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***
The rest of September flew by like a blink of an eye. A rainy October came. The days rolled by one after another. Richard didn't care about Peter Pettigrew anymore, he knew that the animagus wizard had been sent to Grosvenor's Workshop after being sentenced to capital punishment and turned into a ghost as a result of his experiments. He wouldn't have known it if Donkey hadn't been following a specialist from the Department of Mysteries, who entangled all the employees of the secret Avada research laboratory with magical oaths. As a result, the magical researchers of Grosvenor's Workshop wrote lengthy reports full of "water". But Richard was fine with it, because thanks to the housekeeper he was aware of the results of the work. Donkey secretly copied the real documentation, which was sent to the Department of Mysteries.
Peter's spirit was imprisoned in one of the rooms and in no way could leave it without serious help from competent wizards.
The volunteer mage had received a scar in the form of a rune, like Harry's and Richard's, only the rune was different.The young earl was more concerned with the report from Grosvenor Junior that his father had sent with the help of Darth Vader.
Early on Halloween morning, Justin Finch-Fletchley had found Grosvenor Junior in the Puffendui drawing room in an armchair with a stack of papers in his lap, which he was going through with a frown. At this early in the day, the other students had yet to make their way out to the living room.
Justin yawned widely and turned to his friend:
- Richie, what are you frowning about?
Richard looked up from his papers and looked at Justin.
- Those female dogs have missed ten per cent!
- Э?!
Justin's face showed incomprehension.
Richie shook the stack of papers and explained:
- I'm talking about the currency exchange rate game. I gave clear instructions, asked for professionals, and they... Eh!
- Oh! Richie, you were a gambler. Did you lose a lot of money?
- No, Jas, I didn't lose a penny. I made a net profit of thirty-two million dollars after salaries, loans and taxes.
Justin looked at his comrade in bewilderment. He had not yet realised the magnitude of the numbers in his sleep.
- Then I don't know why you're so upset.
- Jas, you could have made twenty-five per cent on that trade, and those bastards blew half the chances and only made fifteen per cent! Not only that, they were overly cautious with my father's money, you see, too big and too frightening a sum... Female dogs! Eleven--Justine, can you imagine? It's only eleven per cent. We could have done a billion and a quarter, but we did half a billion. I can't stand the sight of them!
- Erm...
Justin froze. He looked at Richard with a glassy eye and open mouth.
- How much? - He asked.
- Two hundred million for sure, and seven hundred and fifty million dollars in the long run! - Grosvenor hissed angrily. His fingers clenched on the paper and crumpled the report roughly. - That's how you can do it, eh Jas! Played on the same exchanges, on the same quotes, with a difference of as much as four per cent!
Justin's face stretched in amazement.
- Uh, Richie, you're talking about that kind of money... My father doesn't make that much in a few years. Did I hear you say you made half a billion dollars?
- You heard me," Richie angrily tossed the crumpled report aside. - Not me, my father. My profits are much more modest, I told you at the beginning.
- Oh, yes," Finch-Fletchley said thoughtfully. - Thirty-two million, eh?
Richard sighed sadly and said:
- Well, yes... It's modest, but at least we got something out of the crisis. It's a pity they didn't give more loans....
- Modest? - Justin stared at Richard with huge eyes. - You call that modest? Richie, even for our family, that's a lot of money.
- Justin, considering that Soros made a billion on this scam and your father's bank made three hundred million, my success is actually very modest.
- Oh!" Justin was even more surprised. - What? Dad made money from it too?
- Yes, my father shared insider information with him.
***
In the afternoon, the teachers were in a festive mood and didn't push the students too hard.
The whole of Hogwarts smelled of baked pumpkin. The Great Hall was decorated to perfection. Living skeletons tap-danced, bats circled the ceiling and occasionally lined up the word "HALLOWEEN".
Richard strode leisurely down the corridor with the air of a true aristocrat. His cane tapped on the stone floor. Finch-Fletchley accompanied him. Justin did not walk like the lord he was to become, but like a martyr.
- Richie, can you walk faster? The feast will begin without us!
- Justin, an aristocrat shouldn't be in a hurry. Besides, what's the rush? Jostle for a place closer to the pie plate?
- At least that," Finch-Fletchley grumbled.
- Justin, it's all worked out," Richard's voice was calm, his look confident. - We'll be there on time, just before Dumbledore's opening speech. And we'll ask one of the boys to pass on the cake. Ernie will probably take a seat next to the sweet. Wouldn't he share it with us?
