#10 - A Back-up Plan

Saoirse had only been to the library a few times before, but once was enough to learn the wrath of Madam Pince. The librarian reminded her of the time Saoirse had been free diving through kelp somewhere in the South Pacific, popped her head out, and seen a tiger shark moving slowly above her.

She had immediately ducked her head back down, focussing on the warm water around her to keep her heartbeat steady until the shark passed. But sharks were predictable, neutral, and easy to read, not to mention good for the environment. Madam Pince was not any of those things.

Creeping among the shelves, Saoirse separated herself from Grace briefly. She figured it would be faster if they split up. Keeping an eye out for nosy teachers and students, Saoirse tried to think of how she would go about this. She hadn't done real research in a library before, rather just flipped through whatever seemed interesting to her. This was her first time doing it.

She thought carefully for a moment. Wasn't there a reference section? She wasn't sure if the history section would have books on events that had transpired just over a decade ago. There was also the Restricted Section. Considering how some of the professors had reacted, Saoirse wouldn't be surprised if they had requested a book on the Sacred Four be moved there. It was worth checking references first, then.

As Saoirse passed another line of shelves, she saw Grace picking her way among the books. Saoirse waved in her direction and pointed towards the reference section, hoping she would understand without having to alert Madam Crab Pincers.

The reference section was by some tables, likely since those books were rarely moved far - let alone even allowed to leave the library. A group of 6th years, mostly Hufflepuffs, occupied a good portion of it, using their free time to get a head-start on their studies. They paid little attention to the 1st years, and most of their books were about magical law.

It still left a lot of options, though nothing immediately appeared useful during a general search. They'd need to narrow their topic or focus down to make use of the reference section.

Grace looked at the sixth years, considering asking for their help. They would've been alive at the time. Young, maybe, but alive, and they would've known the better ways of accessing the reference section. She hesitated; even though Hufflepuffs were known to be more friendly, the sixth years might see the interruption as a chance to tell on them.

Grace glanced at the section Saoirse was looking at, and decided she'd do something different, so they were spread out a little. Careful to disturb the older Hufflepuffs as little as possible, she looked at books that were about Berkshire, recalling that that it was where the battle that was mentioned in the paper had taken place. Hopefully one of them would be successful.

"I hope it's here," Grace said, "I don't want to have to write my mum. I don't think she'd want to tell me, either."

Saoirse looked up at the books, noticing that the shelves here were markedly more sparse than in other sections. Only one book appeared to be about Berkshire. Briefly forgetting where she was, Saoirse made a loud grunt of frustration, then quickly clapped her hand over her mouth and glanced around. She didn't suppose it was possible to accio 'book about the Sacred Four'. She didn't even know how to cast accio.

It was entirely possible that the books missing were about other subjects, but Saoirse was more and more convinced that the books were probably in the restricted section. She hated not being able to find the answers herself, to not be self-reliant. She crossed her hands behind her back and paced over to Grace.

"Missing books. What do we do now?" she asked quietly.

Saoirse visibly cringed at Grace's words, even though she knew she was right. Madam Pince would almost certainly react the same Professor Hathmore had. But it was even more certain that no professor would give either Grace or herself a permission slip to the restricted section. Saoirse didn't have anyone else to ask either. She didn't exactly have friends, her father was a Muggle, and her grandparents hated almost anything that didn't have to do with Ireland.

Saoirse nodded to Grace in grudging agreement, and then straightened. It seemed she was destined to go through Hogwarts with every adult hating her guts, so she didn't fear asking Pince. It was just the fact that she knew she would turn them down. But at the same time, it would be interesting hearing a different adult's opinion on the Sacred Four.

Saoirse walked away from the reference shelves, making her way to the desk where Madam Pince was usually found. Rather than shrinking between the books, she actively looked around for the librarian.

Grace walked with Saoirse, trying not to feel too discouraged about the missing books. She hoped again that it was just curious students who had checked them out, and they could get them later. Well, not too much later. She still wanted to figure out what was happening, after all.

She looked at Madam Pince, already feeling nervous. She hoped that the librarian's enjoyment of knowledge would win out over whatever hesitations she felt towards first years. Librarians had to like learning, right?

"Um, we were wondering...where are the books about the Sacred Four? Or the Battle of Berkshire?" Grace tried not to sound too much like a scared child, since it was their age and inexperience that made Professor Hathmore turn them away, after all.

Madam Pince narrowed her eyes at them both in turn, prolonging a tense moment which felt much longer than it actually was. Finally, she sighed, and nodded in acknowledgement of their genuine interest.

'No such books exist,' she said with a deliberately neutral expression, as she sorted through some cataloguing notes. 'Or, if any survived, they've since been locked away - far beyond even my reach, most especially after start of term. Nor could I imagine two young first years being permitted such reading material, anyway.'

Pince paused, considering.

'Unless you go much further back, but...' She shook her head. 'There's nothing I can help you with on this subject. Is there anything else you'd like to peruse or are you on you way out?' It didn't sound much like a question, by her stern look implying they shouldn't linger if no longer needing the library.