Chapter 43: Chapter 43. Wannabe Journalists and Dead Ends

Hours later, I still had no solution and my head had started to thump.

I bumped into Blair in the common room after I got back from lunch and she had noticed my disturbed expression, she had also asked about it but I dissuaded her.

Blair wasn't the type to give up that easily though.

"Hey, are you good?" She cornered me when I wandered out sometime before dinner.

I sighed before I could stop myself. "Yeah, I'm alright." I answered distractedly, making a move to walk past her.

Blair stepped in front of me again. "You don't sound it."

I glanced at her, noticing the determined glint in her eyes. She wasn't going to let me go until she got a plausible response.

"I'm just thinking about something." I relented, hoping she'll let it go.

She frowned. "Is there something you need help with?"

I leaned back in surprise about how accurate her assessment was. It was something I noticed ever since Blair found out about my memory loss.

She never brought it up but she was always quick to offer and insist on helping me whenever it seemed like I needed it.

It was sweet of her but I doubted that she would be able to help much in the situation.

There was no telling her no though, she would just pester me till I gave in.

"I'm looking for a particular person." I finally gave in, keeping my explanation as vague as possible.

Her dark eyes brightened when it seemed like this was something she could help me out with.

"You haven't by chance seen anyone writing suspiciously long letters have you?" I quirked a brow.

That was as vague as vague gets, there was no way she would…

"Actually, now that you mention that…" She replied, looking deep in thought.

My mouth dropped open in shock, what kind of luck was this? 

Had some Felix Felicis been snuck into my drink or something?

She glanced sharply at me. "That's a strange thing to ask though…"

"Sure, Sure." I waved her suspicions away. "You were saying something?"

She sighed long-sufferingly like I was a pain in her neck. "Fine, the girl I sat next to at dinner yesterday had a stack of papers and letters to give to her owl and I remember thinking how much I needed to send a letter to my older brother…"

I filtered out the rest of Blair's words. I didn't mean bad and would try to remind her to send a letter to her brother at dinner this evening but I couldn't let myself get distracted. 

"You sat next to her? Which means she's in Slytherin?" I deduced. 

Blair gave me an odd look but humored me. "Yeah, she's a fourth-year, quite obsessed with being a journalist, and carries a camera everywhere."

My brows snap together as all the pieces fall into place. She had to be the one.

"What's her name?"

Blair's brows furrowed as she tried to remember. "A… Avery? Avery Greenguard, I think."

I couldn't recognize the name, it wasn't like I was the social type.

"Now that that's out of the way, smile and go wake Tanner for dinner." She patted my shoulders.

I could actually smile now, a smile of relief.

Granted, Avery Greenguard might end up not being the mole but it was still progress still.

Approaching Avery myself wouldn't be very wise so I would take the current information I had to Headmistress McGonagall and let her handle it.

Now I just had to wait.

Sometime around midnight, I was in the Room of Requirement, taking a brief break after my nightly training before I would return to the dorms.

It wasn't easy staying on track with all that was going on but I managed somehow.

=========

[Audric Albeline]

+ Title : <WIZARD>

 <SP: 95>

 <Health: 100/100>

Physical Stats

[Strength: 400/1000]

[Stamina: 390/1000]

[Speed: 350/1000]

Non-Physical Stats

[Magical Power: 700/1000]

Sub-stats

[Charms: 500/1000]

[Dark Charms: 500/1000]

[Knowledge: 450/1000]

Sub-stats

[Intelligence: 400/1000]

[Information: 700/1000]

Skills

[Animagus - -] <Unlocked>

[Legilimency - -] <Unlocked>

[Bloodline Magic - -]

<Locked> this feature can be unlocked with 2000 SP

[OOC Feature ] <Unlocked> 

=========

I reviewed my stats, my eyes narrowing. Information and magic stats were the only ones growing exponentially which was expected as I did a lot of reading and spell casting.

Sometimes it felt like I wasn't making progress but it wasn't like I could stop or give up.

I checked the time, 1:01 am. I should get going, I had classes tomorrow and I needed the rest.

From the time I spent here, whenever I was reading, the Room of Requirement was kind enough to provide a really nice bathroom.

I washed my hands at the sink, splashing water on my face to sharpen my senses.

I stared into the mirror, strangely familiar blue eyes staring back at me.

It had been almost two months since I woke up almost dead on the front lawn of the Albeline Manor.

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It felt like it happened ages ago, so much had happened since then but it wouldn't have been fun transmigrating only to continue living a boring life.

My training was showing on my physique, it might be my bias but I looked a bit taller, emphasized by the muscle I was slowly putting on.

I stepped out of the Room of Requirement, the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy welcoming my presence.

Good thing Tanner was a deep sleeper which helped me escape his questioning whenever I returned so late at night.

Pretty much everyone was asleep by the time I returned and if anyone noticed my late-night trysts, they never brought it to my face.

As long as they didn't try to pry, I didn't really care if anyone saw me coming back past midnight.

Morning came with me rolling out of bed as soon as consciousness hit, white light bounced off my bed and dissipated.

