“Here’s the plan, we plant Fides Aranea’s eggs inside those vials, that’s a magical spider from Italy obsessed over guarding them because it only lays exactly seven during its lifetime. It can sense and immediately run towards whatever managed to eat the offspring while they hunt away in a suicidal charge. To be sure, we also mark them with pheromones of a Niffler in heat, then give a love potion to the male, we teleport all over the States, and it should work in a hundred miles radius. We also put a small stone marked with trace spell…“ as Luca came out of the fireplace, his teacher immediately yanked him to the side and started coming up with ways to follow his sent blood into the hideout of Blanco’s, the boy had to hastily grasp the sudden shift in what is the best to be done, the risks involved, and his teacher’s insistence while the situation could be resolved with what he considered minimal harm.
“At least wait until they release hostages, make the first batches legit, and see what happens. I don’t know if vampires strictly speaking eat eggs, won’t it get instantly dissolved? What happens when a vampire ingests an object other than human blood? Presumably, the vials will only be with them as long as drinking takes, then sent back to me, the Niffler plan seems unreliable. Minister said to check, won’t she take out the blatantly rattling stone?” Luca interrupted and asked the questions that begged to be answered before the action.
“You intend to get blackmailed and milked for the rest of your life? How to end it eventually?” Fontaine said as he looked judgingly into the boy’s eyes.
“No, but there are too many uncertainties. Wait until they get comfortable, maybe write some flattering letters over the year culminating in saying that I want to meet to relive the ‘good’ times as bait. Or I will go out to the no-maj world under supervision, see if they send anyone to check on me that has their location. This crest can be help instead of liability.” Luca brainstormed and poked his chest, his teacher showing a gratified smile.
“That’s right, my apprentice can’t be a pig for some leeches to exploit! Good ideas, but I still want to make it last as short as possible. Tom, could you take him to get this stupid deal done? I want no hand in helping sell a wizard’s body as Selina apparently loves to do.” Mr. Grimsditch that stood on the side listening to the conversation between them thoughtfully, nodded lightly at Fontaine’s request. ”I’m off to try miniaturizing Abigail to stuff her into the vial, that’s something those dark wizards serving Blanco’s have no chance of detecting. In fact, I think we can try all ideas with no consequences, they desperately want your blood, got to receive and drink it then. Mix some holy water inside for a big surprise, have to check undetectable poisons that can work on undead too. Either way, this foolishness won’t stand now that I’m on vacation and can focus on finding those Blanco trash, quality of Aurors really went straight to hell since I left! Ilvermorny!” Luca’s teacher resolutely entered the fireplace to start working on hunting down the family that dared to challenge his bottom line. The boy exchanged a questioning look with Mr. Grimsditch, thinking where to go first on the list.
“Let’s buy you an eagle... Kid, this whole mind-reading business is for the good of young wizards, unfocused I hear only shallow thoughts…” his friend now gone, the old-timer let himself lean on the wall and pant exhaustedly with closed eyes as his bald head started dripping with sweat, revealing his stamina to be pitiful, moving and suppressing the bodily functions with willpower so far. Luca left his brows up looking at the sorry state of his landlord. “Hey, five years younger, I would keep up no problem… Don’t tell anyone, but my days seem to be nearing their end…” the boy’s basic instinct was to cheer inwardly, thinking he will be able to stop considering if his memories were altered after each encounter. Mr. Grimsditch stopped panting and opened his sharp grey eyes to meet the excited sight of the boy, that instantly got extremely ashamed of himself, exposed on the spot wishing for the death of someone that gave him money and a roof over his head.
“I…” Luca began trying to apologize and bow, interrupted by a wave of a hand covered in liver spots.
“No need, you are one complicated kid. I have it fully on display, but that doesn’t mean anything. Actions speak louder than words, not to mention even lesser in importance thoughts. There was no need to change a thing for you, rest easy, unlike that poor Fritzel’s experience. Come, let’s start checking out the points on the list, we can talk sitting over a drink later.” he went slowly out, Luca in guilt tried to give the elderly an arm to lean on, getting accepted made him grateful for Mr. Grimsditch’s magnanimity, the boy doubted if he could find it in his heart to forgive someone wishing his death to come sooner. Back on the road, the traffic subsided only a little, the Floo Point being empty during their stay meant that thousands already poured into Iverstead, and the food carts stayed under siege.
“That way, ‘Eagle Nest’ also takes care of breeding and housing instead of a normal pet store.” Luca was led a couple of buildings to the right, a plaque with the aforementioned name engraved nailed crookedly to one of the rough planks making up the facade, the pair entered the black hole to a sight of a high square tower, walls lined with nests and perching birds of all variations, bald, crowned, crested, harpy, golden, etc. Employees in worn-out leather harnesses covering their shoulders and forearms were busy accepting letters and parcels from the wizards wishing to send them and putting them inside bags enchanted with Stretching Charm, calling the delivery flyer, then casting the vanishing spell on the birds to avoid no-maj attention at least initially, a thousand eagles flying out of and disappearing into a small circle would undoubtedly be enough to invite a swarm of animal rights activists and ornithologists from all over the world to stand stupidly under the barrier. Birds instructed to fly as high as they can, and the use of temporary invisibility prevented that so far.
