CHAPTER 3:

BLOODHOUND, BALALAIKA, BRITISH AND BS

Bringing in Balalaika was a mixed blessing. The Russian mafia queen (wearing her former Red Army officer's coat over her shoulders like a cape, her beautiful regal features marred by burn scars) saw fit to expose Roberta's true past to Garcia, though Garcia, thankfully, was able to cope once Roberta confessed her bloodsoaked past. He had declared that the Bloodhound was dead, and Roberta was all he wanted in a maid and a friend.

Balalaika then told Roberta she would take them both to be checked by her personal doctor, before they would be escorted to the airport. While the Lagoon Company took their car to Balalaika's HQ, Hal and Rica, on Balalaika's suggestion, travelled with her in a limo. Hal was sandwiched between two of the most dangerous women in Roanapur, a third sitting opposite him in a singed maid's outfit, a protective arm around her charge.

"I watched what happened while you were dealing with that rather obnoxious English man," Roberta said. "And then there was what you used to get Garcia and those mercenaries out of that bar. What was that?"

"Magic. Technically, I'm not supposed to tell you, but Roanapur is a bit of a blind spot where the law is concerned," Hal said.

"And your voice things? Why do you need those?" Garcia asked, before Rica and Hal both shot him a glare.

"Young master, it is rather rude to ask about such things," Roberta chided gently.

"The Sawyers have a rather painful past," Balalaika said. "They had been betrayed by family, and ended up here. You live a privileged life, young Garcia, and while the Sawyers' lives have not been the worst possible for children in Roanapur, they have been through things no child should go through. I am grateful that Mr Chang found them first, and not someone more depraved. Incidentally, Hal, a number of wizards have come to me asking after you, under your birth name, including one Albus Dumbledore. I was told by Mr Chang that you already know this."

"Shenhua paid us a visit to warn us," Rica buzzed.

"Well, I have a warning. Your father, I believe, is here. Rather a singularly unpleasant man. Dumbledore, for all his moralising self-righteous nature, is at least pleasant enough to talk to, and he actually seemed concerned about your whereabouts. Your father, however, seemed like a secretly dirty cowboy cop who had a secret uncovered. That, and he seemed infected by the fame your brother had, and that your late mother deserves more."

"Your mother died?" Garcia asked quietly.

"She was murdered protecting me from a wizard terrorist," Hal said. "Said terrorist tried to murder my brother and I, only for some ritual my mother set up to cause the curse he used to rebound."

"The Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra, normally breaks through all known magical barriers," Balalaika said. "The best defence is to dodge, or have a solid barrier between you and the curse. And yet, Lily Potter, formerly Lily Evans, found another way. Hal was four, and his brother one. Dumbledore made the declaration that Charles was the Boy Who Lived, as his innate magic was what caused the rebound, so he claimed. Both children had scars caused by the rebound. Charles had two parallel lines, like an equals sign, while you will have noticed the lightning bolt-like scar on Hal's forehead. Unfortunately, James Potter let the fame go to his head. I won't divulge the details of what happened next, though."

"You had no such compunctions about revealing my past," Roberta said coldly.

"Your charge deserved to know. That he accepts you in spite of that shows that my decision was a correct one," Balalaika retorted. "You know everything you need to know, and more besides, of the past of these two. I knew partly because Chang entrusted me with their pasts. Should you have need to come to Roanapur ever again, they would be useful allies. I have only seen them in combat once, when I asked Mr Chang for help with some fools muscling in on my organisation, but once is enough. Frederica has a bloodlust in battle that would put your old life to shame, and Hal, when he is roused to fight, strikes like a thunderbolt, from out of the blue."

Roberta looked at the walking stick currently sitting between Hal's knees. "Concealed weapon?" she asked. Hal nodded.