- Sure he will," Justin agreed. - But still, Richie, you're walking at the speed of an old grandfather. I don't know why.
- Why are the other kids running and running and making loud noises like a maniac is trying to kill them at every moment?
- Um... - Justin couldn't come up with an answer.
Richie grinned cheerfully at his bewildered mate and decided to take pity on him.
- Justin, I'll let you in on a little secret....
Finch-Fletchley, like any boy of his age, loved secrets. He prepared to listen intently. Meanwhile, Richard continued, after a moment's pause:
- I don't walk so slowly just to maintain my image. Hogwarts is filled with traps, like a treasure trove that Indiana Jones crawled into: disappearing steps, wayward staircases, the poltergeist Peeves with his surprises. As I move at a leisurely pace, I'm able to spot dangers and avoid them.
- Oh!" Justin's curiosity was replaced by a slight annoyance, as if he'd been promised a box of chocolates but had been given a single caramel. - Richie, what about the cane? Why do you carry it everywhere?Richard's eyes glittered slyly, and a bully smile spread across his lips.
- A secret!
- Come on, what secret? - Finch-Fletchley waved it away. - Did you do something to her?
- Perhaps," Richard's pupils glinted slyly again, reflecting the light from the torches. - Or maybe it's just an ordinary cane....
Justin and Richie entered the Great Hall. The ceiling showed a cloudless starry sky. Beneath it, bats were making geometric shapes. The children were talking loudly, creating a humming background noise, as if in a crowded railway station.
The boys walked to the Puffendui table past the professors' table.
Richard turned his attention to the professors' table, or rather, to the strange behaviour of the Dean of Slytherin. Snape suddenly jerked as if from a slap. He jumped up from his seat as if stung in a soft spot and hurried over to the Headmaster.
Justin noticed the potions teacher's strange behaviour too. He stopped right behind Richard. Snape's excited voice came to the boys' ears, with a distinct note of gloating and anticipation.
- Headmaster, the signalling spell I put on the statue of the one-eyed witch just went off. We can catch trespassers in the act!
- Severus, dinner will start soon," Dumbledore replied. - I'm an old man-" The glare from the candles reflected in his half-rimmed spectacles. - 'If you're so impatient, go with Minerva and check it out.
- We will," Snape hissed and grinned happily, like a predator smelling wounded prey.
Minerva McGonagall, who had been given a seat next to the silent Gilderoy Lockhart, had been sitting sour-faced until then. When she realised that there was a good reason to get rid of Lockhart's company, she hastily jumped up from her seat and said:
- Yes, yes, Severus, come quickly. It is our duty to look after the students and punish offenders.
Snape and McGonagall hurriedly headed for the exit of the Great Hall.
Justin immediately lost interest in the faculty table and hurried over to the Puffenduys.
Richie looked around the Gryffindor table in bewilderment. George, Fred and Ron Weasley were all in place, Harry Potter sitting next to his friend. The boy was overcome with a question:
"Who would use the secret passage to Hogsmeade if everyone who knows about it is now in the Great Hall?"
Richie also noted to himself that the secret passage could no longer be used, as there were some sort of signalling spells in place. It was a shame, because it was a very convenient place to conduct secret operations within Hogwarts.
Headmaster Dumbledore rose from his throne-like chair and gave a five-minute speech, the gist of which was short: "Today is Halloween. Congratulations. Eat up and don't gorge yourselves to the point of gagging, or Madam Pomfrey has enough on her mind as it is."
After the students had satisfied their first hunger, the conversations at the faculty tables began to grow into a multi-voiced rumble that only the nearest neighbours could hear.
Richie could hardly contain himself, but eventually he couldn't stand it and strolled over to the Gryffindor table. There he bowed politely to everyone he knew and with nods called Harry, Ron, Fred and George aside. Hermione followed them, though no one called out to her.
The rather large group left the Great Hall. Everyone was walking briskly and enthusiastically, except for Ron, who looked disgruntled and squinted at the festive table.
It was not forbidden to leave the Great Hall during the meal or to approach the tables of other faculties. One might wish to socialise with relatives from another faculty, like the Patil sisters, or with friends. Or someone might have a sudden urge to go to the bathroom. Or maybe someone has had enough and wants to be alone. It's not like we can force the students to sit at the table for the rest of dinner.
