Chapter 20 - The Scapegoat

After a what felt like eternity, Ominis had called for Professor Weasley and Professor Sharp into the cavern. He explained what he had seen and heard from the exchange with Oliver Wright. He told them of The Blackhand and Sebastian's capture. Evidently Ominis has managed to follow us all the way down the Map Chamber undetected and heard the entire conversation between Oliver and myself. He left out the part of me consuming the ancient magic and how I mercilessly tortured and killed Oliver. He merely stated that I had acted in self-defence after Oliver had killed Poppy. Professor Weasley gasped when she saw me clutching Poppy Sweeting's body. Sharp examined Oliver's body as Ominis spoke. It took both Professor Sharp and Ominis to pry me from Poppy. Professor Weasley directed us to her office and asked Professor Sharp to deal with the bodies. I was sitting in front of Professor Weasley's desk shivering, Ominis sat beside me as we waited in silence for Sharp and Weasley to return. Ominis placed a coat over my shoulders and had even summoned some boots for me to place over my cold and dirty feet. I didn't say anything. I was lost for words. My sweet friend was no more. The anger that I felt before wasn't enough to subdue the grief and loss I felt now.

After a while, Professor Weasley and Professor Sharp returned, the lines on their faces seemed deeper than before.

"The Ministry of Magic are with Headmaster Black in his office discussing the explosion. There were quite a few students injured as a result." She sat behind her desk and eyed me carefully.

"Miss Dagworth, are you ok?" I blankly stared at her desk not responding.

"Riley?" Ominis placed a hand on my knee and woke me from my daze.

"I'm fine."

Sharp was standing quietly in the corner.

"Riley, we have two students that are now dead, the Ministry are going to want answers. I didn't want to alarm you before, but I think Professor Black has been working with the Ministry to keep an eye on you. It seems that they have eyewitness accounts of you using alternative magic throughout the Hogwarts region and surrounding areas. I'm afraid the secret of your ancient magic is no longer a secret." I looked up at the professor as she spoke.

"Miss Dagworth what happened to the repository? It's no longer within the cavern."

I spoke slowly and quietly.

"It's safe, it's with me now."

Professor Weasley sighed at my response. "I'm sorry my dear, but this out of my hands now. The Ministry Aurors are going to want to speak with you to understand all that has happened."

I nodded slowly and let my head sink down again. I didn't care what the Ministry had to say, all I could think of was Poppy, her vacant expression was staining my memory of her.

"Professor Sharp, please wait here with Miss Dagworth and Mr. Gaunt while I fetch Headmaster Black and the Aurors." Professor Weasley and Sharp exchanged an odd look, but he nodded, and Professor Weasley exited her office.

It wasn't a moment before Professor Weasley had closed the door and Sharp was moving.

"Quickly girl, we don't have much time." He was dragging me from my chair and forcing me to stand, even Ominis stood in fright.

"What is going on?" Ominis asked wearily.

Sharp handed me my shoulder bag. "Here take this."

I looked down in amazement, I opened the bag, and it was filled with all my things from my dormitory, including my books and a few bottles of Wiggenweld and other potions.

"How did you get my bag? And what is all this?"

Sharp had his wand at the ready. "We don't have time to discuss in detail. The Aurors are going to take you for questioning, likely to Azkaban and they will not let you leave. Two students are now dead, and they will look for someone to blame. They have had their suspicions about your ancient magic, and this will be their excuse to use it to their own advantage." I couldn't take in what Sharp was saying, it was too much.

"I don't understand-"

"I was once an Auror, I know what the Ministry is capable of. I saw what you did to that boy Miss Dagworth, magic like that is unknown and powerful. If you do not leave now, you will be forever a prisoner of the Ministry. The choice is yours."

I was cemented where I stood, my hands were shaking.

"I am coming with you," Ominis broke the silence.

"Mr. Gaunt if you do so you, I cannot guarantee that Ministry won't label you an outlaw, just like they will Miss Dagworth. Not only will you have The Blackhand after you, the Aurors will do all that they can to capture you." The cogs in my brain were working in overdrive.

"Ominis I can't ask that of you. I need to protect this power. I cannot let it fall into the wrong hands."

Ominis grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

"I made a promise that I would never abandon you Riley, and what are we if we don't keep our promises?"

A small smile escaped my lips and I felt comforted knowing that I wouldn't be doing this alone. Sharp quickly flicked his wand and I could feel the weight of my bag increase ever so slightly.

"I have ensured there are enough clothes, shelter and rations for the both of you for a few days. I've also managed to retrieve your wand."

Sharp handed me my wand and I placed it in my coat pocket, I felt better know that I had my trusty wand back with me.

"The Blackhand will learn of the death of Oliver Wright, the Ministry will ensure the newspapers state that it was you that killed him, and they will most likely blame you for the death of Poppy Sweeting too."

A lump formed in my throat at the last sentence.

"The Ministry would rather blame this ancient magic than admit that a Hogwarts student was affiliated with The Blackhand and orchestrated all of this."

Ominis interjected at this time, "Sir, are you not going to get into trouble for helping us?"

Sharp gave a smirk at this. "Do not worry about me Mr. Gaunt, I'll convince them that you two managed to subdue me and I'll use Occlumency so that they won't learn the truth."

Sharp placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Miss Dagworth, I've seen in your mind, and I know the type of person you are. You have much to learn still, remember what I've taught you about controlling your emotions, do not let them rule you, especially now."

I felt the guilt of murdering Oliver Wright start to creep in. Sharp removed his hand from my shoulder as if he was reading my mind at that exact moment.

"Don't stay anywhere longer than twenty four hours, the Aurors will be able to track you. Use all the necessary protective and disillusionment charms to stay hidden. Now that you are seventeen the Ministry cannot use the Trace on you."

I had entirely forgotten it was my birthday. So much had happened. "Quickly now, you'll need to attack me to make it look convincing. Then, Mr. Gaunt you can Dissaparate the both of you out of there, the Apparition rules are still deactivated due to the Ministry's presence."

Ominis grabbed my arm and positioned us in the centre of the room.

"Sir-thank you. Thank you for everything."

Sharp nodded at me and readied himself.

Ominis shouted "Depulso!" and Professor Sharp was forced backwards into one of the bookshelves, causing the books and other artefacts to fall around him. I felt awful for leaving Sharp in such a state, but we had no choice as we heard footsteps approaching from outside.

"Hold on tight."

I grabbed Ominis even tighter as he Dissapparated the both of us out of Professor Weasley's office. The sensation made me feel so nauseous and I felt like my insides were being twisted back and forth. My head was feeling dizzy, and I tried with all my might to hold tightly onto Ominis. Just as I thought I couldn't take anymore we came to a halting stop, and I collapsed onto the ground. I don't know if it was the journey itself or the trauma, but I vomited violently onto the ground.

Ominis patted my back but left me swiftly as he started casting the protective and disillusionment charms around us. Once there was nothing left inside of me, I stood up and wiped my mouth and took in my surroundings.

"Where are we?" Ominis finished his spells and looked at me.

"We are not far from Clagmar coast." The name sounded familiar.

"What are we doing here?"

Ominis ignored me and took my bag and started to unpack and build the enchanted tent. I stood there watching him. I was still in my evening dress with the opal necklace resting on my neck. Ominis was still wearing his suit, but without the jacket and there were dirt marks and tears in his sleeves from when he was helping students out of the rubble.

"Ominis, what are we doing here?"

He looked up at me almost in a frustrated manner.

"We're going to rescue Sebastian Sallow."