls revealed the source. “Rose? What are you doing here?”
“I live her, idiot. Don’t you remember?” she asked, making sure he was properly upright before letting him go. “I was showing Lily how Edmund Cooper took down Albert MacMurphy in the last game. It was brilliant! Watch!”
Lily stood near the stairs, laughing. “You have to see this, Hugo. Rose is re-enacting half her games. I’m likely to split something from laughing.”
Rose grinned at her. “Well, my team is loads of fun at the best of times. When they aren’t being utter brutes on the Quidditch field, they are cutting up during practice or pranking each other mercilessly during downtime. Godric, I miss them already.”
Hugo realized it must be some sort of Quidditch break—he could never keep track of them. While he enjoyed watching an occasional game, he was not a rabid fan, by any means, despite his sister being a Beater for the Dover Dominators. Rose launched into another tale, complete with shouting, leaping over the couch, and flinging a succession of decorative pillows around the room as she relayed a dramatic scene from one of her latest matches. Despite himself, Hugo felt a bit better, watching her. Lily laughed so hard Hugo thought there was real danger of her hurting herself.
The mirth was cut instantly short when footsteps on the stairs started them. Hugo gaped as Uncle Harry appeared and smiled into the shocked silence. “Hi, kids. Don’t let me interrupt.”
“Hi, Dad,” Lily said quickly. “Um… what are you doing here?”
“Looking for Albus. Do you know where he is?”
“Um… I’m not sure,” Lily said.
The three of them shared wary glances and Harry sighed and pushed a hand through his hair, bumping his glasses for a moment and then straightening them. “Look, this is getting out of hand. Albus is never here. His bed hasn’t been slept in and there is a thick layer of dust on his dressing table. Now, someone needs to tell me where he’s living, since it obviously isn’t here.”
Hugo tried to sidle out of the room and the normally unflappable Lily looked like a deer hit with Avada Kedavra. Rose sprawled on the sofa with the air of someone who had nothing to hide. Damn her, she had an alibi, living so often with the team. She could claim ignorance and she knew it.
“Hugo?” Harry asked, turning his green eyes toward Hugo, who stopped trying to escape. He swallowed nervously. It had been hard to treat Uncle Harry with the same casual familiarity after attending Hogwarts and learning of his fame. The man was a legend.
“I think… he… ah…” Hugo stumbled over his words, trying to weigh the lesser of two evils—death by Harry Potter or death by Albus Potter. Frankly, he thought his chances of survival might be better with the elder Potter.
“Oh, leave Hugo alone, Dad,” Lily said with a sigh. “You know he cracks under pressure. You’ll have to hear it from Albus. None of us want to be murdered in our sleep.”
“So, you’re saying I’ll disapprove of where he’s living?” Harry asked.
Rose snorted a laugh and then tried coughing to cover it as she stood up. “Oh my,” she said. “Look at the time. I have to get up early in the morning. Goodnight, Lils! Night, little bro. Uncle Harry.” She walked over and planted a kiss on Harry’s cheek.
He gave her a disapproving stare. “You, too, Rose?”
She grinned cheekily. “I am immune to guilt, Uncle Harry. My mum has been guilt-tripping me since I could walk. It takes a professional to force it on me these days. Goodnight. And don’t worry; it will all work out for the best.”
“Um… I think I’ll be off to bed, too, Uncle Harry,” Hugo said quickly. “G’night, Lily.”
“Traitor,” Lily muttered as Hugo passed her and took the stairs two at a time. On the landing, he saw Rose waiting near his bedroom door.
“You’d better send a message to Albus. I don’t think Uncle Harry is going to be put off tonight,” she said. With that, she pushed away from the wall and took the stairs toward her room, two floors higher.
Hugo sighed, knowing she was right. He went into his room, shut the door tightly, and sent a Patronus off to Albus. After that, he wondered if there was someone else he could spend the night with, because things were bound to get loud. He debated sending another Patronus to James, but decided not to worry him at work.
Thirty minutes later, Hugo was awakened from a doze by the clamour of shouting from below. The unmistakable sound of Albus’ voice mingled with those of Harry and Lily. Hugo cringed and put a pillow over his head, hoping they all survived.
The yelling went on for quite some time, but Hugo was glad to note there was no sound of flying spells or breaking objects, although a somewhat ominous silence followed the shouting.
