分卷阅读14（1 / 2）

Icarus didn’t know what to say. Howard Larson had been an Unspeakable with the Department of Mysteries for almost fifteen years, with not a single thing tarnishing his record of service. He’d been in the room with the others, knocked out cold when they’d found them. All the Department knew was when he woke up at St. Mungo’s, Larson had left a path of stone bodies in his wake.

“You’re the only one who has stayed on the grid, Malfoy.”

“Imagine that. Could it possibly be because I haven’t turned anyone to stone with my stare? Or brought famine to a horticulture show and caused a riot? Inspired a Ministry work retreat to break into a sudden orgy?” Malfoy raised an eyebrow.

McLaggen stepped forward and glowered at Malfoy. At first, Icarus thought Malfoy had got a rise out of him. But Cormac took a breath and shook his head. “You might not be an obvious threat to public safety. But each artifact and curse in that box had the potential to be cataclysmic, Malfoy. At least with Larson and some of the others we know what they’re capable of.” McLaggen turned to Icarus and then back to Malfoy. “We’ve been watching you for days. Do you even know what you’re doing?”

Malfoy paled and stared at the floor. In a less combative tone he said, “Do not keep following me.” In an even smaller voice, he added, “I will come back with you as soon Bertrice Zivantus is found and the next of Eleven comes to get Zivantus’ Timepiece.”

“We don’t take orders from you,” McLaggen smirked.

“Leave,” Icarus directed at McLaggen. The man furrowed his brows but Icarus just said, “Go.” With a look of confusion and suspicion, McLaggen left the corner of the kitchen and went out into the lounge. He didn’t have the clearance to hear what they were about to discuss. Icarus took a step forward and stared at Malfoy, who had managed to make his face neutral once more. “You know about the Timepiece?”

Malfoy scoffed. “The worst kept secret in the Department is that Zivantus still had it.”

Icarus Sableton shivered at the thought of the Iniquitous Eleven and what it meant that one of them would be coming. “Do you know where it is? Where Zivantus kept it?”

Malfoy studied him and replied, “No. Of course not. Do you think he would trust someone like me with that information?”

“If you don’t know where it is, then who does?”

Malfoy shrugged. “I’m just a lowly junior Unspeakable afflicted with an ancient Grecian curse.” He smirked. “What do I know?”

Harry felt a bit odd walking in through the main entrance of the Ashtyl Hotel as himself. He and Ron had apparated there and decided to try and poke around under the guise of aurors in the Penthouse investigation. Harry wasn’t sure if they were looking for clues to the murder or to Bertrice’s situation, or some way to connect the two together concretely. He just had the feeling he would know it when they saw it. And that Draco Malfoy was somehow very much a part of it.

“Hermione?” Ron exclaimed. Harry looked at Ron and followed his gaze to the entrance of the hotel lounge. Harry’s mouth dropped.

Hermione rushed over to them, a large book clutched in her arms. “Oh thank God you two are here. I’ve just run into Cormac McLaggen and—”

“Blimey, Hermione, what are you doing here?”

“Well I—” she looked back and forth between them with her mouth open.

“You’re here for work?” Ron offered.

“I am, yes,” she nodded, though Harry thought something about her seemed off. Hermione gestured around with one of her hands. “I’m here for work.”