Honor of a thief

Onagar was a bustling town, not as big as the major metropolis like Celadon but still prosperous and by extension, populated. Ron, who had never been anywhere more crowded than Diagon Alley was in awe.

"It didn't seem so big last night" he squeaked.

Having arrived late the previous evening they'd checked into an inn on the edge of town and promptly crawled into bed after ensuring their mounts were cared for. Now in the bright light of day, things looked much different.

"Feels like downtown London, even the smell" said Hermione, discretely covering her nose.

Ron didn't hear her though, entranced by the sights, the sounds, but most of all the smells.

"Now Ron, don't go wandering off, it's really easy to get lost in a crowd this size" lectured Hermione.

"Should have told him that earlier" said Harry who stood at her shoulder.

"Would he have listened?"

"Probably not but he might have at least heard you."

A quick look around revealed that yes, Ron had vanished.

Hermione massaged her temples, "I'm going to put a bell on him and staple it to his big stupid head! You'd think after two years here he might have developed some sense I mean… oof."

"Hey, watch where you're goin" shouted a small urchin as he shoved between the cleric and the ranger.

"Us watch, why you little…" before she could really build up a good head of steam the little nuisance was already gone, vanishing into the crowd like a shadow, "Oh, this is why I hate the big city, people are so rude, you know what I mean Harry?... Harry?"

"Ha, suckers" the boy cackled as he ducked down an alley to examine his prize.

It was a small bag, the ranger had been wearing it on his belt, but where else would you expect a ranger to keep his money. Opening the bag his face fell when he found not money, but a handful of small stone statues.

"Aw man, what is this junk" he said, pulling out what looked like an owl.

The arrow appearing out of nowhere shocking him and causing him to drop both the owl and the bag as his behind became acquainted with the ground. He looked up in horror to see the ranger placing the small owl back into the bag and reattaching it to his belt.

Startling green eyes turned on him like the gaze of the reaper, "didn't anyone ever tell you it isn't nice to steal."

"Harry? Harry!" the ranger turned at the sound of his name and the little thief used the moment of distraction to run for his life.

'Damn it all, damn it, damn it' he cursed as he ran. He'd saw the two as an easy mark, strangers in a crowd, definitely not locals. Stupid, careless, the ranger probably knew the minute his bag was gone. A mistake, a mistake that almost got him killed, a mistake he couldn't afford to make. He ran, scared, terrified, and making his second mistake of the day by running straight back to his guild handler Croft.

The second he saw Croft he knew he was in trouble. The guild handler was foul tempered on a good day and by the look on the man's face, it wasn't.

"Well, let's ave it then ya little rat" the man growled in a guttural tone.

"I don't… have…" he panted, too scared to realize what a stupid thing he was saying till it was already out of his mouth.

"Don't tell me you aven't got anything to give me" he said hand lashing out viciously and knocking the boy off his feet, "You worthless little scamp, trying to cheat me are you?"

"No, I wouldn't" he cried too stunned to do more than crawl away.

"Little liar, I'm gonna teach you what for yes I am" said the filthy man, pulling a dagger from his belt and raising it in the air.

The dagger made a clinking sound as it hit the cobbled stones and Croft made a sound not unlike a stuck pig when he discovered the arrow in his hand. Confused and afraid the boy ran yet again. He had to get them out. When Croft caught up he'd be absolutely murderous. He had to get the little ones somewhere safe, somewhere Croft wouldn't find them.

His mind was absolute turmoil as he raced through the streets and back alleys to the small hut in the darkest corner of an all too familiar back alley. He found them all there, all six of them just like he'd left them. Darla laid out on the mat while Sandra kneeled at her head and the four boys Matt, Jake, Tommy, and Alex sitting around on either side.

His sudden appearance had them all looking worried.

"Shem, what's wrong, what happened?" asked Sandra.

"Bad, bad, really bad" was all his scattered brain could manage, "we have to go, now, we have to get out of here we have to go."

"Do you now" the smooth silky tones sent a shiver down his spine and the shadow that suddenly loomed over him, he was certain the reaper had come for him at last.

He turned to find he wasn't far off, it was the green eyed ranger standing in the doorway, looming like some shade from the darkest pits.

"You go way!" shouted Alex, belligerently stepping forward and waving his little wooden sword at the imposing figure, ignorant of the danger he put himself in, or so Shem believed.