Hugo took away the pillow and listened intently, until his door opened and shut. Lily walked in and sat on the edge of his bed. “It’s finally out in the open,” she said. “Dad knows about Scorpius.”
“He took it well, judging by the screams,” Hugo said dryly.
She snorted. “I think he was angrier that we all lied to him for the past six years than he was about Scorpius. I’ve never seen Albus look so wretched.”
“Did Uncle Harry…?”
Lily shrugged. “Only time will tell. He was pretty upset. He told Albus to show up at the house tomorrow to explain the situation to Mum.” Lily cringed. “I should go with him for moral support, but frankly, that woman terrifies me.”
Hugo would have laughed, but he knew Lily was serious, with good reason. Ginny Potter could be a terrible force when angry. Hugo understood why Albus had hidden his relationship for so long.
“Anyway, thanks for fetching Albus. It’s long past time for everything to be out in the open, I’d say,” she said. “Don’t you think?”
Hugo nodded, but he had the feeling she wasn’t talking about Albus and Scorpius any longer. “Goodnight, cousin,” he said pointedly.
She sighed, but got to her feet. “Fine, I’ll hold off on the nagging. For now. See you in the morning, Hugo.”
“Night, Lils.”
PART FIVE
Hugo tried not to be nervous as he paced the empty space behind the sofa, glancing at the fireplace every so often while he waited for James to arrive. The clock had struck eleven already, which was James’ usual quitting time. It should not be long, now. He suppressed a yawn and took another drink of tea. The tepid liquid made him grimace. He did not enjoy tea in the evening and cold tea was even less appealing. Still, the caffeine was helping—he didn’t feel quite as tired as he normally did at the late hour.
The flames erupted, disgorging James—and Hugo’s worst nightmare.
“Hugo! Thanks for staying up, cousin. This is Bethany Chambers.”
Hugo stepped forward with a forced smile and held out his hand politely. Bethany bobbed a fake curtsy and took his hand with both of hers as she beamed at him. “Oh, I’m ever so pleased to meet you, Hugo. James talks about you all the time, he does. And aren’t you the cutest thing? You didn’t tell me he was the cutest thing, James, for shame.” Her voice was low and seductive, which was a rather marked contrast from her petite form, her bouncy, golden ringlets, her perfect, heart-shaped face, and her wide, guileless blue eyes.
James cleared his throat. “Yeah, Hugo is the cutest thing,” he deadpanned.
Hugo glared and Bethany giggled. Her bubbly laugh seemed to fit her more than her sultry voice. She gave him a smack on the arm that spoke of familiarity and Hugo felt a surge of jealousy that nearly took his breath away. His fists clenched involuntarily.
“Stop it, James, you tosser. Hugo, I’m so glad you’ve agreed to help me. The goblins will fire me for sure if these strange things keep happening.”
That would be a crying pity, Hugo thought dryly and then felt almost bad when she beamed at him.
“If Hugo can’t figure it out, no one can,” James added and then Hugo did feel guilty for his less than charitable opinion of Bethany. At least until she nearly bowled over James by enveloping him in a huge hug.
“You are so wonderful!” she cried and planted a loud kiss on his cheek.
Hugo watched, feeling almost nauseous, as James laughed weakly and set her away from him. “Easy, girl, we haven’t sorted you, yet. Hugo, where should we start?”
We could start with hexing her into a pumpkin, Hugo thought, but he gestured to a clipboard and quill he had placed on the table in front of the sofa. “I’ll start by asking some questions,” he said. “This might take a while, but we need to find common threads, similarities, and connections between the incidences.”
James nudged her. “I told you he was half Ravenclaw.”
She giggled again as she moved to sit on the sofa. “I was a Hufflepuff, like me mum,” she explained.
Hugo quickly moved to sit next to her, leaving James to seat himself in the chair across from them. If he thought it strange that Hugo chose to monopolize Bethany, he said nothing. Hugo picked up the clipboard and began.
By the time they finished, Hugo was yawning hugely and doing a poor job at covering it. His eyes felt like two gritty stones rolling in his eye sockets and he could barely read his own writing. He tossed the clipboard and quill down.
“Okay, that should be enough to start with,” he said. He had filled two and a half pages with data. “I’ll start cross-referencing tomorrow and let you know if I find anything.”
