70 Deathly Encounter Under the Crystal Heart

A sparse crowd moves around one of the stone roads wrapping around one of the three massive columns. Their chatter fills the damp cave air like a pleasant hum. Wizards and Half-Breeds of all shapes and sizes make up the dwellers of Lazarus. A lumbering Half-Giant struggles not to hit their head on a catwalk as a Wizard with Gnome blood darts around to avoid being stepped on. Buildings stacked three tall looms over the road, with one side painting the column and the other supported by large beams, stone pillars, and thick, sturdy chains. Little blue crystals hang above the street, strung from building to building and under the numerous walkways above. Stalls and shops become more and more frequent as I go.

The sound of clapping grows louder and louder until I approach a group of people clapping to the sound of a violin. Curious, I move to worm through the crowd before thinking better of it and instead move off to the side.

I gauge how high the lowest catwalk is before looking at Maxi. Clapping twice, Maxi's butt wiggles at my command to keep up with me. Pushing Mana to my boots, I focus on the image of a platform around six feet up. Staring at the foggy condensed air, I back up a bit before launching into the air. A feeling of momentary weightlessness hits my gut before landing on the disk. My ankles sing from the landing, and I take a moment to make sure Maxi's following. Smiling at the sight of the little dog, I continue bouncing from disk to disk until I reach the catwalk.

The blue crystals strung underneath the catwalk jingle as I look down below. A gruff man draped in robes sits on a stool, his eyes closed, fiddling an Irish melody. The circle surrounding him claps to the beat, watching a child-sized being with a pointed face do an Irish jig. Is that an Erkling? That can't be legal. I sit for a moment, watching the child-eating creature's legs. The pleasant mood shifts as it looks up to give me a creepy smile, bearing its sharp teeth. Shivers go up my spine at its look, scrambling up as it starts licking its lips.

Turning away, I run up the catwalk and quickly hop to a neighbouring one, getting as much distance from the highly regulated being as possible. Opting to stay above the street, I spring from catwalk to catwalk, using Airwalking when needed.

Weaving through ropes and the rare individual using the catwalks, the road below grows wider as it joins the gallery circling the marketplace dangling directly between the three main pillars. Galleries above and below surround the most expansive black market in England, enclosing it like a cocoon. Products and people slide on ropes going every which way, connecting the galleries to the platforms above and below. Despite being the hub of under-the-table commerce, where anything from cauldrons to Thunderbirds are sold, it's incredibly well-lit. A titanic-sized crystal shard floats in the centre of it all, illuminating the heart of Lazarus in pale blue light.

"Hey! Miss!" A thin boy with worn clothes and a paperboy cap calls out, shifting my attention away from the expanse around us and to his salesmen's smile. "Heading down?"

Nodding, I keep my bag close while stepping from the catwalk to the small platform. The dangling slab of wood sways at my weight as I encourage Maxi to follow. He clears his throat while extending a hand. Not knowing the going rate, I dig a few knuts out of the sack slung over my shoulder and hand them over.

He tips his hat and flashes an appreciated smile. "How low are you meaning to go?"

'All the way down.' He doesn't even blink at my note and gives the centre rope one solid tug.

Waiting for a second, he makes eye contact with someone all the way down before pulling out his wand and speaking into it. "Murmos!"

Green energy grows in its tip as he whispers into it. The magic stays in the tip, only to shoot up the rope as he taps it. My crimson eyes watch in fascination as it travels up the rope and out of sight.

'What was that spell?' I wonder as the lift begins to descend.

"Murmos?" He clarifies, clearly thrown off by the question. "It takes my words and travels along something until hitting the target. Then it whispers what I said into their ear."

You could use that to have conversations from opposite ends of the room. Just imagine how useful that would be for Aurors! Talking tactics as they surround a building or secretly feed hostages information as they try to rescue them. Fascinating, If only it weren't entirely useless for me.

"Beautiful, ain't it?" he comments, noticing my gaze wander back to the Crystal Heart, "the market's the only place you could see it, what with the shops and such. Can't help but stare even though I've seen it every day. It's like, hypnotic or something."

Even to the naked eye, the blue energy flows out of the crystal to fill the cave—pulsing in a steady beat. The waves come and go frequent enough to not change the lighting but far enough apart to be noticeable. Catwalks and carts filled with goods pass as the wooden elevator slowly lowers into a sea of stalls, tents, shakes, and vendors.

'Thank you for the lift.' I pass him before hopping off and joining the sea of shoppers. Rather than navigating the endless maze of stands, I decide to work my way to the centre before making my way to the exit leading to Kellah's house is on. The once distant hum of noise is now a roar of overlapping voices. A man totes half off cauldrons while another advertises invisibility cloaks. I step around two drunks in a fistfight and try to avoid a shopper in green robes loudly bartering over antique furniture along the way. My tight, winding path leads me to a much wider alley heading straight to the Crystal Heart. As I go, my wandering eyes connect with one of the vendors.

"Interested in some fresh fruit, young lady?" She smiles, gesturing to the wide assortment of fruits filling the stall. Scrambling to search my bag for money, the unnatural urge to obey gives me pause. Her words cause my heart to flutter, yet she's not my type. Specks of familiarity to a mental attack jumpstart my mind as I empty all thought from my brain.

"Wait, wait, wait! Don't! It was Veela magic. Please, I have a family," they cry, ducking down as I realise I instinctually pulled out my wand. Lowering the wand, I opt to store it in my back pocket rather than my boot. Whimpers continue to waft out of the stall as I remove myself from the situation.

