Chapter 37 - The Gringotts Robbery Suspect and Elder Obliviator
Floyd was gone but they were definitely not out of the woods yet. Harry slid off the hood of the car on the driver's side, unmindful of the glass shards from the broken windshield as he scanned the area where he last saw Hermione. She wasn't there.
"Um…Harry, I need some help here!" Andy hollered out after him as he went past her to search.
Panicked, Andy's call for assistance and the rattling of chains did not register. The alley was now quiet save for the hissing from Jack's car. He found his wand at the same time he found Hermione. She was on her feet, unsteady, being held up by a tall, generously-built man beside one of the trash bins.
Rushing, he pointed his wand as he approached.
"Let her go!"
"Harry, no."
Hermione motioned with her hand, putting herself between him and her captor. A bespectacled woman with short, brown hair was beside the stranger and she handed Hermione her wand.
"Who are you?" he asked as he lowered his, noticing a design on the sleeve of her robes that reminded him of Hogwarts.
"We are nobody and it would not benefit you in any way to seek us out. We are not the enemy," she replied and then turned to Hermione and said, "We trust you to do the right thing."
With those parting words she Disapparated and so did the man beside her.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked her, worried.
"I'm fine. Are you?" she said to him, concerned at the sight of Floyd's handiwork.
"Yes, I'm okay."
Hurriedly, he walked back towards the car to free Andy before any more attacks happened. Hermione followed him close.
"Well, it's about time," Andy said to him, relieved as the manacles came off. "Jeez, Harry, you look like you were in a car wreck."
Andy liked to joke about injury. She was pulling something from the glove compartment of Jack's car.
"I was in a car wreck. Nice piece of offensive driving, by the way," he complimented.
"Thanks," she replied, still rummaging for something in the car.
He caught a glimpse of the damage Floyd had inflicted on his face and neck from the side mirror. It looked worse that he felt but at least he had his own hair back. In the meantime, Hermione had found a wooden square box, toppled it upside down and motioned him to sit.
"Let me have a look."
Harry let her, taking advantage of her studying him intently to do the same to her. Somebody tried to grab her at the diner and Floyd attacked them to get to her. He only had himself to blame for putting her in danger and the chances of her going back to London was now next to none. What did they want with her?
"You really should go to a hospital, get a more extensive examination," Hermione said after she finished scanning for internal injuries.
Andy handed her a magical first aid kit.
"What for? You're a Healer, aren't you? Make yourself useful."
Andy had walked away to secure their perimeter before Hermione could respond and he had to physically stop her from pointing her wand at the other woman.
"Just once, really," she said through gritted teeth, fuming.
He mouthed the word 'no', and for now she would heed his advice. Hermione gave him a dagger look as if it was his fault she walked right into that.
Frustrated, she vented her ire on the object that was given her. Perusing its contents and making a scoffing sound every now and then as she read labels on the items in the kit, tossing some by the wayside, no doubt finding something wrong with them.
Andy had rejoined them and was already rolling her eyes up at what Hermione was doing, a distraction was in order.
"I was hoping you'd join the fight sooner. What took you so long, anyway?" Harry asked her, vigilant for any more suspicious activity, still wondering why the MLE had not come.
"I was a bit busy entertaining a couple of Floyd's men," she said, then tartly added, "That and changing gears with both hands tied to the wheel was a bit of a challenge."
"I told you, you should have released her," Hermione murmured against her breath.
He was about to protest, comment on the fact that Andy should have been able to take the shackles off easily and that Hermione should have been a bit more thankful that he did what he did, but had to clench his jaw as he felt a sudden stinging sensation over his arm. Hermione was probing the insides of the deep gash with a heat producing spell. Did she forget the numbing charm?
"That stings."
"Good. That means it's cleaning the wound like it's supposed to."