The group stopped near the staircase of the North Tower, in a place where there was not a single living painting in the vicinity.
Grosvenor glanced at Granger, but decided it would be all right to let the girl in on some of the secrets. Hermione should be taught to keep secrets (the most innocuous ones), and at the same time, it would be a test to see how well she could keep her mouth shut if the secrets weren't hers.
Fred asked the question that was on everyone's tongue:
- Richard, why did you call us here?
- Gentlemen," Grosvenor began, looking round at everyone with an attentive gaze, "I have learned that Professor Snape has cast a signalling spell on the statue of the one-eyed witch. They worked a moment before dinner started..." The boy's gaze lingered on the twins.
- So that's where Snape and McGonagall went off to! - Harry commented.
Fred and George frowned. George quietly shared his thoughts:
- That's it... That aisle is covered! I knew it couldn't be used anymore!
- What's the secret passage? - Hermione was quite curious.
- To Hogsmeade," Richard replied. He kept his eyes on the twins. - Gentlemen, I have another question - who else have you told about this passage?Both twins frowned harder than before. They were thinking hard. Fred said uncertainly:
- Lee Jordan knows, but he hasn't told anyone and he's been with us the whole time. So it's not him.
- Are you sure? - Richard asked.
- I'm sure of Jordan," Fred replied more firmly. - He can keep a secret.
The creases in George's forehead smoothed out, and he had a flash of light.
- Looters!
- What?" Fred looked at his twin brother. Understanding flashed in his gaze. - That's right! The Marauders!
- Are they Harry's father's friends? - Ron asked.
- What does that have to do with the Marauders? - Potter asked.
- That girl..." George glanced at Hermione. - Can she be trusted?
Granger looked at Richard with hope and a hidden sense of unease. She realised that this was about some secret and she wanted very much to be involved in it. She was even more eager to hear the cherished words from her only friend that he trusted her.
- Guys, Hermione can be completely trusted. I vouch for her.
Grosvenor's confident voice gave Hermione a wave of happiness. A warm feeling appeared in the girl's chest.
"Richie appreciates me! He trusts me! - Granger thought with delight. - I won't let him down."
George furtively glanced over to Fred and received a microscopic nod from his brother. After that, he held out:
- Okay... If Richard trusts... Anyway, listen," he gathered his thoughts. - In my first year, Dred and I got caught doing some work with Filch. When the housekeeper left us in his office for a while, we went through the confiscated items and borrowed a parchment.
- You stole it! - Hermione said in an accusatory tone, but when she saw a hint of reproach in Richard's gaze, directed at herself, and barely concealed irritation in the other boys' gazes, she immediately corrected herself: "I'm sorry, go on. I won't interrupt any more.
- The parchment turned out to be an enchanted map of Hogwarts," George continued. - "The Marauders created it. Therefore, they must have known about the secret passage of the one-eyed witch.
- Well, that explains a lot," Richard said thoughtfully and slowly.
Harry scratched the lightning bolt scar thoughtfully, looked at George and said:
- "So, you think it was one of the 'marauders' who broke into Hogwarts?
- There's no one else," Fred shrugged.
Harry began to reason out loud:
- My dad is dead, so that leaves Pettigrew, Lupin and Black.
Hermione was catching every word the boys were saying with delight. The girl was beginning to realise that the secrets she was learning were far more serious than she could have imagined. The girl could hardly contain her curiosity, but she wanted to ask hundreds of questions.
Ron's thoughts were always in the Great Hall, thinking about the desserts. Even the twins' secret map paled like a candle compared to a light bulb when the dessert was missed.
- Pettigrew is dead, too," Richard added. - He'd been sentenced to capital punishment and executed in a closed session of the Wizengamot.
- So it wasn't him," Harry said. - That leaves Black and Lupin.
Fred said enthusiastically:
- 'I don't know who Lupin is, but I'll bet ten gallions it's Black.
- Yes," George agreed with his brother, "but what does he want at Hogwarts?
- What-what-" Richard snorted and tried to hide a victorious grin. - That lunatic must have snuck into the castle to get back at Pettigrew. He doesn't know Peter's been executed. I wouldn't be surprised if Black still doesn't know he's been amnestied and has been hiding in Hogsmeade as a dog all this time.
- I've read about Black," Granger said with an important look. - He's the criminal who got amnesty over the summer.
