In the end, Kingsley took Tris back to Hogsmeade by Apparition.
That was against the rules.
But special circumstances called for special measures. In a situation like his, it would only mean writing a report once he got back. If they kept hanging around here and those Dark Wizards came looking again, he had no confidence he could handle them.
When they reached Hogsmeade, they found Coeus Greengrass and several of his relatives waiting there.
"Praise Merlin, Tris, you're finally back." The instant Coeus saw Tris, relief washed over his face.
That brief stretch of time had truly scared him out of his wits.
Snape had emerged from the fireplace looking thunderous and said that Tris had not come out at the Hog's Head on the other end. Kingsley had vanished along with him, and Snape suspected something was wrong on Coeus's side.
Heaven knew Coeus had genuinely done nothing to tamper with it.
He had absolutely no idea what had happened.
He had earnestly explained to Snape that even if he were planning something, surely he would wait until Tris had lifted his younger daughter's blood curse.
"Doesn't that make it all the easier for you to pretend you're innocent?" That had been Snape's reply, and Coeus had felt utterly wronged.
But faced with Snape, he had not dared say much more.
Quite apart from the fact that Snape had been representing Hogwarts at the time, Coeus was deeply wary of Snape himself.
A saying had long circulated in the wizarding world's gray areas: people who crossed Snape often failed to live to see the next day's sun.
There had never been any evidence, but the rumors were full of convincing details.
As a Potions Master, Snape often needed to buy all sorts of potion ingredients. Some were difficult