Hermione was still angry but there was no time to deal with that at the moment. Harry wanted to talk to Andy about what she found out at the diner and discuss what to do next. His blonde partner was a few feet away staring at the smoke coming off the front of the dented hood, biting her bottom lip, appraising the damage to Jack's car.
Clang! Pffffffttt...
The front bumper that was barely hanging on to the rest of the car gave way causing all three of them to jump back slightly as the front passenger tire began to rapidly lose air.
"Any ideas on how to break the news to Jack?" he asked Andy as a frown formed on her face.
"So, you think he'd notice, huh?"
He chuckled as Andy's phone rang and she took the call. His laughter was abbreviated by the same burning healing spell on the cut under his eye. It probably was too late to ask her for a bit of magical anaesthetic.
"You won't believe what just happened," Andy said over the phone livelier than she would normally have, turning and walking away from them. That would be Jack on the other end. "We ran into Floyd."
Hermione briefly met his gaze and confirmed what she already knew, "He's the Squib you've been after."
"Yes," he replied, relieved that it seemed she was starting to believe him.
They talked as Andy's voice carried towards them in the background.
"It looks like he's less affected by curses when he's on the potion, he was just absorbing them."
"What does he want with me?"
What transpired a few moments before was now just sinking in and like him Hermione was struggling to make sense of it.
"I'm not sure. He and his brother were stealing research ideas last year," he responded. "Are you working on something worth stealing?"
"I crushed his legs... Harry broke his arm...there's blood all over... he survived and disappeared without a wand...you should have seen it…"
Hermione answered, "I don't think so."
"Think about it some more," he suggested as Hermione reduced the swelling that Floyd's foot had left on his face. "He's up to something big, something related to this year's conference, it might give us ideas what it is and hopefully stop him in time."
"And he beat the crap out of Harry, almost killed him really if I hadn't done what I did..."
Harry asked Hermione, "That man and that woman; Floyd referred them as Bruins, did they say anything else to you?"
Hermione answered the negative. She was unusually quiet, not asking questions, at least not out loud. She closed his wounds with essence of dittany.
"Yeah, he's here…there's so much going on we don't understand…"
"You know who they are."
It wasn't a question.
"Kind of, but not really."
He'd have to ask her again about them when they had more time.
"No, we didn't get a chance to discuss that yet..."
"They said they trusted you to do the right thing. Does that change what you want to do?"
"No, it doesn't."
"Let me talk to him...he's reasonable..."
He had been eavesdropping on Andy's conversation with Jack and it was going just where he had thought it would go. Harry had hoped to talk to Andy before Jack did because after Jack did, Andy would not have much of a choice.
Harry quickly got up, startling Hermione, "We have to go."
"You're sending troops over…okay…we'll wait..."
He pulled Hermione behind him as Andy's conversation with Jack ended and she put her phone away.
When Andy turned to face them, her wand was pointed at Harry. Harry's was already aimed at her.
"Drop the wand," he said to her, unable to pull the trigger as he intended to, "I don't want to hex you a second time."
XXXXXXXXXX
Back in London, Dean was at the busy Underground Hammersmith station standing in front of a long stretch of wall temporarily magically segregated from Muggle view. This would be the third magical damage to public property reported since last night. His partner, a Pureblood rookie with the personality of the concrete structure they were staring at, was taking notes.
In bold, flashing neon colors written in hard to Scourgify magical reappearing ink was something he had heard of before.
VITAMIN X
Earlier that day, he had interrogated a Squib crook who claimed to have paid good money for Vitamin X, some potion that would allow him to do magic. The git was arrested by police as he unsuccessfully tried to rob a bank with a wand. The Ministry shrink dismissed him as delusional.
Vitamin X. Dean wondered if it was some new street drug, a powerful hallucinogen perhaps, and if there were other similar cases they dismissed as mere loony cases. Someone was taking advantage of Squibs, selling them empty promises of a magic enabling potion, and advertising the merchandise quite effectively.
Squibs and magic. He smiled to himself. Wait 'til she hears about this. Maybe he could see her before tonight.
