"I understand, but nobody knows where that guy is right now. I asked around during the break, but even his own family seems to be in the dark," Rozier added.
"Better safe than sorry. It's always better to be over-prepared than caught off guard," Alan said. He reached into his spatial bag, pulled out a large bundle of wands, and handed them to Rozier. "These are theirs. Take them back and return them. I'll also return the original books once I've finished copying them. Tell them I am a man of my word; I expect them to show the same integrity regarding our arrangement."
He then pulled out twenty Galleons and handed them over. "This is your share. Don't slack off; keep a close eye on those guys."
Seeing some gold finally coming his way, a slight smile touched Rozier's face, and he readily agreed to Alan's request.
After sending Rozier away, Alan pulled out Yaxley's wand. It was a well-maintained eleven-inch length of rowan wood with a dragon heartstring core.
"It seems your master abandoned you. In that case, you'll serve as my spare. I hope you won't be as unappreciative as he was," Alan sneered, turning the wood over in his hand. As for Yaxley, since he hadn't returned home, he had most likely sought out his fellow Death Eaters. Alan was perfectly satisfied with that outcome.
***
Meanwhile, in the Headmaster's office, two men were discussing that very subject.
"So, you lost him?" Dumbledore asked, his back to Snape as he fed Fawkes.
"That's right. After he unleashed the Killing Curse on Alan, I knew something was wrong. I never let him out of my sight after he fled the scene, but Yaxley didn't return to his family. He went to Diagon Alley, and that's where the trail went cold. I've been trying to locate him, and I can roughly pinpoint the neighborhood, but I haven't confirmed the specific building," Snape said tonelessly.
"What is your assessment?" Dumbledore asked, tilting his head.
"His mental state was unstable. I was concerned he would act irrationally, so I followed closely, though I didn't reveal myself. I tracked him with a Supersensory Charm; with his level of skill, he shouldn't have been able to escape my surveillance, even with Apparition. I suspect he had help," Snape replied.
"Just as I expected. It seems those in exile haven't given up yet. It's a pity we couldn't catch them in the act. The fact that the first people Yaxley sought out were them, rather than his kin, suggests he is truly lost," Dumbledore said with a note of sadness for another fallen student.
"Tch," Snape sneered. "I think you're getting soft in your old age, bothering to mourn a Death Eater in the making."
"The Dark Lord has fallen. Now is the time to win over every wizard we can, especially the young ones," Dumbledore countered, turning to face him. "By the way, has Diagon Alley been searched? If Yaxley went there, it suggests a stronghold."
"You don't need to tell me that, but the place is a labyrinth. Many properties belong to pure-blood families. I'm not an Auror; I can't simply kick down doors," Snape said.
"Give me the approximate area and I'll have Alastor look into it, though I doubt it will yield much. Millicent is under a great deal of pressure at the moment."
Snape looked at Dumbledore, confused. "Why? Her prestige should be at an all-time high. Voldemort fell during her tenure. Rumor has it she'll be remembered as one of Britain's greatest Ministers. Don't you support her?"
"The situation is stable, but not as optimistic as it seems. The problem is internal. In the Wizengamot, many families who supported her out of fear are now leaning toward neutrality. Some are even helping the families who sided with the Death Eaters. They are all pure-bloods, after all, and many of the accused are escaping conviction because of these connections. Millicent is fighting a war of politics now," Dumbledore explained, a slight frown marring his features.
"The usual games of power and balance. Once the external threat is gone, they turn on each other. It's predictable," Snape sneered. "So, you think those wanted Death Eaters are being sheltered by their peers?"
"I don't rule it out. I'm supporting Millicent in pressuring those families, but it will take time. We can't let them harbor criminals so brazenly," Dumbledore said.
"And Yaxley? We just let him go?"
"I'll have the Order handle his case. But the other students he incited... they must be terrified. They are essentially accessories to an attempted murder now," Dumbledore said with a small, knowing smile.
"It's all thanks to Alan. Now they're being blackmailed by our resident Slytherin ghost," Snape paused. "And I'm fairly certain he spotted me that day."
"Oh?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't expect Yaxley to be so reckless. When he cast the Killing Curse, I was startled and nearly intervened, but Alan reacted instantly. It must have been in that moment that he felt my presence," Snape said.
"And yet he still dared to openly coerce the others. It seems he wants to see how we react," Dumbledore mused. "We shouldn't encourage such behavior. Find a time to speak with him."
"It can wait. It's good for them to suffer a little. They tried to fracture the house from within; they deserve whatever they get," Snape fumed, recalling the chaos of the first term.
"It is a Slytherin matter, so you have the final word. I trust Alan knows his limits."
"He knows them better than most. He dealt with all of them using only basic spells and self-defense techniques. He didn't shed a drop of their blood, and he even used potions to treat them afterward. He handled it with such professional detachment that I'm certain he had the whole thing choreographed," Snape recalled.
He didn't know the specifics of what had happened inside the shack—the Shield Charm had blocked his view—and he assumed the "treatment" Alan provided was entirely medicinal.