Chapter 11

Luthor Crabbe.

Again they assembled into, what Adam was calling, the courtroom, only this time the room had shrunk around them so that only seven chairs remained, arranged in a circle around a large table, more like a meeting than an interrogation. Adam and Tony took two together where they had sat before, with Maldue and Percy sitting opposite.

"You realise how much trouble this is causing?" Percy asked, speaking to Adam directly for the first time.

"You realise you asked me to investigate a string of murders, this is how we muggles do things, however much trouble it causes" Adam replied calmly, which was not how he was feeling. Percy nodded and clicked his fingers and Luthor Crabb apparated into the room. He was dressed in his usual wizard robes and was smiling. He looked down at Adam.

"I knew you'd be trouble." Amusement in his voice as he sat down beside Adam, opposite the others. "That's the reason I brought you together." Adam and Tony looked around at him. "That was one of your questions wasn't it?" Adam looked at Maldue and Percy; neither showed the slightest surprise at this comment.

"How much of all of this today has been orchestrated by you?" Adam asked realising that nothing was being recorded. Luthor held his hand up.

"I have another person joining me."

A door opened and Edlyn walked in, looking cool and composed, as usual, her clothing immaculate, accentuating her figure. She smiled at everyone before taking the seat between Maldue and Luthor. Percy looked at Maldue.

"Why is Miss Balsom joining us?" Percy seemed to struggle to hold his temper and it showed in his voice.

"It seems that Miss Balsom has a long-term interest in what happens today." Replied Maldue.

"Would you care to explain?"

"Prophecies Minister," Edlyn said sweetly. Adam recognised the feeling he felt wash over him, realising now that this was Edlyn's power and she was exerting it to a fair degree. Percy's head dropped and he held his brow while taking deep measured breaths. He looked up and stared straight at her.

"I don't see what this has to do with you at this time." He emphasised the words 'at this time.'

"What happens today could have repercussions as to what will happen in a few years and according to certain prophecies, I could be a Minister at that time, so I think it is very important that I know what is going to happen." Percy looked bemused before looking at Luthor, who shrugged. "Also, I was invited." She added.

Another snap stopped the proceedings as a tall slim black woman appeared in the room. She seemed to radiate power, her slim figure clad in a form-fitting pale cream gown, fell from one shoulder to the ground like liquid.

"Good morning Madam President. Glad you could join us." Luthor said as he stood and bowed to the woman. Everybody else stood up and bowed, except for Adam who was becoming bemused by all this.

"Please call me Kalishar." She pronounced her name strangely, which may have been the Afrikaans accent that was thick. She brushed her long black wavy hair from her face as she sat. "As Minister of Magic for the African Magical Congress, I think this little meeting has implications for us all, not just yourself Edlyn, but thank you for joining us." She dipped her head forward just enough to be polite, clear to Adam she was not used to someone even coming close to upstaging her in the looks department, which Edlyn did.

Edlyn smiled back, saying nothing. Adam could feel another wave of desire course through him and hoped he wasn't the only one feeling this way.

"Thank you, Madam President, for joining us." Percy broke in. "However, I would have sent a full written report to yourself via Luthor upon completion of this meeting."

She completely ignored him, reached over and placed a hand on Edlyn's knee. "They told me your only part Veela, was I misinformed?"

"No Madam," she stopped for a moment, "Kalishar, my grandmother was a full Veela. I have some of her traits, but little control over them, Exciting situations can bring them to the fore. Although I find them most useful at times."

"I'm sure you do and will continue to use this extraordinary gift to your advantage for many years to come." She turned towards Percy, who looked as if he was about to explode. "Percy, calm down."

"Madam President." He expelled.

"Kalishar."

"Kalishar. I'm finding the proceedings rather difficult." He turned his gaze on Edlyn. A smirk appeared on Adams'face as he realised that Edlyn's traits worked on everyone, including other women. "I'm grateful that you have joined us, but you could have sent any number of Ministers, instead of a personal visit."

"I could have sent a dozen Ministers, all of which would have been more than happy to be here, but I wanted to meet this most troublesome of investigating shadows." Her deep dark brown eyes moved towards Adam. "Who smirks, hoping no one can see him."

Adam felt a chill slip down his back as her eyes bored into his, seeming to look into his soul, something in his mind was warning him that woman he even greater power than he could imagine. He decided to as honest as possible, whether, by his own or someone else's design, he was unsure.

"The smirk was because I realised that Edlyn's little trick works on all of you and not just muggles like me." He saw a smirk appear on Edlyn's face, just before her head dropped. "Can I ask what a shadow is?" Kalishar leant back in her seat, smiling. "Sorry, my name is Adam Croft." He reached out his hand. She paused for a moment before reaching out and taking his hand. It was then he noticed that she had skin coloured gloves on, close fitting. The perfunctory shake went ahead.

"I wear the gloves because I am a prophet." She smiled at him again, this time with a little more warmth. "To touch your skin will allow me to enter your mind, utterly and completely because I am also a Legilimens."

"Which means you can read my mind," Adam replied.

"You have gained quite an understanding of us."

"I've had a good teacher." All of them looked at Tony, who's head dropped.

"A Shadow is our word for someone with no magical power, you call them Muggles, others around the world have different names. Any more questions Mr Croft?"

