A/N- This is a cross-over fic with the book series Nightlife, by Rob Thurman. For those of you already familiar with the series, the idea of putting Niko and Cal in Hufflepuff (because their loyalty to each other is outmatched only by their suspicion of others) and Promise and Robin in Slytherin (because to have lived as long as they have- Robin especially- and have the kind of life style they do, they have to be ambitious and cunning) came from my frustration with how so many people WRONGLY stereotype the personality traits of people in the different houses. You'll see how I deal with the age problem in a few chapters. Also, let me know how well I'm keeping them in character? These guys are just to damn cool to do them the disservice of making them out of character.
THIS FIC IS NOT OOTP COMPLIANT! J.K. killed one of my two favorite characters, so I'm bringing him back. Don't like it? Tough. My fic, I'll do as I please. tee-hee. This will go AU starting w/ the summer after fifth year.
That should be everything.
Disclaimer- J.K. Rowling owns everything. I'm just playing on her playground.
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And here I thought we'd seen and heard it all. Vampires, werewolves, two-headed werewolves, revenants, troll, boggle, redcap… The list goes on. So yeah, I thought there was nothing left that would surprise me. Boy was I wrong.
"Magic. Seriously? As in all that Harry Potter, wave of the magic wand and all your dreams come true bullshit? That magic?"
My brother didn't glare at me- he didn't have to. A single level look my way and I took the hint and shut up. Niko turned back to the client.
"Though I would have said it differently, he is right. The idea of magic actually existing is a bit of a stretch."
The client, a Mr. Thomas Jordan, grinned. "I thought you might say that. Care for a demonstration?" Without waiting for a reply, he pulled a small length of wood from his sleeve and pointed it at a paperweight on his desk.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
And the paperweight began to rise. Niko the unflappable just raised an eyebrow and looked to Promise. With a slight nod, she took off her bracelet and put it on the desk, then turned to Mr. Jordan with an expectant look. He just smiled again, waved what I now realized was his wand, said the spell, and up the bracelet went.
Niko nodded at the man. "Impressive. But I must admit I am still not entirely convinced."
The smug smile he got in return could lead to nothing good. Jordan pointed his wand in Nik's direction, said some words combined with a complicated looking wrist movement, then sat back.
I tried. Honest to God, I tried as hard as I could. I knew if I said anything Niko would kick my ass and, as he already did that on a regular basis under the guise of training me, I was not anxious to add another make-Cal-eat-dirt session to my near future. I lasted all of about two seconds, then busted up laughing.
"Like the look, Cyrano. New, trendy, and so you; I think you should keep it."
Niko didn't bother to look my way as he grabbed a shoulder length lock of used-to-be blond hair and examined the neon fluorescent pink color. Expression still perfectly neutral and composed he turned amiable grey eyes back to the client. "Neat trick. I suggest you reverse it." The tone was conversational, but only an idiot wouldn't hear the threat lying just beneath the surface and Jordan was no idiot. Getting his shit-eating grin somewhat under control, Jordan waved his wand, said the magic words, and Niko was a blond again.
"Was that convincing enough for you?"
"Quite. What do you need us to do?" Ah, yes. Niko, the master of practicality- his mind made up about the existence of magic, he moved right to the point. Of course, when you run a bodyguard and detective gig for New York City's supernatural underworld, practicality is a good thing. It quite frequently keeps you alive.
"If there's one thing wizarding society can agree on, it's that we need to remain hidden from muggles- people without magic. Because of this there are quite a few restrictions on where and when you can, and cannot, use magic. Mid-day in the middle of Central Park is a "not". Especially when it's the killing curse and you kill three muggles. There's been a string of incidents like this over the past month. We think it's the same person, but we're stretched thin as it is and just don't have the time to find one person out of the thousands that live here. You three came highly recommended, so we would like to hire you to find out who it is that's doing this. Once you have enough information to go after them, let me know when you want to do it and I'll have a team of aurors help you. We are willing to pay twenty thousand up front and another twenty once the job is done. Double if we have whoever it is in custody within a month. The sooner we get this guy, the better.
"You would be given complete access to any resources you need for the length of the job and a thorough briefing on magic, the wizarding world, how to defend yourselves against magic since you're muggles, and anything else you might need. Also, you will be provided with protections against all blockable curses; anything we can do to give you an edge over whoever this is. Any questions?"
"Why are your people stretched so thin?" This came from Promise, the lavender eyed vampire speaking for the first time.
"There's a war going on over in Britain. Some guy named Voldemort is hell-bent on taking over there, killing all muggles and muggle-born witches and wizards, then using Britain as a base to take over the rest of the world. Now that that idiot Fudge is out of office we can send people over there without the assurance of them dying due to inept leadership, so all but a skeleton crew of aurors- kind of like wizarding police- to keep things under control here at home have been shipped over seas to help in the war effort. Voldemort is unimaginably powerful and completely psychotic; they need all the help they can get."
"What do you intend to do with the suspect once they are apprehended?" Niko asked. He may do what he needs to in order to protect his little brother, but he has the morals of a saint and God help anyone that tries to get him to break them.
Jordan smirked a little at that. "They will be tried by a jury, just like any other criminal suspect would be. All laws pertaining to the judiciary system are the same as the rest of the country's. The only difference is that we have Veritaserum. It's a truth serum the wizarding world uses in order to ensure that a person tells the truth," he added at my curious look.
