Chapter 5: Drinks And Old Stories

Ministry of Magic Atrium.

The whole fuzz on the Law Enforcement Department gave Hunter a good headache. It passed 8:00 PM and people from the night shift started to arrive. Harry released his team, ordering everyone to be on the office early next morning. Hunter left the office and went down to the Atrium. There were probably guidance's gave to the employees to not address to Hunter, because everybody looked at wherever he went, but didn't address him.

Harry gave Hunter some galleons and sikles so he could stablish himself and buy some clothes, since he left all his stuff on his house near the army base in Credenhill. He was still wearing his army uniform. Hunter took the elevator to the Atrium to leave that place and get some rest. On the lobby, he stopped near a stand. The major (and minor) newspaper were all talking about the same issue: "Stephen Hunter Returns After 17 years missing", "The Raven ins Back: Why?", "Has the Raven Passed to the Dark Side?", "A Warm welcome to an old Hero. Or is it an Old Defier?". Some of them, like the Daily Prophet showed in the first page along with the headlines a giant picture of Hunter disarming and immobilizing the Judge Yates.

- You made quite an impression – Patricia Sweeney was standing next to him.

- Well, they called for it. Where are you going?

- Uh, home I suppose...

- I need drink. We can go togheter, maybe you can show the best spots in the town – said Hunter with jerk smile.

- I don't think so "Raven"- she said the last word full of irony.

- Ah, cmon, it wont take long. Take it as busnissens meeting. We police work to discuss.

She heisted for a moment and sighted.

- Alright, lets go to a more reserved place. It wont be good to my image being seen with you.

- Capital!

Patricia took Hunter too na old pub a few blocks from the Minsitry. The place was located in a main street of London but, as like Leaky Cauldron, the building looked like an old store to muggles.

- This is the "Jack Skirmisher". Most of its costumers are aurors or members of law enforcement. We shall have no problem here.

- I liked it.

The room was not very large, but its center was pretty much emptied except for a pool table and some dartboards on the end. Many tables were spread through the room wall and there was a balcony with a few stools near the entrance. There were a few people so the place looked very quiet. Hunter recognized one or two people from the Ministry. Hunter and Patricia sat on a corner table they could barely been seen.

- What you going to drink Hunter?

- Scotch.

- What?

- Scotch.

- I don't know what this is – she raised her hand to ask for the bartender. An old man, with a bald head, wearing weird glasses, came to them.

- Hello miss Sweeney, how are you?

- Im fine Harold, thank you. This gentleman here, if he can be called that, wish a scotch.

- Ah scotch. Its muggle drink – he said near them with his left hand covering his mouth – I got a secret stash. Many Wizards love it, especially aurors, I can bring you a glass. For the right price of course, those stuff are not easy to get.

- The price wont be a problem, bring two glasses. Neat for me and with two rocks for the lady. She will accompany me on this one – he blinked to Patricia.

Harold nodded and went to a backdoor near the balcony.

- So, Patricia, I would never imagine you hanging up in this kind of place.

- I don't usually, but this is one of the best. This place is a dream compared to other pubs.

- Well, I don't want to know what kind of places I've been before.

- You said you needed to discuss work business – she said bluntly – What do you want to talk about?

- Uau, your very direct. I think this could be more informal, you know, just two mates knowing each other.

- This is not a date. Not even in your wildest dreams.

Harold arrived, carrying two scotches as Hunter ordered.

- Thank you Harold – said Patricia.

Hunter raised his glass in a toast.

- Cheers.

She replied and took a sip. As she swallowed the drink, her eyes opened widely and she immediately spited the scotch.

- In Merlin's name what is this thing? – She yelled.

Hunter couldn't stop smirking.

- This his good stuff. Which brand is this Harold?

- That is a Talisker, sir. 10 years.

- Ah! I knew it. This is good stuff Patricia, you shouldn't waste it.

- Oh no! you can have it. Im fine.

- Well, better for me – Hunter pulled her glasses to his side – So, as we were saying…

- Yes…

- You want to talk about work, fine. Let's do this. Tell me. Potter said you work for the International Magic Office of Law right?

- That's correct.

- Do you work wi…

- Yes.

- I haven't finished, how do you know what I was asking?

- Yes, Hunter. I work with your father.

- You are not there to oversee our work aren't you? You are there to spy me on my father's behalf.

- Actually im doing both. Killing two bird with one rock.

- At least your are honest – Hunter swallowed all his cup content and grabbed Patricia's glass – What you do for him exactly?

- I'm his chief of Staff.

- For how long?

- I've been working with him for three years. When he was promoted, he took me with him and gave me the job. He trusts me.

- Good for you.

- He talked about you a few times, you know?

- Really? What did he said.

She looked to him for a few moments; her mouth twisted a little bit, them she took her glasses off. Hunter took a good look at her mysterious grey eyes. She was looking gorgeous on that low light environment.

- He never stopped looking for you. When he took place as Foreing Minister he saw the opportunities to gather more information with conections along other countries. He especiaclly asked me to make a dossier about you, including every event that happened before you run away.

- I bet you found a lot of interesting stuff about me.

- I don't know…your life in Hogwarts seemed very boring.

- What?! – he almost screamed, than he laughed – Shit, I guess wasn't the best time of my life.

- But you had excellent grades, too be fair. Five outstanding grades on your N.E.W.T.s, that's impressive. You could have had a great carreer.

- Well, I'm Ravenclaw stuff. We are the most underrated house. Never understood why, maybe because people love to suck Gryffindor's balls. Which house did you went?

She smiled with some triumph on her face.

- Oh shit, please don't.