In truth the small boy was in no danger from Harry, who silently took in each of the dirty frightened little faces until finally stopping on Darla. He felt a sense of dread the moment he laid eyes on the deathly still form.

"Hermione! I need you!"

"What is it Harry?" said the Cleric, squeezing past him into the dinghy little hut, "Oh my god" she exclaimed, "Harry their children I…"

He could see the same dread that filled him take hold in his friend as she rushed past the boys and fell to the side of the small girl, "What happened, what's wrong with her" she demanded.

"Her legs, their broken" said the other girl woodenly.

"Legs" repeated Hermione, glowing hands hovering over said appendages before traveling the rest of the way up, "Good gods Harry it's not just her legs, she's practically dead, I don't even know how she's still alive."

"Can you help her?"

"I don't know" she replied on the verge of tears, tears that were swiftly banished by an iron resolve, "but I'll be damned if I don't try."

The glanced around the hut briefly before looking to Harry, "Give me your arrows, all of them."

"What are we doing?" said Harry even as he moved to obey.

"There's a church, we need to get her there. My magic will be stronger on holy ground and we might be able to enlist some help" she said diving into her bag and pulling out a length of rope.

"They won't help you" said Shem dejectedly, "You'll be lucky if they even let you in."

"They'll let us in" said Harry, his tone brooked no argument.

"We can't leave them behind either" she said, indicating the other children, "But they won't be able to keep up with us."

Harry looked directly at Shem who looked like he was ready to run, "You know where this church is?"

"Yeah, so what."

"Take them there, as fast as you can" he ordered.

"What, you're off you're…"

"Allow me to make myself perfectly clear" he said, his tone like ice, "You will take them there, as fast as you can, or so help me…" he said, leaving the young boys imagination to fill in the rest.

Shem stood petrified, those green eyes boring into his very soul and he powerless to stop them.

"Harry, we have to go, now" commanded Hermione.

Harry nodded, taking up the makeshift stretcher and carrying the dying girl as with all the care he could manage.

Alone, the children slowly shook off their stupor and turned to their leader.

"Shem, what do we do now Shem?"

It was past noon when they finally arrived. While Shem knew every street and alleyway in Onagar, the others didn't nor were they as quick or nimble as he, so going had been slow. He wasn't all that surprised to find the ranger there waiting for them.

"Glad you made it" was all he said before motioning them inside.

Shem did so reluctantly. The others followed, looking in awe at all around them. None of them had ever seen the like before, so neat and clean, the pews and the candles, the immaculately shining artifacts.

"Madam, there here" he called to someone in the next room.

The children clustered together fearfully when a steely looking matron bustled into the room, "Well then, let's have a look at them" she said.

They cowered under her gaze, she didn't even seem to notice, "I see you were right when you described them, absolutely filthy, we'll be scrubbing the grime off for hours" she said.

Harry chuckled while the matron simply sighed, "Ah well, come along then, let's get you fed."

"We, we get to eat" Sandra quailed, a hint of hope creeping in.

"Well of course you do dear" she said, the smile that lit her face softening her features dramatically.

The children stared in awe, and then as one scrambled for the kitchen. All except Shem which did not go unnoticed.

"Coming Shem?" she said, addressing him by name.

He said nothing, continuing to stare at the carpet. She sighed and shook her head but said nothing, following after her rambunctious new charges.

His friends gone, Shem turned and headed for the door.

"So you're just going to abandon them then?" the words froze him in his tracks.

"You got them all the way here and you're just going to leave?"

"What's it to you" he said angrily, clenching his fists in impotent rage.

"The more important question is, what's it to you?"

Shem stood shaking in fury, feeling the ranger's eyes on his back. He wanted to scream, shout, break something, tell the damned ranger off. But he couldn't, he was too weak and he knew it. Petulantly he sat down in the closets pew, crossed his arms and stared at the wall.

Harry for his part, sat down directly in front of, giving him something else to stare at, and said nothing.

"So who was he?"

"Huh" said Shem.

It had been hours since his arrival and these were the first words the ranger had spoken since.

"The man I shot" he clarified, "who was he?"

"Why do you care" he retorted petulantly.

"I like to know about the people who might hold a grudge against me, he certainly seemed like the type."

"He is" said Shem, shivering at the thought of it.

"So who was he?"

"He was my handler" he said, "His name's Croft."

"Croft huh" Harry mulled over the name, "what exactly did he handle."

