Chapter 12—Time for a vacation
I knew I was dead because the wives would want to know what happened and if I lied, then some paper was bound to report the incident. I was in big trouble. Why had I not just 'slid' out of danger was my and their question and I don't have a good answer. They waited to berate me until after they had healed all the cuts, burns and bruises that I didn't realize I had received. My robes looked like there were more holes than robe and my clothes were all ripped and torn. I was just glad that the Deatheaters could fly and cast curses worth a knut. The thing that got to me was that Pierre had caught the snitch and Andre got the reserve position. I think the coach got the picture of how dangerous it was to be around me.
"How about a nice vacation" I asked to change the girls tongue lashing.
Daphne and Tracey huddled and whispered and turned to me.
"We have decided that a vacation will be fantastic Mr. Johnson." Tracey stated.
I was instantly relieved that the subject of me and Quittage practice had been changed when I wondered what was with the Mr. Johnson?
"Yes our London apartment will be the perfect place to meet with our parents who we haven't seen in ages. Then there is the shopping that you owe us" Daphne added with a smile.
"Yes my dears your wish is my command" that got me a pillow in the face.
Sissy delivered the entire luggage mountain with the help of the elves from Frances. They elves turned into a cleaning and polishing tornado so on our arrival the place was spotless. I hoped we had enough elf transport after the women's shopping binge. The elves always craved work but they were fanatical about it in my opinion. I caught Sissy cleaning the elevator and if I am not mistaken the Caladrius Hotel now had an invisible elf cleaning crew.
There was no 'floe' connection as this was a muggle hotel and our guests would come and go as muggles. We had full day to relax and then the relatives would start arriving by cab. The first wave was the mothers so that left me with a soda and the TV for the most part. The second wave brought fathers and sisters. That took care of that day with a dinner in the Hotel restaurant. The women went off to chat and the guys huddled around the TV and drank beir. With muggle sports on the satellite TV or SyFi on tape we guys were basically satisfied. Mr. Greengrass ran a business that had contacts with muggles and Mr. Davis was a muggle so it worked out.
The trip started to go down hill soon there after. The women decided on a shopping excursion which the men were not allowed to miss. I will try and not remember either sitting bored in a corner or having to compliment the women on their choices. I had no idea about clothes or fashions. The girls looked better without clothes in my opinion, which I was smart enough to keep to myself. At least Sissy was happy popping all the clothes back to the apartment.
It all fell to pieces that evening after everyone was back in the penthouse, "So where shall we go for dinner tonight? I asked with a steak on my mind.
"Chinese sounds good." Tracey's mother suggested.
"How about a Thai meal." Daphne looked for me to support her.
"Steak house! Said the other males almost in unison." After it was all over we ended up with Chinese being delivered.
About an hour after all the boxes were emptied, "Master Harry we got nasty company coming!" Sissy squeaked. I checked the security equipment, especially the cameras. The balcony camera caught the flash of a red robed wizard on a broom seeking cover behind the building across the street while the roof camera showed no activity. The lobby camera showed a few familiar Ministry faces and the Minister himself.
Apparently someone was watching the Greengrasse's or the Davis family's homes or movements and decided to stop by for a surprise get together.
"Alright you lot, find a window and keep watch but don't stand in front of them. I am going to make some people very unhappy." I stated as I picked up the telephone and dialed 999.
"Yes, Police services? This is Harold J. Johnson, owner of the Caladrius Hotel. Yes, I hate to bother but I believe I have a group of twenty people trying to enter the hotel. From their dress and demeanor they appear to be of the same organization and appear to wish us harm."
"Harry their landing on the roof" Daphne called as she pointed to the roof camera.
"Please hurry they just landed people on the hotels roof…Yes officer it could be a terrorist attack but I assure you I am not experienced in those types of maters."...They told us to find a secure place and stay safe they would be sending officers.
