Title: A Shocking Introduction.
Category: General/Mystery
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: HP belongs to JK Rowling and associates; Robert Lewis belongs to Colin Dexter, Pan Books and Carlton/Central Television (UK), I'm only borrowing them so please don't sue. Everyone else belongs to me, don't use them without permission.
A/N: This short story takes place after the novel-length Ginny Weasley and the Boy Who Lived, but before Lily Potter and the Next Generation. Both stories, along with the short story, The Sorting, and the novel-length Harry Potter and The Blood of Darkness are also available on FF.N.
Joan Grayling, resplendent in a long green Muggle overcoat that contrasted nicely with her long, bright-red hair, walked reluctantly up an Oxford alley. "Are you there Howlett?" she asked peering into the darkness of the alley.
A match flared and a cigar glowed enough that she could just make out a man hiding in the shadows. "I'm here Joan. What's up?"
"Come out of the shadows and I'll tell you." she insisted. With a growl Howlett consented, for this trip into the Muggle world, he'd swapped his usual attire for black jeans, dragon-hide boots and a mustard shirt topped off with a short black-leather jacket and Stetson. "Why do you insist on such, pleasant, surroundings for our meetings?"
"Y' only contact me when summat bad's goin' down Joan." He pointed out grimly. "I don' want anyone findin' out what's goin' on."
"Still, you could have picked somewhere nicer." she told him sternly, "But onto business, Phoenix has a mission for you."
"Oh. What?" Although Howlett was a valued member of the Dumbledore's Order, his groundskeeper duties at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry kept him busy enough that a mission, especially during term-time, was a rare occurrence.
"Yes, a doctor and his wife, both Muggles, were killed at their home about three miles from here and their five year-old girl fled the house. We'll have to track her down."
"We?"
"I'll be joining you."
Howlett shrugged, "What's our involvement?"
"Andrew Creevey, Professor Creevey's father is the local milkman, when he found out about the attack, the circumstances were strange enough that he contacted the Ministry. Arthur thought it might be a Dark Wizard attack so he passed it on to the Order."
"What was strange?"
"Come and see for yourself." invited Joan, and took her hand to her old friend. He took it and seconds later, they Disapparated from the alley.
----
Joan and Howlett Apparated into an empty side street just around the corner from the scene of the crime and then walked out onto the street and over to it. Muggle policeman still guarded the house and Howlett could easily see the 'strange circumstances' surrounding the deaths of the two Muggles.
The entire front of the building was gone, and most of the rest of the house was blackened and scorched.
"Let's go get a better look." Joan said and strode towards the blue-and-white cordon surrounding the property. Approaching the armed police constable guarding the wrecked iron gate, she identified herself and Howlett, flashing her gold badge at him. "Joan Grayling and James Howlett, Special Operations. Can we go in?"
"Of course ma'am." replied the constable and lifted the tape so they could duck under it.
"Muggles're so obliging if yeh show them a pretty face." observed Howlett with a grin, Joan frowned at him but made no comment. "I'll check upstairs fer any traces o' the girl, you check downstairs and the main impact point." Joan nodded as Howlett hurried up the stairs, taking them slowly and silently.
He didn't find much of interest until he reached the back bedroom: a couple of dark stains on the broken window and an unusual scorch mark along the outside wall. He touched his fingers to one of the stains and then to his lips, "Blood." He confirmed, "A young girl's too I reckon. She must o' left through here." He climbed out onto the sill and dropped to the ground, and then he searched the grounds to get a better read on the girl. After a few minutes, he joined Joan inside the house. "Well, whatcha reckon, was it a Dark Wizard attack?"
Joan shook her head. "The main impact point shows no sign of magic traces, this wasn't a Dark Wizard attack. If I had to guess, I'd say a high-tech terrorist group, the damage looks like it was made by some sort of molecular disruptor."
"Not our problem. But I think the girl is. Can yeh take a look at summat fer me?"
"Of course." replied Joan and followed Howlett upstairs and into the back bedroom. "This?" she asked, indicating the scorch mark, at Howlett's answering nod, she began to mentally probe the mark, trying to determine what had made it. After a moment, she came to her conclusion, "You're right, these are definitely magical traces, either from a Scintilla Spell or more likely undirected fulgurmancy."
"She's a lightning elemental?" translated Howlett. "How sure are yeh?"