"Better luck next time man." I got to my feet, my voice raspy from sleep.

Tanner cursed. "I was sure I would get you this time, what are you? Superhuman?"

I chuckled, Tanner and I made a bet that whoever woke up first would get the chance to jinx the other person.

Sometimes we forgot, sometimes we woke up at similar times but I had already gotten him twice with the Jelly-legs jinx and he was itching to pay back.

I had a free period first thing Monday morning so after breakfast, I went in search of Headmistress McGonagall.

I needed to know if I had found the right person or if I still had my work cut out for me.

I had informed Hazel and Witter after dinner the night before. 

Witter had simply shrugged, he was of the opinion that the end justified the means.

Hazel however looked oddly at Blair when she passed by us with Tanner on her way to the dorms.

I paid it no mind, more interested in if it would yield positive results.

It was a bit early to be looking for answers considering that I had told the Headmistress just before dinner the evening before.

But she was the one that suggested that I come in as early as I could. Did she plan to interview Avery Greenguard in my presence?

Alfreda Henson found me first though, Nira was walking right beside her.

She hid her face when she saw me, avoiding my gaze.

"Audric Albeline, yes?" Alfreda addressed me, she had her black hair in a severe braid.

"Yes." I answered expectantly.

"Good, Headmistress McGonagall requested your presence, you'll find her in the Great Hall."

"Thank you." I politely appreciated, turning around to retrace my steps back to the Great Hall.

Nira hadn't seemed surprised to hear that Alfreda was sent to find me so why had she reacted like that when she saw me?

I walked in to find the Headmistress and someone else on the dais, on a closer look, it was a Slytherin student.

She looked vaguely familiar, I had definitely seen her around somewhere but there was no reason to pay attention so I didn't.

"You came at the right time, Albeline." Headmistress McGonagall addressed me after I walked up to them.

The girl, who had to be Avery Greenguard, looked me over. "Do you think I could get an exclusive interview, Mr. Albeline?" She immediately moved closer, a quill and scroll jumping out of her robes to floating threateningly in the air beside me.

"W-What?" I blinked, caught off guard.

"I'm sure the students are extremely curious to know what exactly went down on the night of the accide…"

"Greenguard!" Headmistress McGonagall snapped sharply, her brows dropping low on her head in disapproval.

Avery clammed up at this, stepping back with her head bowed. "I'm sorry."

"The evidence is before you, Avery admitted to being the one supplying The Daily Prophet with information."

I whipped my head around to stare at her.

"I had no idea I wasn't supposed to!" She tried to defend herself.

"Why and how did you start sending information to them?" I asked, slightly impatient.

"I got a note in my locker." She huffed, offended at the presumptions that were silently made about her. "They said that my journaling abilities were top notch and I could also try giving my own account to The Daily Prophet."

I frowned. "Your own account?"

"Greenguard wasn't responsible for divulging information about the first incident." Headmistress McGonagall piped in.

The gears in my brain moved quickly, trying to make sense of the information I was receiving.

"When did you get the note?" I mused.

She thought for a while then, "I'd say 3 days after the Boggart attack." She nodded to herself.

"And where's the note?"

Avery looked offended by my next question. "A true journalist never reveals their sources…"

"Have a look, Albeline." Headmistress McGonagall handed me a sheet of paper.

Avery looked horrified by this and I must admit that I was just as stunned.

For someone of the opinion that students, especially me, should not involve themselves in matters such as this, she was being pretty open-handed with information.

"Let's call it a reward for helping me find the student responsible." Headmistress McGonagall said stiffly. "I've looked over the note myself and it seems to be an average piece of paper."

It was just as Headmistress McGonagall said, there was nothing suspicious about the piece of paper itself, what was suspicious was that it was found in Avery's locker.

"Who do you think would give you this?" I waved the paper slightly.

Avery snatched it out of my hold. "A big fan of mine of course." She huffed self-importantly.

I looked to Headmistress McGonagall, out of my depth.

She sighed. "We found the student but unfortunately it seems to be another dead end. Greenguard was just living her dream pretending to be a journalist and this was taken advantage of."

"How did you know so much about the attacks?" I asked curiously.

Avery had a smug expression on. "I have my ways."

"You took the pictures of Professor Esme? Why?"

Avery looked offended again, she had quite a short fuse. "I will not take this slander on my image. I never spread misinformation."

I scratched my head nervously. "Sure, sorry." 

Who took the pictures then? They would be even harder to find than Avery.

Headmistress McGonagall rose to her feet. "I believe this brings an end to this, as well as the letters to the press, Avery Greenguard." Her voice was stern and sharp when she addressed the fourth-year.

"Yes, ma'am." Avery sobered up, it seemed like only the Headmistress held any sway over her. She was quite a handful.

We both watched Headmistress McGonagall leave and then we turned to each other.

"What do you know about the attacks?" I asked quickly before she could ask a question of hers.

Avery made a face. "Not enough." She turned around to leave. "I'm just a journalist though, my personal opinion doesn't matter."

I watched her leave as well, I could relate.

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