"We will Officer, I am activating the hotel's security at this time; I am going to have my wife hold the line open." I then threw the switches to drop the bars on the windows and patio doors. Next I disabled the elevator. Of course down in the lobby the elevator's normal operation had the Aurors confused . They finally located the door to the stairs and were charging up enmasse. All the security measures only applied to the penthouse so the stairs were open for their use until they hit the Penthouse's reinforced steel doors
While I am a fugitive of the Ministry of Magic and Azkaban I am not planning on having a shootout to get away from the Aurors. No I am going to let them violate the secrecy act among other no-no's. Whatever transpires the muggle Minister will find out about this if he has not been already notified? This disaster was stupid to the extreme and could only be bad for the Ministry of Magic who was currently standing in the middle of the lobby twirling his lime green bowler hat in his hands. If they got close enough to get in to this apartment I would definitely remember to 'slide' with all my guests to a safer location.
Stumping a magical is often done with simple muggle technology. One of the Auror tried to blast the steel bars that blocked one of the bedroom door leading from the bedroom patio. He accomplished two things, to start with he bent one bar of about eight and partly destroyed the room behind it, secondly the police were notified of a blast as it was heard over the telephone. The shrieks from a couple of the women added to angst of the police listening on the phone. The Auror got four spell cast at him by my group. Most of the Aurors spells passes though the bars of the door further destroying the room further but not affecting the steel bars. The spell fire stopped as the Auror was out cold on the small patio from our return fire.
The Aurors that charged up the stairs were stopped by the Goblin steel doors. That had them stumped as they didn't know it was Goblin steel. Goblins made the finest metals, strong with enchantments.
The lobby cleared quickly of screaming people as they streamed out the front doors. Stupid Fudge and company must have decided that if they couldn't get the elevator to run then they would blast it open and that would cure the problem. I quickly opened the penthouse elevator doors and to my surprise six Aurors entered the elevator. I closed the doors and started it upwards but stopped it between floors. The police could handle them later. Oh the magicals would be there as I put up anti-apperation and port-key ward on the hotel.
Now I am not sure as I was coordinating our defences but I did catch on the screens some things that would make a video tape party a must. I saw some very weird happenings in the lobby. Like Fudges hat catching on fire while spinning in his hands. One of the couches suddenly attacked an Auror. With all the magic in the lobby the TV and other electronics exploded causing billowing smoke. Another Auror was attacked by the plastic plants that resembled miniature palm trees. The smoke suddenly cleared just as the police entered the lobby. I think Sissy and crew were having some fun.
It turned out that London had a new terrorist strike team which included a couple of helicopters. That took care of the Aurors on the roof and balconies. The police officers entering the lobby were armed with guns and gas and taser weapons. England's Bobbies seldom carried firearms.
In the end they had captured and handcuffed twenty Aurors and Fudge. They lost them as the magicals 'port-keyed' or 'apperated' as soon as they were taken out of the wards. Those being lead out of the Hotel were the now reported terrorists and were caught on film by both muggle and magical media. I wish I could be in the office when Fudge tried to explain to the muggle Prime Minister shooting down one of his helicopter. This of course was not counting the attack on the Caladrius Hotel in the middle of London England. In all the action no one was killed so we were left with just the fun of it all. Fudge and the Ministry of Magic was left with untold muggles that needed to be 'Obliviated' and an irate English government. I told the Goblins to have the Minister sued into covering the cost of Hotel repairs and anything extra they got was to be considered their fee. I left some very happy Goblins.
/Scene Break/
For some unknown reason all the women decided that the Caladrius Hotel was not a suitable vacation. We ended up in Hawaii along with the Greengrasse's and Davis family. The wives demanded that they be compensated for their traumatizing experience at the Hotel. It was the shopping malls that would help ease their trauma and stress.
I just enjoyed watching the girls on the beach and enjoyed the sun. England has always been to cold for bikini wear. Fudge got tossed out on his bum though a no confidence vote in the Wizengamot. Life was good.