"Pretty sure, a Scintilla Spell usually leaves a small, almost circular burn mark, not all spread out like this."
"Then we need t' find her, and fast." Joan nodded in agreement.
Howlett heard a sound behind and turned to see what it was. The police officer from the gate was standing at the doorway with two other plain-clothes officers "Here they are sir." he said turning back to the older of the two, a dark-haired man in his late 30's or early 40's. "I'll head back to my post now."
The dark-haired man nodded and then waited for the man to leave before stepping forward to introduce himself. "Hello, DCI Lewis, Thames Valley Police, I'm the CIO for this case. This is my partner Sergeant Thomas."
He looks a vaguely familiar, thought Howlett.
Yes, he does. agreed Joan, I think there's a junior at the QAO called Dean Thomas, a Muggle-born I believe and an old classmate of Lion, Fox and Owl.
Best not say anything. Keep it in reserve.
Agreed. confirmed Joan, "Hello Chief Inspector, Sergeant, I hope we're not treading on your toes coming here?"
"Not at all." Lewis assured her, "But I was actually wondering about Special Operations' interest in the case. Is there anything I should know?"
"No. Our superiors thought it might be connected to one of our long-term operation, but it doesn't look it. We'd like to talk to the girl though when she turns up if that would be okay?" Lewis nodded. "What's her name by the way?"
"Lena, Lena Jung." supplied Thomas, after checking his notebook.
"Thank you. We'll be in touch if we need anything more from you Chief Inspector." Joan told Lewis, then handed him a small card, "If you want to contact us, someone at this number will be able to get a message to us." Lewis nodded and took it, tucking it into a jacket pocket. "Let's go Howlett."
The two investigators headed out of the room and quickly exited the house, soon they were back in the empty side street where they had arrived.
----
They re-appeared with a pop in a damp, dark tunnel off the London Underground, far below Scotland Yard. Howlett followed Joan down a side-tunnel until they reached a dead-end, the stone wall with a phoenix carved into it. "Sherbet Lemon." muttered Joan, and the wall re-arranged itself so the entrance was revealed. The two friends walked down the long corridor ahead of them, occasionally responding with nods or polite smiles to hails from colleagues until they reached their destination. A large mahogany door with the brass plate on the door read, 'Firebird. Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief.'
Joan whispered the unlocking spell and went inside, "Come on in." she offered as she transfigured her clothes back to witches robes and a cloak which she Banished to a coat-hook on the back of the door. She was now dressed in full-length bottle-green robes with a black shirt with a gold phoenix design embroidered across her chest.
"So what d' we do now?" queried Howlett.
"Check in with Phoenix first." said Joan promptly, throwing a pinch of powder into the fire. "Albus Dumbledore!"
A few seconds later, the fire flared and Dumbledore's head appeared in the flames. "Well?"
"The attack wasn't by wizards, dark or not." Dumbledore seemed about to say something, but she continued. "But we need to say on the case."
"Why?"
"Evidence at the scene indicates that the girl, Lena Jung, is either a witch, an astrapomancer or both. She left scorch marks on the wall of her bedroom during her escape."
"I see. Unfortunately Professor Xanatos' Cerebraxes Orb was destroyed during the attack on the Xanatos Institute that cost him his life, so we cannot use that to try and locate her. However, I will ask Padfoot to check the birth register. Is there anything more."
"Yes Phoenix, one of the detectives is a sergeant called Thomas. Do we know anything about him?"
"Thomas… Thomas…" mused Dumbledore, "A black man?"
Joan nodded, "Could he be related to Dean Thomas over at the Quidditch Association Office?"
"Possibly." conceded Dumbledore, "I will make enquiries. In the meantime, stay on the case and be careful. Report in again tomorrow or sooner if you have any news." His head disappeared from the fire, which soon returned to its usual low flicker.
They sat there in silence for what must have been nearly an hour, Joan sipping occasionally from a large cup of coffee, and Howlett with his feet propped up on her desk, smoked and drank a bottle of beer he'd got from Joan's drinks cabinet while she was talking to their boss – before there was a knock on the door. "Come in Katie." replied Joan, and a young woman with long, frizzy brown hair in a bright blue robe with a paler blue skirt walked through the door and halted in front of Joan's desk. "The Muggle Relations desk has just got a call from Thames Valley. Apparently DCI Lewis has located your girl. A traffic warden spotted her entering Regent's Park in London."
