It felt strange to Caterina to walk these familiar halls once more. When the war broke out the previous year, it had been time for her to take sides. She had contacts, and skill, and she had known that would put her in a difficult place what with Lord Voldemort needing all the help he could get. But never had she imagined that she would be walking the halls of Lord Dunkley's manor again.
"Caterina, I'm pleased that you made it." A voice said from the end of the shadowy hall.
"As am I." She replied, and meant it. Lord Dunkley had always been her best employer. When she worked for him in the past, he had provided her with the most exciting tasks of all. It was him, she remembered distinctly, that had landed her the job in the Australian branch of the Ministry of Magic. Naturally, he also payed luxurious amounts for her services. "It's been too long."
"Far too long." He agreed. Caterina was beginning to see him now, he was standing directly at the end of the hall, leaning on the portrait of his late father, the previous Lord Dunkley. Good looks was something that ran in the family, she noticed wryly. Luckily for him she did not mix business with pleasure. "I trust you and your 'family' have been well?"
"The same as ever, and I trust that the new Mrs Dunkley is settling in well?" she responded politely. Although, anyone who was anyone knew that Lord Dunkley and his wife did not quite see eye to eye, it had been more of a marriage for power than for love.
"You'll forgive me for not inviting you to our wedding, the circumstances were somewhat - difficult." Difficult was one word for it, she thought, Lord Dunkley had been the leader of the Death Eater uprising in New York the previous summer. Working for Dumbledore had ensured that Caterina and Lord Dunkley had come to blows more than once.
"Enough with the pleasantries for now, I think its high time we got onto the matter of business?"
"Of course," she said with a smile, it was after all the reason for her journey to the States.
"Follow me then!" He said, offering her his arm which she accepted gratefully.
They went through the door to the left of the corridor and down another passage before arriving in what had to be one of Caterina's favourite rooms in the world. And luckily for her, she got to visit regularly. It was true that the Dunkley family were high on funds, so naturally boasted the best house in the whole of New York. This room in particular was her favourite, not only owing to the vast supple of drink or the highly comfortable sofa in the corner - no, it was mainly for the view of New York, a view that stretched out as far as the eye could see.
"Now, Caterina," Lord Dunkley said, snapping her out of her trance. "I have come to you for this task, simply because it is the hardest one to date."
She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at him, trying to work out if he was being serious. Apparantly, he was, there was no sign of a grin upon his face and absolutely no chance of laughter.
"I need to you to rob Hogwarts"