Chapter 5 – Gray's Resolve
Hydrus trudged back to the old estate, looking miserable.
She plopped down beside Momo and emptied all the Galleons from her pouch onto the floor.
Counting them one by one, she repeated the process six or seven times.
No mistake—73 Galleons in total…
Twelve more years of hiding herself—what could she possibly do with so little?
Ah, yes, and the three Galleons she had tossed earlier…
The little Hangdun Arrow Snake didn't understand why its mistress was rummaging through the courtyard so desperately.
She had spent the entire afternoon hunting—and still, there was no sign of stopping.
Night fell.
Finally, Hydrus gave up. She had found only one Galleon.
She had already lost two—her frustration skyrocketed.
Blue-skin, mushroom-face.
Back upstairs, Momo the house-elf was still unconscious.
Hydrus considered the treatment he required: wound cleanser, burn salves, perhaps internal injuries that needed professional care.
Her little pouch didn't carry any of those advanced potions.
Though Momo had caused trouble, it was unintentional. His unwavering loyalty alone made Hydrus willing to spend some Galleons on him.
Oh… more spending!
She grimaced, then switched her magical physiology to that of a house-elf.
Sensing the magic freely flowing in the air, she felt she could manipulate it at will.
Even without magic in her own magical circuits, she could now freely cast spells.
House-elves were truly extraordinary.
"Arrow Snake," she asked the little serpent, "would you like to leave with me?"
The snake shook its head.
"My master orders me to guard the estate. I cannot disobey."
Hydrus nodded.
"Alright," she said, gently stroking its smooth head. "I'm leaving now. Perhaps we'll meet again someday."
The little snake nodded.
A shhhh! sound, and Hydrus vanished from its sight.
Meanwhile, the Gray family mansion was drenched in torrential rain. Lightning raged across the clouds, thunder shaking the estate.
Inside the grand hall, the long table was lit by flickering candles.
A dozen family members—men and women, young and old—sat around, faces grim.
Stevenson Gray, now missing a hand, stood pale and trembling before them.
"Stevenson, are you saying Hydrus Lestrange is not a weakling?"
"I don't know, Grandfather," Stevenson's voice trembled. "I just saw that girl spit out green… something, and then Uncle Norcen was dead!"
"Daniel and your hand… were they cursed by the Gaunt estate?"
"Yes, Grandfather."
Bode Gray, the head of the family, rose and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows. All eyes followed his movement.
Outside, a lightning bolt split the sky, followed by rolling thunder.
Bode's voice carried over the storm:
"Hydrus is very likely the daughter of… that one."
Everyone knew who "that one" was. A chill ran from their feet to their spine.
"There's no turning back now," Bode continued, turning to face them. The storm outside became his dramatic backdrop. "We must find that girl—and kill her!"
Another deafening clap of thunder emphasized his words.
"Notify the Ministry of Magic," he said. "Tell them Hydrus Lestrange is a Dark witch who killed two members of our families and fled."
Serenys Gray worried aloud:
"Uncle, will the Ministry believe that? After all, Hydrus never received her Hogwarts letter. To the Ministry, she's just a weakling."
"It doesn't matter," Bode replied. "Bartemius Crouch despises Dark wizards. If we tell him that she may be the Dark Lord's daughter, he'll issue a wanted notice immediately."
The old man's mouth curled into a cruel smile.
"Minister Millicent Bagnold may be old and weak, but as long as we open the Galleons, there will be plenty to help us deal with that little girl."
He glanced at a bag of treasure on the table, laughing.
"Stevenson, you were smart to bring this back."
Bode waved his wand, releasing silver mist into the air that formed a moving image:
Hydrus bent over, frantically searching for Galleons in the grass. Suddenly, rain poured from the sky. She ran back to the estate, unaware that the bag she carried contained all the Galleons enchanted with a location spell.
Hahaha!
Boom!
Rain poured as if the storm itself celebrated the chaos.
London, Flourish & Blotts Department Store.
An old brick building, stained with years of dark water and red bricks telling a history of centuries.
Shhhh! Hydrus appeared at the store entrance.
Rain fell in sheets. The street was nearly empty.
Ignoring the "Closed for Renovation" sign, she walked straight to a display window.
Inside, a shabby doll with faded button eyes stared at her.
"Alright," Hydrus muttered. She knew the rules: she had to inform the doll of her situation before entering St. Mungo's.
"My house-elf suffered magical injuries and needs treatment."
The doll nodded, stiffly lifting its hand to signal permission.
Hydrus walked straight through the glass, spatial magic rippling around her, arriving in the St. Mungo's waiting area.
A plump, blonde witch greeted her warmly:
"Oh! Who's this little darling? How lovely!"
She ran to Hydrus, spotting Momo in her arms.
"This is a house-elf! His injuries are severe. You should come to the Magical Injury Department upstairs. Follow me, dear!"
The corridor was lined with rooms, patients' groans echoing through the empty halls.
"Don't be afraid," the witch said. "At St. Mungo's, we have safe, painless treatments for common injuries. Usually, there's almost no discomfort. The loudest ones are the idiots—they get themselves hurt in the most ridiculous ways, you understand?"
After a quick check, the doctor skillfully treated Momo with potions and magic. The house-elf visibly improved.
"All done," the doctor said, patting his hands. "Now you just wait for him to wake up."
"That'll be seven Galleons, please!"
Hydrus winced. That left her with 67 Galleons.
Clutching Momo, she walked outside.
It was late. She planned to spend the night at the Leaky Cauldron. Hungry and soaked from the rain, she wanted warm food and a comfortable bath.
"Little girl!" the doctor called from behind.
Hydrus hesitated, turning around.
"I think your house-elf might need observation overnight. Why not stay here?"
Hydrus shook her head.
"No, thank you. Your skill is amazing—I trust you!"
The doctor persisted:
"No, for safety, I recommend you stay. We have empty rooms. I'll let you use one free for the night!"
Free!
Hydrus's resolve faltered.
She asked cautiously: "Is there food?"
The doctor laughed:
"Seeing as you're so cute, I'll provide you with our patient meal!"
Hydrus nodded, relieved to save some Galleons.
She agreed to stay for the night.
Once in the room, the hospital's house-elves prepared a meal.
The doctor glanced at the closed door with a complex expression.
"Such a sweet little girl… hard to imagine she's a heartless Dark witch," he muttered.
"Such a small age… how did she get on the wanted list?"