"I see." said Joan, rising from her chair. "Send Jouer and Ronin to Thames Valley, I want the girl to disappear. understood?"
"Yes ma'am." replied Katie and left the same way she arrived.
"We off fer a walk in the park?" asked Howlett, standing up, throwing his empty bottle into her bin and stubbing out
Joan nodded, transfiguring her clothes back to her Muggle outfit and headed for the door, with Howlett right behind her. Once they were out in the tunnels again they Disapparated.
----
They reappeared in Regent's Park just as the sun was setting.
"Good fer us." noted Howlett. "Means the park's probably empty, 'cept fer her."
"We'd better be quick, the police'll be here soon." Joan told him, then she frowned. "I can't get a lock on her though. Do you have her scent?"
Howlett nodded, "Off t' the north, 'bout two hundred metres. Follow me." He took off at a run, Joan sighed, then she floated off the ground and flew after him.
Ten minutes later, they got within sight of a small smokeless fire at which a small figure was crouched, Howlett slowed to a walk. Joan sank back down to the ground and joined Howlett as he slowly approached the figure. Let me handle this okay? She's probably scared out of her wits.
Fine with me darling, replied Howlett, dealing wit' kids ain' exactly one'a my strong points. That's why I left the Institute when I graduated.
"Lena? Lena Howlett?" Joan asked the small girl, who nodded reluctantly. "Can you come with us sweetie? We'll take you somewhere safe." she reached out to touch the girl and took her gently by the arm.
"Stay away!" shouted Lena, shrugging off Joan. "STAY AWAY!"
Suddenly Howlett could smell ozone. "Joan, get down!" he shouted and hit the ground, just avoiding one of a series of lightning bolts that erupted from Lena's body, which knifed through the air at random, setting fire to two trees and a patch of grass.
"STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY!"
We've got to get her out of here. Now." Joan observed as she blocked another lightning bolt with a force-shield. Any ideas?
Would Hogwarts do? Howlett asked, leaping to one side to avoid another lightning bolt loosed in his direction.
Yes. Why?
I've got an Emergency Portkey that'll take me t' the Entrance Hall in my pocket, I might be able t' get it on her.
Do it. ordered Joan and used a weak wandless Confundus Charm to disorient her.
Howlett nodded and then leaped towards the young girl, twisting in mid-air to avoid a jet of flame. "Sorry 'bout this kid. But we ain' got time fer no niceties." he told her as he scooped her up into his arm and yelled the activation charm, "Tempus Reditus!" A split second later, they disappeared in a flash of light.
----
When they reappeared in the empty Entrance Hall, Lena immediately passed out and Howlett ran up the main stair, taking them three at a time, not mean feat for a man of his height. "I've gotta get her t' the Infirmary pronto."
On the second floor he almost ran into two sixth-year Gryffindors, Prefect Kath Kazin and her boyfriend Michael Burke. "What's wrong sir?" asked Michael curiously.
"Nothin' yeh need worry about. Can yeh find Professor McGonagall and Professor Granger though?" they nodded. "Ask them t' meet me in the Infirmary." With that he took off at a run again and didn't stop until he reached the Infirmary. He shouldered the door open and quickly laid his still unconscious burden on one of the empty beds. "Bones, patient fer yeh!"
A young red-haired woman popped her head out of the adjoining office and then came blustling over. "No need to shout Mr Howlett. I could hear you just fine." Then she noticed Lena. "I take it she's the patient?"
Howlett nodded. "She's an orphan. Parents were killed in an attack last night. I investigated the attack on behalf the Order, no wizards were involved."
"Is she a witch?"
"She's certainly summat, I'm not sure what yet."
"I'll have to inform the Sanctuary of course."
"Firebird's probably already done that." Howlett added. "Professor Granger'll be around soon. She might be able to…"
"To what?" asked a stern, feminine voice from the door. "What was so urgent Howlett?"
Howlett turned to see that McGonagall and Hermione had arrived. He jerked his head towards Lena, who was still unconscious but being well tended by the Matron. "Phoenix asked me t' pick her up after her parents were killed in suspicious circumstances. He thought dark wizards might have been involved, they weren' though."
"So why pick her up?" asked Hermione, noting Lena's Muggle clothing.
