The pristine unblemished snow blanketed the Forbidden Forest in a thick layer of white, transforming the typically dark and menacing woods into an enchanting, fairytale-like wonderland. The snow helped to simultaneously beautify the forest and conceal its typically bleak and barren appearance during the harsh winter months.
As Cliodna, disguised as Alastor Moody, trekked back towards Hogwarts castle, her mind remained preoccupied with the solution proposed by Elder Horn to resolve the pressing predicament faced by her people, the Druids. If it were their previous residence where the Druids had lived for many years, such a problem would not have occurred, as they had their own ways of detaching from human society and living in seclusion.
However, the relocation she had advocated for happened rather hastily this time. Furthermore, to evade being discovered by the two immensely powerful wizards within the castle, the entire process of relocation had to be conducted with the utmost secrecy. As a consequence, aside from their most cherished heritage-related belongings, the Druids were forced to abruptly abandon many of their belongings at their previous residence.
The solution proposed by Horn was indeed a good one. She even began to consider the Druid followers in the hidden land cultivating a variety of magical herbs and ingredients as a means of sustaining themselves in the coming years. This was not difficult, as nursing to and nurturing plants and animals could be said to be one of the Druids' greatest strengths and passions.
As for establishing viable sales channels for their future harvest, that hurdle could also be overcome with relative ease.
The Druids would not need to apply for the appropriate licenses and permits from the wizarding world's Ministry of Magic. When searching for Bryan Watson previously, Cliodna had also become very familiar with the underground world of Knockturn Alley. She knew that as long as they were careful not to encroach upon the bottom line of certain influential pure-blood wizard families in terms of production quantities and pricing, any other minor obstacles could be easily overcame.
However, bringing this plan to execution would require a significant investment of time and patience.
The Druids with their deep respect for the laws of nature, possessed ancient methods for enhancing the health and vitality of plants. However, they firmly refused to unnaturally accelerate or force their growth. Therefore, before they could begin to reap the rewards of their efforts, the Druids would need to brace themselves for a long period of hardship.
The instant Cliodna emerged from the dense, snow-covered canopy of the Forbidden Forest, the sudden assault of bright light caused both her eyes - one real and one fake - to reflexively contract. She then carefully crossed her way across the vegetable patch of Hagrid, heavily relying on her walking stick for support as she limped along. Finally, she reached the school grounds.
This was the inaugural snowfall of the new year, and the vast, open spaces surrounding the castle were filled with the joy and laughter of the young witches and wizards who called Hogwarts home.
The scene resembled a whimsical winter paradise, with students from all seven years playfully chasing one another, engaging in snowball fights, and occasionally banding together to mischievously tackle an unsuspecting classmate into a fluffy snowbank. The subsequent sight of the victim's comically disheveled appearance would elicit gleeful laughter from the group of young wizards.
The pure, radiant smiles on the faces of each and every child were a sight to see. Cliodna quietly observed this peaceful scene of carefree innocence, and before she realized it, a genuine, heartfelt smile had crept across her own tired facial features.
Whooo—
Suddenly, a fierce, howling gust of wind surged through the surrounding mountains, causing the icy surface of the Black Lake to crack and groan. The school grounds were instantly engulfed in a dense, swirling veil of white, obscuring nearly everything from view. However, rather than dampening the children's spirits, the sudden whiteout conditions seemed only to amplify their unrestrained elation and happiness.
Cliodna resumed her trek towards the castle, but the smile that had momentarily appeared on her lips had been replaced by a bitter, melancholic expression.
Neither she nor the innocent children away in that hidden land could completely let their guard down and rejoice in the simple, carefree joys of a peaceful childhood. They did not have the benefit of living under the protection of immensely powerful figures like Albus Dumbledore and Bryan Watson.
Moreover, the longer Cliodna observed the happiness radiating from the young witches and wizards frolicking in the snow, the more it felt like a dagger twisting in her heart. She was aware that her current actions were directly contributing to the erosion of the very peace and security that these children had.
In the eyes of the wider wizarding community, Cliodna knew that she would undoubtedly be viewed as a despicable villain. Her heart was wracked with unrelenting torment, but when weighed against the thousand years of ceaseless wandering endured by her people and the blood spilled by countless Druid ancestors after Avalon's tragic collapse, her own suffering seemed trivial and insignificant in comparison.
...
In a cozy study located along the second-floor corridor, Professor McGonagall's face was etched with an expression of sincere apology as she spoke to Moody.
"I'm terribly sorry, Alastor. While I would be more than happy to sign off on your request myself, I'm afraid my word alone is not sufficient in this case. If you're reluctant to bring this matter to Albus, the very least you'll need to do is persuade Bryan to add his signature alongside my own--"
She sighed heavily and her eyebrows were knitted together in frustration.
"Please understand, these regulations have been put in place by the school's governing board, and we are duty-bound to abide by them. Of course, if you require any further assistance, I would be more than willing to personally..."
"No, no, that won't be necessary, Minerva," Moody gruffly interjected, tapping his cane forcefully against the floor to emphasize his dissatisfaction with these burdensome bureaucratic hoops he was being made to jump through. "Blast these thrice-damned rules and red tape!"