"Kids," his partner said derisively, as he copied the graffiti on his notebook. "Must have nothing better to do."
That was rich coming from someone who still lived with his Mum. Dean ignored him as much as possible because doing so was the only way coming to work would not be a chore. He'd have to think of a more subtle way to get rid of this one. Gumboil was already on his ass about the six other partners he went through since Harry.
His pager went off. Two dead bodies had just turned up at a popular Squib hang-out.
"Wait for the clean up crew and stay until they're done," Dean ordered his junior.
"But that could take forever."
Whiners were the worst partners.
"That's the point."
XXXXXXXXXX
Meanwhile, Ginny was at her desk at the Prophet. She had just come from the daily staff meeting where potential headline stories for the next morning edition of the paper had been identified and assignments were handed out. The old fuddy-duddy was still pissed at her for her anti-Scrimgeour editorial and was sending her off to scour the MLE Hit Wizard arrests and investigations for potential fillers. Filler stories were the pits, an assignment fit for those in the Chief's doghouse. That was where she was.
At the end of the meeting there was a headliner which no one wanted to work on. She volunteered with the relieved blessing of her fellow reporters and the reluctant agreement of the boss. Gringotts was carrying on a separate non-Ministry sanctioned investigation on the robbery that happened the day before and the Chief wanted someone on it. But as the goblins were an unfriendly bunch, particularly those who worked at Gringotts, her co-workers knew a dead end headliner when they saw one. She wanted to do it for more personal reasons. She wanted to help find Ragnok.
Ginny scribbled a quick note on a parchment.
Gringotts robbery investigation. Can you help?
Ginny signed it and sent it off by express owl. She would have to wait a bit and patience was her least developed virtue. Logging on to the Ministry database, she started working on promising short features, taking down notes.
Squib robs store using wand as weapon, claims he can do magic. Policemen Obliviated.
Magical graffiti at Kings Cross. Vitamin X, recreational drug?
Mysterious death of suspected Death Eater associate at known wizard nightspot. No witnesses.
She carried on for about half an hour, picking similar stories. By the time the reply owl came back, she had plenty of filler crap to stuff the Chief's big ass.
Her contact at Gringotts was a goblin of position that she had at one time helped out of a bind. The goblin knew and trusted her brother, Bill. It was Bill who told him to ask her for help.
The goblin had sired a child out of wedlock, a crime punishable by death in Goblin Law. While the specifics of what she had to do through the Society for the Protection of Magical Beings were never going to see the light of day, the goblin owed her and was the rare one who was sincerely grateful.
While she could have abused it by demanding interviews she knew he could never refuse, she didn't. She didn't help him to gain future favours. But this investigation was more than a story, and like the one other time she approached him for help, gave him the option of what information and how much information to give her.
The goblin's reply was cryptic.
Sir Isaac Umber is coming in for questioning in an hour. Best get to him before that.
Umber. She knew that name. He was a successful investment banker amongst Muggles and a philanthropist in both Magical and Muggle worlds. He had been knighted by the Muggle Queen for his contribution to the English banking system and for his charity work. The goblins had invited him for questioning. If she was told to get to him before that, it only meant one thing.
Goblin justice had been served; his guilt had been decided.
XXXXXXXXXX
Across town in the penthouse office suite of the Bank of Great Britain, a tall, bespectacled elderly man with graying brown hair appeared within his fireplace, encased in a green flame. He stepped out, dusted off his Armani suit and picked up the phone.
"Can I help you, Mr. Umber?"
He may have been a knight but he disliked being called Sir Isaac.
"Martha, reschedule all my appointments for the next two weeks," he said to his assistant.
"Will do, Mr. Umber."
The man hung up. That was why she was hired. She did not ask questions.
He paced the well trodden rug in front of his sturdy oak desk, expecting his arrival soon. They had agreed to meet away from the other Elder Bruin Council members.
