| CHAPTER NINE, Death Bringers of the West Part One |
May 3, 2008; The Ministry of Magic
Harry and Ron found Charlie and Hermione speaking with Barnabas Cuffe, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Prophet. Charlie, who was clearly bored and only Hermione's escort, caught sight of Harry and Ron first. "Hey, what's going on, love?" Charlie said, noting the displeasure in his husband's face.
"Ron?" Hermione said after hearing Charlie, turning to face her own husband.
"We, err," Harry began, "have to go on an emergency trip." Charlie's expression of curiosity immediately turned to a frown. "I'm sorry, Char—" Harry tried to say before Charlie planted a light kiss.
"I know," Charlie said in a forgiving tone. "I get it," he said, forcing a smile.
"When will you be back?" Hermione asked the pair, grabbing onto Ron's arm.
"Not sure," Ron admitted. "We have to go tonight, too. In just a few minutes, actually," Ron added, looking at his watch.
"Damn," Charlie swore.
Harry placed both hands on Charlie's shoulders, one moving to rub his chest in consolation. "Can you do me a favor?"
"Hmm?" Charlie snorted.
"Can you stay with your brother while we're gone? With Bill?"
Charlie's eyebrow raised. "Yeahhh…whyyy?"
"And um, try to go out as little as possible. Even to the Ministry. Just…as a precaution, yeah?"
"Now you're worrying me, Harry. What's going on?"
But Hermione jumped in, knowing more even though she didn't know the details. "I'll explain at the house," she said, opening her arm for Charlie to take her elbow.
"And 'Mione," Ron said, "take the kids and stay with mum."
She nodded.
"Either of you know where Peter or Mack are?" Harry asked.
"Peter's talking to Perce, I think," Hermione said.
"And Mack is by the Hors d'oeuvre table, of course," Charlie added, pointing towards the heavy bloke munching on a bit of crumpet with a sort of relish sauce on it.
"Thanks," Ron said. "We gotta' go, then," he said, kissing Hermione as passionately as public-norms would allow. Harry nodded at Charlie and they too followed suit in kissing. The couples broke apart and Harry went off to grab Peter Churchmore and Ron went to nab Mackenzie Hensbolm. Harry looked back as he moved through the crowds, watching Hermione politely excuse her and Charlie from their already interrupted conversation with Cuffe and move them towards the floo exits.
"Peter," Harry said, tapping his field-partner on the shoulder.
"Harry," Peter said, happy to see his partner made it to the event.
"Code 14," Harry said after leaning in, whispering the alarming words. "Ten minutes, before Rosewood's office." Peter nodded and he and Harry took off towards their respective offices, Harry's the largest within his division.
Harry soon found himself undressing from his black dress robes and into his black custom dragon eggshell-shirt and black jeans, placing his dark brown trench coat over it all. He rolled up his coat sleeve and strapped on his wand-guard around his long sleeve before slipping his wand into the holster. Harry also grabbed four scarlet golf ball-size spheres out of a locked drawer, as well as a satchel of WWW Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, placing both in the right pocket—the pockets of Auror coats, as well as hit wizards', have only two pockets, the left enchanted the way Harry's Hagrid-given moleskin pouch was (only the owner can retrieve items from within), while the right enchanted the way Hermione's bag was during the horcrux hunt (with the Undetectable Extension Charm). Harry reached into a different drawer, hidden with an enchantment in the side of his desk, and he retrieved the enchanted knife his godfather had given him, which he had been able to repair with the Elder Wand. He sheathed the knife into its holster, which hung along Harry's left thigh. Adjusting his glasses, Harry walked out of his office to find Ron just about to knock on it.
"Ready?" Ron asked, all set as well, the deluminator he inherited from Professor Dumbledore likely stowed away in the left side of his trench coat.
Harry nodded and as the pair began to make their way to the Department of International Magical Cooperation Churchmore joined them, lastly followed by the slower Hensbolm. Taking the elevator to the appropriate level, the four Aurors found Swan and his team of six fellow hit wizards all ready to go, standing there with the Minister for Magic. "Potter," Shacklebolt began, "I wish you and your team good luck." Shacklebolt handed Harry a small light-violet envelope: the official mission briefing conducted by the Minister himself. They shook hands and Kingsley held out the portkey, wrapped in plastic. It was an eagle shaped statuette, looking to be coated with fake bronze.
