Chapter 4: Salem's Trial.
"What do you mean?" Archer asked confused as he wiped his sweat from all the practice he had been doing with his new wand, trying out several spells.
"As I said, the philosopher's stone is gone." Patricia said coming closer towards him, "I had one of my informants here in Gringotts check things out and this is all he came with."
Patricia said passing a note to Archer which read:
Nicolas Flamel isn't in the possession of the Philosopher stone anymore. We believe that due the recent attempt at robbing the stone has made Flamel cautious and has caused him to hide the Stone to someplace safe. Though the stone's currents whereabouts are unknown, we can guarantee that the stone is still within Europe.
"I am more surprised how there hasn't been an attempt at robbery every day for the damn thing." Archer said, "After all these years, why now?"
Patricia shrugged her shoulders, "But I have some good news as well."
"What is it?"
"Since the informant talked about safety, I realized that it had to be in Gringotts. I mean, where else would you keep the thing if you want it to be safe other than Gringotts." Patricia said with a smirk, "So to affirm my suspicions, I had a Goblin repay me a favor by having him check over it and as I thought it indeed was in Gringotts."
"Was?" Archer asked getting more and more intrigued about it.
"Yes." Patricia said, "Unlucky for you, the vault it was kept was just emptied out yesterday."
Archer almost cried wondering how bad his luck could be.
"That's not the end of it." Patricia continued, "What do you know, the same day the vault was cleared out was the same day someone tried to steal from it?"
"Are you thinking it's the same robber?"
"I am sure it is." Patricia said, "And it's more than just a simple attempted robbery, as it appears to be the work of a dark wizard or a witch."
Archer frowned cursing his luck again. Just when he needed the Philosopher's stone just so happened to be the same time a gutsy dark wizard took interest in it, "Do you know who the vault belonged to?"
"Albus Dumbledore."
"Wait, who?" Archer couldn't believe his ears as he asked again.
"Dumbledore. The Headmaster of Hogwarts."
"It seems plausible." Archer nodded coming back to his senses, "Since both of them seem to be friends. So when a dark wizard wants the stone who better to give the stone for safe-keeping other than the strongest white wizard of all time."
"Exactly my thoughts." Patricia said, "So what are you thinking of doing?"
"I need some time to think."
―==(oIo)==―
A week passed by normally. Since there wasn't any reason to get out, Archer stayed in Gringotts enjoying his life in the residential section. For someone who loves traveling, this place felt like a prison but since he was busy getting used to his wand and reading some books so he didn't mind it much this time around.
"Not that bad." Bill Weasley said deflecting a curse that was thrown at him, "You have to remember that defense is the first thing you need to learn in a duel. Some wizards, even the weakest ones have a trick or two up their sleeve so you have to be ready to block their attack any moment."
"I get what you mean but the shield charm is really hard." Archer complained, "I can do offense much more easily but the defense seems too hard to master."
"Because it requires patience." Bill commented, "You have a very active mind causing you to be good at the offense as you said but you lack the calmness for defense like the shield charm. But don't fret yourself over it. I mean usually, for someone your age its mostly due to immaturity and in fact you are already better than when I was your age so somethings can't be forced like time. And if it makes you feel any better my own brother who's the same age as you can't chant even a single spell till now."
Archer nodded noting his weakness down ignoring the talk about his brother. Just as they were about to continue their fifth round of the day, Patricia walked in the room as Bill bowed slightly to her.
"You wanted to speak to me?" She asked.
"Yes." Archer nodded, "I have made up my mind, I want to study in Hogwarts."'
The moment Archer said so, Bill felt the temperature drop in the room and now more than ever he wished he could just turn invisible or just run away from this place without attracting any attention.
"What do you mean?"
"As I said mom, I want to go to Hogwarts." Archer said not backing off from her gaze, "I thought a lot about it and I feel like that's the right choice for me."
"Just for that damn stone?" Patricia asked in her interrogating harsh tone.
"Not just that." Archer said, "As you said before mom, you raised me to be someone who is very like you. And the more I stay here in this place the crazier I feel like I am becoming. With MACUSA's Aurors around every corner and their list of rules and law bigger than the list of spells found all over the world. It's all too complicated for me."
Patricia didn't say much so Archer continued, "And that's not even the end of it all. I have traveled to different parts of the world with you and by far this is the only place in the world where I feel ashamed to even be a wizard. I mean, this a place that can make Goblins sick of treasures, so I don't think I will fit in this part of the world no matter how hard I try."
Patricia snorted and turned away not listening to Archer any further but before she reached the door Archer called her again, "Mom, I know your concerns but please trust me on this."
Patricia closed the door and walked out not saying anything leaving Bill and Archer alone.
"I think that's the end of today's training." Bills said awkwardly, "But I do standby your decision, Hogwarts, of course, is the best wizarding school in the world."
―==(oIo)==―
Two weeks passed after that, but Patricia hadn't really chatted with Archer all this time. Though he knew she was busy, he was also quite sure that she was upset as this was the first time ever that he had refused her decision. Almost all the time, Archer knew that Patricia was thinking of his well being so he didn't really have to interfere with those decisions and even the decision to attend Ilvemorny was for the sake of himself. Just so he could be near her and she could protect him but Archer felt it was time to let those things go and make a decision for himself.
As he had said, not only did he make this decision for the sake of the philosopher's stone but also for his freedom. Though with the wand he could do whatever he wanted but getting caught using magic outside of Wizarding area would bear unsufferable consequences. As he said before to Patricia, he felt ashamed to be a wizard for the first time in his life.
Though hiding from muggles or no-maj as they call it was a common thing in every part of the world but this was his first time facing so many restrictions being a wizard. Archer wasn't sure what MACUSA stand by, but he was at least sure that their driving force was just cowardice and fear. Fear of what happened centuries ago back at Salem's Trial and not wanting the same thing to happen again.
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