“Bethany is taking tomorrow off, just in case,” James said.
She nodded. “Be sure to call me if you need anything, Hugo,” she said emphatically. She gave him a squeeze. During the past hour, he had discovered that she was naturally a tactile person. She had patted Hugo’s hand, poked his side, pinched his cheek, tugged at his hair, pulled him into an affectionate hug more than once, and even planted a kiss on his temple. After each exchange, Hugo had looked quickly at James to gauge his reaction. To his dismay, James seemed to grow more and more displeased with each touch. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his long legs at the ankles, and folded his arms over his chest as though impatient. Hugo recognized the set of his jaw. James was annoyed.
“I’m sure that won’t be necessary,” Hugo said quickly, not wanting to anger James more than he already had. It was obvious James had feelings for Bethany and, even though Hugo seethed with jealousy, he would never stand in the way of James’ happiness. Hugo would help Bethany to the best of his ability and then she and James could run off and live happily ever after while Hugo drowned himself in the Thames.
“Thanks, Hugo,” James said in a clipped tone as he took Bethany’s arm, somewhat roughly, Hugo thought. “I’ll see Bethany home.”
“All right. It was… um, nice meeting you, Bethany,” Hugo said politely.
She leaned forward as if to kiss him—on the lips!—but Hugo stepped back so quickly he nearly fell over the tea table. She giggled. “Good night, Hugo.”
“Yes, good night, Hugo,” James repeated, but with an edge to his voice that made Hugo’s heart sink.
“Good night,” Hugo whispered and then James whisked perky-cute Bethany to the fireplace and they were gone.
Hugo trudged with leaden feet upstairs, where he shucked his clothes and climbed into bed. His exhaustion did not keep him from lying awake until he heard footsteps in the hallway. They paused at his door—or was that his imagination?—and then continued on until the door down the hall opened and closed with a familiar creak.
Only then did Hugo fall asleep.
xxXxx
Hugo spent most of the morning yawning over several cups of tea and cross-referencing Bethany’s information while sitting at his desk at Worsted and Turner. None of it was making much sense. The only common element Hugo could locate was the cavern wherein all the episodes had happened. He had never heard of such varied symptoms.
A trip to the Worsted and Turner Research Library—which was his mother’s pride and joy—gave him access to the best information available, and still little to go on. He began to wonder if Bethany had picked up some sort of artefact or magical item. It could be something as simple as a ring. Hugo had briefly asked about what she had worn during the incidences, but he had not drilled down to specifics.
His mother popped her head inside the door. “Hugo, darling, what are you doing for lunch?”
“Um, meeting a friend,” he said quickly. She loved to grill him about his current cases during their informal lunches and he hated to lie and pretend he was still working on the case involving spelled peonies instead of doing research for his cousin.
“Anyone we know?” she asked with a sly wink and he blushed, despite himself.
“No, mum,” he said firmly.
“Oh, all right,” she said with a laugh. “I know how young people hate their parents’ interference. I was young once, also.”
“Yeah, and traipsing around under invisibility cloaks with Harry Potter, travelling through time, rescuing hippogriffs and searching for Horcruxes,” Hugo muttered.
She laughed. “Fine. I’ll just have to hope you’re not doing anything as dangerous as that. Have a nice lunch. Say hi to Lily for me.”
Hugo rolled his eyes. “Mum. I am not having lunch with Lily.”
She smiled. “All right. But if you were, it would be all right with your father and me, okay? We just wanted you to know. There are spells that prevent any damage caused by inbreeding; otherwise we would all be surrounded by demented purebloods. You know how they like to marry their cousins.”
“Mum!”
“I’m just making conversation!”
“Goodbye, Mum,” he replied, stressing the words.
She sighed. “I’m going. Don’t forget you and Rose are coming home for dinner on Friday.” She blew him a kiss.
Hugo smiled and shook his head as she departed. They worked together, but she was good about leaving him be and not dropping in every day. As mums went, he supposed he could do worse. Sometimes, the knowledge of what his parents had done as teenagers still filled him with awe.
He mulled over her words and wondered if she and his father would feel the same if he admitted it was James he was interested in, rather than Lily. He supposed it didn’t matter; he would never need to have that conversation as long as James was dating perky blond girls.
Hugo got up and went to call Bethany.
