Chapter Nine
The following takes place between 10:00am and 11:00am on the day of the Wizengamot Ministerial election.
Events occur in real time
10:01am, Shropshire
The Baron checked his watch and realised it was almost time to leave. The Muggle, Kelly, would be arriving at the meeting point soon, assuming everything was still on track. There had been no news to the contrary; it seemed that this aspect, like all the others, was running just as planned. There was just one thing running through the Baron's mind.
It had been over an hour since he'd had his last exchange with Ginevra out in Greece. Harry Potter had been subdued by the sounds of her communication but the Baron was uneasy. Her messages had sounded different, not quite a curt as he'd become used to. He had put it down to the extremity of the situation - she had been in the process of torturing her husband, after all - but it wasn't a satisfactory explanation. The importance of that part of the plan going well was paramount; any possible hitch there gave the Baron cause for concern.
He decided it wouldn't hurt to be sure. Locking the door to his study, he took out the little black book from his pocket and penned a simply enquiry into the first page. The words disappeared and he waited; several minutes passed but there was no response. The Baron wasn't suddenly panicked - after all, the last few messages had taken a while to be answered - and it was entirely possible that Ginevra was dealing with the others in the villa The Baron was particularly concerned about young James Potter and his girlfriend; the Shaw girl's name had been passed around the Ministry offices as one to be highly watched for future development. To the Baron and his spies, this meant a potentially dangerous enemy for the future.
After five minutes a niggle of worry entered his mind. He called his deputy to him.
"Yes, sir?" asked Armitage as he entered the study.
"Ah, Armitage, good," said the Baron. "You are aware of this?"
He tossed the book to him. "Yes, sir, it's a communication device."
"Indeed," said the Baron. "I seem to be having problems with it. I've sent a message but I'm getting no response. Explain that to me."
"There are two possibilities," said Armitage. "An unwillingness to respond or an inability to respond."
"Could the inability come from the book?"
"Possibly, sir," said Armitage. "Or it could be something simple, like not hearing the message tone or being away from the book when the message was delivered."
"Or no longer possessing the book, or being captured or dead?"
"They are possibilities, sir, but very extreme ones."
"They may be extreme, Armitage, but I don't want to overlook them," said the Baron. "I have to go and issue Kelly with his final instructions. If I haven't received an answer by the time I return I want a team sent to Greece to assess the situation."
"I'll have it ready by the time you return," said Armitage.
"Good. Do you have the corpse?" the Baron asked.
"It is waiting in a van at the meeting site," said Armitage.
"Excellent. And do we have Miss Lovegood to join her late husband yet?"
"No word from Johnson yet, sir," said Armitage. "But he's one of our best. I don't think he'll have any problems."
"You underestimate people," said the Baron. "It's a major weakness you have. Luna Lovegood is by no means a pushover. I want to make sure she cant make a nuisance of herself. In addition to a team for Greece I want one ready to follow Johnson if he hasn't reported in by the time I return."
"It'll be done, sir," said Armitage.
"Good. Now fetch my travelling cloak. Kelly will be waiting for me. I don't want to be late."
* * *
10:09am, Luna Lovegood's house
Hermione pushed open the gate and Harry followed her into the garden. The house looked undisturbed and there were no signs of a struggle to be seen. On the one hand Harry was happy about this - it meant that Luna probably hadn't had to fight off any assassins. But there was also that little piece of Harry's mind that had learnt never to rule anything out; as much as he loved Luna he couldn't completely dismiss the possibility that she was involved in these events by choice. Harry only trusted one person in the world completely, and apart from her he could easily accept anyone doing wrong. She, however, seemed intent on proving Luna's innocence.
"There aren't any security features here," Hermione called back.
"Would you expect any?" asked Harry. "Not exactly Luna's style, is it?"
"No, but it might be if she was involved in a plot to overthrow the Ministry," said Hermione.
"The house looks empty," said Harry, peering through a window. "She might not even be here."
"Well, its still as good a place to look for her as any," said Hermione. She knocked three times on the silver door knocker. They waited a few minutes but there was no answer.
"Is there a back door?" asked Harry.
Hermione led the way around the side of the house. The back garden was empty, but a few disgruntled-looking gnomes were peering out from under a hedge a little way up an embankment on the far side.
"The door is open," whispered Hermione. "Wands out, I think."
Harry followed the instruction but moved in front of Hermione as they reached the open back door of the house. He made a signal to Hermione that they were going to enter on a count of three; he then made the count and burst in the door. It was something of an anti-climax to find that Luna wasn't either waiting for them, wand-raised, or else spread out on the floor having been hexed to death.
"What a strange looking thing to have in your kitchen," said Hermione. She'd moved over to the table where a mannequin wearing a blonde wig was seated.
