Florina's POV:

"So you are saying, that there is a book out there that has the answers to what happened to the medieval era and you knew about it and just stood by watching," I growled annoyed by the cold emerald green eyed wizard who sat on his desk facing me.

"I was ordered not to intervene," he said still wearing his annoying smirk.

I exclaimed, "By whom?!"

He rolled his eyes in-an-obviously-look, "I cannot tell you that."

I groaned loudly running my hand through my now frizzy hair smoothing a tangle, "You are a lot different than your brother you know."

He smirked even more, "Never been prouder."

I glared at him, "Anyways, you said you know where the medieval book is, so where is it?"

He got down from the desk and sat on the chair opposite mine his serious demeanor returning, "I didn't say I know where it is, I said I know someone who knows where it is."

I huffed, "And who is that mysterious person might I ask?"

He crossed his legs, "That information is with our Headmaster I am afraid so we will have to be acquainted with him in order to find that out."

"I WAS JUST..." I blew angrily but immediately calmed myself, "I was just with him David. He didn't mention anything of the sort."

The emerald eyed wizard shrugged, "He didn't know how far you have reached or more specifically, he didn't know if I revealed myself yet to you or not."

That still didn't make sense to me at all as I told the Headmaster of the mysterious person who sent me the mysterious letter. Rose nodded.

"Or more specifically, he deliberately didn't give me any information so that you can reveal yourself to me," I mumbled more to myself only it was loud enough for David to hear. He grinned.

"Finally! They told me you were clever Woods. Didn't expect you to take that long."

I laughed, annoyed at the wastage of time this has all been. So all this time, the headmaster knew about David. Now that I think of it, maybe he was the one who told David to write that note in the first place. Was he just toying with me? Why was that all necessary?

"Who are you?" I blurted out dazed.

He sighed resting his back on the chair, "I need you to be more specific."

"How about you introduce yourself instead of me asking questions?"

He nodded as he moved forward and wore a mysterious mischievous expression, "My name is David...age twenty three....Teaching Alchemy here at Hogwarts for two years now....single....looking for a date....if anyone wants to know more about me, they can find—" I couldn't resist and busted out laughing.

"You are annoying," I said between laughs.

He smirked, "And you are unbelievable."

"Not as unbelievable as you. I mean why wasn't I informed of you earlier? And why do you have a grudge with Patrick?"

He shrugged but his cold expression returned, "You can ask my dear young brother of the reason."

I shook my head sighing, "You are well aware that it's not possible. But you must have done something to him. Why else would he not once mention you? He used to tell me everything."

He spat out coldly, "Not a hot shot now, is he?"

I sighed loudly, changing the subject, "So what now?"

He got up and stood by the door, touching the knob, "Now we will need to go to Dumbledore. We will receive our next task however, I am sure you are exhausted as much I am so that cheerful visit will be tomorrow."

As a universal gesture of wanting me to leave, he opened the door as he bid me good night and shut the door behind me.

Next day:

"Good afternoon Professor," David greeted Dumbledore who was standing by a shallow stone basin. The basin was out of what appeared to be its cabinet and it had runes and strange symbols carved into it. 

As David and I got closer to him, I saw it was filled with a silvery substance that appears to be cloud-like liquid and had light shining blindingly bright. He seemed to be in deep thought as he slowly stepped away from the object and turned to us. 

He is not expecting any visitors. I thought to myself.

He visibly swallowed and nodded, "Good afternoon David," his eyes fell on me and grinned, "Florina."

The old wizard gestured to his desk chairs as he waved his wand at the basin type object. It went inside its cabinet and its glass doors closed gently. 

He sat in his desk grinning at my puzzled expression, "That is a pensive Florina, ever heard of it?"

I shook my head and he nodded, "One simply siphons the excess thoughts from their mind and examines them at leisure. It becomes easier to spot patterns and links when they are in this form. It's easier to get things sorted when your mind is not overly crowded."

Still slightly confused by the functionality, I gave him a slow nod and he grinned.

"So I see our young Professor was acquainted with you David."

The emerald green eyed wizard smirked in response giving me a faint wink, "Indeed Albus. It was a wild encounter."

I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole but unfortunately that wasn't going to happen. Instead, I dived deeper in my chair beet red.

I was aware of what he was referring to. Rose snickered at David's sarcastic remark.

Dumbledore gave him a faint grin slightly puzzled but chose to ignore his comment, "So Florina, David must have told you about the medieval book?"

I huffed, "David didn't unfortunately,"  the now smirking wizard rolled his eye, " He only told me that he knows someone who can lead me to the book."

Dumbledore nodded, "That is true. Florina please allow me to apologize for the conundrum that this whole ordeal might have caused you. You have to be aware that the information that you are about to obtain is very confidential and thus the secrecy."

I moved forward in my chair, "It's alright I understand. To be honest I have guessed that a while back, ever since I didn't find anything about them in the library. The hidden records of the famous wizards at the time is  a bizarre incident."