The Crystal Heart looms above as the alley joins the large plaza centering the marketplace. The smell of warm bread lofts over the square as sellers tout deals and friends sit at tables to eat and chat. Dark stone chaotically and haphazardly tiles the floor. Thanking the Crystal Heart's magic for preventing all of this from plummeting, I keep the weight of my bag in mind as I near the centre.

"No one's been willing to look at us, let alone answer questions. I think it's time to try something different." My inhuman hearing picks out a familiar voice from the crowd. Was that? Turning, I scan the area and find something surprising, for my eyes land on the parents of my best friend. A faded brown duster hangs over a grey blouse and black slacks. A brown fedora sits on black hair tied into a bun. Genine Diggory's apparel juxtaposes the man sitting on the fountains' edge, draped in classic grey wizard robes.

Why are they here? How are they here? I doubt Lazarus could exist if it was known to the Ministry of Magic. Is it related to the Half-breed Killer? Was there another victim? I start to approach them until Mrs. Diggory's eyes meet mine. At my presence, her back straightens, her weight shifts and her lips curve just a hair too slow. Something's not right.

"Catlyn," she greets in surprise and welcomes, but Mr. Diggory instinctively reaches for his wand as he notices me. Maxi's body lowers as a low growl rumbles. Taking a step back, Mrs. Diggory's welcoming face shifts to stern and flat. She slowly shakes her head while showing empty hands. Instinct tells every muscle to run as my eyes flicker between the two. My brain whirls to think of escape routes only to slow as Mrs. Diggory opens her coat to tap on the badge clipped at her waist. Taking a deep breath, I yank adrenaline off the wheel and start thinking.

This isn't some guys after Kellah or bullies at Hogwarts; these are Aurors. No matter if I run, they know where I live. The only thing that will accomplish is making me look even more suspicious. Their goal in coming here wasn't to find me. No one but Kellah and Zach knew we were here. That must mean that Lazerus is connected in some way. Is this where that wand was sold? Or maybe all the victims were residents? Either way, running into one of your suspects here must look awfully covenant. If I could just explain myself…

Reaching into my bag, the words leave his lips before I can even grasp my notepad. "Stupefy!"

Rolling to the side, the masses remain unfazed as a red jet of light zaps the stone beside me. Fear being the only fuel moving my body, I clap twice and bounce off a disk of air. Landing on the stall's cloth roof, my boots' intended design kicks in as I book it toward the exit.

"I thought she was reaching for her wand!" Amos shouts as they follow from below. Glancing down, I immediately spot Mrs. Diggory hot on my tail. Sweat drips off my brow as fear fights against calm thought. My feet pound against thin fabric tents and rickety roofs. Leaping over streets and across alleys, I can feel my boots being overworked as they stop me from falling through the thin fabric. As I near the exit, my run comes to a halt. Eyes dart between the main road and various alleys.

"Catlyn Ollivander! Please stop running; we only have a few questions for you!" Mrs. Diggory yells atop a wooden shack, eyes meeting mine.

Her hard eyes stare into mine as they glow with Mana. Before I can even start using my peripherals to scan the crowd, my eyes widen. The shock doesn't come from Mrs. Diggory's unique Mana Signature, which I've known since examining the victim at Cross Keys; it's what's behind her that surprises me.

As the Crystal Heart beats, the wave of blue Mana fills the space, crashing against empty space and outlining an unknown individual. Invisibility Cloak! Keeping my eyes trained on Mrs. Diggory, my peripheral vision stays locked on the unknown figure approaching her. The cloak sways slightly as they near, revealing the glint of a blade hidden within. Without hesitation, I draw my wand.

"Expelliarmus!" Mrs. Diggory exclaims, drawing her wand quicker as a flash of scarlet light leaves her wand.

All 15 inches of my wand cut through the air as I swing upward. The Shield Charm raises just in time as the scarlet light collides with a flash. As I flick through the wand movements, it stirs the smoke from the clash of spells. White sparks fly from my wand. Confusion flickers over her face at the recognition of General Counter-Spell and its trajectory. The Invisibility Cloak fades to visible black as the figure fails to dodge the Counter-Spell, causing Mrs. Diggory to glance back and see the person that tried to kill her. Black garb stained with blood drapes over the individual. A sanguine mask with gold accents joins their hood in concealing their identity.

"Stupefy!" The jet of red light shoots out of her wand and nearly misses the masked assailant. Both of our spells fly above them as they fling themselves over the roof's edge.

Ready to make chase, Mrs. Diggory runs to the edge and scans the mass of people. Ready to join her, the memory of Trace signals stops me. My eyes land on a ball of green light rising to make its way to the Ministry. The image of total stillness solidifies as I cast an Impediment Jinx.

The turquoise light leaves my wand and stops the green ball in its tracks. Just as the ball of light starts to dissipate, another escapes my wand. Bollocks! What's the point of using a spell to stop a Trace signal if it makes another signal? What if I…

My bracelets click as I reach to grasp the slow-moving ball of light. As it barely moves out of arms reach, I connect with it. The hunger within my soul unleashes as my Mana extends out of my body. Reaching the light, the Mana envelops it before dragging it down to be consumed in my ever-hungry soul.

Glancing at Mrs. Diggory, scouring the crowd below for the figure, Self-preservation wins over. Jumping off the other edge, I duck under a tent to buy an overpriced cloak before getting lost in the crowd.