Lachry Mall
Aug 18, 2019 17:23:34 GMT -6
Post by Snick on Aug 18, 2019 17:23:34 GMT -6
It took a little waiting around before Jonathan could get into a group of students who wanted to go to the less posh and often viewed as 'dangerous and full of criminals' Lachry Mall. Truth is, it wasn't any more 'dangerous' than any other mall, Muggle or Magical. At least not during the day. That and in Jonathan's opinion, most criminal dealings weren't done IN the mall but in the old Magical district of Salem.
Lachry Mall had plenty of stores, mostly thrift stores, pawn shops, geared to lower income stores and second hand stores. It also traded in services not clearly displayed in the front display windows. There certainly was an illegal trade here in many contraband items...but what Jonathan wanted, he didn't consider contraband. Hard to get and considered very dark yes, out right banned not so much. It would raise eyebrows however.
But first he had to slip away from the faculty chaperons who came with this group. Thus he waited till students were lead to the basement food court for lunch. He simply slipped off to use the bathroom, along with a few other students then turned away from the group at the last minute, using students and other adult shoppers as a screen to avoid being noticed by the teacher 'escorting' the boys into the men's room.
Leaving the food court wasn't too tricky at that point and he simply walked normal, weaving in and around the many shoppers stopping for lunch till he was heading down the hall once more. Just as he passed the Bargain Basement he moved into the shadows.
"I was getting tired of waiting." A wizard spoke from the shadows. Jonathan recognized the voice. It belonged to Vincent, one of Jacob's men. Jonathan had wrote to him earlier in the week and arranged this meeting. He didn't think Jacob himself would show up the man had more important things to take his time than travelling to Salem to deliver information far too sensitive to risk via Owl.
"There are extra security measures in effect...I had to wait for the right time to slip away without being seen." Jonathan explained then handed the man a rather full pouch. This was costing him quite a bit, more than he felt was necessary.
"So I heard...the book was bonded as instructed, even Salem Institute's scanners should read it as just a harmless used copy of 'The Monster Book Of Monsters' instead of what it really is." Vincent told Jonathan, handing him the book in question. Sure enough it growled and wiggled is finger like projections along the edge of the book in the exact same menacing way the actual book on magical creatures did. It was also tightly closed shut with a belt to prevent finger loss. Between the living covers of the book was in fact a hard to find book on potion ingredients used for very dark potions, one of which Jonathan was certain Jacob used in the potion that put Rachel into a death like coma. As this particular book also had recipes for several very restricted and illegal dark potions, it wasn't something he could just have Owled in as normal or even carry in. It certainly wasn't in the school library. Hence the extra cost to have it bond between a covers of a normal book that discourages browsing it. There was still a chance he will get caught with it but Jonathan was willing to take the chance.
If he was able to cure his cousin, it was worth spending most of his savings on it. Jonathan knew the cost was going to set his long term plans back for awhile till he remade the money but he wasn't all that worried about it.
"Thank you Vincent. Good day." He shoved the book into a typical shopping bag provided by any of the many stores in the mall and headed back to the food court. He did his best not to draw attention coming back, moving with the flow of the crowd and branching off near the men's room. He then walked into line for one of many fast food restaurants in the food court.
Glassman followed the boy calmly, then put his left hand on the boy's upper arm in the food court, his right hand on his wand in his pocket, pointed at the boy. He spoke to him in a low voice. "We watch the addresses on the letters that come and go into the school. Yours raised a worry. So I very discreetly followed you today. I'll take that package. If you try to do anything to call attention to yourself, I have my wand trained on you and can cause you to go limp before you have a chance," he said, his voice a steady, unyielding monotone. "If I find nothing in that package that is contraband, I will return it to you, and you will only get a detention for leaving the group."
Spending a great many summers in Sub-Terra taught Jonathan many lessons and one of them was know the situation first before reacting. There were times when reacting with fast instincts to put a world of hurt on somebody foolish enough to sneak up on you, another is to recognize when it's simply wiser to just not react at all. Thus when Mr. Glassman decided to place his hand on his upper arm Jonathan simply glanced over his shoulder at the teacher.
