Maybe this wasn't the best of idea's

But new story time! Which really shouldn't be as I already have a hard time trying to keep up with my current ones but still, this would not leave me until I had it down... Like really, it actually plagued my sleep that's how malicious my muse was... cutting into my sleep.

Either way its here - its up and I hope you like... Now I actually already have around four chapter written and sitting pretty but I do need a sign that it will take off and be just as received as my other HP stories will be. If not than I'll stick to my others.

But like I said, hope you enjoy.

I don't own HP

The coldness hung in the air like a tightly woven shawl. Wrapping the three cloaked men who lay on the floor in its icy grip making them shiver as they watched and waited, their target – a safe house that was situated in the middle of an open field just in front of some woods. The three men, Aurors – kept their gazed firmly on the building, monitoring the comings and goings of the people that they saw.

Not just any people though. Deatheaters to be precise as came and went at all manner of the day which was why the three had scouted on lookout. One of the men shivered as he pulled his cloak tighter before rubbing his hands together as the man in the middle leaned over.

"Dawlish"

The man turned to look at him. "Are you sure this is the right place."

The man named John Dawlish nodded his head. He kept his hands close but replies lowly. "Positive, Savage brought me the info just before we left." The other man wiggled his fingers in a show as he pulled the file from the inside of his robes and passed it over. The other man opened it and started to read before glancing every so often at the house.

"And he is here? He said that?" John nodded again "Doesn't leave the house apparently… from what the rest have said he is living there… either by choice or their keeping him there."

"Joseph Macadam's, born 1953 graduated Hogwarts in 1971 with Outstanding's in Potions, Charms and Defence against the dark arts, moved into a ministry job before leaving to train as a researcher and Potions master gained good accolade before disappearing, current whereabouts unknown"

He closed the folder and lifted his head. "And he was a follower of the dark lord?" Dawlish nodded. "Rumours here and there nothing to concrete but according to reports now he's resurfaced, if what Perkins said then he's doing something big or you know who."

"But he's gone now…" The third man faced them both. "You know who's dead. What could he possibly be doing?"

The first man shrugged leaving him to look at the middle. "What do you think Kingsley?"

The Auror known as Kingsley Shaklebolt frowned in slight consternation as he eyed the house. It was quiet at the moment but knew if mightn't be for long, not if what they had heard was true.

"Only way to know is to keep watching." His rich baritone voice held firm as they nodded at his words. "From what the others have seen is that this place is never really empty, bringing them each night."

Kingsley looked at him. "How many, do they know?" Dawlish shrugged. "Four to six… maybe seven on a good night"

The third shook his head in disgust. "Don't know how they live with themselves… scum."

The middle man glanced at him. His frown deepening on hearing his outburst, yes he hated them to but no matter how he felt he kept his thoughts to himself, he merely nodded just as sounds of popping had them all snapping their heads back to the house instantly on alert as movement saw a few black cloaked figures.

They moved to the house. But not on their own as cries and shouts could be heard filling the night sky with replies coming in the forms of slaps and some even using spells to them to comply before rounding them all up in a line.

The three at the top of the hill looked on closely as the door opened and a man appeared. He looked at the hooded figures before the line-up and spoke something to the one near the door as he stepped out and over to the people who had been apprehended.

They watched as he moved down the line seemingly inspecting them. Checking their appearances as he opened and closed their mouths ignoring the whimpers coming from them before finally getting to the end, he turned to face the hooded person at the end and spoke hurriedly to them before handing over what seemed to be a bag of something, most likely gold before turning around and nodding.

More shouts and screams erupted as the group of people were pushed and shoved harshly into the house, some being kicked and punched in order to make the move before the last one vanished from sight… the man waited a few minutes talking still as the others came back out and with a few more words Apparated from sight, as one by one they all left leaving the man alone in the clearing.

He stood for a few more seconds gazing out into the darkness, looking around before turning and hurrying back inside as the door slammed shut leaving it empty once more. The three at the top let go of the breaths they had held on witnessing the event just as the third turned back to his comrades.

"Well what are we waiting for? We've seen them we now know it's true, let's go in and get him!" Kingsley turned to him.

"We can't, not yet" The third – a lot more impatient and anxious then his fellow Aurors hissed in response. "By the time we wait who knows what that son of a bitch is doing to them! We should go in now and take him out as the backup gets here,"

"What if he has company inside, hmm? We know the wards around here are up for security reasons but not appiration. If we go in there now on our own he could call for help and then what… it's best if we wait for help and then plan our next move."

Jackson – the third and final man glared at him but knowing that he was the voice of authority merely nodded sullenly not liking the plan but could do nothing about it. Kingsley looked to the house which stood innocently but was holding horrors he could only imagine pulled out his wand and very discreetly cast his patronus.

The silvery mist slithered from the end of his wand and started to shape itself as it took form. A few seconds later a lynx was hovering in front of them waiting for his message as he relayed they had seen all they needed and now back up were called for as it bounded away from them as he sent it off.

"Now we wait."

They kept watch on the house for ten more minutes until the sound of popping around them had all three pulling their wands and into defensive stances until they saw the smiling face of Hawkes staring down at them.

"Alright"

Rolling his eyes Dawlish pulled him down. "Would you—"He sighed and shook his head as the other man chuckled.