- Why all the hatred with our beautiful noble house?

- Why? Because those people are a bunch of arrogant assholes who thinks they are the greatest thing in the planet. Slytherin is a home was scumbags and all the trash you can find in the magic UK, but at least they know they are lowlifes. I actually respect them. I would done okay there.

- I can't say I'm surprised. If I didn't knew or why were the Hat you I would sent you there. Or maybe send you to live with muggles. It seems to suit you.

- Why not? Muggle world is much better than ours, but we are so full of ourselves that we can't picture that. We keep treating them in a condescending way, when we don't have nothing to offer them. They don't need us.

- What is so great about them? I mean what you guys do?

- Many things. I can spend hours talking about the advantages of living among them. I can watch cool movies, play cards for money, fight for money, drive incredible machines, watch an Arsenal football game or go to a Spice Girls concert.

- I have no idea what you're talking about.

- How not?! "Colors of the world spice up your life! Every boy and every girl spice up your life! People of the world spice up your life! ahhhhhh "- Hunter sang in his thick voice in a terrible imitation of "Spice Posh".

Patricia let out a hearty laugh with that ridiculous scene.

- Ah. So you're human after all.

- You are such a dork!

Hunter finished the second glass. He raised his hand for Harold, asking for one more.

- How can you drink that? Its awful.

- Honey, this bloody drink is the only think keeping me alive and kicking.

- You sound very depressed.

- Life is a piece of shit anyway. You don't look much younger than me. When did you got in Hogs?

- Three years after you.

- Were you there when it happened?

- I wasn't. My father made me return home before the attack.

- Smart girl.

A silence took place. They stared at each other.

- Why did you do it Hunter? – she said bluntly.

He took a long breath and sipped from the glass just brought from Harold. The conversation just went from a happy chat to a much darker path

- I don't know – Hunter was looking at content of the glass, circling his finger around its edge – I guess I snapped.

- How is that?

Hunter took another sip and lighted a cigarette. He took a long inhale.

- I had a girlfriend, you probably have it on my file you arranged. She was the best thing that happened on my life. I was very different back them. I was very shy – he drinked againd – I must understand that I wasn't in the top of my game, you know? But changed later, I can pick up any woman I wa…

- I know – she smiled – please continue.

- Anyway. On that day, we were kind of scattered around Hogwarts – he knew he was lying big time. He couldn't look on Patricia's face – when I found her on the battlefield it was too late. She died at my arms. That was the trigger. I got a weird mix of emotions: sorrow, sadness, but also angry and rage. Them I did it. I strike them back as hard as I could. I wanted them to pay for what they did. For what they took it from me.

He drinked from the glass and smoked again. He was staring at the tables looking for the right words. Patricia was paying so much attention that her body was leaning towards him. Hes face lost all the confidence he had and became a face of a hurted man. A single small tear droped slowly from his eyes. On that moment, she felt sorry for him and took his hand on hers. He briefly looked at her, then took his hand out of the table.

- After my streak of rage I so tired that I wasn't paying attention. The only thing I remembered was falling and blacking out. Next day I woke on the infirmary. People started too look weird to me. I knew what I did, but my deeds only become well known after the dust settled. A few days later, I went to Elizabeths funeral, but I stayed far, so no one could see me. That moment killed me. I was so frustrated, so sad, that I decided that was the moment too leave. I Was tired of everything: my family busting my balls for every little crap, all that magic stuff and, of course, her death. I just wanted to leave anything of our world. So I went to the muggles world. I wanted a restart, but I was also changed. After what I did, I wasn't the same man. Something was ripped out of my soul just to be replaced by another. That was my rite of passage I suppose. From them on, violence was part of me. One year later, I enlisted in the British Army as an infantryman. Things started to change. I simply got immersed in the muggle world, which was absolutely new to me, since I from a pure-blood family and never had contact with muggles. After many years, I could finally bury everything of previously life that I started to live like I was a muggle, days passed and I dint think of anything magical. I was having the best time of my life. I was changed in a way couldn't recognize what I was anymore.

- So, Stephen Hunter is also human, after all… - they both smiled to each other – I'm sorry, I dint knew these details. If I knew it I wouldn't even bring that up.

- That's okay. This is first time I talk to someone about that. Its been so long, but the pain is still there.

- Maybe know you can make peace with yourself. You should tell your story. Half of the people alredy think you are a hero.

- Im not. The Raven is a fucking joke. I hate that shit. Maybe I am criminal, a defier. In the muggles world my actions would be justified as "self defense", but here things are differnte. The words we pronounce have a sacred value. I guess I should accept a lifetime in Azkaban after this job is over.

- Don't say that. Its not true.

- Do you believe this Miss Sweeney?

- I don't know. It's a complicated moral issue. I don't think we should talk about this now.

- Sure.

- Well, its getting late and we have a lot of work to do tomorrow, we should get going.

- Yeah, lets go.

Hunter payed for the drinks, after tried to bargain with Harold because the price was absurd, them they left the pub.

- Where do live? – asked Hunter.

- A few blocks away.

- Lets go, I will escort you.

They walked, without a saying a single word to each other. After the conversation in the pub, both where very thoughtful. They arrived in a small block of old Victorian buildings in a small and quiet street.

- This it. We are you staying?

- I have no place to stay, I think I will check in the Leaky Cauldron. I only have a few coins left.

- Well, good night to you Mr. Hunter, I see you tomorrow – she strand her hand to him.

He blinked to her and nodded, and then he walked away. She stayed there looking at his back until he disappeared in the corner. Patricia gave a long sigh. She was feeling something. That man could be very "dangerous".