"Did it now?" Jonathan replied with feigned amusement. Inside he was cursing himself. He had forgotten all correspondence by Owl was being screened by the faculty. Good thing he had not named the actual book in his message. Jacob knew what book he was looking for but school started before it could be tracked down. Thus this measure was necessary. He turned and regarded the Potions' Professor. "I really don't see why you are being so...extreme in regards to whether I draw attention to myself or not."
What did the man think he would do, jump up and scream bloody murder because he was caught sneaking off to pick up a book? He shrugged and handed the bag to the older wizard. "It is what it is, Professor Glassman. As for leaving the group.. really all this extra precaution is rather pointless if you ask me. I am not a Lighthouse Keeper nor do I have any connection to them...why would any attempt be made to kidnap me?"
It was more meant as humor yet the way Jonathan saw it, the teachers should simply keep the Lighthouse Keepers safe in the Lighthouse..and any family they may have at the school. Perhaps close friends on top of that but for the rest of the student body, he highly doubted the kidnappers would have any interest. He didn't voice this opinion as most may think it was callous. In truth, he felt the staff was way over reacting to the kidnapping of one insignificant young witch. What if it was Rachel, would he view it as insignificant then? a voice echoed in the back his mind, breaking his dismissal of the danger. He frowned slightly but said nothing more as he waited to see what Glassman would do next.
"I will see you in my office, in one hour. We'll open the book together." He looked at him coldly. "If you are late, your detention will increase one hour for every minute you are late. Is that understood?"
"Completely understood. I will see you in an hour." Jonathan took that as permission he can leave the group to return to the school. Now things are likely to get very complicated for him. But he needed that book, it held clues which could help his cousin. It was just an annoying coincidence the info he needed was also mixed up with potion formulas and ingredients associated with dark magic, which most likely would be contraband.
He stepped back and with the usual uncanny ability the Lighthouse had to sense such things, Jonathan found himself enveloped by the light and whisked away back to the school. Jonathan was not disappointed in having his trip to town cut short, what he was disappointed was being caught and loosing the book. He hoped the Professor wasn't going to be overly sensitive about the contents. Jonathan's record was fairly clean, not perfect but mostly minor little incidents. This would be the first time he was caught with contraband...and in truth, it was just a book. It in itself was no more dangerous than any other book.
Lachry Mall had plenty of stores, mostly thrift stores, pawn shops, geared to lower income stores and second hand stores. It also traded in services not clearly displayed in the front display windows. There certainly was an illegal trade here in many contraband items...but what Jonathan wanted, he didn't consider contraband. Hard to get and considered very dark yes, out right banned not so much. It would raise eyebrows however.
But first he had to slip away from the faculty chaperons who came with this group. Thus he waited till students were lead to the basement food court for lunch. He simply slipped off to use the bathroom, along with a few other students then turned away from the group at the last minute, using students and other adult shoppers as a screen to avoid being noticed by the teacher 'escorting' the boys into the men's room.
Leaving the food court wasn't too tricky at that point and he simply walked normal, weaving in and around the many shoppers stopping for lunch till he was heading down the hall once more. Just as he passed the Bargain Basement he moved into the shadows.
"I was getting tired of waiting." A wizard spoke from the shadows. Jonathan recognized the voice. It belonged to Vincent, one of Jacob's men. Jonathan had wrote to him earlier in the week and arranged this meeting. He didn't think Jacob himself would show up the man had more important things to take his time than travelling to Salem to deliver information far too sensitive to risk via Owl.
"There are extra security measures in effect...I had to wait for the right time to slip away without being seen." Jonathan explained then handed the man a rather full pouch. This was costing him quite a bit, more than he felt was necessary.