"Maybe it's a decoy," said Harry, joining her. "From behind it might look like Luna."
"It doesn't look like there's anyone home," said Hermione. "Why don't you check the rest of the floor, I'll take the living room upstairs."
They parted, but no sooner had Hermione vanished up the spiral iron staircase than did Harry hear her yell loudly for him to get up there. Dispensing with the stairs Harry simply turned on the spot and Apparated to the second floor. He emerged behind Hermione, who jumped with the shock of seeing him materialise next to her.
"Couldn't you have just taken the stairs?" she asked, clutching at her heart.
"You sounded urgent," said Harry. "You call, I come running - or Apparating in this case. You know how it works."
"Shut up, Harry," said Hermione, trying to suppress a grin.
"What was the big emergency anyway?"
"Him," said Hermione simply.
Harry peered around her to see a balaclava-clad man bound fast to a chair in the centre of the room. Harry moved to him and pulled a little note which had been pinned to his cloak.
"To whoever finds this," Harry read, "This man broke into my house and tried to kill me. If you are working for the Baron, give him a message from me that I will now find my husband and daughter and make them safe. Then I will do all I can to stop you. If you are an Auror give a message to Harry Potter - I am sorry for my mistakes. I promise I'll make it right. Forgive me, love Luna."
"Well, at least we know who's side she's on," said Harry looking fondly at Luna`s adieu.
"I think she knew you would come," said Hermione. "She wouldn't have signed `Love Luna' for just anyone."
"If she knows something, she could have just told us," said Harry, anxiously. "Now she's going to try and do something on her own and put herself in who knows what danger. I don't want her to put herself in harm's way because she thinks she has to make it up to me."
He looked at Hermione, but she was looking back at him with such tenderness that he felt disarmed for a moment.
"Should we interrogate this guy?" he asked, trying to plough on.
Hermione snapped out of her reverie and moved to the captive. She pointed her wand at him and muttered "Enervate". He stirred for a moment then came to, immediately looking horrified at his situation and trying to break from his restraints. Harry felt a surge of respect for Luna as her binds turned out to be utterly unmoveable.
"Save your strength, scum," said Harry acridly. "The only way you're getting free of those binds is when I deliver you to Azkaban."
The assassin seemed to realise suddenly who Harry was. "Potter! Its you! You're supposed to be dead."
"Yeah, I heard that," said Harry. "Sorry to disappoint you. Now tell me, what are you doing here?"
"Screw you, Potter. I'm telling you nothing."
"Why do people like you make things much more difficult than they need to be?" said Harry. "Hermione …"
Hermione reached into her robes and drew out a phial of silvery liquid.
"Veritaserum," said Harry, as the bound man eyed the phial. "You're going to talk to us, no matter how much you`d rather not."
"I'll never drink that," said the assassin.
Harry stood up and punched the guy hard in the face. As his head snapped back his mouth opened and, quick as a flash, Harry shoved his hand into it, pinning down his tongue with his fingers. Hermione hurried over and poured a few drops of the silvery liquid down the assassins' open throat. He coughed and spluttered as Harry removed his hand, wiped it on the assassins tunic and returned to his seat.
"That's better," said Harry. "Now tell me - why are you here? And tell me where I may find the one known as the Baron."
* * *
10:16am, The Technical Academy, Hogsmeade.
Celesca moved slowly through the empty corridor. She peered through one room after another but they were mostly storerooms and the kitchens. At the very end of the hall she found the room she was searching for. It was the laundry room and she slipped inside, moving across to the rack of school uniforms on the far side. She looked for one her size, pulled it off the hanger and slipped it on. It was beige smock and though it looked dainty on her slender frame it was very unflattering and a little itchy around the neck. Still, it would blend her in well enough.
She left the laundry room and turned to head upstairs. She rounded the corner but in her hurry wasn't watching where she was going and walked right into a teacher.
"Watch where you are going girl!" said the teacher, wincing slightly.
"Sorry, Miss," said Celesca meekly. Her heart started pounding hard, she hadn't wanted in to run into any adults, let alone literally run into one.
"I don't recognise you," said the teacher. "What's your name?"
"Lizzie Robson," said Celesca quickly. She glanced past the teacher to the room behind her, which she'd clearly just left. There was a name plate on the door. "Sorry, Dr Nigredo. I was just in a hurry."
"Why are you still wearing your uniform?" asked Dr Nigredo suspiciously. "You should know that we relax the uniform rule on the last day of term."
"Oh yes, miss," said Celesca, feeling foolish. "I just spilt something on my dress and all my other clothes are already packed. I thought I could wear this for now."