After years of relative non-activity, the Bruins were being called into action. The Prophecy was coming true and they were failing miserably to prevent the remaining events that were about to happen.
As leader for the English arm, he had his hands full in Britain. Lestrange had masked her intentions of the knowledge of the family secret well and they had paid the price of their non-action and their preference for peaceful solutions. They were no where closer to knowing who her potion master was than they were days ago when the centaur was murdered and they first suspected Lestrange was going to attempt to reproduce it.
He was a descendant of Sophie Bruin's eldest daughter, Brumhilda. Brumhilda and her sister Sabrina destroyed notes and information about their mother's potion after she died, not wanting to leave anything to chance. While their anti-potion descendants did not have the exact instructions on how to make Grandma Sophie's potion, those actively involved in the cause to prevent its creation knew enough to monitor activity that may be related to it. The deathbed curse had made the job easy for while the Bruins may have been of differing opinions as to whether or not the potion should exist, if it was going to be made Grandma Sophie wanted it to be by one of them. But things went sour when one of Helga's granddaughters was foolish enough to carry with her an unencrypted copy of how to make the magic enabling potion.
To challenge Lestrange in open warfare was suicide for not only were they unskilled to fight the Dark Arts, that would mean exposing their existence and the reason for their existence to the world. It was one thing for the potion to be a myth but it would be a less than ideal situation if knowledge of the potion's existence would become widespread. It would be almost as bad as creating the potion itself.
He had already met with the other six members of the Bruin Council of Elders twice today and it was not yet nightfall. Potion shipments were being made from Britain to Toronto and the Toronto arm had to deal with that Squib scoundrel who had obviously been using the potion and studying Quikspell for quite some time.
His Toronto Elder counterpart, his cousin Ecruminus Brown, had expressed a rare celebratory delight during their second meeting upon knowledge that Potter and Granger still had the phial. His suggestion to let them take it apart was met with open hostility and they were the only ones who supported the motion to trust the pair and allow them to help.
On cue, green flame surged in his fireplace and Ecruminus stepped out. Ecruminus was as tall as he was but was stockier, had less hair and dressed considerably less distinguished than he did. His face was in a permanent scowl lately. He was deeply worried about the events that had transpired and where their future seemed to be headed at.
While Isaac was concerned about the social upheaval that would occur if the potion was used widely, there was more reason for Ecruminus to be worried. Ecruminus was the Chief of the Association for the Protection of Squibs. The potion was unsafe for use and they knew this. He feared the promise of the capability to do magic would make Squibs take foolish risks with their health and bring about more persecution of Magical Beings.
"I'm sorry I'm late," his Squib cousin said as he approached, "Another Floyd situation came up. He attacked the Potter party."
Aside from Lestrange, the only way they could get to the Potion Master was through Floyd and that was the only reason they had not neutralized him yet.
"Why did he do that?" Isaac asked.
"That's unclear. Maybe he wants the potion back or he wants to test his magic. Or maybe he's finally tired of playing with Potter."
There was one other possibility that popped in his head but Isaac thought it too farfetched he quickly dismissed it.
"I sent my team to help them. She may be delayed."
Isaac didn't have much time.
"I hope she comes soon. I have a meeting with the Gringotts goblins in an hour. Best not to keep that bunch waiting."
His concern was addressed as the fireplace produced the same flame and Pia Russet stepped out.
"How did it go?" Ecruminus asked her as she joined them on the rug.
"It is worse than what our sources tell us," the young woman reported, distress in her eyes, "Floyd has studied the potion well and can wield its powers without use of a wand."
There was silence, the three of them at a loss for words. Neutralizing Floyd just became a priority.
"And what of Granger and Potter?" Isaac broke the silence.
"They're alive, they still have the potion and we made contact as you instructed. I sense that she knows of us."
"Do we know why Floyd attacked them?"
"Not the potion. It was probably to show Potter his new wares although he did seem interested in Granger."
Isaac did not want to hear that.
