I don't own Harry Potter.
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Chapter 6 - Return to Sender
Robert Farlen was filling out paperwork for his department, silently wondering how a division that technically did not exist could generate so much of it, when his telephone suddenly began ringing.
"Farlen," the aged wizard answered professionally.
"This is Potter," Harry said from half a world away, "we may have a situation." This caught Farlen's attention.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked, frowning.
"We spotted Savelour placing an order for high quantities of restricted potion ingredients, including a possibly volatile substance," Harry explained. "The list seems incomplete, but we have to assume the worst in this case. Have there been any threats to any important figures lately, or anyone who's pissed off the wrong people?" he asked.
"I don't recall anything, but I'll check," Farlen said. "Keep an eye on him; you'll have to get something on him eventually."
"Yes sir, Potter out," Harry said, terminating the connection. Farlen briefly replaced the phone on its cradle before picking it back up and dialing a number on it.
"This is Farlen, I need a background check on all recorded death threats in the past year; focus on European and American figures. Also, I need to know if any politicians are making plans to visit Hawaii," Farlen ordered the underling that he had contacted. "Pass on any information to agents Potter and Granger," he added before hanging up. Farlen had gotten the ball of information rolling; all he can do now is wait for two of his agents to return, hopefully with no casualties in their wake.
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"Sorry, Luna, I've got nothing," James Parker, one of the people working at the Auror Registration division said through the Floo, shrugging helplessly. "Their files say that they were transferred to some sort of security detail, but they don't say to what or where, and I'm not high enough on the chain of command to find out." The blonde woman that he was speaking rubbed her forehead tiredly.
"It's no problem, Jimmy," Luna dismissed. "Thanks for the help." She disconnected the Floo and sighed in frustration. So far, her search for Harry and Hermione's whereabouts on Ginny's behalf had been fruitless. She had checked the Leaky Cauldron, checked with all of her various informants, and had even toured around Muggle London, asking around various hotels just in case Ginny's suspicions proved valid.
Honestly, Luna did not really want to do this; it was no business of hers what Harry and Hermione did. However, Ginny was also her friend, and she was obligated to at least try.
There was still one option that she had yet to explore, an option that grew more likely with each stonewall that she ran into. However, that would have to wait until tomorrow; Luna had had a long and exhausting day, and wished for nothing more than to crawl into bed.
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Harry flipped his cellular phone closed and tossed it onto the coffee desk, sitting down next to Hermione.
"So, what's the word," she asked her partner.
"Keep an eye of Savelour and snatch him up when we get something concrete on him," Harry responded. Immediately afterwards, they heard a faint buzzing. Savelour reached into his nightstand and brought out a communication mirror. He activated it, but Harry and Hermione could not see who Savelour was speaking to.
"Did you get it?" the mysterious figure said, his gruff voice covered with a thick Russian accent.
"On its way," Savelour replied, his French accent almost completely absent. "It should be ready within two weeks."
"Did anyone follow you?" the Russian man asked.
"Relax, I made certain that I was not followed," Savelour assured the other man. "The plan will go as expected."
"I wish I could share your confidence, Philippe," the Russian said grimly. "Nevertheless, I shall see you at our rendezvous next month, yes?"
"You shall," Savelour confirmed. "Until then, continue to play your part, and don't get caught," he added. The Russian man laughed lightly at Savelour.
"Don't worry, I won't," he assured the Frenchman before terminating the connection. Savelour snorted to himself and placed the mirror back into the nightstand. Harry and Hermione shared a significant look; this could be bigger than they originally thought.
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"You've got nothing?!" Ginny exclaimed, gaping incredulously at the ginger-haired head in her fireplace. "What do you mean nothing? You're an auror, for Merlin's sakes!"
"I'm only mid-level, Ginny," her brother Ron countered. "I don't have enough rank for the classified stuff, and for some reason, I can't access their files beyond the basic stuff. Ask me again in five years or so, and I may be able to help." He sighed in exasperation before continuing. "To be honest, I'm not sure why I'm even involved in this."
"Because I don't know where the hell my husband - your brother-in-law is! For all I know, he could be holed up in a hotel somewhere shagging your wife!" Ginny exclaimed hotly.