She was as bouncy as ever, even when scantily dressed in a cut-off t-shirt and a pair of pink hot-pants that seemed far too skimpy for the cool weather. It had been raining off and on throughout the morning. Her oversized breasts jiggled with each bounce, obviously unfettered by anything as mundane as a bra. Hugo knew his face was a permanent shade of red as he tried to focus on his clipboard.
Thankfully, she did not try to touch him at all, or he would probably have bolted in a panic. Instead, she bopped around her flat watering an endless succession of plants with her wand. The place resembled a jungle and Hugo half-expected some dangerous creature to leap out of the foliage at him.
“I can’t think of any new jewellery or anything I’ve worn,” she said, standing on her bare tiptoes to reach the pot that held a massive ivy plant that had taken over nearly an entire wall. Her shirt rode up even farther, exposing her ribcage. “In fact, I generally only wear this, a gift from my mum.” She turned to him and showed him a gold pendant she wore on a chain around her neck.
“Has anyone else had access to it?” Hugo asked, wondering if someone had spelled it when she wasn’t around.
“Not that I know of. I don’t take it off, except when I go to bed. I suppose someone could have sneaked in and taken it while I was sleeping, but I hardly think anyone able to break through my wards would be content with casting a strange spell on my necklace.”
“No, probably not,” Hugo admitted. “Still, I can take it back and test it, to be sure.”
She reached back and undid the clasp before walking over to hand it to him. She smiled. “Thanks again for this, Hugo. James was right. You’re a peach.”
He flushed and slid the necklace into his pocket. “James said that?”
She nodded. “That and plenty of other things. It must be nice to have such a wonderful cousin.”
“Cousin,” Hugo agreed, not appreciating the reminder.
“And he’s so very handsome, don’t you think?”
Hugo was glad his face was already red, because it went a bit darker at the thought of cataloguing James’ looks with Bethany Chambers. “Um… yeah,” he stammered.
She laughed. “Sorry, I suppose you don’t notice such things, yeah?”
Only every damn time I see him, Hugo thought, but he just grinned and shrugged. “I should get back to work,” he said.
“Of course! I didn’t mean to keep you with my babbling. Let me know if you think of anything else!” she said cheerfully.
Hugo waved and Flooed away.
James was sitting at his desk. His feet were crossed atop Hugo’s blotter calendar and he was twirling his wand idly in his fingers. He sat up with a jerk when Hugo walked in.
“Where have you been?” James demanded in a sharp tone that surprised Hugo.
Hugo realized his cheeks were getting a workout today. Oh shit, he thought guiltily. James had been angry enough last night with Bethany patting and poking him. He would be livid when he found out Hugo had visited her, even though she hadn’t even really come near him. “I went to see Bethany,” he admitted and winced.
James got to his feet. “Oh really?” he asked. His voice sounded perfectly normal, but a quick glance showed a muscle working in James’ jaw and his eyes flashed blue fire.
“Yes, I needed some information we didn’t cover last night and she gave me her necklace to check out and see if it had been spelled and, honestly, she was watering her plants the whole time and I didn’t even sit down.” Hugo’s words spilled out in a rush and he realized he was babbling as he pulled the pendant from his pocket and dangled it in the air.
James opened his mouth to speak, snapped it shut, opened it again, and then merely nodded curtly.
“I’m sorry! Should I have checked with you, first?” Hugo asked.
James stared at him and then scowled. “Of course not! Don’t be stupid.”
Hugo frowned. James’ words certainly seemed a contradiction of his attitude. It occurred to him that James had been waiting. “Why are you here?” he asked.
James shrugged. “I wanted to see if you had made any progress. Thought we’d have lunch together. But, I have to get back now.”
He strode by Hugo without a pat or a hair ruffle or a dig in the ribs, making Hugo’s breath seize up in his throat. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, wishing he had not gone to see Bethany at all, even though he thought it was what James would want. To solve the problem, nothing more.
James grinned at him wryly, but it didn’t touch his eyes. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll see you later.”
He went out, leaving Hugo to sink into his chair with a sigh. He was cursed. That was all there was to it.
xxXxx
Hugo was surprised when an owl fluttered into his office shortly before closing time.
Meet us at Gringotts at six was all it said. It wasn’t even signed and Hugo could practically feel the chill emanating from the words. Dammit, he was going to have to explain to James that he was not interested in Bethany. He snorted. Merlin, what a mess.
