Little Shop of Spies
by Dragonshelm
A/N: I'd like to thank my BETAs Atrandom and Alicia Spinnet.
The rain continuously pounded the windows of the shops on Diagon Alley. Not many patrons walked the soaked streets, leaving many shopkeepers passing the time by recounting inventory or catching some sleep. However in one shop the owners were very busy. The scene took place well behind the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the front door of Weasley Wizard Wheezes. In a secret back room,especially built for this purpose, Fred and George Weasley stood in front of a blackboard diagram of a forest, along with Remus Lupin. Ever since they had left Hogwarts and opened their own shop, they had experienced great wealth. Business was booming, that was when the Order of the Phoenix stepped in. They had needed a place for their spies to hide before and after missions. And with all the people coming and going from number 39 Diagon Alley it would draw no attention. Lupin sighed and began the briefing. "This,gentlemen-and women," he added after a grunt from Alexis Joree, " is the Smultre Forest, location western France. For years the forest's asset's have been used for wand making. In fact many of the wood made in Olivander's shop are comes from the Smultre Forest. However, the forest hold more than yew trees. A number of creatures, including Europe's largest population of unicorns call it home. And we all know that when the source material and wood of a wand come from the same area it holds great power." He stopped and looked at the five Order spies, all were concentrating on the board. They always did. These were top of the line spies."We have received information that Voldemort is trying to set up a base of operations here, no doubt wanting to arm his Death Eater's with these wands," stopping he tapped the blackboard with his wand and the dark mark appeared in the middle of the forest diagram. "We have long suspected he was trying to move out of England and the Smultre Forest is his first target. It is imperative, we stop him from doing so. Do to the vase size of the forest, George Weasley will be accompanying you on this mission. The teams will be.."
Fred tuned the rest out. He had known about the mission for a day and at first was excited for his twin. Ever since they had agreed to hide spies in their shop, he and George had wanted to take place in the action. Now that one of them was, they both had changed their minds. He glanced over at his twin, the spitting image of himself, sitting and listening to everything Lupin said. Though, George wouldn't admit it, he was scared as well.
"I'd love to go with you, team but I have business in London, good luck!" said Lupin before disapparating. The rest of the team followed him and the sound of five Ipops/I filled the room.
Fred approached George who was looking to the ground. "Are you okay?' he asked.
George looked up and put on an unconvincing smile, "Yeah."
"Are you sure about this,George?" Fred asked putting his hand on his twin's shoulder. He had never seen George this nervous, of course his life had never been at stake.
"Ye..yeah. Lupin said they needed six, and I'm the only one who can go. Kingsley and Tonks are in Finland, and you've to watch the shop. I'll be fine," he smiled at his brother and disapperated.
The Smultre forest was a lot quieter and darker than Diagon Alley. Silence was a complete opposite of what he normally experienced. The only noise coming from the occasional hoot of an owl or rustle of leaves. The five aurors and George had all landed within a few feet of each other. George pulled out his wand and looked around nervously at the leader. The leader, John Mason, seemed to be built for conflict. He was tall and muscular though you couldn't tell because of his baggy robes. He was an experienced spy who had lead many a mission, he covered his mouth; it was the signal for all quiet. They pulled out their wands and lit them with the soft "Lumos!" and split in pairs. George went with Alexis Joree,an attractive brunette who was a year his senior but a head shorter, and headed North.
As George arrived in the Smultre Forest, Fred was sitting watching the rain fall.Worry washed over him again, it was the first time one of them had gone out on a mission. The only thing he could do was sit and wait, George would comeback eventually. He wondered as he had more than once why they had taken on this task of using their joke shop as a cover for the Order . Little had he known when he had agreed that he or his brother would be put in danger. Restless, he set himself to cleaning the shop, missing his brother and waiting til he would return.
Their slow pace was driving George crazy. He normally took long strides, and wasn't used to holding back, but he did as he was told. They were now entering the middle of the forest, where the Death Eaters were likely to be. George looked around at the thickness of the vegetation here. Trees were grouped together more closely here and a few boulders dotted the dark floor. It reminded him of the Forbidden Forest on the Hogwarts grounds.That was when things went wrong.
