Chapter 2. Arrival and First Steps
When the feeling of being pulled across long distance stopped John found himself just outside London. Even though John landed perfectly he still felt really queasy from the portkey, after all they really should not be used to travel from one country to another. Knowing the portkey was most likely detected by the Ministry of Magic here in Britain, John apparated to Charing Cross Road. Upon arrival John noticed the Leaky Cauldron, a pub he was told about by Jackson. John entered the pub and asked the barkeep, who's name was Tom, for a table in a private area. After waiting at his table for 30 minutes, a man he recognized as Jackson sat down across from him.
"You're late," Jackson said as he sat down. Just as he scooted his chair in Jackson felt a wand poking his gut.
"Where did we first meet," asked John, still aiming his wand at Jackson ready to kill him if it was someone else in disguise.
Jackson look at the wand and chuckled before he spoke. "We first met in a bar in Atlanta, Georgia four years ago. I over heard you and Megan talking about equality for all magical people. I walked over to you and said I wanted the same thing. After a few drinks you two started to trust me and told me about your group, I signed up as soon as you said 'equality or death', nice quote by the way."
Before putting his wand away, John cast a privacy spell and spoke. "Good to see you Jackson, any place we can speak about more sensitive topics?"
"There is a place I found we can use for our base here, I've got the primary wards and siege wards in place, all we need is the Fidelius Charm," Jackson replied. "It's a town house here in London, I've expanded the inside with magic and runes. The address is number 7 Grimmauld place."
"Number 7 because it is a magical number or because it was available?"
"Both, but lets speak more there."
John and Jackson stood and headed for the exit. Disapparating in an alley near the pub, they arrived at their destination.
"We need a secret keeper we can trust but have not live here and I don't know of anyone that fits that criteria," said Jackson, knowing that the rules of the charm required that the secret keeper cannot be within the secret for more than 24 hours, as the secret cannot be hidden within the secret itself.
"We'll find someone eventually, for now the wards will do," replied John. The two proceeded to enter the house. The entry hallway was long with a door on the left half way down. At the end of the hall was a curving, almost spiral staircase that led to the upper floors and a nook that had two doors. Jackson explained that the door straight ahead led to the dining room while the door to the left led down to the kitchen. The door in the hallway which led to the living room was one of two, the second one was near the staircase that led to the bedrooms.
After the tour was concluded John checked his watch, seeing he had to get on with the other tasks he need to complete before their first raid, he bid Jackson farewell, went outside and disapparated to the Ministry's visitors entrance. Stepping inside the phone booth John dialed the Ministry's number and a disembodied voice asked for his name and purpose. Giving a false name of Ian Kane, John stated his purpose of visiting the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. After taking the badge the phone released the booth proceeded to lower into the Ministry's atrium. John, after checking in with the security desk using a secondary wand, was directed to the lifts and got off at level two. Making his way to the Improper Use of Magic Office, John used human transfiguration to disguise himself and used a point me spell to find his way to a records office. Upon arrival John now had to put his skills to the test, especially if he had to fight his way out of the Ministry, seeing a beautiful brunette woman at the desk, he proceed to chat here up and flirt his way to look at the list of 'Muggle-borns' in the country. Hoping Megan would forgive him later, John managed to get the list from the girl as well as the names and addresses of the muggle raised students of Hogwarts and other schools in the country.
After acquiring the list, John dropped it off and #7 and apparated to Diagon Alley. As John was walking down the all, he came to a sudden stop as a beautiful woman with long blond hair ran straight into him, knocking both of them to the ground.
"I'm sorry," said the blond woman as John helped her up from the ground. "I'm wasn't watch where I was going."
That's alright," John replied "Are you in a hurry somewhere?"
"No… well yes, my boss needs me to rush an order for more boomslang skin and the owl is already out delivering more order forms."
"Do you work for a potion maker," John asked the woman.
"Yes, she's pretty strict… oh! I'm sorry, where are my manners, my name is Penelope Clearwater," the Woman replied.
"A pleasure to meet you Penelope, I'm John Kensworth, I'm visiting from America to see the difference between your Ministry and MACUSA."
"Nice to meet you John, I wish I could stay and chat but I really need to get these order forms delivered, but I can meet you at the Leaky Cauldron in 10 minutes since this is the last thing I have to do today."