He bid goodnight to Mildred, who gave him her usual muttered response that could have been a salutation or an insult, he was never quite sure, and went out. Lily was waiting for him outside St Mungo’s, as usual.
“I don’t think I’ll go home,” he said. “I’m meeting James at Gringotts in a bit.”
“Why? Are you opening a joint account in preparation for your upcoming nuptials?”
Hugo pushed her. “Very funny.”
“You would look so cute in a white dress.”
“Did anyone ever mention that you’re pure evil?” Hugo snapped.
She laughed. “Certainly not.”
He rolled his eyes at that, knowing she heard it at least once a day from each of her relatives, the bint. “Liar.”
“Since you unjustly insulted me, I think you should repay me by buying me dinner. I insist on fish and chips from Rodney’s. And ice cream, if we have time.”
Hugo shook his head at her manipulation, but decided it was better than eating alone. Thankfully, she confined her commentary to a monologue about one of her co-workers and left the subject of him and James alone for the duration of the meal. As thanks, he bought her an ice cream and then left her at Fortescue’s to walk to Gringotts.
James was waiting on the front steps. With Bethany. She waved happily. Hugo was glad to see she wore more clothing this time; she was somewhat sedately dressed in dark blue robes.
Hugo half-heartedly lifted a hand toward her and then smiled at James. He couldn’t help it; James still made his heart twist painfully, no matter how much he tried to talk himself out of it.
“I told the goblins you were going to open an account, Hugo, to store something you didn’t want your parents to know about. Do you, um… have anything like that?”
“Are you joking?” Hugo stared at him. Honestly, even if he did, he certainly wouldn’t have it on him.
“Of course he’s joking, Hugo,” Bethany said and patted his cheek. “Here, you can use this.” She handed Hugo a small parcel.
He turned it in his hands. “What is it?”
She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. The goblins won’t ask. It’s just for show.”
“Isn’t this your day off?” Hugo asked. “Won’t they wonder why you’re here?”
Bethany looped her arm through his and smiled brightly at him. Her curls bobbed. “I’m here as your girlfriend, silly.”
Hugo blanched and looked quickly at James, whose smile could have curdled milk. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Hugo squeaked.
“Nonsense. Go on, James. The sooner Hugo gets a look at the caverns, the sooner I can get back to work without worrying.”
“Yeah, all right,” James said brusquely. “Let’s go.” He turned and made his way into the bank. Bethany guided Hugo after him. It took a moment for Hugo’s eyes to adjust to the gloom and he realized he had only been inside Gringotts a handful of times. Bethany shuffled him to the counter, explained that Hugo planned to open an account, and giggled coquettishly at the goblin, who did not even glance at her as his small eyes bored into Hugo’s.
“Number 542,” the goblin said finally and slid a silver key across the stone counter toward Hugo, who took it nervously. It felt cold in his hand. “Bonethorn will escort you.”
“Thank you,” Hugo whispered and then felt Bethany tug him across the room.
James waited for them near the entrance to the caverns and he spoke to the grizzled-looking goblin that preceded them. “I’ll go along, Bonethorn,” James said. “He’s my cousin.”
“I know who he is, Potter,” the goblin replied and gave him a long stare. “None of you are trying to steal anything, are you? Like your father?”
James glared and shook his head. “You know I can’t steal anything from here and neither can anyone related to me.” Hugo knew something of the magical vows James had taken in order to work at the bank. The consequences were not good.
“See that you remember that,” Bonethorn said and then led the way into the darkness.
The ride through the caverns in the tiny, rickety cart was terrifying and Hugo found himself pressing close to James and finally giving up on pride and clinging tightly to his arm. To his relief, James patted his hand and then gave his fingers a squeeze when they finally stopped.
“Vault 542,” Bonethorn said and Hugo walked forward to put the silver key into the keyhole. He twisted it and the normal-looking door swung open to reveal a small, empty space. Hugo walked inside and dropped the packet Bethany had given him onto the floor.
He turned and went out before locking the door behind him.
Bethany was crouched near the rail track, hunched over, and James was next to her, appearing to hold her while she retched. Hugo hurried toward them. “What is it?” he asked in a low tone, glancing at the goblin, who stood impassively near the cart, watching them.
“Feel nauseous,” Bethany said and then made another tortured sound, as though trying to vomit, though nothing came out.