"Sorry, but it's exciting you know – finally getting to put this guy away for good…" The others hummed in agreement just as rustling had them looking to see Moody above them.

"Got the rest in place… remember, once we're in keep it short, sweet and get those who we need to before they get us." He looked around to see them nodding before giving them a curt one in reply before moving off. The others stood slowly and silently as they could crept into place.

"On my mark" They heard Moody's whisper from the side of the reeds. They ready their wands hearts pumping faster with anticipation as all goes quiet around the darkened field.

Rustling sees them all moving closer as they surround the house and the man they intend to capture whose completely unaware of the danger he is in as they reach the end of the reed's and their cover as a hand halts their movement once more.

"Remember, short and sweet."

With their replying nods of confirmation it goes quiet once more as the only sound is the wind rustling the long grass acting as their shield. They wait very cautiously… never moving… carefully readying themselves.

"NOW!"

Like Moody's words, the operation is over short and without any fuss. The man inside is completely side swept and so had no time to try to escape as they burst through the door and inside the room he had used to study. More smarts than magic he soon surrenders as he is taken away by Mitchell, one of the other senior members leaving the rest to investigate the house.

"Christ would you look at all this."

On walking around and through each of the rooms they come to a door inside the kitchen area as they glance at each other. "After you."

Kingsley nods and moves to open the door as he peers into the darkness. On seeing the door open once more the people inside – that have been shut away start to yell and shout. The light comes on as the two Aurors look from the top to see the Muggles that have been caught all sitting, tied to shackles and hooks in the walls around the basement.

"Help us, please help!"

The two men look on at the panic-stricken group of people as Dawlish whistles lowly under his breath. "Got them in the nick of time…" The African man hums quietly before adding.

"This group at least." John says nothing but the look on his face is enough as more arrive to greet them at the top and take a look at what they found.

"What do you want us to do?"

He looks at the two younger Aurors before looking to the terrified people at the bottom before making his choice. "Get them out of here, help them if they need and then… if their ok, make sure they don't remember."

A few give him small looks but ultimately say nothing, it's the only way as they nod and move down the stairs to free the prisoners as they move away and off to the small corner where a work table has been set up, they stop and look at what looks like a lab set up – with potions, beakers and vials filled with multi colored liquids and powders in tubs.

"What do you think he was doing?"

Dawlish shrugs and sniffs a container of blue powder before pulling his nose and setting it back on the table… "Don't know but whatever it was it involved experiments on Muggles… sick fuck."

"He'll gets what's coming to him. Being a fanatic of the dark lord will be enough to put him away even without what he was doing here… but this added to it, will make his sentence all the more longer."

John nodded pleased before moving and turning away, he scanned the room before coming across a few boxes stacked in the corner on the other end.

"What are they?"

Kingsley turned to see his eye sight and pursed his lips, that enough had Dawlish moving over, Kingsley behind him as they each pick up two of the boxes and move them back to the table in the middle.

"Maybe it'll gives us more to charge him with." They opened the boxes to find its files – lots and lots of files which on reading a few realize it's all the documented recordings of the experiments sitting down they peruse a few of the papers each reading more than they wanted to but knew that they had him good.

"He's going away for life for this" The disgust in his tone had Dawlish nodding, if he wasn't an already experienced officer and had seen some things than it might have made him want to hurl, nonetheless he puts it away and closes the lid.

"Want me to get Michael's to take this back?" The older man nods as he looks over a few more papers before following suit. John stands and moves he boxes – ready to have one of the other men come and take them when a nudge to the side of the table has a small drawer falling loose making him look down.

"Hey,"

Kingsley looks to him as he reaches down and pulls out the drawer – inside is another file which he takes out and lifts up to the light.

"What do we have here? Another file." The African man lifts his head as Dawlish opens it and takes a look inside. His eyes scan the age before his face drops slightly into confusion.

"What is it?"

Still silent the other man slowly nods his head and frowns before handing the folder off to him. "Another experiment…"

Kingsley takes the file and reads what's on the page. "Project zero? What's that?"

Still looking at the file the others move in as Dawlish instructs them to take the boxes to evidence and have someone look through them as he moves to stand next to Kingsley who finished reading the last of the page and closes the file.

"Anything?" He frowns and shakes his head. "Nothing, but I'm sure there is more to read so I'll have one of the others take a look in the office."

With everything that could be used against the man taken out and on its way to the ministry and with the Muggles all free and on their way homes soon without any knowledge of what they went through the two men make their way back to the entrance in time to see Moody vanish from the clearing.

"Job well done." Dawlish turns to him and smirks. "Your round then?"

This has Kingsley laughing as he turns the lights of with his wand and shuts the door behind him as darkness befalls the house leaving it silent once more but if they had stayed longer, maybe just enough in the kitchen. They would have heard the rhythmic tapping that begins as its slow in its beats but gets louder.

If they would have looked down in the basement, they would have heard it clear as it echoed off the walls in a three sequence tap, maybe they would have found something else that had been down there along with the Muggles they had rescued that night… that the house wasn't as empty as they thought.

But as no one was around anymore to hear the beating as it drummed, it carried on – never faulting nor stopping its methodical three timed beat, as the calling of Project Zero went unanswered for another night.