Shem groaned, realizing the annoying ranger wasn't going to let up, "he's a member of the thieves guild. All the members have their own little groups of pickpockets that they handle, I was his."

"Just you?"

"Darla was too" he said quietly.

Harry was quiet for a time, "It was no accident, her legs being broken" his tone was neutral, controlled, hollow.

"She didn't make her quota one day, so he threw her against a wall. She fell wrong and broke her leg. He got mad and broke the other one" said Shem, the shame burning inside him.

The ranger hmmed to himself, thinking for a time before asking his next question, "does this guild have a base, somewhere they all gather together."

"Indeed they do" said a gruff voice.

Shem practically jumped out of his skin while Harry merely turned to look at the old man as he walked out from behind the alter.

"My apologies if I startled you" he said.

"S'alright" said Harry, while Shem simply tried to stop his heart from beating out his chest.

"I must advise against antagonizing the thieves' guild ranger. They may not be many but they are vicious and cunning as any snake" said the old man, looking hard at the ranger, as if daring him to contradict.

"And how many are we talking about precisely" he inquired.

The old man looked at him for a moment, "five" he said, "each and every one a killer."

"And why is such a group allowed to continue to operate? Who is in charge of dealing with such things?"

"We are" he said.

"Who is we?"

"The Order of Paladins is charged with keeping law and order in Onagar. We are fully aware of the guilds existence" he said stonily.

"Then why does it still exist?" asked Harry in a tone that could chill a skeleton.

"Because they bribe and threaten all the right people" he replied, looking away from the piercing gaze of the ranger, "they know who to avoid, who not to antagonize and who they can bully. I've tried for years to do something but, there's just nothing I can do."

The ranger looked long and hard on the old man, "A pox on politics and all who practice them" he said venomously.

"Amen" agreed the Paladin.

"Have you seen Darla?" Shem interjected, "is she…"

"I do not know" the old man said, "When last I checked the Cleric was still working."

"Your friend will be fine" said Harry.

"How do you know, she said she was practically dead" he tried to fight the tears, but it was a losing battle.

"Because I know Hermione, she won't stop till her goal is accomplished."

"Have faith lad" said the Paladin.

"Faith, why would I have faith" shouted Shem, tears of anger flowing freely down his face, "what did faith ever do for anyone, for me."

The paladin shook his head and made to protest but it was the ranger who spoke first.

"Do not chide him paladin" he said, silencing the old man, "what you ask of him is no easy thing, nor do I think I should be."

"Oh, how is that?"

"Because if faith were something that came easy it could be taken just as easy" said the ranger, pulling back his hood to reveal the man beneath, "If faith were something truly worth having it must be earned, tested, examined from every angle and at every instance to prove it is truly strong."

Shem was shocked when the ranger turned to him, his piercing green eyes so deep, so full of things that felt so familiar to Shem he couldn't fight back the tears that began to fall as the ranger spoke directly to him.

"It is not an easy thing I ask of you when I say this but I will say it none the less, have faith."

"It does help."

"Hermione" said Harry, rising from his seat to his weary friend's side, "How are you."

"I'm fine" she said woozily, swaying precariously.

"How's Darla?"

Hermione seemed to focus on this, "I'll need to check her again tomorrow and the next few days as well to make sure I got everything, but for now I'm confident she'll be fine" said the bushy haired Cleric.

Then, her energy spent, she tilted forward right into Harry's waiting arms, "Harry, m' sleepy" she mumbled into his chest.

"That's alright Hermione" he said removing his cloak and rolling it up into a pillow, "You just sleep now" he said, laying her down on the pew with her head on his cloak.

The little fairy which had previously occupied said cloak looked at him expectantly.

"Watch over her Luna, keep her safe."

The miniature girl saluted and took up her position on the top of the pew, marching back and forth like a little toy soldier.

"Where are you going?" asked the paladin tiredly, sensing the industry in the younger man.

"I have some moral outrage that needs expressing, and a specific group it needs expressing to" he explained, "You" he said, looking at Shem, "Come with me."

The people of Onagar were greeted the next morning by a strange sight. From five trees all around town were hung five men, each with the word thief carved into their chest. While other wounds indicated this was likely not what killed them there was absolutely no indication of who had done it, though the why seemed rather obvious, as obvious as the word carved in their chests.

The number of thefts dropped dramatically following this event.