The ten men gathered around Harry, being sure to firmly touch or grip a piece of his clothing. Harry nodded to the Minister before reaching between the plastic and took hold of the portkey, instantly warping between space until all eleven men were lightly jettisoned into the lobby of what appeared to be a hotel. All having landed on their feet, they looked around to find one Muggle in the lobby who had their back to them and was speaking on the phone. Hensbolm walked up to the counter and double tapped the desk bell, no one at the service desk. Within a few seconds, a black Muggle woman came out from the back and eyed the strangely garbed men with suspicion.
"Can I help you?" she said with a southern accent, her hand reaching under the counter to hover over the panic button.
"Actually," Harry said, stepping up next to Ron's partner, "we're looking for one of your guests. Do you have a 'Reid Shallows' staying with you?" Harry smiled at her, hoping his charm, manners, and accent would win the clerk over.
Succeeding, the woman looked into the monitor of the computer as she typed away, the distinctive pressing of the 'Enter' button telling to Harry's ears. "Sorry, hon," she said, looking back up at Harry, "no guests under that name."
Unsure of the next move, the elevator dinged and a man about Harry and Ron's age stepped off the elevator. Topped with short shaggy white-blond hair and garbed in a white dress shirt and black slacks and tie, he smiled as he spotted Harry and Ron. "Ahh, look what the cat finally dragged in," he said, his more northern American accent distinguished from the clerk's.
"You know these men, Mr. Richards?" she asked, taken aback.
"I do. Associates from across the pond, Jasmine," Reid replied. "Have a good afternoon." The group walked up to the elevators and Reid waved his hand, both elevators dinging and opening and the group split into both. "Seventh floor, boys," Reid announced. The elevator closed after he punched the '7' button. "How was the flight, Harry?"
"You should address the Director as 'sir' or Mr. Potter," Swan said, the taller man turning to face the American.
"Who's the stiff?" Reid said, aghast at the over use of 'proper discourse.'
"It's alright, Belenus," Harry said, nodding to his subordinate, "Reid and I go back to my first year at the Ministry."
"Sorry, sir," Belenus Swan said, mostly to Harry.
"Not at all," Harry encouraged. Turning back to Reid, Harry answered the American's question, "It was good if you're really interested."
"I'm not," Reid said, nudging Harry's elbow. "And how 'bout you, sunspot, how's the misses treatin' ya'?"
Ron turned to Reid with a grin; Reid's personality reminded him of the twins on their best days. "Can't complain. Just had a newborn, wanna' see?" Ron said, making to reach in his pockets.
"Ugh not baby pictures," Reid groaned, eliciting the reaction Ron had hoped for.
"How 'bout you, 'cowboy?'" Ron said, doing his best at an American accent. "How's Terry?"
Reid shook his head, Harry and Ron unsure if it was at the use of the stereotype or the failed attempt at the accent—or both—and said, "He's good. Might have to join us at some point if you boys aren't careful." Reid was committed to the exceptional healer, Terrance Bicknell, whom Reid had known since his second year at Blixthorn Academy; Terry occassionally worked for the Magical Regulation Agency, acting as an emergency healer for the task force.
Ron rolled his eyes at the jab at their performance abilities, turning to face the door again just as the elevator stopped at the seventh floor. The whole group reconvened and Reid led them to Room 707, which he promptly unlocked with the wave of his hand. They piled in and found that the room was much larger than your average hotel room, rather five times the size. The room was also protected with the Anti-Intruder Jinx, as well as the Intruder, Muffliato, and Protego Horribilis charms. "Welcome to the Griffin's Nest," Reid said after they were all inside. The eleven Brits immediately began to greet each of Reid's team of 15 other witches and wizards, bringing the total of people in the room to 27.
After everyone settled, Reid gathered them around in a bunch and began the briefing. "For those who don't know, I'm Reid Shallows, Task Force Chief involving all incidents surrounding the Death Bringers. We're joined today by our British friends, two esteemed gentlemen in our midst as we have it. Ron Weasley, here, is an Auror First Class and Assistant Director for the Death Eater Division—probably the Ministry equivalent to my job." Ron gave a wave and the room gave a quick clap. "Harry Potter, as you all know, has a long history with the fallen Dark Lord and is currently the Director for the Auror Office, so we're blessed with his personal presence and he'll be overseeing the operations for what we hope will only be the next couple days." Harry nodded and the applause for Harry was just as Ron's. "So if everyone's ready, we'll get started with the full briefing."
Author's Note: Unlike Charlie Weasley with Simon Woods, Reid Shallows was much easier to visualize with an actor. Reid is actually based on Toby Hemingway's portrayal of the character Reid Garwin in Renny Harlin's 2006 The Covenant and would ideally look very similar to him.
