“Sir, please make sure our passengers are not being harassed.” The confrontation had begun disturbing the other travellers in the lounge, and an international wizarding travel official finally stepped in.
His eyes swept over Fisher and the Aurors before settling on the Norwegian officer.
“This area falls under the jurisdiction of the International Confederation of Wizards.” The Norwegian Auror glanced at Fisher.
The message in his eyes was obvious.
He didn’t have the authority to forcibly remove Mary and David from here, much less use magic against them.
Fisher forced a smile and raised his notebook.
“Just a few questions.
It won’t take long.” Then he turned to David.
“If you cooperate, I’m sure we can avoid any misunderstandings.” “We’re good people!” David suddenly declared.
The official, who had just been preparing to leave, stopped.
He slowly turned back.
The atmosphere between the two sides was so tense that he had little choice but to remain.
International departure areas weren’t subject to the unrestricted authority of local Ministries of Magic.
The relevant provisions of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy made that quite clear.
With the official now standing beside them, Fisher had no choice but to restrain himself.
He looked at David.
“You lied to me, boy.
Who were you with earlier?” “My uncle.” David admitted it without hesitation.
Fisher raised an eyebrow, apparently surprised by how readily he confessed.
“And what exactly do your uncle and father do for a living?
Surely you know that much.” “Of course I do.” David lifted his chin with complete confidence.
“They’re magical creature conservation experts.” Fisher nearly choked.
“What the fu—” He clamped his jaw shut before the profanity escaped.
The Norwegian Auror stared.
The travel official stared.
Fisher’s face twisted as though someone had just personally insulted his ancestors.
David pressed his lips together and added seriously, “That’s what my dad told me.” “Mrs Rowle!” Fisher turned sharply towards Mary, narrowing one eye as though hoping she might finally show some embarrassment.
Mary’s expression didn’t change at all.
If anything, she barely seemed to be listening.
And she certainly wasn’t going to help him.
Fisher drew a slow breath through his nose.
Then another.
Finally, he pulled a newspaper from inside his coat, unfolded it, and stabbed a finger at the moving photograph on the front page.
“Then perhaps you can tell me where your father and uncle—the magical creature conservation experts—are now, Mr Rowle?” David looked down.
The photograph had been taken at Durmstrang.
Magical creatures were racing across the grounds and flying through the air while professors, students, and Aurors scrambled after them in complete chaos.
“Heh…” David’s mouth twitched.
A Niffler in the photograph had crept up behind Professor Gilbert and was carefully slipping one tiny paw into the professor’s coat pocket.
David couldn’t help it.
He laughed.
Fisher stared at him.
This child— This absolutely infuriating child— He had finally reached the limit of his patience and was about to explode when one of the Aurors waiting near the entrance suddenly hurried over.
“Sir, we have a problem.” The man leaned close and lowered his voice.
“The team pursuing Yule was attacked.
We’ve lost contact with them.” Fisher’s expression changed.
“Any casualties?” “We don’t know.” That only made things worse.
Yule Rowle had escaped, refused to lie low, and now someone had actually attacked the Aurors following him.
Fisher’s anger surged.
He turned towards Mary and David with a vicious look.
For one dark moment, he wanted nothing more than to drag the pair back to the Ministry, force John Rowle’s location out of them, and give the whole damned family a taste of the Cruciatus Curse.
David noticed the look immediately.
He spread his hands helplessly.
“I really don’t know much more about my father than you do.” Fisher said nothing.
David continued with perfect sincerity.
“Most of the time, I find out where he is from the newspapers.” Fisher’s fingers tightened around the paper.
He was being mocked.
Thoroughly.
Completely.
A moment ago, the boy had claimed his father and uncle were magical creature conservation experts.
What kind of newspaper described conservationists as internationally wanted poachers?
“May your luck never run out.” Fisher crushed the newspaper into a ball and hurled it onto the floor.
Then he rose sharply.
The words sounded almost like a blessing.
His expression made them anything but.
He turned and strode towards the exit.
The Norwegian Auror followed.
After a final glance at Mary and David, the international travel official left as well.
David watched them go.
Then he looked at his mother.
Mary was staring at him with a mixture of worry and heartache.
She reached over and gently straightened his hair.
“Come on.” Her voice softened.
“Let’s go home.” David smiled.
“All right, Mum.” They stood.
Before following her, David glanced at the crumpled newspaper Fisher had thrown away.
Then he bent down and picked it up.
It was badly wrinkled, but the headline remained perfectly readable.
GOLDEN GALLEON POACHING CREW ATTACKS DURMSTRANG!
David blinked.
Oh.
Dad had made the front page again.
He unfolded the newspaper as he followed Mary towards the boarding gate.
The opening paragraph was even more impressive.
Member of the World Dark Wizard Federation.
Member of the International Dark Wizard Alliance.
Committee Member of the Poachers’ Alliance.
Representative of the British Dark Wizard Association.
Leader of the Golden Galleon Poaching Crew.
The Wizengamot’s Most Wanted International Fugitive—John Rowle.
David’s eyebrows climbed higher with every title.
Apparently John Rowle and his crew had once again committed a major crime.
The article continued.
Earlier that day, Yule Rowle—the third-ranking member of the Golden Galleon Poaching Crew—had allegedly abducted a second-year Durmstrang student and released a large number of magical creatures across the school grounds.
However, according to reports, the supposedly abducted student was David Rowle, the only son of John Rowle… David frowned.
Now that was unnecessary.
He was thirteen.
How was he supposed to make friends if newspapers introduced him like the heir to an international criminal empire?
Still, what he had told Fisher was technically true.
David genuinely didn’t know where his father spent most of his time.
John was usually either wanted by the authorities… …or travelling somewhere to do something that would get him wanted by the authorities.
“Boarding passes, please.” The airline employee offered them a professional smile.
David barely noticed.
He looked up from the newspaper.
“Mum.” “Yes?” “Dad’s title got longer again.” Mary handed over their two boarding passes, then glanced back at her son.
Her expression held equal parts helplessness and concern.
“Thank you.
This way, please.” The attendant returned their passes and directed them towards the boarding bridge.
David caught his mother’s worried look and smiled as though it didn’t matter.
He was used to this.
He had grown up watching Aurors arrive at their home to ask questions.
He had grown up seeing his father appear on newspaper front pages.
His aunt and uncle had made the papers too.
Even his third uncle had once appeared in an article, though only as a minor figure.
Yule had finally become the main attraction this time.
He was probably delighted.
Once they were seated on the plane, David folded the newspaper carefully while the cabin crew made their announcements.
He turned to Mary.
“Is London hot this time of year?” “Not really.” She looked him over.
“It can still get chilly.
Wear something with long sleeves, especially after sunset.” “All right.” David slipped the folded newspaper into his carry-on bag.
Collecting newspapers featuring his father—or any other member of the family—on the front page had become one of his little hobbies.
Only front pages, though.
Anything less would be ridiculous.
There were far too many of those.
David wasn’t collecting waste paper.
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