There was a pause as Jordan looked at us for any more questions. Promise and Niko looked at each other then turned back to him. "We'd like to take a day or two to see if we have any more questions for you before we commit, but I believe we can help you. How can we contact you ?" Promise asked.
Jordan flashed a relieved smile as he reached for a card he'd had sitting on the corner of his desk. He handed it to Nik as he answered. "This has my cell, work, and home phone number as well as my email address. The sooner we get this guy the better, so please feel free to call me anytime, day or night. If someone else here at work answers and says I'm busy just tell them your name and what it's about and they'll come get me. Is that it?"
Nik nodded and stood, shaking Jordan's hand when he stood as well, then we headed out the door, making our way back to the reception area and outside. Hissing as the sunlight burned into my eyes, I reached into my jacket pocket and put on my sunglasses. Why am I wearing a jacket in the middle of a New York summer, you ask? Because Niko would kill me if I left the house unarmed. "Always be prepared" may not be tattooed on my brother's ass, but it's a near thing.
"If you bothered to get out of bed before three in the afternoon, you'd find yourself better able to handle a little sunlight, little brother. Even Promise handles it better than you," Nik said as he helped his girlfriend into the back of her limo, mindful of the cloak she wore to keep the sunlight from touching her skin. Direct sunlight may not send a vampire up in flames like it does in the movies, but it will leave a nasty burn. Nik slid in beside Promise and I got in last.
Promise and Niko discussed dinner plans for the next night, as Nik had class tonight, for a bit before the conversation turned back to the job.
"I think you should take it, Niko. It sounds like they are being entirely upfront about everything, and it would pay well," Promise said.
Niko gave what for him qualified as a smile (more a change in his eyes than an actual, physical smile) before saying "I see no reason not to, I just want to talk to Robin, see what if any information he has on the wizarding world, before we make a decision."
Promise nodded. "Would you like me to have Michael drop you off at Robin's office?"
"Yes, thank you."
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As usual, Robin already knew that magic existed and was more than willing to share his many escapades with various witches and wizards with anyone willing to listen. Or not willing, he didn't care either way so long as he could brag.
"And I swear they must have some spell to help their size out. I've yet to see a guy not well endowed, and believe me I have seen a lot of them. Why-"
"Hey, Loman," I snapped. "Can it with the wild romps and orgies. I just ate."
Robin pouted at me then turned to my brother with a smile in one of his lightning quick, mercurial mood swings.
"I'd have to ask around if you want any further information, but I say take the job. It can't hurt."
You know, when someone says something that turns out to be spectacularly wrong it's usually me. This time it was Robin. Looking back, I can almost throttle him for saying that. But at the time we agreed with him, so the next day Nik called Thomas Jordan and said we'd take the job. I wonder how much he regrets doing that now?
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Harry set his trunk down at the foot of his bed at Grimmauld Place with a grin. It was only three weeks into the summer vacation after fifth year and he was already free of the Dursleys. Dumbledore had given him permission to stay with Sirius at Grimmauld Place for the rest of the summer, which meant not only was he getting to escape the Dursley's house early, he would also get to see Ron and Hermione most of the summer, as they were both staying here the entire vacation as well.
Knowing he had a while before anyone would come looking for him, Harry went to his trunk and took out his half of the parchment he and Draco had spelled with the Correspondence charm so they could write to each other without arousing suspicion. Unbeknownst to anyone, Draco had called for a cease-fire halfway through their third year. They had kept the rivalry going so Draco's father wouldn't find out, but the two had become fast friends. The following years had only seen their friendship grow stronger and Harry knew that if he were being completely honest, he was closer to Draco than he was Ron and Hermione. Draco understood having to live up to someone else's perfect image of you better than Ron or Hermione ever could, and he also understood and accepted Harry's darker side in a way that his first two friends would never be able to. Not that they weren't still two of his best friends, they were, he was just able to be more honest with Draco about some things than he could with them.
Draco, you there?
It took about ten minutes for Draco to respond, and Harry waited patiently.
Yes. I only have a few minutes, though. Mother and I have meetings with more business partners in the various Malfoy investments. How's the summer so far? Have the Dursley's been treating you ok?
Harry smiled and happily settled in to writing with his best friend. Things were pretty typical, but I'm not there anymore. Dumbledore's letting me stay with Sirius, the Weasley's and Hermione for the rest of the summer; I just got in. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the vacation a lot more now.
That's good to know. I have to go. I'll write to you later tonight. What time will you be free?
Plan on midnight, since I'm not sure how late Ron and Hermione are going to want to stay up talking. Try not to fall asleep in the meetings.
Prat. I'm a Malfoy. I don't fall asleep during important business meetings, only Potter's do that. And midnight sounds fine. Talk to you then.
Bye.
Harry said the trigger phrase for the parchment to erase itself and put it in the drawer of the nightstand next to his bed. He had just shut it when he heard pounding footsteps coming down the hallway before Ron burst through his door.
Grinning, Harry went to greet his best friend. It was shaping up to be a wonderful summer.
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So. Let me know what you think. Good, bad, have no clue? I'll give the first few chapters a go, but whether I continue past that will depend on the response I get (so if you want to see more, please tell me. You only have to once, I swear. And no, I'm not fishing for reviews, I honestly want to know). Toodles for now.