The Unknown of the Order (Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

Wandering Minds

"What are you smiling for?"

"Just happy. Something finally went right, for once."

"I'd hardly call that mess, 'right,'" scoffed Jacob. 

He was in a crabby mood. He'd been woken from his sleep by his traveling companions fighting like schoolchildren in the courtyard. Not only had the spell he'd cast to get their attention sapped all the energy he'd recovered since the life-draining spell, but apparating to a new location to make sure the Andrels couldn't follow them had all but killed him. 

Yet, there his sister sat, grinning like an idiot. It was evening, and they were sat around the fire once more, full of bowls of some kind of spicy lentil soup Diego had whipped up. Sarah took a swig of tea from her mug and sighed with content, hunching closer to the fire. It was nearing October, and the evenings had become chilly. 

No, Jacob realized, Sarah didn't look like an idiot. She looked beautiful. He hadn't seen her smile like that since she was a child. She had little reason to since he'd disappeared. He still felt the shock that had first risen from his stomach when she'd rescued him from the buried vault. All that time, he'd been been picturing a little girl with bright eyes that stared up at him in adoration. Instead, he'd been met with a teenager, a kid who'd had to grow up too fast. Now, he looked across the flames at a young woman. Blimey, how old did that make him now?

He hid his eyes from her, unwilling to examine the memories her face conjured, happy or otherwise. Instead he looked at Merula. She was also beautiful, but in an infinitely different way. The fire made her eyes glint with purple light as she scowled into the flames. 

"It would have gone differently if I'd had a wand that worked," she spat. "I'd have had those Andrels begging me for mercy."

"Of course you would have," said Jacob, doing his best to keep any condescension from his voice. He must have managed it, because she cut him a dirty look, but said nothing. 

"We all need to get new wands," said Sarah, "but I don't know where we'd get them from, now that Ollivander is gone."

"There are other wandmakers," said Jacob. "But, Ollivander was the best. I suppose it makes sense that the Dark Lord took him."

"Well, anything's better than this rubbish," said Merula, brandishing her wand as if she'd like nothing better than to toss it in the fire. "I can barely cast a decent levitation charm with this."

"I thought you were the most powerful witch at wandless magic," said Sarah, her smile lighting up her face once more as the mocked her old rival. 

Diego, freshly trousered, snorted. "Is that what they call 'beating someone to a pulp' these days?"

"Watch it Caplan, or I'll let you see how powerful my fists can be as well."

Diego smiled, but not really. Not like Sarah. He'd been quiet ever since the...battle, for lack of a better word. Jacob supposed, like himself, Diego could sense what was coming. 

Jacob shifted in his stiff, wooden chair, his bones creaking like those of a much older man, to look at Lee. Jacob had never liked him. Perhaps that was because when they'd first met, he'd been his little sister's boyfriend. But there was also the matter of his last name. He didn't want to be as judgmental as his parents but, well, the Lees had earned their reputation. When Jacob first met him, he assumed the absurd brainlessness and softheartedness for his friends and creatures was an act. Nobody could be that blissfully naïve. 

No, Lee was dangerous. Jacob had always known that. He would lead Sarah to her downfall one day, whether because of his dark past or because of his complete inability to make a smart decision. And now, there was his connection with the Andrels to worry about.