Gillygate - 18. The Cape Town Portkey

Ericus and me body-slammed the floorboards, the portkey rattled and the jar of lacewing flies rolled over to the wall. I got to my feet first, Ericus followed slowly. We were in Gillygate's cabin and it was already pitch-black outside. Through the thin panes a litany of stars peeked out from behind long clouds. The silent man in the portrait scowled at us. Ericus took tentative, creaking steps.

"I was excited to see the fabled Room of Requirement, but this… this is an entirely different bucket of grindylows…"

I watched the back of my new friend as he inspected, wondering if he could be trusted. I didn't usually like Slytherins as a rule, but maybe Ericus was okay. I still needed a good distraction. I walked to the hidden drawer in the wall, tapped it with my wand and out popped the three other portkeys. Ericus heard and turned, then approached.

"I don't know where these ones lead," I confessed. "Would you like to explore one with me?"

Ericus looked into my eyes and wordlessly nodded. He went to fetch the jar by the wall and came back. He took my hand - his was warm - and on a whim I touched the glass bottle with the wire-sealable cork.

We vanished into orby twists, pulled by our navels across the country again, getting spat out in a smaller, darker-wooden space and the light from outside proclaimed evening instead of nightfall. We were now somewhere west. I stumbled into a desk and chair, its legs grinding against the floor. Ericus almost fell onto all fours but both his hands caught the far wall and he straightened up. We both fixed our glasses. The wooden interior was sturdier than the cabin, better built - this was likely a proper house. I could smell the sea.

I looked at Ericus and felt an excited smile climbing my face, "Come on!" I raced into a cramped and dusty corridor, then flung my body against the door. It was wedged in place, waterlogged swollen in its frame.

"Aberto!" Light streamed and the door shuddered in protest. I waved my wand with more gusto: "Bombarda!" The top hinge blew off and the wood cracked and flew open. The door yawned further out and I came to the top of outdoor cobblestone stairs with a single, wand-thin railing. Ericus peeked over my shoulder.

We were at a seaside cape town.

The cobbled road wound between old shops, fishermen and nondescript buildings with chimneys and thatched roofs. To one side a cliff-face was getting ravaged by tall, salty spray. In the distance I could see a man pulling a cart without magic.

"This might be a muggle town," I commented and slipped my wand away.

"Remarkable…" Ericus said and did too.

I stepped down, leading us out to explore this strange place. Where are we? What significance did this have to the owner of Gillygate?

We found a shuffling old lady and to be sure this was a muggle town I showed her a silver sickle, asking if she could identify it. She wore gumboots, a gypsy hair covering and her wrinkled face puckered as she leaned closer. In both hands she carried full grocery bags.

"Is it a medallion? Funny little piece... not perfectly round."

"Thanks for trying to help, we'll be on our way." I walked off.

Ericus followed, keeping the jar now hidden under his cloak.

"I think we must be back in England."

"Does that mean… the trace?" I asked.

Ericus shrugged, "They'd just assume it was malfunctioning, I think."

"The ministry hasn't sent anyone to speak to Rodney, Kiena or me since we've been doing magic at Gillygate. Maybe those portkeys also mess with the trace?"

It was empty speculation. We continued our downhill jaunt closer to the hooked end of the cape and the cold ocean. By the time we were at the water it was dark. Fishermen could be seen by a wharf, busying about. A lighthouse near the cliff-face shone its warning beam toward the vessels still out at sea.

"...This reminds me of a storybook." I confessed. In a way it was just as rustic as Gillygate, all dark stone and sea-worn wood. A place belonging a century in the past.

Ericus extracted the jar and the flying lights played against us. "May I?"

I nodded and he unscrewed the cap. The lacewing flies glided out across the black water in a shining cloud. My breath left me. I stared in silence as they fluttered out further and further from view, across the glassy flatness.

Ericus took my hand, it was even warmer in the growing cold that caused our breaths to mist. With his other hand he turned my face, and I surprised myself by letting him kiss me. Our lips moved against each other. My heartbeat raced, pulsing behind my ears and making my cheeks grow pink. Our lips moved against each other - he tasted like a pumpkin pastie. Only a slight touching of our tongues before he pulled back again, warm air blowing out from his face as he smiled, eyes scanning the dark horizon. I smiled too and clenched his hand, he clenched back.

It was too cold to stay long.

"We should go back," I suggested. "If we come back in the day we can ask the townspeople more about this place. We can still check the house we arrived in for clues."

"I hope we can recognise it. It's gotten so dark…"

"I think I'll be able to," I answered and we turned, making the uphill trek back the way we came.

It might've been difficult to find the place again if not for the door being cracked down the middle and hanging off the bottom hinge. I raced up the steps and then stepped back for Ericus to go in first. I followed and pulled the door.

"Lumos," Ericus illuminated the space before I had to ask.

I pointed my wand now that we were definitely out of sight, "Reparo." The wood in the door mended and the hinge flew back from where it'd been cast into a shrub. The door forced back and sizzled, repaired.

I faced Ericus. We trudged down the hall and into the sparse room. I saw a gas lamp, but no paintings or bookshelves or anything. I lit my wand too and peeked around while Ericus checked the opposite corner. Unlike Gillygate, this residence was in a town which meant that if it was left alone for long enough somebody may have ransacked it. Any muggle repelling wards likely came undone when the owner died.

"There's a staircase over here," Ericus called and I followed after his voice.

Through a doorway were other smaller rooms. Dusty, wooden and empty. There were stairs with a wooden banister, Ericus was already halfway up and I thumped up after him. The upstairs was in a similar state: ransacked cupboards with only the odd bit of pottery or chinaware left behind. It was evident that nothing of value or insight would be left. When Ericus turned back I was about to say so when a groan interrupted me.

We paused and looked up, lifting our wandlights to a ceiling hatch. Another ominous groan…

"What is that?" I asked.

"Could be a boggart, or an attic ghoul."

"You think?"

"I do. That means a wizard definitely did live here, even if they don't anymore. This place was probably robbed by muggles after all its enchantments wore off. But I bet whatever is making that noise scared off any muggles who might have wanted to steal what's up there."

I deliberated, "...We shouldn't handle it by ourselves, it could be dangerous. Might be a three-person job."

"It's also getting late back at the castle."

"Shoot! You're right."

Ericus looked at me, "Shall we go back? Face that and the mystery of this town at a later date?"

"Agreed." I turned back for the stairs and we traipsed down together.

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spellman's syllabry

Aberto Charm - opens doors.

Bombarda - Exploding Charm.

Lumos - Wand-Lighting Charm.

Reparo - Mending Charm.