A Stranger Amongst Them

See disclaimer in chapter one.

Chapter eight The GAB club

A little before eight the next evening, the selected twelve started to arrive by floo.

Ron and Hermione were already there, and greeted each member as they arrived. Harry had set up the large family room as their meeting place and furnished it with appropriate chairs an tables. He acquired an overhead projector from the ministry as a visual aid as there was much printed material to review. He didn't want to circulate copies to everyone, too much chance of them falling into the wrong hands.

As the meeting started, Harry introduced Hermione and Ginny to the group, and since not every knew everyone else, suggested that they each in turn introduce themselves, giving their name and position at the ministry.

They had just finished when Ginny heard an owl pecking at the kitchen window. "Excuse me. I'll check it out," said Ginny. She returned with a small scroll in hand and smirking a bit. "It seems that you missed someone Harry. King would like to attend."

"Woops," said Harry. "Gin, If you would, return his owl with an apology, and suggest that he Apparate to our yard outside, and someone will meet him there and bring him up."

"I'll go Harry. Be back shortly."

While they waited for Kingsley to arrive, the group talked mostly amongst themselves. The Aurors and the ministry officials formed separate groups, which troubled Harry. He made a mental note to do something about that. When Kingsley arrived, he was greeted by Harry with humble apologies for not including him in the floo access list.

"No problem Harry. Actually I wanted to check out your security anyway."

Kingsley looked around the group, noticing that he knew each member quite well. Each of the Aurors he had personally trained years ago. "Gentlemen, ladies," he began. "I just have a few words to say, then I'll let you get on with things. First, you need a non- descriptive name for yourselves."

Harry interrupted. "We have decided on 'the GAB club'. We'll refer to ourselves as simply 'GAB'."

"Sounds good. Ok, on with business. As Minister of Magic, I have given Harry full authority to proceed as he thinks best. You will all follow his lead without question, and Harry will keep me informed at all times. Absolutely no one outside this room is to have any knowledge of us as a group, or any knowledge of what we are doing. Is that perfectly clear to everyone?"

They all nodded in the affirmative.

"Good. Now the only suggestion I have is for all of you to think about the possibility of somehow getting a spy out there. Someone to infiltrate their forces. If all agree, I have a candidate in mind, and he is already a ministry employee."

They all looked around somewhat confused. "You don't mean one of us do you minister," someone called out.

"No, no. There is a young boy who just recently finished Auror training, graduating tops in his class. He grew up in the slum districts of London. His situation was brought to my attention when he was about ten years old. He already had a police record for petty theft and other minor crimes. I only learned about him because he is a wizard, and was eligible to attend Hogwarts. But because of his record, the board of governors were reluctant to admit him. I talked to the boy, and learned of his background. He had no knowledge of the fact that he was a wizard."

"I took him under by wing, as the Muggle expression goes. I learned that he was very smart, brilliant in fact. He managed to survive there in the slums despite the fact that his mother abandoned him when he was only about eight years old. He never knew his father. He wasn't even sure of his name. Everyone called him 'Soluna', which roughly translates as the 'lone one'."

"He lived with my wife and I for a year. We officially became his guardian, giving him the name William Peeks, or Billy for short. Don't ask about the name. It was my wife's idea."

"We got him admitted to Hogwarts where he did extremely well in Ravenclaw. Very good grades in all subjects. He applied for admission to the Auror training program, which he did entirely on his own. I recently spoke to him about a dangerous undercover mission, and he said he was interested. If you all agree, I'll handle everything so that none of you will even know what he looks like, and he will know none of you. I have already set up falsified documents showing that he was in Muggle prisons for under age vagrants under the name that he was formally known as, Soluna."

"Again, if you all agree, he will return to the slums of his boyhood and resume his former identity. I will give him an untraceable wand and anything else he needs, including wizard and Muggle money. Harry, I need you to setup dead-drops for him around London with emergency portkeys, money, and anything else he might need if he gets into trouble. If this works, it could prove to be extremely valuable to us. Any questions?"

"Yes," said Harry. "There has to be someway for him to contact us if need be. Also, I think that he should report to someone at least once a week and give a status report, even if there is nothing specific to report."

"I quite agree, Harry. I'll have something setup before he goes under cover. Anything else. Yes Hermione."

"Minister, he will need an emergency backup plan to cover unforeseen contingencies. For example, suppose you are killed, or kidnapped, or otherwise unable to support him."

"You are right, Hermione. I hadn't thought of that. Any ideas, anyone."

"Yes, I have a suggestion." Ginny called out. "I read this in a book. Spies have a secret emergency code word to be used to identify them as friendly's. They use it under exactly the situations mentioned, or to indicate that their cover has been blown."

"An excellent idea Ginny. Anyone have any suggestions? I think it should be something that would never be brought up in normal conversation."

"I have it," said Hermione. "Scaramouch. That certainly wouldn't be used in casual conversation."

"Great word, Hermione. Everyone agree?"

Again they all nodded affirmatively.

"Well, great progress tonight. With that I will take my leave. Good night everyone."

End chapter eight