“Is this a new symptom?” Hugo asked quietly, trying to remain clinical, but failing as his heart went out to the poor girl. He might be ragingly jealous of James touching her, even now when she was ill, but he hated to see anyone suffer.
“Yes!” James said. “We need to get her out of here.”
Hugo watched helplessly as James guided Bethany to the rail car and helped her climb inside. The goblin watched her distastefully, but said nothing. She held her head over the side and James kept one arm around her as the car shot down the track once more. Hugo began to feel nauseous himself, partly in sympathy for Bethany, but also because the wild ride only exacerbated the sensation. He wished he hadn’t eaten.
When the terrifying ride finally stopped, Hugo gratefully climbed out on shaky legs. Bethany practically fell out of the cart after him and clutched his arm to regain her balance. The goblin shot them a final suspicious look and preceded them into the bank proper. Bethany kept a grip on Hugo, who asked, “Is that the same area of the bank where it always happens?”
James sighed. “It’s really hard to tell. The place is like a maze, but as near as I can pinpoint, she has always had an attack—or whatever you want to call it—within a certain general region. I’ll draw you a map and send it along.” James frowned when Bethany rested her head on Hugo’s shoulder. Hugo thought about shaking her off, but the poor girl was ill. He settled for patting her hand, hoping James would get the hint that he only cared for her as much as he would a sick puppy or wounded animal.
“I’m starting to feel better,” she said, “But I think I should go home and lie down. I’m not wearing any jewellery, Hugo.”
He nodded. He had left her necklace at work in order to perform tests on it the following day, but now those would be moot.
“Take Bethany home,” James said brusquely. “I’ve got to get back to work. I’ll check in on you later, Beth.”
“That won’t be necessary, James. I’m sure Hugo can take proper care of me,” she replied.
“I’m sure he can,” James snapped. “Have a nice evening.” With that, James turned on a heel and stalked back into the gloom that led to the caverns. Hugo felt even sicker to his stomach, watching him go.
“Come on, Hugo,” Bethany said brightly and tugged him outside. Once down the steps and standing on the cobblestone walk, she released his arm and let out a breath. “Ah, fresh air! It’s lovely. Sometimes I think it’s just being in that place…” She turned to him and grinned. “Is that possible?”
Hugo shook his head. “I don’t think so. Perhaps it is something in the air in the lower levels, though…” he began, but she laughed and cut him off.
“I’ll let you worry about that. I’m for home. You don’t need to escort me. I feel fine, now. Goodnight, Hugo.” She blew an air kiss at him, waved, and Disapparated.
Hugo blinked at the spot where she had stood for a moment and then pulled out his wand to spell himself home. At least he would be able to tell James that he had not even taken her home, and thank Merlin for that. It was obvious James was becoming ragingly jealous of every moment Hugo spent with Bethany. He needed to solve her problem and then leave them in peace.
He Apparated into the living room and was nearly bowled over by someone slamming into him.
“Merlin, Hugo, watch out!”
Hands clutched his arms and kept them both from tumbling. A wild thatch of red curls revealed the source. “Rose? What are you doing here?”
“I live her, idiot. Don’t you remember?” she asked, making sure he was properly upright before letting him go. “I was showing Lily how Edmund Cooper took down Albert MacMurphy in the last game. It was brilliant! Watch!”
Lily stood near the stairs, laughing. “You have to see this, Hugo. Rose is re-enacting half her games. I’m likely to split something from laughing.”
Rose grinned at her. “Well, my team is loads of fun at the best of times. When they aren’t being utter brutes on the Quidditch field, they are cutting up during practice or pranking each other mercilessly during downtime. Godric, I miss them already.”
Hugo realized it must be some sort of Quidditch break—he could never keep track of them. While he enjoyed watching an occasional game, he was not a rabid fan, by any means, despite his sister being a Beater for the Dover Dominators. Rose launched into another tale, complete with shouting, leaping over the couch, and flinging a succession of decorative pillows around the room as she relayed a dramatic scene from one of her latest matches. Despite himself, Hugo felt a bit better, watching her. Lily laughed so hard Hugo thought there was real danger of her hurting herself.
The mirth was cut instantly short when footsteps on the stairs started them. Hugo gaped as Uncle Harry appeared and smiled into the shocked silence. “Hi, kids. Don’t let me interrupt.”