David mumbled, "They did that to themselves. Bunch of airheads."

Whatever he said clearly was something that I wasn't supposed to hear judging by the discreet, narrow look that Dumbledore gave him.

I shot quickly to David who averted eye contact, "What do you mean?"

The embarrassed wizard gave Dumbledore a pleading look but was met with a subtle head shake.

The headmaster began "Florina you must understand that the medieval times were called the dark ages for a reason other than the muggles age of despair. It was dark even for our wizarding world. A lot of secrets and mysteries got lost in that era and will probably be lost forever."

"But Sir if everything about the medieval times were lost as you say, why assign the task to me?"

I tried to calm down the rising anger within me with all my might, "And more importantly, why wasn't I informed of that Sir before I received that task? Was I set up for failure from the beginning?"

That last part came out with no restraints at all and I immediately regretted it. The old headmaster however wasn't offended by it and rather gave me a warm smile.

"My dear Florina, of course you weren't set up for –" he smiled but I intervened, " Yes Sir I know. I am sorry, I didn't mean it like that –"

He raised a hand to silence me, "No need to apologize dear. To answer your question, you are given this task because I was sure you are the only one who can be up for this challenge."

I nodded, "So Sir, you are saying that the theater was made up as well for that very same purpose?"

Both him and David chuckled. "Oh dear no. The theater is real and so is every segment in it. However I will need to inform you that whatever you will find on the medieval times, you will have to keep it a secret unfortunately among you three."

I am not allowed to share with...Who are those three?

My thought was interrupted with a firm knock. The headmaster urged the sudden visitor to come in and it was none other than the cranky potions master. He curtly gave us a quick addressing nod before he came forward and sat on the chair beside mine.

"Severus, thank you for coming by. I was just explaining to Florina –" the dark haired wizard interrupted, "It's alright Professor Dumbledore. I hope however we get on with this as I have tons of essays from dunderheads that needs tending to."

Both me and David gave a quick glance at the scowling wizard and back at Dumbledore who simply grinned at the dark wizard. He huffed, "So I imagine by now she knows what she is supposed to do."

"She was about to....until your unnecessary interruption," David mumbled but was met with a smirk from the potions master who spoke in the same tone, "maybe you didn't get the time to explain it with your tongue in her mouth."

David suddenly got up in anger and attempted to hold Severus by the collar which was in vain as the wizard out-smarted him and dodged his out-stretched hands. 

If there was ever a time I wished to dig a hole in the ground and die in it, now would be the time.

I couldn't believe how bold and insensitive Severus could get, but apparently there is not limits. David told me that Severus cannot mention that embarrassing scene to Dumbledore but clearly, he was wrong.

The old headmaster stood up and firmly said, "Enough!" to the now red faced wizards as they were attempting to hit each other.

"If anyone wants to settle their own personal grudges, I suggest you do it outside and without the involvement of the poor girl. Understood?" 

Dumbledore said resolutely looking from one wizard to the other as they both gave each other a deathly glare and slowly nodded.

Turning to face me, Albus beamed strangely returning to his bubbly self, "I am truly sorry you had to witness that Florina and I assure you this will never happen again," he gave them a look, "Right Professors?"

David nodded while Severus just grimaced both sitting back down. 

"Florina as I was saying, I cannot stress enough on how dangerous and important the information you are about to receive is and I must insist that whatever you may find will just stay between you three."

"So what happens now Albus?" I asked softly.

"That's what the two gentlemen are here for. And now that they arrived, we can begin," we nodded giving our headmaster the green light.

"As David mentioned to you earlier, we know of someone that almost has all the secrets to our history records of the medieval times in a book. A book that was left untouched somehow by whatever happened at the time."

"The legend has it, that that very same book brought a lot of misery and despair to his holder. Some say he was brutally wounded beyond recognition physically and mentally, others say he....he took his own life out of being desperate to escape the misery that the book brought—"

Severus interrupted annoyed, "So in other words headmaster, we are after someone we don't know if alive or dead who possess a book that might be with him or lost."

"That's not entirely true Severus as the tales about the whereabouts of the book, while are endless, are still not completely random. In here," the headmaster handed me a very old and frail book "you will find the closest estimate of where the book might be and whom it might be with now."

"You see the legend has it, that the book might be with its current holder Augustus Agrippa. However, it might have also been stolen by a close relative after, supposedly, the man took his life."

"I'm lost Professor?" I said shaking my head.

"Let me tell you a tale. There once was a family called the Agrippas who had a book, a book that had within its folds great treasure and riches to whomever solves the secrets within. This book was handed down generation after generation in hopes that one day, that secret will be unfolded."

"But that book also had a curse, it would bring down eternal misery to anyone that failed to solve its riddles. Did that stop them from handing the book down you might ask?"

I nodded as the elderly headmaster went on,"No. As a matter of fact, they hoped that one of them would solve the book's mysteries and repay them for all the misery that the book brought them."

