Dark Corners (Parvati)

[Casimir Elias Karkaroff]

31 March 2025

Cas winced as the group of students in the next table over burst into raucous laughter. It wasn’t often anymore that he left Knockturn Alley, and it would be a lie to say that the brightly lit and noisy atmosphere wasn’t a little jarring for the man. But alas, it was a necessary evil. Considering his particular background, it was unusual for him to be seen associating with many of the folks he needed to converse with. He was a rather unusual addition to any group previously affiliated with the Order, but along that same vein that was what made him so valuable. At any rate, it required creative solutions as to how to meet with other contacts without appearing to do so.

This solution was the Three Broomsticks. It was difficult to contact people within Hogwarts (and having never attended, Cas was relatively unfamiliar with their schedules) but Hogsmeade was an easy enough location to disappear in. He’d been drawn originally to a rather seedy looking pub some distance away, but the Three Broomsticks was ultimately a better choice. It was loud, and hectic, and no one would be able to reliably remember having ever seen him at all. The Butterbeer was only a delicious bonus. He took a small sip of said drink as he glanced around the room from the corner table he had chosen, waiting for his coworker of sorts to arrive. Cas had come early so as to scope out the location beforehand and so he could better blend in with the room. The human eye was drawn to movement, after all, and newcomers were always the most memorable.

parvati patil macmillan

[parvati patil macmillan]

March 31, 2025

The Three Broomsticks was one of the few places where just about anyone could be found in Hogsmeade, which was convenient for students and adults alike. Working at Hogwarts meant that Parvati was confined to either the castle or the village more often than she would have liked, but the pub made for a decent location to meet someone, even for Ouroboros business. Even with its being a Monday, there were enough people around and conversing that Parvati wasn't too concerned about being overheard.

Casimir Karkaroff, from his name alone, probably would have seemed better off associating with the Dark Arts. In all honesty, he still did—to an extent—running Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley, though Parvati was grateful that they were of the same mind when he had alerted her that he needed to meet with her urgently. While she wasn't sure what it was about, she wasn't about to question it. Hogwarts had just expelled a fifth-year Ravenclaw, Priscilla Rosier, for attacking seventh-year Ravenclaw Kinsey Bainbridge only a month prior, so Parvati certainly was on alert for anything that might have been amiss.

She made her way through the pub until she saw Casimir seated at a table in the corner and approached him. "Hello," she nodded, trying to gauge what had happened from his demeanor.

Casimir Elias Karkaroff

[Casimir Elias Karkaroff]

As it turned out, he didn’t have to wait long. Cas was rather pleased at that – he led a rigidly organized life, and it irked him when he encountered things that were out of order or people who were tardy. He was too well-trained at this point to share those sorts of emotions, but he could feel an edge to his words when his patience was tried. Now, however, he was calm and relaxed. As Parvati approached him, he could see a tightness around her eyes and in her movements, and he could see her searching him for clues. It took a great deal to unnerve the Karkaroff, and while his motive for calling this meeting had been due to a creeping suspicion, it didn’t alarm him much.

So, he returned her searching expression with a mollifying smile. Cas had been raised in a traditional household, so he stood at her arrival and inclined his head before sitting back down. “Parvati,” he said by way of greeting. “As always, it is an absolute pleasure to see you. Even in these trying times.” The woman had gained some degree of notoriety, first for her early associations with Harry Potter and then for her own rise at Hogwarts. Pureblood hackles were always raised when her name entered a conversation, which of course he (privately) viewed as a sign of respect.

Still, he knew better than to share anything that was truly on his mind, so he kept his easy smile on his face and tapped his fingers on the table. “May I treat you to a drink? Lady’s choice.” He wasn’t in a rush to explain his appearance just yet – no need to cut short a promising conversation because of an errant hunch.

parvati patil macmillan

[parvati patil macmillan]

March 31, 2025

Cas smiled at her, which helped to ease her mind a bit. Whatever had happened must not have been as grave as she had expected, which was welcome. He stood and greeted her by name, then seated himself again. "As always," he said, "it is an absolute pleasure to see you. Even in these trying times."

She nodded, her own expression softening as she sat down at the place across from his. "Thank you, Cas."

"May I treat you to a drink?" Cas asked her. "Lady’s choice."

Politely, Parvati shook her head. "I'm alright. Thank you, though." She really didn't want or need anything to drink, although she appreciated Cas's offer. "On second thought," she considered, "maybe just a cup of tea?"

Casimir Elias Karkaroff

[Casimir Elias Karkaroff]

Now that his associate had arrived, Cas took another sip of Butterbeer and carefully glanced around the crowded room. The environment continued to be boisterous and crowded, so he considered his wariness temporarily abated and turned back to Parvati.