"So I heard...the book was bonded as instructed, even Salem Institute's scanners should read it as just a harmless used copy of 'The Monster Book Of Monsters' instead of what it really is." Vincent told Jonathan, handing him the book in question. Sure enough it growled and wiggled is finger like projections along the edge of the book in the exact same menacing way the actual book on magical creatures did. It was also tightly closed shut with a belt to prevent finger loss. Between the living covers of the book was in fact a hard to find book on potion ingredients used for very dark potions, one of which Jonathan was certain Jacob used in the potion that put Rachel into a death like coma. As this particular book also had recipes for several very restricted and illegal dark potions, it wasn't something he could just have Owled in as normal or even carry in. It certainly wasn't in the school library. Hence the extra cost to have it bond between a covers of a normal book that discourages browsing it. There was still a chance he will get caught with it but Jonathan was willing to take the chance.
If he was able to cure his cousin, it was worth spending most of his savings on it. Jonathan knew the cost was going to set his long term plans back for awhile till he remade the money but he wasn't all that worried about it.
"Thank you Vincent. Good day." He shoved the book into a typical shopping bag provided by any of the many stores in the mall and headed back to the food court. He did his best not to draw attention coming back, moving with the flow of the crowd and branching off near the men's room. He then walked into line for one of many fast food restaurants in the food court.
Glassman followed the boy calmly, then put his left hand on the boy's upper arm in the food court, his right hand on his wand in his pocket, pointed at the boy. He spoke to him in a low voice. "We watch the addresses on the letters that come and go into the school. Yours raised a worry. So I very discreetly followed you today. I'll take that package. If you try to do anything to call attention to yourself, I have my wand trained on you and can cause you to go limp before you have a chance," he said, his voice a steady, unyielding monotone. "If I find nothing in that package that is contraband, I will return it to you, and you will only get a detention for leaving the group."
Spending a great many summers in Sub-Terra taught Jonathan many lessons and one of them was know the situation first before reacting. There were times when reacting with fast instincts to put a world of hurt on somebody foolish enough to sneak up on you, another is to recognize when it's simply wiser to just not react at all. Thus when Mr. Glassman decided to place his hand on his upper arm Jonathan simply glanced over his shoulder at the teacher.
"Did it now?" Jonathan replied with feigned amusement. Inside he was cursing himself. He had forgotten all correspondence by Owl was being screened by the faculty. Good thing he had not named the actual book in his message. Jacob knew what book he was looking for but school started before it could be tracked down. Thus this measure was necessary. He turned and regarded the Potions' Professor. "I really don't see why you are being so...extreme in regards to whether I draw attention to myself or not."
What did the man think he would do, jump up and scream bloody murder because he was caught sneaking off to pick up a book? He shrugged and handed the bag to the older wizard. "It is what it is, Professor Glassman. As for leaving the group.. really all this extra precaution is rather pointless if you ask me. I am not a Lighthouse Keeper nor do I have any connection to them...why would any attempt be made to kidnap me?"
It was more meant as humor yet the way Jonathan saw it, the teachers should simply keep the Lighthouse Keepers safe in the Lighthouse..and any family they may have at the school. Perhaps close friends on top of that but for the rest of the student body, he highly doubted the kidnappers would have any interest. He didn't voice this opinion as most may think it was callous. In truth, he felt the staff was way over reacting to the kidnapping of one insignificant young witch. What if it was Rachel, would he view it as insignificant then? a voice echoed in the back his mind, breaking his dismissal of the danger. He frowned slightly but said nothing more as he waited to see what Glassman would do next.
"I will see you in my office, in one hour. We'll open the book together." He looked at him coldly. "If you are late, your detention will increase one hour for every minute you are late. Is that understood?"
"Completely understood. I will see you in an hour." Jonathan took that as permission he can leave the group to return to the school. Now things are likely to get very complicated for him. But he needed that book, it held clues which could help his cousin. It was just an annoying coincidence the info he needed was also mixed up with potion formulas and ingredients associated with dark magic, which most likely would be contraband.
He stepped back and with the usual uncanny ability the Lighthouse had to sense such things, Jonathan found himself enveloped by the light and whisked away back to the school. Jonathan was not disappointed in having his trip to town cut short, what he was disappointed was being caught and loosing the book. He hoped the Professor wasn't going to be overly sensitive about the contents. Jonathan's record was fairly clean, not perfect but mostly minor little incidents. This would be the first time he was caught with contraband...and in truth, it was just a book. It in itself was no more dangerous than any other book.