"Very well, but make sure you return it," said Dr Nigredo. She was still eyeing Celesca cautiously, as if not knowing what to make of her. "If you're heading in that direction you can run an errand for me."
"Yes, miss, of course," said Celesca, thinking anxiously of how long she could risk being here without being found out. She had a feeling her invented identity wouldn't stand up to much scrutiny.
"Wait here." Dr Nigredo went to her office and returned a few minutes later with a box. It was full of files and documents. "Take this down to the office. I want it placed in my pigeon hole for next term. See to it will you."
"Yes, miss, right away," said Celesca. She took the box, which was quite heavy, and made off down the corridor. Celesca didn't risk looking around until she was at the end of the corridor when she turned a corner; she looked back at Dr Nigredo - who she hadn't liked at all - and was happy to see the corridor now empty.
She continued on, deciding to keep hold of the box as it would make a good excuse if she was stopped again. She was now on a corridor with a lot more activity. Rooms here were full of children mulling around; they were playing with toys or colouring in books or else just messing about. Each room had a level of messy devastation to it that Celesca thought explained the lack of adult presence everywhere. She imagined that a cup of coffee in the staffroom was preferable to overseeing the chaos going on up here.
Celesca moved from room to room, scanning the occupants until she found what she was looking for. In a room half way down, a little girl sat on her own at the centre of the room while people played impromptu volleyball with scrunched up bits of paper around her. She was drawing something and seemed quite oblivious to all else. She had a shock of dirty blonde hair and large silvery eyes which looked constantly surprised. Celesca looked around, spotted a store cupboard across the corridor, threw the box of files and her smock into it, then entered the classroom.
"Lesca!" cried little Aleri as Celesca crossed to her. "What are you doing here?"
"Hi, Aleri," said Celesca sitting down. "Your mum asked me to come and pick you up. But we have to leave now and we have to be quiet."
"But shouldn't we tell the teachers, Lesc?" said Aleri. "They'll be looking for me" "I've already seen them," Celesca lied. "But we have to go quietly so the other kids wont try and leave as well."
"Okay," said Aleri. She stood up and Celesca ushered her from the room. They had barely left when they heard high-heeled shoes clip-clopping along an adjoining corridor. With barely a second to spare, Celesca herded Aleri into the store cupboard and closed the door.
"What's going on?" asked Aleri.
"Ssh! You have to be very quiet now, okay?" said Celesca imploringly. "Stay absolutely silent for a minute."
The footsteps stopped every now and then and Celesca guessed that they were inspecting each classroom in turn. The sound of voices also floated along the corridor. Dr Nigredo's was one of them.
"I don't know who she was, I've already told you," she was saying.
"And what name did she give?" asked a second woman.
"Lizzie Robson, Headmistress," said Dr Nigredo. "But I knew I'd never seen her before."
"What could she have wanted?" asked the Headmistress.
"I have no idea. Let's find her and ask."
They had stopped right outside the door to the store cupboard now. Celesca's heart was beating so loudly she was sure they could hear it outside. Suddenly, there was a gasp.
"There's a child missing!" said Dr Nigredo.
"How can you be sure?"
"Aleri Lovegood, I was watching her for - er - her parents. They said they were going to be late collecting her. Now she's gone."
Celesca held her hand over Aleri's mouth, suspecting she might call out. The next thing, the sound of the two footsteps running down the corridor reached them. Once they were gone Celesca slipped her head around the door to check all was clear, then ushered Aleri out.
"Celesca, what's going on?" asked Aleri. "I'm not going anywhere till you tell me."
"You could be in danger," said Celesca quickly. "I've come to rescue you. Come on."
"In danger?" said Aleri, conversationally. "From what?"
"I don't know, but I don't like that Dr Nigredo," said Celesca darkly.
"No, she is very mean," said Aleri ponderously.
"How are we going to get out?" said Celesca desperately. "They'll be looking for us."
Just then, as she gazed about helplessly, she spotted her exit. A fire alarm was mounted on the wall. She tried pressing the glass in but couldn't break it. Out of options, she took out her wand.
"Reducto!"
The glass smashed and the fire alarm sounded through the school. All of a sudden there was an almighty uproar and children began sprinting gleefully from the classroom. Celesca, gripping Aleri's hand, allowed herself to be carried along on the wave of students heading for the exits. She went down one corridor after another and then, after turning a corner, spotted Dr Nigredo at the far end. She was inspecting the students as they passed; in a stroke of good fortune, Celesca realised they had reached the part of the building where the fire escape was. The door was open and she slipped through it unnoticed.
James was waiting on the parapet. He was surprised by Celesca throwing herself into his arms as she emerged, but even more shocked as a face loomed at a window in the building. It looked horrified and furious and James had to disentangle himself from Celesca and start running down the steps.
