Chapter 1367: Process and Speculation

“You just said it, Harry, this necklace was once in Borgin and Burkes,” said Hermione. “From what we know so far, Malfoy is clearly a regular customer at that shop, but that doesn’t prove anything. Plenty of people go to Borgin and Burkes, not to mention that this thing has been there for nearly five years.”

“A month ago, the day we followed him, he went there to buy this,” Harry insisted, ignoring Hermione’s rebuttal. “He never forgot about it; he wanted to go back and buy it!”

“Buy it just to put it in the girls’ bathroom at the pub?!”

Harry fell silent. That was indeed unusual. If Malfoy was behind it, there was no reason for him to try to murder Katie.

Evan, however, was certain it was Malfoy. He had made his move!

The method of attack wasn’t particularly sophisticated, but there were many aspects Evan hadn’t yet figured out.

Hermione’s doubts made sense. Why did he choose to act in the girls’ bathroom of the Three Broomsticks?!

Evan couldn’t remember clearly. When he was waiting at the bar for Madam Rosmerta to bring him his drink, he had indeed sensed chaotic magical energy. Had someone been casting spells inside, or had Malfoy used a Dark Magic item?

He had originally been certain it was a Dark Magic item, but now that he thought about it carefully, he was not so sure.

If it was a Dark Magic object, how had Malfoy managed to get it into the girls’ bathroom? And how had he managed to get it away after everything that had happened?

This meant that he must have had an accomplice who was inside the Three Broomsticks at the time…

But thinking more carefully, perhaps there hadn’t been anyone else at all.

Since Apparition could achieve the same effect, it was very easy for Malfoy to do this as long as there was a Death Eater cooperating with him.

Evan hesitated for a moment, then gave up!

There was no need to dwell too much on the details — knowing that Malfoy was behind it was enough.

As they crossed the grounds, Professor McGonagall came down the stone steps through swirling sleet to meet them.

“Hagrid says you five saw what happened to Katie Bell — upstairs to my office at once, please!” She paused and frowned at the opal necklace floating next to Evan. “Wait, Mason, what is that floating next to you?”

“That’s the thing that caused Katie’s problems,” said Evan.

“Good Lord!” said Professor McGonagall, looking alarmed. “You can still control it, can’t you? You’ve done well. Now, put it down, and be careful not to touch it… No, no, Filch, they’re with me!”

Filch came shuffling eagerly across the entrance hall holding his Secrecy Sensor aloft.

Professor McGonagall pulled out her wand and pointed it at the necklace floating in mid-air.

A scarf emerged from the end of her wand and wrapped tightly around the necklace. Then, she held the scarf and carefully handed it to Filch.

“Take this necklace to Professor Snape at once, Filch, but be sure not to touch it, keep it wrapped in the scarf!” she said. “All right, all five of you, come into my office.”

Filch carried the necklace tangled in the scarf down to the dungeons, and the others followed Professor McGonagall upstairs and into her office. The sleet-spattered windows were rattling in their frames, and the room was chilly despite the fire crackling in the grate.

Professor McGonagall closed the door and swept around her desk and frowned at Evan, Harry, Hermione, Elaine, and the still sobbing Leanne.

“Well?” she said sharply. “What happened?”

Haltingly, and with many pauses while she attempted to control her crying, Leanne told Professor McGonagall how Katie had gone to the bathroom in the Three Broomsticks and returned holding the unmarked package, how Katie had seemed a little odd, and how they had argued about the advisability of agreeing to deliver unknown objects, the argument culminating in the tussle over the parcel, which tore open. At this point, Leanne was so overcome, there was no getting another word out of her.

“All right,” said Professor McGonagall, not unkindly, “go up to the hospital wing, please, Leanne, and get Madam Pomfrey to give you something for shock.”

When Leanne had left the room, Professor McGonagall turned back to Evan, Harry, Hermione, and Elaine.

“What happened when Katie touched the necklace?”

“She rose up in the air,” said Hermione. “Evan tried to get her down and then she began to scream and collapsed.”

“It was only then that I realized that Katie was not under a spell, but was affected by a Dark magic item,” Evan continued. “Then I saw the necklace in her hand and knocked it away, and she fell down. I used several counter-curses and gave her a potion to stabilize her mind — one I brewed myself…”

“You handled it well, Mason. Fortunately, you were there, or things could have gotten much worse. Whatever Dark Magic was on that necklace, it was clearly intended to kill Katie on the spot,” said Professor McGonagall with lingering fear. “Madam Pomfrey told me just now that your potion helped stabilize her mental state. Once Professor Snape examines the necklace, we’ll know exactly what Dark Magic was on it. Now, do any of you have anything else to tell me?”

Evan felt there was nothing more to say, and his plan was to let events unfold for now.

This was Malfoy’s first move, and clearly, it was not yet the right time for Evan to act.

Besides, what difference would it make to speak up? He had no direct evidence. There were still many things about this incident that he hadn’t fully figured out. There was no way he could rationally convince Professor McGonagall to believe him.

Hermione also shook her head, and Elaine had even less to say, as her mind was not on this at all.

Only Harry hesitated, and then he made up his mind and asked, “Professor, can I see Professor Dumbledore, please?”

“The headmaster is away until Monday, Potter,” said Professor McGonagall, looking surprised.

“Away?” Harry repeated angrily.

“Yes, Potter, away!” said Professor McGonagall tartly. “But anything you have to say about this horrible business can be said to me, I’m sure!”

Harry did not answer immediately; Professor McGonagall did not invite confidences.

Since the beginning of the school year, his various conjectures about Malfoy had been opposed by Hermione, Ron, and even Evan, but this was only an internal discussion between them. Now he had to speak out these things and tell the professor…

Dumbledore, though in many ways more intimidating, still seemed less likely to scorn a theory, however wild.

This was a life-and-death matter, though, and no moment to worry about being laughed at.