Gideon got out of his hospital bed and noticed that his arm was feeling and looking much better. It had absorbed the salve and was far less red. Gideon drew back the curtain to find Madam Longbottom snoozing upright in a chair nearby with her wand in her lap.
‘Err, good morning?’ Gideon said.
The matron’s lolling head sprung up with a start and she replied much louder than necessary, ‘Morning!’
‘You weren’t sitting here all night, were you?’ Gideon asked.
‘Of course! I had to monitor you,’ she replied while surreptitiously wiping a bit of drool from her chin. ‘I wasn’t asleep, you see, just resting my eyes.’
‘Err, sure,’ Gideon agreed. ‘Did everything go okay?’
'Oh, yes. For a while, I could tell you were in REM sleep and did get worried when you started fussing and mumbling, but nothing happened. You seemed to work through whatever you were dreaming about. Do you remember?'
'Yes. I don't think that dream will cause me any more problems.'
‘Good. Well, let’s look at that arm.’
***
The next few days went by horribly slowly. Gideon didn’t have much to do other than complete the class work and homework that Professor Voronov dropped off, and read the Daily Prophet, which Madam Longbottom had been giving him every morning with his breakfast. This meant he had a lot of free time alone with his thoughts.
This wouldn’t usually be a problem for Gideon, but since Caroline’s exposé, he was still page one news and numerous follow-up articles had been published about him by other Prophet writers. As such, he had an awful lot to think about. He considered not reading the articles, but since everyone else in the world was going to take them seriously, he figured he better make himself aware of what was being reported.
Tuesday’s Prophet had expanded on the initial story by speculating more about those involved in the cover-up, accusing them of mishandling the incident and making a point of stating the Ministry hadn't yet responded. It also included a piece about Gideon's family history, which was mainly profiles on the Maxwells—an otherwise well-respected wizarding family—but alluded to a mystery surrounding his true origins.
On Wednesday, the focus shifted to the Dementor attack. To start with, it included an anonymous interview with someone from St Mungo’s, who claimed to have overheard details of the witness statement and commented that despite Gideon’s dangerous magical outburst, he had not been treated in the high-security area, putting Healers and patients at risk.
The source went on to describe the condition of Gideon and his mother when they were brought in:
‘That poor woman! She was covered head to toe in burns and left with untreatable soul damage. Meanwhile, the monster who did it—her own son—got off with nothing but a bruised eye!’
Then, they shared tidbits about his treatment. This included how he “violently attacked the Healers and had to be restrained”, was “strangely resistant to their potions” and “had to be moved to a private room because he disturbed the other patients.”
The claims had enough truth to them for Gideon to tell the source was genuine. However, he was irked by how they had twisted the truth.
There were connected but separate pieces covering the specifics of the attack. One spoke more about the cover-up and the presence of Dementors in London. It expanded on the source’s information of the witness statement and asked questions like how and why Dementors were in such a high-profile magical location without being detected, who the witness might have been, and why a top Auror’s wife could not fend off the monsters.
Unfortunately, the article also provided an answer to that last question, which Gideon had not been prepared for. It was one last piece to his puzzle that he hadn't been able to finish on his own. The witness statement supposedly described how Sarah Maxwell had tried and failed to defend herself and Gideon. After her Patronus failed, she tried another spell, which had also failed before she attempted to flee.
Therefore, the reporter surmised that Gideon’s magical binding—an outmoded, unethical, and dangerous ritual spell known as “The Weaving”—may have had the nasty side effect of negating the magic of nearby witches and wizards. They went on to cite research and refer to another article about the spell, but Gideon knew immediately that the reporter’s assumption was right on the money.
He remembered clearly how his mother had been unable to use her magic. He also remembered that late-night conversation between his grandmother and father. This was what his grandmother had been referring to. There must have been other instances where she had noticed magic not working around him.
Gideon recalled the time when he had visited his grandmother’s room and her piano had stopped playing itself, the time his father couldn’t clean the floor, and even the car radio not working. It all made sense. It was because of him, or rather, what had been done to him. Gideon had screwed up his newspaper in anger at that point. If only his family hadn’t always tried to avoid using magic around him for fear of making him jealous, they might have noticed sooner.
The other related piece focused on the fact that Gideon had been able to destroy a Dementor and injure another. Given the situation in Scotland and the fact that the magical community's best defence against the foul creatures was the Patronus Charm, which simply, but effectively, drove them away, the reporter considered it highly interesting. However, they also suggested that it meant Gideon's mysterious power was most definitely something to be feared.
Gideon had done a lot of thinking after reading that article. The truth was that he, too, feared the strange power that was apparently dwelling inside of him. The Sorting Hat seemed to have picked up on it and described it as “something dark”, but beyond that, he knew next to nothing about it.
What Gideon had read in the Prophet referred to evidence of “dark magic” following his unfortunate incident as a baby. What exactly was dark magic, though? He wondered whether it might just be a term jealous people threw around about powerful wizards. However, that explanation seemed a little too convenient.
