Durmstrang was in shambles. Not because the castle suffered some superficial damage but because they lost eight staff members in under an hour, including the previous headmaster and his killer. For the following week, students were ordered to either stay home or within their rooms but not to interfere with the teachers. When the mood finally calmed down, and all the people, allies of the previous regime, were chased away or arrested, life seemed to finally have a chance to return to a kind of normalcy.

The most significant change may have happened to Dimitris, who still had trouble adjusting to it. Those who previously bullied him turned eerily kind, so much so it creeped him out. Then, those who had never interacted with him before, but seeing how he stood up to the twins and saved his own bullies changed a lot of people's perspectives.

"If you need something else..."

"No, no, Sebastian, it is all good, thanks!" Dimitris answered, sitting in the library, being served snacks by one of the guys who were under Conrad's imperius curse.

"No trouble. Are you still trying to figure out where they escaped? This time, we will go with you and make sure they get what they deserve!"

"A-ah... yeah, yes." He answered, looking nervous, but it wasn't strange considering all that happened. "But I don't think I will find them, haaah... Are you guys okay? You don't need to humiliate yourselves. I just did what was... right."

"It is not about that. Look, we screwed up, okay? Our families were paid well to screw with you, and we didn't even bother to learn why. It was our fault. After what happened, most of our eyes were finally opened! What I am doing now is not even enough to ask for forgiveness... so at least let me do this much."

"I heard Mika has been sent to prison..." Dimitris whispered, wanting to change the topic because he felt himself blushing. He didn't even feel a shred of sadness about Mika, as he was the worst of them all and a staunch supporter of Andrei and Karkaroff.

"Well, yes. He may also be able to rethink his choices while locked away. Anyway, if you find anything, just call us, okay?"

"Sure... and Sebastian?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it." He smiled at him, patting his back before leaving, making Dimitris feel a bit conflicted.

But also happy. Even more so when he learned that his family had an opportunity to move and resettle here as they were welcomed by those who lived near the influence of Durmstrang. After centuries of hiding, maybe life was changing not only for him but for his family as well.

...
....
......

"You ready?" Krum asked, standing in front of an old house that had its windows boarded up, and the painting was coming off all around its walls.

"Ready as I could be!" Hermione answered, watching the delipated building at the end of a crooked street. "How can one live in a place like this?"

"I told you, he not well in head. Try to... patience. Speak softly, not raise voice and it will be okay. Okay?"

"Okay."

After a brief knocking, the two of them waited for more than ten minutes before the door finally opened. The smell that wafted forth almost made Hermione fall backward and made her gag, as it was the worst mix of old people, alcohol, and sweat. Krum never warned her about this...

"It's you..." The old Irish guy looked like a walking mummy and also sounded like one. His skin was wrinkled, and splotches covered all of his face and hands. His hair was only growing in a few patches at the side of his head. No matter how one looked at him, he was more like a zombie than a human. "I said, two days..."

"It two days after." Krum answered calmly, making him consider it, groan, and let them inside after a few curses.

"Maldor disperso!" Whispered Hermione, unnoticeably waving her wand and making her nostrils ignore the smell they were walking into.

"So..." The old man grunted again after arriving in a messy, dark kitchen where he swept off empty bottles from a chair, sitting down and lighting a cigarette. "You are the girl who has questions? Ask them, and then fuck off." He added between coughs, watching Hermione a bit longer than necessary.

"..." She didn't know what to say first. Andrew McCarthy lived in absolute filth; the walls were moldy, the air was barely breathable even under her spell, and he looked like he was about to die at any moment. Pigs waiting for slaughter lived in better conditions and didn't have to walk through ankle-high garbage to get from one end of the house to the other. "I want to learn everything you can tell me about Angus Anguine." After recollecting her thoughts, she declared and decided to push through the interview as quickly as possible.

"Angus... Angus Anguine..." He whispered, the cigarette stopping midway towards his charred lips. "That sociopath..." He chuckled, leaning back and making a ruckus, searching amongst the many bottles around him, finding one that had some alcohol left in it, swinging it hard.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Angus Anguine," He laughed dryly, wiping his mouth, "was someone who cared about nothing. Did you know that he was almost executed? True story! I was already out of Hogwarts when it happened, you see. I was a beginning auror in the ministry when his court case happened. By then, the Dark Lord had already taken over many posts, controlling their leaders while he was working on finally chasing Dumbledore out of the country. Essentially, he was already in control of the country. I watched the trial happen; it was the first power move by the Dark Lord to showcase that Dumbledore and his Order had lost! It was what showed everyone they can't interfere with his decisions and can't save them from his rule."

