Chapter 312: A New Goal (Part 1)
Taking advantage of the chaos...
The two escaped as quickly as possible.
The boat they had stolen to reach Nurmengard was long gone.
Returning to it would have been walking straight into an Auror trap.
But without a boat...
How could anyone survive on the open sea?
For ordinary people, it would have been almost impossible.
For wizards...
Transfiguration solved many problems.
---
Upon the endless ocean, Draco and Fleur took turns conserving their strength.
Whenever they still had energy, they swam steadily through the water.
When exhaustion set in...
They transfigured whatever materials they could into a crude raft.
Resting upon it while recovering their magic and stamina.
Fortunately, Draco had prepared a generous supply of fresh water before setting out.
Otherwise...
They would never have survived for so long.
Even then...
Remaining constantly alert while drifting across the sea drained both body and mind.
Anyone who had crossed a desert understood the importance of landmarks.
Without them...
It was frighteningly easy to lose your sense of direction.
The ocean was no different.
The endless horizon could slowly crush a person's spirit.
Fortunately...
The violent storm gradually passed.
The thunder faded.
The waves became calmer.
The sea finally settled.
Travel became far less dangerous.
---
Still...
Fleur caught a fever after spending so long in the freezing seawater.
Her body had endured everything through sheer determination.
Only after they finally reached safety...
Did she collapse.
Much like the last time she had pushed herself beyond her limits...
The moment rescue arrived...
She could think of nothing except sleep.
She had nearly fallen asleep against Draco's shoulder before losing consciousness completely.
---
"You're awake?"
Draco noticed her fingers twitch slightly.
He stepped closer.
With one hand on his own forehead and the other resting gently against hers...
He compared their temperatures.
"Ah..."
Fleur's sleepy eyes suddenly widened.
Realizing how close they were...
She lost her balance in surprise.
The old wooden chair rocked violently.
Draco quickly reached out and steadied it.
Perhaps it was only his imagination...
But the flush on Fleur's face seemed even deeper than before.
"...Thank you."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"You still have a fever."
"You need some medicine."
Seeing that she had regained consciousness, Draco walked over to the table where a single candle flickered softly.
Using its dim light...
He searched through the supplies he had prepared beforehand.
The potions covered everything from injuries...
To ordinary illnesses like fever and headaches.
A bag enchanted with the Undetectable Extension Charm truly was indispensable while travelling.
Soon...
The small room became even warmer as Draco prepared the medicine.
From her chair...
Fleur quietly watched his silhouette reflected against the wall by the firelight.
An unfamiliar warmth quietly settled inside her heart.
---
"Can you hold the cup yourself?"
Draco returned carrying the potion.
"I can."
Fleur hurriedly reached for it.
Almost as though trying to hide something.
She drank the medicine in one gulp.
"By the way..."
"You can eat fish, can't you?"
"There isn't much other meat available around here."
Draco asked thoughtfully.
"Mmm."
She nodded gently.
Having recovered a little strength...
She no longer looked quite so fragile.
---
Draco opened the front door.
The cool sea breeze immediately drifted inside.
"Where are you going?"
Fleur instinctively called after him.
The moment she spoke...
A fit of coughing interrupted her.
Tears instantly welled in her beautiful eyes.
Without realizing it...
She had already begun relying entirely on the boy before her.
Draco smiled reassuringly.
"Don't worry."
"I won't abandon you."
He waved lightly before stepping outside.
---
Since they were stranded in an unfamiliar place...
The first thing he needed to determine...
Was exactly where they were.
Early morning was when local fishermen usually prepared to head out to sea.
After asking around...
Draco learned that they were in a small fishing village along Germany's northern coast.
Education there was relatively limited.
Most villagers spoke only German.
Very few understood English.
Communication proved rather difficult.
Although both languages belonged to the Germanic family...
English had evolved considerably over time.
Many similar-looking words no longer shared the same meaning.
Fortunately...
Basic gestures could still overcome most language barriers.
---
The elderly fisherman who had rescued them lived completely alone.
No wife.
No children.
Only himself.
That simplified matters considerably.
There would be far fewer unnecessary complications.
Draco handed him several silver coins.
The old man accepted them happily.
Saving lives...
And accepting payment...
Were hardly contradictory.
The fisherman's face had been weathered by decades beneath the sun.
His eyes were cloudy with age.
His worn clothes carried the familiar scent of seawater and fish.
His rolled-up trousers revealed numerous old scars.
---
Because of Fleur's illness...
They remained there for several more days.
By Draco's estimate...
The new term at Hogwarts had already begun.
Oddly enough...
He found himself missing school.
But...
This had been his own decision.
Living quietly in hiding might be safer...
Yet placing one's fate entirely in other people's hands...
Was nothing short of absurd.
---
Outside the cottage...
Rows of houses stretched along the shore.
Most had black-and-red tiled roofs.
Compared with the old fisherman's home...
The others looked considerably newer.
Granite steps led to tidy front doors.
Flowerbeds decorated many of the gardens.
Bright blossoms swayed gently in the sea breeze.
According to the map...
The nearest city was the German port of Kiel.
Their current refuge lay in a tiny fishing village nearby.
Perhaps...
Because the old fisherman had neither family nor ambition...
His own home alone had remained frozen in the past.
---
Every morning...
The old man sailed out before dawn.
He rarely returned before midday.
After eating a simple lunch...
He would head back to sea again.
Perhaps...
The ocean itself had become his home.
The very meaning of his life.
Taking advantage of the opportunity...
Draco asked to accompany him on one of those fishing trips.
He wanted to familiarize himself with the surrounding coastline.
By then...
Fleur's fever had already broken.
She had suffered no magical injuries during the escape.
Only physical exhaustion.
After several bowls of nourishing fish soup...
Some proper rest...
And the potions...
She recovered remarkably quickly.
Draco was no longer particularly worried about her.
In fact...
If French Aurors eventually found Fleur...
That might not be a bad outcome.
It could even become useful.
Because...
Draco had begun considering another possibility.
Perhaps...
It was finally time for the two of them to go their separate ways.