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“Hello, what can I do for you?” a receptionist looked at the pair, nothing in their hands indicated other purpose than the usual. Abruptly, Luca spotted a flash of gold diving down from the open roof, a majestic eagle with its golden-brown feathers shining in the last vestiges of sunlight coming from the top landed on a caretaker’s shoulder, the man’s legs bent almost to a full squat under the weight of the giant. He took it towards the door leading to facilities other than the sending hall, the boy observed their backs with a longing look on his face.
“Good afternoon, that golden eagle just coming back, we want to buy.” Mr. Grimsditch pointed at the back of the bird, the receptionist turned to see.
“That’s Grace, five hundred Galleons.” he said envious of his colleague that got the job outside bothersome customer service by drawing lots this month.
“How much?!” Luca exclaimed, his money short by half, the value of a year’s worth of employment as Bryce guessed it.
“Her entire lineage was handfed the finest ingredients from birth for generations, selected and trained to be the biggest, most beautiful specimen of pure golden eagles on the planet. We have a special contract to be signed, stipulating only partial ownership, when she wants to have eggs or the dietary standards aren’t met, the franchise of Nests reserves a right to requisition the possession. She has to be checked twice a year by our vets, and be kept in a cage without the possibility of flight for no longer than ten hours a day.” the receptionist elaborated on the responsibilities falling on the buyer if they want to flaunt their wealth and enjoy the bird’s wild charm by taking care of the proudest eagles on offer. Luca had to bury the desire in his heart and opened his mouth to ask for a cheaper one.
“Accio five hundred Galleons.” Mr. Grimsditch took out his wand and pointed it at his pocket, a small pile of gold soon formed on the counter. “Boy, stop overthinking. I’m nine times your age, there is nothing you can do that offends me, nobody blames you either. It’s Wilkinson’s poor judgement that got them trapped initially, and nine out of ten kidnapped were breaking Rappaport’s Law on some trivial adventures. That’s partially why Congress let it happen.” while the receptionist went to get Grace for them, he explained to the entangled boy.
“Sorry.” Luca sighed, he wanted to say that he will give the money back, but it felt like giving cents to a millionaire. The employee came back with Grace that overlooked the situation standing on his shoulder. Luca could now see the pitch-black tip of the beak, going into bright yellow near her large amber eyes, the head tilting from side to side as the eagle examined the boy. He almost felt a kind of subconscious connection as the ones established with Razor, his wand, Ringo, and Daisy so far, perhaps all in only his delusion caused by exuberant imagination.
“Sign here, a complimentary leather shoulder and forearm braces, cage, and summoning whistle. She can fly anywhere but don’t expect teleportation if you blow the whistle in Africa. There are our shops in all wizarding gathering places in America that house eagles free of charge. Would Sir want to buy the premium food subscription plan? Ten Galleons a month to meet the requirements of the contract.” the clerk asked Mr. Grimsditch that nodded and took a thousand Galleons this time, Luca recognized the outright scheme when he saw one and sighed again, seeing clearly that money is still important to have in the wizarding world. Determined to bleed Catherine’s pockets dry with the price of his blood before baiting her for a duel, the boy didn’t say the entirety of what he thought to his teacher, decided to end the vampires himself from the moment he learned ‘petrificus totalus’.
“Give her a deluxe package or what you have these days, and a nest made of fragrant branches.” old rich man threw it on the counter nonchalantly, the employee finally smiled and thanked them for patronage, Luca received an illustrated copy of Grace’s family tree and a golden card of membership, the bird hopped on his outstretched arm eagerly with a squawk, the boy strong enough to carry her out like that, the clutter taken by Mr. Grimsditch temporarily.
“Alright, now hospital.” the pair now drew quite a bit of a commotion passing by due to Grace’s height and Luca’s face, the harassment stopped by the respected guide leading the way. The familiar circular white wall painted with big red crosses emerged from the corner, inside St. Jelweth’s one of the nurses immediately upon request rolled up Luca’s sleeve on the left arm and took out a syringe from inside her gown’s pocket, then poked it inside his arm to show how deep it ought to go, Luca’s veins bulging right under his soft skin because of the exercise. The nurse praised him for being brave and handsome as she felt his arm for a while with a drooling expression, the weirded-out boy sent a signal for help to his new pet that bent over and squawked right into her ear, waking up the flustered woman.
“Haha.” Mr. Grimsditch laughed shortly on the side and sent the nurse for a dozen vials of Blood Replenishing Potion she promptly delivered, the next stop had them stand and admire Fontaine’s grand mansion in Iverstead, looking like an abandoned outhouse put together by a crippled builder in one day from the outside, the only indicator of its real purpose a giant bronze tablet right in front of it with a long list of names, Mr. Grimsditch explained the people saved by his teacher’s Auror team, whether no-maj or wizards. Luca standing there in awe estimated as many as ten to fifteen thousand written in a tiny font.
“Unique, isn’t it? Normal people would rather commemorate their fallen comrades, Agilbert was always against the current.” the old man led the stunned Luca back to the Inn and went up to deposit the items in the boy’s room before leaving him alone, the sun gone to make way for the shortest night of the year.