He could see the woman starting to unwind, and his eyes crinkled a tad in amusement even as his face remained mostly neutral. “How very English of you,” he responded, but he raised a hand to flag the waitress anyway. Cas would prefer to keep her calm and relaxed, since he had learned in all his years as a salesman that the most productive interactions occurred when the client wasn’t suspicious. Of course, the two worked together in Ouroboros and that meant their objectives lined up, for now. Those last two words were always vitally important, and they created the barrier that Cas needed to keep himself safe from the mess that England had become. Rule number 1, after all – never assume that your partners will always be on your side.

The waitress had come and gone, so Cas leaned forward to make himself better heard. “It’s been some time since we last worked together,” he commented nonchalantly. “I trust that Hogwarts has been treating you well. It seems that school is incapable of staying out of the papers.”

parvati patil macmillan

[parvati patil macmillan]

March 31, 2025

"How very English of you," Cas commented as she settled upon just getting a cup of tea, rather than anything alcoholic. She couldn't exactly deny that she was very much English, born and raised, and she did consume a fair amount of tea—whether that was chai or English-style tea. Aside from being a good beverage, it was also suitable for the purposes of divination.

He flagged the waitress over to their table, and then she was gone again. Once it appeared as though they wouldn't be directly overheard, Cas spoke to her again. "It’s been some time since we last worked together," he said, and it had. She had her work; he had his, and the two didn't exactly cross paths outside of Ouroboros. "I trust that Hogwarts has been treating you well. It seems that school is incapable of staying out of the papers."

Unfortunately, it was the truth. Hogwarts was infamous for having things happen, and some things never changed. "Don't I know it," she replied, shaking her head slowly. "I've been well, though." It wasn't as though she hadn't known what she had signed up for; she'd started working at Hogwarts nearly two years to that date, right after the kidnappings had happened. "And yourself?"

Casimir Elias Karkaroff

[Casimir Elias Karkaroff]

Hogsmeade wasn’t unknown to Cas, as he was required to make the occasional trip to confer with his associates in Ouroboros. It was really one of the few places that people from vastly different magical backgrounds could meet without attracting unwanted attention, so he’d had plenty of opportunities over the years to become acquainted with the area. Hogwarts, however, was a completely unknown variable for the man. He had attended Durmstrang, and there had never been any reason (in either his academic or professional life) to visit the school. This black hole of information made it difficult to conduct business related to the school, and he hated relying on other people when it came to everything Hogwarts.

Parvati’s answers were brief, to the point that he couldn’t really glean any workable information. She’d probably want him to ask more directly, but that was so distinctly not his style that it didn’t cross his mind as a feasible possibility. She answered that she was well, and it was just vague enough for him to move on to why he’d come. He gave a small crooked smile at her return question. “The same, I suppose, although ‘well’ is a relative term.” Cas shrugged slightly before reaching into his cloak to withdraw a slip of parchment – upon closer examination, one could see it was a receipt detailing an expensive purchase.

“One of my clerks informed me of an unusual transaction that occurred last Friday. I was not there to personally oversee the sale, but I have reason to suspect it may be on its way to a magical school.”

parvati patil macmillan

[parvati patil macmillan]

March 31, 2025

"The same, I suppose, although 'well' is a relative term," Cas stated with a shrug when she asked him how he was. Then, producing in front of them a slip of paper, he cut to the chase. That slip of paper, Parvati could see upon further inspection, was a receipt for something absurdly expensive.

"One of my clerks informed me of an unusual transaction that occurred last Friday," Cas explained to her. "I was not there to personally oversee the sale, but I have reason to suspect it may be on its way to a magical school."

Parvati's looked at the receipt again and then back up to Cas's face. "To Hogwarts, you mean?" she asked, seeking immediate clarification. If that was what Cas had meant—that the item would be making its way there and not, say, to somewhere such as Mahoutokoro where she couldn't do anywhere near as much about it—then she needed to figure out what he knew about the transaction before there was any harm done to anyone.

Casimir Elias Karkaroff

[Casimir Elias Karkaroff]

Parvati’s question was seeking to clarify something that Cas couldn’t answer with certainty. The nature of his work was such that he often dealt in ambiguities, gray areas, and with very little information. Acquiring antiques, maintaining a vigilant eye for Dark artifacts that could pose a threat to Ouroboros and society…well, there was a lot of guesswork involved. Cas drained his Butterbeer as he considered how best to communicate how little information he was working with.

“Possibly…” he began before trailing off. He scrutinized his associate for a moment before turning his gaze towards the receipt. “Unfogging the Future,” Cas read out-loud, “by Cassandra Vablatsky. Divination is included in the Hogwarts curriculum, no?” The subject was taught in many magical schools, although he had never encountered the subject at Durmstrang. “There are two mysteries surrounding this object. First, its intended destination. The textbook is hardly unique to Hogwarts, although it is likely the probable target. Second…” Cas tapped his fingers on the table, considering the receipt again. This part irked him because, again, he hated relying on second-hand information. “Second, I have never personally interacted with this relic. It was acquired before I began my employment at Borgin and Burke’s. I have only a limited idea of the nature of its curse, based off the records left by my former employer and the description provided to me by my clerk.”

parvati patil macmillan

[parvati patil macmillan]

March 31, 2025

"Possibly…" Cas replied. That didn't rule out Hogwarts, then. While she had expected as much, Parvati shook her head in dismay and continued to listen to what Cas had to say about the receipt. "Unfogging the Future, by Cassandra Vablatsky. Divination is included in the Hogwarts curriculum, no?"