Like lightning, a jinx came through the brush and hit Alexis square in the chest. Shocked, George stood gaping at her body on the ground. Gaining his composure he hit the ground right as jinx flew over head. Grasping his wand tight, George rolled right and hid behind tree. He raised wand reading himself to launch the red warning sparks, but thought better of it. He watched as two dark-robed figures came into his view, they bent down over Alexis' body and laughed. "Ha ha, we got one!" said one,a man, as he grabbed Alexis' wand.
"But where is the other? They always work in pairs," asked the second one,a man as well.
"Has to be around here somewhere," replied the first, looking to his left. Sensing that he was sure to be discovered George took the element of surprise and jumped up yelling, "Stupefy!" before he had fully stood. The shocked second Death Eater watched as his friend flew over unconscious and his wand flying into George's hand. He began muttering a curse. George rolled out of the way of the killing blow, and shot his own spell which bounced carelessly off a tree trunk. The Death Eater laughed. "You call that a jinx?" Back to a boulder George sat thinking of what to do as the Death Eater kept taunting him. All nerves were gone and replaced with the worry of getting Alexis help. "Its only a small time before I find you my boy,"the Death Eater called searching in some nearby bushes.
Think,George,think! Suddenly it hit him like a jolt. It was a charm he had seen many a time watching Quidditch. He sat listening as the Death Eater kept rambling, waiting for the right time. "The Dark Lord will reward me heavily for this. He has been saying for weeks you would come. And here you are. He is always right, always!" Once again George rose and located the Death Eater. He was maybe twenty feet ahead, back to George and busy telling George of his impending doom. George took aim and muttered the incantation for Arrow Wands. He watched as four arrows shot forth from his wand with the twang! of a bow, and striking the Death Eater in the back. "Ahh!" screamed the Death Eater as he slumped to the ground. "And, Mum said watching the Appelby Arrows would never help me.George ran forward checking the him. The arrows had missed the heart, but the pain had knocked him into a dead faint. Standing, he shot the warning sparks into the air, hopefully one of his friends was watching. He found Alexis' body. Though pale and cold, there was still a pulse. It was faint, but she was still alive. A few feet over the first Death Eater laid, breathing slowly but still out. "Incarcerous,"muttered George watching as thick ropes came wrapped themselves around the slumped body. He then sat and wait.
A few moments later a figure emerged from the right his wand held before him. George jumped to his and held his wand out. "Who goes there?" he asked.
"Its me George," came the voice of John Mason, the voice then became a body as Mason stepped into the light.
"How do I know its you?' asked George pointing his wand at the would be Mason's throat.
"Let's see. You are 17 years old and you still fear your mother," said Mason in a convincing tone. He looked over at Alexis' body and the two tied Death Eaters. "What happened?" George explained. His nerves, which had vanished in the battle came back, causing him to slump into a nearby tree.
"Wh..what of the rest of the forest?" George asked.
"All clear," replied John. "We caught four others. Luckily I was on my way to find you when I saw the sparks," he looked at George who was still breathing hard and relying on the tree to hold him upright. He gave a small chuckle. "Battle anxiety," he stated. "I was that way as well, it'll go away soon. You did good,Weasley. With a trip to St. Mungo's Alexis will be find. Come on, let's go," he summoned a stretcher for Alexis' body and waved his wand in the two Death Eater's direction their bound forms disappeared, headed for the Ministry George guessed. John disapperated leaving George alone in the forest.
He stood and tried to control the shaking, but to no avail. He looked around the small area where his first battle had took place. He breathed a sigh of relief and thought," I made it." He stood and smiled before disapperating back to the shop.
The event was followed by a debrief at Weasley Wizard Wheezes secret back room. Afterward George met with Fred, who wanted all the details. "Whoa..,"breathed Fred. "Sounds dangerous."
George shrugged and looked back at his brother who was practically giddy.
"I get to go tomorrow," Fred said defensively, hoping his journey was as exciting as George's.