"'Cause she's a Sanctuary case, at the very least she's a shaman Professor. When Firebird an' I approached her, she panicked an' nearly roasted us wit' fire and lightnin'."
"So you want me to check her aura? Try and determine exactly what she is?"
"If yeh wouldn' mind Professor." confirmed Howlett, Hermione nodded and crossed to Lena's bedside. "Can she stay here 'til everythin's sorted out Professor McGonagall?"
"Is she dangerous?"
"I reckon not. Long as she fells safe and stays calm."
"Make sure she does." admonished McGonagall and left, closing the door firmly behind her.
A few minutes later, the other two women finished with Lena and joined Howlett. "Well, what's the verdict?"
"She'll be fine. She is suffering from exhaustion, a sprained ankle and some minor cuts and bruises. I've given her a Healing Draft and some Dreamless Sleep Potion. She'll wake up fully healed by breakfast time."
"I'll be here."
"As you wish. I'll be in my office if you need me." said Madame Bones, "Let me know when she wakes."
Howlett nodded. "Professor Granger, what have you found out?"
"Well, my own findings were somewhat inconclusive." Hermione admitted, "She clearly has some sort of magic."
"No kidding Professor! I kinda figgered that out fer myself! 'Cause o' the fact that she threw fire and lightnin' bolts at me!"
"Yes, quite." said Hermione, slightly annoyed. "However, Sirius contacted me telepathically a few minutes ago, she is in the Book of Students, which makes her a witch. Her wandless magic's too powerful and frequent to be accidental though."
"Yeh got that right." confirmed Howlett, "I'll let Phoenix an' Joan know and ask them t'see if Professor MacTaggart can spare one'a her Examiners t' come over an' check her out."
"Good idea. You're going to stay with her?"
"Yep. She'll need t'see a familiar face when she wakes up."
"Okay, I'll see you at breakfast?"
"Probably. See yeh later." said Howlett, crossing to sit in a chair beside Lena's bedside.
"I could see if I can find something else for her to wear?" Hermione offered, pausing at the door.
"That'd be great Professor. We'll also need some money to get her some new things from the village."
Hermione nodded and left, grinning to herself.
----
When Lena regained consciousness, she was puzzled. She had no idea where she was and the last thing she could remember was being in Regent's Park… she'd been approached by two strangers and lost control again… then one of them, a man, had grabbed her and shouted something… then there'd been a flash of light and she'd passed out. She sat up, shaking her head to clear it, and feeling surprisingly good. She spotted Howlett immediately, "Hi."
"Hi kid. My name's James Howlett by the way. Most people call me Howlett or Orion."
"Where am I? How did I get here? And why don't I hurt all over?"
"Yer in the Hospital Wing o' the Hogwarts School o' Witchcraft an' Wizardry." Howlett told her, "Which should answer yer other two questions too."
"Magic?" Lena asked hesitantly.
"Yep. Got it in one kiddo." confirmed Howlett with a grin. "I've got it, the woman who was wit' me in the park, Joan Grayling, has it, and everyone else here has it too. Even you."
"Me?"
"Uh-huh."
"So the flames… the lightning… I'm not a freak, not abnormal?"
Howlett chuckled, "Yer no freak kid, unusual yeah but no freak." he assured her. "An' as fer yeh bein' abnormal, what's normal? I've met lotsa people in my long life an' most o' them've been all different from each other."
"How old are you?" asked Lena, Howlett looked about fifty to her but she had a feeling that this strange man was in fact older.
"Not sure exactly." he admitted. "The early years're a bit hazy, but Albus and I reckon I must be at least two hundred and thirty."
"Two hundred and thirty?"
"Give or take a decade."
"That's… old."
"Mmmmhmmm." agreed Howlett, "How yeh feelin'?"
"Fine actually." Lena told him, "When can I get out here?"
"As soon as the Matron checks yeh over."
"Can she do that now?"
"Don' see why not." decided Howlett. "Bones! She's awake!"
Madame Bones came out of her office, grumbling just loud enough for Howlett to hear. "No need to shout Mr Howlett. I could hear her." She promptly acceded to Lena's request and declared her fit to leave. "If you'll wait a few minutes someone will be along with some clothes for you. Mr Potter will meet you down in the village." She told the girl before returning to her office.
That reminded Lena of something. "What happened to my stuff, Orion?"
