"Sir, there's been another theft." Came a voice, matched by a face
both originating from the screen on his desk.
"And..." Harry prompted, sensing there was a bit more to the story.
"Well, could you come down to the operations room? We've discovered some fascinating information."
"Certainly, lieutenant."
Harry stood up, straightened his uniform and followed the all too familiar route, through a series of twists and turns that would take him to the main room.
"Ah, Harry, I think you'll be interested in this." It was Harry's second in command, Draco Malfoy.
Harry pulled out a chair across the table from where Draco sat, the room buzzing with activity, a slight more activity than normal, Harry noticed.
"Something to do with the new case, eh?"
"Stop reading my mind, you ruin everything." Draco laughed. "Yes of course, or else I would have left you to your oh, so important paperwork." Before continuing, Draco finished off his coffee, put the paper cup in the bin and made himself comfortable.
"Ready?"
"Quite. Now, last night we received a call from the Stonehenge Museum, some of their most priceless ancient artifacts have gone missing."
"Which is not really a surprise, now is it, Malfoy?"
"No, but the thrilling piece is, the artifacts had important runes on them. Which takes the case on an interesting turn. Before now, all of the stolen pieces were connected, on a similar theme, but none with inscriptions."
"So are you telling me that we're dealing with a different thief?"
"No, but after doing an international search on recent thefts, we've discovered something that would have helped us from the beginning." He paused to motion for another cup of coffee. "Which is that wizards in America have been experiencing a similar crime pattern. However, all of their stolen artifacts have contained runes. I think that no one has cared to identify or translate these runes and they probably have something important inscribed on them that will doom the whole world or something cliche like that."
"I see. So, have you contacted the yanks to discuss a joint operation."
"No, absolutely not." Draco snapped, haphazardly pushing the folder across the table to Harry. "I'm leaving that part up to you."
Harry, slightly alarmed by Draco's strange behavior, flipped open the folder. He scanned the first page which summerized exactly what he'd said. He paused when he reached the person in charge of the American investigation. "Rowan?"
Draco grumbled but made no real reply.
"I'll take care of it right away." Harry said aloud, "you're such a pain in the ass."
***
The soft buzzing of the telephone dragged Rowan back into reality. She looked down at what she had been doing and seeing the same file that had practically burned it's image into her brain, she folded it up and slid it to the far corner of her desk. After several rings, she pressed the speaker button, too lazy to actually pick it up and casually put her feet up on her desk.
"Colonel Rowan MacDermott." She mumbled.
"Ah, Rowan. It's so bloody brilliant to hear your voice." Came a deep, male voice, one she easily remembered from her past.
"Harry Potter, what a fabulous surprise."
"You knew me at once...and it's not Harry Potter, it's Chief Potter, if you please."
"Oh, give it a rest. No time for formalities. How are you?"
"I'd say great and would love to bullshit with you for hours, but truth is, we've got a problem here. A problem that could sure use your help."
"Where exactly is here?"
"The International Wizarding Organization, the London office."
"You've got to be kidding."
"I almost never kid. As one of the most important officials in the Intelligence Division, I'm supposed to be, intelligent...if you will." Harry replied, with a false matter of fact tone.
"Potter, you haven't changed, but since it's business you called for, it's business you'll get."
"It has recently come to my attention that we've, the London and New York offices, have been investigating almost the same case."
"Which one?"
"The random artifacts one."
"Oh, good God, this case follows me everywhere."
"Rowan, I promise, if you help us, that'll stop."
"What do I need to do?"
"Send us an operative, someone with knowledge of the case, I'll send one of mine...that way we can share information, work together to an extent and get to the bottom of this."
"Sounds like a fab idea. I'd say that my operative will be there later tonight. When can I expect mine?"
"Shortly. Rowan, I expect to hear from you frequently, whether it is about the case or not...and remember time heals all things. Potter out."
"Time heals what?" Rowan tried to asked, but the call ended with a click. "You prat. Just who is he sending...?"
