Barnaby Lee x Reader - Year 6

Ben & Merula

After Dumbledore's speech and the welcome feast, Lana caught up with her friends before being called to the Hog's Head Inn to meet Mad-Eye Moody.

"No one followed you here, did they?" he growled as she sat down opposite him.

"I don't think so."

"You didn't tell anyone you were coming to meet me...?" Moody asked again, his glass eye moving around as if it had a mind of its own.

"Only Rowan." Lana replied honestly.

"Rowan? Who's Rowan?" Moody asked frantically.

"Rowan Khanna. A friend at Hogwarts. Mr Moody, you disapparated me out of a party in front of all of my friends. It wasn't exactly a secret." she told the man.

"Fair enough. And call me Mad-Eye. Enough others do." Mad-Eye told her, "The information I gave you, though...you kept that a secret, I hope?"

"Yes. You swore me to it. Which doesn't mean any of my friends have been asking questions. I have some questions, too." Lana told him.

"We've got time for one..."

"I'd like to know...who do we have in common?"

"Well, your Headmaster is one of my closest friends. Albums Dumbledore and I fought many battles together during the Wizarding War." Mad-Eye explained, "And I know the Weasley family, of course. I suppose Arthur didn't mention it."

"So, why had you come looking for me?"

"That's a second question. Just told you we only had time for one. Besides, you never know who around us is listening in..."

"Who would be listening? Why are you so paranoid?" Lana questioned.

"That's a third, and fourth questions! Has anyone ever told you that you don't listen? I better go over again what I told you about 'R' before the summer holidays. Then I'll tell you my plans for you..."

After listening to Mad-Eye re-telling her about 'R' and worrying about what his "plans" might be, the man spoke again.

"Whatever is in the vault is powerful. A cabal as villainous and as dangerous as 'R' can't get to it first." he frowned, "And while Patricia Rakepick is only a minor player in 'R', she's still a major threat. She may not have unlocked the secrets of the Buried Vault, but Rakepick has the resources of 'R' behind her. There's a good chance Rakepick could be the first to find the final vault."

"For so long, I thought 'R' was a person, not a group of dark wizards and witches. I suppose there were clues..." Lana thought aloud.

"My understating is you have clues...to the vault's locations." Moody said.

"Yes. A trident and a coral key. So the vault could be underwater." Lana answered.

"While I travel the world trying to take down 'R', I'll be counting on you, Curse-Breaker, to keep searching for it." Mad-Eye told her.

"For the vault? But I have to search for my brother...who's searching for Rakepick."

"All roads lead to the cursed vault. Find the vault, I bet you'lol find your brother, too. You, me, Rakepick, Jacob...we're all after the same thing: getting to the cursed vault first. I'll come to you whenever I'm able - to keep you posted on my findings..." the man said in his gravelly tone, "And to prepare you with the knowledge and lessons you'll need to protect yourself and your friends."

"Good, because I'll need help to protect my friends." Lana said, "Especially Ben and Merula, after the last vault. I still haven't seen them. I need to get back to Hogwarts to find them..." she mumbled at the end.