"Weren't they still fighting?" Hermione asked, receiving a big puff of smoke being blown into her face as an answer.

"Yeah, but they were failing. The twat was doing it to show that it means nothing. Dragged the Anguine family forward, accused them of the crime of breeding with a muggle, trying to dilute the purity of wizard bloodlines. So HE forced Angus to kill everyone from his family, including his lover, and then marry another woman. It was HIS finishing touch on an inhumane sentence."

"And Dumbledore... the Order... did nothing?"

"Not that they could, kid. As I said, they already were losing. Then came the night when they were wholly chased out of the country with multiple, strong supporters and rallying figures massacred. Heh..."

"Horrible..."

"It gets worse. I was working with him shortly after. I was delegated to find muggle-born wizards and ensure they didn't learn magic. Obliviate or kill. That was our instruction. The funny thing is, at the start, he was like a machine... doing his job without saying much. I was made to be one of his subordinates, and he only spoke to us before and after missions. Then, I learned why... after a month, two of my colleagues were killed by him, reported as being attacked by remnants of the Order."

"Why did he do that?" Hermione asked, but she already knew the reason deep within.

"Because they were loyal Death Eaters. The rest of us weren't; we just... pretended so to keep our lives. From then on, we began collecting muggle-born wizards and hiding them, shipping them off. The first reason was to build up allies so one day he could attack Voldemort and kill him. Then the Order contacted us, and from then on, we worked with them."

"You said he was a psycho... why?"

"Because he looked at those we saved as numbers—cattle, sheep, potential meatshields for his revenge quest. He didn't save them for the good of his heart but because he wanted to use them. It changed only when, somehow, his wife got pregnant. I thought he would be unable to hold back the madness within him and kill her, but no. Instead, I saw him grow a heart... it was weird."

"He changed?"

"A lot. He became even better at being a snake and rose in rank while also saving even more people. By then, the Order was also helping us, so it was somewhat better... But I couldn't stomach it. When harsh decisions had to be made, he didn't hesitate. I saw him abandon children to other groups to keep more talented prospects a secret and ensure the more capable young wizards escaped without notice. He could make those decisions, but I couldn't."

"..."

"So I quit. That's the story, girl. Nothing much more to it. He spoke very little about his plans because if those leaked, he would have died. I only knew he was aiming for the cuntface's head, and I was happy for a moment when I heard he succeeded... but apparently not. Too bad."

"About the change... Did you say it was because he had a son? Conrad Anguine, yes?"

"Yeah. He spoke little of himself or the kid, but his eyes were more human-like after he was born. Not that we were close, mind you! He had no friends... None. Even if his eyes finally had light in them, I could notice feelings behind his icy mask. He learned how to hide his darkness when his son was born... No other choice, I guess, or he would have scared the kid to death the first day."

"Is-"

"That's it." Answered the man, extinguishing his cigarette. "Out."

"But-"

"Out." He barked again, and his voice was way more aggressive this time.

"Come." Said Krum, gently pulling on Hermione, knowing that Andrew was at his limit. He never knew him to speak so much, so it was a surprise in itself. There was no way to get him to continue.

"Haaah... this was... something?" Hermione breathed loudly after the front door was slammed in their faces, dispelling the spell she had placed on herself.

"Yes. Never heard him speak long. It was... surprise."

"Then I was lucky, huh? Hmm... but I hoped to learn more... It seems Angus Anguine was more reserved than I expected. I wonder who knew him the best."

"Probably Snape. I heard, at least." Krum answered her as the duo began walking.

"There is no chance for asking him..."

"No, there is none." He agreed, making themselves laugh, before Krum invited Hermione for ice cream. "There someone different. A guy—he knew them—Neville Longbottom."

"Oh? Never heard of him. Who is that?"

"Mmm... Guy." He answered plainly, but Hermione couldn't tell if it was because of the language barrier or if he wasn't willing to say more.

"Can you make it so that I meet him?"

"Well... Maybe. No promise."

"It's okay. You've already helped me a lot. Don't push it; I don't want to cause you too much trouble. You can point me in a direction; that will be enough, and I will find him myself."

"You are confident."

"Of course!" She answered proudly while licking her vanilla ice cream.

"I like it."

"..." The sudden 'confession,' even though she knew it was not that, made her blush and made her unable to answer.

"Wait a few days, Hermione. Maybe I can help..."

"Thanks... Victor."