"What is it?" called Celesca as she grabbed Aleri and followed James.
"Someone saw us, we have to go," said James.
The three of them raced up the embankment and back towards the Hogsmeade path. They had just reached the top, level with the Academy's main entrance when a voice shouted across the yard.
"Stop there! Bring that girl back!"
A few adults were emerging from the porch at the front doors to the school. Then they were after them, clambering fast up the muddy slope. The embankment fell into a kind of ditch at the top and James crouched down into it.
"James! What are you doing?" cried Celesca.
"We'll never get away from them," said James. "Take the girl and go to the village. Head for the Hogs Head, I'll meet you there. I'll take care of these first. Go!"
Celesca didn't stop to argue and took off at speed. James waited, wand at the ready. The first teacher reached the top; he was a balding man who seemed massively out of breath.
"Stupefy!"
James's spell hit him and he tumbled out of sight down the embankment. There was nothing for a few moments, though James was sure he'd seen a dark-haired woman chasing them. Slowly, he lifted his head. He had barely shown his crown when a spell whizzed by him. Surprised that anyone here used magic, he leapt up quickly.
"Protego!"
The second spell hit his shield and bounced away, giving him time to fire off another Stunning Spell. It hit Dr Nigredo in the chest and she toppled backwards down the hill and joined her colleague in a little heap at the bottom. James admired his handiwork only for a second before pocketing his wand and sprinting after Celesca. He caught up with her on the edge of the village.
"Are they gone?" she asked.
"For now," said James. "But we've used more magic. The Ministry will be able to trace us here. We have to keep moving."
"Where to?"
"My dad's map showed me a secret passage leading into the school from the pub," said James. "It's the best place we can go. Come on."
* * *
10:23am
Padraig Kelly drove fast along the motorway. He'd always been a bit of a car fanatic but this was something else. Even in the midst of dangerous plans he was taking time out to enjoy this. His meeting with the Baron had gone well, so well in fact that his magical comrade had decided to give him some extra help in reaching his destination. They had to be in London on time and so the Baron had given a little magic push to proceedings.
That help now saw Kelly shooting along the motorway at over two hundred miles an hour, though the car was handling as smoothly as if it were doing forty. The car had also been enchanted to miss cars and other obstacles, to be invisible to Speed Cameras and other eyes and to generally be a fabulous drive. The only downside was the stench of the dead body coming from the boot, but Kelly thought the pros outweighed the cons on this one. It would be a real shame when the time came to blow the car up.
"Run the plan by me again?" said Declan, who looked slightly green.
"Its simple," said Kelly, swerving around a freight truck. "All we do is drive to Piccadilly Circus and park up. We then blow the car up by remote. The body has had some magic done to it so it will survive intact. The police will come and take it away and they'll see what the poison can do."
Declan glanced at the body in the boot, visible where the back seats had been removed and a quantity of C4 explosive was piled in the space left. It was so horribly disfigured and mangled that he couldn't look at it for long. "Remind me not to drink the water when we get to London."
"Yeah," chuckled Kelly. "It'll be like being in Ibiza again."
"Only instead of dysentery, our internal organs will bleed out from our bodies," said Declan.
"What can you say? They don't do things by halves, these wizards."
"What are the other teams doing then?" asked Declan.
"Creating diversions," said Kelly. "Trying to stretch the response teams thin. It'll put pressure on if they cant contain us."
"And what then? Once its done?"
"We get paid and the Baron takes over the country," said Kelly. "Then he keeps his word and returns our nation its sovereignty."
"At last … we'll finally be free of the British and we'll be a nation, not a province."
"And filthy rich to boot."
They both laughed and Declan went back to checking the explosives as Kelly gunned on further towards their target. Just then the phone rang in the car. Kelly pressed it onto speaker phone.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Its Miller," said a voice down the phone. "I've just heard from Teams B and C."
"And?"
"They've picked up their loads and access cards from the locations I provided," said Miller. "They're heading to their targets."
"Any problems?" asked Kelly.
"No," said Miller. "But it seems your men at the airfield have been dealt with by Scott and Malfoy."
"That was expected," said Kelly with a sort of callous disinterest. "They were left there for a reason. Where are the Agents now?"
"Driving down blind alleys, waiting for instructions. Lets just say their leads have gone dead."
"Good, keep it that way. Make sure there are no slip-ups at your end. Malfoy and Scott must be kept from us."
"They will be," said Miller. The phone clicked as she hung up."
* * *
10:30am, MI5 HQ
Director Barnes paused the recording. Cara looked at him, waiting for orders. Agent Miller's latest phone call was still playing in the Director's mind.
"Now do we arrest her?"
"Can you extract the information she sent?" asked Barnes.
