July 2009:

"You want me to meet with whom? To do…what?" Lucas asked. "It is not kind of you to joke at 8 am, Harry."

"I want you to meet with the Ministry of Magic liaison from their law enforcement division, the Auror Corps. Name's Harry Potter." Sir Harry Pearce, head of Section D of MI5, leaned back in his chair, looking as cool as if he had just offered Lucas a cup of tea.

"Harry, are you having me on? What are you talking about? Magic? There's no such thing. Did the Russians or your Indian friend hit you too hard on the head and we missed it?"

"I assure you there is such a thing as magic, Lucas; I'm totally lucid. Adam used to be the liaison, but you know that he is still in the hospital and won't be back for awhile, if ever, while recuperating from the car bomb. I would rather Ros deal with the Home Secretary than wizards."

What did it say about him, Lucas, that Harry thought him more suited to liaise with wizards and magic than the Home Secretary? "So is this like Scotland Yard for wizards, this Auror Corps? And is Potter the head?"

"Aurors are a mix of Scotland Yard, MI5, and 6. Most of their issues tend to be internal and wizard-only, but things do occasionally spill over into our world, and vice-versa. They recently finished a nasty war with a terrorist bigot."

"Lovely." Lucas's voice was dry. "Do you have a file for me? And you didn't mention Potter's rank."

"Hmm, as far as I know, you and he are similar. Fairly young, though it would probably be better for you to get the whole story from him." Harry presented Lucas with a yellow Post-It. "Here's his mobile. You can set up a meet ASAP."

Lucas simply nodded and pushed himself out of the char. "Alright, Harry."

Harry waved a hand at Lucas, his mind already occupied with other thoughts. Lucas made his way back to out to his desk, staring at the sticky note as if it would burst into flame or fly away at any moment.

"You got wizard duty?"

The voice coming across the office was as dry as his, if a tad higher and, dare he say, a bit sweeter. "Ros." Lucas turned to stare at her, shaking his head as he did so. "You knew about this?"

"Oh yes. We've been called in on some cleanup efforts on that end. Not so different from our own terrorists, really. Specific rhetoric is different, but the ideas are the same. Adam use to liaise, but not with this guy, Potter. I think there has been some housecleaning of personnel over there."

"Indeed." Apparently he was going for one word replies today. Ros's blunt yet open statements intrigued him, however. "Why me?"

"Well," she said, hesitating for just a beat, "Apparently I'm too blunt. Who would have thought?" He did laugh at that, even as she glared at him. "It also probably has to do with the fact that I'm, in their words, a complete Muggle."

"A what?"

"A Muggle. Non-magical. Apparently both you and Adam have a little bit of Wizarding blood, and you were requested. Well, once they learned you had … been returned." Ros's voice got a tad softer. While he never got pity from her, after his debrief with her and Harry whenever Russia came up she was not quite as blunt. At least after she had tasered him while thinking he was a double agent.

"That is news to me. I have never even heard of the Wizarding World."

"It is not uncommon," Ros explained. "Apparently, people born in magical families that don't have magic are called 'Squibs,' and often turn to our world."

"I see. Well, let me send this guy a text and see what happens next. Are they based in London?"

"Yes." Ros tossed the word over her shoulder as she went to her desk.

Lucas spent the next few minutes composing his text message.

Auror Potter, my name is Lucas North, your new liaison with the intelligence services. Understand you are based in London. Name the time and place for a meet?

It was not five minutes before Lucas's phone buzzed to indicate a new text had come in.

Mr. North, a pleasure. May I suggest the Leaky Cauldron pub next to 48 Charing Cross Road? It straddles both worlds and you should have no problem getting in. 4pm today?

Though Lucas was unfamiliar with the name or address, after looking it up he discovered he had known the area quite well before his 'visit' to Russia as it was known for its bookshops. It was even fairly close to Thames House. He replied with a quick affirmation before leaning back in his chair to think. Wizards and magic? It all seemed too large of a stretch. Though as he thought about it, he realized that he knew nothing of his family's heritage beyond his grandparents, and even that was only on his father's side. His father's parents had both been orphaned at a young age and neither, as far as he knew, had ever talked about their birth families. His mother had never said anything about her parents, though he knew she had been raised by a maternal aunt.

He didn't have long to contemplate as Ruth interrupted him by putting a file on his desk. "Here are all the notes from Adam's time as liaison. Nothing from before that, I'm afraid."

"Thanks, Ruth." He flashed a small smile at her. He liked her much more than Connie and she was much better at the job. Lucas felt a kinship with her, though he couldn't put his finger on why.