- No!" Potter objected sharply. - Black is innocent. He was sent to Azkaban for killing ordinary people and Peter Pettigrew. But we found out that it was Pettigrew who killed those people and faked his own death. He was an animagus and was hiding at Hogwarts in animal form. We managed to catch him and hand him over to the Aurors.
Hermione's face lit up with realisation. She exclaimed:
- 'Richie, so that's why you needed to know about the Animagi!
- Yes, Hermione," Richard smiled at the girl. - Thank you so much for your help.
- I think I'm starting to understand," Hermione continued in a wave of happiness. - Black escaped from prison and decided to take revenge on his offender. But he still doesn't know that he's been pardoned and Pettigrew is dead.
- That's right," Potter confirmed with a frown. - We have to help Black. He was my father's friend.
Richard looked at Potter sadly and said:
- Harry, you're thinking about the wrong thing. I've realised something - Severus Snape was an Eater, just like Pettigrew.
- How?" Hermione was stunned. Her eyes became the size of large coins. - Snape is a Death Eater?!
- Yes," Richard confirmed with a nod. - So Snape knew that Pettigrew was a Death Eater. Besides, Headmaster Dumbledore had said in court that Snape was his spy, which was why Severus hadn't been imprisoned.
Harry Potter looked at Richie in bewilderment. A wave of anger began to rise in Harry's soul.
- Dumbledore knew! - He exclaimed with rage. - He knew Pettigrew was a traitor.Hermione eyed Harry warily and sidled over to Richard.
- 'Boys,' she said, 'but I read that the Eaters were wearing masks. Perhaps Professor Snape didn't know about Pettigrew.
Richie felt Granger, without noticing it herself, take hold of the edge of his robes. He answered her:
- Hermione, there's one thing you don't know. Professor Snape studied at the same time as Pettigrew. The company the latter kept was bullying Snape. Do you think a mask could have prevented Snape from recognising his school enemy? I highly doubt it.
Ron, who had been counting down the moments until then, realised that the meal change was coming up and the discussion wasn't even thinking of wrapping up. He returned to the conversation.
- I get it... There's a deranged animagus running around the school. Dumbledore knew about the prophecy, about Pettigrew's betrayal, about Snape being an arsehole. It's entirely possible that he's the one who sicced You-Know-Who on Harry's parents. And generally he's a great wizard and a dangerous madman, but... We risk missing the DESSERT!!!!
Grinning cheerfully, Fred uttered:
- Who's talking about what, but Ron's talking about food.
- A snack would be nice," Richard said.
- Hey!" Harry exclaimed indignantly. - What about Black?
- What about him? - Richard shrugged. - They'll catch him at school, if they can, so what? He's not a criminal anymore. He'll be escorted out of the school, and that's it. At the very least, he'd be turned over to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. One call to Bagnold and he'll be sent straight to Mungo's for treatment. I'm sure after prison, he'll need it badly. Harry, you're not suggesting we run all over the school looking for a psycho, are you?
Potter was embarrassed.
- Well..." he scratched his scar. - 'Actually, that's exactly what I was going to suggest. Richie, are you sure Black won't get hurt?
- Stunned and kicked in the kidneys at most," Richard said confidently. - They won't throw Avada at the professors, that's for sure. So it's all right. Let's go eat dessert.
Ron looked at Richard as if he were the Messiah. There was so much gratitude in his gaze that it was easy to believe that the red-haired boy had seen an angel in Richie's place.
- At least someone agrees with me," he murmured. - Thank you, Richie! What are we waiting for? They'll eat all the sweets without us!
Just as everyone was about to return to the Great Hall, Hermione, after some thought, blurted out:
- Boys, I could follow Professors Snape and McGonagall. I don't eat sweets, so no problem!
Ron glared angrily at Hermione. It looked like he was about to tell her what he thought of her.
- How are you going to do that? - Fred asked curiously.
Granger glanced at Richard and found herself holding onto his robes. At the same moment she unclenched her fingers and blushed with embarrassment.
- I have my ways," she replied floridly.
- Hermione, darling," Richard said, as if trying to see through the girl's clothes. - Are you wearing that very outfit under your robes?
- Yes!
Hermione's cheeks flushed, and the boys, almost all of them except Harry, thought quite differently from what Grosvenor meant. From the look on the girl's face they assumed it was about something intimate.
- Oh, Dread, how much we've learnt about our little ones," George said in a cheerful voice.
- Don't tell me, Forge," Fred's cheeks flushed a little. - They're young people, aren't they?