"Not without direct access to her PDA," said Cara.
"Then lets bring her in," said Barnes. He pressed a button on his desk. A few moments later two security men entered. "We are going to arrest Agent Jennifer Miller. Have men cover the exits and you two join me when I emerge."
The security men nodded and left.
"What shall I do, sir?" asked Cara.
"Go to your station," said Barnes. "Pull up the software to read Miller's PDA - its likely she's scrambled it somehow. It'll probably need decrypting."
"I'll get the forensic recovery software up too," said Cara. "She may have tried to erase the data."
"Good. Get to it."
Cara left and Barnes waited. He fastened his jacket and tried to put a lid on the ire rising in his chest. Presently, his phone rang - the security teams were in place. Barnes puffed up and left his office; he wasted no time in crossing to Agent Miller, who looked up, baffled, as he and the security officers flanking him approached and stopped next to her.
"Sir?" she asked.
"Don't speak, traitor," said Barnes. "Jennifer Miller - I'm arresting you for acts of treason against the people and Government of Great Britain."
"What! This is outrageous!"
"Take her to Holding Cell Three," said Barnes to the security officers. "Oh, and someone get hold of Agent Scott. Tell him to get back here. I'd quite like Agent Malfoy to interrogate Miss Miller."
Agent Miller's wails and pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears as she was forcefully led away. Barnes made his way to Cara's workstation.
"Is everything set?"
"It'll take a few minutes to integrate the software to my system," she said.
"Fine. While that's doing go through Miller's stuff and her computer. Find what you need and get started on cracking her PDA as soon as you can."
* * *
10:34am, The Lovegood House
Harry looked up at the turreted roof of the rook-shaped building; it was marvellously eccentric and Harry felt a pang of worry as the thought of its owner came to him.
"Where could she be?" he said loudly, his frustration getting the better of him. "I'm sick of interrogating people who give us nothing to go on. Where might Luna have gone?"
"The list is vast," said Hermione. "But I'm sure she's okay wherever she is."
"I don't doubt it," said Harry. "But how long will it stay that way?"
"Didn't she say she was going to get her husband?" asked Hermione. "Doesn't he work in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office? She could have gone to the Ministry. Harry - you don't think the Baron would have attacked him, do you?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Well, he went for Luna's little girl," said Hermione. "He obviously thought Luna's role was important enough for that. Perhaps he went after the husband too, for insurance."
"I hope that isn't true," said Harry. "The guy is barely above a Squib in magical ability. If anyone with even a little bit of power targeted him he'd be vulnerable."
"Then perhaps we should try and get to him, make sure he's safe," said Hermione.
"But that would mean going to the Ministry," said Harry. "What would that do to our plan of keeping a low profile?"
"Decimate it, obviously," said Hermione. "But I really think we're going to have to. We have no clues or anything. We should go back and find out if anything has developed."
"You're probably right," said Harry. He sat and thought for a moment. "But perhaps we don't have to reveal ourselves at all."
"If you're thinking the words Invisibility Cloak, do I have to remind you that it's a bit small for us to fit under these days? We aren't kids anymore."
"I know that," said Harry. He glanced at Hermione's chest and she gave him a look that said, quite plainly, that a slap would be coming if he didn't reposition his gaze. Harry grinned and spoke again. "And besides, I gave it to James years ago. It was my parental obligation to pass it on to him."
"Ah, now I know how he sent me those cases of Honeydukes Chocolate," said Hermione. "You really shouldn't have encouraged him to assimilate your dubious morality."
"Then I assume you returned all the bars he sent you?" said Harry, smirking. Hermione grinned back but didn't answer. "Only a moral crusader when it doesn't affront your sweet tooth, eh? What would your parents say?"
"They were gifts, it would have been rude to send them back, even if I had known they'd been pilfered," said Hermione.
"Keep telling yourself that," said Harry. "But I think your weakness for hazelnut and fudge might have something to do with it."
"All this fine talk is getting us nowhere, Mr Potter," said Hermione unabashed. "Weren't you just about to impart a great idea on me?"
"I was," said Harry. "Am I right in thinking you still keep a stock of Polyjuice Potion at home?"
"Its always handy to have a cupboard full of useful potions," said Hermione. "But I don't think we have time to find a Ministry worker or two, subdue them, then Polyjuice our way into the Ministry."
"I agree," said Harry. "But there must be some old stuff of Ron's back at your house. A hat or something where we might find a strain of hair? I'll Polyjuice into Ron and walk in and find out what's going on."
"And what if you run into him?"
"Unlikely," said Harry. "With all that's going on I'd imagine he'd be with the Minister himself, coordinating the response to this threat."
"There's so much that could go wrong here," said Hermione, wringing her hands anxiously.