"Sounds good Penelope, I will get a table and meet you there," John said in reply. Penelope said goodbye and took off down the alley at high speed just as she was before the two of them crashed into each other. John chuckled and headed down the alley to the pub he was in earlier that day. He quickly cast a Tempus spell and saw it was nearly 6:00 in the evening. He sent a Patronus message to Jackson say why he was going to be late. John got a table at the pub and ordered a butterbeer. 10 minutes later Penelope came in, saw him and made her way over and promptly sat down appearing out of breath. She herself ordered a butterbeer and took a sip before she spoke.
"So John, you said you wanted to see the differences between your government and ours. What have seen so far, if anything?," Penelope asked.
"I haven't seen many things but I have noticed some subtleties. For instance, I noticed most if not all the high ranking members of the Ministry are either Pure-bloods or Half-bloods," John replied in hoping to steer the conversation in a direction that he could get answers about her blood status and her opinion of the injustices in Magical Britain.
Penelope feeling slightly uncomfortable at the question hesitated before replying. "I don't want too speak ill of certain people because of my job, but it is a real problem over here. I got seven N.E. all either Os or EEs and I could get a low level position in the Ministry, but after asking several Muggle-borns in the Ministry they said I shouldn't get take a job there because getting a promotion is a lot harder for us. That's how the Pure-blood Supremacists keep us in line. Even my boss who is a Pure-blood is unjust, but she hides it well. I am supposed to be an 'apprentice' but all she makes me do is administrative work and never lets me brew potions. I mean I got an O on my potion N.E.W.T and had the highest score of all who took it but I'm treated like crap and will never become a Potions Mistress."
Penelope while reluctant at first soon saw her reply turn into a rant, much to Johns amusement. He had talk to No-Maj-borns like Penelope before each with a similar complaint. John seeing potential in Penelope decided to see if he could recruit her. "Do you believe that changing the dynamic of your country will come by negotiating new laws or do you believe that isn't and option that will work?" he asked her.
"I think if new laws could change this they would have already been put in place, so no I don't believe that is an option, why what are you suggesting, that we fight for our rights?"
"That's exactly what I am suggesting. Think about it, in the last war here in Britain the dark wizard who was leading the Pure-blood Supremacists, Voldenot or whatever his name was, came close to winning, it was only that he was killed that caused his followers to lose the war. A cause like fighting for the rights of No-Maj-borns won't be won through politics when the guilty parties control the government or at least it won't be won in your lifetime. The No-Majs in my country proved it when they won their revolution," John replied, trying to make his point.
"Perhaps you're right," said Penelope "But how would one go about fighting for such rights. Where would I start?"
"Well, as it so happens I am the place to start. My Fiancé Megan and I revived a similar movement from the mid 1700s. My arrival goal is to wage a war for equality if need be. Jackson, a friend and member of the movement is at our base getting us setup. You would be the first recruit if you chose to join. It's up to you," John replied.
"If I join what would you want me to do? I'm not a fighter."
"You don't have to be. You can make potions for us and be one of the leaders of this sect of the movement, but I would ask something big from you, which you can say no to."
"I will join as you offered but what is this big thing you would ask of me," Penelope asked curiously.
"That is better explained at our base. If you would follow me out and take my arm I will apparate us there," John replied, as well as noticing a look of nervousness on Penelope's face as he said this.
Penelope waited on the muggle side of the Leaky Cauldron for John as he paid for the drinks. When John came out she followed him down a back alley. She hesitated when prompted to take his arm for apparating. Apparition always made her unusually queasy, not wanting to throw up her breakfast and lunch she turned to face him and asked. "Can we take some other method of transportation, apparating is especially bad for me."
"I suppose we could take another form of transport, one I am weary of showing you in public because it is very useful and not well known," said John. Taking a moment to figure out how to explain. "It's called fumation, it's similar to apparating in that one can go from place to place instantaneously. When using it one quite literally becomes smoke. The color of the smoke ranges from white to black. The more corrupt your soul is from use of heavy dark magic such as the unforgivable curses, the darker the smoke is, most dark wizards have a completely black fumation form. The other downside is it take a lot more power than apparition. A person can also use it to fly, though the witch or wizard cannot use magic and a wand unless they are powerful enough to keep their head and arms corporeal."
"Does it make one queasy?"
"Not at all but it is a strange feeling. Now take my arm."
Penelope grabbed John's arm and held on tight not knowing what to expect. Both John and Penelope became a gray colored smoke that seemed in perfect balance between white and black, the rose up off the ground fast and dissipated just as quickly, leaving only the dark foreboding alley behind.