The newspaper also included further coverage of Jonathan Grimsby, his background as a legal advocate and scrutiny of his past cases. Some articles accused him of failing in his duty to protect Gideon from The Weaving. Naturally, others hypocritically maintained that his duty was to have raised the alarm about Gideon's existence.
It didn't seem fair, but Gideon resented Mr Grimsby for not revealing the truth before the story had come out, so he felt conflicted about the man. On some level, he also wondered whether there was any merit to the accusations. Had he done everything that he could for Gideon?
By Thursday, the Prophet seemed to have run out of relevant material about Gideon himself. Instead, there was a lot of speculation about things such as the source of Gideon’s magic, how strong it must be to have broken the binding spell, what genius and/or monster might have cast such an advanced/flawed spell, and who the kidnapper had been and why he had targeted Gideon.
Unfortunately, the rampant speculation was given a name and a face, one which was becoming highly recognisable in the magical community. The cover story included a photo of a stern-looking man with a pointed face and platinum blonde hair, speaking with a group of reporters in front of an elaborate gold fountain.
WIZENGAMOT MEMBER CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO MINISTRY SCANDAL
Outspoken member of the Wizengamot, Mr Draco Malfoy has made a public call for an investigation into the Ministry of Magic’s handling of the 2010 tragedy involving The Boy Who Died.
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Speaking from the Ministry where officials have yet to comment, Mr Malfoy had this to say: 'This unfortunate episode in our past must be fully investigated. The public has questions and concerns that must be addressed, and the fact that the Ministry refuses to issue a statement is completely unacceptable. Should the Ministry continue to stay silent on this matter, I will raise it at the next meeting of the Wizengamot and put it to a vote.
'The incident may pre-date Minster Granger-Weasley's time in office, but she would surely have been informed about it by her predecessor. That makes her responsible. This matter is not going to go away, not only because there are people who must be held accountable, but because Gideon Drake now walks among us. He could be an ordinary boy. However, he could also be a ticking time bomb. We simply don't know.
‘What we do know is that in spite of his magic being sealed, the boy was taken in by a top Auror. That indicates to me that Marcus Maxwell wanted to keep a close eye on his development. We must know more about the boy and what he is capable of, for his own protection as well as for those around him. As the father of a child attending Hogwarts with him, I believe I and other parents have a right to know if Drake is dangerous.
‘Once the magical community’s worries have been assuaged, we may also have an opportunity. With the boy’s cooperation, Spellcrafters may finally be able to create magic capable of eradicating the Dementor scourge!’
The Boy Who Died... Gideon hated that they called him that. He wasn't too happy about "ticking time bomb" either, but he wondered if Mr Malfoy had a point about him cooperating. Maybe his strange power could lead to the end of the Dementors? Or perhaps the Ministry just wanted to know what made him tick?
By the end of the week, Gideon had become quite depressed, and the Hospital Wing was feeling more like a prison. It wasn't like he had better places to be or people to see, but his arm had felt fine by Wednesday afternoon, and he wanted to leave. The matron had insisted, though, that he stayed put until his meeting with the headmistress.
Gideon presumed she was under orders and that his time there was really to allow the mood in the castle to die down. The more he thought about it, the more Gideon suspected Professor Dandridge had set the meeting for Friday, knowing that there was likely more news to come during the week that he would need time to digest.
If that was the case, the headmistress had been correct, but Gideon found it a little calculating. On the other hand, there wouldn’t be much point in waiting a week before expelling him. Therefore, her assurance that he wasn’t in trouble probably wasn’t a lie. If their lunchtime appointment wasn’t a disciplinary meeting, though, what would they be discussing?
Gideon contemplated this after breakfast while reading Friday’s Prophet. There didn’t seem to be any new revelations, just more speculation and updates about the Ministry’s non-response. There were also more mentions of concerned citizens and parents of Hogwarts students. It seemed only a matter of time before his place at the school became in jeopardy, even if Professor Dandridge wasn’t going to expel him today.
When Madam Longbottom came to collect Gideon’s breakfast tray, she also brought a letter. Gideon could tell now from the familiar loopy handwriting, that it was from his aunt. As such, he immediately tore it up and dropped it like confetti into the drawer of his bedside table. There, it joined the shreds of two other letters he had received from Caroline that week.
Gideon had no intention of having anything to do with Caroline, or indeed any of the Maxwells. Evidently, they were all as bad as each other, and he, as they had made so painstakingly clear, was not one of them.
***
Just before Midday, Gideon changed into a fresh set of robes, glad to finally be out of pyjamas. Professor Voronov soon arrived in the Hospital Wing and after a quick word with the matron, he escorted Gideon to the head’s office. When they reached the stone gargoyle that guarded the hidden stairs, the professor said, ‘Mumblemumps.’
The gargoyle stepped aside upon hearing the password, which Gideon noted was another magical ailment. They rode the ascending staircase and entered the office after a polite knock.
‘Ah, Professor Voronov, Gideon. Please, come in and have a seat,’ said Professor Dandridge brightly. She gestured to a table that had been added to the centre of the room with four chairs and place settings. In the middle of the table on top of a lace tablecloth, were two tiered serving trays. One had a selection of finger sandwiches and the other had an assortment of cauldron cakes. By their side, was a handsome Georgian tea set.