"What is it?" asked Harry, slightly amused. "Are you really scared of the plan? Or is it that you're afraid that if I turn into Ron you might finally succumb to your urge to kiss me?"
Hermione looked at him. "Don't flatter yourself, Harry. You're not that cute."
"I might believe you if I couldn't do Legilimency," said Harry, grinning. "Come on, this is about the only plan we have."
"Alright, but I still don't think I should be seen," said Hermione. "The Baron knows I survived his attempt to kill me; I can't be seen at the Ministry in case he has spies who`ll know I'm working against him."
"Then I'll go in alone," said Harry.
"Don't talk rubbish," said Hermione. "I'm not letting you out of my sight on a day like this. I know some spells. I can make myself invisible if I want to."
"You can?" said Harry, impressed. "How?"
"You have your secrets and I have mine," said Hermione airily. "Come on, lets get to Sparrow's Nook."
"Shall we Apparate alone, or do you want to Side-Along?" Harry asked teasingly.
"I'll `Side-Along' you in a minute," Hermione replied.
"Don't make promises you don't intend to keep," said Harry. He winked, turned and was gone.
* * *
10:39am, The Shrieking Shack, Hogwarts
James aimed his wand at the pile of sticks on the floor and tried the spell again. His wand flashed but, for the third time, nothing happened. Across the other side of the room, Celesca groaned once more.
"James, it isn't going to work," said Celesca. "One of Gram's Five Laws of Elementary Transfiguration is that you can't create food by magic."
"But I've seen my Dad conjure glasses of brandy before," said James.
"No, it was probably more like Summoning," said Celesca. "If you know where something is there's a complex spell you can do that can sort of Summon it to you via Apparition. Your dad probably knew where there was brandy and glasses and combined them together in a spell."
"Well can you do that?" asked James.
"I've never tried it, but I'm not even sure of the incantation," said Celesca.
They were debating this issue as little Aleri sat and watched them. She had asked for something to eat and now they were trying to think of ways to get her some food. They had been unable to find the entrance to Hogwarts in the Hogs Head pub and had instead fled to the Shrieking Shack. Hagrid's assumption that they'd been there earlier had given them the idea.
"We cant stay here anyway," said James. "Food or not."
"Why? It seems a pretty good hideaway," said Celesca.
"Because it wont be long until the Ministry comes looking for us," said James. "And because this is a pretty good place to hide they'll naturally come here. Besides, they might even speak to Hagrid and if he says we've been here, they might check that we haven't come back."
"Why are we hiding?" Aleri asked pleasantly. "Are you going to tell me what's going on yet?"
"It's like this," said Celesca. "Some bad people have been watching you, trying to get to you. We've gotten you away from them and we don't want them to find us and take you back."
"I don't think I'd like to be taken captive," said Aleri thoughtfully. "But I am hungry. I didn't have much at breakfast, you see."
"I know how you feel," said James. He yawned widely. "I haven't had breakfast either."
"What? None at all?" asked Aleri. "I think breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You really should have tried to eat something."
"I was a bit busy, what with coming to save you and that," said James.
"Oh, well thank you," Aleri beamed. "Skipping breakfast to help me was very nice of you."
James smiled. This girl was a bit nuts but James liked her.
"Is there any other way into the school?" asked Celesca. "Another secret passage, maybe?"
"None that are still going," said James. "There are a few collapsed ones, they're not safe. And I don't fancy trying to get at the one under Honeydukes without my Cloak."
There was a sudden scraping outside. James moved to the window and peered through the broken beam of wood there.
"Damn it!" he said. "It's that woman from the school. There are a dozen teachers out there."
"Are they teachers? Or are they from the Ministry?" asked Celesca as she took a look herself.
"Can't tell," said James. "But I'm not hanging around to find out."
"Where can we go?"
"Hagrid said there's a passage out of here which leads to the Whomping Willow," said James. He looked around frantically and spotted a large hole in the floor in the corner. "I don't know what we'll do once we're there but I'd rather be around Hogwarts than here."
"Agreed," said Celesca. "Aleri, come on with us. Quickly."
They scooted into the large opening at the far end of the shack and into a sloping tunnel. Celesca turned and pulled a large crate across the opening and set off after James and Aleri. They reached the end of the dark tunnel and James sat on a knot in the tree trunk. The branches didn't move as Aleri and Celesca clambered out, but as soon as James moved away they began flailing for him. He ran quickly away, escaping with just a few scratches.
"Right, we have to get inside the castle," said James. "But how? Can any of the doors be opened?"
"Alohomora wont work on the doors," said Celesca. "They're magically charmed to resist it."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I've read Hogwarts: A History. It says so in there."
"Okay, so doors are out," said James. "Is there any part of the castle that's open?"