"Please do not demonstrate it, Hal," Balalaika said. "I could do without the lingering smell of cooked excrement in the limousine…"


While Roberta and Garcia were checked over by Balalaika's personal doctor, Rica and Hal were in the woman's office. "The British aren't going to take no for an answer," Balalaika said. "Somehow, they found out you were both still alive. Now, Dumbledore seemed concerned for your safety, and to be frank, not just from Voldemort. He suspects the truth about what Potter and Black did to you two fourteen years ago. But they also believe that Voldemort will attempt to target you."

Rica rolled her eyes. "We know this. Voldemort would definitely target Hal for death, or, given his link to me, recruitment. How did they find out we were still alive?"

"Actually, they seemed to only believe that Hal was still alive. Apparently there was a prophecy about Lily Evans producing someone with the power to destroy Voldemort. The wording was somewhat vague, and Dumbledore believed that it meant your younger brother, Hal, was the one in it. Except…he died."

Hal frowned. His brother was dead? That was something he had mixed feelings about. True, he detested being passed over…no, discarded in favour of his brother, but he didn't know what his brother was really like. He looked at Balalaika to elaborate.

"Charles had been tricked by a vision Voldemort sent him over a mental link they had. He believed that his father was being tortured in the Department of Mysteries in the British Ministry of Magic. He made his way there with some of his friends, only to find out he had been fooled. The Death Eaters were waiting in ambush for Charles to remove a prophecy regarding the Potter children and Voldemort…and attacked them. Charles was forced to sacrifice himself to save the others. However, the prophecy didn't become inactive. According to Dumbledore, they're supposed to become inactive once it is fulfilled, one way or the other, and the prophecy claimed that one of the enemies must fall by the other's hand. But as Charles was dead, Dumbledore took the prophecy's continued activation to mean that you were alive, and tried to track you down. Unfortunately, Voldemort's people noticed the same thing, according to a double agent Dumbledore has in the Death Eaters. All of which means, as far as Magical Britain is concerned, you are their messiah."

Hal snorted, and he laughed, insomuch as he could laugh without a larynx. Rica did the same thing. Balalaika smirked. "Oh, rest assured, I laughed as well." Her demeanour became stern and serious again. "But make no mistake, Dumbledore and the British Ministry are desperate to find you, and so too is Voldemort and his allies. I've stalled them, but given what you said about your confrontation in the Yellow Flag, they will make the connection between you and Harry Potter. The man was one of those who spoke with my men, a Severus Snape. Unpleasantly blunt and rude."

"I remember him," Rica said. "Black was always complaining about 'Snivellous'. He was apparently a Potions wunderkind. He also had a thing for your mother, Hal."

Hal sent back, sarcastically, over their link, Oh thank you. I needed that.

You're welcome. He didn't need to look at her to see the impish smile on her face.

"In any case, while it is really no concern of mine what goes on in Magical Britain, or yours for that matter, I doubt that these fools will take no for an answer, and Voldemort is not known to suffer defeats lightly. I would suggest discussing things with Mr Chang, and deciding what to do from there. I know you two are freelance, but Mr Chang and his organisation makes up most of your work. Personally, I would terminate that ophidian son of a bitch with, if you'll forgive the vulgar Hollywood term, extreme prejudice," Balalaika said. "Along with those inbred fools who follow him. Make sure that those who would dare raise a hand against you would whisper of your deeds in fear and awe for years…no, generations to come."

"We'll consider that," Rica said.


They soon left the Hotel Moscow base of operations, heading for the Triad's base. Over their link, Hal asked, What do you think?

Chang's permission or not, I think we're going to have to take the fight to those inbred morons, Rica sent back. Most of Magical Britain, I couldn't give a shit about, save maybe for the Muggleborns. They're going to get royally sodomised by Voldemort and his cronies…well, more than they are already by the Ministry. But now that Voldemort knows you're alive, that means he'll be coming after you. And…I'd bet he'd send my mother. Who tried to kill me because she thought I was a Squib, before I was 'rescued' by Sirius. Rica smiled in a lazy, but malicious manner. I'll be introducing her to Ash's Hand(1).