David huffed mocking, "Served them well, didn't it? Now they are still both poor and miserable."

I understood now what David meant when he said in the beginning 'they did that to themselves,' he was referring to the Agrippas trying to hoard the treasure to themselves. 

A cursed treasure that brought them nothing but misery and despair. And ironically, a treasure that might help us get closer to understanding our ancestry better. 

"Albus," I asked, the attention falling back on me, "Do you have any idea what this treasure might be?"

"No one knows of that information Florina as no one ever came close to solving its mysteries. However I must point out, a treasure doesn't have to be tons of gold or gems beyond belief. A single piece of knowledge or a clue to a hidden ancestry might also be a treasure."

"That's why I must ask of you three, once you locate the book, have Florina memorize each and every page of it then I want you to dispose of it at once."

"Well whatever it is let's just hope that the book remains intact until we get to it," Severus replied with a leveled tone.

I looked around me wondering if I'm the only one who was actually concerned of that strange "treasure hunt". What part of 'the treasure brings misery and despair for whomever tries to find it' did they not understand?

"But Sir, what if we failed in this mission? Won't we be just doomed to live a cursed miserable life?" I blurted out unable to hold the doubt inside me.

David mumbled, "Won't make a difference for Snape. Might actually be an improvement," Severus and I heard that and the frowning wizard gave him the deadliest glare I have ever seen.

Dumbledore, on the other hand, didn't hear the wounding remark and chuckled upon hearing my concern.

"Florina my dear, that's just an over simplification of the true meaning of the curse. For one, are you three searching for the information within the book for your own personal gain? In a curse, that usually matters a lot, tips the good and evil scales if you will. 

"The Agrippas tried to uncover the secrets of the book for their personal gain and thus were punished for being greedy. On the other hand, you uncovering its mysteries won't be for any greedy intentions and thus you will get out of this experience unscathed."

I slowly nodded. "Albus, why me though? Why not Severus or David? They are more capable than me with this mission and way more skilled, so why me?"

Dumbledore and David chuckled while Severus continued to glare at David apparently still not over David's remark about his life. 

"Oh my dear Florina, you are more powerful and skilled than you give yourself credit for. But to answer your question, it has to be you. This mission requires more than just capability and skill and I am positive that you have it."

"When do we start the search?" the emerald eyed wizard asked.

"Immediately," Dumbledore replied automatically as I gawked at him while the potions master wore an annoyed expression.

"But Albus, we are not ready," I argued "We don't even have enough information to go on. What about the weapons or—"

Dumbledore chuckled, "Florina my dear, you will find everything you need in that book trust me. And also I will let someone you are accustomed with assist you in your journey."

He clapped his hands twice and a very familiar pig tailed house elf appeared.

She spotted both the scowling cold wizards and visibly shook until her eyes laid on me and immediately beamed. She ran to me.

"Miss Flora, it so good to see you again," she turned to the old wizard "Headmaster, Bubbles assist my mistress? Please tell Bubbles is go with Miss Flora."

The old headmaster chuckled his blue eyes twinkling, "Indeed you get to Bubbles. The Professors are going for a long journey, so I want you to accompany them and do as they say," his face turned serious "whatever they say, understood?"

She nodded standing beside me, "Yes headmaster."

"Bubbles" I called on her, "Can you please cover your ears? I need to have a final word with the Professors."

She nodded again and went to the corner to make sure that she doesn't hear anything.

I gave her a quick glance and turned to Dumbledore, "But Albus, you said that the information I'm about to acquire should stay a secret between us. Wont that be hard with Bubbles around?"

Dumbledore's eyes were on Bubbles the entire time as if to make sure that the little house elf is not cheating. 

After a moment he grinned, "As you can see my dear, she is not listening at all and she is not trying to eavesdrop on you either. Your secrets are safe with her, you have my word."

I nodded still not convinced "Just give her a direct order and she will do as you please."

"But I am not her mistress, will she obey me?"

Severus scoffed while David rolled his eyes in disbelief. Dumbledore however chuckled and pointed at the pig tailed elf who was still standing in the corner covering her ears.

"She will obey you," he said simply.

"But why? I am not –" Severus intervened impatiently, "As I recall, the headmaster gave us a task that we need to start on immediately so quit wasting our time." I glared at the scowling wizard but I have to admit, he had a point.

Sighing, I turned to the house elf, "Alright Bubbles, you can stop."

The scrawny creature remained motionless and it dawned on me, she obviously cannot hear me.

I got up to her and lightly touched her hands. She opened her big round blue eyes immediately and asked, "Done Miss Flora?"

I chuckled, "Yes Bubbles, we are done."

Author's Note:
Hey guys! This is when the real action begins lol so buckle up ;) I hope you guys are loving the story so far.

So the question of the day is, do you have any theories so far about the story in general? If you do, please write them down below, I would be very happy to hear them.

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Love ya all! See you in the next chapter!