"The Astronomy Tower might be accessible," said Celesca, thinking fast. "But we don't have a ladder."
James stared at her incredulously. "A ladder? Are you a witch or not?"
"Yes, but I can't fly, James," said Celesca. "Unless …"
"Unless … we break into the broom cupboard by the Quidditch Pitch!" he said triumphantly. "Come on."
The three of them raced down the banks towards the stadium. It looked oddly forlorn with no-one inside it. James reached the broom cupboard first, opened it with his wand and took out two of the school brooms. He handed one to Celesca, who helped Aleri on in front of her, then James kicked off from the ground and soared into the air. Wind rushed by him as he flew around the castle, up and up until he reached the Astronomy Tower. He landed smoothly and waited for Celesca to follow.
"That was fun," said Aleri as she slid off the broom. "It's a shame I don't have much magic myself. I`d love to have a flying broom of my own."
"Now what?" asked Celesca.
"Well, I think we're pretty safe up here," said James. "You can get a good look-out from this position. You keep an eye out, just in case we get any unwanted guests."
"And what will you do?"
"Pilfering food from the kitchens is one of my best talents," said James proudly. "I wont be long."
"Be careful," said Celesca. "And try not to be seen. The portraits have eyes, you know."
James winked at her, then disappeared down the spiral staircase.
* * *
10: 46am, MI5 HQ
Malfoy marched through the corridors and met up with Barnes, who was waiting for him. Agent Scott joined them and together the three of them made their way into the observation room of Holding Cell Three. Agent Miller was restrained in a chair, probes placed at her temples and wrists, the information from these being monitored by another agent in the room. Cameras focused on her face and eyes, ready to detect any signs of response to the coming interrogation.
"Have you asked her anything yet?" asked Malfoy, looking at a close-up image of Miller's face on a screen nearby and flicking through a folder Barnes had handed him.
"No, nothing," said Barnes. "We thought we'd stretch her out a bit. We've altered heat and humidity in there to make it a little less comfortable for her."
"Good," said Malfoy. "Anything else?"
"We're analysing her things now," said Barnes. "Phone records and conversations, computer usage, her personal hardware is being checked. Most of it is sophisticatedly encrypted. Its slowing us up."
"Then lets see if I cant speed up proceedings," said Malfoy.
He made to enter the room but Scott grabbed his arm.
"By all means, Malfoy, extract something useful," he said. "But don't kill her. She has to be punished properly for this."
Malfoy looked coldly back at Scott. "Trust me, she will be."
He entered the room. Agent Miller froze as she saw him, her wide eyes fixed on his wand. Malfoy closed the door slowly, purposefully and strode across to sit opposite her. For a full minute he just stared at her. Several times she shuddered under the intensity of his gaze but she didn't look likely to crack. Malfoy placed the folder he'd been carrying onto the desk, opened it and began to read.
"Well, Miss Miller, it seems you have been leading two lives," he began. "You must know that only one of these has a future. On the one hand you are Jennifer Allison Miller, a well-respected and decorated MI5 Agent; you pay your taxes, haven't had so much as a parking fine, and you even help your elderly neighbour with his Meals-On-Wheels service. Admirable stuff.
"The other life is lived in the shadowy world of international terrorism where, as an associate of Padraig Kelly, you have been involved in the slaughter of people numbering into the high hundreds, all part of his sectarian agenda. Your reasons and motives are your own and I don't care for them; you can confess your sins to someone who gives a toss about a worthless traitor such as yourself. My only concern now is what Kelly's plan is and what he and his gang are going to do."
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Miller protested. "This is all ridiculous!"
Malfoy pierced her with a stare so forceful she had to look away. "You lie really badly. For someone in such deep cover I'd have thought you'd be better at it."
Malfoy raised his wand.
"No! Please don't do anything to me!"
"Then start talking," said Malfoy. He rose from his chair and perched himself on the table, lowering his head so his face was inches from hers. When he spoke his voice was barely louder than a breath. "If you confess, I'll make this painless. If you lie again - and I'll know if you do - then I will draw this out for my own amusement."
"I don't know what you want me to say," whispered Miller. Her eyes were full of tears. "Tell me what I'm supposed to tell you and I will."
"You're supposed to tell me the truth," said Malfoy. He angled his wand at her again. "I want to know about Kelly."
"Wait, Malfoy," whispered Miller. There was something of desperation in her voice. Malfoy bent yet closer. "What if I could get you money? I know you'd like a whole shed-load of Wizard Gold, wouldn't you?"
"Is that your feeble attempt at a bribe?" laughed Malfoy mirthlessly. "I would have thought you'd at least have offered me sex."