Can I make her soil herself with Mjolnir first? Hal asked.

If you hose her down afterwards, before I start working on her, sure… They looked up when they saw a familiar form walking down the street.

Said form was muttering quietly to herself, a mixture of Taiwanese Hokkien and choppy, broken English. "…Stupid English dog-man. Cut balls off next time. And cock. Make eat. Or have Sawyers turn him into dog forever, sell him to abattoir as mystery meat." Another few Hokkien expletives wafted their way.

Hal coughed quietly, enough to draw Shenhua's attention. Shenhua whirled, and then said, "Oh, hi! Sorry, I busy. You from around here? I not see you before."

The Sawyer Twins sniggered, before Hal took his electrolarynx and pressed it to his throat. "We met this morning, Shenhua. Remember?"

"Huh? I met you?" Shenhua blinked in confusion, tilting her head. She looked between Hal and Rica, before realisation came over her features. "No way, you Sawyer Twins?"

"You were expecting Abslom Daak and Annie Wilkes?" Rica snarked(2). "We need to see Chang about something. About the British mages who turned up."

"I see. Okay, I take you to Chang." As they walked off, Shenhua said to Rica, "All this time I thought you guy. I so embarrassed. Sorry. When Bao fix Yellow Flag, we have drink, yes? Bao tell me some maid messed up Yellow Flag good, along with Cartel. But I thought maids clean mess, not make mess."

Hal chuckled at Shenhua's confusion. "We'll tell you on the way…"


Back in Britain, the ophidian features of Lord Voldemort glared down at his followers, or rather, a small group of them, led by Bellatrix Lestrange. Their mission: seek, locate, and exterminate Harry Potter. Only then would the prophecy be rendered moot. Only then would Voldemort's ascendancy to where he belonged was completely assured, when he had Harry Potter's corpse strung up in Diagon Alley.

Severus had supplied the rough location: Roanapur, in Thailand. From there, they could track him down. And while Roanapur had something of a reputation in both magical and Muggle circles, Voldemort was supremely confident that he could handle anything, certainly criminal rabble who thought themselves kings and queens and emperors of such petty domains. Once Harry was killed, Voldemort would return to Roanapur and raze it to the ground. Not because he had any particular issue against the city itself, but because Potter had been there.

He also heard from Severus that there might be a possibility that Bellatrix's daughter might yet be alive. The Squib. Bellatrix, when the possibility was raised about her daughter's survival, seemed delighted at the chance to torment her and kill her.

Voldemort said to Bellatrix and her squad, "Remember, you will retrieve Harry Potter. I wish to kill him myself. Anyone who gets in your way is to be dealt with. And if you find your useless daughter to be there, then you may have her as a plaything."

Bellatrix grinned in a way that showed more teeth than mirth. "Thank you, my Lord."

"You may go, Bella. Remember, do not fail me. Let none stand in your way. Bring me back Harry Potter, alive." A faint, cruel smirk touched his lips. "Of course, he needn't be intact…"

As Bellatrix left with her squad, Voldemort knew he had signed the death warrants of many. But he didn't know it would be the death warrants of his own people…

CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Hal, Frederica, and Balalaika have discussed matters, and Voldemort's sent his killers to Roanapur. Lambs to the slaughter…

1. In reference to Ash Williams of The Evil Dead film series (and now a TV series), who, at one point, amputates his hand when it becomes possessed, and replaces it with a chainsaw.

2. Annie Wilkes, of course, is the antagonist from Misery, and tried to get a chainsaw at the very end of the original novel. Abslom Daak is perhaps more obscure unless you're a fan of Doctor Who, and know about the comics. Daak was a vicious criminal sentenced to death…or else become a Dalek Killer. He chose the latter. His weapon of choice was a chainsword, which is basically a chainsaw sword capable of cutting into Dalek armour.