"Yer clothes weren' even worth repairin'. Any valuables that were on yeh when yeh arrived or were left at the park are in the cabinet beside yeh."
"What about my house? My mum and dad?"
Howlett paused for a moment, before deciding that his usual bluntness was probably as good as anything. "I'm sorry, but yer parents are dead Lena. Yer house is a wreck, there ain' nothing worth salvagin'."
"Where will I get the money for new stuff? I've only got about twenty quid!"
"Don' worry kid." Howlett told her. "The Foundation'll pay for it."
"The Foundation what's that?"
"It's a special account at Gringotts Wizard Bank fer sortin' out yer kinda problems." explained Howlett, "Professor Granger's getting some for us, then we can go down t' the village and get yeh sorted out wit' clothes an' stuff."
"Thanks. Are there many of us?"
"All part o' the job kid." Howlett told her, "There are quite a few of yeh. We've had some dark times o'er the las' thirty years but thing's are pretty quiet now."
Lena sat there silently digesting this for a moment and wondered how long it would be before the next surprise. In fact it was barely a minute – With a pop, two people popped out of thin air: One was fairly normal looking; a stocky six year-old boy with short, curly, red hair; the other made Lena gasp in surprise. The creature was tiny, merely three-feet tall with long, bat-like ears, saucer-sized brown eyes and a nose like a large tomato, she wore a dark blue skirt and hat with a paler blue blouse.
"What are you?!" blurted out Lena in surprise.
"Winky, miss. Winky the House Elf." replied Winky, bowing, apparently unfazed Lena's reaction. "Winky has your clothes and money, miss." She laid a small pile of clothes on the bed, and handed a small leather bag to Howlett. "Winky must go now miss, she has work to do. But she is sure to see you again miss. Goodbye!"
"Hello sir." said the boy, looking first at Howlett and then Lena, "Who is this?"
"Hi kiddo. Weasley, this is Lena Jung. Lena, this is James Weasley, he's the son of one of the Hogwarts professors." Howlett told him, "Lena was orphaned in an attack yesterday." Lena smiled at James, and then pulled the curtains tight around the bed to get changed.
"Was it dark wizards?"
"Nope." answered Howlett, "Muggles. Ones with powerful weapons but Muggles none the less."
James sighed with relief. "Are you going down to the village sir?" Howlett nodded. "Can I go with you? The twins are plotting something. Besides Lily said she'd be coming up with Uncle Harry next time he came up for a Quidditch match. And that's today."
"Long as it's okay wit' yer mother."
James nodded, "I've got to stick with you of course. Mum says Uncle Harry wants to talk to you about something."
"Probably Lena, and what'll happen to her." Howlett concluded.
----
Sure enough, when Harry and his daughter, a small wild-haired six year-old, caught up with Howlett, Lena and James in Gladrags Wizard Wear, Lena was the topic on Harry's mind. Lily joined her cousin and his new friend over in the robes section, while Harry and Howlett found a quiet corner. "Well sir, what gonna happen to her?" Howlett asked, concern clear in his rough voice.
"Unless anyone will take her in, she'll join the other orphans at the Sanctuary." Harry told him. "Do you know anyone?"
Howlett nodded, "I'd take her in sir."
"You?" Harry asked, though he didn't sound terribly surprised.
"Yes sir." Howlett shrugged, "I guess I feel sorry fer the kid, and she trust's me. She's gonna need that if she's t' recover." Howlett paused, "'Sides it'd do Weasley good t' have another kid his age around the place." He concluded and glanced over at the three kids who were now taking some of the more garish choices over to the fitting room.
"That's true." admitted Harry. "Hermione suggested that you might what to."
"And…?"
"As long as the other members of the Committee don't object… she can stay with you."
"Arthur Weasley and Longbottom?" Howlett snorted. "I doubt it."
"Mmmm. You're probably right." admitted Harry, "I'll get the necessary papers to you tomorrow."
"I've already got them, Firebird owled me a set when she got back to the office."
"Okay. The only question now is… Does she want to say with you?"
"She does." replied Howlett, grinning as Lena emerged smiling from the fitting room in a short yellow robe, over a bright-red t-shirt and shorts set.
Lena caught his eye and grinned back, "She does."
Finis.
A/N: The story continues in Lily Potter and the New Generation. Please R/R.