"And..." Harry prompted, sensing there was a bit more to the story.
"Well, could you come down to the operations room? We've discovered some fascinating information."
"Certainly, lieutenant."
Harry stood up, straightened his uniform and followed the all too familiar route, through a series of twists and turns that would take him to the main room.
"Ah, Harry, I think you'll be interested in this." It was Harry's second in command, Draco Malfoy.
Harry pulled out a chair across the table from where Draco sat, the room buzzing with activity, a slight more activity than normal, Harry noticed.
"Something to do with the new case, eh?"
"Stop reading my mind, you ruin everything." Draco laughed. "Yes of course, or else I would have left you to your oh, so important paperwork." Before continuing, Draco finished off his coffee, put the paper cup in the bin and made himself comfortable.
"Ready?"
"Quite. Now, last night we received a call from the Stonehenge Museum, some of their most priceless ancient artifacts have gone missing."
"Which is not really a surprise, now is it, Malfoy?"
"No, but the thrilling piece is, the artifacts had important runes on them. Which takes the case on an interesting turn. Before now, all of the stolen pieces were connected, on a similar theme, but none with inscriptions."
"So are you telling me that we're dealing with a different thief?"
"No, but after doing an international search on recent thefts, we've discovered something that would have helped us from the beginning." He paused to motion for another cup of coffee. "Which is that wizards in America have been experiencing a similar crime pattern. However, all of their stolen artifacts have contained runes. I think that no one has cared to identify or translate these runes and they probably have something important inscribed on them that will doom the whole world or something cliche like that."
"I see. So, have you contacted the yanks to discuss a joint operation."
"No, absolutely not." Draco snapped, haphazardly pushing the folder across the table to Harry. "I'm leaving that part up to you."
Harry, slightly alarmed by Draco's strange behavior, flipped open the folder. He scanned the first page which summerized exactly what he'd said. He paused when he reached the person in charge of the American investigation. "Rowan?"
Draco grumbled but made no real reply.
"I'll take care of it right away." Harry said aloud, "you're such a pain in the ass."
***
The soft buzzing of the telephone dragged Rowan back into reality. She looked down at what she had been doing and seeing the same file that had practically burned it's image into her brain, she folded it up and slid it to the far corner of her desk. After several rings, she pressed the speaker button, too lazy to actually pick it up and casually put her feet up on her desk.
"Colonel Rowan MacDermott." She mumbled.
"Ah, Rowan. It's so bloody brilliant to hear your voice." Came a deep, male voice, one she easily remembered from her past.
"Harry Potter, what a fabulous surprise."
"You knew me at once...and it's not Harry Potter, it's Chief Potter, if you please."
"Oh, give it a rest. No time for formalities. How are you?"
"I'd say great and would love to bullshit with you for hours, but truth is, we've got a problem here. A problem that could sure use your help."
"Where exactly is here?"
"The International Wizarding Organization, the London office."
"You've got to be kidding."
"I almost never kid. As one of the most important officials in the Intelligence Division, I'm supposed to be, intelligent...if you will." Harry replied, with a false matter of fact tone.
"Potter, you haven't changed, but since it's business you called for, it's business you'll get."
"It has recently come to my attention that we've, the London and New York offices, have been investigating almost the same case."
"Which one?"
"The random artifacts one."
"Oh, good God, this case follows me everywhere."
"Rowan, I promise, if you help us, that'll stop."
"What do I need to do?"
"Send us an operative, someone with knowledge of the case, I'll send one of mine...that way we can share information, work together to an extent and get to the bottom of this."
"Sounds like a fab idea. I'd say that my operative will be there later tonight. When can I expect mine?"
"Shortly. Rowan, I expect to hear from you frequently, whether it is about the case or not...and remember time heals all things. Potter out."
"Time heals what?" Rowan tried to asked, but the call ended with a click. "You prat. Just who is he sending...?"