They took their seats, and the headmistress began pouring tea. ‘Earl Grey?’ she asked.
Gideon was feeling very uncomfortable. The headmistress had mentioned something about tea and treats but Gideon hadn't expected such an elegant affair. This was either going to be the politest expulsion in Hogwarts' history or something else entirely. 'Erm, please,' he responded squeakily.
‘Thank you,’ said Professor Voronov.
Once they each had a cup, the headmistress took a sip, sighed and said with a smile, ‘Lovely. Do help yourselves, gentlemen.’
Gideon watched Professor Voronov add a cucumber sandwich and a mini salmon roll to his plate, and nervously mimicked him. Then, the professors simply exchanged some small talk for a few minutes while they ate. Gideon found it most bizarre. He was unsure as to whether he should join in.
After they finished discussing the following day’s Quidditch match, Hufflepuff VS Ravenclaw, the headmistress turned to Gideon. ‘You’ll notice we are one short for tea, Gideon,’ she said. It hadn’t actually occurred to him, but he acknowledged her with a raised eyebrow and a throaty noise. ‘I trust you’ll understand. It would be inappropriate for us to discuss certain matters without a guardian present.’
Gideon realised where the conversation was going and began to panic. Surely, they weren’t waiting for Caroline, or worse yet, his father? Just then, there was a knock at the door, precipitating a sinking feeling in the pit of Gideon’s stomach.
‘Considering the circumstances,’ Professor Voronov interjected, ‘we thought it best to consult your legal representative.’
Gideon turned in his seat and watched a rather sombre-looking Jonathan Grimsby enter through the door, his wavy golden hair looked a little lacklustre. Supposing Grimsby was the lesser of three evils, Gideon felt a little relieved. Upon noticing the man’s nervous demeanour, he realised he wasn’t all that angry with Grimsby.
‘Professors, Gideon,’ he greeted them each with a nod and a weak smile. When the headmistress saw no sign of objection from Gideon, she told Grimsby to join them at the table. As he sat down, he silently gave Gideon’s shoulder a nervous but reassuring sort of pat.
He gratefully accepted a cup of tea from Professor Dandridge and took a big sip before turning to Gideon and saying, ‘I won’t bother asking how you are, Gideon. I can only imagine how difficult a week this must have been for you. I’ll just say that for the purposes of this meeting, I’m here as your advocate. You don’t have to speak to me if you don’t wish to.’
Gideon wasn't sure what to say, so he didn't say anything. He could tell, though, that Mr Grimsby was being sincere, and that it had been a difficult week for him too.
The Headmistress took control of the conversation at that point, ‘So, Gideon. I gather you’ve been following this week’s Daily Prophet?’
Gideon hastily lowered the teacup he had been shakily lifting to his mouth, ‘Err, yes.’
‘A lot of information to absorb, I imagine?’
‘Yes, it has been a lot,’ he commented then quickly followed up, ‘but I haven’t had any problems, not since the first article came out.’
‘Any young witch or wizard who had learned of the things you did on Monday morning, would have experienced some loss of control over their magic. The difference for you, Gideon, is that you have a secondary source of magic within you.’
‘A “secondary source”?’ Gideon challenged.
‘Yes. You remember me telling you that I had examined you while you were at St Mungo’s?’ the headmistress reminded him. ‘I explained that your magic is powerful but a little unstable. Well, now that things are out in the open, I can expand on that. The truth is your magic is fairly strong for your age. However, you also have a secondary source of magic within you. A source of dark magic.’
‘“Dark magic”?’ he repeated fearfully.
‘Yes. The meaning of the term is often misconstrued. It commonly refers to spells and potions that people deem unsavoury or those that are expressly forbidden. Sometimes it’s mistakenly used to describe the unpleasant actions of criminals.
'At its core, though, dark magic is simply magical energy that possesses a negative polarity. It can be produced and manipulated using certain spells but can also be found naturally in certain magical beings. In rare cases, that includes witches and wizards, and they often become the dark witches or wizards known throughout history.
'It's important to note, Dark magic is not inherently good or bad. However, it is more responsive to emotion, difficult to control, and is usually known to be powerful. Sadly, in the wizarding world, in particular, power corrupts. It also tends to incite fear.'
The headmistress took a sip of her tea before she continued, 'As you now know, your magic was triggered when you were a baby and what followed was tragic. You lost your mother. Then, you also lost your birthright. The Ministry of Magic made a rash decision at a time when many supporters of the defeated dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, were still at large.
‘They feared your potential and worried that you might grow up to be just like the man who had caused so much pain and suffering. So, the Ministry chose the unthinkable. They ordered that your magic be bound, knowing that doing so carried both great risk and stigma.
‘After the Daily Prophet's coverage, I don't doubt that the magical community will demand some form of accountability from the Ministry. What they won't discover, though, is that others bear responsibility for what happened to you. I'm ashamed to admit… That I am one of them. I was the witch who performed The Weaving, Gideon. It was I who sealed your magic.'