I quietly followed Malark down the hallway, he didn't say anything to break the silence and neither did I.

If he was trying to intimidate me, he didn't have to try too hard because I was already way in over my head. I wished there was a manual or something.

For the first time since I woke up from basically dying, I stepped on the well-kept lawn again.

Now that it was bright and I was on my feet, it was easy to see the terrain.

It really wasn't surprising that there was nothing but open fields around for miles.

The old Manor itself was fenced in, with those fancy bricks you only saw on TV.

There was a garden behind the house and Malark suggested that we take a walk there.

Now I was starting to get suspicious, it was normal enough for a detective to be considerate of a 16-year-old boy who just lost his entire family and offer that they talk outside while getting air.

But now he was trying to get me to somewhere secluded, it sounded like he wanted to off me or something.

I hesitated now. "We can talk here." I said calmly. I didn't want my suspicions of him to be obvious.

Malark shot me a look, staring at me deeply for a couple of seconds.

"Sir? You said you had questions for me." I prompted when it seemed like he would just continue menacingly staring me down like I was a pickpocket.

Now it was Malark's turn to look suspicious and I gulped, I hadn't said anything wrong, had I?

He brought out a pad and quill though, both writing materials floating a short distance in front of him.

I schooled my expression. I was yet to see any outright usage of magic so what I really wanted to do then was excitedly get closer for a better look, that would be the fastest route to Azkaban.

"What do you remember of the incident that happened two nights ago?" Malark asked, staring straight at me with piercing dark eyes.

'He isn't trying to read my mind right?' Legilimency isn't that rare of an ability, I also knew nothing of occlumency so I had no way of keeping him out of my head.

It was a simple enough question but my mind blanked out.

The truth was that I had no idea but that wouldn't fly with Malark. He would immediately think I was lying and take me in for questioning or worse.

But the truth could still save me, they must have access to the doctor's report so they would know that I had been close to death.

It was natural for someone who had undergone that much trauma to lose his memory.

'Shit! I wasted too much time thinking of what to say.'

Malark was looking at me even more suspiciously now. I didn't have a lot of options, to begin with, going with the truth was the only one I had even.

"I…" I cleared my throat anxiously. "I don't know, sir."

Malark's reaction was the last thing I expected.

He was so shocked that the floating pen and pad dropped to the ground with a dull thud, his mouth dropping open.

He also lost his formal and aloof air. "Really? You really do not remember what happened?"

"Yes, sir." I replied slowly, caught off guard by his reaction.

"Not what happened that night? Or the period before then?" Malark asked with barely banked excitement.

"N-Not at all." I stumbled over my words.

The situation was fast leaving my hands, what the fuck was going on?

"What memories do you still retain?" Malark fired another question at me, visibly struggling to hide how excited he was.

I frowned. "None, I couldn't even remember my own name."

It was technically not a lie but I was layering it on a little thick.

Malark seemed to buy it all, believing every word that came out of my mouth.

The pad and pen long forgotten on the ground quickly shot up into the air and the pen started to scribble so fast that its movements were a blur.

I fell silent, a cloud of unease settling over me. Had I made a wrong move?

"Then I apologize for bothering you at a time like this, it must be a very challenging time for you."

I watched him blankly as he bowed, stuffing the pad and pen back into the inner pocket of his overcoat before I could peek into it.

"Very well then, I will be on my way now." Malark said, sounding more friendly than he did before. "I'll make sure to inform you if any findings are made, I'll also inform them at the ministry to not bother you anymore."

His words were what I hoped to hear but for some reason, they didn't sit right with me.

I didn't try to stop him as he quickly vacated the premises, apparating right in front of me, with a loud crack.

There was no use. If I had tried to get any information out of him, it would only backfire on me.

It wasn't a bad outcome either because now I would no longer be involved in the investigations of my family's death.

I had predicted that the cause of their deaths and the entire case as a whole would be swept under and avoided.

Honestly, I wouldn't have minded that outcome either.

The Audric they knew had died with them after all but there was still a big chance that whoever had killed them off would still be coming for me.

I had grand plans of rising to the top of this world with the tools made available to me. I would get rid of whatever tried to stand my way.

So after getting enough information, I would have to start my own investigation as well.

I shook out of my thoughts, realizing that I had been standing in the same spot for too long because my legs were beginning to cramp up.

I still had a lot to do. Aunt Vannessa would be making me move to her place after the burial which would be taking place the day after tomorrow.

So for the rest of today, I would lock myself up in my room and get to work on acquiring more knowledge and improving my physical stats.

Even if I didn't know how to use magic yet, having those two on my side would be enough to keep me going till I learned how to use magic.

Finding my way back to my room was even easier this time, I slowed down when I got to the hallway of portraits.

On impulse, I checked my portrait.

The first time I checked I wasn't in the frame but now I could see myself in the far corner of the portrait curled up in a corner of the room where the picture had been taken.

I frowned. 'Did Malark say something to my portrait?'

I was really curious but I also really didn't want to know.

I decided to take down my portrait, there was no use leaving it hanging. Audric would probably thank me for it even.

My stomach rumbled at the same moment that I opened the door to my bedroom, and I realized that I was yet to eat breakfast because of Malark.

The meeting with the Magical Law Enforcement Agency guys guy had gone far better than I could have hoped for. 

I was still bothered about a lot of things but I could push them to the side for now, and concentrate on far more important things, like breakfast.

I stepped into the dining room to find Aunt Vannessa seated at the table waiting for me.

My ecstatic mood deflated, would she be here every time?

"Audric dear, come, sit beside me." She got up as soon as I showed up, drawing out a chair for me.

I slowed down at this, while she hadn't been rude or cold towards me, she hadn't been this nice either.

I couldn't turn her down though so I walked forward and sat on the chair that she offered up for me.

Today she was dressed in a prissy gown that looked like what the Queen of England would wear, with pearls around her neck and a little bag as well.

"I had a word with Cedric and Malark today, they spoke to you this morning, right?"

I blinked in surprise. I hadn't met a Cedric. It must have been the partner that had been held up.

I nodded anyway, the less I had to say, the better.

"I was told you lost your memories." She finally hit the nail on the head, her gloved hands clutching her chest.

I had no idea how to respond to this so I sat stiffly and just listened to her.

I sighed out in exasperation when she hugged me again.

I understood that she was trying to comfort me but to me, it felt like some random woman was hugging me.

Even my mom didn't hug me this much.

"You poor thing, you definitely have to stay with me after this. Someone has to take care of you." She said seriously.

I had no plans of turning her down though.

"Doctor Pointel also came to do a late night check-up last night." She sighed, patting my neatly brushed hair. "He said that you were fully healed but I absolutely didn't see this coming."

I had no idea that a doctor had come in last night, more like a wizard that specialized in Healing magic.

I had been bone-deep tired last night so it was no surprise that I didn't notice.

I let her mutter nonstop to herself, hoping that if I said nothing, she would let me go sooner.

Fortunately, she let me go and then spent the rest of breakfast making sure I ate enough.

She didn't eat even a bite but kept insisting that I eat more, adding more and more helpings.