"For our sake I hope we are right about them," Ecruminus said nervously, "Assist them for now, but once the tables turn, be prepared to do the worst."
Pia nodded. She had lost so much to the cause she knew what was at stake.
"I must return. Floyd just suffered extensive physical injuries and will be more vulnerable. We may have a window of opportunity to find him and get the information we need. Do you have further instructions before I go?" Pia asked.
"Two," her Elder spoke to her gravely, "If you find Floyd, eliminate the lowlife. The identity of the Potion Master is now secondary. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Uncle Crum, I understand. And the other?"
Ecruminus took a big breath in and waited for Isaac to nod his head.
"You were in attendance and you know we are in violation of the Council's wishes. My lack of magical ability is a liability and there will be a time when I will deny ever having this conversation with you."
He paused to allow Pia to take in fully what he was saying.
"You are to take orders from your Uncle Isaac from now on and until this imminent threat is over."
Pia hesitated, understandably worried about being on unknown footing.
"I trust him, Pia. So should you."
"And what if your orders and his orders contradict each other?"
Pia looked at Isaac, looking into his eyes, as if measuring him for worthiness of her trust.
Ecruminus replied, "Then you are to follow his."
"No," Isaac interrupted, meeting her penetrating gaze, "You are to follow what your heart tells you is right."
"Isaac! It's not fair to ask her to make such a big decision!"
"By going against the Council she already has," Isaac replied, and Ecruminus knew it to be the truth. They had to tell her what they were asking. "To protect Bruin interests Ecruminus needs to remain head of the Squibs. He will lose that, and a lot more, if the Council finds out he has ordered you to aid Potter and Granger. You are young and idealistic. They will be more lenient if you act on your own and I will make sure you are protected when the Council finds out."
"I appreciate your honesty," Pia replied and then turned to Ecruminus with concern, "I will do as you wish."
They embraced and then Pia left the same way they came.
"She's a brave soul," Ecruminus was fighting off tears, "Take care of her."
"You know I will," Isaac replied.
"Let's get this over with," Ecruminus announced.
Isaac took his wand out and waved it at his Squib cousin.
"Obliviate!"
For a brief moment only the whites of Ecruminus' eyes could be seen. As Bruin Elder Council members they had gone against the Council's wishes three times and for the third time, Isaac made Ecruminus forget.
"Isaac, we have to do something!"
Interestingly enough that was what Ecruminus said right after the other two times he was Obliviated.
"I should tell Pia to assist them!"
"No, you're not an Occlumens and they will find out. We both know it is important that you stay in the Council and that you remain Chief Squib. Leave it to me."
Ecruminus would not be able to argue with that.
"What are you planning to do?"
"It is better you don't know. Now, have you decided what to do when you meet with Granger and Potter?"
"They can be trusted more than anyone on the Toronto MLE. We will oppose any attempts to take them off the case but there will be no human testing until the potion's safety can be determined without a doubt."
"And that will delay confirmation of what it can do, buy us some time. Make sure you make the MLE responsible for the potion's safety but have your people around it 24/7, make a switch at first opportunity. Granger can keep a secret but once the Ministry figures it out, it will be very difficult to keep a lid on it."
"What about Gringotts? What is that about?"
"They suspect I might know something about the robbery."
"I don't trust goblins. Be careful."
He would be. He'd dealt with Gringotts goblins before. He always was.
Ecruminus left with some peace of mind and it was now up to Potter and Granger to prove them right. Potter's and Granger's adventures as teenagers were well known to him and he always thought that they would not have survived Voldemort had they not had innate intangible skill to react to situations like the one they were going through appropriately.
Of the two, he had followed Hermione Granger's life more closely. He felt uneasy about her appearance in Toronto and her close involvement in the case but, just like last year, he chose to step back and allow the present to play itself out. He was unclear what her role in the Prophecy would be but knowing who she was and what she was capable of, he was quite hopeful her contribution would result in a most positive outcome.