Feng Braun couldn't stick around as a person of interest, so Cohen and Edward had him clear off first.
Then, Edward quickly scribbled down a letter.
About half an hour after the Count sent the letter out, a wizard Cohen knew quite well arrived in the basement with a loud crack of Apparition.
"So you're telling me... you just happened to be on holiday with your son at a lakeside hotel a few miles outside the city, and you just happened to run into this dark wizard messing around with nasty experiments, and you just happened to uncover his secret, and you just happened to fall into his trap, and then you just happened to take him down?"
Arnold said to Edward calmly, though his tone was anything but.
"Pretty obvious, isn't it?" Edward pointed at the old chap lying on the floor. "He's a wanted man, too, one of those Silver Key blokes – but you know, you were the one who defeated him, not me. You can take him in and claim the bounty."
"Merlin's saggy trousers, I'm just a Memory Modifier!" Arnold bellowed, scratching his head furiously. "What do you think I am? Head of the Auror Office? I can't even deal with those wizards selling strength potions to Muggles—"
"This is exactly your chance for a promotion," Cohen offered helpfully. "'Auror Talents Hidden by Mundane Job,' that'll be the headline in the Daily Prophet – you can show that paper to your son then, he'll be so proud – I haven't seen Edward make the headlines in any paper..."
"That's because Edward's too lazy, but thank you for that – wait, shouldn't you be at school right now?!" Arnold's eyes narrowed, looking at Edward, then at Cohen.
"I got permission from Dumbledore," Cohen said. "I was feeling a bit down, so Dad took me travelling."
"Oh..." Arnold said. "Right then, thought you'd run away from school. I knew Edward, being such a law-abiding sort, wouldn't possibly take his son skipping class..."
Cohen looked silently at Edward.
'Law-abiding' meaning secretly tracking someone with illegal Polyjuice Potion and then hitting Muggles with Stunning Spells left and right?
Well, like father, like son, apparently. Edward was taking after Cohen now, nothing wrong with that.
At Arnold's insistence, Edward went through the "process of capturing the criminal" with him.
"That's right, you were standing exactly here at the time," Edward instructed. "Then, this old man chucked a Killing Curse at you – don't look so surprised, that's what fighting dark wizards is like – and then you rolled on the ground, dodged the spell, and quickly fired back a powerful Stunning Spell."
"My Stunning Spell could actually kill someone? This isn't a mission report, it's fiction!" Arnold sighed. "But thankfully, I know a few people in the Auror Office. At least they're easier to talk to than Mad-Eye used to be."
"Since we can't holiday here anymore, I'm spending the next five days at the Raffles Hotel," Cohen announced loudly to Edward, seizing the opportunity. "You can see the old desk where Churchill planned Second World War strategy there—"
"You have no holiday left, get yourself back to school immediately," Edward said crossly. "Don't think you can piggyback on Arnold for a few extra days. You don't look the least bit 'down.'"
While Arnold was busy modifying the Muggles' memories, Edward and Cohen left the hotel.
Harry and the others had stayed by the lakeshore with the Chimaera, only dropping their Invisibility Charms when Edward and Cohen appeared.
"We'll take them back to school," Goat told Edward. "Don't worry, it's very safe."
"..." Edward sighed, holding his head.
Safety wasn't really the issue – but considering this Chimaera had brought Harry and the others out of school...
"Hold on..." Before they left, Edward pulled Cohen aside, looking like he had something important to say.
"I promise I won't run off again during term this semester," Cohen guaranteed. "At least, not where you'll find out..."
"It's not that," Edward said, looking Cohen in the eye. "Don't worry about your mum and my safety. I have ways – those Silver Key people won't be able to find our house anymore..."
"Uh-huh," Cohen nodded. "Like the Fidelius Charm, that would make me feel better too, so I don't come home for the holidays someday and find your bodies in the living room."
"You really underestimate your mum and me..." Edward gave a dry laugh. "From now on, if you go somewhere dangerous, you must tell us."
"Can't do that," Cohen refused. "Considering you'd follow without a second thought, I won't let you do something that stupid again."
"You don't need to tell me the location," Edward said, grabbing Cohen's shoulders. "At least let me know how you are."
"You said you couldn't stand that kind of torture," Cohen repeated Edward's own words back to him.
"It's better than being kept in the dark," Edward said. "Go to school. Don't let that blasted Silver Key business mess up your life."
The journey back to Hogwarts felt a bit uneventful. The four of them nearly fell asleep on the Chimaera's back – Cohen hugging the Goat's head and drooling all over it.
"Are we there?" Cohen was startled awake the moment they landed in the Forbidden Forest.
"That was uncomfortable," the Goat's head grumbled.
"Whose fault is that for taking Harry and the others out? This is punishment—" Cohen said, holding a grudge. "What did I tell you before I left?"
"I accept," the Goat's head nodded.
[Whether we went or not, they would have gone anyway,] the Horned Serpent said. [This was the safest way to handle it.]
"We were the ones who asked it to take us to find you..." Harry explained for the Chimaera.
"Roar..." The Lion nudged Cohen's arm.
Oh, it really knew how to hit Cohen where it hurt...
But the Serpent was right. Having the Chimaera with them was better than Harry and the others coming out alone.
Besides, if the Chimaera hadn't guided them, Harry and the others might not have even found Cohen. It would have been even more dangerous if they'd run into other dark wizards or Death Eaters still at large on the way.
Cohen left the Chimaera with Hagrid, planning to fetch it back when he brought his trunk out – but Hagrid didn't seem keen on Cohen taking it back too soon.
"I've got my classes all ready!" Hagrid said excitedly. "I was just going to ask to borrow it from you anyway – next week – say, how come I haven't seen you lot at the feast the last couple of days?"
"We... we asked for permission," Harry fudged the truth.
"That's good then, I thought you'd skipped class," Hagrid said. "Professor McGonagall's been in a bit of a mood lately. At first, I thought it was a student problem..."
Harry and the others exchanged glances.
"Looks like Dumbledore didn't get your permission slips," Cohen raised an eyebrow.
But very quickly, Cohen had nothing to smirk about.
As they arrived at the castle gates, whether it was Professor McGonagall routinely waiting there or just happening to be there at that exact moment – they ran straight into her.
Her lips were pressed into a thin line, and the air felt incredibly cold.
Cohen felt this situation might be even more terrifying for students than being surrounded by a pack of Dementors.
"You four again!" Professor McGonagall's eyes practically spat fire. "Four! And all from my House! Skipping class – how dare you—"