"Is that what you want?" she asked, trying to be sultry through her quavering voice. "Because that can be arranged. I'll do things for you that you've never seen - heard of even"
Malfoy looked at her and scowled. "You disgust me. Crucio!"
* * *
10:52 am, Piccadilly Circus.
Kelly and Declan looked up at the big neon signs flashing adverts around the large space. Tourists were everywhere; accents and skin tones crossed over one another in a melee of cultures. Kelly looked over longingly at the abandoned Audi, parked up illegally on a crossing. He held a detonator in his hand and as they stood in the shade of a subway entrance he wondered vaguely if the Baron would spruce up his old Ford Capri with the same spells he'd used on the Audi.
"Is it time yet?" asked Declan.
"Just another minute or so," said Kelly. "I'm hoping those two coppers go over and try and book the car. It'd be nice to take out a bit of the Filth with the bomb."
Kelly watched and waited. He almost whooped with glee as the two police officers patrolling near the Audi made for it. They looked in the windows, Kelly checked his watch, then pressed the button on the device he was holding.
The explosion rocked the street. Even from the other side of the Circus, Kelly felt the floor vibrate. A large plume of smoke engulfed the surrounding area and bits of steel and glass showered the place. Sharp parts of engine components flew out wildly, hitting passers-by. There were dozens of injured bodies lying near the car, the flames of which were now visible through the thick smoke. Panic was everywhere; people ran and screamed, cars smashed into each other as they swerved to avoid collisions with other vehicles that had skidded to a halt; some tourists were even taking pictures of the scene. Amidst all the chaos, Kelly and Declan slipped into the subway and hopped right onto the 10:55 Tube train to Charring Cross.
* * *
Scott skidded into the room. Malfoy released Miller from the curse and she slumped forwards onto the desk.
"What is it?" asked Malfoy, alerted by the alarmed look on Scott's face.
"Massive explosion, just ripped through Piccadilly Circus," said Scott. "It's chaos down there."
Malfoy turned to Miller. "This your doing?"
Miller looked up, her eye swollen and blood trickling down her chin. She smiled wickedly. "You're too late, foolish wizard."
"We'll continue this later," said Malfoy. "Lead on, Scott."
Scott left the room and Malfoy swept after him in his wake.
* * *
In another part of London, Harry held the potion up in front of him. Hermione was a barely visible haze next to him as they stood facing each other in a deserted stairwell. She was so close that her warm breath tickled Harry's cheek.
"Do you have to stand so close?" he asked. "Its quite distracting."
"I know," she purred. "Fun, isn't it?"
"For you, maybe," said Harry. He looked away from her and dropped the strand of red hair into the beaker of Polyjuice. It bubbled and curdled then turned a brilliant shade of scarlet. Harry looked at it and laughed.
"Why does that not surprise me?" he said. "Is there anything to do with you Weasley's that isn't red? It looks a bit like a glass of Crimson Boar."
"Then let's hope it doesn't give you wings and you fly off," said Hermione. "Come on - bottoms up, Harry."
The beaker was at his lips when a sudden explosion of noise shook the building. Harry looked out of the window to see a large column of smoke drifting up into the London sky in the distance.
"Great god!" cried Harry
"That cant be good," said Hermione pensively. "Get a move on, Harry. We have to find out what's going on."
Harry downed the potion and felt the immediate burning sensation as his body twisted and contorted to Ron's form. Within a minute, the transformation was complete and Harry's feet were in agony.
"Merlin's Beard he does have huge feet," said Harry grimacing.
"Here, let me," said Hermione. She cast a spell at Harry's shoes and he felt them elongate and expand.
"Thanks, that's loads better," he said. "How do I look?"
Hermione considered him for a moment. "Like the husband I should have had. Come on. Let's get inside."
* * *
10:58 am, Hackney Medical Centre
A patient lumbered in to the Doctor's office. His face was puffy and red and angry abrasions had sprung up on his forehead and arms. He sat down with a yelp of pain and the Doctor began examining him.
"How long have you had these?" the Doctor asked, pointing to the lesions, which were bleeding slightly.
"Only the last hour, maybe less," said the man.
"When did they start appearing?"
"I was thirsty and had a glass of water," said the man. "It tasted funny. Then, no more than five minutes later, the first spots appeared on my face. It was …"
Suddenly, he coughed and spluttered. A mouthful of blood spewed down his shirt along with what the Doctor recognised as a sac from the lungs. The patient slipped out of consciousness. The Doctor raced from his office.
"Receptionist! Call the emergency services immediately! Have them send a Hazardous Materials team here right away. Tell them I think we have a Type Two pathogen here. I want you to initiate a Code Three lockdown right now. Nobody enters or leaves this surgery. Do it now!"
11:00am
-->