"Yes. I have three questions that need answers?" Adam said with some finality. The others stared at him, in which he assumed meant they were waiting.

"One, who took away my memories from my first visit to your world? Two, why? Three, why is the Ministry forcing me into retirement?" Percy went to answer. "Four," he held up his hand, "if you can enter my mind and change things just by touch, is that not the same as the Imperious curse without a wand. And I have more questions; I just don't have them ready yet." He paused again. "Five, why Shadow, that seems to me to be quite a horrible thing to call someone, I mean Muggle is bad enough."

She held up her hand palm toward Adam. "Let's start with the easy questions first. Different parts of the magical world have given names to people with no magic over the centuries, just as you would have, had you know about us." She paused for a moment, still smiling. "Please be sure that the terms Muggle and Shadow are not meant as insults, in fact, these words are generally used with affection." Adam noticed that the others, including Tony, were nodding their heads in agreement.

"But the term Muggle seems like you calling us stupid and shadow would suggest we don't exist," Adam replied amazed that someone was answering his questions. Mentally he decided he was going to ask as many as possible.

"I agree, but you must realise, that during the hundreds of years of self-imposed exile, stories develop, our people, who are mostly not educated in ways of your world, assume you to be dangerous. They know no better. It is hoped that you will assail some of these fears."

"How on earth could I be in a position to assail anyone's fears?"

Kalishar turned her unnerving gaze on Percy. "You haven't told him yet?"

"No, waiting for the right moment." He replied looking upwards, trying to hide a smirk.

"Told me what?"

"When the moment is right, you will be informed, but events have conspired against you at this particular moment." Replied Percy, the smirk still on his face.

"Mean's you're not going to tell me?"

"Correct."

"Does this include my memories?"

"It includes the answers to your first three questions," Said Maldue, Adam tried to remember what his first three questions were. "These important questions are all linked in a clever way. I say clever because it was me who planned it. However the facts, when known, will please you greatly and I think, surprise and disgust you in equal measures."

Adam looked at each person in turn, finding the only eyes not looking back was Tony's, who was staring at Maldue.

Kalishar raised her hand again, regaining control of the meeting.

"I can control someone's mind by touching them as you said, this is like the Imperious curse, but I would have to keep my touch upon the victim to keep them in my power. The moment we break contact, it stops. So, the Imperious curse would be much easier to use."

"How does anyone know that's true?" Adam asked, feeling he was poking a dragon, but unable to stop himself.

"That is easy to answer; I would be running the planet by now." She smiled again, this time her eyes showed the smile as well.

"From my point of view, you already seem to be in charge." The smile broke and she laughed aloud, full-bodied and deep, reminding him of the way Gwen laughed, unreserved. He could see Luthor's smirk and the look of shock on Percy's face. Edlyn, like Tony, were both shaking their heads in disbelief. Maldue on the other hand, showed not one flicker of emotion as he stared stoically at Kalishar.

She stopped laughing, her smile faded as she stared at Adam and then Tony.

"Percy. I see that the three of you have chosen wisely." She stood up, followed by all the others. "My time here is at an end and I've seen and heard all I need."

"I thought it was a prophecy that brought us together?" Adam asked. She didn't answer, but beckoned Adam to follow her as walked across the room. She stopped out of the other earshot of the others. Adam was surprised to find he had to look up at her.

"Prophecies are always best ignored. Trying to fathom them out is always a dangerous game that can have many consequences, almost always bad. My advice to you is to put prophecies behind you and complete the job that has been asked of you." She stepped back. "Until we meet again Mr Croft, and you Mr Garret." She called over to him.

She moved across the room, which surprised Adam as he expected her to apparate as Edlyn joined her. They stood face to face, Edlyn's hand in Kalishars. Adam noticed she had removed her glove. He watched for some time, noticing that neither were talking nor communicating, just staring at each other. They broke the grip, their hands falling down. Edlyn smiled as Kalishar replaced her glove. Luthor walked over spoke to them both. A moment later, he and Kalishar apparated. Edlyn, still smiling walked across the room, stopped as she came level with Adam and Tony.

"You look happy?" Asked Adam.

"I've been invited to spend a year at the AMC. Work experience." She replied, obviously very happy.

"Is that all?" Adam asked. She smiled at him and wagged her finger in his face.

"Don't be nosy, muggle." She breezed out, leaving them alone with Percy and Maldue, who were still deep in whispered conversation.

"I don't know about you," Adam said to Tony, "but I don't think we learnt a damn thing today."

"We put three people in Azkaban."

"Little people and I'm not sure they were responsible for what they did. The people behind the murders are still out there. Also we have no idea why they were killed. I still think we are investigating two crimes and not one." Adam looked around, finding them both alone in the room, the meeting obviously at an end. "What was the point of this meeting?"

"I suspect we were being displayed to that Kalishar."

"You didn't trust her?" Ask Adam staring at him.

"No and neither did you or Maldue."

"Glad to see you spotted that."

"And what's this crap with your memories?"

"That is worrying me, almost as much as this meeting."

"I'm sure we'll find out."

Adam and Tony left the Ministry in the early evening after eating at the Ministry with Maldue and Edlyn. Percy left the Ministry stating he had a dinner date. Tony took them to Grimmauld Place for the night, to try to plan something for tomorrow.