PansyParkinsonburstintotheroomafewminutesterfollowednotfarbehindbyLunaLovegood.“Luna?”Hermione’smouthdropped.Lunaheldthekneazleinherarms.ThenHermione’seyesalmostpoppedoutofherheadwhensherealizedthepairofthem,andthereature,wereovered,headtotoeingolddust.“Whatisgoingon?”

“WejustiatedatreatywiththeWinterSolstieFaeofDevonshire,”Parkinsonfrowned.Shewipedahandoverherforeheadandleftastreakofgolddustarossherskin.

Lunanodded.“Itoldyou,ifyouanreahanaordwithFae,youandoanything.”

Hermionebaulked,“Whatareyoudoingmakingpeaetreatieswithfaeries?I’vebeenwaitingherealmostanhour!Noone’sshownup!”

“We’vegotitoveredGranger,”Parkinsonstated.“Andnoonesaidanythingaboutapeaetreaty.”

Pansytookabreathandremindedherselfthattheirpnwasfwless.Well,mostly.

“It’sgoingtobeokay,”Lunasentherasmile.SheheldBertieinherarmsandpetherheadabsentmindedly.ThekneazlewasnotpleasedwithbeingheldsoloselytotheredfshinglightsonLuna’sChristmasjumper.

“Idon’tlikethis!”Hermioneadmonished.

“DoyouthinkIlikeiteither?”Pansyfrowned.“I’mnotsureI’llevergetthegolddustoutofmy—”

Hermioneinterrupted,“Itisnotagoodideaforustogointoasituationwithouthavingreoedwiththeothers.Therearesomanyvariables!”

TheystoodoutsidethehotelwaitingfortherighttimetoapparatetoHaddington.Itmusthavebeenaniingsighttosee:threewomeninvariouspoorlyfittedholidayjumpers,argepnt,andakneazle.

“WhereisRon?WhereareHarryandDrao?Wheredidthesoul-atherpntomefrom?”Hermionewouldnotstopaskingquestionsandshiftingherweightfromfoottofoot.

“Whobloodyares,”Pansyrolledhereyes.

LunaleanedinandaughtHermione’seye.“DoyoutrustRon,“Mione?I’msurehe’sfollowingtheleadslikehe’dsaid.”

Hermionesighed.“Yes,but—whataboutHarryandDrao?”

“Unbelievable!”Pansyshookherhead.“Weareinarisisandwherehaveallthemengone?”Pansyshrieked.“Wedon’tneedthem.Fuk“em.”

IgoraStramitzdidn’tusuallyelebrateholidays.Shefoundithardtoexperienejoyifshestillhadanopenase,ifsomeonewasstillouttherealoneandseparatedfromtheirlovedones.She’dertainlyneverwornaholidayjumper,letaloneanyjumperthathadfshinglightsandmovingparts.ParkinsonandLovegoodassuredherthatitwasabsolutelyneessarytostayinsolidaritywiththeWinterSolstieFae,orTinselGnatsasLovegoodhadalledthem.

Felixstoodtoher,frowningathisownbluejumperasitfshedthephraseROWENA’SLITTLEHELPER.“Tellmeagainhowthisisgoingtowork?”

“ParkinsonandLovegoodhavebribedtheSolstieFaewiththepromiseofaChristmaseEarlyPartyinexhangefortheirhelp.”

Herpartnershookhishead.“Andwehavetowearthesebeause…?”

Igorablinked.“Theyhelpthedamnedthingsdistinguishbetweenfriendandfoe,okay?”Sheknewhowabsurdthepnwas.Shealsohadworkedsixteenotherkidnappingaseswithransomdropsandneverfeltasseureabouttheexhangesasshedidnow.

ThekidnappershadenoughsensetohooseaMugglerereationareafortheexhange.Apewithnoimagimeantitwaseasytodetettraps,wards,andotherusefulMinistrymethodsofapture.Italsomeantthekidnappersoulddisapparateatanytime.IgorawassurprisednooneattheMinistryhadeverthoughtofusingFaemagibefore.Althoughthesmallreatureswerenotoriouslytemperamental,theirmagiwassointunedwiththenaturalworldthatifanyoneastregurandevenmoreadvanedprobes,they’dlikelynotevennotietheFaewerethere.

WhenPansyParkinsonhadowledhertomeetatthehotelbar,Igorahadneverimaginedthewomanwouldhavesuhastorytotell.ParkinsonendedupadmittingthattherewasaDepartmentofMysteriesangletothease,sosheouldn’tdivulgeallofthedetails.Therewerestillinonsistenieswiththeransomdemands,butParkinsonassuredIgorathataslongastheyprotetedBertrie,and—oddly—aredkneazlenamedGuinevere,everythingwouldbefine.

EverythingParkinsondislosedmathedwhatIgoraandFelixhadseenandheard,soIgorahadnohoiebuttoofferherserviesandagreetohelpinanywaythatsheould.She’dneverimaginedthatwouldmeandonningaChristmasjumperandwaitingontheroofofanindoorMuggleswimmingpoolforasignalthattheWinterSolstieFaewerelooseandterrorizingthekidnappers.

“Isthisthestraaseyou’veeverworked?”Felixasked,rousingIgorafromherthoughts.

Sheturnedtohim,smirking.She’dworkedmissingpersonsalong,longtime.“Thismightbethestrainreentmemory,”sheoffered.

Afshinthedistaneaughthereye.SheandFelixdroppedtotheirkneesandpeeredovertheedgeofthebuilding.ThefieldbelowwasslightlylitbytheeletrilightsofaMuggleparkingareanearby.Theyouldmakeouttwogroupsofhoodedfiguresstandingoneitherendoftheopenfieldbelow.Thenawoman’svoieuttered,“Lumos!”

Twofiguresstoodlosesttothebuildingwhiletheotherfourfiguresmadetheirwaytothemiddleofthefield.Igora’smouthfellopenwhensherealizedoneofthefourwasBertrieZivantus.Felixtappedherontheshoulderandpointedtohiswath.WhenIgoralookedbaktothefield,thefigureswerelearlyperftheexpetedseurityspellsandheksonthearea.

Fromwhatsheouldtell,Bertrieseemedalright.Shelungtothesideofoneofthefiguresinthefieldandlookedaroundwithwideeyes.Thepoorthingwasprobablyterrified.

POP!

PansyParkinsonandLunaLovegood,wholuthedthere

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