“Hi, Dad,” Lily said quickly. “Um… what are you doing here?”
“Looking for Albus. Do you know where he is?”
“Um… I’m not sure,” Lily said.
The three of them shared wary glances and Harry sighed and pushed a hand through his hair, bumping his glasses for a moment and then straightening them. “Look, this is getting out of hand. Albus is never here. His bed hasn’t been slept in and there is a thick layer of dust on his dressing table. Now, someone needs to tell me where he’s living, since it obviously isn’t here.”
Hugo tried to sidle out of the room and the normally unflappable Lily looked like a deer hit with Avada Kedavra. Rose sprawled on the sofa with the air of someone who had nothing to hide. Damn her, she had an alibi, living so often with the team. She could claim ignorance and she knew it.
“Hugo?” Harry asked, turning his green eyes toward Hugo, who stopped trying to escape. He swallowed nervously. It had been hard to treat Uncle Harry with the same casual familiarity after attending Hogwarts and learning of his fame. The man was a legend.
“I think… he… ah…” Hugo stumbled over his words, trying to weigh the lesser of two evils—death by Harry Potter or death by Albus Potter. Frankly, he thought his chances of survival might be better with the elder Potter.
“Oh, leave Hugo alone, Dad,” Lily said with a sigh. “You know he cracks under pressure. You’ll have to hear it from Albus. None of us want to be murdered in our sleep.”
“So, you’re saying I’ll disapprove of where he’s living?” Harry asked.
Rose snorted a laugh and then tried coughing to cover it as she stood up. “Oh my,” she said. “Look at the time. I have to get up early in the morning. Goodnight, Lils! Night, little bro. Uncle Harry.” She walked over and planted a kiss on Harry’s cheek.
He gave her a disapproving stare. “You, too, Rose?”
She grinned cheekily. “I am immune to guilt, Uncle Harry. My mum has been guilt-tripping me since I could walk. It takes a professional to force it on me these days. Goodnight. And don’t worry; it will all work out for the best.”
“Um… I think I’ll be off to bed, too, Uncle Harry,” Hugo said quickly. “G’night, Lily.”
“Traitor,” Lily muttered as Hugo passed her and took the stairs two at a time. On the landing, he saw Rose waiting near his bedroom door.
“You’d better send a message to Albus. I don’t think Uncle Harry is going to be put off tonight,” she said. With that, she pushed away from the wall and took the stairs toward her room, two floors higher.
Hugo sighed, knowing she was right. He went into his room, shut the door tightly, and sent a Patronus off to Albus. After that, he wondered if there was someone else he could spend the night with, because things were bound to get loud. He debated sending another Patronus to James, but decided not to worry him at work.
Thirty minutes later, Hugo was awakened from a doze by the clamour of shouting from below. The unmistakable sound of Albus’ voice mingled with those of Harry and Lily. Hugo cringed and put a pillow over his head, hoping they all survived.
The yelling went on for quite some time, but Hugo was glad to note there was no sound of flying spells or breaking objects, although a somewhat ominous silence followed the shouting.
Hugo took away the pillow and listened intently, until his door opened and shut. Lily walked in and sat on the edge of his bed. “It’s finally out in the open,” she said. “Dad knows about Scorpius.”
“He took it well, judging by the screams,” Hugo said dryly.
She snorted. “I think he was angrier that we all lied to him for the past six years than he was about Scorpius. I’ve never seen Albus look so wretched.”
“Did Uncle Harry…?”
Lily shrugged. “Only time will tell. He was pretty upset. He told Albus to show up at the house tomorrow to explain the situation to Mum.” Lily cringed. “I should go with him for moral support, but frankly, that woman terrifies me.”
Hugo would have laughed, but he knew Lily was serious, with good reason. Ginny Potter could be a terrible force when angry. Hugo understood why Albus had hidden his relationship for so long.
“Anyway, thanks for fetching Albus. It’s long past time for everything to be out in the open, I’d say,” she said. “Don’t you think?”
Hugo nodded, but he had the feeling she wasn’t talking about Albus and Scorpius any longer. “Goodnight, cousin,” he said pointedly.
She sighed, but got to her feet. “Fine, I’ll hold off on the nagging. For now. See you in the morning, Hugo.”
“Night, Lils.”
PART FIVE