"Ex-wife," Ron corrected his sister pointedly. "What she does with her life is no longer my concern. As for Harry…he's your husband, not mine. I admit, things are a bit suspicious, Merlin knows I've had a few of them myself, but they're both too bloody noble to sleep around." Ginny snorted in frustration when she realized that, for once in his life, Ron actually had a point; Harry's honor would not allow him to cheat on her. Still, she could not help but have a nagging suspicion in the back of her mind.
"Alright, Ron," she finally said, "thanks anyway. It was good talking to you again."
"Yeah, you too," Ron said before he exited the Floo. Ginny flopped down in a chair and sighed tiredly, silently wondering when everything seemed to go wrong.
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For the next week, Harry and Hermione had been observing Savelour with the intensity of a hawk, waiting for him to make a move. He had not made any further communications with the Russian man, or any other person, since the first time. However, that day was when they believed that Savelour's order of suspicious substances would arrive, so when Savelour indicated that he was leaving his room, Harry had already gulped down his polyjuice potion and was heading down to the lobby.
By the time Harry reached the lobby, Savelour had just exited the elevator, and left the hotel, the disguised Harry trailing behind him. Savelour toured around the city for over an hour before entering the magical marketplace, Harry following behind before the gateway closed. Harry cast several powerful notice-me-not charms on himself, and followed Savelour, falling behind enough so that it was not obvious. As Savelour turned to enter the side alley, Harry quickly cast a disillusionment charm on himself and caught up to his mark, who was about to enter the potion store that he entered two weeks before. Harry quickened his pace, and managed to quietly slide past the door just as it closed and locked behind him. With careful steps and soft breaths, Harry stalked over to the desk and spied on the conversation between Savelour and the shopkeeper.
"Do you have what I asked for?" Savelour asked.
"Yep, right here," the shopkeeper said, reaching under his desk and providing a small carrying case. "Charmed to not appear on Muggle sensors," he continued. Savelour unzipped the top and inspected the three vials containing the controlled substances that he had requested. "I trust that you find everything to your satisfaction?" Savelour inspected the vial in his hand further before placing back into the case and resealing it.
"Indeed, it is," he said, drawing his wand. "However, our deal is about to change.
Obliviate," he said, and the shopkeeper fell to the ground, his memory erased. From his position, Harry
mentally swore to himself; the shopkeeper was a dead end now. With no other option, Harry quietly followed Savelour as
he exited the shop. They wandered around the magical marketplace for several more hours before returning to the hotel.
After Savelour entered his floor, Harry Apparated from the empty elevator into his and Hermione's room, removing
the spells on him.
"What did you get?" Hermione asked her partner.
"Nothing," Harry said flatly. "Savelour picked up his chemicals and obliviated the shopkeeper, so we can't interrogate him." As Harry continued to grumble, Hermione saw Savelour pick up the phone and begin dialing.
"Shut up, he's making a call," she said, putting on her headphones. This immediately piqued Harry's interest and reached down to grab his headphones. They both waited in eager anticipation as Savelour's call connected.
"Yes, I would like a car to pick me up at the Pacific Beach Hotel tomorrow morning at ten," Savelour said,
dropping what remained of his French accent. "The airport," he continued. "Alright, thank you,
good-bye." He hung up the phone and settled onto his couch, turning on the television. Harry and Hermione looked
at each other for a moment, and then Harry removed his headphones before dialing his cellular phone.
"This is agent Harry James Potter, authentication code Gamma-Bravo-Six-Nine-Four-Three-Two-Seven," Harry recited into the phone.
"One moment, please," the automated voice on the other end of the line said. The line was silent for several seconds before the voice returned. "How can I assist you, Agent Potter?"
"I need a car to the Pacific Beach Hotel at ten hundred hours tomorrow," Harry said, giving the address of the hotel.
"Your request is being processed," the automated voice chimed. "Please hold." Silence reigned for
several more seconds before the voice returned. "A charcoal 2007 Hyundai Azera will arrive at the provided address
at ten hundred hours tomorrow, Hawaii license plate Valor-Wilco-Charlie Six-Four-Nine. Have a nice day, Agent."
Harry closed his phone and turned to his partner.