She gave a short nod, allowing Cas to continue.

"There are two mysteries surrounding this object. First, its intended destination. The textbook is hardly unique to Hogwarts, although it is likely the probable target. Second…"

Parvati waited.

"Second, I have never personally interacted with this relic. It was acquired before I began my employment at Borgin and Burkes. I have only a limited idea of the nature of its curse, based off the records left by my former employer and the description provided to me by my clerk."

"Wait… Unfogging the Future?" Parvati's brow furrowed in puzzlement as she wondered if she had misread the receipt—or misheard Cas, who had referred to the book as a "relic". "That was a required textbook when I was at school," she continued, wondering how in the world that book had come to be found at Borgin and Burkes. By its nature, it certainly wasn't something that would have been relegated to the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts library, though Cas had mentioned that it was cursed. She paused. Something wasn't adding up.

"Maybe someone purchased it because they knew that it wouldn't look suspicious?" she offered. It wasn't as though anyone would have gone and purchased a school book from Knockturn Alley without knowing what they were doing. Borgin and Burkes didn't pretend to be Flourish and Blotts, and the subject matter supposedly contained within the book itself wouldn't raise any alarms if it was mailed or carried into Hogwarts. (Most people, unfortunate though Parvati felt it was, overlooked Divination.) And, while Cas himself didn't even know how the book was cursed, someone must have. "Someone must have known exactly what they were doing," she surmised, especially at the price they'd paid for the book.

She looked at Cas. "Do you know who purchased it?" Perhaps, from that, they could figure out why.

Casimir Elias Karkaroff

[Casimir Elias Karkaroff]

Now that Cas had drained his Butterbeer and found his hands free, he idly tapped the table with his fingers. He usually preferred a drink in hand to hide his reactions, but it was an inopportune time to call attention to such a delicate conversation.

He watched Parvati puzzle through the information he’d provided, her mind seemingly distant as she started to put together the pieces. Cas kept a carefully neutral face when Parvati mused that the item had been a required textbook in her time – he knew that, of course, but he prefered to keep the knowledge to himself and his face betrayed nothing. He nodded slowly as she continued to muse out-loud. “Most likely. Whoever is responsible for this purchase is clearly well-versed in what can pass through Hogwarts undetected.”

One of Cas’s primary responsibilities for Ouroboros was to monitor the trafficking of Dark and dangerous objects. A recent string of purchases had caught his attention as a pattern began to emerge, and he had begun to suspect a smuggling ring. As for who was responsible, and what their goals were, it was too early to determine. He’d put out feelers at Gringotts as a potential site for these Dark artifacts to change hands, and he’d flagged Hogwarts as another. He didn’t have an interest in sharing all his suspicions just yet (he was naturally very secretive), but there were certain things Parvati needed to know.

“I do not,” Cas replied flatly. “I believe there has been a recent organized effort to smuggle relics with certain properties to a final destination, using various proxies to obscure the details. I’ve traced this and two other purchases to Hogwarts. I would like to leave this smuggling ring uninterrupted, for now, until we can begin to identify the people responsible.” He shrugged. “You’d know best on how potentially dangerous artifacts can enter or leave the school. That's the first step to finding this book before it disappears.”

parvati patil macmillan

[parvati patil macmillan]

March 31, 2025

Parvati, too, nodded. It had to have been someone who was familiar with the school in some capacity, which unfortunately didn’t eliminate too many possibilities. So many people had attended Hogwarts or otherwise had strong enough connections to the school that they would know something like that… But to make a purchase at a shop known specifically for its close ties to the Dark Arts? That left a smaller pool to consider—at least in theory.

When she asked Cas if he knew who had purchased the book, though, he told her that he didn’t know. “I do not,” he answered. “I believe there has been a recent organized effort to smuggle relics with certain properties to a final destination, using various proxies to obscure the details. I’ve traced this and two other purchases to Hogwarts. I would like to leave this smuggling ring uninterrupted, for now, until we can begin to identify the people responsible.” Even though it might have seemed counter-intuitive to leave the ring be, it also made sense; stopping the actors in their tracks would only lead them further underground. If Cas had a hunch, it was worth following. “You’d know best on how potentially dangerous artifacts can enter or leave the school. That's the first step to finding this book before it disappears.”

It sounded almost like a riddle, and just walking a suspicious item into the school didn’t seem likely. “Anyone who’s bright enough isn’t going to carry something like that into Hogwarts from Hogsmeade…” Parvati remarked in mild amusement before changing her tone substantially. “Through the post, perhaps, but even a parcel might be intercepted…”

Casimir Elias Karkaroff