Hermione realised what the boys were thinking. It made her face look like a tomato, and her ears looked like they were about to steam.
- It's not what you think it is..." she said quietly, which convinced the boys that they were right. Even Ron blushed slightly and looked away from the girl shamefully.
- What are you wearing under your robes? - Fred asked with undisguised curiosity.
- I can't tell," Hermione replied, red as a cancer, and glanced at Richard. - But he knows...
Richie couldn't take the abuse of his psyche. He covered his eyes and put his right palm to his face.
- Hermione, it's best to keep quiet," he whispered. - 'Let's go eat dessert, we'll dispense with the spy stuff today.
- Aaaaaaaaaaah!" Ron said, looking like he knew what he was talking about. - I got it! Hermione, did Ritchie get you some of those clothes too?
Fred and George looked at their younger brother with huge, horrified eyes.
- Ron, don't tell me you-" Fred whispered.
- Oh, my God, Richard, so you're-" George glanced warily at Grosvenor.
Richie shook his head from side to side.
Ron couldn't just keep silent; he was putting fuel in the furnace of the twins' fantasy:
- Um... I can't speak to what this is about....
- Dread, fuck those little perverts," George whispered in his twin brother's ear. - Let's get out of here.
- Yeah..." Fred said, dumbfounded.
The twins hurried off into the Great Hall. Harry looked at them in bewilderment.
- What are they up to? - He asked. - Haven't they heard of invisible ninja suits? Ron, didn't your father make them for all your brothers?
- No," Ron answered. - He told everyone in the family not to tell the twins about it, so they wouldn't get into trouble at Hogwarts.
- Hermione," Harry turned to the girl, "so did Ritchie get you the same costume as me?
- Well, yes," Granger nodded positively, her face slowly taking on a natural colour.
- Shit!" Ron marvelled. - Granger, do you always wear a ninja costume under your robes?
- Yes, of course I do," Hermione replied as if nothing had happened. - You don't know if someone's going to attack the school again or if you need to get into the Forbidden Section in a hurry. Besides, the costume is very comfortable, it's much more comfortable than any other clothes.
- I love it! - Ron exclaimed. - I thought you were a crammer, but you're just like Catwoman....
Potter stared at Hermione with delight.
- Wow! - he almost whistled. - You're so cool!
- DESSERT! - Ron hurried everyone up.
- Yeah, yeah, let's go," Harry said.
When Harry, Ron, Richard and Hermione returned to the Great Hall, they had to pass the Professor's desk again. At that moment, an irritated Minerva McGonagall approached Headmaster Dumbledore. She spoke loudly with indignation:
- Albus, this is out of line!
- Minerva, what's wrong? - Dumbledore asked calmly.
- Some pranksters brought a vicious dog into the castle. We managed to locate the dog on the stairs that lead up to the Gryffindor dormitory.
- Mini, it's just a joke," Dumbledore remained good-natured. - Maybe the children felt sorry for the dog and let him in to warm up.
- Warm?! - McGonagall gasped in indignation. - That dog is clearly rabid! He saw us and immediately snarled and growled. He lunged at Severus!
The Headmaster asked in a slightly concerned tone:
- I hope Severus wasn't hurt?
- No," McGonagall shook her head sharply. - 'We're wizards, aren't we? Severus tied up the dog and went to levitate it away from the castle. But that's terrible! What if someone had been hurt? That rabid dog could have bitten the children!
- It didn't bite them," said the Headmaster calmly again.
- Oh, a dog! - exclaimed Lockhart. - I wish I'd gone with you. I could have handled it.
As the students moved a little away from the lecturer's desk, Harry, who looked very excited and worried, whispered:
- It's definitely Black! We have to warn him... Tell him he's exonerated and the real culprit is being punished.
- Harry, he's a grown-up wizard," Ron whispered back loudly. - He should be thinking with his own head.
- Yes, Harry," Richard agreed just as softly. - And anyway, Harry, are you going to help a lunatic who chose revenge instead of making sure his friends' child was safe? What, do you think you're the Messiah? Harry, you shouldn't be helping out every hustler you meet, even if he was once friends with your parents. Forget it.
Potter said nothing. Richie had more he wanted to say to the boy, but the boys' paths parted. Richie went to the Puffendoor table, while happy that he wouldn't miss dessert, Ron, a sad Harry and an excited and happy Hermione went to the Gryffindor table.