How To Annoy A Gryffindor ; harry potter

Step 51: Get an Explanation

The green light blinded Ember and it took her a moment to realise where it was coming from... The book in her satchel. There was no movement, it seemed that the only person possible was Ember. Like all the rest had been frozen in time. She didn't know how to stop it... And then something blasted through the door — More like someone. Austin Rowle stood there, his face was so red Ember thought it might explode.

"Where did you find that book?" he roared and Ember swore that the chandelier above them vibrated.

Ember gulped, "I — I just found it."

"'Just found it' my ass." snapped Austin, glaring at his daughter which such hatred that Ember's head dropped and she felt so ashamed of herself. "I forbid you to go poking around the Manor!"

"Then tell me what's going on!" Ember yelled, looking up at her father bravely. "You can't keep hiding things from me. I know that you and Mum made some sort of deal, I know she was working with Regulus Black to do something... There's something in this book that can uncover the secrets and I'm so close to finding out why Mum died."

"Her death was an accident when she was making a new spell!" Austin fumed.

"For the last time, stop lying to me! I'm not a child anymore, I deserve to know why someone like Mum married you of all people." Ember spat, feeling tears welling up in her eyes.

The Rowle dynasty was one that could collapse at any moment. With the deaths of Austin and Ember, the name was no more. No more Rowle's would live and that would be one less pure-blooded family. Something was so wrong with the way everything was hiding everything and keeping secrets from Ember.

"Why did Secretum just stop everything. Why are you and I the only ones who can move and speak? You have to tell me or I refuse to go back to the Manor, I refuse to serve the Dark Lord... I refuse to see you ever again."

"Come home... I'll explain everything." Austin said, his chest was moving up and down slowly as if he had just run a marathon. Ember knew he was trying to calm himself down but she could only imagine it would get worse when they got home.

Ember sighed, "Do you know a counter-curse?"

"Yes —"

"Wait, there's just one thing I want to do," Ember said, holding up her finger and rushing downstairs to the dungeon.

It was still so dark in the dungeon. Ember could barely make out Weasley, Lovegood, Ollivander, Thomas and... Potter. There he was, his face was stuck in a thinking position as if he were going to yell at Weasley to tell him to be quiet.

Austin Rowle looked at his surrounding. All the Malfoy's frozen. He had once been a good friend of Lucius Malfoy's... well, more like a minion. It was good to see he finally had power over this man - but he had to stop himself before he did anything stupid. He pointed his wand to the satchel that Ember had dumped on the floor. Secretum lay inside and Austin quickly muttered a counter-curse for the spell.

Staring at him, Ember had to act in the moment where she knew he'd never see or remember it. Time was frozen and everything would go back to normal... she just needed to do one thing.

"Bye Potter," she whispered.

As she walked back up the stairs, she could've sworn he replied... "Bye Rowle."

"You ready?" Austin asked, looking Ember up and down, searching for signs of weakness. "Who's in the dungeon?"

"Luna Lovegood," lied Ember.

Austin snorted, "Is she just as crazy as her father?"

He extended his hand out to Ember when they got outside of the Malfoy Manor and she took it. Just as another scream from Hermione Granger pierced the air, the Rowle's Disapparated.