"We've got a car coming tomorrow," he informed her, taking a seat next to her.
"Great," Hermione said. They both watched Savelour in silence, but he only watched the television in boredom. Finally, Hermione broke the silence. "Harry, can I ask you something?"
"You just did, but okay," Harry said, chuckling at his little joke.
"Why did we never date when we were younger?" she asked, catching him by surprise.
"Umm…why do you ask?" Harry asked, his mouth suddenly feeling dry.
"Just curious," Hermione said, shrugging. Harry sighed and tried to think of an answer to her question.
"I guess…it just never occurred to us," Harry finally admitted. "I mean, you dated Ron, even married him -" he continued, but was interrupted by her derisive snort.
"Yeah, if you can call those two years of hell marriage," she scowled. Harry shrugged helplessly.
"Anyway, you dated him, so I don't know why we didn't date," he continued. "But we were both pretty messed up back then; who knows if we would have fared any better than you and Ron back then if we did date."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Hermione sighed.
"For once," Harry said cheekily, earning him a swat on the arm.
"Prat," she said, grinning. They continued to watch Savelour, who only continued to watch television and ordered room service, which incidentally inspired his watchers' hunger before retiring for the night.
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The next morning, after drinking their respective potions and applying appropriate disguising charms, they followed Savelour as he checked out and waited for his chauffeur to arrive. At exactly ten `o clock, a charcoal Hyundai Azera pulled up and the driver stepped out of the driver's seat.
"Thanks," Harry whispered to the man as he and Hermione climbed into the car and waited for Savelour's car to arrive, which it did several minutes later. After fighting their way through the midday Waikiki traffic, they followed Savelour to Honolulu airport, where he passed through customs and walked towards the gate for the flight to England.
Harry and Hermione sat down several seats away from Savelour and both picked up magazines and pretended to read them, sending frequent inconspicuous glances at their target's direction. Three hours later, they boarded the plane; by pure coincidence, Savelour's seat was directly across from Harry and Hermione's seat, so they could keep a constant watch on him. As the plane took up for the long flight back home, Harry and Hermione sat in their seats, anxiously wondering what their next move would be.
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Luna rolled the device in her hand. It seemed like such a waste to use such an important resource for a fool's errand, but her curiosity eventually conquered her hesitancy. Flipping open the cellular phone, she began to punch in the appropriate numbers.
"Please enter name and authentication code," the automated voice toned.
"Agent Luna Cassiopeia Lovegood, authentication code Gamma-Bravo-Four-Six-Nine-Nine-One-Zero," Luna recited.
"One moment please." Luna patiently waited while she was connected. "How can I assist you, Agent Lovegood?" the voice asked.
"I need the location of two individuals," Luna said, "Harry James Potter and Hermione Jane Granger."
"Your request is being processed, please hold," the voice said in false cheer. The line was silent for several seconds before the voice returned. "Agent H. J. Potter and Agent H. J. Granger are currently away on assignment. Until they have completed their mission, their current positions are classified. MITCO apologizes for the inconvenience. Have a nice day, Agent."
"Well, that explains all the secrecy," Luna said as she flipped her phone closed. "Now what to tell Ginny?" She considered what she would say for several minutes before grabbing a handful of Floo powder and throwing it into the fireplace, calling for Ginny.
"Luna, did you find anything?" the redhead asked hopefully. Luna shook her head, and tried not to cringe at the disappointed look on Ginny's face.
"I'm sorry, Ginny," Luna said. "I tried every angle I could, but couldn't find anything. You're just going to have to ask him when he returns; maybe he'll tell you this time." Of course, Luna knew that he would not, but it was not her place to say that. Ginny sighed and rubbed her forehead.
"Well, at least you tried," Ginny conceded. "Thanks, Luna," she said before disconnecting the Floo. Luna sighed and flopped into a chair. She felt guilty or deceiving her friend like that, but she could not just say that her husband was a member of a secret government group. Even if her contract allowed it, no one could know who was listening, and the safety of two of her friends, not to mention two of Great Britain's top agents, outweighed the suspicions of one worried spouse.
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And that's chapter eight; hope you enjoyed it. I don't imagine that the end will be too much longer.
Don't forget to review.
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