His scarred face twisted into an expression of barely-contained rage. He picked up the application form on the desk, which Professor McGonagall had already signed.
"I'll go straight to Watson's office for his signature right now. Oh, I hope he can be as straightforward and reasonable as you've been, Minerva!"
With those parting words, and one final apologetic glance from Professor McGonagall, Moody turned on his back and limped out of her office.
He first made his way up to the third floor. After passing by his own private quarters and office, he rounded several more corners before finally arriving at the threshold of Bryan Watson's Office. He raised his fist and knocked several times, but was met with only silence. There was no response from inside.
Under normal circumstances, Moody would have simply returned and approached Watson at a later hour, perhaps catching him for a quiet word after the evening meal. However, Cliodna was determined to have this matter settled before the weekend, and so she, still disguised as Moody turned smartly and began to go back towards the dungeons of Slytherin House.
It was common knowledge among the Hogwarts faculty that Watson and Snape had a close working relationship and an even closer personal friendship. The number of times Watson strolled to Snape's office in a week was almost equivalent to the number of times he went to Dumbledore's office in an entire school year.
Fortunately, on the second floor he had just left, he encountered Watson, who was staring outside, lost in thought.
Cliodna was familiar with the level of caution and consideration needed when engaging in conversation with a wizard of Watson's power and perceptiveness. She composed herself, quickly going over the words she had prepared in her mind, and then spoke, startling Watson out of his contemplation.
Well, she had no choice but to follow Bryan Watson back up to the third floor, heading to his office that she had just left.
Bryan discovered that among all the guests he had invited for tea, Professor Moody was the most genuinely fond of the slightly bitter taste of Greek Mountain tea. This was uncommon, as traditional British preferences leaned towards beverages with a mellow flavor and rich, comforting aroma. The earthy fragrance and gentle bitterness of Greek Mountain tea didn't align with their usual style, making Moody's fondness for it particularly unique.
Still, upon further thought, Bryan reasoned that Moody's appreciation for this taste was perhaps not so strange after all.
After all, the person sitting across from him at work was someone who had been living in isolation for years, isolated from the world and admiring nature. Perhaps in the forest, she often brewed tea with various tree leaves to drink.
"Watson, I came to you for--"
Moody put down his teacup and was about to say something, but Bryan suddenly raised a hand to stop him from continuing, instead saying something puzzling himself.
"Please, Professor Moody, before we get to the heart of the matter, allow me to first express my sincere gratitude for the immense trust you've shown me today."
Faced with Moody's confused gaze, Bryan pointed to the bulging liquor bottle in Moody's pocket and smiled slightly.
"I thought you wouldn't drink the tea I brewed for you. It seems I have gained your trust, haven't I?"
"Hah! Watson, if a wizard of your reputation and standing can't be trusted, then I daresay there's no one left in this whole bleeding country who can!"
Moody threw his head back and let out a harsh, rasping laugh utterly lacking of any humor.
"Oh, I know there are plenty who whisper that old Mad-Eye has finally gone crazy, cracked under the strain of a life spent hunting dark wizards. But men like you and I, Watson... we know the truth of it. Constant vigilance isn't just some foolish obsession of mine - it's the only thing standing between us and annihilation at the hands of those black-hearted bastards!"
Moody revealed a ferocious smile, but his heart was solemn. She had briefly let down her disguise at Elder Horn's place and was also worried about the children's situation. She had only revealed a small flaw, but she didn't expect Watson to notice it immediately.
Faced with Moody's explanation that was not quite an explanation, Bryan only smiled faintly. He could see that Moody was eager to steer the conversation towards the purpose of his visit. However, he still methodically got up and walked to the bookshelf.
"Since you're willing to have tea with me, Professor Moody, why don't we--"
Bryan squatted down, opened the expanded storage space at the bottom of the bookshelf, revealing the densely packed gift boxes inside tied with various colored ribbons. He picked up the one on top, then closed the cabinet and turned around to walk back. When he opened the box, it was filled with chocolates and cookies.
"--why don't we have some dessert as well."
Bryan said with a smile. He noticed that Professor Moody was stunned by the shape of these cookies and chocolates, so he quickly explained,
"Oh, don't mind it, Professor Moody. These are, uh, perhaps from students or maybe fans who sent Christmas gifts in advance. There are too many, so I must 'destroy' them as soon as possible--"
"Oh!" Moody concealed his astonishment. "How romantic, Watson. I remember receiving a student gift last month as well, similar to yours. It was an old tea cozy filled with crawling cockroaches!"
"Haha, I could actually use a tea cozy. Maybe you could give it to me. As for the cockroaches, oh, they might be a type of candy called Cockroach Clusters. Headmaster Dumbledore is very fond of them. Are you sure it wasn't him who sent it to you?"
Bryan chuckled.
The atmosphere of the conversation was quite pleasant, not as full of probing and targeting as the two parties had imagined. When Bryan took the last dessert from the box, Moody secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His hand was about to reach into his pocket to take out the application form--
Knock, knock, knock!
The office door sounded unexpectedly.
Moody sighed inwardly, his hand subtly leaving his pocket.
'Getting some money is indeed difficult.'
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