Chapter 30: The Headmaster's Summons
On the Hogwarts Express—which Solim privately thought of as the "Hogwarts Local" due to its plodding 60 to 80 kilometre-per-hour pace—two separate search parties were underway. Draco Malfoy and his cronies were moving from compartment to compartment, as were Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom. Both groups were seeking Solim, having been unable to contact him all holiday and hoping to learn what had happened.
Their search was doomed. The object of their inquiry was not on the train. Solim saw no sense in wasting seven or eight hours sitting idle when a far more efficient method of travel was available. This time, he had Flooed directly to Hogsmeade from the Leaky Cauldron. While the experience of spinning through fireplaces was thoroughly unpleasant, it was a discomfort he preferred to the mind-numbing tedium of the train ride.
All in all, Solim was deeply satisfied with his Christmas holiday. His sister's situation was resolved; barring any unforeseen complications, Sylna would be attending Hogwarts the following term. He wasn't overly concerned about the potential dangers of the coming semester. As long as Sylna stayed with the group and didn't wander off, she would be fine, and he could explain the necessary precautions to her later.
Gilves's generosity had been staggering. At Elrond's firm insistence, Solim had consumed the Potion of Magical Enhancement just before the holiday's end. In his grandfather's words, "The most precious resources should be allocated to those with the most immediate need." Sylna was safe within the walls of Selwyn Castle, a non-combatant. Solim, however, had the Ritch family and their allies gunning for him. His need for enhanced power was far more urgent than his sister's. While the sentiment was pragmatic and tinged with the patriarchal norms of the wizarding world—where witches were rarely expected to be on the front lines—Solim couldn't deny the cold logic of it.
At the Start-of-Term Feast, Draco Malfoy was eager to boast. His father, Lucius, had rewarded him for demonstrating his silent Disarming Charm by agreeing to sponsor the Slytherin Quidditch team with seven new brooms. Draco was ecstatic.
"Seven Nimbuses are not cheap," he declared, puffing out his chest.
Solim, who had little interest in Quidditch, raised an eyebrow. "The Nimbus 2000?"
"No, no, no," Draco corrected, waving a finger triumphantly. "The Nimbus 2001! It's not even officially released yet; it won't be for months. But our team will be using them next season."
"By the way," Draco added, his tone shifting to one of feigned casualness, "My father mentioned it was incredibly difficult to get an owl through to you at Selwyn. Kept getting turned away."
Solim didn't need to think hard to understand why. The house-elves of Selwyn Castle had a standing order to repel all owls lacking the family's specific seal. It was a standard security measure among ancient families. A Howler was one thing; a Howler charmed to carry the fatal cry of a mature Mandrake was a classic assassination method.
After the feast, Solim was cornered by Argus Filch. The caretaker's news gave Solim pause. Snape's potions had worked, that much was clear. But a complication had arisen: Filch's age. The magical self-suppression in a child Squib was one thing; in a man of Filch's years, it was a far more deeply entrenched block. The initial potions had unlocked a trickle of magic, but the vast majority remained sealed away, requiring a prolonged and expensive regimen to fully release.
"Argus," Solim said after a moment's consideration, "I understand your situation. You want the potions, but you'll need to cover the cost of the ingredients yourself. The ones you've taken so far came from Professor Snape's private stores. If you can provide the materials, I believe I could be persuaded to brew them for you."
Solim had no intention of funding this himself. While Filch's Hogwarts salary was likely meager, years of room and board with little expenditure in Hogsmeade probably meant he had a modest nest egg saved—though likely not enough for the dozen or more courses required, with each batch costing nearly fifty Galleons in ingredients alone.
Having temporarily dispatched Filch, Solim finally retreated to the Slytherin common room. His thoughts turned to the main event of the coming term: the Duelling Club. In anticipation, he had purchased several large buckets of popcorn in Diagon Alley, charmed to stay buttery and warm until opened. He was looking forward to being a spectator.
He had just settled into a chair when Professor Snape's silken voice cut through the ambient noise.
"Get your robes. The Headmaster wishes to see you." Seeing Solim's stunned expression, he repeated, coldly, "Now."
Solim took a deep breath. He had known this was inevitable. He had been mentally preparing for it for a long time.
"Professor, one moment. I need to fetch something," he said, heading to his dormitory. He didn't believe for a second that Filch's sudden ability to perform magic had escaped Dumbledore's notice. The Headmaster would want to determine if Solim was a variable that could disrupt his carefully laid plans. A boy with Solim's background—his history at Scuol, the black-glove duels, his every move at Hogwarts—would undoubtedly have been investigated.
Retrieving a few specific items from his trunk, Solim followed Snape out of the common room.
"Professor, I have the items. Shall we conclude our business after the meeting?" he ventured once they were in the empty, portrait-free corridor outside the Slytherin dungeons.
"Not here!" Snape snapped, not breaking his stride. "Follow me and do not speak nonsense."
"There's no need for such tension, Professor," Solim said, quickening his pace to walk alongside him. "The Headmaster will already know. The item in question is… quite unique. He will be interested in its provenance."
For the remainder of the walk, no matter what Solim said, Snape remained icily silent. Solim eventually gave up, but he could well imagine the Potions Master's agitated state. The man was minutes away from seeing the woman he had loved and lost for over a decade. Solim wondered if Snape had rehearsed what he would say, how he imagined Lily would react.
He had been to the eighth floor before, to find the legendary Room of Requirement, but this was his first time standing before the gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office. He had a feeling it would not be his last.